485BPOS 1 a18-36344_1485bpos.htm POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT FILED PURSUANT TO SECURITIES ACT RULE 485(B)

 

Securities Act Registration No. 333-181176

Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-22696

 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 25, 2018

 

 

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x

o Pre-Effective Amendment No.

x Post-Effective Amendment No. 62

 

and/or

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 x

x Amendment No. 65

 

Victory Portfolios II

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor

Brooklyn, OH 44144

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(877) 660-4400

(Area Code and Telephone Number)

 

With copy to:

 

Charles Booth
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc.
4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43219

 

Christopher K. Dyer
Victory Portfolios II
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, Ohio 44144

 

Jay G. Baris
Shearman & Sterling LLP
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York, 10022

 

Approximate date of proposed public offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective:

 

o

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

x

On (November 1, 2018) pursuant to paragraph (b)

o

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

o

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

o

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

o

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

 

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

o This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment

 

 

 



  November 1, 2018

Prospectus

Equity

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF (CFA)

VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF (VSQG)*

VictoryShares Quality Value ETF (VSQV)*

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF (CSA)

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF (CIL)

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF (CEZ)

Dividend Equity

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF (CDL)

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF (CSB)

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF (CID)

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF (CEY)

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF (VSDA)

Minimum Volatility

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF (VSMV)

VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF (VSGV)*

VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF (VSIV)*

Equity Long/Cash

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF (CFO)

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF (CDC)

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF (CSF)

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF (CIZ)

* Not currently offered for sale.

Listed and traded on:

The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved the Funds' securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

VictorySharesLiterature.com

866-376-7890




Victory
Shares

Table of Contents

Fund Summaries

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

    1    

VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF

    6

 

VictoryShares Quality Value ETF

    10

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

    14    

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

    20    

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

    26    

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

    32    

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

    38    

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

    44

 
VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd
ETF
    50

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

   

56

   

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

    60

 
VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility
ETF
    65    
VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum
Volatility ETF
    70

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

   

75

   
VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd
ETF
    81    
VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd
ETF
    87    

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

    94    

Additional Fund Information

    101    

Investments

    103    

Risk Factors

    105    

Investing with Victory

 

Organization and Management of the Fund

    111    

Share Price

    112    

How to Buy and Sell Shares

    114    

Distribution and Service Plan

    116    

Distributions and Taxes

    117    

Other Information

    119    

Other Service Providers

     

Financial Highlights

    121    



VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.11

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.41

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.06

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor adviser for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


1



VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

126

   

$

224

   

$

512

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 36% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S. stocks by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $2.3 billion to $1.1 trillion.

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation


2



VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Large Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


3



VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 7.08%.

Highest Quarter  7.32% (quarter ended December 31, 2017)

Lowest Quarter  -6.12% (quarter ended September 30, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

22.38

%

   

11.40

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

22.01

%

   

11.05

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

12.92

%

   

8.88

%

 
S&P 500® Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

21.83

%

   

11.35

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

22.82

%

   

11.83

%

 

1 Inception date is July 2, 2014.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


4



VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund issues and redeems Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally are taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


5



VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory Quality Growth Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses1

   

0.41

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.71

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements2

   

(0.36

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements2

   

0.35

%

 

1Estimated for the current fiscal year.

2Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


6



VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

36

   

$

191

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in securities included in the Nasdaq Victory Quality Growth Index (the "Index"). The Index utilizes a rules-based approach designed to generate investment returns with consistent quality and growth factor exposure. The Index is maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The companies eligible for inclusion in the Index are derived from its starting universe, the mid- to large-capitalization U.S. companies included in the Nasdaq US Large Mid Cap Index ("Parent Index"), an index maintained by the Index Provider. The Parent Index consists of those companies with market capitalizations representing the top 90% of the U.S. investable universe.

The Index seeks to construct a diversified portfolio of companies that exhibit both quality and growth characteristics by ranking securities on the basis of a number of proprietary fundamental factors that have been identified by a quantitative multi-factor selection process developed by the Adviser. The Index selects those companies that rank highest in terms of exposure to both quality and growth factors and then weights the individual securities by applying a factor designed to favor companies with earnings stability. The Index is reconstituted every January, April, July and October (based on information as of the prior month-end).

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.


7



VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF Summary (continued)

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — Growth stocks may be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the values of other stocks, and they may fall out of favor if the companies' earnings growth does not meet expectations. Similarly, quality companies may fall out of favor based on changing market sentiment. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet the Index's objective.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Mid-Capitalization Stock Risk — Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of


8



VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF Summary (continued)

securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not commenced operations. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. The Fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since inception

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are principally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


9



VictoryShares Quality Value ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory Quality Value Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses1

   

0.41

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.71

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements2

   

(0.36

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements2

   

0.35

%

 

1Estimated for the current fiscal year.

2Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


10



VictoryShares Quality Value ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

36

   

$

191

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its net assets in securities included in the Nasdaq Victory Quality Value Index (the "Index"). The Index utilizes a rules-based approach designed to generate investment returns with consistent quality and value factor exposure. The Index is maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The companies eligible for inclusion in the Index are derived from its starting universe, the mid- to large-capitalization U.S. companies included in the Nasdaq US Large Mid Cap Index ("Parent Index"), an index maintained by the Index Provider. The Parent Index consists of those companies with market capitalizations representing the top 90% of the U.S. investable universe.

The Index seeks to construct a diversified portfolio of companies that exhibit both quality and value characteristics by ranking securities on the basis of a number of proprietary fundamental factors that have been identified by a quantitative multi-factor selection process developed by the Adviser. The Index selects those companies that rank highest in terms of exposure to both quality and value factors and then weights the individual securities by applying a factor designed to favor companies with earnings stability. The Index is reconstituted every January, April, July and October (based on information as of the prior month-end).

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.


11



VictoryShares Quality Value ETF Summary (continued)

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — Value stocks may fall out of favor with investors and may underperform growth stocks in an up market. The intrinsic value of value stocks may never be fully recognized by the market or their price may decline. Similarly, quality companies may fall out of favor based on changing market sentiment. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet the Index's objective.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Mid-Capitalization Stock Risk — Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.


12



VictoryShares Quality Value ETF Summary (continued)

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not commenced operations. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. The Fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since inception

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are principally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


13



VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.17

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.47

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.12

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


14



VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

139

   

$

251

   

$

580

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 47% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S. companies with market capitalizations of less than $3 billion measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $166.6 million to $3.3 billion.

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation


15



VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Liquidity Risk — Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. In addition, the Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price. Illiquid securities and relatively less liquid securities may also be difficult to value.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Small Company Risk — Small-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.


16



VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Tracking Risks — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


17



VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 8.31%.

Highest Quarter  13.54% (quarter ended December, 31, 2016)

Lowest Quarter  0.30% (quarter ended March 31, 2017)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
  1 Year   Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

12.10

%

   

12.95

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

11.80

%

   

12.65

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

7.07

%

   

10.02

%

 
Russell 2000® Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

14.65

%

   

10.26

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

12.44

%

   

13.23

%

 

1 Inception date is July 8, 2015.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


18



VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


19




VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.40

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.58

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.98

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.53

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.45

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.45%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


20



VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

46

   

$

259

   

$

490

   

$

1,153

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded foreign companies and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 500 largest foreign companies by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index considers foreign companies to be those that are organized or domiciled in a developed country (excluding the U.S. and emerging markets) and whose stock principally trades on a foreign exchange. Representative developed markets include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria.

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.


21



VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk — Many of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Shares. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Foreign Investment Risks:

n  Foreign Exposure Risk — Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

n  Currency Risk — The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and


22



VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


23



VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was -0.62%.

Highest Quarter  8.02% (quarter ended March 31, 2017)

Lowest Quarter  -3.06% (quarter ended December 31, 2016)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

26.90

%

   

8.63

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

26.31

%

   

8.22

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

15.84

%

   

6.72

%

 
MSCI EAFE Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

25.03

%

   

8.16

%

 
Nasdaq Victory International 500 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

27.13

%

   

9.04

%

 

1 Inception date is August 20, 2015.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


24



VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


25



VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.45

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.78

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

1.23

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.73

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.50

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.50%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


26



VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

51

   

$

318

   

$

605

   

$

1,424

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 53% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded companies in emerging market countries and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies up to the 500 largest emerging market companies by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index considers emerging market companies to be those that are organized or domiciled in an emerging market country and whose stock principally trades on a foreign exchange. Emerging markets are generally those with a less-developed economy and per capita income significantly lower than the U.S. or other developed countries. Representative emerging market countries include China (Asia), Brazil (South America), Russia (Europe and Asia), India (Asia) and Egypt (Africa).

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or less than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria.

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.

At times, the Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), in order to access a particular asset class or market.


27



VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk — Many of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. Because the Fund generally relies on the last quoted prices for such securities when calculating its NAV, such events may cause Shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Foreign Investment Risks:

n  Foreign Exposure Risk — Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

n  Emerging Markets Risk — All of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets securities. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems which do not protect securities holders. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and


28



VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.

n  Currency Risk — The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Investment Company Risk — An investment company or similar vehicle (including an ETF) in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Liquidity Risk — In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the securities in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the securities in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, natural disasters, new legislation, or regulatory changes, and may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Smaller Company Risk — Small and mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risks — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


29



VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was -7.73%.

Highest Quarter  10.23% (quarter ended March 31, 2017)

Lowest Quarter  4.21% (quarter ended June 30, 2017)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

29.33

%

   

15.37

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

26.92

%

   

13.84

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

17.26

%

   

11.42

%

 
MSCI EMF Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

37.28

%

   

23.52

%

 
Nasdaq Victory Emerging Markets 500 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

30.40

%

   

16.05

%

 

1 Inception date is March 22, 2016.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


30



VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


31



VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.12

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.42

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.07

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


32



VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

128

   

$

228

   

$

523

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 52% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index.

•  The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $4 billion to $360 billion.

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.


33



VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Fund's dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objectives.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying


34



VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


35



VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 4.14%.

Highest Quarter  7.89% (quarter ended March 31, 2016)

Lowest Quarter  1.87% (quarter ended June 30, 2017)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

15.75

%

   

14.20

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

14.92

%

   

13.38

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

9.53

%

   

10.95

%

 
Russell 1000® Value Index2
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

13.66

%

   

10.54

%

 
S&P 500® Index2
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

21.83

%

   

12.95

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

16.19

%

   

14.61

%

 

1 Inception date is July 8, 2015.

2 The Adviser has selected the Russell 1000® Value Index as the Fund's principal benchmark in place of the S&P 500® Index because the Adviser believes it is a more appropriate index for comparison purposes given the Fund's investment strategy.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's VictoryShares team, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.


36



VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


37



VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year a as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.15

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.45

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.10

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


38



VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

134

   

$

242

   

$

557

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 68% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest U.S. companies with market capitalizations of less than $3 billion with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index.

•  The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $365.5 million to $3.3 billion.

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.


39



VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Fund's dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Liquidity Risk — In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the securities in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the securities in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, natural disasters, new legislation, or regulatory changes, and may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Smaller Capitalization Stock Risk — The earnings and prospects of smaller-sized companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger


40



VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

companies in response to selling pressures. Small-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risks — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


41



VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 7.90%.

Highest Quarter  14.04% (quarter ended December 31, 2016)

Lowest Quarter  -1.96% (quarter ended March 31, 2017)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

10.94

%

   

13.91

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

10.04

%

   

13.02

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

6.83

%

   

10.69

%

 
Russell 2000® Value Index2
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

7.84

%

   

11.48

%

 
Russell 2000® Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

14.65

%

   

10.26

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

11.36

%

   

14.33

%

 

1 Inception date is July 8, 2015.

2 The Adviser has selected the Russell 2000® Value Index as the Fund's principal benchmark in place of the Russell 2000® Index because the Adviser believes it is a more appropriate index for comparison purposes given the Fund's investment strategy.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.


42



VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


43




VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory International High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.40

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.20

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.60

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.15

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.45

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.45%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


44



VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

46

   

$

177

   

$

320

   

$

736

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 58% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory International High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest foreign companies by market capitalization with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Volatility Weighted Index.

•  The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index considers foreign companies to be those that are organized or domiciled in a developed country (excluding the U.S. and emerging markets) and whose stock principally trades on a foreign exchange. Representative developed markets include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria.

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.


45



VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk — Many of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. Because the Fund generally relies on the last quoted prices for such securities when calculating its NAV, such events may cause Shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Fund's share.

  In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Foreign Investment Risks

n  Foreign Exposure Risk — Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

n  Currency Risk — The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Fund's dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective.


46



VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


47



VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was -4.49%.

Highest Quarter  6.23% (quarter ended March 31, 2017)

Lowest Quarter  -4.59% (quarter ended June 30, 2016)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

19.55

%

   

5.01

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

18.76

%

   

4.33

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

12.09

%

   

3.98

%

 
MSCI EAFE Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

25.03

%

   

8.16

%

 
Nasdaq Victory International High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

20.06

%

   

5.52

%

 

1 Inception date is August 20, 2015.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


48



VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


49



VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory Emerging Market High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.45

%

 

Other Expenses1

   

0.60

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

1.05

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements2

   

(0.55

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements2

   

0.50

%

 

1Estimated for the current fiscal year.

2Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.50%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


50



VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

51

   

$

279

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the Fund's most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 52% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory Emerging Market High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the Nasdaq Victory Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest emerging market companies by market capitalization with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the Nasdaq Victory Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index.

•  The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index considers emerging market companies to be those that are organized or domiciled in an emerging market country and whose stock principally trades on a foreign exchange. Emerging markets are generally those with a less-developed economy and per capita income significantly lower than the U.S. or other developed countries. Representative emerging market countries include China (Asia), Brazil (South America), Russia (Europe and Asia), India (Asia) and Egypt (Africa).

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria.

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.

At times, the Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange traded funds ("ETFs"), in order to access a particular asset class or market.


51



VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk — Many of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Shares. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Fund's share. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Foreign Investment Risks

n  Foreign Exposure Risk — Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.


52



VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Emerging Markets Risk — All of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets securities. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems which do not protect securities holders. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.

n  Currency Risk — The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Investment Company Risk — An investment company (including an ETF) or similar vehicle in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Fund's dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Liquidity Risk — In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the securities in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the securities in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, natural disasters, new legislation, or regulatory changes, and may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Smaller Company Risk — Small and mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.


53



VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


54



VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not yet had a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. A fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how that fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


55



VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory Dividend Accelerator Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.37

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.67

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.32

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


56



VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

36

   

$

182

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 43% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in securities included in the Nasdaq Victory Dividend Accelerator Index (the "Index"). The Index utilizes a rules-based approach designed to identify dividend paying stocks with a higher likelihood of future dividend growth. The Index is maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The companies eligible for inclusion in the Index are derived from its starting universe, the mid- to large-capitalization U.S. companies included in the Nasdaq US Large Mid Cap Index ("Parent Index"), an index maintained by the Index Provider. The Parent Index consists of those companies with market capitalizations representing the top 90% of the U.S. investable universe.

The Index screens companies in the Parent Index using a number of proprietary fundamental factors that have been identified by a quantitative multi-factor selection process to identify dividend paying companies with a higher probability of future dividend growth. Within this smaller set of companies, the Index weights the constituent securities using a methodology designed to maximize dividend growth, measured at a portfolio level, within established portfolio constraints (such as maximum weightings of index constituents and sectors). The Index is reconstituted every April and rebalanced quarterly (based on information as of the prior month-end).

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.


57



VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF Summary (continued)

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Fund's dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market or a company's dividends may not grow as projected. In addition, the Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.


58



VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF Summary (continued)

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not yet had a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund is available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. The Fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since inception

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are principally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange and trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


59



VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.44

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.74

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.39

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


60



VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

36

   

$

197

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal period, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility Index (the "Index"). The Index utilizes a rules-based approach designed to generate investment returns with less volatility than the broader U.S. market. The Index is maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The companies eligible for inclusion in the Index are derived from its starting universe, the mid- and large-capitalization U.S. companies included in the Nasdaq US Large Mid Cap Index ("Parent Index"), an index maintained by the Index Provider. The Parent Index consists of those U.S. companies with market caps representing the top 90% of the U.S. investable universe.

The Index Provider considers a company to be a U.S. company if it is economically tied to the U.S. In general, a company is treated as being economically tied to the U.S. if: (1) the company is incorporated and domiciled in the U.S., (2) the company makes public filings with U.S. securities regulators, and (3) the company's securities are listed on a U.S. exchange. In addition, the Index Provider treats companies that are incorporated in certain identified countries to benefit from tax, legal or other advantages, but which otherwise meet these requirements, as being economically tied to the U.S.

The Index is designed to construct a diversified portfolio with superior risk-adjusted returns by first ranking companies using a number of proprietary fundamental factors, such as dividend yield, sales growth and other financial metrics that have been identified by a quantitative multi-factor selection process to identify the companies that are most likely to outperform the broader U.S. market. The companies in the top 20% of the ranking are included in the Index. Within this smaller set of companies, the Index uses an optimization tool to weight the individual securities to minimize absolute volatility, measured at a portfolio level, within established portfolio constraints (such as minimum and maximum weightings of index constituents and sectors). The Index is reconstituted every April and October (based on information as of the prior month-end).

The Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.


61



VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective. Although the Index is designed to minimize volatility compared to the Parent Index, there is no guarantee that this strategy will be successful.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Mid-Capitalization Stock Risk — Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.


62



VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


63



VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not yet had a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. The Fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since inception

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are principally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange and trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


64




VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.35

%

 

Other Expenses1

   

1.04

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

1.39

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements2

   

(0.99

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements2

   

0.40

%

 

1Estimated for the current fiscal year.

2Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.40%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


65



VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

41

   

$

342

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in securities included in the Nasdaq Victory Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility Index (the "Index"). The Index utilizes a rules-based approach designed to generate investment returns with less volatility than the broader global market. The Index is maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The companies eligible for inclusion in the Index are derived from its starting universe, the mid- to large-capitalization companies included in the Nasdaq Global Large Mid Cap Index ("Parent Index"), an index maintained by the Index Provider. The Parent Index consists of those companies with market capitalizations representing the top 90% of the investable universe in each developed market (including the U.S.) and each emerging market represented in the Parent Index.

The Index is designed to construct a diversified portfolio with superior risk-adjusted returns by first screening companies using a number of proprietary fundamental factors, such as dividend yield, sales growth and other financial metrics that have been identified by a quantitative multi-factor selection process to identify the companies that are most likely to outperform the broader global market. The companies in the top 20% of the ranking are included in the Index. Within this smaller set of companies, the Index weights the individual securities to minimize absolute volatility, measured at a portfolio level, within established portfolio constraints (such as minimum and maximum weightings of index constituents, sectors and countries).

In constructing the Parent Index, the Index Provider assigns a company to a particular country if it is economically tied to that country. In general, a company is treated as economically tied to a particular country if two or more of the following are true: (1) the company is incorporated in the country, (2) the company's domicile (i.e., location of its headquarters or principal executive office) is in the country, and (3) the company's securities are listed on the country's primary exchange. In addition, the Index Provider treats a company that is incorporated in certain identified countries to benefit from tax, legal or other advantages as being economically tied to the country of its primary exchange listing. In the event a different country is identified for each of these categories for a company, the company is treated as being economically tied to the country of its primary exchange listing. The Index is reconstituted every April and October (based on information as of the prior month-end).

The countries represented by the Index will change over time based on changes in the countries comprising the Parent Index and changes in the constituent securities selected for the Index based on application of the Index Provider's proprietary model. As of the date of this prospectus, the Index included companies from 25 developed countries and 20 emerging market countries.


66



VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index or other securities investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk Many of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. Because the Fund generally relies on the last quoted prices for such securities when calculating its NAV, such events may cause Shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Fund's share. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.


67



VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

n  Foreign Investment Risks

n  Foreign Exposure Risk Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

n  Emerging Markets Risk All of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in emerging markets securities. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems which do not protect securities holders. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries and security issuers may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market securities also tend to be less liquid.

n  Currency Risk The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective. Although the Index is designed to minimize volatility compared to the Parent Index, there is no guarantee that this strategy will be successful.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Mid-Capitalization Stock Risk — Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


68



VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not commenced operations. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. The Fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since inception

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are principally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


69



VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.40

%

 

Other Expenses1

   

1.04

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

1.44

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements2

   

(0.99

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements2

   

0.45

%

 

1Estimated for the current fiscal year.

2Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.45%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


70



VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 
$

46

   

$

358

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets in securities included in the Nasdaq Victory International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility Index (the "Index"). The Index utilizes a rules-based approach designed to generate investment returns with less volatility than the broader developed market. The Index is maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The companies eligible for the Index are derived from its starting universe, the mid- to large-capitalization companies included in the Nasdaq Global Ex U.S. Large Mid Cap Index ("Parent Index"), an index maintained by the Index Provider. The Parent Index consists of those companies with market capitalizations representing the top 90% of the investable universe in each developed markets (excluding the U.S.) represented in the Parent Index.

The Index is designed to construct a diversified portfolio with superior risk-adjusted returns by first screening companies using a number of proprietary fundamental factors, such as dividend yield, sales growth and other financial metrics that have been identified by a quantitative multi-factor selection process developed by the Adviser to identify the companies that are most likely to outperform the broader developed market. The companies in the top 20% of the ranking are included in the Index. Within this smaller set of companies, the Index uses an optimization tool developed by the Adviser to weight the individual securities to minimize absolute volatility, measured at a portfolio level, within established portfolio constraints (such as minimum and maximum weightings of index constituents, sectors and countries).

In constructing the Parent Index, the Index Provider assigns a company to a particular country if it is economically tied to that country. In general, a company is treated as economically tied to a particular country if two or more of the following are true: (1) the company is incorporated in the country, (2) the company's domicile (i.e., location of its headquarters or principal executive office) is in the country, and (3) the company's securities are listed on the country's primary exchange. In addition, the Index Provider treats a company that is incorporated in certain identified countries to benefit from tax, legal or other advantages as being economically tied to the country of its primary exchange listing. In the event a different country is identified for each of these categories for a company, the company is treated as being economically tied to the country of its primary exchange listing. The Index is reconstituted every April and October (based on information as of the prior month-end).

The countries represented by the Index will change over time based on changes in the countries comprising the Parent Index and changes in the constituent securities selected for the Index based on application of the Index Provider's proprietary model. As of the date of this prospectus, the Index included companies from 24 developed countries.


71



VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index or other securities investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading IssuesTrading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk Most of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. Because the Fund generally relies on the last quoted prices for such securities when calculating its NAV, such events may cause Shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Fund's share. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.


72



VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

n  Foreign Investment Risks

n  Foreign Exposure Risk Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

n  Currency Risk The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — The Index may not successfully identify companies that meet its objective. Although the Index is designed to minimize volatility compared to the Parent Index, there is no guarantee that this strategy will be successful.

n  Large-Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Mid-Capitalization Stock Risk — Mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


73



VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

No performance information is presented since the Fund has not commenced operations. Performance data for the Fund will be available online at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling 1-866-376-7890. A fund's performance is not necessarily an indication of how that fund will perform in the future.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since inception

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are principally issued and redeemed in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


74



VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.11

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.41

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.06

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%  

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


75



VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in placed through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

126

   

$

224

   

$

512

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 37% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reallocates to stocks when market prices have either further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through defensive positioning, as described below.

The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S. stocks by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $2.3 billion to $1.1 trillion.

The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.

During a period of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 10% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.

If the month-end value of the Reference Index declines 10% or more from its all-time closing high, the Index will reallocate 75% of the stocks included in the Index to cash or cash equivalents.


76



VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

The Index will reallocate to stocks as follows:

•  The Index will return to being 100% allocated to stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 10% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 20% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 30% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, another 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 40% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, the remaining 25% of the Index will reallocated to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% allocated to stocks.

The Index will make any prescribed allocations to cash in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end. In the event that it does, the Fund may experience higher portfolio turnover and incur additional transaction costs.

During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the cash portion of the Index will be allocated to 30-day U.S. Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the cash portion of the Index in Treasury bills with a duration generally of 90 days or less or in investment companies, such as money market funds.

While the Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index, at times the Fund may pursue its investment objective by investing in the Index securities indirectly by investing all or a portion of its assets in another investment company advised by the Adviser, including an exchange-traded fund ("ETF"), that seeks to track the Index or the Reference Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.


77



VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Fixed Income Risk — The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations.

n  Index/Defensive Positioning Risk — Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed defensive strategy, if employed, will be successful in minimizing downside market risk.

n  Investment Company Risk — An investment company (including an ETF) or similar vehicle in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Large Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. The growth rate of larger, more established companies may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Portfolio Turnover Risk — Higher portfolio turnover ratios resulting from additional purchases and sales of portfolio securities will generally result in higher transaction costs and Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risks — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


78



VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 7.08%.

Highest Quarter  7.32% (quarter ended December 31, 2017)

Lowest Quarter  -6.13% (quarter ended September 30, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

22.37

%

   

11.34

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

22.00

%

   

10.99

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

12.93

%

   

8.83

%

 

INDEX

 
S&P 500® Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

21.83

%

   

11.35

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

22.82

%

   

11.83

%

 

1 Inception date is July 2, 2014.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.


79



VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


80



VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.11

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.41

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.06

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor adviser for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


81



VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

126

   

$

224

   

$

512

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 52% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 100 High Dividend Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reallocates to stocks when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through defensive positioning, as described below.

The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with the stocks included in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index, a volatility weighted index comprised of the 500 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 100 highest dividend yielding stocks in the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index.

•  The 100 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include less than 100 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $4 billion to $360 billion.

The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap 100 High Dividend Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.

During a period of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 8% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.

If the month-end value of the Reference Index declines 8% or more from its all-time closing high, the Index will reallocate 75% of the stocks included in the Index to cash or cash equivalents.


82



VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

The Index will reallocate to stocks as follows:

•  The Index will return to being 100% allocated to stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than an 8% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 16% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 24% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, another 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 32% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, the remaining 25% of the Index will reallocated to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% allocated to stocks.

The Index will make any prescribed allocations to cash in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end. In the event that it does, the Fund may experience higher portfolio turnover and incur additional transaction costs.

During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the cash portion of the Index will be allocated to 30-day U.S. Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the cash portion of the Index in Treasury bills with a duration generally of 90 days or less or in investment companies, such as money market funds.

While the Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index, at times the Fund may pursue its investment objective by investing in the Index securities indirectly by investing all or a portion of its assets in another investment company advised by the Adviser, including an exchange-traded fund ("ETF"), that seeks to track the Index or the Reference Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The following summarizes the principal investment risks of the Fund. Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective and an investment in the Fund is not by itself a complete or balanced investment program.

n  Dividend Income Strategy Risk — The Fund's high dividend strategy may not be successful. Dividend paying stocks may fall out of favor relative to the overall market.

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.


83



VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Fixed Income Risk — The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations.

n  Index/Defensive Positioning Risk — Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed defensive strategy, if employed, will be successful in minimizing downside market risk.

n  Investment Company Risk — An investment company (including an ETF) or similar vehicle in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Large Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. Larger, more established companies may not respond as quickly to competitive challenges (such as changes in technology and consumer tastes) and their growth rate may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index. The Adviser will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.

n  Portfolio Turnover Risk — Higher portfolio turnover ratios resulting from additional purchases and sales of portfolio securities will generally result in higher transaction costs and Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


84



VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 4.14%.

Highest Quarter  7.83% (quarter ended March 31, 2016)

Lowest Quarter  -2.17% (quarter ended September 30, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

15.75

%

   

11.69

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

14.93

%

   

10.90

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

9.51

%

   

9.05

%

 

INDEX

 
Russell 1000® Value Index2
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

13.66

%

   

8.64

%

 
S&P 500® Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

21.83

%

   

11.35

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Long/Cash
Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
    16.19%       12.22%    

1 Inception date is July 2, 2014.

2 The Adviser has selected the Russell 1000® Value Index as the Fund's principal benchmark in place of the S&P 500® Index because the Adviser believes it is a more appropriate index for comparison purposes given the Fund's investment strategy.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.


85



VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


86




VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.30

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.13

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.43

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.08

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.35

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.35%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor adviser for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


87



VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

36

   

$

130

   

$

233

   

$

534

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 47% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reallocates to stocks when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through defensive positioning, as described below.

The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded U.S. stocks and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 500 largest U.S companies with market capitalizations of less than $3 billion measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria. As of September 30, 2018, the Index had a market capitalization range from $166.6 million to $3.3 billion.

The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.

During a period of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 11% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.

If the month-end value of the Reference Index declines 11% or more from its all-time closing high, the Index will reallocate 75% of the stocks included in the Index to cash or cash equivalents.


88



VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

The Index will reallocate to stocks as follows:

•  The Index will return to being 100% allocated to stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 11% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 22% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 33% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, another 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 44% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, the remaining 25% of the Index will reallocated to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% allocated to stocks.

The Index will make any prescribed allocations to cash in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end. In the event that it does, the Fund may experience higher portfolio turnover and incur additional transaction costs.

During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the cash portion of the Index will be allocated to 30-day U.S. Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the cash portion of the Index in Treasury bills with a duration generally of 90 days or less or in investment companies, such as money market funds.

While the Fund generally seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing a replication strategy that seeks to hold all the stocks in the Index, at times the Fund may pursue its investment objective by investing in the Index securities indirectly by investing all or a portion of its assets in another investment company advised by the Adviser, including an exchange-traded fund ("ETF"), that seeks to track the Index or the Reference Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable The Fund's Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.


89



VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Fixed Income Risk — The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations.

n  Index/Defensive Positioning Risk — Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful in minimizing downside market risk.

n  Investment Company Risk — An investment company (including an ETF) or similar vehicle in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Liquidity Risk — In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the securities in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the securities in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, natural disasters, new legislation, or regulatory changes, and may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Portfolio Turnover Risk — Higher portfolio turnover ratios resulting from additional purchases and sales of portfolio securities will generally result in higher transaction costs and Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.

n  Small Company Risk — Small-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.

n  Stock Market Risk — Overall stock market risks may affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as domestic and international economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events affect the securities markets.


90



VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


91



VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was 8.31%.

Highest Quarter  13.58% (quarter ended December 31, 2016)

Lowest Quarter  -9.09% (quarter ended September 30, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

12.09

%

   

8.75

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

11.80

%

   

8.48

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

7.06

%

   

6.79

%

 

INDEX

 
Russell 2000® Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

14.65

%

   

11.21

%

 
Nasdaq Victory US Small Cap 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes.
   

12.44

%

   

9.20

%

 

1 Inception date is August 1, 2014.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


92



VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


93



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide investment results that track the performance of the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index before fees and expenses.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares ("Shares") of the Fund. Investors may incur usual or customary brokerage commissions and other charges on their purchases and sales of Shares of the Fund in the secondary market, which are not reflected in the table or the example below.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
   

NONE

   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 

Management Fees

   

0.40

%

 

Other Expenses

   

0.18

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

   

0.58

%

 

Fee Waivers/Expense Reimbursements1

   

(0.13

)%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and Expense Reimbursements1

   

0.45

%

 

1Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, ("Adviser") has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least October 31, 2019 so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.45%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it or by the Fund's predecessor adviser for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.


94



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Fees and Expenses of the Fund (continued)

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect the fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through the expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

46

   

$

173

   

$

311

   

$

713

   

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will generally indicate higher transaction costs resulting in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover was 38% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its assets directly or indirectly in the securities included in the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index (the "Index"), an unmanaged, volatility weighted index maintained exclusively by Nasdaq Inc. (the "Index Provider"). The Index Provider is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

The Index combines fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities. In accordance with a rules-based mathematical formula, the Index tactically reduces its exposure to the equity markets during periods of significant market decline and reallocates to stocks when market prices have further declined or rebounded. The term "Enhanced" in the Fund's name refers to a feature of the Index that is designed to enhance risk-adjusted returns while attempting to minimize downside market risk through defensive positioning, as described below.

The Index follows a rules-based methodology to construct its constituent securities:

•  The Index universe begins with all publicly traded foreign companies and then screens for all companies with positive earnings in each of the four most recent quarters.

•  The Index identifies the 500 largest foreign companies by market capitalization measured at the time the Index's constituent securities are determined.

•  The 500 stocks are weighted based on their daily standard deviation (volatility) of daily price changes over the last 180 trading days. Stocks with lower volatility receive a higher weighting and stocks with higher volatility receive a lower weighting.

The Index considers foreign companies to be those that are organized or domiciled in a developed country (excluding the U.S. and emerging markets) and whose stock principally trades on a foreign exchange. Representative developed markets include Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.

The Index is reconstituted every March and September (based on information as of the prior month-end) and is adjusted to limit exposure to any particular country to 20% and any particular sector to 25%. The Index may include more than or fewer than 500 stocks depending on the number of companies meeting the Index's criteria.

The Index follows a mathematical index construction process designed to limit risk during periods of significant (non-normal) market decline by reducing its exposure to the equity market. Market decline is measured by reference to the Nasdaq Victory International 500 Volatility Weighted Index ("Reference Index"), which is composed of the same securities as in the Index but without any allocation to cash.

During a period of significant market decline, defined as a decline of 12% or more from the Reference Index's all-time daily high closing value compared to its most recent month-end closing value, the Index's exposure to the market may be as low as 25% depending on the magnitude and duration of such decline.


95



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

If the month-end value of the Reference Index declines 12% or more from its all-time closing high, the Index will reallocate 75% of the stocks included in the Index to cash or cash equivalents.

The Index will reallocate to stocks as follows:

•  The Index will return to being 100% allocated to stocks if the month-end closing value of the stocks in the Reference Index returns to a level that is less than a 12% decline from its all-time daily high closing value.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 24% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 36% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, another 25% of the Index will reallocate to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weightings.

•  If the Reference Index declines by 48% (or more) from its all-time daily high closing value as measured at month-end, the remaining 25% of the Index will reallocated to the stocks of the Reference Index at their current securities weighting and the Index will then be 100% allocated to stocks.

The Index will make any prescribed allocations to cash in accordance with the mathematical formula only at month end. In the event that it does, the Fund may experience higher portfolio turnover and incur additional transaction costs.

During any periods of significant market decline, when the Index's exposure to the market is less than 100%, the cash portion of the Index will be allocated to 30-day U.S. Treasury bills. The Fund will invest the portion of its portfolio corresponding to the cash portion of the Index in Treasury bills with a duration generally of 90 days or less or in investment companies, such as money market funds.

The Fund seeks to track the returns of the Index before fees and expenses by employing, under normal circumstances, a "sampling" process to invest in a representative sample of stocks included in the Index. The Fund's portfolio managers select these stocks using a statistical optimization process designed to produce investment characteristics that closely approximate those of the Index. At times the Fund may pursue its investment objective by investing in the Index securities indirectly by investing all or a portion of its assets in another investment company advised by the Adviser, including an exchange-traded fund ("ETF") that seeks to track the Index or the Reference Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund's investments are subject to the following principal risks:

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risks — The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable The Fund's shares ("Shares") are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share ("NAV") only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues Trading in Shares on the Exchange (as defined below) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.


96



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

n  Market Price Variance Risk The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk Many of the Fund's underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. Because the Fund generally relies on the last quoted prices for such securities when calculating its NAV, such events may cause Shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. The IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Shares. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings.

n  Fixed Income Risk — The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations.

n  Foreign Investment Risk

n  Foreign Exposure Risk Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets may include less liquidity, greater volatility, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

n  Currency Risk The Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the US dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Index/Defensive Positioning Risk — Because the Index's allocation to cash versus securities is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash. There is no guarantee that the Index's prescribed liquidation and reinvestment strategy, if employed, will be successful in minimizing downside market risk.

n  Investment Company Risk — An investment company (including an ETF) or similar vehicle in which the Fund invests may not achieve its investment objective. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF and, therefore, has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index.


97



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Portfolio Turnover Risk — Higher portfolio turnover ratios resulting from additional purchases and sales of portfolio securities will generally result in higher transaction costs and Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling approach, if used, could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities of the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are similar, these risks will be greater.

n  Tracking Risk — The Fund's return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities; and differences between the Fund's portfolio and the Index resulting from legal restrictions, cost, or liquidity constraints. The Fund's use of representative sampling may cause the tracking error to be higher than would be the case if the Fund purchased all of the securities in the Index.

You may lose money by investing in the Fund. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC) or any other government agency.

By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan and should be considered a long-term investment for investors who can afford to weather changes in the value of their investment.


98



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Performance

The bar chart and table that follow are intended to help you understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows you how the Fund's calendar year performance has varied over the past 10 years (or the life of the Fund if shorter). The table compares the Fund's average annual total returns over the same period to a broad measure of market performance. We assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

Updated performance information is available on the Fund's website at VictorySharesLiterature.com.

Calendar Year Returns

The year-to-date total return of the Fund through September 30, 2018 was -0.51%.

