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Filed pursuant to Rule 497(c)

Registration Nos. 333-207937 and 811-23108

 

 

Amplify ETF Trust

 

Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF

 

(NYSE Arca—CNBS)

 

 pros_001.jpg

 

PROSPECTUS

 

June 29, 2021

 

Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (the “Fund”) is a series of Amplify ETF Trust (the “Trust) and an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”). The Fund lists and principally trades its shares on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca” or the “Exchange”).

 

Beginning on January 1, 2022, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Fund’s reports from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. Please contact your financial intermediary to elect to receive shareholder reports and other Fund communications electronically.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to inform them that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of shareholder reports and for details about whether your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with your financial intermediary

 

NOT FDIC INSURED. MAY LOSE VALUE. NO BANK GUARANTEE.

 

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.                  

                              

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Summary Information 3
Additional Information About the Fund’s Strategies and Risks 17
Fund Investments 17
Portfolio Holdings 27
Management of the Fund 27
How to Buy and Sell Shares 29
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes 31
Distribution Plan 35
Net Asset Value 35
Fund Service Providers 36
Premium/Discount Information 37
Other Information 37
Financial Highlights 38

 

2

 

  

 

AMPLIFY SEYMOUR CANNABIS ETF

 

 

 Summary Information

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF seeks to provide investors capital appreciation.

 

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”). You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

 

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

Management Fees 0.65%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees 0.00%
Other Expenses(1) 0.31%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.96%
Expense Waiver/Reimbursement(2) (0.21)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Waiver/Reimbursement 0.75%
  (1) Estimate based on the expenses the Fund expects to incur for the current fiscal year.
  (2) Pursuant to an agreement with the Fund, Amplify Investments LLC has agreed to reduce its management fee and effectively reimburse any acquired fund fees incurred by the Fund in an amount that limits the Fund’s “Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses” (excluding taxes, interest, all brokerage commissions, other normal charges incident to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, and other extraordinary expenses) to not more than 0.75% of the daily net assets of the Fund until March 1, 2022. In addition, pursuant to its expense limitation agreement with the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to recoup any fees that it waived and/or Fund expenses that it paid for a period of three years following such fee waivers and/or expense payments. The Fund may only make such repayment to the Adviser if, after the recoupment payment has been taken into account, it does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio to exceed either the expense cap in place at the time the expenses were waived or the Fund’s current expense cap.

 

EXAMPLE

 

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 

 

This example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell 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 at current levels. This example does not include the brokerage commissions that investors may pay to buy and sell Shares. The example also assumes that the fee waiver/expense reimbursement agreement is not renewed following its termination. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, your costs, based on these assumptions, would be:

 

 

1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
$77 $285 $510 $1,159

  

3

 

  

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, may affect the Fund’s performance. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 64% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in the securities of companies engaged in cannabis and hemp-related activities selected by the Fund’s investment adviser, Amplify Investments LLC (“Amplify Investments” or the “Adviser”). Pursuant to this strategy, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in the securities of companies that derive 50% or more of their revenue from the cannabis and hemp ecosystem and in derivatives that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. Penserra Capital Management LLC (“Penserra” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. Penserra is responsible for executing and implementing the Adviser’s decisions and constructing the Fund’s portfolio.

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF that seeks to provide investment exposure to global companies principally engaged in the emerging cannabis and hemp ecosystem across one of three classifications, which includes: 

 

  · Cannabis/Hemp Plant (Pharmaceuticals/Biotechnology, Cultivation & Retail, Hemp Products and Cannabis-Infused Products)

 

  · Support (Agricultural Technology, Real Estate and Commercial Services)

 

  · Ancillary (Consumption Devices/Mechanisms, Investing & Finance, Technology & Media and Other Ancillary)

 

The Fund’s portfolio manager, Tim Seymour, will actively seek investment opportunities in companies fitting within one of these classifications through the use of information available in public regulatory filings, third-party research, meetings with company management, and other publicly available information. Through portfolio management, the Fund’s portfolio manager will seek opportunities to make allocations among the classifications and the sub-classifications and to take advantage of market pricing dislocations. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio manager will conduct an on-going fundamental analysis of individual companies, which includes top-down and bottom-up factors. Top-down factors considered include regulatory changes, macro-economic data and political events. Bottom-up factors considered include company growth rates relative to its peer group, income statement, free cash flow, balance sheet strength, management quality, environmental, social, and governance scoring and strategic partnerships. The Fund’s portfolio manager believes that this fundamental approach will allow for adjustments in the Fund’s portfolio to address the dynamic pace of evolution for cannabis and hemp-related companies.

 

4

 

  

The Fund will primarily invest in equity securities and derivative instruments intended to provide exposure to companies principally engaging in the cannabis and hemp ecosystem. As part of this strategy, the derivative instruments may include, but are not limited to, total return swaps. Under normal market circumstances, the combined notional value of derivative instruments the Fund invests in will not exceed 60% of the value of the Fund’s investments. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% investment policy, for any derivative instruments the assets will be valued on a mark-to-market basis.

 

In order to be eligible for investment in the Fund’s portfolio, securities must have adequate constituent liquidity and accessibility for an exchange-listed product, as determined by the Adviser. In addition, under normal market circumstances, the Fund’s direct investment in equity securities must comply with the following:

 

  · a security must be listed on a regulated, major stock exchange in the form of shares tradeable for non-U.S. investors without restrictions;
  · for U.S. based equity securities, 90% of the U.S. based equity weight must be in companies with a market capitalization of at least $75,000,000; and a non-U.S. equity security must have a market capitalization of at least $100,000,000; and
  · for U.S. based equity securities, at least 70% of the equity weight must have either: (i) a monthly trading volume of at least 250,000, or (ii) an average notional value of monthly trades of at least $25,000,000 over the prior six months; and all non-U.S. equity securities must have either: (i) a monthly trading volume of at least 250,000, or (ii) an average notional value of monthly trades of at least $25,000,000 over the prior six months.

 

The Fund will only directly invest in companies that engage in activities that are legal in the country where it is incorporated, as well as in the country or countries where its operations are conducted. The Fund will not hold direct ownership in any companies that engage in cannabis-related business unless permitted by national and local laws of the relevant jurisdiction, including United States (“U.S.”) federal and state laws. Because the Fund only directly holds securities from companies that are currently engaged exclusively in legal activities under national and local laws, the Fund will not include equity securities of any company that engages in the cultivation, production or distribution of marijuana or products derived from marijuana for medical or non-medical purposes in a particular country, including the U.S., unless and until such time as the cultivation, production or distribution of such medical or non-medical marijuana, as applicable, becomes legal under local and national laws governing the company in such country. As of the date of this prospectus, the Fund does not directly invest in companies that grow or distribute marijuana inside of the U.S. or any “medical marijuana” companies in the United States. Any pharmaceutical companies held by the Fund would have the necessary permits and licenses to engage in lawful medical research using cannabinoids to produce government approved drugs, or to otherwise produce, market or distribute such drugs. This activity is distinct from the “medical marijuana” business, which refers to the use of the cannabis leaf, as opposed to specific extracts in pharmaceutical form, to alleviate the symptoms of injury or illness. If U.S. federal law changes in the future and these cannabis-related business activities become legal at the federal level, the Fund may begin directly investing in U.S. listed companies in the cannabis and hemp ecosystem in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategy. The Fund may indirectly obtain exposure to such companies through its use of derivative instruments, as described above.

 

5

 

  

The Fund’s portfolio manager expects, under normal market circumstances, that the Fund’s portfolio will consist of 20 to 45 companies. These securities may be issued by small, medium and large capitalization companies operating in both emerging and developed market countries. The Fund may also invest in securities of real estate investment trusts. The Fund may purchase equity securities that trade on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and in the securities of non-U.S. companies that utilize American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) to list on certain exchanges. To the extent that the security of a non-U.S. issuer is available as an ADR, the Fund will purchase the ADR, provided that the ADR’s liquidity is comparable to that of the issuer’s equity security. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund invests in securities that are primarily listed on the following exchanges: New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), NYSE American, Nasdaq Stock Market, TSX Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, Australian Securities Exchange and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. The Fund may, in the future, invest in companies primarily listed on additional exchanges to the extent that such companies are in compliance with the above-referenced investment and legal requirements. Further, the Fund may utilize derivatives instruments that are available over-the-counter (“OTC”) rather than exchange-traded.

 

The Fund will seek to lend portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of its total assets to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In a portfolio securities lending transaction, the Fund receives from the borrower an amount equal to the interest paid or the dividends declared on the loaned securities during the term of the loan as well as the interest on the collateral securities, less any fees (such as finders or administrative fees) the Fund pays in arranging the loan.

 

The Fund is classified as “non-diversified” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

 

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved.

 

Cannabis Industry Risk. Companies involved in the cannabis industry face competition, may have limited access to the services of banks, may have substantial burdens on company resources due to litigation, complaints or enforcement actions, and are heavily dependent on receiving necessary permits and authorizations to engage in medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis. Additionally, cannabis-related companies are subject to various laws and regulations that may differ at the local, state, and federal level. These laws and regulations may significantly affect a cannabis-related company’s ability to conduct business, secure financing, impact the market for cannabis business sales and services, and set limits on cannabis use, production, transportation and storage. Since the use of cannabis is illegal under U.S. federal law, federally regulated banking institutions may be unwilling to make Financial services available to growers and sellers of cannabis. Additionally, litigation initiated by private citizens or companies could have a negative impact on the financial and operational status of cannabis-related companies.

 

6

 

  

Regulatory Risk – U.S. The possession and use of cannabis, even for medical purposes, is illegal under federal and certain states’ laws, which may negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. Use of cannabis is regulated by both the federal government and state governments, which may conflict. Even in those states in which the use of cannabis has been legalized, its possession and use remains a violation of federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of cannabis pre-empts state laws that legalizes its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. Any change in the federal government’s enforcement of current federal laws could adversely affect the ability of the companies in which the Fund invests to possess or cultivate cannabis, including in connection with pharmaceutical research, or it could shrink the customer pool for certain of the Fund’s portfolio companies. Any of these outcomes would negatively affect the profitability and value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, has no currently “accepted medical use” in the U.S., lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and may not be prescribed, marketed or sold in the U.S. Facilities conducting research, manufacturing, distributing, importing or exporting, or dispensing controlled substances must be registered (licensed) to perform these activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the United Stated Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with the necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis.

 

Regulatory Risk – Non-U.S. The companies in which the Fund invests are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation, storage and disposal of cannabis, as well as being subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Even if a company’s operations are permitted under current law, they may not be permitted in the future, in which case such company may not be in a position to carry on its operations in its current locations. Additionally, controlled substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products. The companies in which the fund invest may never be able to legally produce and sell products in the U.S. or other national or local jurisdictions.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The value of the Shares will fluctuate with changes in the value of the equity securities in which it invests. Equity securities prices fluctuate for several reasons, including changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as the current market volatility, or when political or economic events affecting the issuers occur.

 

7

 

  

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more sensitive to changes in economic market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund’s original investment. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of a financial asset, a physical asset, or a market index. Many derivatives create leverage thereby causing the Fund to be more volatile than it would be if it had not invested in derivatives. Derivatives also expose the Fund to counterparty risk (the risk that the derivative counterparty will not fulfill its contractual obligations) and to credit risk. Additionally, derivatives may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules, which could cause adverse tax consequences and impact the amount, timing or character of income distributed by the Fund. Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately negotiated transactions referred to as OTC derivatives. Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. Each party to an OTC derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. OTC derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for it. The Fund may enter into total return swaps, among other instruments, for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to a particular asset without actually purchasing that asset. Such swap arrangements are OTC derivatives that may also subject the Fund to the risk that the counterparty to the transaction may not meet its obligations.

 

Market Risk. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or the Shares in general may fall in value, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices, and changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as the current market volatility. Overall security values could decline generally or could underperform other investments. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. Such events may affect certain regions, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could also adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions to trading markets. Any of such circumstances could materially negatively impact the value of the Fund’s Shares and result in increased market volatility. During any such events, the Fund’s Shares may trade at an increased premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Growth Stocks Risk. Prices of growth stocks tend to be higher in relation to their companies’ earnings because of their growth potential because of their growth potential, which may or may not be realized. Growth stocks may also be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions regarding the growth potential of the issuing company. In addition, growth stocks typically invest a high portion of their earnings back into their business and may lack the dividend yield that could cushion their decline in a market downturn.

 

Canada Risk. Because the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in companies that are domiciled in Canada, the Fund is particularly sensitive to political, economic and social conditions in that country. Canada is a major producer of metals. The Canadian economy is especially dependent on the demand for, and supply of, natural resources, and the Canadian market is relatively concentrated in issuers involved in the production and distribution of natural resources. Any adverse events that affect Canada’s major industries may have a negative impact on the overall Canadian economy and the shares of the Fund.

 

8

 

  

Health Care Companies Risk. Health care companies are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Health care companies are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of the companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies, or other market developments. Many new products in the health care field require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.

 

Biotechnology Company Risk. A biotechnology company’s valuation can often be based largely on the potential or actual performance of a limited number of products and can accordingly be greatly affected if one of its products proves, among other things, unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Biotechnology companies are subject to regulation by, and the restrictions of, the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, and non-U.S. regulatory authorities.

 

Pharmaceutical Company Risk. Companies in the pharmaceutical industry can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection of intense competition.

 

Non-Cannabis Related Business Risk. Many of the companies in which the Fund will invest are engaged in other lines of business unrelated to cannabis and these lines of business could adversely affect their operating results. The operating results of these companies may fluctuate as a result of these additional risks and events in the other lines of business. In addition, a company’s ability to engage in new activities may expose it to business risks with which it has less experience than it has with the business risks associated with its traditional businesses. Despite a company’s possible success in activities linked to its use of cannabis, there can be no assurance that the other lines of business in which these companies are engaged will not have an adverse effect on a company’s business or financial condition.

 

Non-U.S. Investment Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. companies present risks beyond those of securities of U.S. issuers. Risks of investing in the securities of non-U.S. companies include: different accounting standards; expropriation, nationalization or other adverse political or economic developments; currency devaluation, blockages or transfer restrictions; changes in non-U.S. currency exchange rates; taxes; restrictions on non-U.S. investments and exchange of securities; and less government supervision and regulation of issuers in non-U.S. countries. Prices of non-U.S. securities also may be more volatile. Investments in securities denominated in other currencies could decline due to changes in local currency relative to the value of the U.S. dollar, which may affect the Fund’s returns.

 

9

 

  

Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund’s NAV could decline if a relevant non-U.S. currency depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of such currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. ADRs are certificates that evidence ownership of shares of a non-U.S. issuer and are alternatives to purchasing directly the underlying non-U.S. securities in their national markets and currencies. GDRs are certificates issued by an international bank that generally are traded and denominated in the currencies of countries other than the home country of the issuer of the underlying shares. Depositary receipts may be subject to some of the same risks as direct investment in non-U.S. companies, which includes international trade, currency, political, regulatory and diplomatic risks. ADRs may be purchased through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by a depositary and the issuer of the underlying security. A depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security. Under an unsponsored depositary receipt arrangement, the non-U.S. issuer assumes no obligations and the depositary’s transaction fees are paid directly by the depositary receipt holders. Unsponsored receipts may involve higher expenses and may be less liquid. Because unsponsored depositary receipt arrangements are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities, available information concerning the non-U.S. issuer may not be as current as for sponsored depositary receipt and voting rights with respect to the deposited securities are not passed through. GDRs can involve currency risk since, unlike ADRs, they may not be U.S. dollar-denominated. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV of the Fund could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the value of the Fund’s holdings, measured in the non-U.S. currency, increases.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market countries include, but are not limited to, those considered to be developing by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation or one of the leading global investment banks. The majority of these countries are likely to be located in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, and Africa. Investments in emerging market issuers are subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in issuers located or operating in more developed markets. This is due to, among other things, the potential for greater market volatility, lower trading volume, higher levels of inflation, political and economic instability, greater risk of a market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments in emerging market countries than are typically found in more developed markets. Moreover, emerging markets often have less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements, less reliable securities valuations and greater risks associated with custody of securities than developed markets. In addition, emerging markets often have greater risk of capital controls through such measures as taxes or interest rate control than developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may also lack the infrastructure necessary to attract large amounts of foreign trade and investment.

 

10

 

  

REIT Risk. Adverse economic, business or political developments affecting real estate could have a major effect on the value of the Fund’s investments in REITs. Investing in REITs may subject the Fund to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, such as decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increased competition and other risks related to local or general economic conditions, increases in operating costs and property taxes, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent and fluctuations in rental income. In addition, REITs are subject to the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally available to them under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and failing to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

International Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that the underlying securities held by the Fund trade on non-U.S. exchanges that may be closed when the Exchange is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed. In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Sub-Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.

 

Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund were unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in readily marketable, high quality, short-term obligations. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Counterparty Risk. The Fund may invest in financial instruments involving counterparties that attempt to gain exposure to a particular securities without actually purchasing those securities. The Fund’s use of such financial instruments, including swap arrangements, involves risks that are different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. For example, if a swap agreement counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease.

 

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant (as defined in Purchase and Sales of Shares) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e. on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Funds net asset value and possibly face delisting.

 

11

 

  

Active Market Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained. Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above the Fund’s net asset value. Securities, including the Shares, are subject to market fluctuations and liquidity constraints that may be caused by such factors as economic, political, or regulatory developments, changes in interest rates, and/or perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.

 

Below Net Asset Value Risk. The net asset value of Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. The Fund cannot predict whether Shares will trade below (discount), at or above (premium) their net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. The Fund is generally subject to liquidity risk that may affect the market for Shares as compared to the underlying value of the Fund’s investments. The net asset value of Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. The Fund cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.

 

Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund's portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Shares.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of its assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in Share price than would occur in a diversified fund. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively small number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

Smaller Companies Risk. The Fund may be composed primarily of, or have significant exposure to, securities of smaller companies. Small and/or mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, and their securities may be less liquid and may experience greater price volatility than larger, more established companies as a result of several factors, including limited trading volumes, products or financial resources, management inexperience and less publicly available information. Further, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell a significant amount of the securities of a smaller company without an adverse impact on the price of the company’s securities. Accordingly, such companies are generally subject to greater market risk than larger, more established companies.