Highest Quarter  7.24% (quarter ended March 31, 2017)

Lowest Quarter  -9.77% (quarter ended September 30, 2015)

Average Annual Total Returns
(For the Periods ended
December 31, 2017)
 

1 Year

  Life
of Fund1
 

FUND

 

Before Taxes

   

25.68

%

   

1.74

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions

   

25.20

%

   

1.43

%

 

After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

15.01

%

   

1.41

%

 

INDEX

 
MSCI EAFE Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

25.03

%

   

5.97

%

 
Nasdaq Victory International 500 Long/Cash Volatility Weighted Index
Index returns reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes, except foreign withholding taxes.
   

26.04

%

   

2.53

%

 

1 Inception date is October 1, 2014.

After-tax returns use the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the effect of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant if you own your Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser. The portfolio managers primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of the Adviser's Victory Solutions platform, which oversees the Adviser's rules-based investment strategies.

Portfolio Managers

 

Title

 

Tenure with the Fund

 

Mannik Dhillon, CFA, CAIA®

 

President, VictoryShares and Solutions

 

Since June 2018

 

Stephen Hammers, CIMA®

 

Chief Portfolio Strategist, VictoryShares

 

Since Inception

 


99



VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF Summary (continued)

Purchase and Sale of Shares

The Fund will issue and redeem Shares at NAV only in large blocks of 50,000 Shares (each block of Shares is called a "Creation Unit"). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants ("APs") that have entered into agreements with the Fund's distributor. Individual Shares may only be purchased and sold through brokers in secondary market transactions on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (the "Exchange"). Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange and will trade at market prices rather than NAV. Shares of the Fund may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV.

Tax Information

The Fund's distributions generally will be taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains. A sale of Shares may result in capital gain or loss.

Payment to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

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


100




Additional Fund Information

The VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF ("US 500 Fund"), VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF ("Quality Growth Fund"), and VictoryShares Quality Value ETF ("Quality Value Fund"), VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF ("US Small Cap Fund"), VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF ("International Fund"), VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF ("Emerging Market Fund"), VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF ("US Large Cap High Div Fund") VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF ("US Small Cap High Div Fund"), VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF ("International High Div Fund"), VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF ("Emerging Market High Div Fund"), VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF ("Dividend Accelerator Fund"), VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF ("US Fund"), VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF ("Global Fund"), VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF ("International Min Vol Fund"), VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF ("US 500 Enhanced Fund"), VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF ("US EQ Income Enhanced Fund"), VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF ("Discovery Enhanced Fund"), and VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF ("Developed Enhanced Fund") (each a "Fund") are each organized as an exchange-traded fund ("ETF"), each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies.

The International Fund, Emerging Market Fund, International High Div Fund, Emerging Market High Div Fund, Developed Enhanced Fund, Global Fund, and International Min Vol Fund are collectively referred to in this Prospectus as the "International Funds." The Discovery Enhanced Fund, US 500 Enhanced Fund, Developed Enhanced Fund and US EQ Income Enhanced Fund are collectively referred to in this Prospectus as the "Enhanced Funds".

This section describes additional information about the principal investment strategies that the Funds will use under normal market conditions to pursue their investment objectives. In managing the Funds, the Adviser uses a "passive" or indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund's investment objective. The Funds do not try to outperform their indexes. Under normal market conditions, each Fund pursues its investment objective by seeking to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of a particular Nasdaq Victory Index ("Index").

From time to time, each of the Enhanced Funds may take temporary defensive positions based on the construction of its respective Index, which is designed to respond to periods of market decline. During periods of significant market decline, an Enhanced Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in U.S. Treasury bills with a duration generally of 90 days or less or in investment companies, such as money market funds. During such times, an Enhanced Fund may not benefit from any market appreciation.

The Adviser expects that, over time, the correlation between a Fund's performance and that of the Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect the Fund's ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that a Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation. The Adviser monitors each Fund on an ongoing basis, and makes adjustments to its portfolio, as necessary, to minimize tracking error and to maintain liquidity.

At times, the Adviser may invest all or a portion of a Fund's assets in another investment company advised by it, including an ETF, that seeks to track the same Index as the Fund or a similar index, such as a Reference Index. The Adviser may choose to do so, for example, when holding such other investment company would be more efficient than investing directly in the individual constituent securities of the Index.


101



Additional Fund Information (continued)

The following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy that the Funds will use under normal conditions to pursue their investment objectives. Keep in mind that for cash management purposes, each Fund is permitted to hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, index futures, short-term money market instruments or shares of other investment companies, including money market funds. To the extent that it does so, the Fund may not benefit from any upswing in the market and may fail to meet its investment objective.

Each Fund's investment objective and policy to invest at least 80% of its assets in the securities of its respective Index are each a non-fundamental policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days' written notice to shareholders. For purposes of a Fund's 80% investment policy, "assets" means the Fund's net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes.


102



Investments

The following describes the types of securities each Fund (except the International Funds) may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategies.

U.S. Equity Securities

Can include common stock and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.

The following describes the types of securities the International Funds may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategies.

Equity Securities of Foreign Companies

Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. corporations. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.

The following describes the types of securities the Enhanced Funds may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategies.

U.S. Government Securities

Notes and bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Some are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury; others are obligations only of the U.S. agency or instrumentality. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will provide support to U.S. agencies or instrumentalities if they are unable to meet their obligations.

The Adviser may use several types of investments and investment techniques in pursuing the Funds' overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities the Adviser may purchase or the investment techniques the Adviser may employ but which the Adviser does not consider to be a part of a Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional types of securities and strategies that the Funds may utilize are included in the Funds' Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

Derivatives

From time to time, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial contracts whose value is based on an underlying security or asset, a currency exchange rate, an interest rate or a market index. Many types of instruments representing a wide range of potential risks and rewards are derivatives, including but not limited to futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps and forward currency exchange contracts. The Fund may, but is not required to, use index futures for cash management (attempting to remain fully invested while maintaining liquidity) or to gain exposure to an investment in a manner other than investing in the asset directly. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculative purposes.

Investment Companies

A Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies, the shares of which are bought and sold on a securities exchange.


103



Investments (continued)

Securities Lending

To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, high quality money market instruments or securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.


104



Risk Factors

The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in a Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, total return and the value of a Fund and your investment. The risk descriptions below provide a more detailed explanation of the principal investment risks that correspond to the risks described in each Fund's Fund Summary section of its Prospectus.

There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Each Fund's Share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio investments. When you sell your Fund Shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them and, accordingly, you can lose money investing in the Funds. No Fund, by itself, is intended to be a complete investment program.

  Dividend
Income
 

Equity

  ETF
Structure
  Emerging
Markets
  Fixed
Income
  Foreign
Investment
  Index/
Defensive
  Investment
Company
  Large
Cap
  Limited
History
 

Liquidity

  Passive
Investment
  Portfolio
Turnover
Risk
  Smaller
Company
 

Sampling

 

Tracking

 
US 500
Fund
       

X

     

X

                 

X

         

X

             

X

                 

X

   
Quality
Growth
Fund
       

X

     

X

                 

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

                 

X

   
Quality
Value
Fund
       

X

     

X

                 

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

                 

X

   
US Small
Cap Fund
       

X

     

X

                 

X

             

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

   
Inter-
national
Fund
       

X

     

X

             

X

     

X

                     

X

             

X

     

X

   
Emerging
Market
Fund
       

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

             

X

     

X

   
US Large
Cap High
Div Fund
   

X

     

X

     

X

                 

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

                 

X

   
US Small
Cap High
Div Fund
   

X

     

X

     

X

                 

X

             

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

   
Inter-
national
High Div
Fund
   

X

     

X

     

X

             

X

     

X

             

X

         

X

             

X

     

X

   
Emerging
Market
High Div
Fund
   

X

     

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

             

X

     

X

   
Dividend
Accelera-
tor Fund
   

X

     

X

     

X

                 

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

         

X

   
US Min
Col Fund
       

X

     

X

                 

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

         

X

 
Global
Fund
       

X

     

X

             

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

 
Inter-
national
Min Vol
Fund
       

X

     

X

             

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

 
US 500
Enhanced
Fund
       

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

             

X

     

X

             

X

 


105



Risk Factors (continued)

  Dividend
Income
 

Equity

  ETF
Structure
  Emerging
Markets
  Fixed
Income
  Foreign
Investment
  Index/
Defensive
  Investment
Company
  Large
Cap
  Limited
History
 

Liquidity

  Passive
Investment
  Portfolio
Turnover
Risk
  Smaller
Company
 

Sampling

 

Tracking

 
US EQ
Income
Enhanced
Fund
   

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

             

X

   
Discovery
Enhanced
Fund
       

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

   
Developed
Enhanced
Fund
       

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

     

X

     

X

         

X

         

X

     

X

         

X

     

X

   

n  Equity Risk — The value of the equity securities in which the Fund invests may decline in response to developments affecting individual companies and/or general economic conditions. A company's earnings or dividends may not increase as expected. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods.

n  ETF Structure Risk — Each Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result is subject to special risks, including:

n  Not Individually Redeemable — Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as "Creation Units." You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, you may redeem your Shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.

n  Trading Issues — Although the Shares are listed on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active, liquid or otherwise orderly trading market for Shares will be established or maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants, particularly in times of stressed market conditions. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the Shares. In stressed market conditions, the market for Shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund's underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to differences between the market price of the Shares and the underlying value of those Shares.

n  Market Price Variance Risk — Individual Shares of the Fund that are listed for trading on the Exchange can be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly and you may pay more than NAV when buying Shares on the secondary market (a premium), and you may receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares (a discount). The market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a "bid-ask spread" charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Shares. The Fund's investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the Fund over a period of time. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those creating and redeeming directly with the Fund.


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Risk Factors (continued)

n  International Closed Market Trading Risk — Many of the International Funds' underlying securities trade on foreign exchanges that are closed when the Exchange (as defined below) is open; consequently, events may transpire while such foreign exchanges are closed but the Exchange is open that may change the value of such underlying securities relative to their last quoted prices on such foreign exchanges. Because the Fund generally relies on the last quoted prices for such securities when calculating its NAV, such events may cause Shares to trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. In addition, there is no obligation for market makers to make a market in the Fund's shares or for Authorized Participants to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, Shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV.

n  Intraday Indicative Value (IIV) Risk — The Exchange intends to disseminate the approximate per share value of the Fund's published basket of securities ("Deposit Securities") every 15 seconds (the "intraday indicative value" or "IIV''). The IIV is not a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of the Fund because the IIV may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV. For example, the calculation of the NAV may be subject to fair valuation at different prices than those used in the calculations of the IIV and, unlike the calculation of NAV, the IIV does not take into account Fund expenses. For securities traded outside of the U.S., the IIV calculations are based on local market prices and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market's close which could affect premiums and discounts between the IIV and the market price of the Fund's share. In addition, the IIV is based on the published Deposit Securities and not on the Fund's actual holdings. The Fund, the Adviser and their affiliates are not involved in, or responsible for, any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and make no warranty as to the accuracy of these calculations.

n  Emerging Markets Risk — All of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in securities associated with emerging markets. Countries in these markets are more likely to experience high levels of inflation, deflation or currency devaluation, which could also hurt their economies and securities markets. The risks of investing in these markets also include the risks of illiquidity, increased price volatility, less government regulation, less extensive and less frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements, risk of loss resulting from problems in share registration and custody, and the nationalization of foreign deposits or assets. In addition, countries in emerging markets are more likely to experience instability in their markets due to social and political changes.

n  Fixed Income Risk — The value of the Fund's direct or indirect investments in fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments).

n  Foreign Investment Risk — Foreign securities, including ADRs and GDRs, tend to be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. securities. Further, foreign securities may be subject to additional risks not associated with investment in U.S. securities due to differences in the economic and political environment, the amount of available public information, the degree of


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Risk Factors (continued)

market regulation, and financial reporting, accounting and auditing standards, and, in the case of foreign currency denominated securities, fluctuations in currency exchange rates. In addition, during periods of social, political or economic instability in a country or region, the value of a foreign security could be affected by, among other things, increasing price volatility, illiquidity or the closure of the primary market on which the security is traded. In addition to foreign securities, the Fund may be exposed to foreign markets as a result of the Fund's investments in U.S. companies that have international exposure.

n  Foreign Exchanges Risk — The Fund may place trades on exchanges in foreign markets. Regulations of U.S. governmental agencies may not apply to transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals' markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.

n  Currency Risk — Although each Fund will report its net asset value and pay dividends in U.S. dollars, when a Fund invests on a foreign exchange in foreign currency denominated or foreign currency-linked securities, the Fund will be exposed to currency risk. This means that the Fund's net asset value could decline as a result of changes in the exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Additionally, certain foreign countries may impose restrictions on the ability of issuers of foreign securities to make payment of principal and interest to investors located outside the country, due to blockage of foreign currency exchanges or otherwise.

n  Index/Defensive Positioning Risk — Because the allocation to cash versus securities by an Index underlying an Enhanced Fund is determined at month-end, there is a risk that the Index, and thus the Fund, will not be able to immediately react to changes in market conditions that occur between reallocations. During temporary periods that the Fund is invested in fixed income investments, the Fund would not benefit from any upswing in the equity markets. The Fund will incur transaction costs and potentially adverse tax consequences in the event the Index allocates to cash.

n  Investment Company Risk — A Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of the underlying any funds (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Investment Strategy Risk — A Fund's Index may not successfully identify companies that meet the Index's objective. For the US Fund, Global Fund and International Fund, there is no guarantee that the applicable Index's strategy to minimize volatility compared to the respective Parent Index will be successful. The performance of the US Large Cap High Div Fund, US Small Cap High Div Fund, International High Div Fund, Emerging Market High Div Fund, and Dividend Accelerator Fund during a broad market advance could suffer because dividend paying stocks may not experience the same capital appreciation as non-dividend paying stocks or other segments of the stock market. A company's dividends may not grow as projected and performance could also be negatively impacted if companies reduce their dividend payout. The stocks of dividend paying companies may underperform the overall stock market. For the Quality Growth Fund, growth securities might be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the values of other stocks. Growth securities may be more volatile than


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Risk Factors (continued)

other stocks, causing greater fluctuations in value. A growth approach could also be impacted if the company does not realize its anticipated potential or if there is a shift in the market to favor other types of securities. For the Quality Value Fund, value stocks may fall out of favor with investors and may underperform growth stocks in an up market. The intrinsic value of value stocks may never be fully recognized by the market or their price may decline. Similarly, quality companies may fall out of favor based on changing market sentiment.

n  Large Capitalization Stock Risk — The securities of large cap companies may underperform the securities of smaller cap companies or the market as a whole. Larger, more established companies may not respond as quickly to competitive challenges (such as changes in technology and consumer tastes) and their growth rate may lag those of smaller companies, especially during periods of economic expansion.

n  Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF with limited to no history of operations.

n  Liquidity Risk — In certain circumstances, such as the disruption of the orderly markets for the securities in which the Fund invests, the Fund might not be able to dispose of certain holdings quickly or at prices that represent true market value in the judgment of the Adviser. Markets for the securities in which the Fund invests may be disrupted by a number of events, including but not limited to economic crises, natural disasters, new legislation, or regulatory changes, and may prevent the Fund from limiting losses, realizing gains or achieving a high correlation with the Index.

n  Passive Investment Risk — The Fund is designed to track the Index and is not actively managed. The Fund will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the Index. The Fund does not, therefore, seek returns in excess of the Index, and does not attempt to take defensive positions or hedge against potential risks unless such defensive positions are also taken by the applicable Index.

n  Portfolio Turnover Risk — To the extent that an Enhanced Fund buys or sells securities according to its respective Index's prescribed allocation to cash and cash equivalents, it will generally experience higher portfolio turnover. These additional purchases and sales of portfolio securities will generally result in higher transaction costs and Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income.

n  Smaller Company Risk — Small and mid-sized companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Smaller companies may have limited markets, product lines, or financial resources and lack management experience and may experience higher failure rates than larger companies.

n  Sampling Risk — The Fund's use of a representative sampling strategy could result in its holding a smaller number of securities than are in the Index. As a result, an adverse development with an issuer or a small number of issuers of securities held by the Fund could result in a greater decline in NAV than would be the case if the Fund held all of the securities in the Index. To the extent the assets in the Fund are smaller, these risks will be greater.

n  Tracking Risk — There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to its Index and therefore achieve its investment objective. Market disruptions and regulatory restrictions could have an adverse effect on a Fund's ability to adjust its exposure to the required levels in order to track the Index. Errors in index data, index computations and/or the construction of the Index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and


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Risk Factors (continued)

may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on a Fund and its shareholders. In addition, a Fund may not be able to replicate exactly the performance of its Index because of transaction costs incurred by the Fund in adjusting the actual balance of the investments in the Fund's portfolio. Additionally, a Fund's use of a representative sampling strategy can be expected to produce a greater tracking risk than a replication strategy.

The Adviser may use several types of investments in furtherance of the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.

n  Derivatives Risk — Derivatives, such as futures contracts and options on futures contracts, are subject to the risk that small price movements can result in substantial gains or losses. Derivatives also entail exposure to counterparty risk, the risk of mispricing or improper valuation and the risk that changes in value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the relevant securities, assets or indices. The Fund "covers" its exposure to certain derivative contracts by segregating or designating liquid assets on its records sufficient to satisfy current payment obligations, which may expose the Fund to the market through both the underlying assets subject to the contract and the assets used as cover. The use of derivatives may cause the Fund to incur losses greater than those that would have occurred had derivatives not been used.

n  Investment Company Risk — A Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of the underlying any funds (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Underlying investment vehicles are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

n  Securities Lending Risk — The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to a Fund due to (i) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (ii) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (iii) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (iv) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. In addition, each Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower's collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Funds' securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.


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Organization and

Management of the Funds

The Funds' Board of Trustees has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Funds.

The Victory Funds are series of Victory Portfolios II (the "Trust"). The Trust has an Advisory Agreement with the Adviser, which is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The Adviser oversees the operations of the Funds according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser's principal address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.

The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams. The Adviser's Victory Solutions platform oversees the rules-based investment strategies and is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Funds.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, the Adviser was paid advisory fees, before waivers, at an annual rate based on a percentage of the average daily net as  sets of each Fund as shown in the following table:

US 500 Fund

   

0.30

%

 

Quality Growth Fund

   

0.30

%

 

Quality Value Fund

   

0.30

%

 

US Small Cap Fund

   

0.30

%

 

International Fund

   

0.40

%

 

Emerging Market Fund

   

0.45

%

 

US Large Cap High Div Fund

   

0.30

%

 

US Small Cap High Div Fund

   

0.30

%

 

International High Div Fund

   

0.40

%

 

Emerging Market High Div Fund*

   

0.45

%

 

Dividend Accelerator Fund

   

0.30

%

 

US Multi-Factor Fund

   

0.30

%

 

Global Multi-Factor Fund

   

0.35

%

 

International Multi-Factor Fund

   

0.40

%

 

US 500 Enhanced Fund

   

0.30

%

 

US EQ Income Enhanced Fund

   

0.30

%

 

Discovery Enhanced Fund

   

0.30

%

 

Developed Enhanced Fund

   

0.40

%

 

*The Emerging Market High Div Fund commenced operations on October 26, 2017.

See "Fund Fees and Expenses" for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to a Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to a Fund.

A discussion of the Board's most recent considerations in approving the Advisory Agreement will be available in the Funds' semi-annual report for the period ending December 31, 2018.

Portfolio Management

Mannik Dhillon serves as President, VictoryShares and Solutions for the Adviser. From 2015-2017, he served as the Adviser's Head of Investment Solutions, Product, and Strategy. From 2010 to 2015, Mr. Dhillon served as a managing director and head of manager research with Wilshire Associates, where he evaluated asset managers and led strategic consulting engagements. He is a CFA® and CAIA® charterholder.

Stephen Hammers is the Chief Portfolio Strategist of VictoryShares. Previously, he was the Chief Investment Officer of CEMP, a Victory Capital investment franchise. From 2003 to 2015, Mr. Hammers was a managing partner, co-founder and chief investment officer of Compass Efficient Model Portfolios, LLC, which was acquired by the Adviser in 2015. He is a CIMA® charterholder.


111



Share Price

The net asset value ("NAV") of each Fund is generally determined at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open for business. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, a Fund's net asset value will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. The NAV is computed by determining the aggregate market value of all assets of a Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding (NAV = (assets-liabilities)/number of shares). The NYSE is closed on weekends and New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The NAV takes into account the expenses and fees of a Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees (if any), which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for a Fund for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of Shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of Shares, received by a Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day.

Generally, the Funds' investments are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each investment's primary exchange. Investments traded or dealt in upon one or more exchanges (whether domestic or foreign) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the last bid on the primary exchange. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers' Automated Quotation System ("NASDAQ") National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. If market quotations are not readily available, investments will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and evaluated by the Board as to the reliability of the fair value method used. In these

cases, a Fund's NAV will reflect certain portfolio investments' fair value rather than their market price. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for an investment is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that investment. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available.

A Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the Fund's securities or other assets. In addition, market prices for foreign securities are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for a Fund. In computing the NAV, a Fund values foreign securities held by a Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. The value of a Fund's securities may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase and redeem the Fund's Shares if the Fund has portfolio securities that are primarily traded in foreign markets that are open on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its Shares. If events materially affecting the value of a security in a Fund's portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before a Fund prices its shares, the security will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio security is halted and does not resume before a Fund calculates its NAV, the Adviser may need to price the security using a Fund's fair value pricing guidelines. Without a fair value price, short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of a Fund's portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of a Fund's NAV by short term traders. The determination of fair value involves subjective judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used


112



Share Price (continued)

by other mutual funds to determine net asset value, or from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.

With respect to any portion of a Fund's assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"), each Fund's net asset value is calculated based upon the net asset values of those open-end management investment companies, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.

Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above. Short-term debt obligations with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, amortized to maturity based on their cost to the Fund if acquired within

60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60th day, based on the value determined on the 61st day.

Premium/Discount Information

Most investors will buy and sell Shares of the Funds in secondary market transactions through brokers at market prices and a Fund's Shares will trade at market prices. The market price of Shares may be greater than, equal to, or less than NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares of each Fund.

Information about each Fund's daily market price and how often Shares of each Fund traded on the listing exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of each Fund can be found at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com under Form & Docs: VictoryShares ETFs.


113




How to Buy and Sell Shares

Shares of each Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange under the ticker symbols listed on the cover of this Prospectus. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per Share. Shares can be bought and sold on the secondary market throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares, and shares typically trade in blocks of less than a Creation Unit. There is no minimum investment required. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the secondary market when the Exchange is open for trading. The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and the following holidays, as observed: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. The commission is often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell smaller amounts of Shares. You may also pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund's trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if a Fund's Shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if a Fund's Shares have little trading volume and market liquidity.

Only an Authorized Participant ("AP") may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Funds' APs are institutions and large investors, such as market makers or other large broker-dealers, which have entered into a Participation Agreement with the Funds' Distributor to undertake the responsibility of obtaining or selling the underlying assets needed to purchase or redeem, respectively, Creation Units of the Funds. APs may acquire Shares directly from a Fund, and APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to a Fund, at NAV per share only in large blocks, or Creation Units, of 50,000 shares. Purchases and redemptions directly with a Fund must follow the Funds' procedures, which are described in the SAI.

The Funds may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.

Share Trading Prices

The trading prices of a Fund's Shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund's daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as the supply of and demand for ETF shares and shares of underlying securities held by the Fund, economic conditions and other factors. The approximate value of Shares will be disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association. This approximate value should not be viewed as a "real-time" update of the NAV per share of a Fund because the approximate value may not be calculated in the same manner as the NAV, which is computed once a day, generally at the end of the business day. The approximate value generally is determined by using current market quotations. The quotations of certain Fund holdings may not be updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the U.S. The Funds are not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the approximate value of the Shares and the Funds do not make any warranty as to the accuracy of these values.

Book Entry

Shares are held in book entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding Shares of the Funds and is recognized as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.

Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other


114



How to Buy and Sell Shares (continued)

institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or "street name" form.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

Each Fund's Shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from a Fund by APs in Creation Units. Direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that a Fund's Shares trade at or close to NAV. The cash to be contributed to (or received from) the Fund in connection with a Creation Unit generally is negligible compared to the total amount of the trade. The Funds with exposure to non-U.S. securities employ fair valuation pricing to minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. In addition, the Funds impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Funds in effecting trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that a Fund's trading costs increase in those circumstances.

The vast majority of trading in a Fund's Shares occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Funds, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in a Fund's trading costs and the realization of capital gains.

Given this structure, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to monitor for frequent in-kind purchases and redemptions of Shares or market timing activity by the APs or on the Shares' secondary market.


115



Distribution and Service Plan

The Funds have adopted a distribution and service plan ("Plan") pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Funds are authorized to pay distribution fees to the distributor and other firms that provide distribution and shareholder services ("Service Providers"). If a Service Provider provides these services, the Funds may pay fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the1940 Act.

No distribution or service fees are currently paid by the Funds and there are no current plans to impose these fees. In the event Rule 12b-1 fees were charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Funds.


116



Distributions and Taxes

Unlike interests in conventional mutual funds, which typically are bought and sold from and to a fund only at closing NAVs, each Fund's Shares are traded throughout the day in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis and are created and redeemed in-kind and/or for cash in Creation Units at each day's next calculated NAV. In-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from the adverse effects on a Fund's portfolio that could arise from frequent cash redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders if the mutual fund needs to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet net fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the ongoing shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the Shares' in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for the Fund or its ongoing shareholders.

Ordinarily, dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly by each Fund. Each Fund distributes its net realized capital gains, if any, to shareholders annually.

Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available.

As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares.

Unless your investment in shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

n  A Fund makes distributions,

n  You sell your shares listed on the Exchange, and

n  You purchase or redeem Creation Units.

Taxes on Distributions

As stated above, each Fund ordinarily declares and pays dividends from net investment income, if any, monthly. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of a calendar year to comply with federal tax requirements. Distributions from a Fund's net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to you as ordinary income, except that a Fund's dividends attributable to its "qualified dividend income" (i.e., dividends received on stock of most domestic and certain foreign corporations with respect to which a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other restrictions), if any, generally are taxable to non-corporate shareholders at preferential rates. A part of a Fund's dividends also may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction allowed to corporations, subject to similar restrictions.

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in a Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of a Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, in excess of net short-term capital losses are taxable as long-term capital gains (at the 20% maximum rate referred to above for non-corporate shareholders), regardless of how long you have held the shares.

Distributions in excess of a Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the shares and as capital gain thereafter. A distribution will reduce a Fund's NAV per Share and may be taxable to you


117



Distributions and Taxes (continued)

as ordinary income or capital gain (as described above) even though, from an investment standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of capital.

By law, the Funds are required to withhold 24% of your distributions and redemption proceeds if you have not provided the Funds with a correct Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number and in certain other situations.

Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the exchanger's aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any Cash Component it pays. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger's basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of the securities received plus any cash equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed and the value of the securities. The Internal Revenue Service ("Service"), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing "wash sales" or for other reasons. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

Any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less.

If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares you purchased or sold and at what price. See "Taxes" in the SAI for a description of the requirement regarding basis determination methods applicable to Share redemptions and the Fund's obligation to report basis information to the Service.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the shares under all applicable tax laws.


118




Other Information

Investments by Investment Companies

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares of the Funds. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Funds beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Adviser, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Funds.

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of Shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of Shares are issued and sold by the Funds on an ongoing basis, a "distribution," as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares and sells the Shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not "underwriters" but are effecting transactions in Shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of Shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not "underwriters" but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

Dealers effecting transactions in the Funds' Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, are generally required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure

A description of the Funds' policies regarding disclosure of the securities in each Fund's portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. Each Fund's portfolio is disclosed daily on the Funds' website at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com. Shareholders may also request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 1-866-376-7890.


119



Other Information (continued)

Shareholder Communications

In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at1-866-376-7890, and they will be delivered promptly.

While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and each Fund, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or a Fund and any shareholder.

Disclaimers

Shares are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Shares or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Funds to track the total return performance of their respective Index or the ability of each Index identified herein to track stock market performance. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of each Index, nor in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the Shares to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Shares are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the Shares in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Shares.

The Exchange does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of each Index or the data included therein. The Exchange makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Trust on behalf of the Funds, owners of the Shares, or any other person or entity from the use of each Index or the data included therein.

The Exchange makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Index or the data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.


120




Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of each Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the period of the Fund's operations.

Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent a Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The information presented for the period ended June 30, 2018 has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., whose reports, along with the Funds' financial statements, are included in the Funds' annual report, which is available by calling the Funds at 866-376-7890 and at VictorySharesLiterature.com. The information for all periods ended on or before June 30, 2016 has been audited by a different independent registered public accounting firm.

No financial information is presented for the VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, or VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of June 30, 2018.


121



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US 500 VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2016
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2015(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

44.05

   

$

37.24

   

$

36.78

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.63

     

0.60

     

0.57

     

0.49

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

5.26

     

6.71

     

0.42

     

1.73

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

5.89

     

7.31

     

0.99

     

2.22

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.60

)

   

(0.50

)

   

(0.51

)

   

(0.44

)

 

Net realized gains from investments

   

     

     

(0.02

)

   

   

Total Distributions

   

(0.60

)

   

(0.50

)

   

(0.53

)

   

(0.44

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

49.34

   

$

44.05

   

$

37.24

   

$

36.78

   

Total Return (c)

   

13.42

%

   

19.72

%

   

2.78

%

   

6.38

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

567,370

   

$

292,921

   

$

44,689

   

$

9,194

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.54

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

1.32

%

   

1.43

%

   

1.59

%

   

1.37

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.41

%

   

0.47

%

   

0.74

%

   

1.39

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

36

%

   

26

%

   

31

%

   

23

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 1, 2014.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


122



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US SMALL CAP VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2016(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

42.40

   

$

34.35

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.50

     

0.50

     

0.41

   

Net realized and unrealized gains(losses) on investments

   

6.14

     

8.01

     

(0.72

)

 

Total from Investment Activities

   

6.64

     

8.51

     

(0.31

)

 

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.50

)

   

(0.46

)

   

(0.34

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.50

)

   

(0.46

)

   

(0.34

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

48.54

   

$

42.40

   

$

34.35

   

Total Return (c)

   

15.75

%

   

24.86

%

   

(0.86

)%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

41,261

   

$

25,438

   

$

10,304

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

1.10

%

   

1.25

%

   

1.28

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.47

%

   

0.68

%

   

1.44

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

47

%

   

47

%

   

50

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 7, 2015.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


123



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES INTERNATIONAL VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2016(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

37.20

   

$

32.11

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

1.04

     

0.76

     

0.85

   

Net realized and unrealized gains(losses) on investments

   

1.81

     

5.10

     

(3.15

)

 

Total from Investment Activities

   

2.85

     

5.86

     

(2.30

)

 

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.96

)

   

(0.77

)

   

(0.59

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.96

)

   

(0.77

)

   

(0.59

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

39.09

   

$

37.20

   

$

32.11

   

Total Return (c)

   

7.62

%

   

18.44

%

   

(6.58

)%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

21,497

   

$

13,021

   

$

12,844

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.45

%

   

0.45

%

   

0.45

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

2.61

%

   

2.25

%

   

2.99

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.98

%

   

1.54

%

   

2.31

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

37

%

   

46

%

   

31

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on August 19, 2015.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


124



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES EMERGING MARKET VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2016(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

27.83

   

$

25.28

   

$

25.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.64

     

0.55

     

0.25

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

0.29

     

2.64

     

0.13

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

0.93

     

3.19

     

0.38

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.60

)

   

(0.52

)

   

(0.10

)

 

Net realized gains from investments

   

(1.09

)

   

(0.12

)

   

   

Total Distributions

   

(1.69

)

   

(0.64

)

   

(0.10

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

27.07

   

$

27.83

   

$

25.28

   

Total Return (c)

   

3.09

%

   

12.76

%

   

1.56

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

18,949

   

$

33,393

   

$

12,642

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.50

%

   

0.50

%

   

0.50

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

2.19

%

   

2.11

%

   

3.70

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

1.23

%

   

1.91

%

   

6.26

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

53

%

   

38

%

   

1

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on March 22, 2016.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


125



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US LARGE CAP HIGH DIV VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2016(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

42.17

   

$

37.58

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

1.34

     

1.24

     

1.28

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

2.92

     

4.46

     

2.35

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

4.26

     

5.70

     

3.63

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(1.37

)

   

(1.11

)

   

(1.05

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(1.37

)

   

(1.11

)

   

(1.05

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

45.06

   

$

42.17

   

$

37.58

   

Total Return (c)

   

10.23

%

   

15.37

%

   

10.62

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

144,187

   

$

120,181

   

$

41,333

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

3.04

%

   

3.05

%

   

3.69

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.42

%

   

0.45

%

   

0.72

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

52

%

   

48

%

   

46

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 7, 2015.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


126



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US SMALL CAP HIGH DIV VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2016(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

40.41

   

$

35.40

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

1.39

     

1.43

     

1.18

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

5.61

     

4.93

     

0.21

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

7.00

     

6.36

     

1.39

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(1.45

)

   

(1.35

)

   

(0.99

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(1.45

)

   

(1.35

)

   

(0.99

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

45.96

   

$

40.41

   

$

35.40

   

Total Return (c)

   

17.64

%

   

18.07

%

   

4.15

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

43,665

   

$

32,325

   

$

14,160

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

3.23

%

   

3.65

%

   

3.59

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.45

%

   

0.55

%

   

0.92

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

68

%

   

65

%

   

78

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 7, 2015.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


127



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES INTERNATIONAL HIGH DIV VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2016(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

34.25

   

$

30.65

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

1.47

     

1.40

     

1.37

   

Net realized and unrealized gains(losses) on investments

   

(0.41

)

   

3.47

     

(4.71

)

 

Total from Investment Activities

   

1.06

     

4.87

     

(3.34

)

 

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(1.37

)

   

(1.27

)

   

(1.01

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(1.37

)

   

(1.27

)

   

(1.01

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

33.94

   

$

34.25

   

$

30.65

   

Total Return (c)

   

3.00

%

   

16.16

%

   

(9.63

)%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

45,824

   

$

32,541

   

$

16,855

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.45

%

   

0.45

%

   

0.45

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

4.14

%

   

4.32

%

   

4.98

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.60

%

   

0.77

%

   

1.17

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

58

%

   

69

%

   

53

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on August 19, 2015.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


128



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES EMERGING MARKET HIGH DIV VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Period
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2017(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

24.95

   

$

25.26

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.78

     

0.12

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

(1.29

)

   

0.65

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

(0.51

)

   

0.77

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.52

)

   

(0.08

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.52

)

   

(0.08

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

23.92

   

$

25.95

   

Total Return (c)

   

(2.17

)%

   

3.05

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

21,532

   

$

3,893

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.50

%

   

0.35

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

4.44

%

   

2.31

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

1.05

%

   

1.92

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

52

%

   

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on April 18, 2017.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


129



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES DIVIDEND ACCELERATOR ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2017(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

25.95

   

$

25.26

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.48

     

0.12

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

2.45

     

0.65

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

2.93

     

0.77

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.47

)

   

(0.08

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.47

)

   

(0.08

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

28.41

   

$

25.95

   

Total Return (c)

   

11.33

%

   

3.05

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

7,102

   

$

3,893

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

1.75

%

   

2.31

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.67

%

   

1.92

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

43

%

   

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on April 18, 2017.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


130



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US MULTI-FACTOR MINIMUM VOLATILITY ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2017(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

24.83

   

$

24.97

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.63

     

0.02

   

Net realized and unrealized losses on investments

   

2.69

     

(0.16

)

 

Total from Investment Activities

   

3.32

     

(0.14

)

 

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.57

)

   

   

Total Distributions

   

(0.57

)

   

   

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

27.58

   

$

24.83

   

Total Return (c)

   

13.41

%

   

(0.54

)%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

8,273

   

$

2,483

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

2.33

%

   

3.20

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.74

%

   

7.21

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

26

%

   

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on June 22, 2017.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


131



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US 500 ENHANCED VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2016
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2015(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

44.00

   

$

37.23

   

$

36.76

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.64

     

0.58

     

0.56

     

0.49

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

5.25

     

6.71

     

0.45

     

1.65

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

5.89

     

7.29

     

1.01

     

2.14

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.59

)

   

(0.52

)

   

(0.54

)

   

(0.38

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.59

)

   

(0.52

)

   

(0.54

)

   

(0.38

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

49.30

   

$

44.00

   

$

37.23

   

$

36.76

   

Total Return (c)

   

13.42

%

   

19.72

%

   

2.79

%

   

6.15

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

951,411

   

$

415,847

   

$

141,470

   

$

86,397

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.59

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

1.32

%

   

1.42

%

   

1.56

%

   

1.34

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.41

%

   

0.45

%

   

0.58

%

   

0.81

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

37

%

   

26

%

   

36

%

   

13

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 1, 2014.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


132



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US EQ INCOME ENHANCED VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2016
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2015(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

43.30

   

$

38.59

   

$

35.38

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

1.39

     

1.28

     

1.27

     

1.12

   

Net realized and unrealized gains on investments

   

2.99

     

4.58

     

3.18

     

0.20

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

4.38

     

5.86

     

4.45

     

1.32

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(1.39

)

   

(1.15

)

   

(1.24

)

   

(0.94

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(1.39

)

   

(1.15

)

   

(1.24

)

   

(0.94

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

46.29

   

$

43.30

   

$

38.59

   

$

35.38

   

Total Return (c)

   

10.23

%

   

15.35

%

   

12.89

%

   

3.77

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

738,260

   

$

471,927

   

$

156,278

   

$

86,678

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (d)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.59

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (d)

   

3.06

%

   

3.06

%

   

3.51

%

   

3.09

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (d) (e)

   

0.41

%

   

0.43

%

   

0.56

%

   

0.77

%

 

Portfolio turnover (c) (f)

   

52

%

   

49

%

   

52

%

   

17

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 1, 2014.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(d)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(f)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


133



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES US DISCOVERY ENHANCED VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2016
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2015(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

41.41

   

$

33.55

   

$

39.23

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.50

     

0.49

     

0.34

     

0.40

   

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments

   

5.98

     

7.84

     

(5.71

)(c)

   

4.16

   

Total from Investment Activities

   

6.48

     

8.33

     

(5.37

)

   

4.56

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.48

)

   

(0.47

)

   

(0.31

)

   

(0.33

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.48

)

   

(0.47

)

   

(0.31

)

   

(0.33

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

47.41

   

$

41.41

   

$

33.55

   

$

39.23

   

Total Return (d)

   

15.75

%

   

24.91

%

   

(13.70

)%(e)

   

13.06

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

116,157

   

$

57,971

   

$

26,838

   

$

23,538

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (f)

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

0.35

%

   

1.07

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (f)

   

1.13

%

   

1.25

%

   

1.00

%

   

1.15

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (f) (g)

   

0.43

%

   

0.55

%

   

0.80

%

   

0.59

%

 

Portfolio turnover (d) (h)

   

47

%

   

50

%

   

221

%

   

10

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on July 31, 2014.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Includes $0.07 gain derived from a payment from affiliate.

(d)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  Before payment from affiliate for the loss resulting from a trade error, the total return for the year would have been (13.88)%.

(f)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(g)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(h)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


134



Financial Highlights

VICTORYSHARES DEVELOPED ENHANCED VOLATILITY WTD ETF

    Year
Ended
June 30,
2018
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2017
  Year
Ended
June 30,
2016
  Period
Ended
June 30,
2015(a)
 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

 

$

32.22

   

$

29.00

   

$

35.19

   

$

35.00

   

Investment Activities:

 

Net investment income (b)

   

0.94

     

0.78

     

0.67

     

0.80

   

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments

   

1.45

     

2.90

(c)

   

(6.27

)

   

(0.18

)

 

Total from Investment Activities

   

2.39

     

3.68

     

(5.60

)

   

0.62

   

Distributions:

 

Net investment income

   

(0.82

)

   

(0.46

)

   

(0.59

)

   

(0.42

)

 

Net realized gains from investments

   

     

     

     

(0.01

)

 

Total Distributions

   

(0.82

)

   

(0.46

)

   

(0.59

)

   

(0.43

)

 

Net Asset Value, End of Period

 

$

33.79

   

$

32.22

   

$

29.00

   

$

35.19

   

Total Return (d)

   

7.41

%

   

12.79

%(e)

   

(15.96

)%

   

1.77

%

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data:

 

Net Assets at end of period (000's)

 

$

179,103

   

$

82,150

   

$

34,797

   

$

24,633

   

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (f)

   

0.45

%

   

0.45

%

   

0.45

%

   

0.63

%

 

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets (f)

   

2.73

%

   

2.59

%

   

2.16

%

   

2.99

%

 

Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets (f) (g)

   

0.58

%

   

0.86

%

   

1.36

%

   

1.58

%

 

Portfolio turnover (d) (h)

   

38

%

   

164

%

   

211

%

   

31

%

 

(a)  The Fund commenced operations on September 30, 2014.

(b)  Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.

(c)  Includes $0.07 gain derived from a payment from affiliate.

(d)  Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(e)  Before the payment from affiliate for the loss resulting from a trade error, the total return for the year would have been 12.55%.

(f)  Annualized for periods less than one year.

(g)  During the period, certain fees were reduced and/or reimbursed. If such fee reductions and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated.

(h)  Excludes impact of in-kind transactions.


135



Appendix

The Funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Nasdaq, Inc. or its affiliates (Nasdaq, Inc., with its affiliates, are referred to as the "Corporations"). The Corporations have not passed on the legality or suitability of, or the accuracy or adequacy of descriptions and disclosures relating to, the Funds. The Corporations make no representation or warranty, express or implied to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly, or the ability of the Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes to track general stock market performance. The Corporations' only relationship to the Adviser ("Licensee") is in the licensing of the Nasdaq® and certain trade names of the Corporations and the use of the Indexes which is determined, composed and calculated by Nasdaq, Inc. without regard to Licensee or the Funds. Nasdaq, Inc. has no obligation to take the needs of the Licensee or the owners of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes. The Corporations are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Funds to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Funds is to be converted into cash. The Corporations have no liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the Funds.

The Corporations do not guarantee the accuracy and/or uninterrupted calculation of the Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes or any data included therein. The Corporations make no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by licensee, owners of the funds, or any other person or entity from the use of the Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes or any data included therein. The corporations make no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaim all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to the Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Corporations have any liability for any lost profits or special, incidental, punitive, indirect, or consequential damages, even if notified of the possibility of such damages.


136




4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144

Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Funds' operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you don't request a copy.

Annual and Semi-annual Reports: Annual and semi-annual reports contain more information about the Funds' investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds' performance during the most recent fiscal period.

How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi-annual reports, and ask questions about the Funds or your accounts, online at VictorySharesLiterature.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.

By telephone:
Call VictoryShares at
1-866-376-7890
  By mail:
VictoryShares
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
     

You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC charges a duplicating fee to provide copies of this information.

In person: SEC Public Reference Room
Washington, D.C.
Call 202-551-8090 for location and hours.
  By mail:
SEC Public Reference Section
Washington, D.C. 20549-1520
  On the Internet:
EDGAR database at sec.gov or by email request at
publicinfo@sec.gov
 

Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696

VS-ETF-PRO (11/18)




 

VictoryShares

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

November 1, 2018

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CFA

VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF

 

VSQG

VictoryShares Quality Value ETF

 

VSGV

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CSA

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CIL

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CEZ

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CDL

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CSB

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CID

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CEY

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

VSDA

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

VSMV

VictoryShares Global Multi-Factory Minimum Volatility ETF

 

VSGV

VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

VSIV

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CFO

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CDC

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CSF

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CIZ

 

(each a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”)

 

Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios II

 

Listed and traded on:

the NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC

 

Shares of the VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF and VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF are not currently being offered to the public.

 


 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Fund’s prospectus, dated November 1, 2018, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Copies of the Prospectus of each Fund can be obtained without charge upon request made to the Victory Funds, at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling toll free 1-866-376-7890.

 

The Funds’ financial statements, including the Financial Highlights for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, as presented in the 2018 annual reports to shareholders and the reports to shareholders therein of Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, appearing therein, are incorporated by reference into this SAI. You may obtain a copy of the Funds’ most recent annual report at no charge by writing to the address or calling the phone number noted above.

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

General Information

2

Investment Objectives, Policies and Limitations

3

Nasdaq Victory Indexes

7

Investment Practices, Instruments and Risks

8

Investments by Other Registered Investment Companies

30

Determining Net Asset Value (“NAV”) and Valuing Portfolio Securities

30

Purchase and Redemption of Shares

32

Performance

40

Management of the Trust

41

Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers

49

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

62

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

65

Dividends, Capital Gains and Distributions

69

Tax Status

70

Additional Information

80

Appendix A — List of Regular Holidays in Non-US Markets

A-1

 



 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

The Funds are each diversified series of Victory Portfolios II (formerly, Compass EMP Funds Trust) (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust organized on April 11, 2012. The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company.  The Trust currently consists of 20 series of beneficial interest (“shares”). This SAI relates to the shares of 18 series of the Trust (each a “Fund,” and collectively, the “Funds”).

 

Victory Capital Management Inc. (the “Adviser”), is the Funds’ investment adviser. Each Fund’s investment objective, restrictions and policies are more fully described here and in the Fund’s Prospectus. The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or “Trustees”) may organize and offer shares of a new fund or new share class of an existing Fund or liquidate a Fund or share class at any time.

 

Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in each Fund’s Prospectus. Capitalized terms not defined herein are used as defined in the Prospectuses. No investment in shares of a Fund should be made without first reading that Fund’s Prospectus.

 

The VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, and VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF are referred to collectively in this SAI as the “International Funds.”

 

The VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, and VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF are referred to collectively in this SAI as the “Volatility Weighted Index Funds”.

 

The Funds’ shares are offered at net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of 50,000 Shares (each a “Creation Unit”). The Funds will issue and redeem Creation Units principally in exchange for a basket of securities included in the respective Fund’s underlying index (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”), plus a transaction fee. The Funds are approved for listing on The NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC (“NASDAQ” or the “Exchange”). Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at, or above NAV. The Trust reserves the right to adjust the prices of Shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the applicable Fund.

 

The Funds reserve the right to offer creations and redemptions of Shares for cash. In addition, Shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash equal to up to 105% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed and may be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. See “Purchase and Redemption of Shares” below.

 

Shares of each Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on NASDAQ.

 

In order to provide additional information regarding the indicative value of Shares of the Funds, the Exchange or a market data vendor will disseminate every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated “intraday indicative value” (“IIV”) for the Funds as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the IIV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the IIV.

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS

 

Investment Objectives

 

Each Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental, meaning it may be changed by a vote of the Trustees without a vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds

 

Unless a policy of a Fund is expressly deemed to be a fundamental policy of the Fund, changeable only by an affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of that Fund’s outstanding voting securities, the Fund’s policies are non-fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote.

 

A Fund may, following notice to its shareholders, employ other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Fund or that currently are not available but that may be developed to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

A Fund’s classification and sub-classification is a matter of fundamental policy. Each Fund is classified as an open-end investment company. Each Fund is sub-classified as a diversified investment company, which under the Investment Company Act of 1940 Act, as amended, (the “1940 Act”) means that, with respect to 75% of a Fund’s total assets, the Fund may not invest in securities of any issuer if, immediately after such investment, (i) more than 5% of the total assets of the Fund (taken at current value) would be invested in the securities of that issuer or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer would be held by the Fund (this limitation does not apply to obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and securities of other investment companies). A Fund is not subject to this limitation with respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets. In addition, under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to qualify as a regulated investment company, all Funds must meet certain diversification requirements as determined at the close of each quarter of each taxable year. The Code’s diversification test is described in “Taxes.”

 

The policies and limitations stated in this SAI supplement the Funds’ investment policies set forth in each Fund’s Prospectus. Unless otherwise noted, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of a Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or other asset except in the case of borrowing (or other activities that may be deemed to result in the issuance of a “senior security” under the 1940 Act). Accordingly, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with a Fund’s investment policies and limitations. If the value of a Fund’s holdings of illiquid securities at any time exceeds the percentage limitation applicable at the time of acquisition due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Trust’s Board will consider what actions, if any, are appropriate to maintain adequate liquidity.

 

Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds. The following investment policies and limitations are fundamental and may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, as defined under the 1940 Act.

 

1.            Senior Securities

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not issue senior securities.

 

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For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.

 

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 consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act” the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder or interpretations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or its staff.

 

The SEC takes the position that transactions that have the effect of increasing the leverage of the capital structure of a fund are the economic equivalent of borrowing, and they can be viewed as a type of borrowing known as a “senior security” for purposes of the 1940 Act. Examples of such transactions and trading practices include reverse repurchase agreements; mortgage-dollar-roll transactions; selling securities short (other than selling short “against the box”); buying and selling certain derivatives contracts, such as futures contracts; writing or selling put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; firm commitment and standby commitment agreements; when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions; and other similar transactions. A transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance by a fund of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% minimum asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position by segregating liquid assets (as determined by the Adviser under the general oversight of the Board) at least equal to the value of the fund’s potential economic exposure as measured daily on a mark-to-market basis; or otherwise “covers” the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively defined as “covers” the transaction). In most cases the fund need not physically segregate the assets. Instead, the fund’s custodian may note on the fund’s books the assets that are “segregated.” Segregated liquid assets may not be used to cover other obligations, and if disposed of, must be replaced. In order to comply with the applicable regulatory requirements regarding cover, a fund may be required to buy or sell securities at a disadvantageous time or when the prices then available are deemed disadvantageous. In addition, segregated assets may not be readily available to satisfy redemption requests or for other purposes.

 

2.            Borrowing

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not borrow money, except (a) from a bank, provided that immediately after such borrowing there is an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings of the Fund; or (b) from a bank or other persons for temporary purposes only, provided that such temporary borrowings are in an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets at the time when the borrowing is made. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from entering into reverse repurchase transactions, provided that the Fund has an asset coverage of 300% for all borrowings and repurchase commitments of the Fund pursuant to reverse repurchase transactions.

 

For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, or by order of the SEC and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.

 

A Fund’s ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations, by the 1940 Act, and by applicable exemptions, no action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by regulatory authorities, including the SEC and its staff. Under the 1940 Act, a fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including the proceeds of borrowings, less liabilities excluding borrowings) of not less than 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the fund’s total assets made for temporary purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% are subject to the minimum 300% asset coverage requirement. If the value of the assets set aside to meet the 300

 

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percent asset coverage were to decline below 300% due to market fluctuations or other causes, a fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and comply with the 300% minimum asset coverage requirement, even in circumstances where it is considered disadvantageous from an investment perspective to sell securities at that time or at the prices then available.

 

3.            Underwriting, Purchasing Securities on Margin, or Participating on a Joint Basis

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not purchase securities on margin, participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any securities trading account, or underwrite securities. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from obtaining such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of its portfolio securities, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), by virtue of disposing of portfolio securities.

 

For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that a Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act, in the disposition of restricted securities.

 

4.            Real Estate

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the 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).

 

For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of direct ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent any of these Funds from investing in the following: (i) securities or other instruments backed by real estate; (ii) securities of real estate operating companies; or (iii) securities of companies engaged in the real estate business, including real estate investment trusts. This restriction does not preclude any of these Funds from buying securities backed by mortgages on real estate or securities of companies engaged in such activities.

 

5.            Concentration

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not invest 25% or more of the market value of its assets in the securities of companies engaged in any one industry or group of related industries. This limitation does not apply to investments in the securities of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities.

 

For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as the term “concentration” is used in the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction. This restriction shall not prevent any Fund from

 

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investing all of its assets in a “master” fund that has adopted similar investment objectives, policies and restrictions.

 

Concentration means investing more than 25% of a Fund’s net assets in a particular industry or a specified group of industries.

 

6.    Commodities

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not purchase or sell commodities (unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments or through commodity futures contracts or options), except that the Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, invest in securities or other instruments backed by commodities, and invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities.

 

For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

7.            Lending

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

Each Fund may not make loans to others, except (a) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, (b) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan, and (c) by loaning portfolio securities.

 

For all other Funds:

 

None of the Funds may make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction. Generally, the 1940 Act prohibits loans if a fund’s investment policies do not permit loans, and if the loans are made, directly or indirectly, to persons deemed to control or to be under common control with the registered investment company.

 

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds. The following investment restrictions are non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of a majority of the Trustees.

 

For all Funds:

 

No Fund may purchase the securities of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) or Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act, which permits operation as a “fund of funds.” Except as provided in the next paragraph and below in “Securities of Other Investment Companies,” none of the Funds may: (1) invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company; (2) own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company; or (3) invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.

 

Each Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the acquiring Fund pays no “sales charge” or “service fee” (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any

 

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such sales charge or service fee. For purposes of this investment restriction, a “money market fund” is either: (1) an open-end investment company registered under the 1940 Act and regulated as a money market fund in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; or (2) a company that is exempt from registration as in investment company under Sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act and that: (a) limits its investments to those permitted under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (b) undertakes to comply with all the other requirements of Rule 2a-7, except that, if the company has no board of directors, the company’s investment adviser performs the duties of the board of directors.

 

For the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

1.              No Fund may invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities, which are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity. However, if more than 15% of Fund net assets are illiquid, the Fund’s investment adviser(s) will reduce illiquid assets such that they do not represent more than 15% of Fund net assets, subject to timing and other considerations which are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

 

2.              No Fund may mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or in any manner transfer, as security for indebtedness, any assets of the Fund except as may be necessary in connection with borrowings described in the fundamental limitations 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.

 

3.              No Fund may invest in any issuer for purposes of exercising control or management.

 

For all Funds except the Volatility Weighted Index Funds:

 

1.              No Fund may make short sales of securities, other than short sales “against the box,” or purchase securities on margin except for short-term credits necessary for clearance of portfolio transactions, provided that this restriction will not be applied to limit the use of options, futures contracts and related options, in the manner otherwise permitted by the investment restrictions, policies and investment program of the Fund.

 

2.              No Fund may invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are securities that are not readily marketable or cannot be disposed of promptly within seven days and, in the usual course of business, at approximately the price at which a Fund has valued them. Such securities include, but are not limited to, time deposits and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. Securities that may be resold under Rule 144A, securities offered pursuant to Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, or securities otherwise subject to restrictions or limitations on resale under the Securities Act shall not be deemed illiquid solely by reason of being unregistered. Victory Capital Management Inc. (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, under oversight of the Board, determines whether a particular security is deemed to be liquid based on the trading markets for the specific security and other factors.

 

NASDAQ VICTORY INDEXES

 

Index Provider

 

The Nasdaq Victory Indexes (each an “Index”) are currently administered, calculated, and published by an unaffiliated third party, Nasdaq Inc. (the “Index Provider”). The Index Provider calculates and disseminates the Indexes on a daily basis. A description of the Indexes tracked by certain Funds is provided in each applicable Fund’s Prospectus under “Principal Investment Strategies,” and additional details about the Indexes are provided below.

 

Index performance prior to the first publish date has been back-tested applying the same methodology based on fundamental criteria combined with volatility weightings that was in effect when the Index was first published and is

 

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considered hypothetical. The Indexes are not sponsored by the Index Provider or its affiliates or its third-party licensors.

 

The indexes tracked by the Volatility Weighted Index Funds (referred to herein as the “Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes”) combine fundamental criteria with individual security risk control achieved through volatility weighting of individual securities.  The index methodology used for the Nasdaq Victory Volatility Weighted Indexes was originally developed by the Adviser.  The Adviser may consult with Nasdaq from time to time concerning an Index methodology, but Nasdaq alone makes all decisions with respect to any changes to the methodology.

 

Semi-Annual Index Reconstitution Dates

 

Each Index is reconstituted periodically as set forth in the Prospectus for each Fund. In conjunction with each reconstitution date, an Index’s rules are applied to its universe of publicly traded securities in order to determine which securities are eligible for inclusion in the Index. New securities are added to the Index only on reconstitution dates and only securities that comply with the Index methodology are eligible to be included in an Index. Securities that no longer meet eligibility for an Index on the reconstitution date are omitted.

 

Index Maintenance

 

The Index Provider maintains each Index throughout the year and includes monitoring and adjusting an Index for company additions and deletions, stock splits, corporate restructurings and other corporate actions. Corporate actions are generally implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. A security also may be removed from an Index in between rebalancing dates if it no longer represents an investable asset due to legal constraints or other independent factors. In response to market conditions that occur between rebalancing dates, an Index’s country and sector weights may fluctuate above or below a specified cap between annual Index screening dates.

 

Changes to the Index Methodology

 

Each Index is governed by a rules-based methodology. To the extent possible, material changes to the methodology will be publicly disclosed to shareholders prior to implementation.

 

No Guarantee or Warranty; Index Errors

 

Neither the Index Provider, the Adviser nor the Funds make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the Funds’ shareholders or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of the Indexes to track general stock market performance.  The Index Provider has licensed the Indexes and certain trademarks and trade names for use by the Funds at no charge. The Index Provider has no obligation to take the needs of the Funds or Funds’ shareholders into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating the Indexes.

 

Neither the Index Provider, the Adviser nor the Funds guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of any Index or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with any Index or Index calculation, including any errors or omissions in calculating the Indexes. Errors made by the Index Provider with respect to the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data within an Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected for a period of time, if at all. Therefore, gains, losses or costs associated with errors will be borne by a Fund and its shareholders.

 

INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS AND RISKS

 

In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in the Prospectus, each Fund may, but will not necessarily, employ other investment practices and may be subject to additional risks which are described further below. Because the following is a combined description of investment strategies and risks for all of the Funds, certain strategies and/or risks described below may not apply to your Fund. Unless a strategy or policy described below is specifically prohibited with respect to a particular Fund by the investment

 

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restrictions listed in the Prospectus, under “Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds” in this SAI, or by applicable law, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the practices described below.

 

The Funds may, following notice to their shareholders, take advantage of other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Funds or that currently are not available but that may be developed, to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with a Fund’s investment objective and are legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in a Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI.

 

Equity Securities

 

Equity securities in which a Fund invests include common stocks, preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, such as convertible bonds, warrants, rights and options. The value of equity securities varies in response to many factors, including the activities and financial condition of individual companies, the business market in which individual companies compete and general market and economic conditions. Equity securities fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be significant.

 

Common Stock

 

Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends. Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer. Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company. In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company’s stock price.

 

Preferred Stock

 

A Fund may invest in preferred stock with no minimum credit rating. Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment should a company be liquidated, although preferred stock is usually junior to the debt securities of the issuer. Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates.

 

The fundamental risk of investing in common and preferred stock is the risk that the value of the stock might decrease. Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions. Historically, common stocks have provided greater long-term returns and have entailed greater short-term risks than preferred stocks, fixed income securities and money market investments. The market value of all securities, including common and preferred stocks, is based upon the market’s perception of value and not necessarily the book value of an issuer or other objective measures of a company’s worth.

 

Convertible Securities

 

A Fund may invest in convertible securities with no minimum credit rating. Convertible securities include fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of the issuer’s underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of “usable” bonds and warrants or a combination of the features of several of these securities. Convertible securities are senior to common stocks in an issuer’s capital structure, but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. While providing a fixed income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar nonconvertible security), a convertible security also gives an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the issuing company depending upon a market price advance in the convertible security’s underlying common stock.

 

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Participation Notes

 

A Fund may buy participation notes from a bank or broker-dealer (“issuer”) that entitle the Fund to a return measured by the change in value of an identified underlying security or basket of securities (collectively, the “underlying security”). Participation notes are typically used when a direct investment in the underlying security is restricted due to country-specific regulations. Investing in participation notes involves the same risks associated with a direct investment in the shares of the companies the notes seek to replicate. However, the performance results of participation 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. In addition, participation notes are subject to counterparty risks. Participation notes may be considered illiquid.

 

Warrants

 

A Fund may invest in warrants. Warrants are options to purchase common stock at a specific price (usually at a premium above the market value of the optioned common stock at issuance) valid for a specific period of time. Warrants may have a life ranging from less than one year to twenty years, or they may be perpetual. However, most warrants have expiration dates after which they are worthless. In addition, a warrant is worthless if the market price of the common stock does not exceed the warrant’s exercise price during the life of the warrant. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the warrant may tend to be greater than the percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the optioned common stock.

 

Depositary Receipts

 

A Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), which are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs. A Fund may also invest in EDRs and GDRs. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement.

 

Income Trusts

 

A Fund may invest in income trusts which are investment trusts that hold assets that are income producing. The income is passed on to the “unitholders.” Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business. The term may also be used to designate a legal entity, capital structure and ownership vehicle for certain assets or businesses. Shares or “trust units” are traded on securities exchanges just like stocks. Income is passed on to the investors, called unitholders, through monthly or quarterly distributions. Historically, distributions have typically been higher than dividends on common stocks. The unitholders are the beneficiaries of a trust, and their units represent their right to participate in the income and capital of the trust. Income trusts generally invest funds in assets that provide a return to the trust and its beneficiaries based on the cash flows of an underlying business. This return is often achieved through the acquisition by the trust of equity and debt instruments, royalty interests or real properties. The trust can receive interest, royalty or lease payments from an operating entity carrying on a business, as well as dividends and a return of capital.

 

Each income trust has an operating risk based on its underlying business; and, typically, the higher the yield, the higher the risk. They also have additional risk factors, including, but not limited to, poorer access to debt markets. Similar to a dividend paying stock, income trusts do not guarantee minimum distributions or even return of capital. If the business starts to lose money, the trust can reduce or even eliminate distributions; this is usually accompanied by sharp losses in a unit’s market value. Since the yield is one of the main attractions of income trusts, there is the

 

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risk that trust units will decline in value if interest rates offering in competing markets, such as in the cash/treasury market, increase. Interest rate risk is also present within the trusts themselves because they hold very long-term capital assets (e.g. pipelines, power plants, etc.), and much of the excess distributable income is derived from a maturity (or duration) mismatch between the life of the asset, and the life of the financing associated with it. In an increasing interest rate environment, not only does the attractiveness of trust distributions decrease, but quite possibly, the distributions may themselves decrease, leading to a double whammy of both declining yield and substantial loss of unitholder value. Because most income is passed on to unitholders, rather than reinvested in the business, in some cases, a trust can become a wasting asset unless more equity is issued. Because many income trusts pay out more than their net income, the unitholder equity (capital) may decline over time. To the extent that the value of the trust is driven by the deferral or reduction of tax, any change in government tax regulations to remove the benefit will reduce the value of the trusts. Generally, income trusts also carry the same risks as dividend paying stocks that are traded on stock markets.

 

Publicly Traded Partnerships

 

A Fund may invest in publicly traded partnerships (“PTPs”). PTPs are limited partnerships the interests in which (known as “units”) are traded on public exchanges, just like corporate stock. PTPs are limited partnerships that provide an investor with a direct interest in a group of assets (generally, oil and gas properties). Publicly traded partnership units typically trade publicly, like stock, and thus may provide the investor more liquidity than ordinary limited partnerships. Publicly traded partnerships are also called master limited partnerships and public limited partnerships. A limited partnership has one or more general partners (they may be individuals, corporations, partnerships or another entity) which manage the partnership, and limited partners, which provide capital to the partnership but have no role in its management. When an investor buys units in a PTP, he or she becomes a limited partner. PTPs are formed in several ways. A non-traded partnership may decide to go public. Several non-traded partnerships may “roll up” into a single PTP. A corporation may spin off a group of assets or part of its business into a PTP of which it is the general partner, either to realize what it believes to be the assets’ full value or as an alternative to issuing debt. A corporation may fully convert to a PTP, although since 1986 the tax consequences have made this an unappealing option; or, a newly formed company may operate as a PTP from its inception.

 

There are different types of risks to investing in PTPs including regulatory risks and interest rate risks. Currently most partnerships enjoy pass through taxation of their income to partners, which avoids double taxation of earnings. If the government were to change PTP business tax structure, unitholders would not be able to enjoy the relatively high yields in the sector for long. In addition, PTP’s which charge government-regulated fees for transportation of oil and gas products through their pipelines are subject to unfavorable changes in government-approved rates and fees, which would affect a PTPs revenue stream negatively. PTPs also carry some interest rate risks. During increases in interest rates, PTPs may not produce decent returns to shareholders.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts

 

A Fund may invest in securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs are publicly traded corporations or trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding and managing residential, commercial or industrial real estate. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 95% of its taxable income for each taxable year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.

 

REITs generally can be classified as “Equity REITs”, “Mortgage REITs” and “Hybrid REITs.” An Equity REIT invests the majority of its assets directly in real property and derives its income primarily from rents and from capital gains on real estate appreciation, which are realized through property sales. A Mortgage REIT invests the majority of its assets in real estate mortgage loans and services its income primarily from interest payments. A Hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of an Equity REIT and a Mortgage REIT. Although a Fund can invest in all three kinds of REITs, its emphasis is expected to be on investments in Equity REITs.

 

Investments in the real estate industry involve particular risks. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased

 

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competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies that own and operate real estate directly, companies that lend to such companies, and companies that service the real estate industry.

 

Investments in REITs also involve risks. Equity REITs will be affected by changes in the values of and income from the properties they own, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the credit quality of the mortgage loans they hold. In addition, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills and on their ability to generate cash flow for operating purposes and to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders REITs may have limited diversification and are subject to risks associated with obtaining financing for real property, as well as to the risk of self-liquidation. REITs also can be adversely affected by their failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through treatment of their income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or their failure to maintain an exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.

 

Fixed Income/Debt/Bond Securities

 

Yields on fixed income securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and other fixed income securities markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. An investment in a Fund will be subjected to risk even if all fixed income securities in the Fund’s portfolio are paid in full at maturity. All fixed income securities, including U.S. Government securities, can change in value when there is a change in interest rates or the issuer’s actual or perceived creditworthiness or ability to meet its obligations.

 

There is normally an inverse relationship between the market value of securities sensitive to prevailing interest rates and actual changes in interest rates. In other words, an increase in interest rates produces a decrease in market value. The longer the remaining maturity (and duration) of a security, the greater will be the effect of interest rate changes on the market value of that security. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the markets’ perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. Obligations of issuers of fixed income securities (including municipal securities) are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. In addition, the obligations of municipal issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures, or referenda extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. The possibility exists, therefore, that, the ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.

 

The corporate debt securities in which a Fund may invest include corporate bonds and notes and short-term investments such as commercial paper and variable rate demand notes. Commercial paper (short-term promissory notes) is issued by companies to finance their or their affiliate’s current obligations and is frequently unsecured. Variable and floating rate demand notes are unsecured obligations typically redeemable upon not more than 30 days’ notice. These obligations include master demand notes that permit investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement with the issuer of the instrument. The issuer of these obligations often has the right, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the obligations upon a specified number of days’ notice. These obligations generally are not traded, nor generally is there an established secondary market for these obligations. To the extent a demand note does not have a 7-day or shorter demand feature and there is no readily available market for the obligation, it is treated as an illiquid security.

 

A Fund may invest in debt securities, including non-investment grade debt securities. The following describes some of the risks associated with fixed income debt securities:

 

Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Securities with longer

 

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maturities and mortgage securities can be more sensitive to interest rate changes although they usually offer higher yields to compensate investors for the greater risks. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. In addition, short-term and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.

 

Liquidity Risk.  Rising interest rates may result in periods of volatility and increased redemptions.  As a result of increased redemptions, a Fund may have to liquidate portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices and times, which could reduce a Fund’s return.  A reduction in dealer market-making capacity in the fixed income markets that has occurred in recent years has the potential to decrease liquidity.

 

Credit Risk. Fixed income securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.

 

Extension Risk. A Fund is subject to the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund (such as mortgage-backed securities) later than expected. This may happen when there is a rise in interest rates. These events may lengthen the duration (i.e. interest rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.

 

Prepayment Risk. Certain types of debt securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities may include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, payments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans.

 

Securities subject to prepayment are less effective than other types of securities as a means of “locking in” attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.

 

At times, some of the mortgage-backed securities in which a Fund may invest will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses in securities purchased at a premium, as unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, will cause the Fund to experience a loss equal to any unamortized premium.

 

International and Foreign Debt Securities

 

International bonds include Yankee and Euro obligations, which are U.S. dollar-denominated international bonds for which the primary trading market is in the United States (“Yankee Bonds”), or for which the primary trading market is abroad (“Eurodollar Bonds”). International bonds also include Canadian and supranational agency bonds (e.g., those issued by the International Monetary Fund). (See “Foreign Debt Securities” for a description of risks associated with investments in foreign securities.)

 

Investments in securities of foreign companies generally involve greater risks than are present in U.S. investments. Compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies.

 

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Foreign companies generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those prevalent in the U.S. Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid, and their prices more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Settlement of transactions in some foreign markets may be delayed or may be less frequent than in the U.S., which could affect the liquidity of a Fund’s investment.

 

In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility of nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; limitations on the removal of securities, property, or other assets of a Fund; political or social instability; increased difficulty in obtaining legal judgments; or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The Adviser will take such factors into consideration in managing a Fund’s investments.

 

Since most foreign debt securities are not rated, a Fund will invest in those foreign debt securities based on the Adviser’s analysis without relying on published ratings. Achievement of a Fund’s goals, therefore, may depend more upon the abilities of the Adviser than would otherwise be the case. The value of the foreign debt securities held by a Fund, and thus the net asset value of a Fund’s shares, generally will fluctuate with (a) changes in the perceived creditworthiness of the issuers of those securities, (b) movements in interest rates, and (c) changes in the relative values of the currencies in which a Fund’s investments in debt securities are denominated with respect to the U.S. dollar. The extent of the fluctuation will depend on various factors, such as the average maturity of a Fund’s investments in foreign debt securities, and the extent to which a Fund hedges its interest rate, credit and currency exchange rate risks. A longer average maturity generally is associated with a higher level of volatility in the market value of such securities in response to changes in market conditions. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal recourse in that, generally, remedies for defaults must be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party.

 

Certificates of Deposit and Bankers’ Acceptances

 

Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity.

 

A Fund may invest in insured bank obligations. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as “banks”) up to $250,000. A Fund may purchase bank obligations that are fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank; if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.

 

Bankers’ acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.

 

Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes

 

A Fund may invest in fixed time deposits, whether or not subject to withdrawal penalties. The commercial paper obligations, which the Fund may buy are unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a “Master Note”) permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund as Lender, and the issuer, as borrower. It permits daily changes in the amounts borrowed. A Fund has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Except as

 

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specifically provided in the Prospectus, there is no limitation on the type of issuer from whom these notes may be purchased; however, in connection with such purchase and on an ongoing basis, the Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such notes made demand simultaneously. Variable rate notes are subject to the Fund’s investment restriction on illiquid securities unless such notes can be put back to the issuer on demand within seven days.

 

Commercial Paper

 

A Fund may purchase commercial paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. It may be secured by letters of credit, a surety bond or other forms of collateral. Commercial paper is usually repaid at maturity by the issuer from the proceeds of the issuance of new commercial paper. As a result, investment in commercial paper is subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may become illiquid or may suffer from reduced liquidity in certain circumstances. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities. As with all fixed income securities, there is a chance that the issuer will default on its commercial paper obligation.

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, an investor (such as the Fund) purchases a security (known as the “underlying security”) from a securities dealer or bank. Any such dealer or bank must be deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. At that time, the bank or securities dealer agrees to repurchase the underlying security at a mutually agreed upon price on a designated future date. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at an agreed upon rate due to the Fund on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund generally will be unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying securities. Repurchase agreements must be “fully collateralized,” in that the market value of the underlying securities (including accrued interest) must at all times be equal to or greater than the repurchase price. Therefore, a repurchase agreement can be considered a loan collateralized by the underlying securities.

 

Repurchase agreements are generally for a short period of time, often less than a week, and will generally be used by a Fund to invest excess cash or as part of a temporary defensive strategy. Repurchase agreements that do not provide for payment within seven days will be treated as illiquid securities. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default by the seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. These losses could result from: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security while the Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement; (b) possible reduced levels of income or lack of access to income during this period; and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.

 

High Yield Securities

 

A Fund may invest in high yield securities. 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 Ba1 or lower by Moody’s). 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. The risks include the following:

 

Greater Risk of Loss. These 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,

 

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high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, a Fund would experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments.

 

Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes. The income and market value of lower-rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Although non-investment grade securities tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than investment grade 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. For example, in 2000, 2001 and 2002, the default rate for high yield securities was significantly higher than in the prior or subsequent years.

 

Valuation Difficulties. 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. In addition, 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 judgment than is the case with higher rated securities.

 

Liquidity. There may be no established secondary or public market for investments in lower rated securities. Such securities are frequently traded in markets that may be relatively less liquid than the market for 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 may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely when an issuer’s financial condition is deteriorating. A reduction in dealer market-making capacity in the fixed income markets that has occurred in recent years has the potential to decrease liquidity.

 

Credit Quality. 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.

 

New Legislation. Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk bonds. As an example, in the late 1980’s, 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 a Fund’s investments in lower rated securities.

 

High yield, high risk investments may include the following:

 

Straight fixed income debt securities. These include bonds and other debt obligations that bear a fixed or variable rate of interest payable at regular intervals and have a fixed or resettable maturity date. The particular terms of such securities vary and may include features such as call provisions and sinking funds.

 

Zero-coupon debt securities. These bear no interest obligation but are issued at a discount from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return equals the difference between their issue price and their maturity value.

 

Zero-fixed-coupon debt securities. These are zero-coupon debt securities that convert on a specified date to interest-bearing debt securities.

 

Pay-in-kind Bonds. These are bonds which allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. These are bonds sold without registration under the 1933 Act, usually to a relatively small number of institutional investors.

 

Convertible Securities. These are bonds or preferred stock that may be converted to common stock.

 

Preferred Stock. These are stocks that generally pay a dividend at a specified rate and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and in liquidation.

 

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Loan Participations and Assignments. These are participations in, or assignments of all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less developed countries (“LDCs”).