 

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Cyber Security Risk. As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, the Fund has become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third-party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-advisor, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. While the Fund has established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems. Additionally, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third-party service providers.

 

Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund, Adviser and Sub-Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address these risks.

 

Trading Issues Risk. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. 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. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.

 

The Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

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PERFORMANCE

 

The bar chart and table below illustrate the annual calendar year returns of the Fund based on NAV as well as the average annual Fund returns. The bar chart and table provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund’s performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund’s average annual total returns based on NAV compare to those of a benchmark index and a broad-based market index. The Fund’s performance information is accessible on the Fund’s website at www.amplifyetfs.com.

 

pros_002.jpg 

 

For the quarter-end March 31, 2021, the Fund had year-to-date performance of 66.14%.

 

The Fund’s highest quarterly return was 55.73% (quarter ended December 31, 2020) and the Fund’s lowest quarterly return was -34.30% (quarter ended March 31, 2020).

 

 

Average Annual Total Return as of December 31, 2020

Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF 1 Year Since Inception
(07/22/2019)
Return Before Taxes 31.61% -20.86%
Return After Taxes on Distributions 31.30% -21.13%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 18.71% -15.81%
S&P 500 Index
(reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
18.40% 19.48%

  

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

 

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Returns before taxes do not reflect the effects of any income or capital gains taxes. All after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of any state or local tax. Returns after taxes on distributions reflect the taxed return on the payment of dividends and capital gains. The return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares is higher than other return figures when a capital loss occurs upon the redemption of Fund shares.

 

Your own actual after-tax returns will depend on your specific tax situation and may differ from what is shown here. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold Shares in tax-deferred accounts such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employee-sponsored retirement plans.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

Investment Adviser. Amplify Investments LLC.

 

Sub-Adviser. Penserra Capital Management LLC.

 

Portfolio Managers. The following individuals serve as the portfolio managers to the Fund.

·Timothy J. Seymour, Portfolio Manager at Amplify
·Dustin Lewellyn, CFA, Managing Director at Penserra
·Ernesto Tong, CFA, Managing Director at Penserra
·Anand Desai, Senior Vice President at Penserra

 

The portfolio managers are primarily and jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The portfolio managers have served as part of the portfolio management team of the Fund since its inception in 2019.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES

 

The Fund issues and redeems Shares at net asset value (“NAV”) only with authorized participants (“APs”) that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor and only in Creation Units (large blocks of 50,000 Shares) or multiples thereof (“Creation Unit Aggregations”), in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a basket of securities in which the Fund invests and/or cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, the Shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.

 

Individual Shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market (i.e., on a national securities exchange) through a broker or dealer at a market price. Because the Shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (at a premium), at NAV, or less than NAV (at a discount). An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).

 

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Recent information, including information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is available online at www.amplifyetfs.com.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

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

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, 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.

 

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Additional Information About the Fund’s Strategies and Risks

 

The Fund is a series of the Trust, an investment company and an actively-managed ETF. The investment objective of the Fund is to seek capital appreciation. The Fund’s investment objective and each of the policies described herein are non-fundamental policies that may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) without shareholder approval. Certain fundamental policies of the Fund are set forth in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) under “Investment Objective and Policies.”

 

 Fund Investments

 

EQUITY SECURITIES

 

The Fund invests in equity securities, which will primarily include common stocks and/or depositary receipts, such as ADRs and GDRs. Equity securities represent an ownership position in a company. ADRs are certificates that evidence ownership of shares of a non-U.S. issuer and are alternatives to purchasing directly the underlying non-U.S. securities in their national markets and currencies. GDRs are certificates issued by an international bank that generally are traded and denominated in the currencies of countries other than the home country of the issuer of the underlying shares. Depositary may be purchased through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by a depositary and the issuer of the underlying security. A depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security.

 

CASH EQUIVALENTS AND SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

 

The Fund may invest in securities with maturities of less than one year or cash equivalents, or it may hold cash. The percentage of the Fund invested in such holdings varies and depends on several factors, including market conditions. During the initial invest-up period and during periods of high cash inflows or outflows, if market conditions are not favorable, the Fund may depart from its principal investment strategies and invest part or all of its assets in these securities or it may hold cash. During such periods, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective. For more information on eligible short-term investments, see the SAI.

 

DERIVATIVES

 

The Fund may utilize derivatives in pursuing its investment objective. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of a financial asset, a physical asset, or a market index. Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more sensitive to changes in economic market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund’s original investment. The Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to the securities in a market without actually purchasing those securities. Swap arrangements 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 a particular predetermined investments or instruments.

 

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SECURITIES LENDING

 

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In connection with such loans, the Fund receives liquid collateral equal to at least 102% (105% for international securities) of the value of the loaned portfolio securities. This collateral is marked-to-market on a daily basis. To the extent that the Fund receives cash collateral, it will invest such collateral in readily marketable, high quality, short-term obligations.

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

 

The following provides additional information about certain of the principal risks identified under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund’s “Summary Information” section. Risk is inherent in all investing. Investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may lose all or part of your investment. There can be no assurance that the Fund will meet its stated objectives. Before you invest, you should consider the following risks in addition to the Principal Risks set forth above in this prospectus.

 

Cannabis Industry Risk. Companies involved in the cannabis industry face competition, may have limited access to the services of banks, may have substantial burdens on company resources due to litigation, complaints or enforcement actions, and are heavily dependent on receiving necessary permits and authorizations to engage in medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis. Additionally, cannabis-related companies are subject to various laws and regulations that may differ at the local, state, and federal level. These laws and regulations may significantly affect a cannabis-related company’s ability to conduct business, secure financing, impact the market for cannabis business sales and services, and set limits on cannabis use, production, transportation and storage. Since the use of cannabis is illegal under U.S. federal law, federally regulated banking institutions may be unwilling to make financial services available to growers and sellers of cannabis. Additionally, litigation initiated by private citizens or companies could have a negative impact on the financial and operational status of cannabis-related companies.

 

Regulatory Risk – U.S. The possession and use of cannabis, even for medical purposes, is illegal under federal and certain states’ laws, which may negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. Use of cannabis is regulated by both the federal government and state governments, which may conflict. Even in those states in which the use of cannabis has been legalized, its possession and use remains a violation of federal law. Federal law criminalizing the use of cannabis pre-empts state laws that legalizes its use for medicinal and recreational purposes. Any change in the federal government’s enforcement of current federal laws could adversely affect the ability of the companies in which the Fund invests to possess or cultivate cannabis, including in connection with pharmaceutical research, or it could shrink the customer pool for certain of the Fund’s portfolio companies. Any of these outcomes would negatively affect the profitability and value of the Fund’s investments.

 

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Cannabis is a Schedule I controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”), meaning that it has a high potential for abuse, has no currently “accepted medical use” in the U.S., lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and may not be prescribed, marketed or sold in the U.S. Facilities conducting research, manufacturing, distributing, importing or exporting, or dispensing controlled substances must be registered (licensed) to perform these activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the United Stated Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with the necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis.

 

Facilities conducting research, manufacturing, distributing, importing or exporting, or dispensing controlled substances must be registered (licensed) to perform these activities and have the security, control, recordkeeping, reporting and inventory mechanisms required by the DEA to prevent drug loss and diversion. Failure to obtain the necessary registrations or comply with necessary regulatory requirements may significantly impair the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to pursue medical cannabis research or to otherwise cultivate, possess or distribute cannabis.

 

Regulatory Risk – Non-U.S. The companies in which the Fund invests are subject to various laws, regulations and guidelines relating to the manufacture, management, transportation, storage and disposal of cannabis, as well as being subject to laws and regulations relating to health and safety, the conduct of operations and the protection of the environment. Even if a company’s operations are permitted under current law, they may not be permitted in the future, in which case such company may not be in a position to carry on its operations in its current locations. Additionally, controlled substance legislation differs between countries and legislation in certain countries may restrict or limit the ability of certain companies in which the Fund invests to sell their products.

 

Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities risk is the risk that the value of equity securities, including common stocks, will fall. The value of an equity security may fall due to changes in general economic conditions that impact the market as a whole and that are relatively unrelated to an issuer or its industry. These conditions include changes in interest rates, specific periods of overall market turbulence or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline and cyclical change. An issuer’s common stock in particular may be especially sensitive to, and more adversely affected by, these general movements in the stock market; it is possible that a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks that a Fund holds. In addition, equity risk includes the risk that investor sentiment toward, and perceptions regarding, particular industries or economic sectors will become negative. Price changes of equity securities may occur in a particular region, industry, or sector of the market, and as a result, the value of an issuer’s common stock may fall solely because of factors, such as increases in production costs, that negatively impact other companies in the same industry or in a number of different industries. Equity securities risk also includes the financial risks of a specific company, including that the value of the company’s securities may fall as a result of factors directly relating to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services. In particular, the common stock of a company may decline significantly in price over short periods of time. For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of common stock; similarly, the common stock of an issuer may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer experiences a decline in its financial condition.