 

Securities issued in connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructurings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities. A Fund may hold such common stock and other securities even if it does not invest in such securities.

 

Municipal Government Obligations

 

In general, municipal obligations are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia) and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. Municipal obligations generally include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes. Certain types of municipal obligations are issued in whole or in part to obtain funding for privately operated facilities or projects. Municipal obligations include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, industrial development bonds, notes and municipal lease obligations. Municipal obligations also include additional obligations, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax - that may become available in the future as long as the Fund’s Board determines that an investment in any such type of obligation is consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives. Municipal obligations may be fully or partially backed by local government, the credit of a private issuer, current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets or domestic or foreign entities providing credit support such as letters of credit, guarantees or insurance.

 

Bonds and Notes. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of interest and principal. Revenue bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a project or facility or from the proceeds of a specified revenue source. Industrial development bonds are generally revenue bonds secured by payments from and the credit of private users. Municipal notes are issued to meet the short-term funding requirements of state, regional and local governments. Municipal notes include tax anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, tax and revenue anticipation notes, construction loan notes, short-term discount notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, demand notes and similar instruments.

 

Municipal Lease Obligations. Municipal lease obligations may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase or a conditional sales contract. They are issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land, equipment and facilities, such as vehicles, telecommunications and computer equipment and other capital assets. A Fund may purchase these lease obligations directly, or it may purchase participation interests in such lease obligations (See “Participation Interests” section). States have different requirements for issuing municipal debt and issuing municipal leases. Municipal leases are generally subject to greater risks than general obligation or revenue bonds because they usually contain a “non-appropriation” clause, which provides that the issuer is not obligated to make payments on the obligation in future years unless funds have been appropriated for this purpose each year. Such non-appropriation clauses are required to avoid the municipal lease obligations from being treated as debt for state debt restriction purposes. Accordingly, such obligations are subject to “non-appropriation” risk. Municipal leases may be secured by the underlying capital asset and it may be difficult to dispose of any such asset in the event of non-appropriation or other default.

 

United States Government Obligations

 

These consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the United States Treasury, i.e., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations of the United States government and differ mainly in the length of their maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government security, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis. A Fund may also invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (“TIPS”). TIPS are special types of treasury bonds that were created in order to offer bond investors protection from inflation. The values of the TIPS are automatically adjusted to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”). If the CPI goes up by half a percent, the value of the bond (the TIPS) would also go up by half a percent. If the CPI falls, the value of the bond does not fall because the government guarantees that the original investment will stay the same. TIPS decline in value when real interest rates rise. However, in certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, TIPS may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar duration.

 

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United States Government Agency Obligations

 

These consist of debt securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the United States government, including the various types of instruments currently outstanding or which may be offered in the future. Agencies include, among others, the Federal Housing Administration, Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), Farmer’s Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Maritime Administration, and General Services Administration. Instrumentalities include, for example, each of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the National Bank for Cooperatives, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), the Farm Credit Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), and the United States Postal Service. These securities are either: (i) backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government (e.g., United States Treasury Bills); (ii) guaranteed by the United States Treasury (e.g., GNMA mortgage-backed securities); (iii) supported by the issuing agency’s or instrumentality’s right to borrow from the United States Treasury (e.g., FNMA Discount Notes); or (iv) supported only by the issuing agency’s or instrumentality’s own credit (e.g., Tennessee Valley Association). On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Authority (the “FHFA”) announced that FNMA and FHLMC had been placed into conservatorship, a statutory process designed to stabilize a troubled institution with the objective of returning the entity to normal business operations. The U.S. Treasury Department and the FHFA at the same time established a secured lending facility and a Secured Stock Purchase Agreement with both FNMA and FHLMC to ensure that each entity had the ability to fulfill its financial obligations. The FHFA announced that it does not anticipate any disruption in pattern of payments or ongoing business operations of FNMA and FHLMC.

 

Mortgage Pass-Through Securities

 

Interests in pools of mortgage pass-through securities differ from other forms of debt securities (which normally provide periodic payments of interest in fixed amounts and the payment of principal in a lump sum at maturity or on specified call dates). Instead, mortgage pass-through securities provide monthly payments consisting of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on the underlying residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Unscheduled payments of principal may be made if the underlying mortgage loans are repaid or refinanced or the underlying properties are foreclosed, thereby shortening the securities’ weighted average life. Some mortgage pass-through securities (such as securities guaranteed by GNMA) are described as “modified pass-through securities.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, on the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

 

The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage pass-through securities is GNMA. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by lending institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgage loans. These mortgage loans are either insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. A “pool” or group of such mortgage loans is assembled and after being approved by GNMA, is offered to investors through securities dealers.

 

Government-related guarantors of mortgage pass-through securities (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation owned entirely by private stockholders. It is subject to general regulation by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. FNMA purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Mortgage pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury.

 

Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may, in addition, be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related pass-through securities. A Fund does not purchase interests in pools created by such non-governmental issuers.

 

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Resets. The interest rates paid on the Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities (“ARMs”) in which a Fund may invest generally are readjusted or reset at intervals of one year or less to an increment over some predetermined interest rate index. There are two main categories of indices: 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 and five-year constant maturity Treasury Note rates, the three-month Treasury Bill rate, the 180-day Treasury Bill rate, rates on longer-term Treasury securities, the National Median Cost of Funds, the one-month or three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the prime rate of a specific bank, or commercial paper rates. Some indices, such as the one-year constant maturity Treasury Note rate, closely mirror changes in market interest rate levels. Others tend to lag changes in market rate levels and tend to be somewhat less volatile.

 

Caps and Floors. The underlying mortgages which collateralize the ARMs in which a Fund invests will frequently have caps and floors which limit the maximum amount by which the loan rate to the residential borrower may change up or down: (1) per reset or adjustment interval, and (2) over the life of the loan. Some residential mortgage loans restrict periodic adjustments by limiting changes in the borrower’s monthly principal and interest payments rather than limiting interest rate changes. These payment caps may result in negative amortization. The value of mortgage securities in which a Fund invests may be affected if market interest rates rise or fall faster and farther than the allowable caps or floors on the underlying residential mortgage loans. Additionally, even though the interest rates on the underlying residential mortgages are adjustable, amortization and prepayments may occur, thereby causing the effective maturities of the mortgage securities in which the Fund invests to be shorter than the maturities stated in the underlying mortgages.

 

Securities of Other Investment Companies.

 

General. Except as described in the following paragraphs, each Fund currently intends to limit its investments in securities issued by other investment companies so that, as determined immediately after a purchase of such securities is made: (i) not more than 5% of the value of a Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company; (ii) not more than 10% of the value of its total assets will be invested in the aggregate in securities of investment companies as a group; and (iii) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by a Fund.

 

A Fund may also purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the Fund pays no “sales charge” or “service fee” (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee.

 

Pursuant to an order issued by the SEC exempting certain ETFs from Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act (SEC Order”), in addition to procedures approved by the Board, each Fund may invest in such ETFs in excess of the 5% and 10% limits described above, provided that the Fund complies with the conditions of the relevant SEC Order, as it may be amended, and any other applicable investment limitations.

 

As a shareholder of an investment company, a Fund indirectly will bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such investment company in addition to the fees and expenses a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. These securities represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments pursuant to a wide range of investment styles. A Fund would also bear the risk of all of the underlying investments held by the other investment company. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds. (“ETFs”) are investment companies whose primary objective is to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity while trading throughout the day on an exchange. Certain ETFs are actively managed portfolios rather than being based upon an underlying index. ETF shares are sold initially in the primary market in units of 50,000 or more (“creation units”). A creation unit represents a bundle of securities or commodities that replicates, or is a representative sample of, a particular index or commodity and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted

 

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into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETF’s underlying portfolio securities. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions.

 

Unit Investment Trusts.  (“UITs”) are investment companies that hold a fixed portfolio of securities until the fixed maturity date of the UIT. A Fund would generally only purchase UITs in the secondary market for cash, which would result in the payment of commissions.

 

Risk Factors Associated with Investments in ETFs and UITs. ETF and UIT shares are subject to the same risk of price fluctuation due to supply and demand as any other stock traded on an exchange, which means that a Fund could receive less from the sale of shares of an ETF or UIT it holds than it paid at the time it purchased those shares. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF or UIT shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. There can be no assurance that an ETF or UIT will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange or that an active secondary market will develop for shares. In addition, because ETFs and UITs invest in a portfolio of common stocks or other instruments or commodities, the value of an ETF or UIT could decline if prices of those instruments or commodities decline. An overall decline of those instruments or commodities comprising an ETF’s or UIT’s benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF or UIT and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also occur if the ETF or UIT is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index. There may be times when the market price for an ETF or UIT and its NAV vary significantly and a Fund may pay more than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV when buying shares on the secondary market. The market price of an ETF’s or UIT’s shares includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of shares is falling fastest.

 

Other risks associated with ETFs and UITs include the possibility that: (i) an ETF’s or UIT’s distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETF’s or UIT’s portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF or UIT could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF or UIT could have to liquidate its portfolio securities when the prices for those securities are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly provided information about an ETF or UIT or its investments, because ETFs and UITs are generally passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs and UITs to unknown risks. Actively managed ETFs are also subject to the risk of underperformance relative to their chosen benchmark.

 

Foreign Securities

 

General. A Fund may invest in foreign securities and ETFs and other investment companies that hold a portfolio of foreign securities. Investing in securities of foreign companies and countries involves certain considerations and risks that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. government securities and securities of domestic companies. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than a domestic one, and foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial standards and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies. There may also be less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than exists in the United States. Interest and dividends paid by foreign issuers may be subject to withholding and other foreign taxes, which may decrease the net return on such investments as compared to dividends and interest paid to a Fund by domestic companies or the U.S. government. There may be the possibility of expropriations, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits, confiscatory taxation, political, economic or social instability or diplomatic developments that could affect assets of a Fund held in foreign countries. Finally, the establishment of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions could adversely affect the payment of obligations.

 

To the extent a Fund’s currency exchange transactions do not fully protect the Fund against adverse changes in currency exchange rates, decreases in the value of currencies of the foreign countries in which the Fund will invest relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding decrease in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets denominated in those currencies (and possibly a corresponding increase in the amount of securities required to be liquidated to meet distribution requirements). Conversely, increases in the value of currencies of the foreign

 

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countries in which a Fund invests relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding increase in the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets (and possibly a corresponding decrease in the amount of securities to be liquidated).

 

Emerging Markets Securities. A Fund may purchase securities of emerging market issuers and ETFs and other investment companies that invest in emerging market securities. Investing in emerging market securities imposes risks different from, or greater than, risks of investing in foreign developed countries. These risks include: smaller market capitalization of securities markets, which may suffer periods of relative illiquidity; significant price volatility; restrictions on foreign investment; and possible repatriation of investment income and capital. In addition, foreign investors may be required to register the proceeds of sales. Future economic or political crises could lead to price controls, forced mergers, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, seizure, nationalization, or creation of government monopolies. The currencies of emerging market countries may experience significant declines against the U.S. dollar, and devaluation may occur subsequent to investments in these currencies by a Fund. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.

 

Additional risks of emerging markets securities may include: greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability; more substantial governmental involvement in the economy; less governmental supervision and regulation; unavailability of currency hedging techniques; companies that are newly organized and small; differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; and less developed legal systems. In addition, emerging securities markets may have different clearance and settlement procedures, which may be unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions or otherwise make it difficult to engage in such transactions. Settlement problems may cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, hold a portion of its assets in cash pending investment, or be delayed in disposing of a portfolio security. Such a delay could result in possible liability to a purchaser of the security.

 

Investing through Stock Connect. Certain of the Funds may invest in developing markets through trading structures or protocols that subject them to certain risks (such as risks associated with illiquidity, custody of assets, different settlement and clearance procedures, asserting legal title under developing legal and regulatory regimes and other risks) to a greater degree than in developed markets or even other developing markets. For example, a Fund may invest in certain eligible Chinese securities (“China A-Shares”) listed and traded on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”) through the Hong Kong—Shanghai Stock Connect (“Stock Connect”) program. Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing program developed by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (“SEHK”), SSE, Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited and China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited for the establishment of mutual market access between SEHK and SSE. Stock Connect is subject to regulations promulgated by regulatory authorities for both SSE and SEHK. Further regulations or restrictions, such as limitations on redemptions or suspension of trading, may adversely affect Stock Connect and the value of the China A-Shares held by a Fund. There is no guarantee that the systems required to operate Stock Connect will function properly or will continue to be adapted to changes and developments in both markets or that both exchanges will continue to support Stock Connect in the future. In the event that the relevant systems do not function properly, trading through Stock Connect could be disrupted.

 

Although trading through Stock Connect is not subject to individual investment quotas, daily and aggregate investment quotas apply to the aggregate volume of trading on Stock Connect, which may restrict or preclude a Fund’s ability to invest in Stock Connect securities or to enter into or exit trades on a timely basis. In addition, Stock Connect securities generally may not be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred other than through Stock Connect pursuant to the program’s rules, which may further subject a Fund to liquidity risk in respect of China A-Shares. Stock Connect can only operate when both Chinese and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As a result, if either or both of these markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, a Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. Because of the way in which China A-Shares are held through Stock Connect, a Fund may not be able to exercise the rights of a shareholder and may be limited in its ability to pursue claims against the issuer of a security, and may suffer losses in the event the depository of the SSE becomes insolvent. Only certain China A shares are eligible to be accessed through Stock Connect. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in which case they presumably could be sold but could no longer be purchased through Stock Connect. Investments in China A-shares may not be covered by the securities investor protection

 

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programs of either exchange and, without the protection of such programs, will be subject to the risk of default by the broker.

 

Options

 

A Fund may purchase and write (i.e., sell) put and call options. Such options may relate to particular securities, stock indices, other index, reference asset or reference item and may or may not be listed on a domestic or foreign securities exchange and may or may not be issued by the Options Clearing Corporation. Options trading is a highly specialized activity that entails greater than ordinary investment risk. Options may be more volatile than the underlying instruments, and therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation than an investment in the underlying instruments themselves.

 

A call option for a particular security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option, regardless of the market price of the security. The premium paid to the writer is in consideration for undertaking the obligation under the option contract. A put option for a particular security gives the purchaser the right to sell the security at the stated exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option, regardless of the market price of the security.

 

Stock index options are put options and call options on various stock indices. In most respects, they are identical to listed options on common stocks. The primary difference between stock options and index options occurs when index options are exercised. In the case of stock options, the underlying security, common stock, is delivered. However, upon the exercise of an index option, settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index. The option holder who exercises the index option receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the stock index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market value of the stocks included in the index. For example, some stock index options are based on a broad market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index or the Value Line Composite Index or a narrower market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 100®. Indices may also be based on an industry or market segment, such as the AMEX Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options on stock indices are currently traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the Pacific Stock Exchange and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange.

 

A Fund’s obligation to sell an instrument subject to a call option written by it, or to purchase an instrument subject to a put option written by it, may be terminated prior to the expiration date of the option by the Fund’s execution of a closing purchase transaction, which is effected by purchasing on an exchange an option of the same series (i.e., same underlying instrument, exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously written. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying instrument from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying instrument or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying instrument. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transactions costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event a Fund will have paid a loss in the transaction. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. An option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying instrument or liquidate the assets held in a segregated account, as described below, until the option expires or the optioned instrument is delivered upon exercise. In such circumstances, the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline or appreciation in the instrument during such period.

 

If an option purchased by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a loss equal to the premium paid. If the Fund enters into a closing sale transaction on an option purchased by it, the Fund will realize a gain if the premium received by the Fund on the closing transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, or a loss if it is less. If an option written by the Fund expires on the stipulated expiration date or if the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction, it will realize a gain (or loss if the cost of a closing purchase transaction exceeds the net premium received when the option is sold). If an option written by the Fund is exercised, the proceeds of the sale will be increased by the net premium originally received and the Fund will realize a gain or loss.

 

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Certain Risks Regarding Options. There are several risks associated with transactions in options. For example, there are significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objectives. In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options, whether traded over-the-counter or on an exchange, may be absent for reasons which include the following: there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities or currencies; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading value; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

 

Successful use by a Fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the ability of the Adviser to correctly predict movements in the directions of the stock market. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. In addition, a fund’s ability to effectively hedge all or a portion of the securities in its portfolio, in anticipation of or during a market decline, through transactions in put options on stock indices, depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index correlate with the price movements of the securities held by the Fund. Inasmuch as a Fund’s securities will not duplicate the components of an index, the correlation will not be perfect. Consequently, the Fund bears the risk that the prices of its securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the prices of its put options on the stock indices. It is also possible that there may be a negative correlation between the index and the Fund’s securities that would result in a loss on both such securities and the options on stock indices acquired by the Fund.

 

The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets. The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The purchase of stock index options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by a Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities comprising the stock index on which the option is based.

 

There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option, or at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist. If a Fund is unable to close out a call option on securities that it has written before the option is exercised, the Fund may be required to purchase the optioned securities in order to satisfy its obligation under the option to deliver such securities. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.

 

Cover for Options Positions. Transactions using options (other than options that a Fund has purchased) expose the Fund to an obligation to another party. The Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (i) an offsetting (“covered”) position in securities or other options or (ii) cash or liquid securities with a value sufficient at all times to cover its potential obligations not covered as provided in (i) above. A Fund will comply with SEC guidelines regarding cover for these instruments and, if the guidelines so require, set aside cash or liquid securities in a segregated account with the Fund’s custodian in the prescribed amount. Under current SEC guidelines, the Fund will segregate assets to cover transactions in which the Fund writes or sells options.

 

Assets used as cover or held in a segregated account cannot be sold while the position in the corresponding option is open, unless they are replaced with similar assets. As a result, the commitment of a large portion of a Fund’s assets to cover or segregated accounts could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

 

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Options on Futures Contracts. A Fund may purchase and sell options on the same types of futures in which it may invest. Options on futures are similar to options on underlying instruments except that options on futures give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by the delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.

 

Dealer Options. A Fund may engage in transactions involving dealer options as well as exchange-traded options. Certain additional risks are specific to dealer options. While the Fund might look to a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, if the Fund were to purchase a dealer option it would need to rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.

 

Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while dealer options may not. Consequently, a Fund may generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when a Fund writes a dealer option, it may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom the Fund originally wrote the option. While a Fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and which are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. Unless a Fund, as a covered dealer call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option. With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund. For example, because a Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the Fund may not sell the assets, which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option. This requirement may impair the Fund’s ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.

 

The Staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased dealer options are illiquid securities. A Fund may treat the cover used for written dealer options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the dealer option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In such cases, the dealer option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option. Accordingly, a Fund will treat dealer options as subject to the Fund’s limitation on illiquid securities. If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of dealer options, the Fund will change its treatment of such instruments accordingly.

 

Spread Transactions

 

A Fund may purchase covered spread options from securities dealers. These covered spread options are not presently exchange-listed or exchange-traded. The purchase of a spread option gives the Fund the right to put securities that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that the Fund does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to a Fund, in addition to the risks of dealer options described above, is the cost of the premium paid as well as any transaction costs. The purchase of spread options will be used to protect the Fund against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads, i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. This protection is provided only during the life of the spread options.

 

Futures Contracts

 

A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument (e.g., units of a stock index or reference item such as stock volatility) for a specified

 

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price, date, time and place designated at the time the contract is made. Brokerage fees are paid when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained. Entering into a contract to buy is commonly referred to as buying or purchasing a contract or holding a long position. Entering into a contract to sell is commonly referred to as selling a contract or holding a short position.

 

Unlike when a Fund purchases or sells a security, no price would be paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Upon entering into a futures contract, and to maintain the Fund’s open positions in futures contracts, the Fund would be required to deposit with its custodian or futures broker in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or other liquid securities, known as “initial margin.” The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.

 

If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in underlying instrument or index in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin. However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to a Fund.

 

These subsequent payments, called “variation margin,” to and from the futures broker, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying assets fluctuate making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking to the market.” A Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.

 

Although certain futures contracts, by their terms, require actual future delivery of and payment for the underlying instruments, in practice most futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract purchase or sale is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract sale or purchase, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical underlying instrument or index and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract.

 

For example, one contract in the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index future is a contract to buy 25 pounds sterling multiplied by the level of the UK Financial Times 100 Share Index on a given future date. Settlement of a stock index futures contract may or may not be in the underlying instrument or index. If not in the underlying instrument or index, then settlement will be made in cash, equivalent over time to the difference between the contract price and the actual price of the underlying asset at the time the stock index futures contract expires.

 

Swap Agreements

 

A Fund may enter into swap agreements for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to equity, debt, commodities or other asset markets without actually purchasing those assets, or to hedge a position. A Fund does not invest more than 25% of its assets in swap contracts with any one counterparty. Security investments are made without restriction as to the issuer’s country. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index.

 

Most swap agreements entered into by a Fund calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a “net basis.” Consequently, the Fund’s current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only

 

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to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term.

 

Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, if a swap is entered into on a net basis, if the other party to a swap agreement defaults, a Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.

 

The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to a swap agreement entered into on a net basis will be accrued daily and an amount of cash or liquid asset having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in an account with the Custodian. A Fund will also establish and maintain such accounts with respect to its total obligations under any swaps that are not entered into on a net basis. Obligations under swap agreements so covered will not be construed to be “senior securities” for purposes of the Fund’s investment restriction concerning senior securities.

 

Because they are two-party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for the Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. A Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. A Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counter-party.

 

A Fund may enter into a swap agreement in circumstances where the Adviser believes that it may be more cost effective or practical than buying the securities represented by such index or a futures contract or an option on such index. The counter-party to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. The counter-party will generally agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap agreement would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks represented in the index, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. A Fund will agree to pay to the counter-party a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap agreement plus the amount, if any, by which the notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to a Fund on any swap agreement should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount.

 

The swap market has 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 swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments that are traded in the OTC market.

 

Precious Metals and Other Commodities

 

Certain Funds are subject to the risk of sharp price volatility of metals or other commodities, and of shares of companies principally engaged in activities related to metals or other commodities. Investments related to metals or other commodities may fluctuate in price significantly over short periods of time because of a variety of global economic, financial, and political factors. These factors include: economic cycles; changes in inflation or expectations about inflation in various countries; interest rates; currency fluctuations; metal sales by governments, central banks, or international agencies; investment speculation; resource availability; commodity prices; fluctuations in industrial and commercial supply and demand; government regulation of the metals and other commodities industries; and government prohibitions or restrictions on the private ownership of certain precious and rare metals.

 

When-Issued, Forward Commitments and Delayed Settlements

 

A Fund may purchase and sell securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis. In this event, the Custodian (as defined under the section entitled “Custodian”) will segregate liquid assets equal to the amount of the commitment in a separate account. Normally, the Custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment. In such a case, the Fund may be required subsequently to segregate additional assets in order to assure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the Fund’s commitment. It may be

 

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expected that the Fund’s net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash.

 

A Fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. Because the Fund will segregate liquid assets to satisfy its purchase commitments in the manner described, the Fund’s liquidity and the ability of the Adviser to manage them may be affected in the event the Fund’s forward commitments, commitments to purchase when-issued securities and delayed settlements ever exceeded 15% of the value of its net assets.

 

A Fund will purchase securities on a when-issued, forward commitment or delayed settlement basis only with the intention of completing the transaction. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases, the Fund may realize taxable capital gain or loss. When the Fund engages in when-issued, forward commitment and delayed settlement transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price credited to be advantageous.

 

The market value of the securities underlying a when-issued purchase, forward commitment to purchase securities, or a delayed settlement and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value is taken into account when determining the market value of a Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until it has paid for and delivered on the settlement date.

 

Illiquid and Restricted Securities

 

A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities generally are investments that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.  Illiquid securities include securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under the 1933 Act and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the security is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Securities that have not been registered under the 1933 Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.

 

Restricted and other illiquid securities may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. A Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. A Fund might have to register restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.

 

A large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered under the 1933 Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the 1933 Act allows such a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general public.

 

Rule 144A establishes a “safe harbor” from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resale of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

Under guidelines adopted by the Trust’s Board, the Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a

 

27


 

security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (e.g., debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer); and (6) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser will also determine that the paper (1) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest, and (2) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two National Statistical Rating Organizations (“NRSROs”) or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.

 

Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of a Fund’s assets invested in illiquid securities if institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.

 

The Funds will adopt a liquidity risk management program designed to meet the requirements of the rules under the 1940 Act related to liquidity.

 

Passive Investment Strategies

 

The Funds pursue a passive or “indexing” strategy. The Funds will not buy or sell shares of an equity security due to current or projected performance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is added to or removed, respectively, from the respective index each is designed to track. A Fund’s return may not match the return of its index for a number of reasons, including: the Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities; the Fund may not be fully invested at times; differences in the valuation of securities and differences between the Fund’s portfolio and the index resulting from legal restrictions, cost or liquidity constraints.

 

It is also possible that a Fund may not replicate the performance of the Index due to the temporary unavailability of certain Index securities in the secondary market or due to other extraordinary circumstances. A Fund may also have to vary its portfolio holdings from the composition of the Index in order to qualify, and continue to qualify, as a “regulated investment company” under the Code. See Taxes below for additional information on the Fund’s tax treatment.

 

Lending Portfolio Securities

 

A Fund may from time to time lend securities from their portfolios to broker-dealers, banks, financial institutions and institutional borrowers of securities and receive collateral in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. Under the Fund’s current practices (which are subject to change), a Fund must receive initial collateral at least equal to the maintenance requirements (e.g. 102% for U.S. equity securities and 105% for non-U.S. securities). This collateral must be valued daily and should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any “affiliated person” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any dividends or interest paid on such securities plus any fee negotiated between the parties to the lending agreement. Loans will be subject to termination by the Funds or the borrower at any time. While a Fund will not have the right to vote securities on loan, they intend to terminate loans and regain the right to vote if that is considered important with respect to the investment. A Fund will enter into loan arrangements only with broker-dealers, banks or other institutions that either the Adviser or the lending agent has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Board. Although these loans are fully collateralized, there are risks associated with securities lending. A Fund’s performance could be hurt if a borrower defaults or becomes insolvent, or if the

 

28


 

Fund wishes to sell a security before its return can be arranged. The return on invested cash collateral will result in gains and losses for the Funds. Each Fund will limit its securities lending to 33-1/3% of its total assets.

 

Short Sales

 

A Fund may sell securities short as an outright investment strategy and to offset potential declines in long positions in similar securities. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.

 

When a Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.

 

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time a Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.

 

To the extent a Fund sells securities short, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer and (except in the case of short sales “against the box”) will maintain additional asset coverage in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities with its custodian in a segregated account in an amount at least equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any amounts required to be deposited as collateral with the selling broker (not including the proceeds of the short sale). A Fund does not intend to enter into short sales (other than short sales “against the box”) if immediately after such sales the aggregate of the value of all collateral plus the amount in such segregated account exceeds 30% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. This percentage may be varied by action of the Board. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.

 

Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator

 

The Trust, on behalf of the Funds, has filed with the National Futures Association, a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Funds’ operations. Accordingly, the Funds will not be subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator.

 

Brexit

 

In a referendum held on June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom (UK) voted by a narrow majority to leave the European Union (“Brexit”). In March 2017, the UK formally began the process under which the UK will withdraw from the European Union (“EU”) by triggering a two-year period for negotiation of the terms of the withdrawal.  For the time being, the UK remains a member of the EU, and all existing EU-derived laws and regulations continue to apply in the UK.  However, the uncertainty as to the timing and nature of the UK’s exit and future relationship with the EU has resulted in market and currency volatility, and there are potentially major implications for business and issuers.

 

Brexit adds to the structural stresses in the countries which use the Euro as currency (“Eurozone”), and the EU, generally, that have contributed to global economic and market uncertainty over several years.  A central issue for the UK in negotiating the terms of its exit will be its relationship with the EU going-forward.  The resulting uncertainty may adversely affect business activity and economic conditions across the Eurozone and the EU, generally.  This uncertainty may increase as one or more EU countries may come under pressure to leave the EU as well.  The exit of other countries from the EU, or the perception that other countries may leave, could have a material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity in the UK, the Eurozone and the entire EU.

 

29


 

Special Risks Related to Cyber Security

 

The Funds and their service providers have administrative and technical safeguards in place with respect to information security. Nevertheless, the Funds and their service providers are potentially susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a cyber-attack as the Funds are highly dependent upon the effective operation of their computer systems and those of their business partners. These risks include, among other things, the theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites and other operational disruption and unauthorized release of confidential customer information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Adviser, the distributor, the Funds, the custodian, the transfer agent, financial intermediaries, market makers, Authorized Participants and other affiliated or third-party service providers may adversely affect the Funds and their shareholders owners. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of Fund transactions, including the processing of orders, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate net asset values, cause the release and possible destruction of confidential customer or business information, impede trading, subject a Fund and/or its service providers and intermediaries to regulatory fines and financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Cyber security risks may also affect the issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which may cause a Fund’s investments to lose value. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management in the future. Although the Funds and their service providers have adopted security procedures to minimize the risk of a cyber-attack, there can be no assurance that the Funds or their service providers will avoid losses affecting the Funds due to cyber-attacks or information security breaches in the future.

 

INVESTMENTS IN THE FUNDS BY OTHER REGISTERED INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of a Fund. Other registered investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in the SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust with respect to the operation of the ETFs, including that such investing investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund that is intended to comply with the conditions of the order.

 

DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (“NAV”) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

 

Each Fund’s NAV is determined and the shares of each Fund are priced as of the valuation time(s) indicated in the Prospectuses on each Business Day. A “Business Day” is a day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”) is open. The NYSE will not open in observance of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

Investment Company Securities

 

Shares of another open-end investment company (mutual fund) held by a Fund are valued at the latest closing NAV of such mutual fund. Shares of ETFs are valued in the manner described below under “Equity Securities.”

 

Fixed Income Securities

 

Fixed income securities held by the Funds are valued on the basis of security valuations provided by an independent pricing service, approved by the Board, that determines value by using information with respect to transactions of a security, quotations from dealers, market transactions in comparable securities and various relationships between securities. Specific investment securities that are not priced by the approved pricing service will be valued according to quotations obtained from dealers who are market makers in those securities. Investment securities with less than 60 days to maturity when purchased are valued at amortized cost that approximates market value. Investment securities not having readily available market quotations will be priced at fair value using a methodology approved in good faith by the Board.

 

30



 

Equity Securities

 

Each equity security (including ETFs) held by a Fund is valued at the closing price on the exchange where the security is principally traded. Each security traded in the over-the-counter market (but not including securities the trading activity of which is reported on NASDAQ’s Automated Confirmation Transaction (“ACT”) System) is valued at the bid based upon quotes furnished by market makers for such securities. Each security the trading activity of which is reported on NASDAQ’s ACT System is valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. Convertible debt securities are valued in the same manner as any debt security. Non-convertible debt securities are valued on the basis of prices provided by independent pricing services. Prices provided by the pricing service may be determined without exclusive reliance on quoted prices and may reflect appropriate factors such as institution-sized trading in similar groups of securities, developments related to special securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, individual trading characteristics, and other market data. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Trust’s officers in a manner specially authorized by the Board. Short-term obligations having 60 days or less to maturity are valued on the basis of amortized cost, except for convertible debt securities. For purposes of determining NAV, futures and options contracts generally will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading of the NYSE.

 

Generally, trading in foreign securities, corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the NAV of each Fund’s shares generally are determined at such times. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior the close of the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such securities and such exchange rates may occur between the times at which such values are determined and the close of the NYSE. If events affecting the value of securities occur during such a period, and a Fund’s NAV is materially affected by such changes in the value of the securities, then these securities will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Board.

 

International Funds

 

Time zone arbitrage. The International Funds invest a significant amount of their assets in foreign securities, which may expose them to attempts by investors to engage in “time-zone arbitrage.” Using this technique, investors seek to take advantage of differences in the values of foreign securities that might result from events that occur after the close of the foreign securities market on which a security is traded and before the close of the NYSE that day, when the Funds calculate their net asset value.

 

If successful, time zone arbitrage might dilute the interests of other shareholders. The International Funds use “fair value pricing” under certain circumstances, to adjust the closing market prices of foreign securities to reflect what the Adviser and the Board consider to be their fair value. Fair value pricing may also help to deter time zone arbitrage.

 

Fair value pricing for the International Funds. If market quotations are not readily available, or (in the Adviser’s judgment) do not accurately reflect the fair value of a security, or if after the close of the principal market on which a security held by an International Fund is traded and before the time as of which the International Fund’s net asset value is calculated that day, an event occurs that the Adviser learns of and believes in the exercise of its judgment will cause a material change in the value of that security from the closing price of the security on the principal market on which it is traded, that security may be valued by another method that the Board believes would more accurately reflect the security’s fair value.

 

The Board has adopted valuation procedures for the Funds and has delegated the day-to-day responsibility for fair valuation determinations to the Adviser and its Pricing Committee. Those determinations may include consideration of recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to a specific security, developments in and performance of foreign securities markets, current valuations of foreign or U.S. indices, and adjustment co-efficients based on fair value models developed by independent service providers. The Adviser may, for example, adjust the value of portfolio securities based on fair value models supplied by the service provider when the Adviser believes that the adjustments better reflect actual prices as of the close of the NYSE.

 

31


 

The International Funds’ use of fair value pricing procedures involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different from the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that an International Fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the same time at which the Fund determines its net asset value per share.

 

Other Valuation Information

 

Generally, trading in foreign securities, corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the NAV of each Fund’s shares generally are determined at such times. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior the close of the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such securities and such exchange rates may occur between the times at which such values are determined and the close of the NYSE. If events affecting the value of securities occur during such a period, and a Fund’s NAV is materially affected by such changes in the value of the securities, then these securities will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Board.

 

Other securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available or for which valuation cannot be provided are valued as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures approved by the Board.

 

The NYSE holiday closing schedule indicated in this SAI under “Determining Net Asset Value (“NAV”) and Valuing Portfolio Securities” is subject to change. When the NYSE is closed or when trading is restricted for any reason other than its customary weekend or holiday closings, or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC to warrant such action, the Funds may not be able to accept purchase or redemption requests. A Fund’s NAV may be affected to the extent that its securities are traded on days that are not Business Days. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order in whole or in part.

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

 

Creation Units

 

Each Fund sells and redeems Shares in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form on any Business Day. A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business.

 

A Creation Unit is an aggregation of 50,000 shares. The Board may declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of each Fund or Trust, and make a corresponding change in the number of shares in a Creation Unit.

 

Authorized Participants

 

To purchase or redeem any Creation Units, you must be, or transact through, an Authorized Participant. In order to be an Authorized Participant, you must be either a broker-dealer or other participant (“Participating Party”) in the Continuous Net Settlement System (“Clearing Process”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or a participant in DTC with access to the DTC system (“DTC Participant”), and you must execute an agreement (“Participant Agreement”) with the Distributor that governs transactions in each Fund’s Creation Units.

 

Investors who are not Authorized Participants but want to transact in Creation Units may contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants. An Authorized Participant may require investors to enter into a separate agreement to transact through it for Creation Units and may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in a particular form. Investors transacting through a broker that is not itself an Authorized Participant and therefore must still transact through an Authorized Participant may incur additional charges. There are expected to be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one time.

 

32


 

Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor. Market disruptions and telephone or other communication failures may impede the transmission of orders.

 

Transaction Fees

 

A fixed fee payable to the Custodian is imposed on each creation and redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units involved in the transaction (“Fixed Fee”). Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units for cash or involving cash-in-lieu (as defined below) are required to pay an additional variable charge to compensate each Fund and its ongoing shareholders for brokerage and market impact expenses relating to Creation Unit transactions (“Variable Charge,” and together with the Fixed Fee, the “Transaction Fees”). With the approval of the Board, the Adviser may waive or adjust the Transaction Fees, including the Fixed Fee and/or Variable Charge (shown in the table below), from time to time. In such cases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse each Fund for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities and/or financial instruments were purchased by each Fund and the cash-in-lieu amount, applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). In addition, purchasers of Creation Units are responsible for the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the account of each Fund. Investors who use the services of a broker, or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services.

 

The following table sets forth each Fund’s standard Transaction Fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):

 

 

 

Fee for In-Kind and
Cash Purchases and
Redemptions

 

Maximum
Additional Variable
Charge for Cash
Purchases and
Redemptions*

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

750

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

750

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

6,000

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

9,000

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

250

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

250

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1,500

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

3,400

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

750

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

750

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

4,500

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

250

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

250

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares Global Multi-Factory Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

Not yet determined

**

2.00

%

VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

Not yet determined

**

2.00

%

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

250

 

2.00

%

VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF

 

$

Not yet determined

**

2.00

%

VictoryShares Quality Value ETF

 

$

Not yet determined

**

2.00

%

 


* As a percentage of the amount invested.