 

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Derivatives Risk. Derivatives may be riskier than other types of investments because they may be more sensitive to changes in economic market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund’s original investment. A derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends on, or is derived from, the value of a financial asset, a physical asset, or a market index. Many derivatives create leverage thereby causing the Fund to be more volatile than it would be if it had not invested in derivatives. Derivatives also expose the Fund to counterparty risk (the risk that the derivative counterparty will not fulfill its contractual obligations) and to credit risk. Additionally, derivatives may be subject to numerous special and complex tax rules, which could cause adverse tax consequences and impact the amount, timing or character of income distributed by the Fund. Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately negotiated transactions referred to as OTC derivatives. Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency which is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives. Each party to an OTC derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default. OTC derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for it. The Fund may enter into total return swaps, among other instruments, for purposes of attempting to gain exposure to a particular asset without actually purchasing that asset. Such swap arrangements are OTC derivatives that may also subject the Fund to the risk that the counterparty to the transaction may not meet its obligations.

 

Market Risk. Market risk is the risk that a particular security owned by the Fund or the Shares in general may fall in value, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest. Securities are subject to market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic, political, regulatory or market developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in securities prices, and changes in investors’ perceptions of the financial condition of an issuer or the general condition of the relevant stock market, such as the current market volatility. Overall security values could decline generally or could underperform other investments. In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. Such events may affect certain regions, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could also adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions to trading markets. Any of such circumstances could materially negatively impact the value of the Fund’s Shares and result in increased market volatility. During any such events, the Fund’s Shares may trade at an increased premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Growth Stocks Risk. Prices of growth stocks tend to be higher in relation to their companies’ earnings because of their growth potential because of their growth potential, which may or may not be realized. Growth stocks may also be more volatile than other stocks because they are more sensitive to investor perceptions regarding the growth potential of the issuing company. In addition, growth stocks typically invest a high portion of their earnings back into their business and may lack the dividend yield that could cushion their decline in a market downturn.

 

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Canada Risk. Because the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in companies that are domiciled in Canada, the Fund is particularly sensitive to political, economic and social conditions in that country. Canada is a major producer of metals. The Canadian economy is especially dependent on the demand for, and supply of, natural resources, and the Canadian market is relatively concentrated in issuers involved in the production and distribution of natural resources. Any adverse events that affect Canada’s major industries may have a negative impact on the overall Canadian economy and the shares of the Fund.

 

Health Care Companies Risk. Health care companies are subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be significantly affected by restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products and services, pricing pressure (including price discounting), limited product lines, and an increased emphasis on the delivery of healthcare through outpatient services. Health care companies are heavily dependent on obtaining and defending patents, which may be time consuming and costly, and the expiration of patents may also adversely affect the profitability of the companies. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. In addition, their products can become obsolete due to industry innovation, changes in technologies, or other market developments. Many new products in the health care field require significant research and development and may be subject to regulatory approvals, all of which may be time consuming and costly with no guarantee that any product will come to market.

 

Biotechnology Company Risk. A biotechnology company’s valuation can often be based largely on the potential or actual performance of a limited number of products and can accordingly be greatly affected if one of its products proves, among other things, unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Biotechnology companies are subject to regulation by, and the restrictions of, the FDA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state and local governments, and non-U.S. regulatory authorities.

 

Pharmaceutical Company Risk. Companies in the pharmaceutical industry can be significantly affected by, among other things, government approval of products and services, government regulation and reimbursement rates, product liability claims, patent expirations and protection of intense competition.

 

Non-Cannabis Related Business Risk. Many of the companies in which the Fund will invest are engaged in other lines of business unrelated to cannabis and these lines of business could adversely affect their operating results. The operating results of these companies may fluctuate as a result of these additional risks and events in the other lines of business. In addition, a company’s ability to engage in new activities may expose it to business risks with which it has less experience than it has with the business risks associated with its traditional businesses. Despite a company’s possible success in activities linked to its use of cannabis, there can be no assurance that the other lines of business in which these companies are engaged will not have an adverse effect on a company’s business or financial condition.

 

Non-U.S. Investment Risk. Securities issued by non-U.S. companies present risks beyond those of securities of U.S. issuers. Risks of investing in the securities of non-U.S. companies include: different accounting standards; expropriation, nationalization or other adverse political or economic developments; currency devaluation, blockages or transfer restrictions; changes in non-U.S. currency exchange rates; taxes; restrictions on non-U.S. investments and exchange of securities; and less government supervision and regulation of issuers in non-U.S. countries. Prices of non-U.S. securities also may be more volatile. Investments in securities denominated in other currencies could decline due to changes in local currency relative to the value of the U.S. dollar, which may affect the Fund’s returns.

 

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Currency Risk. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the Fund’s NAV could decline if a relevant non-U.S. currency depreciates against the U.S. dollar or if there are delays or limits on the repatriation of such currency. Currency exchange rates can be very volatile and can change quickly and unpredictably. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may change without warning, which could have a significant negative impact on the Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. ADRs are certificates that evidence ownership of shares of a non-U.S. issuer and are alternatives to purchasing directly the underlying non-U.S. securities in their national markets and currencies. GDRs are certificates issued by an international bank that generally are traded and denominated in the currencies of countries other than the home country of the issuer of the underlying shares. ADRs and GDRs may be subject to certain of the risks associated with direct investments in the securities of non-U.S. companies, such as currency, political, economic and market risks, because their values depend on the performance of the non-dollar denominated underlying non-U.S. securities. Certain countries may limit the ability to convert ADRs into the underlying non-U.S. securities and vice versa, which may cause the securities of the non-U.S. company to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the related ADR. ADRs may be purchased through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by a depositary and the issuer of the underlying security. A depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security. Unsponsored receipts may involve higher expenses and may be less liquid. Holders of unsponsored ADRs generally bear all the costs of such facilities, and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts in respect of the deposited securities. GDRs can involve currency risk since, unlike ADRs, they may not be U.S. dollar-denominated. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined in U.S. dollars, the NAV of the Fund could decline if the currency of the non-U.S. market in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the value of the Fund’s holdings, measured in the non-U.S. currency, increases.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market countries include, but are not limited to, those considered to be developing by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation or one of the leading global investment banks. The majority of these countries are likely to be located in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Central and Eastern Europe, and Africa. Investments in emerging market issuers are subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in issuers located or operating in more developed markets. This is due to, among other things, the potential for greater market volatility, lower trading volume, higher levels of inflation, political and economic instability, greater risk of a market shutdown and more governmental limitations on foreign investments in emerging market countries than are typically found in more developed markets. Moreover, emerging markets often have less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements, less reliable securities valuations and greater risks associated with custody of securities than developed markets. In addition, emerging markets often have greater risk of capital controls through such measures as taxes or interest rate control than developed markets. Certain emerging market countries may also lack the infrastructure necessary to attract large amounts of foreign trade and investment.

 

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REIT Risk. Adverse economic, business or political developments affecting real estate could have a major effect on the value of the Fund’s investments in REITs. Investing in REITs may subject the Fund to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, such as decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, increased competition and other risks related to local or general economic conditions, increases in operating costs and property taxes, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent and fluctuations in rental income. In addition, REITs are subject to the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally available to them under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and failing to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

International Closed Market Trading Risk. To the extent that the underlying securities held by the Fund trade on non-U.S. exchanges that may be closed when the Exchange is open, there are likely to be deviations between the current price of such an underlying security and the last quoted price for the underlying security. These deviations could result in premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV that may be greater than those experienced by other exchange-traded funds.

 

Management Risk. The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed. In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Sub-Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.

 

Securities Lending Risk. The Fund may engage in securities lending. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund were unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in readily marketable, high quality, short-term obligations. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Counterparty Risk. The Fund may invest in financial instruments involving counterparties that attempt to gain exposure to a particular securities without actually purchasing those securities. The Fund’s use of such financial instruments, including swap arrangements, involves risks that are different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. For example, if a swap agreement counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease. Additionally, the Fund may enter into swap agreements with a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. Similarly, if the credit quality of an issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument improves, this change may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investment.

 

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Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as authorized participants on an agency basis (i.e. on behalf of other market participants). To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant is able to step forward to create or redeem, in either of these cases, Fund shares may trade at a discount to the Funds net asset value and possibly face delisting.

 

Active Market Risk. Although the Shares are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or be maintained. Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above the Fund’s net asset value. Securities, including the Shares, are subject to market fluctuations and liquidity constraints that may be caused by such factors as economic, political, or regulatory developments, changes in interest rates, and/or perceived trends in securities prices. Shares of the Fund could decline in value or underperform other investments.

 

Below Net Asset Value Risk. The net asset value of Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in net asset value as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. The Fund cannot predict whether Shares will trade below (discount), at or above (premium) their net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value Risk. The Fund is generally subject to liquidity risk that may affect the market for Shares as compared to the underlying value of the Fund’s investments. The NAV of the Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s holdings. The market prices of Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the Exchange. The Fund cannot predict whether Shares will trade below, at or above their net asset value. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the holdings of the Fund trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time. If a shareholder purchases at a time when the market price is at a premium to the net asset value of the Shares, or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value of the Shares, the shareholder may sustain losses. However, given that Shares can only be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units, and only to and from broker-dealers and large institutional investors that have entered into participation agreements (unlike shares of closed-end funds, which frequently trade at appreciable discounts from, and sometimes at premiums to, their net asset value), the Fund believes that large discounts or premiums to the net asset value of Shares should not be sustained.