** Not yet commenced operations

 

The Clearing Process

 

Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a Participating Party using the NSCC system are referred to as transactions “through the Clearing Process.” Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a DTC Participant using the DTC system are referred to as transactions “outside the Clearing Process.” The Clearing Process is an enhanced clearing process that is available only for certain securities and only to DTC participants that are also participants in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. In-kind (portions of) purchase orders not subject to the Clearing Process will go through a manual clearing process run by DTC. Portfolio Deposits that include

 

33


 

government securities must be delivered through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system (“Federal Reserve System”). Fund Deposits that include cash may be delivered through the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System. In-kind deposits of securities for orders outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for government securities) or through DTC (for corporate securities).

 

Foreign Securities

 

Because the portfolio securities of each Fund may trade on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for each Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of each Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of each Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of each Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

Purchasing Creation Units

 

Portfolio Deposit

 

The consideration for a Creation Unit generally consists of the in-kind deposit of designated securities (“Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash in U.S. dollars (“Cash Component”). Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Portfolio Deposit.” The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Deposit Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of each Fund and (y) the market value of the Deposit Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to each Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from each Fund.

 

On each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Deposit Security in the current Portfolio Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for each Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. The Deposit Securities announced are applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units until the next announcement of Deposit Securities.

 

The Deposit Securities may change as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events of the Underlying Index are reflected from time to time by the Adviser in each Fund’s portfolio. The Deposit Securities may also change in response to the rebalancing and/or reconstitution of the Underlying Index. These adjustments will reflect changes known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Portfolio Deposit.

 

Payment of any stamp duty or the like shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing a Creation Unit. The Authorized Participant must ensure that all Deposit Securities properly denote change in beneficial ownership.

 

Custom Orders and Cash-in-lieu

 

Each Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash-in-lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. Each Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Deposit Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, each Fund may permit or require cash in lieu of Deposit Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities laws or policies from transacting in one or more Deposit Securities. Each Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in accepting Deposit Securities including that the Deposit Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. All orders involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Orders.”

 

Purchase Orders

 

To order a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order to the Distributor.

 

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Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

 

All orders to purchase shares of any Fund (other than an International Fund) directly from a Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time (the “Cut-off Time”) set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which such an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.”

 

All orders to purchase Shares of any International Funds directly from the Funds on the next Business Day must be submitted as a “Future Dated Trade” for one or more Creation Units between 4:00 p.m. Eastern time and 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the prior Business Day and in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The Business Day following the day on which such an order is submitted to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.”

 

Persons placing or effectuating custom orders and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve Bank wire system, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the “Settlement Date,” which is generally the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date (“T+1”) for cash and the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date for domestic securities (“T+2”).

 

Orders Using the Clearing Process

 

If available, (portions of) orders may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor or its agent transmits, on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Portfolio Deposit to each Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System.

 

Orders Outside the Clearing Process

 

If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Portfolio Deposits will be made outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will be effected through DTC. The Portfolio Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of Deposit Securities (whether standard or custom) through DTC to each Fund account by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, on T+1. The Cash Component, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee, must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve System in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive both the Deposit Securities and the cash by the appointed time, the order may be canceled. A canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day but must conform to that Business Day’s Portfolio Deposit. Authorized Participants that submit a canceled order will be liable to each Fund for any losses incurred by each Fund in connection therewith.

 

Orders involving foreign Deposit Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable purchase order, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian , who will have caused the appropriate local sub-custodian(s) of each Fund to maintain an account into which an Authorized Participant may deliver Deposit Securities (or cash -in-lieu), with adjustments determined by each Fund, will then provide information of the order to such local sub-custodian(s). The ordering Authorized Participant will then deliver the Deposit Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) to each Fund’s n account at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to each Fund, immediately available or same day funds in U.S. dollars estimated by each Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component and Transaction Fee. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period. Settlement must occur by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date.

 

35


 

Acceptance of Purchase Order

 

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by each Fund. Each Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Each Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a purchase order transmitted to it by the Distributor if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of each Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the Deposit Securities for the applicable date; (d) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to each Fund; (e) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (f) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust, Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Trust, Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (g) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process purchase orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems resulting in telephone, telecopy or computer failures; fires, floods or extreme weather conditions; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other informational systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Adviser, each Fund’s Custodian, a sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify an Authorized Participant of its rejection of the order. Each Fund, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits, and they shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

 

Once a Fund has accepted an order, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Distributor will transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

Except as provided below, a Creation Unit will not be issued until a Fund obtains good title to the Deposit Securities, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. The delivery of Creation Units will generally occur no later than T+2.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

With respect to orders involving foreign Deposit Securities, when a local sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the Deposit Securities (or cash-in-lieu) have been delivered to a Fund’s account with the sub-custodian, the Fund will issue and deliver the Creation Unit. As stated above, Creation Units are generally delivered on T+2. However, a Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances.

 

A Fund may issue a Creation Unit prior to receiving good title to the Deposit Securities under the following circumstances if, pursuant to the applicable Participant Agreement, the relevant Authorized Participant provides an undertaking to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking is secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery of cash in U.S. Dollars to the Custodian having a value equal to at least 105% of the value of the missing Deposit Securities (“Collateral”) as adjusted by time to time by the Adviser. The Collateral will have a value greater than the NAV of the Creation Unit on the date the order is placed and must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. The value of the missing Deposit Securities is marked to market daily and the amount of Collateral is adjusted to make sure the Collateral value is at least 105% of the marked value. At any time, a Fund may use the Collateral to purchase the missing Deposit Securities, and the Authorized Participant will be liable to the Fund for any costs incurred thereby or losses resulting therefrom, whether or not they exceed the amount of the Collateral, including any Transaction Fee, any amount by which the purchase price of the missing Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such securities on the Transmittal Date, brokerage and other

 

36


 

transaction costs. The Trust will return any unused Collateral once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been received by a Fund. More information regarding a Fund’s current procedures for collateralization is available from the Funds.

 

Cash Purchase Method

 

When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases In the case of a cash purchase, the investor must pay the cash equivalent of the Portfolio Deposit. In addition, cash purchases will be subject to Transaction Fees, as described above.

 

The Funds reserve the right to offer purchases of Creation Units solely in cash if, on a given Business Day, a Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases on that day will be made entirely in cash A Fund may also, on a given Business Day, require all Authorized Participants purchasing Creation Units on that day to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not eligible for transfer either through the NSCC or DTC or (ii) in the case of Foreign Funds holding non-U.S. investments, such securities are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances. The Fund may also permit an Authorized Participant to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not available in sufficient quantity or (ii) such securities are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting.

 

Redeeming a Creation Unit

 

Shares of a Fund may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request made in proper form by the Distributor on any Business Day.  A Fund will not redeem Shares in amounts less than Creation Units.

 

Redemption Basket

 

The consideration received in connection with the redemption of a Creation Unit generally consists of an in-kind basket of designated securities (“Redemption Securities”) and an amount of cash in U.S. dollars (“Cash Component”). Together, the Redemption Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Redemption Basket.”

 

There can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in Shares in the secondary market to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. In addition, investors may incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a Creation Unit.

 

The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Redemption Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of the Fund and (y) the market value of the Redemption Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from the Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to the Fund.

 

If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Redemption Security in the current Redemption Basket (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, all redemption requests that day will be processed outside the Clearing Process.

 

The Redemption Securities may change as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser in the Fund’s portfolio. These adjustments will reflect changes known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Redemption Basket.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed: (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on

 

37


 

the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares or determination of the ETF’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as permitted by the SEC, including as described below.

 

Custom Redemptions and Cash-in-lieu

 

A Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash-in-lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Redemption Security. The Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Redemption Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, a Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu of Redemption Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities law or policies from transacting in one or more Redemption Securities. Each Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in satisfying redemptions with Redemption Securities, including that the Redemption Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. All redemption requests involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Redemptions.”

 

Redemption Requests

 

To redeem a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption request to the Distributor. An Authorized Participant will represent to the Fund that it will not attempt to place a redemption order for the purpose of redeeming any Creation Units, unless it first ascertains or has reasonable grounds to believe that as of the time of the settlement date: (i) it, or its customer, as the case may be, will own outright (or have full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender) the requisite number of Fund shares for redemption, and (ii) all of the Shares that are in the Creation Unit to be redeemed have not been loaned or pledged to another party and are not the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement that would preclude the delivery of such Shares to a Fund on the settlement date. Each Fund reserves the absolute right, in its sole discretion, to verify these representations, but will typically require verification in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and /or short interest in a Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of the requested representations, the redemption request will not be considered to be in proper form and may be rejected by a Fund.

 

Timing of Submission of Redemption Requests

 

All orders to redeem shares of any Fund (other than an International Fund) directly from a Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time (the “Cut-off Time”) set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which such an order to redeem Creation Units is received and accepted is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.”

 

All orders to redeem Shares of any International Funds directly from the Funds on the next Business Day must be submitted as a “Future Dated Trade” for one or more Creation Units between 4:30 p.m. Eastern time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern time on the prior Business Day and in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The Business Day following the day on which such an order is submitted to redeem Creation Units is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.”

 

A redemption request is deemed received if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Cut-off Time on such day and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Persons placing or effectuating Custom Redemptions and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve System, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the Settlement Date, as defined above.

 

Requests Using the Clearing Process

 

If available, (portions of) redemption requests may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor transmits on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the redemption. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite

 

38


 

Creation Unit(s) to a Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System, as described above.

 

Requests Outside the Clearing Process

 

If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Redemption Baskets will be delivered outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the redemption will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant must transfer or cause to be transferred the Creation Unit(s) of shares being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be delivered through DTC to the Custodian by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on receivedT+1. In addition, the Cash Component must be received by the Custodian by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive the Creation Unit(s) and Cash Component by the appointed times on T+1, the redemption will be rejected, except in the circumstances described below. A rejected redemption request may be resubmitted the following Business Day.

 

Orders involving foreign Redemption Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable redemption request, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian. The Custodian will then provide information of the redemption to the Fund’s local sub-custodian(s). The redeeming Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf is acting, will have established appropriate arrangements with a broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which the Redemption Securities are customarily traded and to which such Redemption Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) can be delivered from the Fund’s accounts at the applicable local sub-custodian(s).

 

Acceptance of Redemption Requests

 

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust. The Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Delivery of Redemption Basket

 

Once a Fund has accepted a redemption request, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Redemption Basket, against receipt of the Creation Unit(s) at such NAV, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. A Creation Unit tendered for redemption and the payment of the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf it is acting, will be recorded on the book-entry system of DTC.

 

The Redemption Basket will generally be delivered to the redeeming Authorized Participant within T+2. Except under the circumstances described below; however, a Redemption Basket generally will not be issued until the Creation Unit(s) are delivered to a Fund, along with the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

 

With respect to orders involving foreign Redemption Securities, a Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period.

 

Cash Redemption Method. The Funds reserve the right to redeem Creation Units solely in cash if, on a given Business Day, a Fund announces before the open of trading that all redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash,. A Fund may also on a given Business Day, requires all Authorized Participants redeeming Creation Units on that day to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not eligible for transfer either through the NSCC or DTC or (ii) in the case of International Funds holding non-U.S. investments,

 

39


 

such securities are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances. The Funds may also permit an Authorized Participant to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not available in sufficient quantity, (ii) such securities are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting, or (iii) a holder of Shares of a Fund holding non-U.S. investments would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind. When cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions. In the case of a cash redemption, the investor will receive the cash equivalent of the Redemption Basket minus any Transaction Fees, as described above.

 

Performance Comparisons

 

From time to time a Fund may publish the ranking of its performance by Thomson Reuters Lipper, Inc. (“Lipper”), a widely-recognized independent mutual fund monitoring service. Lipper monitors the performance of regulated investment companies and ranks the performance of the Funds against all other funds in similar categories, for both equity and fixed income funds. The Lipper performance rankings are based on total return that includes the reinvestment of capital gains distributions and income dividends but does not take sales charges or taxes into consideration.

 

From time to time a Fund may publish its rating by Morningstar, Inc., an independent mutual fund monitoring service that rates mutual funds, in broad investment categories (domestic equity, international equity, taxable bond, or municipal bond) monthly, based upon each Fund’s three, five and ten-year average annual total returns (when available) and a risk adjustment factor that reflects Fund performance relative to three-month U.S. Treasury bill monthly returns. Such returns are adjusted for fees and sales loads. There are five rating categories with a corresponding number of stars: highest (5), above average (4), neutral (3), below average (2) and lowest (1).

 

The total return on an investment made in a Fund may be compared with the performance for the same period of one or more broad-based securities market indices, as described in the Prospectuses. These indices are unmanaged indices of securities that do not reflect reinvestment of capital gains or take investment costs into consideration, as these items are not applicable to indices. The Funds’ total returns also may be compared with the Consumer Price Index, a measure of change in consumer prices, as determined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

From time to time, the yields and the total returns of the Funds may be quoted in and compared to other mutual funds with similar investment objectives in advertisements, shareholder reports or other communications to shareholders. A Fund also may include calculations in such communications that describe hypothetical investment results. (Such performance examples are based on an express set of assumptions and are not indicative of the performance of any Fund.) Such calculations may from time to time include discussions or illustrations of the effects of compounding in advertisements. “Compounding” refers to the fact that, if dividends or other distributions on a Fund’s investment are reinvested by being paid in additional Fund shares, any future income or capital appreciation of a Fund would increase the value, not only of the original Fund investment, but also of the additional Fund shares received through reinvestment. As a result, the value of a Fund investment would increase more quickly than if dividends or other distributions had been paid in cash.

 

A Fund also may include discussions or illustrations of the potential investment goals of a prospective investor (including but not limited to tax and/or retirement planning), investment management techniques, policies or investment suitability of a Fund, economic conditions, legislative developments (including pending legislation), the effects of inflation and historical performance of various asset classes, including but not limited to stocks, bonds and Treasury bills.

 

From time to time advertisements or communications to shareholders may summarize the substance of information contained in shareholder reports (including the investment composition of a Fund, as well as the views of the Adviser as to current market, economic, trade and interest rate trends, legislative, regulatory and monetary developments, investment strategies and related matters believed to be of relevance to a Fund). A Fund also may include in advertisements, charts, graphs or drawings that illustrate the potential risks and rewards of investment in various investment vehicles, including but not limited to stock, bonds and Treasury bills, as compared to an investment in shares of a Fund, as well as charts or graphs that illustrate strategies such as dollar cost averaging and

 

40



 

comparisons of hypothetical yields of investment in tax-exempt versus taxable investments. In addition, advertisements or shareholder communications may include a discussion of certain attributes or benefits to be derived by an investment in a Fund. Such advertisements or communications may include symbols, headlines or other material that highlight or summarize the information discussed in more detail therein. With proper authorization, a Fund may reprint articles (or excerpts) written regarding a Fund and provide them to prospective shareholders. The Funds’ performance information is generally available by calling toll free 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863).

 

Investors also may judge, and a Fund may at times advertise, the performance of a Fund by comparing it to the performance of other mutual funds or mutual fund portfolios with comparable investment objectives and policies, which performance may be contained in various unmanaged mutual fund or market indices or rankings. In addition to yield information, general information about a Fund that appears in a publication may also be quoted or reproduced in advertisements or in reports to shareholders.

 

Advertisements and sales literature may include discussions of specifics of a portfolio manager’s investment strategy and process, including, but not limited to, descriptions of security selection and analysis. Advertisements may also include descriptive information about the investment adviser, including, but not limited to, its status within the industry, other services and products it makes available, total assets under management and its investment philosophy.

 

When comparing yield, total return and investment risk of an investment in shares of a Fund with other investments, investors should understand that certain other investments have different risk characteristics than an investment in shares of a Fund. For example, CDs may have fixed rates of return and may be insured as to principal and interest by the FDIC, while a Fund’s returns will fluctuate and its share values and returns are not guaranteed. Money market accounts offered by banks also may be insured by the FDIC and may offer stability of principal. U.S. Treasury securities are guaranteed as to principal and interest by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of ten Trustees, nine of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of that term under the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”). The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee, who functions as the lead Trustee. The Chair serves as liaison between the Board and its Committees, and the Adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain of the Board’s Committees.

 

Board Role in Risk Oversight

 

In considering risks related to the Funds, the Board consults and receives reports from officers of the Funds and personnel of the Adviser, who are charged with the day-to-day risk oversight function. Matters regularly reported to the Board or a designated committee include certain risks involving the Funds’ investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee overall responsibility for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel. The Board has delegated to the Compliance Committee overall responsibility for reviewing reports related to the Trust’s compliance program and the Chief Compliance Officer. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the Funds resulting from pursuing the Funds’ investment strategies (e.g., credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk).

 

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Trustees and Officers

 

The following tables list the Trustees and Officers, their ages, position with the Trust, length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years and, where applicable, any directorships of other investment companies or companies whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”), or who file reports under that Act. Each Trustee oversees 20 portfolios in the Trust, 42 portfolios in the Victory Portfolios, 9 portfolios in Victory Variable Insurance Funds and one portfolio in Victory Institutional Funds, each a registered investment company that, together with the Trust, comprise the Victory Fund Complex. There is no defined term of office and each Trustee serves until the earlier of his or her resignation, retirement, removal, death, or the election of a qualified successor. Each Trustee’s and Officer’s address is c/o Victory Funds, 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, OH 44144.

 

Independent Trustees

 

Name and Age

 

Position
Held with
the Trust

 

Date
Commenced
Service

 

Principal Occupation
During Past 5 Years

 

Other Directorships
Held During the
Past 5 Years

David Brooks Adcock, 67

 

Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Consultant (since 2006).

 

Chair and Trustee, Turner Funds (December 2016 - December 2017).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nigel D.T. Andrews, 71

 

Vice Chair and Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Retired.

 

Director, TCG BDC II, Inc. (since 2017); Director, TCG BDC I, Inc. (formerly Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc.) (since 2012); Director, Old Mutual US Asset Management (2002- 2014).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E. Lee Beard, 67*

 

Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Retired (since 2015); Consultant, The Henlee Group, LLC (consulting) (2005 - 2015).

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dennis M. Bushe, 74

 

Trustee

 

July 2016

 

Retired.

 

Trustee, RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust (November 2011- July 2016).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sally M. Dungan, 64

 

Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Chief Investment Officer, Tufts University (since 2002).

 

None.

 

42


 

John L. Kelly, 65

 

Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Partner, McCarvill Capital Partners (September 2016 - September 2017); Advisor (January 2016 - April 2016) and Managing Partner, (August 2014 - January 2016), Endgate Commodities LLC; Chief Operating Officer, Liquidnet Holdings, Inc. (2011 - 2014).

 

Director, Caledonia Mining Corporation (since May 2012).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David L. Meyer, 61*

 

Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Retired.

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gloria S. Nelund, 57

 

Trustee

 

July 2016

 

Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder of TriLinc Global, LLC, an investment firm;

 

TriLinc Global Impact Fund, LLC (since 2012); Trustee, RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust (November 2007 - July 2016).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leigh A. Wilson, 73

 

Chair and Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Private Investor.

 

Chair (since 2013), Caledonia Mining Corporation.

 

Interested Trustee

 

Name and Age

 

Position(s)
Held
with
Registrant

 

Date
Commenced
Service

 

Principal
Occupation(s)
During Past 5
Years

 

Other Directorships
Held During Past 5
Years

David C. Brown, 46**

 

Trustee

 

May 2015

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Co-Chief Executive Officer, (2011-2013), the Adviser; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013), Victory Capital Holdings, Inc.

 

None.

 


*The Board has designated Mr. Meyer and Ms. Beard as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.

**Mr. Brown is an “Interested Person” by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.

 

Trustee Qualifications

 

The following summarizes the experience and qualifications of the Trustees.

 

·                  David Brooks Adcock. Mr. Adcock served for many years as general counsel to Duke University and Duke University Health System, where he provided oversight to complex business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and dispositions. He has served for more than 20 years as a public interest arbitrator for, among others, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Futures Association, FINRA and the American Arbitration Association. The Board believes that Mr. Adcock’s

 

43


 

knowledge of complex business transactions and the securities industry combined with his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve on the Board.

 

·                  Nigel D.T. Andrews. Mr. Andrews served for many years as a management consultant for a nationally recognized consulting company and as a senior executive at GE, including Vice President of Corporate Business Development, reporting to the Chairman, and as Executive Vice President of GE Capital. He also served as a Director and member of the Audit and Risk Committee of Old Mutual plc, a large publicly traded company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. Mr. Andrews also formerly served as the non-executive chairman of Old Mutual’s US asset management business, where he also served on the audit and risk committee. Mr. Andrews also served as a Governor of the London Business School. He serves as a director of TCG BDC II, Inc. and TCG BDC I, Inc. (formerly Carlyle GMS Finance, Inc.), each a business development company. The Board believes that his experience in these positions, particularly with respect to oversight of risk and the audit function of public companies, as well as his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

 

·                  E. Lee Beard. Ms. Beard, a certified public accountant, has served as the president, chief executive officer and director, and as a chief financial officer, of public, federally insured, depository institutions. As such, Ms. Beard is familiar with issues relating to audits of financial institutions. The Board believes that Ms. Beard’s experience as the chief executive officer of a depository institution, her service on the boards of other mutual funds and her knowledge of audit and accounting matters qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.

 

·                  David C. Brown. Mr. Brown serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013) of the Adviser, and, as such is an “interested person” of the Trust. Previously, he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer (2011-2013), and President — Investments and Operations (2010-2011) and Chief Operating Officer (2004-2011) of the Adviser. The Board believes that his position and experience with the Adviser and his previous experience in the investment management business qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

 

·            Dennis M. Bushe. Mr. Bushe has experience in fixed income investment management and research. He is a former chief investment risk officer of a large investment management firm.  Mr. Bushe previously served as a Trustee of the boards of the RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust.

 

·            Sally M. Dungan. Ms. Dungan, a Chartered Financial Analyst, has been in the investment and financial management business for many years. She currently serves as Chief Investment Officer for Tufts University, a position she has held since 2002, and previously served as Director of Pension Fund Management for Siemens Corporation (2000-2002), Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Senior Investment Officer of Public Markets of the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1995-2000) and Administrative Manager for Lehman Brothers (1990-1995). Ms. Dungan has served on the boards, including their audit and investment committees, of private institutions and mutual funds. The Board believes Ms. Dungan’s extensive knowledge of the investment process and financial markets qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.

 

·            John L. Kelly. Mr. Kelly has more than 35 years of experience and leadership roles in the financial services industry including institutional electronic trading, capital markets, corporate and investment banking, retail brokerage, private equity, asset/wealth management, institutional services, mutual funds and related technology enabled services.  He previously served as an Independent Trustee of Victory Portfolios, Victory Institutional Funds, and Victory Variable Insurance Funds from 2008 to 2011. The Board believes that this experience qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

 

·            David L. Meyer. For six years, Mr. Meyer served as chief operating officer, Investment Wealth Management Division of Mercantile Bankshares Corp (now PNC Financial Services Corp.) and has served as an officer or on the board of other mutual funds for many years. The Board believes that his experience, particularly as it related to the operation of registered investment companies, qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

 

44


 

·            Gloria S. Nelund. Ms. Nelund has executive and investment management industry experience, including service as chief executive officer of two investment advisory firms. Ms. Nelund also has experience as a co-founder and chief executive officer of an investment firm. Ms. Nelund previously served as the Chairman and Trustee of the boards of the RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust.

 

·            Leigh A. Wilson. Mr. Wilson served for many years as Chief Executive Officer of Paribas North America and as such has extensive experience in the financial sector. He serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Caledonia Mining Corporation, a Canadian mining company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. As a former director of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum (“MFDF”), he is familiar with the operation and regulation of registered investment companies. He served on a MFDF steering committee created at the request of then-SEC Chairman William Donaldson to recommend best practices to independent mutual fund directors. He received the Small Fund Trustee of the Year award from Institutional Investor Magazine in 2006. The Board believes that this experience and his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

 

Committees of the Board

 

The following standing Committees of the Board are currently in operation: Audit and Risk Oversight, Compliance, Continuing Education, Investment, Service Provider, Board Governance and Nominating, and Agenda.  In addition to these standing Committees, the Board may form temporary Special Committees to address particular areas of concern.  A Committee may form Sub-Committees to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.

 

·                  The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Ms. Beard, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Wilson.  The primary purpose of this Committee is to oversee the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting policies, practices and internal controls, as required by the statutes and regulations administered by the SEC, including the 1940 Act.  The Committee also has overall responsibility for reviewing periodic reports with respect to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel.  The Board has designated Mr. Meyer and Ms. Beard as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.

 

·                  The members of the Compliance Committee are Mr. Adcock (Chair), Ms. Beard, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Meyer.  The Compliance Committee oversees matters related to the Funds’ compliance program and compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations and meets regularly with the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer.

 

·                  The members of the Continuing Education Committee are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Ms. Beard and Ms. Dungan.  The function of this Committee is to develop programs to educate the Trustees to enhance their effectiveness as a Board and individually.

 

·                  The members of the Investment Committee are Ms. Dungan (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Bushe, Ms. Nelund and Mr. Wilson.  The function of this Committee is to oversee the Fund’s compliance with investment objectives, policies and restrictions, including those imposed by law or regulation, and assist the Board in its annual review of the Funds’ investment advisory agreements.

 

·                  The members of the Service Provider Committee are Ms. Beard (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Mr. Kelly and Mr. Meyer.  This Committee oversees the negotiation of the terms of the written agreements with the Funds’ service providers, evaluates the quality of periodic reports from the service providers (including reports submitted by sub-service providers) and assists the Board in its review of each Fund’s service providers, other than the investment adviser and independent auditors.

 

·                  The Board Governance and Nominating Committee consists of all of the Independent Trustees.  Mr. Andrews currently serves as the Chair of this Committee.  The functions of this Committee are: to oversee Fund governance, including the nomination and selection of Trustees; to evaluate and recommend to the Board the compensation and expense reimbursement policies applicable to Trustees; and periodically, to coordinate and facilitate an evaluation of the performance of the Board.

 

45


 

The Board Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominee recommendations from Fund shareholders, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee.  A Fund shareholder should submit a nominee recommendation in writing to the attention of the Chair of the Trust, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.  The Committee (or a designated sub-committee) will screen shareholder recommendations in the same manner as it screens nominations received from other sources, such as current Trustees, management of the Fund or other individuals, including professional recruiters.  The Committee need not consider any recommendations when no vacancy on the Board exists, but the Committee will consider any such recommendation if a vacancy occurs within six months after receipt of the recommendation.  In administering the shareholder recommendation process, the Chair, in the Chair’s sole discretion, may retain the services of counsel to the Trust or to the Independent Trustees, management of the Fund or any third party.  The Committee will communicate the results of the evaluation of any shareholder recommendation to the shareholder who made the recommendation.

 

·                  The Agenda Committee consists of the Chair of the Board and the Chair of each other Committee.

 

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018, the Board held seven meetings.  The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held five meetings; the Compliance Committee held four meetings; the Investment Committee held four meetings; the Service Provider Committee held four meetings; and the Board Governance and Nominating Committee held five meetings.  The Continuing Education Committee met informally during the fiscal year.

 

46


 

Officers of the Trust

 

The officers of the Trust are elected by the Board to actively supervise the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The officers of the Trust, their ages, the length of time served, and their principal occupations during the past five years, are detailed in the following table. Each individual holds the same position with the other registered investment companies in the Victory Fund Complex, and each officer serves until the earlier of his or her resignation, removal, retirement, death, or the election of a successor. The mailing address of each officer of the Trust is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn OH 44144. The officers of the Trust receive no compensation directly from the Trust for performing the duties of their offices.

 

Name and Age

 

Position with
the Trust

 

Date
Commenced
Service

 

Principal Occupation During Past 5 Years

Christopher K. Dyer, 56

 

President

 

May 2015

 

Director of Mutual Fund Administration, the Adviser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott A. Stahorsky, 49

 

Vice President

 

May 2015

 

Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2015); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2015).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erin G. Wagner, 44

 

Secretary

 

May 2015

 

Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (since 2013).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allan Shaer, 53

 

Treasurer

 

December 2017

 

Senior Vice President, Financial Administration, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (since 2016); Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration, JP Morgan Chase (2011-2016).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher Ponte, 34

 

Assistant Treasurer*

 

May 2015

 

Manager, Fund Administration, the Adviser (since 2017); Senior Analyst, Fund Administration, the Adviser (prior to 2017); Principal Financial Officer, Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (since 2018).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colin Kinney, 45

 

Chief Compliance Officer

 

July 2017

 

Chief Compliance Officer (since 2013) and Chief Risk Officer (2009-2017), the Adviser.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Booth, 58

 

Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer and Identity Theft Officer

 

May 2015

 

Director, Regulatory Administration and CCO Support Services, Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jay G. Baris, 64

 

Assistant Secretary

 

May 2015

 

Partner, Shearman and Sterling LLP (since January 2018); Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP (2011- January 2018).

 


*On December 5, 2017 Mr. Ponte resigned as Treasurer and accepted the position of Assistant Treasurer of the Trust.

 

47


 

Trustees’ Fund Ownership

 

The following tables show the dollar ranges of Fund shares (and of shares of all series of the Victory Fund Complex) beneficially owned by the Trustees as of December 31, 2017. No Independent Trustee (or any immediate family member) owns beneficially or of record an interest in the Adviser or the Distributor or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser or the Distributor (other than Funds in the Victory Funds Complex). As of December 31, 2017, the Trustees and officers as a group owned beneficially less than 1% of each class of outstanding shares of those series of the Trust.

 

Independent Trustees

 

Trustee

 

Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares

 

Aggregate Dollar Range of Ownership
of Shares of All Series
of the Victory Fund Complex

Mr. Adcock

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF:

Over $100,000

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Andrews

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF:

Over $100,000

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Beard

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF:

$10,001 - $50,000

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF: $10,001 - $50,000

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Bushe

 

None

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Dungan

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF:

$50,001 - $100,000

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF:

Over $100,000

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF:

Over $100,000

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF:

$10,001 - $50,000

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Kelly

 

None

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Meyer

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF:

$10,001 - $50,000

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF:

$10,001 - $50,000

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF:

$10,001 - $50,000

 

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Nelund

 

None

 

$50,001 - $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. Wilson

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF:

Over $100,000

 

Over $100,000

 

Interested Trustee

 

Trustee

 

Dollar Range of Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares

 

Aggregate Dollar Range of Ownership
of Shares of All Series
of the Victory Fund Complex

Mr. Brown

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF: Over $100,000,

VictoryShares Emerging Markets Volatility Wtd ETF:

Over $100,000

 

Over $100,000

 

48


 

Compensation of Trustees and Officers

 

Effective January 1, 2018, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $312,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex.  Immediately prior to that date, the Victory Fund Complex paid each Independent Trustee $283,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex.  In each case, the Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of 50% of the base retainer per year.  The Board reserves the right to award reasonable compensation to any Interested Trustee. No “interested persons” who serve as a Trustee of the Trust receive any compensation for their services as Trustee.

 

The following tables indicate the compensation received by each Trustee from the Funds and from the Victory Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018. As of June 30, 2018, there were 72 funds in the Victory Fund Complex for which the Trustees listed below were compensated. The Trust does not maintain a retirement plan for its Trustees.

 

Independent Trustees

 

Name and Position

 

Aggregate Compensation from the Funds

 

Total Compensation from the
Victory Fund Complex

 

Mr.  Adcock

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Mr. Andrews

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Ms. Beard

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Mr. Bushe

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Ms. Dungan

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Mr. Kelly

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Mr. Meyer

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Ms. Nelund

 

$

14,891

 

$

297,500

 

Mr. Wilson

 

$

22,336

 

$

446,250

 

 

Interested Trustee

 

Trustee

 

Aggregate Compensation from the Funds

 

Total Compensation from
the Victory Fund Complex

 

Mr. Brown*

 

None

 

None

 

 


*Mr. Brown is an “Interested Person” by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.

 

Deferred Compensation

 

Each Trustee may elect to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex in accordance with a Deferred Compensation Plan adopted by the Board (the “Plan”). Such amounts are invested in one or more Funds in the Victory Fund Complex offered under the Plan or a money market fund, as selected by the Trustee. The following table includes the deferred compensation of the Trustees currently serving on the Board:

 

Trustee

 

Aggregate Compensation from the Funds

 

Total Compensation from
the Victory Fund Complex

 

Mr. Adcock

 

$

889

 

$

15,600

 

Mr. Andrews

 

$

5,782

 

$

101,400

 

Mr. Bushe

 

$

8,895

 

$

156,000

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Investment Adviser

 

Victory Capital Management Inc. (the “Adviser”), a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, serves as investment adviser to the Funds. The Adviser’s principal business address is 4900 Tiedeman

 

49


 

Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144. Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Funds’ business affairs. The Adviser is responsible for selecting each Fund’s investments according to its investment objective, policies, and restrictions.  The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (“VCH”), a publicly traded Delaware corporation. As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser and its affiliates managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion for numerous clients including large corporate and public retirement plans, Taft-Hartley plans, foundations and endowments, high net worth individuals and mutual funds.

 

The Adviser is a multi-boutique asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing.  Members of Victory Capital’s Solutions platform are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.

 

The Advisory Agreement

 

The Adviser serves as the Funds’ investment adviser pursuant to an advisory agreement effective as of May 1, 2015 (the “Advisory Agreement”). Unless sooner terminated, the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, provides that it will continue in effect as to the Funds for two years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such renewal is approved at least annually by the Trustees or by vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of each such Fund (as defined under “Additional Information—Miscellaneous”) and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Advisory Agreement, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Advisory Agreement is terminable as to any particular Fund at any time on 60 days written notice without penalty by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund, by vote of the Trustees, or as to all applicable Funds by the Adviser. The Advisory Agreement also terminates automatically in the event of any assignment, as defined by the 1940 Act.

 

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds in connection with the performance of the services pursuant thereto, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard by the Adviser of its duties and obligations thereunder.

 

Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate a portion of its responsibilities to a sub-adviser. In addition, the agreements provide that the Adviser may render services through its own employees or the employees of one or more affiliated companies that are qualified to act as an investment adviser of the Fund provided all such persons are functioning as part of an organized group of persons, managed by authorized officers of the Adviser.

 

The following schedule lists the advisory fee of each Fund, as an annual percentage of its average daily net assets:

 

Fund

 

Advisory Fee

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares Quality Value ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.40

%

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.45

%

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.40

%

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.45

%

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares Global Multi-Factory Minimum Volatility ETF

 

0.35

%

VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

0.40

%

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.30

%

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

0.40

%

 

50



 

Advisory fees paid by the Funds for the last three fiscal years ended June 30 to the Adviser (or shorter period as applicable) before any fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed by the Adviser are shown in the tables below.

 

No information is provided for the VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, or VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of June 30, 2018:

 

June 30, 2018

 

Fund

 

Advisory Fee

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1,296,517

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

95,833

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

73,313

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

124,552

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

414,177

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

128,857

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

161,707

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

$

41,188

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

20,576

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

14,076

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

2,035,508

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1,846,915

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

249,132

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

548,647

 

 


(1)                                     Since inception on October 26, 2017.

 

June 30, 2017

 

Fund

 

Advisory Fee

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

409,821

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

54,446

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

50,921

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

$

105,924

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

248,425

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

72,511

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

96,066

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(2)

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF(3)

 

$

2,243

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF(4)

 

$

184

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

751,548

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

931,705

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

116,621

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

185,828

 

 


(1)           Since inception on March 23, 2016.

(2)           Not yet commenced operations.

(3)           Since inception on April 18, 2017.

(4)           Since inception on June 23, 2017.

 

51


 

June 30, 2016

 

Fund

 

Advisory Fee

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

76,466

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

$

22,183

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF(2)

 

$

30,336

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF(3)

 

$

10,598

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

$

61,526

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

$

27,072

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(2)

 

$

40,881

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(4)

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF(4)

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF(4)

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

347,973

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

312,015

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

82,963

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

125,200

 

 


(1)           Since inception on July 8, 2015.

(2)           Since inception on August 20, 2015.

(3)           Since inception on March 23, 2016.

(4)           Not yet commenced operations.

 

Management Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement

 

For some of the Funds, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse Fund expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding any acquired fund fees and expenses and certain other items such as interest, taxes, dividend and interest expenses on short sales and brokerage commissions) of a Fund (by share class) do not exceed a certain percentage for a predetermined amount of time. In these instances, the fee and expense table in the Fund’s prospectus provides more details about this arrangement and shows the impact it will have on the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses. Under its contractual agreement with the Funds, the Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board of Trustees. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses for a Fund. These voluntary reductions are not reflected in the fee and expense table in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Manager of Managers Structure

 

Subject to the review and approval of the Board, and notice to shareholders, the Funds may adopt a “manager of managers” structure in the future. In a manager of managers structure, the Adviser implements the Funds’ investment strategies primarily by selecting one or more sub-advisers, rather than relying on its portfolio managers. To the extent that the Funds rely on a manager of managers structure in the future, the Adviser could enter into one or more sub-advisory agreements without first obtaining shareholder approval when the Adviser and the Board believe that the selection of the sub-adviser would benefit a Fund and its shareholders. In evaluating a prospective sub-adviser, the Adviser would consider, among other things, the firm’s experience, investment philosophy and historical performance. The Adviser would remain ultimately responsible for supervising, monitoring and evaluating the performance of any sub-adviser retained to manage a Fund. The Funds have received an order from the SEC enabling them to adopt a manager of managers structure, and they may rely on that order or any amended or superseding order obtained in the future (together, the “SEC Order”).