 

Market Maker Risk. If the Fund has lower average daily trading volumes, it may rely on a small number of third-party market makers to provide a market for the purchase and sale of Shares. Any trading halt or other problem relating to the trading activity of these market makers could result in a dramatic change in the spread between the Fund’s net asset value and the price at which the Shares are trading on the Exchange, which could result in a decrease in value of the Shares. In addition, decisions by market makers or authorized participants to reduce their role or step away from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying values of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This reduced effectiveness could result in Shares trading at a discount to net asset value and also in greater than normal intra-day bid-ask spreads for Shares.

 

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Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of its assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in Share price than would occur in a diversified fund. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively small number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

Smaller Companies Risk. Stock prices of small and/or mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile than those of larger companies and, therefore, a Fund’s share price may be more volatile than those of funds that invest a larger percentage of their assets in stocks issued by mid- or large-capitalization companies. Stock prices of small and/or mid-capitalization companies are generally more vulnerable than those of large-capitalization companies to adverse business and economic developments. Securities of small and/or mid-capitalization companies may be thinly traded, making it difficult for a Fund to buy and sell them. In addition, small and/or mid-capitalization companies are typically less financially stable than larger, more established companies and may depend on a small number of essential personnel, making these companies more vulnerable to experiencing adverse effects due to the loss of personnel. Small and/or mid-capitalization companies also normally have less diverse product lines than those of large-capitalization companies and are more susceptible to adverse developments concerning their products.

 

Cyber Security Risk. With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund, AP, service providers and the Exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through their service providers. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value. Unlike many other types of risks faced by the Fund, these risks typically are not covered by insurance. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber incidents include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber security failures by or breaches of the systems of the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, authorized participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyber attacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible or inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by a Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified and that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, the index providers, market makers or APs. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

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Operational Risk. The Fund is exposed to operational risks arising from a number of factors, including, but not limited to, human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate processes and technology or systems failures. The Fund, Adviser and Sub-Adviser seek to reduce these operational risks through controls and procedures. However, these measures do not address every possible risk and may be inadequate to address these risks.

 

Trading Issues Risk. Although the shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. 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. In addition, trading in shares on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. Market makers are under no obligation to make a market in the Fund’s shares, and authorized participants are not obligated to submit purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged. The Fund may have difficulty maintaining its listing on the Exchange in the event the Fund’s assets are small or the Fund does not have enough shareholders.

 

ADDITIONAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND

 

The following section provides additional risk information regarding investing in the Fund.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation may reduce the intrinsic value of increases in the value of the Fund. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the value of the Fund’s assets can decline as can the value of the Fund’s distributions.

 

Legislation and Litigation Risk. Legislation or litigation that affects the value of securities held by the Fund may reduce the value of the Fund. From time to time, various legislative initiatives are proposed that may have a negative impact on certain securities in which the Fund invests. In addition, litigation regarding any of the securities owned by the Fund may negatively impact the value of the Shares. Such legislation or litigation may cause the Fund to lose value or may result in higher portfolio turnover if the Adviser determines to sell such a holding.

 

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Security Issuer Risk. Issuer-specific attributes may cause a security held by the Fund to be more volatile than the market generally. The value of an individual security or particular type of security may be more volatile than the market as a whole and may perform differently from the value of the market as a whole.

 

 Portfolio Holdings

 

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the SAI, which is available at www.amplifyetfs.com.

 

Management of the Fund

 

FUND ORGANIZATION

 

The Fund is a series of the Trust, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund is treated as a separate fund with its own investment objective and policies. The Trust is organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The Board is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Trust. The Board elects the Trust’s officers and approves all significant agreements, including those with the Adviser, custodian and fund administrative and accounting agent.

 

Amplify Investments LLC is a registered investment adviser with its offices at 310 South Hale Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.

 

Penserra Capital Management LLC is a registered investment adviser with its offices at 4 Orinda Way, Suite 100-A, Orinda, California 94563.

 

Amplify Investments has overall responsibility for the selection of the Fund’s assets, managing the Fund’s business affairs and providing certain clerical, bookkeeping and other administrative services for the Trust. Penserra has responsibility for executing the Fund’s trades and continuously monitoring the Fund’s investments.

 

The members of the portfolio management team for the Fund are Timothy Seymour, Dustin Lewellyn, Ernesto Tong and Anand Desai.

 

Timothy J. Seymour. Mr. Seymour is a portfolio manager at Amplify Investments. Mr. Seymour has over 24 years of investment experience as a portfolio manager, allocator, and capital markets professional across multiple asset classes. Mr. Seymour has been an early stage investor in the cannabis industry and serves as a board member or in an advisory role for several private cannabis companies. Mr. Seymour is also a Senior Consultant to the JWAM Growth Fund, a cannabis hedge fund. In addition, Mr. Seymour is a frequent and long-time contributor on CNBC, including over a decade of appearances on the show “Fast Money.” Mr. Seymour is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management (“SAM”). SAM provides both asset management and wealth management services for its clients, including direct investment and allocation to private equity and alternative assets. Prior to SAM, Mr. Seymour was the Chief Investment Officer and co-founder of Triogem Asset Management (“Triogem”), where he helped run the firm’s flagship fund, a long/short fund with an emphasis on global emerging markets.

 

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Dustin Lewellyn, CFA. Mr. Lewellyn has extensive background in institutional investment process with a specific focus on ETF, such as the Fund.  Mr. Lewellyn was a portfolio manager at BGI (now part of Blackrock) and he managed a number of international equity funds.  Dustin also was head of ETF product management and product development at Northern Trust where he oversaw the build out and management of all areas of a new ETF business, including primary responsibility for the portfolio management process surrounding the ETFs.  Mr. Lewellyn also built and ran a new ETF business for Charles Schwab, including having primary responsibility for the technology and investment process to support portfolio management for the ETFs. Mr. Lewellyn started a consulting business with a focus on ETFs and helped numerous new ETF sponsors, as well as service providers, understand the resource requirements to participate in the industry utilizing current best practices.  Mr. Lewellyn holds a B.A. from University of Iowa and is a CFA Charterholder.  He also holds security licenses 7, 63, 66 and 24.

 

Ernesto Tong, CFA. Mr. Tong worked for Barclays Global Investors and Blackrock prior to joining the Sub-Adviser.  During his time at Blackrock, Mr. Tong spent two years as an Index Research Analyst and seven years as a portfolio manager for a number of funds. As an Index Research Analyst, he was responsible for performing independent research and analysis to incorporate into Portfolio Management and Trading strategies and also developing and launching new indices and investment products, particularly in Latin America.  As a portfolio manager, Ernesto managed $40 billion in global ETF assets and was responsible for all aspects of portfolio management across domestic and international portfolios.  Ernesto was also responsible for launching, managing, and driving the local Latin American ETF products for the portfolio management group, focusing on Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.  Ernesto holds a B.A. from the University of California, Davis and is a CFA Charterholder.  He holds security licenses 7 and 63.

 

Anand Desai. Prior to joining the Sub-Adviser in 2015, Mr. Desai was an officer at State Street, where he had roles in portfolio accounting and client operations.

 

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the compensation structure for the portfolio managers other accounts that the portfolio manager manages and the ownership of Shares by the portfolio managers.

 

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between Amplify Investments and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), the Fund has agreed to pay an annual management fee to Amplify Investments in an amount equal to 0.65% of its average daily net assets. This management fee is designed to pay the Fund’s expenses and to compensate Amplify Investments for the services it provides to the Fund.

 

Pursuant to a separate contractual arrangement, Amplify Investments has contracted, through March 1, 2022, to waive its fees and/or pay Fund expenses so that the Fund’s annual net operating expenses (excluding any Rule 12b-1 fees, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger, reorganization or proxy solicitation, litigation, and other extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 0.75%. Pursuant to its expense limitation agreement with the Fund, Amplify Investments is entitled to recoup any fees that it waived and/or Fund expenses that it paid for a period of three years following such fee waivers and/or expense payments. The Fund may only make such repayment to Amplify Investments if, after the recoupment payment has been taken into account, it does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio to exceed either the expense cap in place at the time the expenses were waived or the Fund’s current expense cap.

 

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Pursuant to an investment sub-advisory agreement between Amplify Investments, Penserra and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund (the “Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement”), Penserra receives an annual sub-advisory fee based on the Fund’s average daily net assets. Amplify Investments is responsible for paying the entire amount of Penserra’s fee for the Fund. The Fund does not directly pay Penserra.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement and Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement is available in the Fund’s Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

 

Manager of Managers Structure.  The Fund and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC to operate under a manager of managers structure that permits the Adviser, with the approval of the Board, to appoint and replace sub-advisers, enter into sub-advisory agreements, and materially amend and terminate sub-advisory agreements on behalf of the Fund without shareholder approval (the “Manager of Managers Structure”). Under the Manager of Managers Structure, the Adviser has ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, for overseeing the Fund’s sub-adviser(s) and recommending to the Board the hiring, termination, or replacement of any such sub-adviser(s) )—including Penserra, in its capacity as the Sub-Adviser. The exemptive order does not apply to any sub-adviser that is affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser.

 

The Manager of Managers Structure enables the Fund to operate with greater efficiency and without incurring the expense and delays associated with obtaining shareholder approvals for matters relating to sub-advisers or sub-advisory agreements. The Manager of Managers Structure does not permit an increase in the overall management and advisory fees payable by the Fund without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be notified of any changes made to sub-advisers or sub-advisory agreements within 90 days of the changes.

 

How to Buy and Sell Shares

 

The Fund issues or redeems its Shares at NAV per Share only in Creation Units. Most investors buy and sell Shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Shares are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly-traded shares. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may 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. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per Share. APs may acquire Shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per Share only in Creation Units or Creation Unit Aggregations, and in accordance with the procedures described in the SAI.

 

The Fund may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.

 

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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 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 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 stocks that you hold in book entry or “street name” form.

 

FUND SHARE TRADING PRICES

 

The trading prices of Shares on the Exchange may differ from the Fund’s daily NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of Shares.

 

FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS OF FUND SHARES

 

Shares may be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund only in Creation Units by APs that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The vast majority of trading in Shares occurs on the secondary market and does not involve the Fund directly. In-kind purchases and redemptions of Creation Units by APs and cash trades on the secondary market are unlikely to cause many of the harmful effects of frequent purchases and/or redemptions of Shares. Cash purchases and/or redemptions of Creation Units, however, can result in increased tracking error, disruption of portfolio management, dilution to the Fund and increased transaction costs, which could negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective, and may lead to the realization of capital gains. These consequences may increase as the frequency of cash purchases and redemptions of Creation Units by APs increases. However, direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that Shares trade at or close to NAV.

 

To minimize these potential consequences of frequent purchases and redemptions of Shares, the Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units to cover the custodial and other costs the Fund incurs in effecting trades. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to not accept orders from APs that the Adviser has determined may be disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise are not in the best interests of the Fund. For these reasons, the Board has not adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Shares.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

Ordinarily, dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by the Fund. The 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.

 

TAXES

 

This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning Shares of the Fund. This section is current as of the date of this prospectus. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.

 

This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Fund. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, counsel to the Fund was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to, the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be included in the Fund. This may not be sufficient for you to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.

 

As with any investment, you should seek advice based on your individual circumstances from your own tax advisor.

 

The Fund intends to continue to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the federal tax laws. If the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company and distributes its income as required by the tax law, the Fund generally will not pay federal income taxes.

 

Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

 

Your Fund makes distributions,

 

You sell your Shares listed on the Exchange, and

 

You purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

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TAXES ON DISTRIBUTIONS 

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable. After the end of each year, you will receive a tax statement that separates the distributions of the Fund into two categories, ordinary income distributions and capital gain dividends. Ordinary income distributions are generally taxed at your ordinary tax rate; however, as further discussed below, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at the capital gains tax rates. Generally, you will treat all capital gain dividends as long-term capital gains regardless of how long you have owned your Shares. To determine your actual tax liability for your capital gain dividends, you must calculate your total net capital gain or loss for the tax year after considering all of your other taxable transactions, as described below. In addition, the Fund may make distributions that represent a return of capital for tax purposes and thus will generally not be taxable to you; however, such distributions may reduce your tax basis in your Shares, which could result in you having to pay higher taxes in the future when Shares are sold, even if you sell the Shares at a loss from your original investment. The tax status of your distributions from the Fund is not affected by whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Shares or receive them in cash. The income from the Fund that you must take into account for federal income tax purposes is not reduced by amounts used to pay a deferred sales fee, if any. The tax laws may require you to treat distributions made to you in January as if you had received them on December 31 of the previous year.

 

Income from the Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to your net investment income if your adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.

 

A corporation that owns Shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received from the Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on Shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund from certain corporations may be reported by the Fund as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.

 

If you are an individual, the maximum marginal stated federal tax rate for net capital gain is generally 20% (15% or 0% for taxpayers with taxable incomes below certain thresholds). Some capital gains, including some portion of your capital gain dividends, may be taxed at a higher maximum stated tax rate. Capital gains may also be subject to the Medicare tax described above.

 

Net capital gain equals net long-term capital gain minus net short-term capital loss for the taxable year. Capital gain or loss is long-term if the holding period for the asset is more than one year and is short-term if the holding period for the asset is one year or less. You must exclude the date you purchase your Shares to determine your holding period. However, if you receive a capital gain dividend from the Fund and sell your Shares at a loss after holding it for six months or less, the loss will be recharacterized as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividend received. The tax rates for capital gains realized from assets held for one year or less are generally the same as for ordinary income. The Code treats certain capital gains as ordinary income in special situations. An election may be available to you to defer recognition of the gain attributable to a capital gain dividend if you make certain qualifying investments within a limited time. You should talk to your tax advisor about the availability of this deferral election and its requirements.

 

Ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Fund are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain (as discussed above), provided certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund itself. The Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distribution which may be taken into account as a dividend which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates.

 

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TAXES ON EXCHANGE-LISTED SHARE SALES

 

If you sell or redeem your Shares, you will generally recognize a taxable gain or loss. To determine the amount of this gain or loss, you must subtract your tax basis in your Shares from the amount you receive in the transaction. Your tax basis in your Shares is generally equal to the cost of your Shares, generally including sales charges. In some cases, however, you may have to adjust your tax basis after you purchase your Shares.

 

TAXES ON PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

If you exchange securities for Creation Units you will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and your aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the cash component paid. If you exchange Creation Units for securities, you will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between your basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the cash redemption amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

 

TREATMENT OF FUND EXPENSES

 

Expenses incurred and deducted by the Fund will generally not be treated as income taxable to you. In some cases, however, you may be required to treat your portion of these Fund expenses as income. You may not be able to take a deduction for some or all of these expenses, even if the cash you receive is reduced by such expenses.

 

BACKUP WITHHOLDING

 

The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) from dividends and capital gain distributions paid to Shareholders. Federal tax will be withheld if (1) the Shareholder fails to furnish the Fund with the Shareholder’s correct taxpayer identification number or social security number, (2) the IRS notifies the Shareholder or the Fund that the Shareholder has failed to report properly certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect, or (3) when required to do so, the Shareholder fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is 24%. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against the Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

 

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NON-U.S. TAX CREDIT

  

If the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities, the tax statement that you receive may include an item showing non-U.S. taxes the Fund paid to other countries. In this case, dividends taxed to you will include your share of the taxes the Fund paid to other countries. You may be able to deduct or receive a tax credit for your share of these taxes.

 

NON-U.S. INVESTORS

 

If you are a non-U.S. investor (i.e., an investor other than a U.S. citizen or resident or a U.S. corporation, partnership, estate or trust), you should be aware that, generally, subject to applicable tax treaties, distributions from the Fund will generally be characterized as dividends for federal income tax purposes (other than dividends which the Fund properly reports as capital gain dividends) and will be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, subject to certain exceptions described below. However, distributions received by a non-U.S. investor from the Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes, provided that the Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met. Distributions from the Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by the Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that the Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.

 

Distributions to, and gross proceeds from dispositions of shares by, (i) certain non-U.S. financial institutions that have not entered into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose certain information and are not resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury and (ii) certain other non-U.S. entities that do not provide certain certifications and information about the entity’s U.S. owners, may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax of 30%. However, proposed regulations may eliminate the requirement to withhold on payments of gross proceeds from dispositions.

 

It is the responsibility of the entity through which you hold your shares to determine the applicable withholding.

 

INVESTMENTS IN CERTAIN NON-U.S. CORPORATIONS

 

If the Fund holds an equity interest in any “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), which are generally certain non-U.S. corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. The Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, the Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, the Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax (described above). Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.

 

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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. You also may be subject to state and local taxes on Fund distributions and sales of Shares.

 

Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Shares under all applicable tax laws. See “Federal Tax Matters” in the statement of additional information for more information.

 

 Distribution Plan

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares.

 

The Board has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with its Rule 12b-1 plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year to reimburse the Distributor for amounts expended to finance activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units or the provision of investor services. The Distributor may also use this amount to compensate securities dealers or other persons that are APs for providing distribution assistance, including broker-dealer and shareholder support and educational and promotional services.

 

The Fund does not and has no current intention of paying 12b-1 fees. However, in the event 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.

 

Net Asset Value

 

The Fund’s NAV is determined as of the close of trading (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business. NAV is calculated by taking the market price of the Fund’s total assets, including interest or dividends accrued but not yet collected, less all liabilities, and dividing such amount by the total number of Shares outstanding. The result, rounded to the nearest cent, is the net asset value per Share. All valuations are subject to review by the Trust’s Board or its delegate.