 

To the extent a Fund relies on the SEC Order, the Fund and the Adviser will comply with the relevant restrictions and conditions contained in the SEC Order, which are designed to protect Fund shareholders from potential conflicts of interests, including a requirement that the Fund notify shareholders and provide them with certain information in

 

52


 

connection with the retention of any new sub-adviser or a material amendment of any existing sub-adviser agreement.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

This section includes information about the Funds’ portfolio managers, including information concerning other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.

 

Other Accounts

 

The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by each individual and assets under management in those accounts as of June 30, 2018:

 

 

 

Registered Investment
Company Accounts

 

Pooled Investment Vehicle
Accounts

 

Other Accounts

 

 

 

 

 

Assets
Managed (In
Millions)

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Assets
Managed (In
Millions)

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Assets
Managed (In
Millions)

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Total Assets
Managed (In
Millions)

 

Mannik Dhillon

 

$

3,431.32

 

18

 

$

255.90

 

5

 

$

89.31

 

19

 

$

3,776.53

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Hammers

 

$

3,431.32

 

18

 

$

255.90

 

5

 

$

89.31

 

19

 

$

3,776.53

 

 

Fund Ownership

 

As of the end of the last completed calendar year, the portfolio managers of the Funds owned equity securities of the Funds in the amount indicated in the table below.

 

Since the Victory Shares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF and VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF had not yet commenced operation as of June 30, 2018, no shares of these Funds were owned by the Portfolio Managers as of that date.

 

Mannik Dhillon

 

Fund

 

Dollar Range of shares
Beneficially Owned as of
June 30, 2018

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1-10,000

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1-10,000

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1-10,000

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

1-10,000

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

1-10,000

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

 

53


 

Stephen Hammers

 

Fund

 

Dollar Range of shares
Beneficially Owned as of
June 30, 2018

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

500,001-1,000,000

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

500,001-1,000,000

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

500,001-1,000,000

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

500,001-1,000,000

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

1-10,000

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

10,001-50,0000

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

500,001-1,000,000

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,001-50,000

 

 

Compensation

 

The Adviser has designed the structure of its portfolio managers’ compensation to (1) align portfolio managers’ interests with those of the Adviser’s clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance, (2) help the Adviser attract and retain high-quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to the Adviser’s overall financial success. Each of the portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing a Fund, separate accounts, other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (including any accounts for which the Adviser receives a performance fee) (together, “Accounts”). A portfolio manager’s base salary is dependent on the manager’s level of experience and expertise. The Adviser monitors each manager’s base salary relative to salaries paid for similar positions with peer firms by reviewing data provided by various independent third-party consultants that specialize in competitive salary information. Such data, however, is not considered to be a definitive benchmark.

 

Each of the Adviser’s investment franchises may earn incentive compensation based on a percentage of the Adviser’s revenue attributable to fees paid by Accounts managed by the team. The chief investment officer of each team, in coordination with the Adviser, determines the allocation of the incentive compensation earned by the team among the team’s portfolio managers by establishing a “target” incentive for each portfolio manager based on the manager’s level of experience and expertise in the manager’s investment style. Individual performance is based on objectives established annually using performance metrics such as portfolio structure and positioning, research, stock selection, asset growth, client retention, presentation skills, marketing to prospective clients and contribution to the Adviser’s philosophy and values, such as leadership, risk management and teamwork. The annual incentive bonus also factors in individual investment performance of each portfolio manager’s portfolio or Fund relative to a selected peer group(s). The overall performance results for a manager are based on the composite performance of all Accounts managed by that manager on a combination of one, three and five year rolling performance periods as compared to the performance information of a peer group of similarly-managed competitors.

 

The Adviser’s portfolio managers may participate in the equity ownership plan of the Adviser’s parent company. There is an ongoing annual equity pool granted to certain employees based on their contribution to the firm. Eligibility for participation in these incentive programs depends on the manager’s performance and seniority.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

The Adviser’s portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more Funds as well as other accounts, such as separate accounts, and other pooled investment vehicles, such as collective trust funds or unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage other accounts which have materially higher fee arrangements than a Fund and may, in the future, manage other accounts which have a performance-based fee. A portfolio manager also may

 

54


 

make personal investments in accounts they manage or support. The side-by-side management of the Funds along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offering; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, certain trading practices, such as cross-trading between Funds or between a Fund and another account, raise conflict of interest issues. Victory Capital has adopted numerous compliance policies and procedures, including a Code of Ethics, brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Victory Capital has a designated Chief Compliance Officer (selected in accordance with the federal securities laws) and compliance staff whose activities are focused on monitoring the activities of Victory Capital investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that Victory Capital’s compliance program will achieve its intended result.

 

Compliance Services

 

Effective July 1, 2017, the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) is an employee of the Adviser, which pays the compensation of the CCO and his support staff. The Trust has entered into an Agreement to Provide Compliance Services (“Compliance Agreement”) with the Adviser, pursuant to which the Adviser furnishes its compliance personnel, including the services of the CCO, and other resources reasonably necessary to provide the Trust with compliance oversight services related to the design, administration and oversight of a compliance program for the Trust in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 Act. The Funds in the Victory Funds complex, in the aggregate, compensate the Adviser for these services.

 

Compliance fees paid by the Funds for the last three fiscal years ended June 30 to Victory Capital under the Compliance Agreement are shown in the tables below. No fees were paid under the Compliance Agreement for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2016 and June 30, 2017.

 

No information is provided for the VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, or VictoryShares Quality Value ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of June 30, 2018.

 

Fund

 

2018 Fees Paid

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

3,978

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

158

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

140

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

158

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1,332

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

180

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

379

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

$

64

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

60

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

43

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

6,064

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

5,790

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

596

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1,085

 

 


(1) Since inception on October 26, 2017.

 

Administrator and Fund Accountant

 

As of May 21, 2015, Victory Capital Management Inc. (“Victory Capital”) serves as administrator and fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the “Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement”). Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (“Citi”) serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with Victory Capital dated as of October 1, 2015, as amended (the “Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement”). As administrator, Victory Capital supervises the

 

55


 

Trust’s operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Funds as sub-administrator, but excluding those that Victory Capital provides as investment adviser, all subject to the supervision of the Board.

 

Effective November 7, 2016, under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that Victory Capital renders to the Funds, the Trust, Victory Portfolios (“VP”) and Victory Variable Insurance Funds (“VVIF”) pay Victory Capital an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust, VP and VVIF: 0.08% of the first $15 billion, plus 0.05% of the next $15 billion, plus 0.04% of aggregate net assets in excess of $30 billion. Victory Capital may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to any Fund in order to increase the Fund’s net income available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP and VVIF reimburse Victory Capital for all of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement.

 

Prior to November 7, 2016, the Trust, VP and VVIF paid Victory Capital for the administration and fund accounting services an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of the Trust, VP and VVIF: 0.108% of the first $8 billion, plus 0.078% of the next $2 billion, plus 0.075% of the next $2 billion, plus 0.065% of the aggregate net assets in excess of $12 billion.

 

Except as otherwise provided in the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, Victory Capital pays all expenses that it incurs in performing its services and duties as administrator. Unless sooner terminated, the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect for consecutive one-year terms through August 31, 2019, provided that such continuance is specifically approved by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each Fund and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Agreement. The Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Victory Capital shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.

 

Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, Victory Capital coordinates the preparation, filing and distribution of amendments to the Trust’s registration statement on Form N-1A, supplements to prospectuses and SAIs, and proxy materials in connection with shareholder meetings; drafts shareholder communications, including annual and semi-annual reports; administers the Trust’s other service provider contracts; monitors compliance with investment restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, each Fund’s investment objective, defined investment policies, and restrictions, tax diversification, and distribution and income requirements; coordinates the Funds’ service arrangements with financial institutions that make the Funds’ shares available to their customers; assists with regulatory compliance; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; prepares Board meeting materials; and annually determines whether the services that it provides (or the services that Citi provides as sub-administrator) are adequate and complete.

 

Victory Capital also performs fund accounting services for each Fund, excluding those services that Citi performs as sub-fund accountant. The fund accountant calculates each Fund’s NAV, the dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, and the yield. The fund accountant also provides a current security position report, a summary report of transactions and pending maturities, a current cash position report, and maintains the general ledger accounting records for the Funds. The fees that Citi receives for sub-administration and sub-fund accounting services are described in the SAI section entitled “Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant.”

 

56


 

Each of the following Funds accrued the following amounts in administrative, fund accountant fees for the most recent fiscal year ended June 30, 2018.

 

No information is provided for the VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, or VictoryShares Quality Value ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of June 30, 2018.

 

Fund

 

June 30, 2018

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

255,690

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

18,912

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,844

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

16,340

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

81,690

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

25,407

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

23,924

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF (1)

 

$

5,325

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

3,911

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

2,853

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

401,402

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

364,298

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

49,137

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

81,113

 

 


(1)           Since inception on October 26, 2017.

 

Prior to February 27, 2017, US Bank served as the Funds’ administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent.  The table below provides information about the administrative, fund accounting and transfer agent fees paid by the Funds to US Bank for the last fiscal year from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

 

Fund

 

February 28, 2017-
June 30, 2017

 

July 1, 2016-
February 27, 2017

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

12,202

 

$

20,928

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

14,866

 

$

48,593

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

13,938

 

$

57,369

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

40,533

 

$

12,390

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

14,829

 

$

7,513

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

15,919

 

$

14,656

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF (1)

 

$

452

 

$

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF (2)

 

$

37

 

$

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

68,563

 

$

27,435

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

20,173

 

$

21,341

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

115,177

 

$

39,883

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

29,994

 

$

49,240

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

140,849

 

$

31,486

 

 


(1)         Since inception on April 18, 2017

(2)         Since inception on June 23, 2017

 

Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant

 

Citi serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Funds pursuant to a Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement dated October 1, 2015, as amended, by and between Victory Capital and Citi (the “Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement”). Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by Victory Capital either as investment adviser or administrator), subject to the supervision of the Board.

 

57


 

Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, for the sub-administration services that Citi renders to the Trust, VP and VVIF, Victory Capital pays Citi an annual fee, computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates: 0.0235% of the first $15 billion of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets; plus 0.015% of aggregate net assets of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets from in excess of $15 billion to $30 billion; plus 0.01% of aggregate Trust, VP and VVIF net assets in excess of $30 billion. Citi may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to any Fund in order to increase the net income of the Funds available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Trust, VP and VVIF reimburse Citi for all of their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement.

 

Unless sooner terminated, the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect as to each Fund for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is approved by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each Fund and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Agreement. The Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Citi shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.

 

Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, Citi calculates Trust expenses and make disbursements; calculates capital gain and distribution information; registers the Funds’ shares with the states; prepares shareholder reports and reports to the SEC on Forms N-CEN, N-PORT and N-Q; coordinates dividend payments; calculates the Funds’ performance information; files the Trust’s tax returns; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; monitors the Funds’ status as regulated investment companies under the Code; assists in developing portfolio compliance procedures; reports to the Board amounts paid under shareholder service agreements; assists with regulatory compliance; obtains, maintains and files fidelity bonds and Trustees’ and officers’/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Trust; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds.

 

Transfer Agent

 

Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”), located at 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as transfer agent for the Funds pursuant to a Transfer Agency Services Agreement. Under its agreement with the Funds, Citibank has agreed, among other things, to (1) perform and facilitate the performance of purchases and redemptions of Creation Units by Authorized Participants; (2) record and calculate the number of outstanding Fund shares; (3) maintain shareholder accounts; (4) perform duties relating to anti-money laundering and identity theft prevention; and (5) make periodic reports to the Board and regulators regarding its operations.

 

Custodian

 

General.

 

Citibank also serves as the custodian of each Fund’s assets pursuant to a Master Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 19, 2015, as amended. The Custodian’s responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling each Fund’s cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund’s investments. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. The Custodian may, with the approval of a Fund and at its own expense, open and maintain a subcustody account or accounts on behalf of a Fund, provided that it shall remain liable for the performance of all of its duties under its respective custody agreement.

 

Foreign Custody.

 

Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, which governs the custody of investment company assets outside the United States, allows a mutual fund’s board of directors to delegate to a “Foreign Custody Manager” the selection and monitoring of foreign sub-custodian arrangements for the Trust’s assets. Accordingly, the Board delegated these responsibilities

 

58


 

to the Custodian pursuant to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement. As Foreign Custody Manager, the Custodian must (a) determine that the assets of the International Funds held by a foreign subcustodian will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market; (b) determine that the Trust’s foreign custody arrangements are governed by written contracts in compliance with Rule 17f-5 (or, in the case of a compulsory depository, by such a contract and/or established practices or procedures); and (c) monitor the appropriateness of these arrangements and any material change in the relevant contract, practices or procedures. In determining appropriateness, the Custodian will not evaluate a particular country’s investment risks, such as (a) the use of compulsory depositories, (b) such country’s financial infrastructure, (c) such country’s prevailing custody and settlement practices, (d) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (e) regulation of the banking or securities industry, (f) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations, and (g) market conditions that affect the orderly execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities. The Custodian will provide to the Board quarterly written reports regarding the Trust’s foreign custody arrangements.

 

Distributor

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as the distributor of Creation Units (the “Distributor”) for the Funds on an agency basis. The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement dated February 24, 2017 (“Distribution Agreement”), under which the Distributor receives orders from Authorized Participants to create and redeem shares in Creation Unit aggregations and transmits such orders to the Trust’s Custodian and transfer agent. The Distributor’s principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Shares will be continuously offered for sale only in Creation Units. Shares in less than a Creation Unit are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Funds or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Funds. No compensation is payable by the Trust to the Distributor for such distribution services. However, the Adviser has entered into an agreement with the Distributor under which it makes payments to the Distributor in consideration for its services under the Distribution Agreement. The payments made by the Adviser to the Distributor do not represent an additional expense to the Trust or its shareholders.

 

Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will solicit orders for the purchase of shares, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor will deliver Prospectuses and, upon request, SAIs to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of FINRA.

 

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).

 

The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable, without penalty, by the Trust on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting Shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.

 

Rule 12b-1 Plan

 

The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 12b-1 Plan” or “Plan”). In accordance with its Plan, the Funds are authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities. In addition, if the payment of management fees by the Fund is deemed to be indirect financing by the Funds of the distribution of its Shares, such payment is authorized by the

 

59


 

Rule 12b-1 Plan. The Plan specifically recognizes that the Adviser and other persons may use management fee revenue, as well as past profits or other resources, to pay for expenses incurred in connection with providing services intended to result in the sale of shares. The Adviser and such other persons, as well as their affiliates, may pay amounts to third parties for distribution or marketing services on behalf of the Funds. The making of the types of payments described in this paragraph could create a conflict of interest for the party receiving such payments.

 

The Rule 12b-1 Plan was adopted in order to permit the implementation of the Funds’ method of distribution. No fees are currently paid by the Funds under the Plan, and there are no current plans to impose such fees. In the event such fees were to be charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Funds.

 

The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts (if any) expended pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients. From time to time, the Adviser, at its expense, may provide additional compensation to dealers that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of a Fund. Such compensation provided by the Adviser may include financial assistance to dealers that enable the Adviser to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other dealer-sponsored events. Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. The Adviser may make payments for events it deems appropriate, subject to applicable law. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event.

 

The Rule 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor’s compensation to be paid by the Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on a Rule 12b-1 Plan. During the term of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.

 

Any agreement related to the Rule 12b-1 Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the applicable Fund at any time upon sixty days’ written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or the Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreements.

 

Line of Credit

 

The Funds in the Victory Funds Complex participate in a short-term, demand note line of credit agreement with the Custodian. Under the agreement with the Custodian as of July 27, 2019, the Funds in the Victory Funds Complex may borrow up to $250 million, of which $100 million is committed and $150 million is uncommitted. Of this amount, $40 million of the line of credit is reserved for use by the Victory Floating Rate Fund, a series of Victory Portfolios, with that Fund paying the related commitment fees for that amount. The purpose of the agreement is to meet temporary or emergency cash needs, including redemption requests that might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities. The Custodian receives an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund in the Victory Funds Complex pays a pro-rata portion of this commitment fee plus any interest on amounts borrowed.

 

Securities Lending

 

The Trust has entered into a Master Securities Lending Agreement (“MSLA”) with Citibank, N.A. (“Citi”) whereby Citi serves as the Funds’ lending agent and facilitates the Funds’ lending program. Under the terms of the MSLA, each Fund may lend securities to certain broker-dealers and banks in exchange for collateral in the amount at least equal to the maintenance requirements (e.g. 102% of the value of U.S. equity securities loaned or 105% of the value of non-U.S. securities loaned), marked to market daily. The collateral can be received in the form of cash collateral and/or non-cash collateral. Non-cash

 

60



 

collateral can include U.S. Government Securities, letters of credit and certificates of deposit. The Funds earn interest or dividends on the securities loaned and may also earn a return from the collateral.

 

The Funds pay various fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral. The Funds pay Citi fees based on the investment income received from securities lending activities.  In its role as securities lending agent, Citi (1) arranges and administers the loan of securities when establishing a loan and the return of securities upon termination of a loan, (2) collects from borrowers cash, securities or other instruments to serve as collateral for the loans, (3) monitors the value of securities on loan and the value of the corresponding collateral, (4) communicates to each borrower the minimum amount of collateral required for each loan and collects additional collateral as required on a daily basis to maintain such minimum, (5) collects or arranges for the collection of any interest, dividends or other distributions related to loaned securities, and (6) performs other necessary services related to the establishment and maintenance of the Funds’ securities lending program.

 

The following reflects the dollar amounts of income and fees/compensation related to the Funds’ securities lending activities during the Funds’ fiscal year ended June 30, 2018.  No information is provided for the VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, or VictoryShares Quality Value ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of that date.

 

Fund

 

Gross income
from securities
lending
activities

 

Fees paid to
securities lending
agent from a
revenue split

 

Aggregate
fees/compensation
for securities
lending activities

 

Net income
from securities
lending
activities

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

49,601

 

$

7,828

 

$

7,828

 

$

41,773

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

17,973

 

$

2,858

 

$

2,858

 

$

15,115

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

8,080

 

$

1,225

 

$

1,225

 

$

6,855

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

9,964

 

$

1,468

 

$

1,468

 

$

8,496

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,244

 

$

1,600

 

$

1,600

 

$

8,644

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

44,930

 

$

7,100

 

$

7,100

 

$

37,830

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

25,825

 

$

3,836

 

$

3,836

 

$

21,989

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

2,445

 

$

392

 

$

392

 

$

2,053

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

373

 

$

59

 

$

59

 

$

314

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

842

 

$

150

 

$

150

 

$

692

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

77,410

 

$

12,248

 

$

12,248

 

$

65,162

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

53,514

 

$

8,376

 

$

8,376

 

$

45,138

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

62,058

 

$

9,841

 

$

9,841

 

$

52,217

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

67,469

 

$

9,842

 

$

9,842

 

$

57,627

 

 

61


 

Codes of Ethics

 

The Trust and the Adviser have each adopted a Code of Ethics in accordance with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Adviser Code of Ethics applies to all Access Personnel (the Adviser’s directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties) and all Supervised Personnel (all of the Adviser’s directors, officers and employees). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Adviser Code, all Supervised Personnel) to report certain personal investment activities, including, but not limited to, purchases or sales of securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds. Violations of any Code of Ethics can result in penalties, suspension, or termination of employment.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Trust has adopted policies and procedures for voting proxies related to equity securities that the Funds hold (the “Proxy Voting Policy”). The Trust’s Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (1) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (2) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (3) provide for the disclosure of the Funds’ proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.

 

The Proxy Voting Policy delegates to the Adviser the obligation to vote the Funds’ proxies in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders, subject to oversight by the Board.

 

To assist the Adviser in making proxy-voting decisions, the Adviser has adopted a Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) that establishes voting guidelines (“Proxy Voting Guidelines”) with respect to certain recurring issues. The Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Adviser’s Proxy Committee (“Proxy Committee”) and revised when the Committee determines that a change is appropriate. The Board annually reviews the Trust’s Proxy Voting Policy and the Adviser’s Policy and determines whether amendments are necessary or advisable.

 

Voting under the Adviser’s Policy may be executed through administrative screening per established guidelines with oversight by the Proxy Committee or upon vote by a quorum of the Proxy Committee. The Adviser delegates to Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”), an independent service provider, the non-discretionary administration of proxy voting for the Trust, subject to oversight by the Adviser’s Proxy Committee. In no circumstances shall ISS have the authority to vote proxies except in accordance with standing or specific instructions given to it by the Adviser.

 

62


 

The Adviser votes proxies in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders. This entails voting client proxies with the objective of increasing the long-term economic value of Fund assets. The Adviser’s Proxy Committee determines how proxies are voted by following established guidelines, which are intended to assist in voting proxies and are not considered rigid rules. The Proxy Committee is directed to apply the guidelines as appropriate. On occasion, however, a contrary vote may be warranted when such action is in the best interests of the Funds or if required by the Board or the Funds’ Proxy Voting Policy. In such cases, the Adviser may consider, among other things:

 

·                  the effect of the proposal on the underlying value of the securities

 

·                  the effect on marketability of the securities

 

·                  the effect of the proposal on future prospects of the issuer

 

·                  the composition and effectiveness of the issuer’s board of directors

 

·                  the issuer’s corporate governance practices

 

·                  the quality of communications from the issuer to its shareholders

 

The following examples illustrate the Adviser’s policy with respect to some common proxy votes. This summary is not an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise or of all matters addressed in the Guidelines, and whether the Adviser supports or opposes a proposal will depend upon the specific facts and circumstances described in the proxy statement and other available information.

 

Directors

 

·                  The Adviser generally supports the election of directors in uncontested elections, except when there are issues of accountability, responsiveness, composition, and/or independence.

 

·                  The Adviser generally supports proposals for an independent chair taking into account factors such as the current board leadership structure, the company’s governance practices, and company performance.

 

·                  The Adviser generally supports proxy access proposals that are in line with the market standards regarding the ownership threshold, ownership duration, aggregation provisions, cap on nominees, and do not contain any other unreasonably restrictive guidelines.

 

·                  The Adviser reviews contested elections on a case-by-case basis taking into account such factors as the company performance, particularly the long-term performance relative to the industry; the management track record; the nominee qualifications and compensatory arrangements; the strategic plan of the dissident and its critique of the current management; the likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved; the ownership stakes of the relevant parties; and any other context that is particular to the company and the nature of the election.

 

Capitalization & Restructuring

 

·                  The Adviser generally supports capitalization proposals that facilitate a corporate transaction that is also being supported and for general corporate purposes so long as the increase is not excessive and there are no issues of superior voting rights, company performance, previous abuses of capital, or insufficient justification for the need for additional capital.

 

63


 

Mergers and Acquisitions

 

·                        The Adviser reviews mergers and acquisitions on a case-by-case basis to balance the merits and drawbacks of the transaction and factors such as valuation, strategic rationale, negotiations and process, conflicts of interest, and the governance profile of the company post-transaction.

 

Compensation

 

·                  The Adviser reviews all compensation proposals for pay-for-performance alignment, with emphasis on long-term shareholder value; arrangements that risk pay for failure; independence in the setting of compensation; inappropriate pay to non-executive directors, and the quality and rationale of the compensation disclosure.

 

·                  The Adviser will generally vote FOR advisory votes on executive compensation (“say on pay”) unless there is a pay-for-performance misalignment; problematic pay practice or non-performance based element; incentive for excessive risk-taking, options backdating; or a lack of compensation committee communication and/or responsiveness to shareholder concerns.

 

·                  The Adviser will vote case-by-case on equity based compensation plans taking into account factors such as the plan cost; the plan features; and the grant practices as well as any overriding factors that may have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests.

 

Social and Environmental Issues

 

·                  The Adviser will vote case-by-case on topics such as consumer and product safety; environment and energy; labor standards and human rights; workplace and board diversity; and corporate and political issues, taking into account factors such as the implementation of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value; whether the company has already responded in an appropriate and sufficient manner to the issue raised; whether the request is unduly burdensome; and whether the issue is more appropriately or effectively handled through legislation or other regulations.

 

The Adviser may also take into account independent third-party, general industry guidance or other corporate governance review sources when making decisions. It may additionally seek guidance from other senior internal sources with special expertise on a given topic where it is appropriate. The investment team’s opinion concerning the management and prospects of the issuer may be taken into account in determining whether a vote for or against a proposal is in a Fund’s best interests. Insufficient information, onerous requests or vague, ambiguous wording may indicate that a vote against a proposal is appropriate, even when the general principal appears to be reasonable.

 

Occasionally, conflicts of interest arise between the Adviser’s interests and those of a Fund or another client. When this occurs, the Proxy Committee must document the nature of the conflict and vote the proxy in accordance with the Proxy Voting Guidelines unless such guidelines are judged by the Proxy Committee to be inapplicable to the proxy matter at issue. In the event that the Proxy Voting Guidelines are inapplicable or do not mitigate the conflict, the Adviser will seek the opinion of the Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer or consult with an external independent adviser. In the case of a Proxy Committee member having a personal conflict of interest (e.g. a family member is on the board of the issuer), such member will abstain from voting. Finally, the Adviser reports to the Board annually any proxy votes that took place involving a conflict, including the nature of the conflict and the basis or rationale for the voting decision made.

 

The Funds’ Proxy Voting Policy provides that the Funds, in accordance with SEC rules, annually will disclose on Form N-PX the Funds’ proxy voting record. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th is updated each year by August 31st and is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll free 800 539-FUND (800 539 3863) or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

64


 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

 

Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for making decisions with respect to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities on behalf of the Funds. The Adviser is also responsible for the implementation of those decisions, including the selection of broker/dealers to effect portfolio transactions, the negotiation of commissions, and the allocation of principal business and portfolio brokerage.

 

Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of brokerage commissions. In transactions on stock exchanges in the United States, these commissions are negotiated. Traditionally, commission rates have generally been fixed for trades on stock markets outside the United States. In recent years, however, an increasing number of overseas stock markets have adopted a system of negotiated rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets, whether over-the-counter or listed, and that listed securities may be purchased in the over-the-counter market if such market is deemed the primary market. In the case of securities traded on the over-the-counter markets, there is generally no stated commission, but the price usually includes an undisclosed commission or markup. In underwritten offerings, the price includes a disclosed, fixed commission (the underwriter’s concession) or discount.

 

Fixed income and convertible securities are bought and sold through broker-dealers acting on a principal basis. These trades are not charged a commission, but rather are marked up or marked down by the executing broker-dealer. The Adviser does not know the actual value of the markup/markdown. However, the Adviser attempts to ascertain whether the overall price of a security is reasonable through the use of competitive bids. Orders to buy or sell convertible securities and fixed income securities are placed on a competitive basis with a reasonable attempt made to obtain three competitive bids or offers. Exceptions are: (1) where the bid/ask spread is 5 basis points or less, provided the order is actually filled at the bid or better for sales and at the ask or better for purchases; (2) securities for which there are only one or two market makers; (3) block purchases considered relatively large; (4) swaps, a simultaneous sale of one security and purchase of another in substantially equal amounts for the same account, intended to take advantage of an aberration in a spread relationship, realize losses, etc.; and (5) purchases and/or sales of fixed income securities for which, typically, more than one offering of the same issue is unobtainable; subject to a judgment by the trader that the bid is competitive.

 

It is the policy of the Adviser to obtain the “best execution” of its clients’ securities transactions. The Adviser strives to execute each client’s securities transactions in such a manner that the client’s total costs or proceeds in each transaction are the most favorable under the circumstances. Commission rates paid on securities transactions for client accounts must reflect comparative market rates.

 

In purchasing and selling each Fund’s portfolio securities, it is the Adviser’s policy to obtain quality execution at the most favorable prices through responsible broker/dealers and, in the case of agency transactions, at competitive commission rates where such rates are negotiable. In selecting broker/dealers to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions, consideration is given to such factors as the price of the security, the rate of the commission, the size and difficulty of the order, the reliability, integrity, financial condition, general execution and operational capabilities of competing brokers and dealers, their expertise in particular markets and the brokerage and research services they provide to the Adviser or the Funds. It is not the Adviser’s practice to seek the lowest available commission rate where it is believed that a broker or dealer charging a higher commission rate would offer greater reliability or provide better price or execution.

 

As permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 , the Adviser may cause a Fund to pay broker-dealers that provide brokerage and research services a commission rate that exceeds the amount other broker/dealers would have charged for the transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that the greater commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the executing broker/dealer viewed in terms of either a particular transaction or the Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund or to its other clients.  The term “brokerage and research services” includes advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing,  or selling securities, and the availability of securities or of purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts; and effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto such as clearance and settlement.

 

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The brokerage and research services are in addition to and do not replace the services and research that the Adviser is required to perform and do not reduce the investment advisory fees payable to the Adviser by the Funds. Such information may be useful to the Adviser in serving both the Funds and other clients and, conversely, such supplemental research information obtained by the placement of orders on behalf of other clients may be useful to the Adviser in carrying out its obligations to the Funds.

 

Brokerage commissions may never be used to compensate a third party for client referrals unless the client has directed such an arrangement. In addition, brokerage commissions may never be used to obtain research and/or services for the benefit of any employee or non-client entity.

 

The Adviser will make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are reasonable in relationship to the value of the services received and continually reviews the quality of execution it receives from and the commission rates charged by the brokers it uses to carry out trades for its clients. The Adviser will consider the full range and quality of a broker’s services in placing brokerage including, but not limited to, the value of research provided, execution capability, commission rate, willingness and ability to commit capital and responsiveness. The lowest possible commission cost alone does not determine broker selection. The transaction that represents the best quality execution for a client account will be executed. Commission ranges and the actual commission paid for trades of listed stocks and over-the-counter stocks may vary depending on, but not limited to, the liquidity and volatility of the stock and services provided to the Adviser by the broker.

 

Some brokers executing trades for the Adviser’s clients may, from time to time, receive liquidity rebates in connection with the routing of trades to Electronic Communications Networks. Since the Adviser is not a broker, however, it is ineligible to receive such rebates and does not obtain direct benefits for its clients from this broker practice.

 

Investment decisions for each Fund are made independently from those made for the other Funds or any other investment company or account managed by the Adviser. Such other investment companies or accounts may also invest in the same securities and may follow similar investment strategies as the Funds. The Adviser may combine transaction orders (“bunching” or “blocking” trades) for more than one client account where such action appears to be equitable and potentially advantageous for each account (e.g., for the purpose of reducing brokerage commissions or obtaining a more favorable transaction price.) The Adviser will aggregate transaction orders only if it believes that the aggregation is consistent with its duty to seek best execution for its clients and is consistent with the terms of investment advisory agreements with each client for whom trades are being aggregated. Both equity and fixed-income securities may be aggregated. When making such a combination of transaction orders for a new issue or secondary market trade in an equity security, the Adviser adheres to the following objectives:

 

·                      Fairness to clients both in the participation of execution of orders for their account, and in the allocation of orders for the accounts of more than one client.

 

·                      Allocation of all orders in a timely and efficient manner.

 

In some cases, aggregating trades may affect the price paid or received by a Fund or the size of the position obtained by the Fund in an adverse manner relative to the result that would have been obtained if only that particular Fund had participated in or been allocated such trades.

 

The aggregation of transactions for advisory accounts and proprietary accounts (including partnerships and other accounts in which the Adviser or its associated persons are partners or participants, and managed employee accounts) is permissible. No proprietary account may be favored over any other participating account and such practice must be consistent with the Adviser’s Code of Ethics.

 

Equity trade orders are executed based only on trade instructions received from portfolio managers by the trading desk. Portfolio managers may enter trades to meet the full target allocation immediately or may meet the allocation through moves in incremental blocks. Orders are processed on a “first-come, first-served” basis. At times, a rotation system may determine “first-come, first-served” treatment when the equity trading desk receives the same order for multiple accounts simultaneously. The Adviser will utilize a rotation whereby the Funds, even if aggregated with other orders, are in the first block(s) to trade within the rotation. To aggregate orders, the equity trading desk must

 

66


 

determine that all accounts in the order will benefit. Any new trade that can be blocked with an existing open order may be added to the open order to form a larger block. The Adviser receives no additional compensation or remuneration of any kind as a result of the aggregation of trades. All accounts participating in a block execution receive the same execution price, an average share price, for securities purchased or sold on a trading day. Execution prices may not be carried overnight. Any portion of an order that remains unfilled at the end of a given day shall be rewritten (absent contrary instructions) on the following day as a new order. Accounts with trades executed the next day will receive a new daily average price to be determined at the end of the following day.

 

Where the full amount of a block execution is not executed, the partial amount actually executed will be allocated on a pro rata basis whenever possible. The following execution methods maybe used in place of a pro rata procedure: relative size allocations, security position weighting, priority for specialized accounts, or a special allocation based on compliance approval.

 

After the proper allocation has been completed, excess shares must be sold in the secondary market, and may not be reallocated to another managed account.

 

In making investment decisions for the Funds, the Adviser will not inquire or take into consideration whether an issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale by a Fund is a customer of the Adviser, its parents, subsidiaries or affiliates, and, in dealing with their commercial customers, the Adviser, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliates will not inquire or take into consideration whether securities of such customers are held by the Funds. Portfolio securities will not be purchased from or sold to the Adviser, or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of any of them acting as principal, except to the extent permitted by rule or order of the SEC.

 

The table below provides the dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the last three fiscal years ended June 30, all of which were paid to entities that are not affiliated with the Funds, the Adviser or the Distributor.

 

No information is provided for the Victory Shares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, or VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF Funds since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of the date of this SAI.

 

Fund

 

Fiscal year ended
June 30, 2018

 

Fiscal year ended
June 30, 2017

 

Fiscal year ended
June 30, 2016

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

50,738

 

$

11,595

 

$

179

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

10,536

 

$

4,747

 

$

33

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

6,751

 

$

5,785

 

$

185

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

35,174

 

$

25,461

 

$

5,664

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

28,613

 

$

14,049

 

$

78

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

19,207

 

$

8,510

 

$

91

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

23,438

 

$

16,544

 

$

518

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd(1) ()ETF(1)

 

$

27,022

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF(2)

 

$

691

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF(3)

 

$

501

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

80,627

 

$

21,097

 

$

513

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

128,611

 

$

54,086

 

$

198

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

26,936

 

$

10,251

 

$

5,460

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

51,048

 

$

69,230

 

$

12.492

 

 


(1)                                 Since inception October 26, 2017.

(2)                                 Since inception April 18, 2017.

(3)                                 Since inception June 23, 2017.

 

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Affiliated Brokerage

 

The Board has authorized the allocation of brokerage to affiliated broker-dealers on an agency basis to effect portfolio transactions. The Board has adopted procedures incorporating the standards of Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, which require that the commission paid to affiliated broker-dealers must be “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received, or to be received, by other broker-dealers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time.”

 

The Trust will not acquire portfolio securities issued by, make savings deposits in, or enter into repurchase or reverse repurchase agreements with the Adviser or its affiliates. From time to time, when determined by the Adviser to be advantageous to the Funds, the Adviser may execute portfolio transactions through affiliated broker-dealers. All such transactions must be completed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. The percentage of trades executed through an affiliated broker-dealer for a Fund may be higher relative to trades executed by unaffiliated dealers, so long as the trades executed by the affiliated broker-dealer are consistent with best execution.

 

No payments were made to any affiliated brokers by any Fund during the last three fiscal years.

 

Allocation of Brokerage in Connection with Research Services

 

During the last fiscal year ended June 30, the Adviser, through agreements or understandings with brokers, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, did not direct brokerage transactions of the Funds to brokers due to research services provided.

 

For the fiscal year ended June, 30, 2018, the Victory Shares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF and VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF have paid not brokerage commissions because these Funds had not yet commenced operations.

 

Securities of Regular Brokers or Dealers

 

The SEC requires the Trust to provide certain information for those Funds that held securities of their regular brokers or dealers (or their parents) during the Trust’s most recent fiscal year. The following table identifies, for each applicable Fund, those brokers or dealers, the type of security and the value of the Fund’s aggregate holdings of the securities of each such issuer as of June 30, 2018.

 

The VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, nor the VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF held any securities of their regular broker or dealers since they had not yet commenced operations as of the date of this SAI.

 

Fund

 

Broker-Dealer

 

Type of
Security
(Debt or
Equity)

 

Aggregate
Value
($000)

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

JP Morgan

 

Equity

 

1,287

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Bank of America

 

Equity

 

1,037

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

JP Morgan

 

Equity

 

7,692

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Bank of America

 

Equity

 

1,740

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

JP Morgan

 

Equity

 

2,933

 

VictoryShares Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

JP Morgan

 

Equity

 

884

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Deutsche Bank

 

Equity

 

311

 

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

Each 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. The Funds’ portfolio turnover rates stated in the Prospectus are calculated by dividing the lesser of each Fund’s purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the year by the monthly average value of the portfolio securities. The calculation excludes all securities whose maturities, at

 

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the time of acquisition, were one year or less. Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of a Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.

 

The turnover rate for a Fund will vary from year-to-year and depending on market conditions, turnover could be greater in periods of unusual market movement and volatility. A high rate of portfolio turnover (over 100%) will generally involve correspondingly greater transaction 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.

 

The following table shows the portfolio turnover rates for each Fund for the last two fiscal years ended June 30:

 

Fund

 

2018

 

2017

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

36

%

26

%

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

47

%

47

%

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

37

%

46

%

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

53

%

38

%

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

52

%

48

%

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

68

%

65

%

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

58

%

69

%

VictoryShares Emerging Maket High Div Volatility Wtd ETF(1)

 

52

%

N/A

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF(2)

 

43

%

N/A

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF(3)

 

26

%

N/A

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

37

%

26

%

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

52

%

49

%

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

47

%

50

%

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF(4)

 

38

%

164

%

 


(1) Since inception October 26, 2017

(2) Since inception April 18, 2017

(3) Since inception June 23, 2017

(4) The VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF had long/cash events that occurred in 2017 which resulted in a higher portfolio turnover rate.

 

No information is provided for the Victory Shares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, or VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of the date of this SAI.

 

DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

The Funds distribute substantially all of their net investment income and net capital gains, if any, to shareholders within each calendar year as well as on a fiscal year basis to the extent required for the Funds to qualify for favorable federal tax treatment. The Funds ordinarily declare and pay dividends separately for each class of shares, from their net investment income. Each Fund declares and pays capital gains annually. Ordinarily, dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly by each Fund.

 

The amount of a class’s distributions may vary from time to time depending on market conditions, the composition of a Fund’s portfolio and expenses borne by a Fund or borne separately by a class. Dividends are calculated in the same manner, at the same time and on the same day for shares of each class. However, dividends attributable to a particular class will differ due to differences in distribution expenses and other class-specific expenses.

 

For this purpose, the net income of a Fund, from the time of the immediately preceding determination thereof, shall consist of all interest income accrued on the portfolio assets of the Fund, dividend income, if any, income from securities loans, if any and realized capital gains and losses on the Fund’s assets, less all expenses and liabilities of the Fund chargeable against income. Interest income shall include discount earned, including both original issue and market discount, on discount paper accrued ratably to the date of maturity. Expenses, including the compensation payable to the Adviser, are accrued each day. The expenses and liabilities of a Fund shall include those appropriately allocable to the Fund as well as a share of the general expenses and liabilities of the Trust in proportion to the Fund’s share of the total net assets of the Trust.

 

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TAXES

 

Information set forth in the Prospectuses that relates to federal income taxation is only a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations generally affecting purchasers of shares of the Funds.  The following is only a summary of certain additional income and excise tax considerations generally affecting each Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses.  No attempt has been made to present a complete explanation of the federal tax treatment of the Funds or the implications to shareholders and the discussions here and in each Fund’s Prospectus are not intended as substitutes for careful tax planning.  Accordingly, potential purchasers of shares of the Funds are urged to consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax circumstances.  Special tax considerations may apply to certain types of investors subject to special treatment under the Code (including, for example, insurance companies, banks and tax-exempt organizations).  In addition, the tax discussion in the Prospectuses and this SAI is based on tax law in effect on the date of the Prospectuses and this SAI; such laws and regulations may be changed by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, sometimes with retroactive effect.

 

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company

 

Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.  As a regulated investment company, a Fund is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income (i.e., taxable interest, dividends and other taxable ordinary income, net of expenses) and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of long-term capital gains over short-term capital losses) that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (i.e., net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of its tax-exempt income (net of expenses allocable thereto) for the taxable year (the “Distribution Requirement”) and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below.  Distributions by a Fund made during the taxable year or, under specified circumstances, within twelve months after the close of the taxable year, will be considered distributions of income and gains for the taxable year and will therefore count toward satisfaction of the Distribution Requirement.

 

Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to qualify as a regulated investment company, a Fund must meet certain diversification requirements (among other requirements) as determined at the close of each quarter of each taxable year. For instance, no more than 25% of a Fund’s assets can be invested, including through corporations in which the fund owns 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities of any one issuer other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, of two or more issuers which the regulated investment company controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or of one or more publicly traded partnerships. In addition, at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets must be represented by cash or cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities limited in respect of any one issuer to a value not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.

 

If a Fund has a net capital loss (i.e., an excess of capital losses over capital gains) for any year beginning on or before December 22, 2010, the amount thereof may be carried forward up to eight years and treated as a short-term capital loss that can be used to offset capital gains in such future years.  There is no limitation on the number of years to which net capital losses arising in years beginning after December 22, 2010, may be carried.  Any such net capital losses are utilized before net capital losses arising in years beginning on or before December 22, 2010.  As explained below, however, such carryforwards may be subject to limitations on availability.  Under Code Sections 382 and 383, if a Fund has an “ownership change,” then the Fund’s use of its capital loss carryforwards in any year following the ownership change will be limited to an amount equal to the NAV of the Fund immediately prior to the ownership change multiplied by the long-term tax-exempt rate (which is published monthly by the IRS) in effect for the month in which the ownership change occurs.  The Funds will use their best efforts to avoid having an ownership change with respect to any Fund that has capital loss carryforwards.  However, because of circumstances that may be beyond the control or knowledge of a Fund, there can be no assurance that such a Fund will not have, or has not already had, an ownership change.  If a Fund has or has had an ownership change, then the Fund will be subject to federal income taxes on any capital gain net income for any year following the ownership change in excess of the annual limitation on the capital loss carryforwards unless distributed by the Fund.  Any distributions of such capital gain net income will be taxable to shareholders as described under “Fund Distributions” below.

 

70



 

At June 30, 2018, the Funds had capital loss carry-forwards (no expiration) for federal income tax purposes available to offset future capital gains as follows:

 

Fund

 

Short-
Term Amount

 

Long-
Term Amount

 

Total

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

7,759,276

 

$

1,733,144

 

$

9,492,420

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

1,327,291

 

$

525,447

 

$

1,852,738

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

334,173

 

$

196,432

 

$

530,605

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

4,504,746

 

$

1,691,696

 

$

6,196,442

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

2,143,764

 

$

1,018,456

 

$

3,162,220

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

342,094

 

$

440,626

 

$

782,720

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

$

0

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

$

169,518

 

$

50,363

 

$

219,881

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

$

128,204

 

$

0

 

$

128,204

 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

14,385,063

 

$

5,245,437

 

$

19,630,500

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

23,267,688

 

$

8,068,745

 

$

31,336,433

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

7,610,477

 

$

1,327,864

 

$

8,938,341

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

$

5,489,277

 

$

362,887

 

$

5,852,164

 

 

No information is provided for the Victory Shares Quality Growth ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF, VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, or VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF since these Funds had not yet commenced operations as of June 30, 2018.

 

In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, a regulated investment company must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies (to the extent such currency gains are directly related to the regulated investment company’s principal business of investing in stock or securities), 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 from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Income Requirement”).

 

In general, gain or loss recognized by a Fund on the disposition of an asset will be a capital gain or loss.  In addition, gain will be recognized as a result of certain constructive sales, including short sales “against the box.”  However, gain recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation (including municipal obligations) purchased by a Fund at a market discount (generally, at a price less than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the portion of the market discount that accrued while the Fund held the debt obligation.  In addition, under the rules of Code Section 988, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation denominated in a foreign currency or an option with respect thereto, and gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a foreign currency forward contract, futures contract, option or similar financial instrument, or of foreign currency itself, except for regulated futures contracts or non-equity options subject to Code Section 1256 (unless a Fund elects otherwise), generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

 

Further, the Code also treats as ordinary income a portion of the capital gain attributable to a transaction where substantially all of the expected return is attributable to the time value of a Fund’s net investment in the transaction and: (1) the transaction consists of the acquisition of property by the Fund and a contemporaneous contract to sell substantially identical property in the future; (2) the transaction is a straddle within the meaning of Section 1092 of the Code; (3) the transaction is one that was marketed or sold to the Fund on the basis that it would have the economic characteristics of a loan but the interest-like return would be taxed as capital gain; or (4) the transaction is described as a conversion transaction in the Treasury Regulations.  The amount of such gain that is treated as ordinary income generally will not exceed the amount of the interest that would have accrued on the net investment for the relevant period at a yield equal to 120% of the applicable federal rate, reduced by the sum of: (1) prior inclusions of ordinary income items from the conversion transaction and (2) the capitalized interest on acquisition indebtedness under Code Section 263(g), among other amounts.  However, if a Fund has a built-in loss with respect to a position that becomes a part of a conversion transaction, the character of such loss will be preserved upon a

 

71


 

subsequent disposition or termination of the position.  No authority exists that indicates that the character of the income treated as ordinary under this rule will not pass through to the Funds’ shareholders.

 

In general, for purposes of determining whether capital gain or loss recognized by a Fund on the disposition of an asset is long-term or short-term, the holding period of the asset may be affected (as applicable, depending on the type of the Fund involved) if (1) the asset is used to close a “short sale” (which includes for certain purposes the acquisition of a put option) or is substantially identical to another asset so used, (2) the asset is otherwise held by the Fund as part of a “straddle” (which term generally excludes a situation where the asset is stock and Fund grants a qualified covered call option (which, among other things, must not be deep-in-the-money) with respect thereto), or (3) the asset is stock and the Fund grants an in-the-money qualified covered call option with respect thereto.  In addition, a Fund may be required to defer the recognition of a loss on the disposition of an asset held as part of a straddle to the extent of any unrecognized gain on the offsetting position.

 

Income from options on individual securities written by a Fund will not be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes until an option is exercised or lapses. Any gain recognized by a Fund on the lapse of, or any gain or loss recognized by a Fund from a closing transaction with respect to, an option written by the Fund will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. If the Fund enters into a closing transaction, the difference between the premiums received and the amount paid by the Fund to close out its position will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. If an option written by the Fund is exercised, thereby requiring the Fund to sell the underlying security, the premium will increase the amount realized upon the sale of the security, and the character of any gain on such sale of the underlying security as short-term or long-term capital gain will depend on the holding period of the Fund in the underlying security. Because the Fund will not have control over the exercise of the options it writes, such exercises or other required sales of the underlying securities may cause the Fund to realize gains or losses at inopportune times.

 

A regulated investment company, in determining its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) for any taxable year, may elect (unless it has made a taxable year election for excise tax purposes as discussed below, in which case different rules apply) to treat all or any part of certain net capital losses incurred after October 31 of a taxable year, and certain net ordinary losses incurred after October 31 or December 31 of a taxable year, as if they had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year.

 

In addition to satisfying the Income and Distribution Requirements described above, a Fund must satisfy an asset diversification test in order to qualify as a regulated investment company.  Under this test, at the close of each quarter of a Fund’s taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (provided that, with respect to each issuer, the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets in securities of each such issuer and the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of each such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses (other than securities of other regulated investment companies), or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.  Generally, an option (call or put) with respect to a security is treated as issued by the issuer of the security, not the issuer of the option.  For purposes of asset diversification testing, obligations issued or guaranteed by certain agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, such as the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, the Federal Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation, FHLB, FHLMC, FNMA, GNMA and SLMA, are treated as U.S. government securities.

 

Certain Funds may invest in futures contracts, options on futures contracts, ETFs and other similar investment vehicles that provide exposure to commodities such as gold or other precious metals, energy or other commodities.  Income or gain, if any, from such investments may not be qualifying income for purposes of the Income Requirements and a Fund’s investments in such instruments may not be treated as an investment in a “security” for purposes of the asset diversification test.

 

If for any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company after taking into account cure provisions available for certain failures to so qualify (certain of which would result in the imposition of a tax on the

 

72


 

Fund), all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders and such distributions will be taxable to the shareholders as dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.  Such distributions may be eligible for: (i) the dividends-received deduction, in the case of corporate shareholders; or (ii) treatment as “qualified dividend income,” in the case of non-corporate shareholders. In addition, to qualify again to be taxed as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to distribute to shareholders its earnings and profits attributable to non-qualifying years. Further, if the Fund failed to qualify for a period greater than two taxable years, then, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to elect to recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Fund had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of ten years.

 

Excise Tax on Regulated Investment Companies

 

A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on a regulated investment company that fails to distribute in each calendar year an amount equal to 98% of its ordinary taxable income for the calendar year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar year (or, with respect to capital gain net income, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year (a “taxable year election”)).  Tax-exempt interest on municipal obligations is not subject to the excise tax.  The balance of such income must be distributed during the next calendar year.  For the foregoing purposes, a regulated investment company is treated as having distributed any amount on which it is subject to income tax for any taxable year ending in such calendar year and, if it so elects, the amount on which qualified estimated tax payments are made by it during such calendar year (in which case the amount it is treated as having distributed in the following calendar year will be reduced).

 

For purposes of calculating the excise tax, a regulated investment company: (1) reduces its capital gain net income (but not below its net capital gain) by the amount of any net ordinary loss for the calendar year, (2) excludes specified gains and losses, including foreign currency gains and losses and ordinary gains or losses arising as a result of a PFIC (as defined below) mark-to-market election (or upon the actual disposition of the PFIC stock subject to such election) incurred after October 31 of any year (or after the end of its taxable year if it has made a taxable year election) in determining the amount of ordinary taxable income for the current calendar year (and, instead, includes such specified gains and losses in determining the company’s ordinary taxable income for the succeeding calendar year); and (3) applies mark-to-market provisions which treat property as disposed of on the last day of a taxable year as if the taxable year ended on October 31 (or on the last day of its taxable year if it has made a taxable year election).  In addition, a regulated investment company may elect to determine its ordinary income for the calendar year without regard to any net ordinary loss (determined without respect to specified gains and losses taken into account in clause (2) of the preceding sentence) attributable to the portion of the calendar year which is after the beginning of the taxable year which begins in such calendar year.  Any amount of net ordinary loss not taken into account for a calendar year by reason of the preceding sentence will be treated as arising on the first day of the following calendar year.

 

Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for the excise tax.  However, investors should note that a Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate portfolio investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid excise tax liability.

 

Fund Investments

 

Certain transactions that may be engaged in by a Fund (such as regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts and options on stock indexes and futures contracts) will be subject to special tax treatment as “Section 1256 Contracts.” Section 1256 Contracts are treated as if they are sold for their fair market value on the last business day of the taxable year, even though a taxpayer’s obligations (or rights) under such Section 1256 Contracts have not terminated (by delivery, exercise, entering into a closing transaction, or otherwise) as of such date.  Any gain or loss recognized as a consequence of the year-end deemed disposition of Section 1256 Contracts is taken into account for the taxable year together with any other gain or loss that was recognized previously upon the termination of Section 1256 Contracts during that taxable year.  Any capital gain or loss for the taxable year with respect to

 

73


 

Section 1256 Contracts (including any capital gain or loss arising as a consequence of the year-end deemed sale of such Section 1256 Contracts) generally is treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss.  A Fund, however, may elect not to have this special tax treatment apply to Section 1256 Contracts that are part of a “mixed straddle” with other investments of the Fund that are not Section 1256 Contracts.

 

A Fund may enter into notional principal contracts, including interest rate swaps, caps, floors and collars.  Treasury Regulations provide, in general, that the net income or net deduction from a notional principal contract for a taxable year is included in or deducted from gross income for that taxable year.  The net income or deduction from a notional principal contract for a taxable year equals the total of all of the periodic payments (generally, payments that are payable or receivable at fixed periodic intervals of one year or less during the entire term of the contract) that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year, all of the non-periodic payments (including premiums for caps, floors and collars) that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year and any termination payments that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year.  No portion of a payment by a party to a notional principal contract is recognized prior to the first year to which any portion of a payment by the counterparty relates.  A periodic payment is recognized ratably over the period to which it relates.  In general, a non-periodic payment must be recognized over the term of the notional principal contract in a manner that reflects the economic substance of the contract.  A non-periodic payment that relates to an interest rate swap, cap, floor, or collar is recognized over the term of the contract by allocating it in accordance with the values of a series of cash-settled forward or option contracts that reflect the specified index and notional principal amount upon which the notional principal contract is based (or under an alternative method provided in Treasury Regulations).  A termination payment is recognized in the year the notional principal contract is extinguished, assigned, or terminated (i.e., in the year the termination payment is made).

 

A Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign investment funds or trusts that constitute passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”) for federal income tax purposes.  If a Fund invests in a PFIC, it has three separate options.  First, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a qualified electing fund (a “QEF”), in which event the Fund will each year have ordinary income equal to its pro rata share of the PFIC’s ordinary earnings for the year and long-term capital gain equal to its pro rata share of the PFIC’s net capital gain for the year, regardless of whether the Fund receives distributions of any such ordinary earnings or capital gains from the PFIC.  In order to make this election with respect to a PFIC in which it invests, a Fund must obtain certain information from the PFIC on an annual basis, which the PFIC may be unwilling or unable to provide.  Furthermore, under proposed Treasury regulations, a Fund’s income inclusion from a PFIC for which it has made a QEF election would not be considered qualifying income for purposes of the gross income test for qualification as a regulated investment company except to the extent the PFIC distributes such income to the Fund in the same taxable year.  Second, a Fund that invests in marketable stock of a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock.  Pursuant to such election, the Fund will include as ordinary income any excess of the fair market value of such stock at the close of any taxable year over the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the stock.  If the adjusted tax basis of the PFIC stock exceeds the fair market value of the stock at the end of a given taxable year, such excess will be deductible as ordinary loss in an amount equal to the lesser of the amount of such excess or the net mark-to-market gains on the stock that the Fund included in income in previous years.  Solely for purposes of Code Sections 1291 through 1298, the Fund’s holding period with respect to its PFIC stock subject to the election will commence on the first day of the first taxable year beginning after the last taxable year for which the mark-to-market election applied.  If the Fund makes the mark-to-market election in the first taxable year it holds PFIC stock, it will not incur the tax described below under the third option.

 

Finally, if a Fund does not elect to treat the PFIC as a QEF and does not make a mark-to-market election, then, in general, (1) any gain recognized by the Fund upon the sale or other disposition of its interest in the PFIC or any excess distribution received by the Fund from the PFIC will be allocated ratably over the Fund’s holding period of its interest in the PFIC stock, (2) the portion of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to the year in which the gain is recognized or the excess distribution is received shall be included in the Fund’s gross income for such year as ordinary income (and the distribution of such portion by the Fund to shareholders will be taxable as a dividend, but such portion will not be subject to tax at the Fund level), (3) the Fund shall be liable for tax on the portions of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to prior years in an amount equal to, for each such prior year, (i) the amount of gain or excess distribution allocated to such prior year multiplied by the highest corporate tax rate in effect for such prior year, plus (ii) interest on the amount determined under clause (i) for the period from the due date for filing a return for such prior year until the date for filing a return for the year in which the gain is recognized or the excess distribution is received, at the rates and methods applicable to underpayments of tax for such period, and

 

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(4) the distribution by the Fund to its shareholders of the portions of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to prior years (net of the tax payable by the Fund thereon) will be taxable to the shareholders as a dividend.

 

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (“OID”) is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

 

Some debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as having acquisition discount, or OID in the case of certain types of debt securities. Generally, the Fund will be required to include the acquisition discount, or OID, in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having acquisition discount, or OID, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

 

A Fund that holds the foregoing kinds of securities may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.

 

Gain or loss on the sale of securities by the Fund will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held by the Fund for more than one year. Gain or loss on the sale of securities held for one year or less will be short-term capital gain or loss.

 

The Fund may invest in preferred securities or other securities the federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the IRS. To the extent the tax treatment of such securities or the income from such securities differs from the tax treatment expected by the Fund, it could affect the timing or character of income recognized by the Fund, potentially requiring the Fund to purchase or sell securities, or otherwise change its portfolio, in order to comply with the tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code.

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade securities. Investments in these types of securities may present special tax issues for the Fund. Federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and interest and whether modifications or exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues could affect the Fund’s ability to distribute sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company or to avoid the imposition of U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

Fund Distributions

 

Each Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its investment company taxable income for each taxable year.  Such distributions will be treated as dividends for federal income tax purposes and may be taxable to non-

 

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corporate shareholders as long-term capital gains (a “qualified dividend”), provided that certain requirements, as discussed below, are met.  Dividends received by corporate shareholders and dividends that do not constitute qualified dividends are taxable as ordinary income.  The portion of dividends received from a Fund that are qualified dividends generally will be determined on a look-through basis.  If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund are less than 95% of the Fund’s gross income (as specially computed), the portion of dividends received from the Fund that constitute qualified dividends will be reported by the Fund and cannot exceed the ratio that the qualified dividends received by the Fund bears to its gross income.  If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund equal at least 95% of its gross income, then all of the dividends received from the Fund will constitute qualified dividends.

 

No dividend will constitute a qualified dividend (1) if it has been paid with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 61 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 121-day period (181-day period in the case of certain preferred stock) beginning on the date that is 60 days (90 days in the case of certain preferred stock) before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose, under the rules of Code Section 246(c), any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of a deep-in-the-money or otherwise nonqualified option to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) if the noncorporate shareholder fails to meet the holding period requirements set forth in (1) with respect to its shares in the Fund to which the dividend is attributable; or (3) to the extent that the Fund (or shareholder, as applicable) is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in property substantially similar or related to stock with respect to which an otherwise qualified dividend is paid.

 

Dividends received by a Fund from a foreign corporation may be qualified dividends if (1) the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S., (2) the foreign corporation is incorporated in a possession of the U.S. or (3) the foreign corporation is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the U.S. that includes an exchange of information program (and that the Treasury Department determines to be satisfactory for these purposes).  The Treasury Department has issued guidance identifying which treaties are satisfactory for these purposes.  Notwithstanding the above, dividends received from a foreign corporation that for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a PFIC will not constitute qualified dividends.

 

Distributions attributable to dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations will qualify for the 50% dividends-received deduction (“DRD”) for corporate shareholders only to the extent discussed below.  Distributions attributable to interest received by a Fund will not, and distributions attributable to dividends paid by a foreign corporation generally should not, qualify for the DRD.

 

Ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund with respect to a taxable year may qualify for the 50% DRD generally available to corporations (other than corporations such as S corporations, which are not eligible for the deduction because of their special characteristics, and other than for purposes of special taxes such as the accumulated earnings tax and the personal holding company tax) to the extent of the amount of dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year.  No DRD will be allowed with respect to any dividend (1) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period (181-day period in the case of certain preferred stock) beginning on the date that is 45 days (90 days in the case of certain preferred stock) before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose under the rules of Code Section 246(c) any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of a deep-in-the-money or otherwise nonqualified option (or an in-the-money qualified call option) to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property; or (3) to the extent the stock on which the dividend is paid is treated as debt-financed under the rules of Code Section 246A.  Moreover, the DRD for a corporate shareholder may be disallowed or reduced (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund or (2) by application of Code Section 246(b), which in general limits the DRD to 50% of the shareholder’s taxable income (determined without regard to the DRD and certain other items).

 

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A Fund may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain for each taxable year.  Each Fund currently intends to distribute any such amounts.  If net capital gain is distributed and reported as a capital gain dividend, it will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shareholder has held his shares or whether such gain was recognized by the Fund prior to the date on which the shareholder acquired his shares.  The Code provides, however, that under certain conditions none of the capital gain recognized upon a Fund’s disposition of domestic qualified “small business” stock will be subject to tax (with certain limitations).

 

Conversely, if a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be subject to tax thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the corporate tax rates.  If a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders of record on the last day of its taxable year treated as if each received a distribution of his pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report his pro rata share of such gain on his tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for his pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for his shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.

 

Distributions by a Fund that do not constitute ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends, exempt-interest dividends, or capital gain dividends will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder’s tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares, as discussed below.

 

Distributions by a Fund will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (or of another Fund).  Shareholders receiving a distribution in the form of additional shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares received, determined as of the reinvestment date.  In addition, if the NAV at the time a shareholder purchases shares of a Fund reflects undistributed net investment income, recognized net capital gain, or unrealized appreciation in the value of the assets of the Fund, distributions of such amounts will be taxable to the shareholder in the manner described above, although such distributions economically constitute a return of capital to the shareholder.

 

Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take distributions by a Fund into account in the year in which the distributions are made.  However, dividends declared in October, November or December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and paid by a Fund) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are actually paid in January of the following year. In addition, certain other distributions made after the close of the Fund’s taxable year may be “spilled back” and treated as paid by the Fund (except for the purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax) during such taxable year. In such case, a shareholder will be treated as having received such dividends in the taxable year in which the distributions were actually made. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year.

 

Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from a Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of a Fund.  U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in a Fund.

 

Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury backup withholding taxes at the applicable rate on ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends and capital gain dividends, and the proceeds of redemption of shares, paid to any shareholder (1) who has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number, (2) who is subject to backup withholding for failure to report the receipt of interest or dividend income properly, or (3) who has failed to certify to the Fund that it is not subject to backup withholding or is an “exempt recipient” (such as a corporation).  Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

 

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Sale or Redemption of Shares

 

For all the Funds, a shareholder will recognize gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund (including an exchange of shares of a Fund for shares of another Fund) in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale or redemption and the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares.  All or a portion of any loss so recognized may be disallowed if the shareholder purchases other shares of the same Fund within 30 days before or after the sale or redemption.  In general, any gain or loss arising from (or treated as arising from) the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund will be considered capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for longer than one year.  However, any capital loss arising from the sale or redemption of shares held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of the amount of exempt-interest dividends received on such shares (unless the loss is with respect to shares of a Fund for which the holding period began after December 22, 2010, and the Fund declares exempt-interest dividends on a daily basis in an amount equal to at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest and distributes such dividends at least monthly) and (to the extent not disallowed) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received on such shares.  For this purpose, the special holding period rules of Code Section 246(c) (discussed above in connection with the dividends-received deduction for corporations) generally will apply in determining the holding period of shares.  Capital losses in any year are deductible only to the extent of capital gains plus, in the case of a noncorporate taxpayer, $3,000 of ordinary income.

 

If a shareholder (1) incurs a sales load in acquiring shares of a Fund, (2) disposes of such shares less than 91 days after they are acquired and (3) subsequently acquires, during the period beginning on the date of the disposition referred to in clause (2) and ending on January 31 of the calendar year following the calendar year that includes the date of such disposition, shares of the Fund or another Fund at a reduced sales load pursuant to a right acquired in connection with the acquisition of the shares disposed of, then the sales load on the shares disposed of (to the extent of the reduction in the sales load on the shares subsequently acquired) shall not be taken into account in determining gain or loss on such shares but shall be treated as incurred on the acquisition of the subsequently acquired shares.

 

Tax Shelter and Other Reporting Requirements

 

If a shareholder realizes a loss on the disposition of shares of a Fund of at least $2 million in any single taxable year, or at least $4 million in any combination of taxable years (for an individual shareholder) or at least $10 million in any single taxable year, or at least $20 million in any combination of taxable years (for a corporate shareholder), the shareholder must file with the Internal Revenue Service a disclosure statement on Form 8886.  Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of this requirement in light of their individual circumstances.

 

Foreign Taxation

 

Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able to elect to “pass through” to the Fund’s shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified within 60 days after the close of the Fund’s taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will “pass through” for that year.

 

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder’s U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund’s income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to a Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including

 

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fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund.

 

Foreign Shareholders

 

Taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation, or foreign partnership (“foreign shareholder”), depends on whether the income from a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder.

 

If the income from a Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, subject to the discussion below with respect to “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends,” ordinary income dividends (including dividends that would otherwise be treated as qualified dividends to an applicable non-foreign shareholder) paid to such foreign shareholder will be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (or lower applicable treaty rate) upon the gross amount of the dividend.  Such foreign shareholder would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax, including withholding tax, on gains realized on the sale of shares of a Fund, capital gain dividends and capital gains retained by a Fund.

 

U.S. withholding tax generally does not apply to amounts designated by a Fund as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend.” The aggregate amount treated as an interest-related dividend for a year is limited to the Fund’s qualified net interest income for the year, which is the excess of the sum of the Fund’s qualified interest income (generally, its U.S.-source interest income) over the deductions properly allocable to such income.  The aggregate amount treated as a “short-term capital gain dividend” is limited to the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a foreign investor needs to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reported the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Foreign investors should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

 

If the income from a Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then any dividends, and any gains realized upon the sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations.

 

In the case of foreign noncorporate shareholders, a Fund may be required to withhold backup withholding taxes at the applicable rate on distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless such shareholders furnish the Fund with proper notification of their foreign status.

 

Under the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act” and existing guidance thereunder, commonly known as “FATCA,” a 30% withholding tax on dividends paid by the Fund, and, on or after January 1, 2019, on certain capital gains distributions and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of shares generally applies if paid to a foreign entity unless: (i) if the foreign entity is a “foreign financial institution” as defined under FATCA, the foreign entity undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a “foreign financial institution,” it identifies certain of its U.S. investors or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise excepted under FATCA. If withholding is required under FATCA on a payment related to any Fund distribution, investors that otherwise would not be subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) on such payment generally will be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS to obtain the benefit of such exemption or reduction. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury regulations or other guidance, may modify the foregoing requirements. The Funds will not pay any additional amounts in respect of amounts withheld under FATCA. Each investor should consult its tax adviser regarding the effect of FATCA based on its individual circumstances.

 

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty might be different from those described herein.  Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Fund, including the applicability of foreign taxes.

 

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Cost Basis Reporting

 

A Fund is generally required by law to report to shareholders and the IRS on Form 1099-B “cost basis” information for shares of the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012, and sold or redeemed after that date. Upon a disposition of such shares, a Fund will be required to report the adjusted cost basis, the gross proceeds from the disposition, and the character of realized gains or losses attributable to such shares. These requirements do not apply to investments through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement plan. The “cost basis” of a share is generally its purchase price adjusted for dividend reinvestments, returns of capital, and other corporate actions. “Cost basis” is used to determine whether a sale or other disposition of the shares results in a gain or loss.

 

The Fund will permit shareholders to elect among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods to determine the cost basis in their shares. If a shareholder does not affirmatively elect a cost basis method, then the Fund’s default cost basis calculation method, which is currently the average cost method, will be applied to their account. Non-covered shares (those shares purchased before January 1, 2012 and those shares that do not have complete cost basis information, regardless of purchase date) will be used first for any redemptions made after January 1, 2012, regardless of your cost basis method of election unless you have chosen the specific identification method and have designated covered shares (those purchased after January 1, 2012) at the time of your redemption. The cost basis method elected or applied may not be changed after the settlement date of a sale of shares.

 

If a shareholder holds shares through a broker, the shareholder should contact that broker with respect to the reporting of cost basis information.

 

Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding specific questions with respect to the application of the new cost basis reporting rules and, in particular, which cost basis calculation method to elect.

 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “2017 Tax Act”) was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The 2017 Tax Act makes significant changes to the U.S. federal income tax rules for the taxation of individuals and corporations, generally effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017. Most of the changes applicable to individuals are temporary and would apply only to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026. There are minor changes to the rules directly applying to the taxation of regulated investment companies such as the Fund. Moreover, the 2017 Tax Act makes numerous other large and small changes to the tax rules that do not affect regulated investment companies directly but may affect shareholders and may indirectly affect the Fund. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the implications of the 2017 Tax Act on their investment in the Fund.

 

Effect of Future Legislation, Foreign, State and Local Tax Considerations

 

The foregoing general discussion of U.S. federal income and excise tax consequences is based on the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI.  Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect.

 

Rules of foreign, state and local taxation of ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends, exempt-interest dividends and capital gain dividends from regulated investment companies may differ from the rules for U.S. federal income taxation described above.  Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers as to the consequences of these and other foreign, state and local tax rules affecting an investment in a Fund.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Description of Shares

 

As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust need not hold regular annual shareholder meetings and, in the normal course, does not expect to hold such meetings. The Trust, however, must hold shareholder meetings for such

 

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purposes as, for example: (1) approving certain agreements as required by the 1940 Act; (2) changing fundamental investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Funds; and (3) filling vacancies on the Board of Trustees of the Trust in the event that less than a majority of the Trustees were elected by shareholders. Under the Trust’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 19, 2015 (“Declaration of Trust”), each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation or removal. Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders. Therefore, the Trust expects that there will be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders or unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. At such time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders meeting. In addition, holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust may remove a Trustee from office by a vote cast in person or by proxy at a shareholder meeting called for that purpose at the request of holders of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of the Trust. The Funds have the obligation to assist in such shareholder communications. Except as set forth above, Trustees will continue in office and may appoint successor Trustees.

 

The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of shares, which are units of beneficial interest, with no par value. The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees to divide or redivide any unissued shares of the Trust into one or more additional series by setting or changing in any one or more aspects their respective preferences, conversion or other rights, voting power, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption.

 

Shares have no subscription or preemptive rights and only such conversion or exchange rights as the Trustees may grant in their discretion. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectuses and this SAI, the Trust’s shares will be fully paid and non-assessable. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust, shares of a Fund are entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to the Fund, and a proportionate distribution, based upon the relative asset values of the respective series, of any general assets not belonging to any particular series that are available for distribution. The Board may classify and reclassify the shares of a Fund into classes of shares at a future date.

 

Shareholders of the Funds are entitled to one vote per share (with proportional voting for fractional shares) on such matters as shareholders are entitled to vote (“share-based voting”). Alternatively (except where the 1940 Act requires share-based voting), the Trustees in their discretion may determine that shareholders are entitled to one vote per dollar of NAV (with proportional voting for fractional dollar amounts). Shareholders of all series and classes will vote together as a single class on all matters except (1) when required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects one or more series or classes materially differently, shares shall be voted by individual series or class; and (2) when the Trustees have determined that the matter affects only the interests of a particular series or class, then only shareholders of such series or class shall be entitled to vote thereon.

 

There will normally be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees have been elected by the shareholders, at which time the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting for the election of Trustees. A meeting shall be held for such purpose upon the written request of the holders of not less than one-third of the outstanding shares. Upon written request by ten or more shareholders of record meeting the qualifications of Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act, (i.e., persons who have been shareholders of record for at least six months and who hold shares having an NAV of at least $25,000 or constituting 1% of the outstanding shares, whichever is less) stating that such shareholders wish to communicate with the other shareholders for the purpose of obtaining the signatures necessary to demand a meeting to consider removal of a Trustee, the Trust will provide a list of shareholders or disseminate appropriate materials (at the expense of the requesting shareholders). Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office and may appoint their successors.

 

The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to take certain actions without obtaining shareholder approval, if the Trustees determine that doing so would be in the best interests of shareholders. These actions include: (a) reorganizing the Fund with another investment company or another series of the Trust; (b) liquidating the Fund; and (c) amending the Declaration of Trust, provided that it is consistent with the fair and equitable treatment of all shareholders and that shareholder approval is not otherwise required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law.

 

81


 

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares, as defined under the 1940 Act, of each series affected by the matter. For purposes of determining whether the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund will be required in connection with a matter, the Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each Fund and any other series in the matter are identical, or that the matter does not affect any interest of other series of the Trust. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of an investment advisory agreement or any change in investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of independent accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts and the election of Trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to a Fund.

 

Shareholder and Trustee Liability

 

The Delaware Statutory Trust Act provides that a shareholder of a Delaware statutory trust shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to shareholders of Delaware corporations and the Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders of the Trust shall not be liable for the obligations of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust also provides for indemnification out of the trust property of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a shareholder. The risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is considered to be extremely remote.

 

The Declaration of Trust states further that to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be personally liable in connection with the administration or preservation of the assets of the Funds or the conduct of the Trust’s business; nor shall any Trustee, officer, or agent be personally liable to any person for any action or failure to act except for his own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of his duties. The Declaration of Trust also provides that all persons having any claim against the Trustees or the Trust shall look solely to the assets of the Trust for payment.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

 

The Board has adopted policies with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Fund, the Adviser, or their affiliates. These policies provide that each Fund’s portfolio holdings information generally may not be disclosed to any party prior to the information becoming public. Certain limited exceptions are described below. These policies apply to disclosures to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries who sell shares of a Fund, third parties providing services to the Fund (accounting agent, print vendors, etc.), rating and ranking organizations (Lipper, Morningstar, etc.) and affiliated persons of the Fund.

 

The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring each Fund’s compliance with these policies and for providing regular reports (at least annually) to the Board regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of the policy and recommend changes, if necessary.

 

Public Disclosure

 

Each business day, each Fund’s portfolio holdings information will generally be provided for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (as defined below), and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of each Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the current business day.