 

The Fund’s investments are valued daily in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Board, and in accordance with provisions of the 1940 Act. Certain securities in which the Fund may invest are not listed on any securities exchange or board of trade. Such securities are typically bought and sold by institutional investors in individually negotiated private transactions that function in many respects like an over the counter secondary market, although typically no formal market makers exist. Certain securities, particularly debt securities, have few or no trades, or trade infrequently, and information regarding a specific security may not be widely available or may be incomplete. Accordingly, determinations of the fair value of debt securities may be based on infrequent and dated information. Because there is less reliable, objective data available, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation of debt securities than for other types of securities. Typically, debt securities are valued using information provided by a third-party pricing service. The third-party pricing service primarily uses broker quotes to value the securities.

 

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The Fund’s investments will be valued daily at market value or, in the absence of market value with respect to any investment, at fair value in accordance with valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the 1940 Act. Market value prices represent last sale or official closing prices from a national or non-U.S. exchange (i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from third-party pricing services.

 

Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board or its delegate at fair value. The use of fair value pricing by the Fund is governed by valuation procedures adopted by the Board and in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act. These securities generally include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”)) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of the Fund’s net asset value or make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s “fair value.” As a general principle, the current “fair value” of a security would appear to be the amount which the owner might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale. The use of fair value prices by the Fund generally results in the prices used by the Fund that may differ from current market quotations or official closing prices on the applicable exchange. A variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such securities. Valuing the Fund’s securities using fair value pricing will result in using prices for those securities that may differ from current market valuations. See the SAI for details.

 

Even when market quotations are available for portfolio securities, they may be stale or unreliable because the security is not traded frequently, trading on the security ceased before the close of the trading market or issuer-specific events occurred after the security ceased trading or because of the passage of time between the close of the market on which the security trades and the close of the Exchange and when the Fund calculates its NAV. Events that may cause the last market quotation to be unreliable include a merger or insolvency, events which affect a geographical area or an industry segment, such as political events or natural disasters, or market events, such as a significant movement in the U.S. market. Where market quotations are not readily available, including where the Adviser determines that the closing price of the security is unreliable, the Adviser will value the security at fair value in good faith using procedures approved by the Board. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that a fair value determination for a security is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

 

 Fund Service Providers

 

Cowen Execution Services, LLC, 599 Lexington Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10022, is the custodian for the Fund.

 

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Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.

 

Cohen & Company, Ltd., 342 North Water Street, Suite 830, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and is responsible for auditing the annual financial statements of the Fund.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, is the dividend disbursing, transfer agent, fund accountant and administrator of the Fund.

 

Premium/Discount Information

 

Information showing the number of days the market price of the Fund’s Shares was greater (at a premium) and less (at a discount) than the Fund’s NAV for the most recently completed calendar year, and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter), is available at www.amplifyetfs.com.

 

Other Information

 

INVESTMENTS BY OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including Shares. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund 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 Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund prior to exceeding the limits imposed by Section 12(d)(1). The SEC adopted Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act on November 19, 2020, which became effective January 19, 2021. Rule 12d1-4 allows the Fund, subject to certain conditions, to invest in other registered investment companies and other registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits contained in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. While the Fund may comply with Rule 12d1-4 prior to January 19, 2022, its exemptive relief is expected to be rescinded effective January 19, 2022. After January 19, 2022, the Fund will be required to comply with the conditions of Rule 12d1-4.

 

DELIVERY OF SHAREHOLDER DOCUMENTS—HOUSEHOLDING

 

Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of the prospectus and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you currently are enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.

 

37

 

  

Financial Highlights

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share of the Fund. The total return in the table represents the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) or an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been derived from the Fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with this information and additional Fund performance and portfolio information appears in the Fund’s Annual Report dated October 31, 2020.

 

   Year Ended
October 31,
2020
  

Period Ended
October 31,
2019
(a)

 
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period   $15.61   $24.71 
Income (Loss) from Investment Operations:          
Net Investment Income Loss(b)    0.31    (c)
Net Realized and Unrealized Loss(d)    (4.03)   (9.10)
Total from Investment Operations    (3.72)   (9.10)
           
Distributions to Shareholders          
Net Investment Income    (0.08)    
Total from Distributions    (0.08)    
           
Capital Share Transactions          
Transaction Fees    0.00(c)    
           
Net Asset Value, End of Period   $11.81   $15.61 
Total Return on Net Asset Value(e)    -24.94%   -37.28%(h)
           
Supplemental Data:          
Net Assets, End of Period (000’s)   $6,497   $5,465 
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (Before Advisory Fees Waived/Reimbursed & Securities Lending Credit)    5.61%   6.14%(f)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (After Advisory Fees Waived/Reimbursed)    2.22%   5.73%(f)
Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets (After Advisory Fees Waived/Reimbursed & Securities Lending Credit)    0.75%   0.75%(f)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets (Before Advisory Fees Waived)    -1.93%   6.14%(f)
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets (After Advisory Fees Waived)    2.93%   -0.10%(f)
Portfolio Turnover(g)    64%   23%(h)

 

(a)The Fund commenced operations on July 22, 2019.
(b)Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.
(c)Less than $0.005.
(d)Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in this caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net asset value per share for the period and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the statement of operations due to share transactions for the year.
(e)Total Return on Net Asset Value is based on the change in net asset value (“NAV”) of a share during the period and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions at NAV. Total Return on Net Asset Value is for the period indicated and has not been annualized. The return shown does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or redemption of fund shares.
(f)Annualized.
(g)Excludes the impact of in-kind transactions.
(h)Not Annualized.

 

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For More Information

For more detailed information on the Trust, Fund and Shares, you may request a copy of the Fund’s SAI. The SAI provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. This means that the SAI legally is a part of this prospectus. Additional information about the Fund’s investments also will be available in the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders, when available. In the Fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. If you have questions about the Fund or Shares or you wish to obtain the SAI, Annual Report and/or Semi-Annual Report, when available, free of charge, or to make shareholder inquiries, please:

Call: Amplify ETF Trust at 1-855-267-3837
  Monday through Friday
  8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time
Write: Amplify ETF Trust c/o Amplify Investments LLC
  310 South Hale Street
  Wheaton, Illinois 60187
Visit: www.amplifyetfs.com

 

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20549, and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.

 

No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations about the Fund or the Shares not contained in this prospectus, and you should not rely on any other information. Read and keep this prospectus for future reference.

 

Dealers effecting transactions in the Shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters.

 

The Trust’s registration number under the 1940 Act is 811-23108.

 

 

PROSPECTUS
ETF


Amplify Seymour
Cannabis ETF

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATED June 29, 2021

 

 


Amplify ETF Trust
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187



Phone: 1-855-267-3837
E-mail: info@amplifyetfs.com

 

 

 

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

AMPLIFY ETF trust
Investment Company Act File No. 811-23108

 

Fund Name Ticker Symbol Exchange
     
Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF CNBS NYSE Arca

 

Dated June 29, 2021

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the prospectus dated June 29, 2021, as it may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”), for the Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (the “Fund”), a series of the Amplify ETF Trust (the “Trust”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meanings as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by writing to the Trust’s distributor, Foreside Fund Services, LLC, at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101, or by calling toll free at 866-251-6920.

 

 

 

  

Table of Contents

 

General Description of the Trust and the Fund 1
   
Exchange Listing and Trading 4
   
Investment Objective and Policies 5
   
Investment Strategies 7
   
Investment Risks 14
   
Management of the Fund 19
   
Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities 25
   
Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers 26
   
Brokerage Allocations 34
   
Additional Information 36
   
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures 38
   
Creation and Redemption of Creation Units 39
   
Regular Holidays 48
   
Federal Tax Matters 48
   
Determination of Net Asset Value 54
   
Dividends and Distributions 56
   
Miscellaneous Information 56
   
Performance Information 56
   
Financial Statements 56
   
Exhibit A - Proxy Voting Guidelines A-1
   
Exhibit B – Principal Holders Table B-1

  

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General Description of the Trust and the Fund

 

The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on January 6, 2015 and is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares in one or more series. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Trust currently offers shares in twelve separate series, including the Fund, a non-diversified series.

 

This SAI relates to the Fund. The Fund, as a series of the Trust, represents a beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, with its own objective and policies.

 

The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees” or the “Trustees”) has the right to establish additional series in the future, to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof and to modify such preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges without shareholder approval. Shares of any series may also be divided into one or more classes at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

The Trust or any series or class thereof may be terminated at any time by the Board of Trustees upon written notice to the shareholders.

 

Each share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all series of the Trust vote together as a single class except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or if the matter being voted on affects only a particular series; and, if a matter affects a particular series differently from other series, the shares of that series will vote separately on such matter. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) requires a shareholder vote only on those matters where the 1940 Act requires a vote of shareholders and otherwise permits the Trustees to take actions without seeking the consent of shareholders. For example, the Declaration gives the Trustees broad authority to approve reorganizations between the Fund and another entity, such as another exchange-traded fund, or the sale of all or substantially all of the Fund’s assets, or the termination of the Trust or the Fund without shareholder approval if the 1940 Act would not require such approval.