 

For in-kind creations, a basket composition file, which includes the names and quantities of Deposit Securities to deliver in exchange for a Creation Unit of Shares, together with an estimated Cash Component for the current business day, will be publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the NSCC. The basket represents one Creation Unit of a Fund. The Trust and the Adviser will not disseminate non-public information concerning a Fund’s portfolio holdings. However, access to information concerning a Fund’s portfolio holdings may

 

82


 

be permitted to personnel of third party service providers, including a Fund’s custodian, transfer agent, auditors and counsel, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with such service providers’ agreements with the Trust on behalf of a Fund. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holding information made available in connection with the Creation Unit process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds, including rating or raking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

 

The Funds also disclose their complete portfolio holdings in its annual and semiannual reports to shareholders, which are sent to shareholders no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period (June 30th and December 31st, respectively) and are available on the Fund’s website, VictorySharesLiterature.com. The Funds also file their complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters (September 30th and March 31st, respectively) with the SEC on Form N-Q no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period. You can find these filings on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

 

Non-Public Disclosures

 

The Adviser may authorize the disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information under certain limited circumstances. The Funds’ policies provide that non-public disclosures of a Fund’s portfolio holdings may only be made if: (i) the Fund has a “legitimate business purpose” (as determined by the President of the Trust) for making such disclosure; and (ii) the party receiving the non-public information enters into a confidentiality agreement, which includes a duty not to trade on the non-public information and describes any compensation to be paid to the Fund or any “affiliated person” of the Adviser or Distributor, including any arrangement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or by any “affiliated person” of the Adviser or Distributor.

 

The Adviser will consider any actual or potential conflicts of interest between the Adviser and a Fund’s shareholders and will act in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders with respect to any such disclosure of portfolio holdings information. If a potential conflict can be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to Fund shareholders, the Adviser may authorize release of portfolio holdings information. Conversely, if the potential conflict cannot be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to Fund shareholders, the Adviser will not authorize such release.

 

83


 

Principal Holders of Fund Shares

 

As of September 30, 2018, the following shareholders owned 5% or more of a particular share class of the indicated Funds.  Each shareholder that beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund may be deemed a control person of that class of the Fund’s outstanding shares and, thereby, may influence the outcome of matters on which shareholders are entitled to vote.  Since the economic benefit of investing in a Fund is passed through to the underlying investors of the record owners of 25% or more of the Fund shares, these record owners are not considered the beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares or control persons of the Fund.

 

The VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, and VictoryShares Quality Value ETF did not have outstanding shares as of September 30, 2018 as they had not yet commenced operations.

 

Fund

 

Name and Address

 

% of Class
Outstanding

 

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

18.84

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase NY 10577

 

17.39

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Blvd 5th Floor
Weehawken NJ 07086

 

9.94

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

8.88

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Enterprise Investment Services Inc.
707 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55402

 

7.14

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward D Jones & Co., L.P.
12555 Manchester Road
Saint Louis MO 63131

 

6.12

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

29.21

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RBC Capital Markets LLC
3 World Financial Center
300 Vesey St
New York NY 10281

 

16.12

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

11.47

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

9.18

%

 

84


 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

8.76

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City NJ 07399

 

7.18

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comerica Bank
411 W. Lafayette
Detroit MI 48226

 

6.21

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

31.96

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

31.62

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CitiBank, N.A.
399 Park Avenue
New York NY 10022

 

13.35

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City NJ 07399

 

8.66

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

6.72

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

36.75

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

22.64

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

16.18

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
501 North Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102

 

6.56

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Edward D Jones & Co., L.P.
12555 Manchester Road
Saint Louis MO 63131

 

29.70

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

12.48

%

 

85


 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

10.42

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

10.24

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase NY 10577

 

9.52

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RBC Capital Markets LLC
3 World Financial Center
300 Vesey St
New York NY 10281

 

7.11

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

25.94

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

19.23

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Blvd 5th Floor
Weehawken NJ 07086

 

18.44

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

14.80

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

9.77

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

30.73

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

27.28

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

13.13

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

10.28

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pershing LLC
1 Pershing Plaza
Jersey City NJ 07399

 

5.93

%

 

86


 

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

45.45

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

29.74

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

6.95

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Goldman Sachs Trust Company
200 Bellevue Parkway, Suite 250
Wilmington DE 19809

 

5.86

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

38.98

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

32.09

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

11.89

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RBC Capital Markets LLC
3 World Financial Center
300 Vesey St
New York NY 10281

 

5.45

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF

 

RBC Capital Markets LLC
3 World Financial Center
300 Vesey St
New York NY 10281

 

34.30

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CitiBank, N.A.
399 Park Avenue
New York NY 10022

 

21.07

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D.A. Davidson & Co.
8 Third Street North
Great Falls, MT 59401

 

15.89

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

8.41

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

7.01

%

 

87


 

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase NY 10577

 

17.23

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

15.07

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

10.60

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Blvd 5th Floor
Weehawken NJ 07086

 

9.89

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
880 Carillon Parkway
St. Petersburg FL 33716

 

8.41

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

7.54

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Enterprise Investment Services Inc.
707 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55402

 

7.49

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

5.21

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

27.36

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
880 Carillon Parkway
St. Petersburg FL 33716

 

11.73

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase NY 10577

 

11.62

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

8.57

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

6.97

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Enterprise Investment Services Inc.
707 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55402

 

6.25

%

 

88


 

 

 

RBC Capital Markets LLC
3 World Financial Center
300 Vesey St
New York NY 10281

 

5.70

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Blvd 5th Floor
Weehawken NJ 07086

 

5.17

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

CitiBank, N.A.
399 Park Avenue
New York NY 10022

 

22.85

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

15.16

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase NY 10577

 

9.51

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

National Financial Services LLC
100 Magellan Way
Covington KY 41015

 

7.35

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

7.22

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Enterprise Investment Services Inc.
707 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55402

 

6.17

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
880 Carillon Parkway
St. Petersburg FL 33716

 

5.90

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

5.62

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
501 North Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102

 

5.38

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
2000 Westchester Avenue
Purchase NY 10577

 

13.44

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch
4800 E Deer Lake Drive
Jacksonville FL 32246

 

13.06

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UBS Financial Services Inc.
1000 Harbor Blvd 5th Floor
Weehawken NJ 07086

 

12.52

%

 

89


 

 

 

LPL Financial
9785 Towne Center Drive
San Diego CA 92121

 

12.32

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
101 Montgomery St
San Francisco CA 94101

 

9.43

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
60 Livingston Avenue EP-MN-WN3C
Saint Paul, MN 55107

 

7.15

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Enterprise Investment Services Inc.
707 2nd Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55402

 

6.53

%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
880 Carillon Parkway
St. Petersburg FL 33716

 

6.08

%

 

Expenses

 

Unless agreed upon otherwise with a third party, all expenses incurred in administration of the Funds will be charged to a particular Fund, including investment management fees; fees and expenses of the Board of Trustees; interest charges; taxes; brokerage commissions; expenses of valuing assets; expenses of continuing registration and qualification of the Funds and the shares under federal and state law; share issuance expenses; fees and disbursements of independent accountants and legal counsel; fees and expenses of custodians, including, transfer agents and shareholder account servicing organizations; expenses of preparing, printing and mailing prospectuses, reports, proxies, notices and statements sent to shareholders; expenses of shareholder meetings; costs of investing in underlying funds; and insurance premiums. The Funds are also liable for nonrecurring expenses, including litigation to which they may from time to time be a party. Expenses incurred for the operation of a particular Fund, including the expenses of communications with its shareholders, are paid by that Fund.

 

Legal Counsel

 

Shearman & Sterling LLP, 599 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is the counsel to the Trust.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm is Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

 

Financial Statements

 

The audited financial statements of the Funds for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 are incorporated by reference herein.

 

Miscellaneous

 

As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, “assets belonging to a fund” (or “assets belonging to the Fund”) means the consideration received by the Trust upon the issuance or sale of shares of a Fund, together with all income, earnings, profits and proceeds derived from the investment thereof, including any proceeds from the sale, exchange, or liquidation of such investments and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds and

 

90


 

any general assets of the Trust, which general liabilities and expenses are not readily identified as belonging to a particular series that are allocated to that series by the Trustees. The Trustees may allocate such general assets in any manner they deem fair and equitable. It is anticipated that the factor that will be used by the Trustees in making allocations of general assets to a particular series will be the relative NAV of each respective series at the time of allocation. Assets belonging to a particular series are charged with the direct liabilities and expenses in respect of that series and with a share of the general liabilities and expenses of each of the series not readily identified as belonging to a particular series, which are allocated to each series in accordance with its proportionate share of the NAVs of the Trust at the time of allocation. The timing of allocations of general assets and general liabilities and expenses of the Trust to a particular series will be determined by the Trustees and will be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Determinations by the Trustees as to the timing of the allocation of general liabilities and expenses and as to the timing and allocable portion of any general assets with respect to a particular series are conclusive.

 

As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, a “vote of a majority of the outstanding shares” of the Fund means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are represented in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

 

The Prospectuses and this SAI are not an offering of the securities described in these documents in any state in which such offering may not lawfully be made. No salesman, dealer, or other person is authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

While this SAI and each Prospectus describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this SAI nor any Prospectus represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.

 

91



 

APPENDIX A

 

LIST OF REGULAR HOLIDAYS IN NON-US MARKETS

 

Listed below are the dates of regular holidays occurring between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 in non-US markets that may impact Fund settlement. This list is based on information available to the Funds. The Funds may not have investments in every market listed below. The list may not be accurate or complete and is subject to change.

 

Argentina

 

Australia

 

Bahrain

 

Bermuda

 

Brazil

 

Bulgaria

 

China A
Shares-
Shanghai &
Shenzhen

October 15

 

October 1

 

November 21

 

November 12

 

October 12

 

December 24

 

October 1

November 6

 

November 6

 

December 16

 

December 25

 

November 2

 

December 25

 

October 2

November 19

 

December 24

 

December 17

 

December 26

 

November 15

 

December 26

 

October 3

December 25

 

December 25

 

January 1

 

January 1

 

November 20

 

January 1

 

October 4

March 4

 

December 26

 

May 1

 

April 19

 

December 25

 

March 4

 

October 5

March 5

 

December 31

 

June 4

 

May 31

 

January 1

 

April 19

 

January 1

April 18

 

January 1

 

June 5

 

June 17

 

January 25

 

April 22

 

February 2

April 19

 

January 28

 

June 6

 

August 1

 

March 4

 

April 26

 

February 3

May 1

 

March 11

 

August 11

 

August 2

 

March 5

 

April 29

 

February 4

June 20

 

April 19

 

August 12

 

September 2

 

March 6

 

May 1

 

February 5

August 19

 

April 22

 

August 13

 

 

 

April 19

 

May 6

 

February 6

September 25

 

April 25

 

September 3

 

 

 

May 1

 

May 24

 

February 7

 

 

June 10

 

September 9

 

 

 

June 20

 

September 6

 

February 8

 

 

August 5

 

September 10

 

 

 

July 9

 

September 23

 

April 5

 

 

September 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 29

 

Colombia

 

Costa Rica

 

Croatia

 

Cyprus

 

Czech Republic

 

Denmark

 

France

October 15

 

October 12

 

October 8

 

October 1

 

December 24

 

December 24

 

December 25

November 5

 

December 25

 

November 1

 

December 24

 

December 25

 

December 31

 

December 26

November 12

 

January 1

 

December 24

 

December 25

 

December 26

 

January 1

 

January 1

December 25

 

April 11

 

December 25

 

December 26

 

January 1

 

April 18

 

April 19

January 1

 

April 18

 

December 26

 

January 1

 

April 19

 

April 19

 

April 22

January 7

 

April 19

 

December 31

 

March 11

 

April 22

 

April 22

 

May 1

March 25

 

May 1

 

January 1

 

March 25

 

May 1

 

May 1

 

 

April 18

 

July 25

 

 

 

April 1

 

May 8

 

May 11

 

 

April 19

 

August 2

 

 

 

April 10

 

July 5

 

May 17

 

 

May 1

 

August 15

 

 

 

April 19

 

 

 

May 30

 

 

June 3

 

 

 

 

 

April 22

 

 

 

May 31

 

 

June 24

 

 

 

 

 

April 26

 

 

 

June 5

 

 

July 1

 

 

 

 

 

April 29

 

 

 

June 10

 

 

July 20

 

 

 

 

 

May 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 7

 

 

 

 

 

June 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 19

 

 

 

 

 

August 15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-1


 

Greece

 

Hong Kong

 

Hungary

 

Ireland

 

Japan

 

Kuwait

 

Malaysia

December 24

 

October 1

 

October 13

 

October 29

 

October 8

 

November 21

 

November 6

December 25

 

October 17

 

October 22

 

December 25

 

November 23

 

January 1

 

November 20

December 26

 

December 25

 

October 23

 

December 26

 

December 24

 

February 25

 

December 25

January 1

 

December 26

 

November 1

 

January 1

 

December 31

 

February 26

 

January 1

March 11

 

January 1

 

November 2

 

April 19

 

January 1

 

April 4

 

January 21

March 25

 

February 5

 

November 10

 

April 22

 

January 2

 

June 4

 

February 1

April 19

 

February 6

 

December 1

 

May 6

 

January 3

 

June 5

 

February 5

April 22

 

February 7

 

December 15

 

June 3

 

January 14

 

June 6

 

February 6

April 26

 

April 5

 

December 24

 

August 5

 

February 11

 

August 11

 

May 1

April 29

 

April 19

 

December 25

 

 

 

March 21

 

August 12

 

May 20

May 1

 

April 22

 

December 26

 

 

 

April 29

 

August 13

 

May 22

June 17

 

May 1

 

December 31

 

 

 

May 3

 

September 3

 

June 5

August 15

 

May 13

 

January 1

 

 

 

May 6

 

 

 

June 6

 

 

June 7

 

March 15

 

 

 

July 15

 

 

 

August 12

 

 

July 1

 

April 19

 

 

 

August 12

 

 

 

August 31

 

 

 

 

April 22

 

 

 

September 16

 

 

 

September 2

 

 

 

 

May 1

 

 

 

September 23

 

 

 

September 9

 

 

 

 

June 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 16

 

 

 

 

August 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexico

 

New Zealand

 

Nigeria

 

Norway

 

Pakistan

 

Peru

 

Philippines

November 2

 

October 22

 

October 1

 

December 24

 

November 21

 

October 8

 

November 1

November 19

 

December 24

 

November 20

 

December 25

 

December 25

 

November 1

 

November 2

December 12

 

December 25

 

December 25

 

December 26

 

February 5

 

December 25

 

November 30

December 25

 

December 26

 

December 26

 

December 31

 

March 23

 

January 1

 

December 8

January 1

 

December 31

 

January 1

 

January 1

 

May 1

 

April 18

 

December 24

February 4

 

January 1

 

April 19

 

April 17

 

June 8

 

April 19

 

December 25

March 18

 

January 2

 

April 22

 

April 18

 

June 15

 

May 1

 

December 31

April 18

 

February 6

 

May 1

 

April 19

 

June 16

 

July 29

 

January 1

April 19

 

April 19

 

June 4

 

April 22

 

June 17

 

August 30

 

February 5

May 1

 

April 22

 

June 5

 

May 1

 

July 2

 

 

 

April 9

September 16

 

April 25

 

June 12

 

May 17

 

August 14

 

 

 

April 18

 

 

June 3

 

August 12

 

May 30

 

August 21

 

 

 

April 19

 

 

 

 

August 13

 

June 10

 

August 22

 

 

 

May 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 23

 

 

 

June 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 20

 

 

 

August 21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 21

 

 

 

August 26

 

A-2


 

Poland

 

Portugal

 

Poland

 

Portugal

 

Romania

 

Russia

 

Singapore

November 1

 

October 5

 

November 1

 

October 5

 

November 30

 

November 5

 

November 6

December 24

 

November 1

 

December 24

 

November 1

 

December 25

 

December 29

 

December 25

December 25

 

December 25

 

December 25

 

December 25

 

December 26

 

December 31

 

January 1

December 26

 

December 26

 

December 26

 

December 26

 

January 1

 

January 1

 

February 5

December 31

 

January 1

 

December 31

 

January 1

 

January 2

 

January 2

 

February 6

January 1

 

April 19

 

January 1

 

April 19

 

January 24

 

January 7

 

April 19

April 19

 

April 22

 

April 19

 

April 22

 

April 29

 

March 8

 

May 1

April 22

 

April 25

 

April 22

 

April 25

 

May 1

 

May 1

 

May 19

May 1

 

May 1

 

May 1

 

May 1

 

June 17

 

May 9

 

May 20

May 3

 

June 10

 

May 3

 

June 10

 

August 15

 

June 12

 

June 5

June 20

 

June 13

 

June 20

 

June 13

 

 

 

 

 

August 9

August 15

 

June 20

 

August 15

 

June 20

 

 

 

 

 

August 11

 

 

August 15

 

 

 

August 15

 

 

 

 

 

August 12

 

Slovak Republic

 

South Africa

 

South Korea

 

Sri Lanka

 

Sweden

 

Taiwan

 

Thailand

November 1

 

December 16

 

October 3

 

October 24

 

November 2

 

October 10

 

October 15

December 24

 

December 17

 

October 9

 

November 6

 

December 24

 

December 31

 

October 23

December 25

 

December 25

 

December 25

 

November 20

 

December 25

 

January 1

 

December 5

December 26

 

December 26

 

December 31

 

November 22

 

December 26

 

January 19

 

December 10

January 1

 

January 1

 

January 1

 

December 25

 

December 31

 

February 4

 

December 31

April 19

 

March 21

 

February 4

 

January 15

 

January 1

 

February 5

 

January 1

April 22

 

April 19

 

February 5

 

January 20

 

April 18

 

February 6

 

February 19

May 1

 

April 27

 

February 6

 

February 4

 

April 19

 

February 7

 

April 8

May 8

 

May 1

 

March 1

 

February 19

 

April 22

 

February 8

 

April 15

July 5

 

June 16

 

May 1

 

March 4

 

May 1

 

February 23

 

April 16

August 29

 

June 17

 

May 6

 

March 20

 

May 29

 

February 28

 

May 1

 

 

August 9

 

June 6

 

April 12

 

May 30

 

March 1

 

May 20

 

 

September 24

 

August 15

 

April 13

 

June 5

 

April 4

 

July 16

 

 

 

 

September 12

 

April 14

 

June 6

 

April 5

 

July 29

 

 

 

 

September 13

 

April 15

 

June 20

 

June 7

 

August 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 19

 

 

 

September 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-3


 

Turkey

 

UAE- Abu
Dhabi
Securities
Exchange

 

UAE-Dubai
Financial
Market

 

UAE-NASDAQ
Dubai

 

Ukraine

 

United
Kingdom

 

Uruguay

October 29

 

November 21

 

November 21

 

October 8

 

October 15

 

December 25

 

October 15

January 1

 

December 2

 

December 2

 

November 12

 

December 22

 

December 26

 

November 2

April 23

 

December 3

 

December 3

 

November 21

 

December 24

 

January 1

 

December 25

May 1

 

January 1

 

January 1

 

November 22

 

December 25

 

April 19

 

January 1

June 4

 

April 4

 

April 4

 

December 2

 

December 29

 

April 22

 

March 4

June 5

 

June 4

 

June 4

 

December 3

 

December 31

 

May 6

 

March 5

June 6

 

June 5

 

June 5

 

December 25

 

January 1

 

May 27

 

April 18

June 7

 

June 6

 

June 6

 

January 1

 

January 7

 

August 26

 

April 19

July 15

 

August 11

 

August 11

 

January 21

 

March 8

 

 

 

April 22

August 12

 

August 12

 

August 12

 

February 18

 

April 29

 

 

 

May 1

August 13

 

August 13

 

August 13

 

April 4

 

May 1

 

 

 

June 19

August 14

 

September 3

 

September 3

 

May 27

 

May 9

 

 

 

July 18

August 30

 

 

 

 

 

June 4

 

June 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 5

 

June 28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 6

 

August 24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

July 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-4



 

Registration Statement

 

of

 

VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II

 

on

 

Form N-1A

 

PART C. OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 28.  Exhibits

 

(a)

Articles of Incorporation.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(a)

 

Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, previously filed on October 27, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(b)

 

Amendment to Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(c)

 

Schedule A to the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust current as of February 22, 2017, previously filed on March 31, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(a)

 

Registrant’s Certificate of Trust, previously filed on May 4, 2012 as an exhibit to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(b)

 

Certificate of Amendment to Registrant’s Certificate of Trust, previously filed on October 27, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(c)

 

Certificate of Amendment to Registrant’s Certificate of Trust, previously filed on October 27, 2016 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

(b)

By-Laws., Amended and Restated May 1, 2015, previously filed on June 26, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(c)

Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holder. None other than in the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Registrant.

 

 

(d)

Investment Advisory Contracts.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(a)

 

Investment Advisory Agreement dated May 1, 2015, between Registrant and Victory Capital Management Inc. (“Victory Capital” or the “Adviser”), previously filed on June 26, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(1)(b)

 

Schedule A to Advisory Agreement dated May 1, 2015, current as of December 5, 2017, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

C-2


 

(e)

Underwriting Contracts.

 

 

 

(1)

 

ETF Distribution Agreement dated as of February 24, 2017 with Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside”) with respect to each exchange-traded fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on March 31, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(a)

 

First Amendment dated February 24, 2017 to the ETF Distribution Agreement dated as of February 24, 2017 with Foreside, previously filed on October 27, 2017, as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)

 

ETF Distribution Agreement with Foreside effective as of February 24, 2017, previously filed on October 27, 2017, as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(3)

 

Form of Authorized Participant Agreement with respect to each exchange-traded fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on June 27, 2014 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(4)(a)

 

Distribution Agreement with Victory Capital Advisers, Inc. (“VCA”) with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(4)(b)

 

Amendment dated August 19, 2015 to the Distribution Agreement with VCA with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(4)(c)

 

Schedule I to the Distribution Agreement, current as of December 5, 2017, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

(f)

Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts. None.

 

 

(g)

Custodian Agreements.

 

 

(1)(a)

 

Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 5, 2008 with Citibank, N.A., previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(1)(b)

 

Amendment and Joinder to the Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 19, 2015, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.  41 to Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(c)

 

Amendment and Joinder to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement, dated July 15, 2016, previously filed on February 28, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 147 to Victory Portfolios’ Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(d)

 

Amendment and Joinder to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement, dated August 24, 2016, previously filed on February 28, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 147 to Victory Portfolios’ Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

C-3


 

 

(1)(e)

 

Amendment and Joinder to the Master Global Custodial Services Agreement, dated February 27, 2017, previously filed on March 31, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

(h)

Other Material Contracts.

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

 

Revised Form of Broker-Dealer Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 27, 2017, as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(a)

 

Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, dated July 1, 2006 with Victory Capital Management Inc., previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(b)

 

Amendment dated July 1, 2009 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(c)

 

Amendment No. 2 dated July 1, 2012 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(d)

 

Amendment No. 3 dated May 21, 2015 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(e)

 

Amendment No. 4 dated August 19, 2015 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(f)

 

Amendment No. 5 dated August 24, 2016 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on February 28, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 147 to Victory Portfolios’ Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(2)(g)

 

Amendment No. 6 dated February 28, 2018 to the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on April 17, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to Victory Variable Insurance Fund’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(3)(a)

 

Transfer Agency Agreement with FIS Investor Services LLC (“FIS”) dated November 7, 2015, with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(3)(b)

 

Amendment dated November 1, 2016 to the Transfer Agency Agreement, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

C-4


 

 

(3)(c)

 

Data Protection Addendum dated May 30, 2018 to the Transfer Agency Agreement, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(4)

 

Transfer Agency Services Agreement with Citibank, N.A. dated February 27, 2017 with respect to exchange-traded fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on March 31, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(5)(a)

 

Sub-administration and Sub-accounting Services Agreement dated October 1, 2015, previously filed on January 17, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(5)(b)

 

Amendment to the Sub-administration and Sub-accounting Services Agreement dated February 27, 2017, previously filed on February 28, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 147 to Victory Portfolios’ Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(5)(c)

 

Amendment No. 2 dated February 28, 2018 to the Sub-administration and Sub-accounting Services Agreement, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(6)(a)

 

Expense Limitation Agreement dated as of December 2, 2015, between Registrant and Victory Capital, previously filed on June 26, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(6)(b)

 

Schedule A to the Expense Limitation Agreement dated December 2, 2015, current as of November 1, 2018, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(7)(a)

 

License Agreement dated as of May 1, 2015 between Victory Capital and Registrant, previously filed on March 31, 2017 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

(7)(b)

 

First Amendment dated April 18, 2017 to License Agreement, previously filed on October 27, 2017, as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

(i)(1)

Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated July 7, 2015 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated July 7, 2015 relating to the Compass EMP US Small Cap 500 Volatility Weighted Index ETF, Compass EMP International 500 Volatility Weighted Index ETF, Compass EMP Emerging Market 500 Volatility Weighted Index ETF, Compass EMP US Large Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index ETF, Compass EMP US Small Cap High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index ETF, Compass EMP International High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index ETF and Compass EMP Emerging Market High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Index ETF, previously filed on July 7, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 32 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(i)(2)

Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated September 25, 2015 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated September 25, 2015 relating to the Compass EMP US High Dividend 100 Volatility Weighted Fund and Compass EMP US EQ Income 100 Enhanced Volatility Weighted Fund, previously filed on September 25, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 38 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

C-5


 

(i)(3)

Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated October 28, 2015 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated October 28, 2015 relating to the Victory CEMP US 500 Volatility Wtd Index Fund — Class R6 and Victory CEMP US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd Index Fund — Class R6, previously filed on October 28, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(i)(4)

Opinions of Morrison & Foerster LLP dated April 10, 2017 and Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell LLP dated April 10, 2017 relating to the VictoryShares Global Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares International Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF, VictoryShares Quality Value ETF and VictoryShares Quality Growth ETF, previously filed on April 10, 2017 as an exhibit to Post Affective Amendment No. 56 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

(i)(5)

Consent of Shearman & Sterling LLP. (filed herewith)

 

 

(i)(6)

Consent of Cohen & Co. Ltd. (filed herewith)

 

(j)

Other Opinions. None.

 

 

(k)

Omitted Financial Statements. None.

 

 

(l)

Initial Capital Agreements. Subscription Agreement between the Trust and the Initial Investor, previously filed on September 5, 2012 as an exhibit to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(m)

Rule 12b-1 Plans.

 

 

 

(1)(a)

 

Revised Class A Master Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on March 29, 2013 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(1)(b)

 

Amended Exhibit A current as of December 5, 2017, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(2)(a)

 

Revised Class C Master Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to each mutual fund series of the Registrant, previously filed on March 29, 2013 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(2)(b)

 

Amended Exhibit A current as of December 5, 2017, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(3)(a)

 

Amended and Restated Distribution Plan Pursuant to Rule 12b-1 with respect to each exchange-traded fund series of the Registrant, current as of February 24, 2017, previously filed on October 27, 2017, as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

(n)

Rule 18f-3 Plan

 

 

 

 

 

(1)(a)

 

Victory Portfolios and Registrant’s Amended and Restated Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan effective as of February 22, 2018, previously filed on April 30, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Victory Portfolios Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

C-6


 

 

(1)(b)

 

Schedule A to the Rule 18f-3 Multi-Class Plan as of February 22, 2018, previously filed on April 30, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Victory Portfolios Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

(o)

Reserved.

 

 

(p)

Codes of Ethics.

 

 

(1)

 

Code of Ethics for the Registrant, as revised February 28, 2018, previously filed on April 30, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Victory Portfolios Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(2)

 

Code of Ethics for Victory Capital and VCA, dated July 1, 2018, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

(3)

 

Code of Ethics for Foreside amended February 28, 2018, previously filed on October 25, 2018 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

Powers of Attorney of Leigh A. Wilson, David Brooks Adcock, Nigel D.T. Andrews, E. Lee Beard, Dennis M. Bushe, David C. Brown, Sally M. Dungan, John L. Kelly, David L. Meyer and Gloria S. Nelund, previously filed on October 27, 2016 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

Powers of Attorney of Leigh A Wilson, David Brooks Adcock, Nigel D.T. Andrews, E. Lee Beard, Sally M. Dungan, John L. Kelly and David L. Meyer for CEMPCSVWF Fund Limited, previously filed on June 26, 2015 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 30 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Powers of Attorney of Dennis M. Bushe and Gloria S. Nelund for CEMPCSVWF Fund Limited, previously filed on October 27, 2016 as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement, is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

Item 29.  Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant

 

None.

 

Item 30.  Indemnification.

 

Reference is made to Article VIII of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Section 8 of the Investment Advisory Agreement, Section 6 of the ETF Distribution Agreement with Foreside, Section 5 of the Distribution Agreement with VCA, Section 12 of the Global Custodial Services Agreement with Citibank, N.A., Section 9 of the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with Victory Capital, Section 7 of the Transfer Agency Services Agreement with Citibank, N.A. and Section 13 of the Form of Transfer Agency Agreement with FIS, each of  which is incorporate by reference to Exhibits (a)(1), (d)(1), (e)(1), (e)(4), (g)(1), (h)(1), (h)(3) and (h)(2), respectively. The Registrant has obtained from a major insurance carrier a trustees’ and officers’ liability policy covering certain types of errors and omissions. In no event will the Registrant indemnify any of its trustees, officers, employees or agents against any liability to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of his willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his duties, or by reason of his reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or under his agreement with the Registrant. The Registrant will comply with Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and Release 11330 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 in connection with any indemnification.

 

C-7


 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under 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 Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such 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 trustee, 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 such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 31.  Activities of Investment Adviser.

 

The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (“VCH”). A majority of the equity interest in VCH is owned by Crestview Partners, through one or more investment vehicles, with employees of the Adviser owning a substantial minority interest in VCH. The Adviser provides investment advisory services to institutional clients including corporations, non-profits, public funds, Taft-Harley and sub-advisory clients. The Adviser offers domestic and international equity and domestic fixed income strategies to investors through a variety of products, including mutual funds, separate accounts, and collective trust funds. As of September 30, 2018, the Adviser managed or advised assets totaling in excess of $63.6 billion. The Adviser’s principal offices are located at 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, OH 44144, with additional offices in New York, New York, Birmingham, Michigan, Brentwood, Tennessee, Boston, Massachusetts, Rocky River, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio, Denver, Colorado, San Francisco, California and Des Moines, Iowa.

 

To the knowledge of Registrant, none of the directors or officers of the Adviser, except those set forth below, is or has been at any time during the past two calendar years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

 

The principal executive officers and directors of Adviser and VCH are as follows:

 

David C. Brown

· Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Adviser and VCH

Kelly S. Cliff

· Director, President, Investment Franchises of Adviser and VCH

Michael D. Policarpo, II

· Chief Operating Officer of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser

Terry Sullivan

· Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser

Nina Gupta

· Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser

 

The business address of the foregoing individuals is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144.

 

Item 32. Principal Underwriters.

 

(a)(1) Shares of the mutual fund series of Victory Portfolios II are distributed by VCA. VCA also acts as principal underwriter for Victory Portfolios, Victory Variable Insurance Funds and Victory Institutional Funds.

 

(a)(2)  In addition to acting as principal underwriter for the exchange-traded fund series of Victory Portfolios II, Foreside acts as the principal underwriter for the following:

 

1.              ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund

2.              Absolute Shares Trust

3.              Active Weighting Funds ETF Trust

4.              AdvisorShares Trust

5.              AmericaFirst Quantitative Funds

6.              American Century ETF Trust

7.              ARK ETF Trust

 

C-8


 

8.              BP Capital TwinLine Energy Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios

9.              BP Capital TwinLine MLP Fund, Series of Professionally Managed Portfolios

10.       Braddock Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

11.       Bridgeway Funds, Inc.

12.       Brinker Capital Destinations Trust

13.       Calvert Ultra-Short Duration Income NextShares, Series of Calvert Management Series

14.       Center Coast Brookfield MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund

15.       CornerCap Group of Funds

16.       Davis Fundamental ETF Trust

17.       Direxion Shares ETF Trust

18.       Eaton Vance NextShares Trust

19.       Eaton Vance NextShares Trust II

20.       EIP Investment Trust

21.       EntrepreneurShares Series Trust

22.       Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund

23.       Exchange Listed Funds Trust (f/k/a Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II)

24.       FEG Absolute Access Fund I LLC

25.       Fiera Capital Series Trust

26.       FlexShares Trust

27.       Forum Funds

28.       Forum Funds II

29.       FQF Trust

30.       Friess Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series

31.       GraniteShares ETF Trust

32.       Guinness Atkinson Funds

33.       Horizons ETF Trust I (f/k/a Recon Capital Series Trust)

34.       Infinity Core Alternative Fund

35.       Innovator ETFs Trust

36.       Innovator ETFs Trust II (f/k/a Elkhorn ETF Trust)

37.       Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

38.       Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

39.       John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust

40.       Manor Investment Funds

41.       Miller/Howard Funds Trust

42.       Miller/Howard High Income Equity Fund

43.       Moerus Worldwide Value Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV

44.       MProved Systematic Long-Short Fund, Series Portfolios Trust

45.       MProved Systematic Merger Arbitrage Fund, Series Portfolios Trust

46.       MProved Systematic Multi-Strategy Fund, Series Portfolios Trust

47.       NYSE® Pickens Oil Response™ ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

48.       OSI ETF Trust

49.       Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund

50.       Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC

51.       PENN Capital Funds Trust

52.       Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

53.       Pine Grove Alternative Institutional Fund

54.       Plan Investment Fund, Inc.

55.       PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

56.       Point Bridge GOP Stock Tracker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

57.       Quaker Investment Trust

58.       Ranger Funds Investment Trust

59.       Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds

60.       RMB Investors Trust (f/k/a Burnham Investors Trust)

61.       Robinson Opportunistic Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

62.       Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

63.       Salient MF Trust

 

C-9


 

64.       SharesPost 100 Fund

65.       Six Circles Trust

66.       Sound Shore Fund, Inc.

67.       Steben Alternative Investment Funds

68.       Steben Select Multi-Strategy Fund

69.       Strategy Shares

70.       The 504 Fund (f/k/a The Pennant 504 Fund)

71.       The Chartwell Funds

72.       The Community Development Fund

73.       The Relative Value Fund

74.       Third Avenue Trust

75.       Third Avenue Variable Series Trust

76.       TIFF Investment Program

77.       Transamerica ETF Trust

78.       U.S. Global Investors Funds

79.       Variant Alternative Income Fund

80.       Vivaldi Opportunities Fund

81.       West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund)

82.       Wintergreen Fund, Inc.

83.       WisdomTree Trust

84.       WST Investment Trust

 

(b)(1) VCA, 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, acts solely as distributor for the investment companies listed above. The officers of VCA, all of whose principal business address is set forth above, are:

 

Name

 

Positions and Offices with Underwriter

 

Positions and Offices with Registrant

David C. Brown

 

Director

 

Trustee

Michael D. Policarpo, II

 

Director

 

None

Terry Sullivan

 

Director

 

None

Peter Scharich

 

Director, President and AML Officer

 

None

Donald Inks

 

Principal Operations Officer

 

None

Jennifer Milligan

 

Director, Chief Compliance Officer

 

None

Nina Gupta

 

Director, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

 

None

Christopher Ponte

 

Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer

 

Assistant Treasurer

 

(b)(2)  To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of Foreside are as follows:

 

Name

 

Position and Offices with Underwriter

 

Positions and Offices with Registrant

Richard J. Berthy

 

President, Treasurer and Manager

 

None

Mark A. Fairbanks

 

Vice President

 

None

Jennifer K. DiValerio

 

Vice President

 

None

Nanette K. Chern

 

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

 

None

Jennifer E. Hoopes

 

Secretary

 

None

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

Item 33.  Location of Accounts and Records.

 

(1) Victory Capital Management Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser and administrator).

 

C-10


 

(2) Citibank, N.A., 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013 (records relating to its function as custodian and transfer agent for certain funds).

 

(3) Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (records relating to its functions as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant).

 

(4) FIS Investor Services LLC, 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (records relating to its functions as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for certain funds).

 

(5) Victory Capital Advisers, Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 (records relating to its function as distributor for certain funds).

 

(6) Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101 (records relating to function as distributor for certain funds).

 

Item 34.  Management Services. Not applicable.

 

Item 35.  Undertakings. Not applicable.

 

C-11



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York on the 25th day of October, 2018.

 

VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Christopher K. Dyer

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher K. Dyer, President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 25th day of October, 2018.

 

/s/ Christopher K. Dyer

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

Christopher K. Dyer

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Allan Shaer

 

Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer, and Principal Financial

Allan Shaer

 

Officer)

 

 

 

*

 

Chairman of the Board and Trustee

Leigh A. Wilson

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

David Brooks Adcock

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

Nigel D.T. Andrews

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

E. Lee Beard

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

David C. Brown

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

Dennis M. Bushe

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

Sally M. Dungan

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

John L. Kelly

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

David L. Meyer

 

 

 

 

 

*

 

Trustee

Gloria S. Nelund

 

 

 

C-12


 

*By:

/s/ Jay G. Baris

 

 

 

Jay G. Baris

 

 

 

Attorney-in-Fact

 

 

 

C-13



 

VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II

 

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit Number

 

Exhibits:

 

 

 

EX-99.(i)(5)

 

Consent of Shearman & Sterling LLP.

EX-99.(i)(6)

 

Consent of Cohen & Co. Ltd.

 

C-14