 

The Declaration provides that by becoming a shareholder of the Fund, each shareholder shall be expressly held to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Declaration and to any By-laws adopted by the Fund. The provisions of the Declaration state that shareholders have no rights, privileges, claims or remedies under any contract or agreement entered into by the Trust or the Fund with any service provider or other agent to or contractor with the Trust or the Fund including, without limitation, any third party beneficiary rights. In addition, under the Declaration, shareholders do not have appraisal rights with respect to their shares and, except as the Trustees may determine from time to time, shall have no right to acquire, purchase or subscribe for any shares or securities of the Fund that it may issue or sell, or have any preference, preemptive, conversion or exchange rights. The provisions of the Declaration, any By-laws of the Fund and any contract or agreement entered into by the Trust or the Fund governed by applicable state law do not affect the rights of any shareholder under any provision of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), or the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of the Securities Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

 

 

  

The Declaration may, except in limited circumstances, be amended by the Trustees in any respect without a shareholder vote. The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish the number of Trustees and that vacancies on the Board of Trustees may be filled by the remaining Trustees, except when election of Trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Declaration also provides that Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the voting power of the Trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees.

 

The holders of Fund shares are required to disclose information on direct or indirect ownership of Fund shares as may be required to comply with various laws applicable to the Fund or as the Trustees may determine, and ownership of Fund shares may be disclosed by the Fund if so required by law or regulation. In addition, pursuant to the Declaration, the Trustees may, in their discretion, require the Trust to redeem shares held by any shareholder for any reason under terms set by the Trustees.

 

The Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders, and provides that actions that are derivative in nature may not be brought directly, in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction and other harm that can be caused to the Fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder claims, demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand must first be made on the Trustees. The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the Trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the Fund, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholder may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholder is able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the Fund. In making such a determination, a Trustee is not considered to have a personal financial interest by virtue of being compensated for his or her services as a Trustee.

 

If a demand is rejected as set forth above, the complaining shareholder will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Fund in connection with the consideration of the demand under a number of circumstances. In addition, if a court determines that a derivative action was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose, or if a derivative or direct action is dismissed on the basis of a failure to comply with the procedural provisions relating to shareholder actions as set forth in the Declaration, or if a direct action is dismissed by a court for failure to state a claim, the shareholder bringing the action may be responsible for the Fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

 

- 2 -

 

  

The provisions of the Declaration provide that any direct or derivative action commenced by a shareholder must be brought only in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Boston Division) or if any such action may not be brought in that court, then in the Business Litigation Session of Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts (the “Chosen Courts”). Except as prohibited by applicable law, if a shareholder commences an applicable action in a court other than a Chosen Court, then such shareholder may be obligated to reimburse the Fund and any applicable Trustee or officer of the Fund made party to such proceeding for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any successful motion to dismiss, stay or transfer of the action. The Declaration also provides that any shareholder bringing an action against the Fund waives the right to trial by jury to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

The Declaration provides that no provision of the Declaration may require a waiver of compliance with any provision of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. The provisions of the Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees determine, with the advice of counsel, that any such provision, in whole or in part, conflict with applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provisions, or part or parts thereof, will be deemed to be not part of the Declaration (provided, that any such determination will not render any of the remaining provisions invalid or improper).

 

The Trust is not required to and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders.

 

Under Massachusetts law applicable to Massachusetts business trusts, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of this disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees. The Declaration further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Trust for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust or the Fund itself was unable to meet its obligations.

 

The Declaration further provides that a Trustee acting in his or her capacity as Trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the Trust or its series in connection with the affairs of the Trust or for any act, omission, or obligation of the Trust. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available. The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the Board of Trustees or of a committee of the Board of Trustees, lead independent Trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

 

- 3 -

 

  

The Fund is advised by Amplify Investments LLC (the “Adviser” or “Amplify Investments”). Penserra Capital Management LLC (“Penserra” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as investment sub-adviser to the Fund.

 

The shares of the Fund list and principally trade on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”). The shares will trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above net asset value (“NAV”). ETFs, such as The Fund, do not sell or redeem individual shares of the Fund. Instead, The Fund offer, issue and redeem shares at NAV only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (each a “Creation Unit”). Financial entities known as “authorized participants” (which are discussed in greater detail below) have contractual arrangements with the Fund or the Distributor to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units in exchange for the securities comprising the Fund and/or cash, or some combination thereof. Shares of the Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above, or below the Fund’s NAV. Shares are only redeemable in Creation Units by authorized participants. Creation Units are typically a specified number of shares, generally 25,000 or multiples thereof, except in the event of the liquidation of the Fund, where the Trust may lower the number of Shares in a Creation Unit. An authorized participant that purchases a Creation Unit of Fund shares deposits with the Fund a “basket” of securities and other assets identified by the Fund that day, and then receives the Creation Unit of Fund shares in return for those assets. The redemption process is the reverse of the purchase process: the authorized participant redeems a Creation Unit of Fund shares for a basket of securities and other assets. The basket is generally representative of the Fund’s portfolio, and together with a cash balancing amount, it is equal to the NAV of the Fund shares comprising the Creation Unit. Pursuant to Rule 6c-11 of the 1940 Act, the Fund may utilize baskets that are not representative of the Fund’s portfolio. Such “custom baskets” are discussed in the section entitled “Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units.” Transaction fees and other costs associated with creations or redemptions that include cash may be higher than the transaction fees and other costs associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. In all cases, conditions with respect to creations and redemptions of shares and fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of SEC rules and regulations applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading

 

There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning at the commencement of trading of the Fund, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (ii) if applicable, the value of the Fund’s Index (as detailed and defined below) is no longer calculated or available; or (iii) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of the Exchange makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. The Exchange will remove the shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund.

 

As in the case of other stocks traded on the Exchange, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

- 4 -

 

  

The Fund reserves the right to adjust the price levels of shares in the future to help 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 Fund.

 

The Fund is required by the Exchange to comply with certain listing standards (which includes certain investment parameters) in order to maintain its listing on the Exchange. Compliance with these listing standards may compel the Fund to sell securities at an inopportune time or for a price other than the security’s then-current market value. The sale of securities in such circumstances could limit the Fund’s profit or require the Fund to incur a loss, and as a result, the Fund’s performance could be impacted.

 

Investment Objective and Policies

 

The Prospectus describes the investment objective and certain policies of the Fund. The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectus concerning the investment objective and policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund is subject to the following fundamental policies, which may not be changed without approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund:

 

(1)        The Fund may not issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

(2)        The Fund may not borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

 

(3)        The Fund will not underwrite the securities of other issuers except to the extent the Fund may be considered an underwriter under the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

 

(4)        The Fund will not purchase or sell real estate or interests therein, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prohibit the Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or of issuers engaged in real estate activities).

 

(5)        The Fund may not make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and exemptive orders granted thereunder.

 

(6)        The Fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options, futures contracts, forward contracts or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(7)        The Fund will not concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in any industry or group of industries, as the term “concentrate” is used in the 1940 Act, except that the Fund will concentrate in the securities of issuers in the cannabis industry. This restriction does not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, or securities of other investment companies.

 

- 5 -

 

  

For purposes of applying restriction (1) above, under the 1940 Act as currently in effect, the Fund is not permitted to issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from any bank if immediately after such borrowing the value of the Fund’s total assets is at least 300% of the principal amount of all of the Fund’s borrowings (i.e., the principal amount of the borrowings may not exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300% the Fund shall, within three days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowings shall be at least 300%. The fundamental investment limitations set forth above limit the Fund’s ability to engage in certain investment practices and purchase securities or other instruments to the extent permitted by, or consistent with, applicable law. As such, these limitations will change as the statute, rules, regulations or orders (or, if applicable, interpretations) change, and no shareholder vote will be required or sought.

 

Except for restriction (2), if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase in percentage resulting from a change in market value of the investment or the total assets will not constitute a violation of that restriction. With respect to restriction (2), if the limitations are exceeded as a result of a change in market value then the Fund will reduce the amount of borrowings within three days thereafter to the extent necessary to comply with the limitations (not including Sundays and holidays).

 

For purposes of applying restriction (5) above, the Fund may not make loans to other persons, except through (i) the purchase of debt securities permissible under the Fund’s investment policies, (ii) repurchase agreements, or (iii) the lending of portfolio securities, provided that no such loan of portfolio securities may be made by the Fund if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets.

 

For the purposes of applying restriction (7) above, the Fund will consider an issuer to be in the cannabis industry if and to the extent that such issuer derives 50% or more of its revenue from cannabis and hemp related activities. In addition, for the purposes of applying restriction (7) above, the Fund shall not apply to or limit the Fund’s counterparties in total return swap transactions.

 

The foregoing fundamental policies of the Fund may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The 1940 Act defines a majority vote as the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting securities represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding securities are represented; or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities. With respect to the submission of a change in an investment policy to the holders of outstanding voting securities of the Fund, such matter shall be deemed to have been effectively acted upon with respect to the Fund if a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund vote for the approval of such matter, notwithstanding that such matter has not been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of any other series of the Trust affected by such matter.

 

In addition to the foregoing fundamental policies, the Fund is also subject to strategies and policies discussed herein which, unless otherwise noted, are non-fundamental policies and may be changed by the Board of Trustees.

 

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Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest principally in equity securities. Fund shareholders are entitled to 60 days’ notice prior to any change in this non-fundamental investment policy.

 

Principal Investment Restrictions

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in securities of companies that derive 50% or more of their revenue from the cannabis and hemp ecosystem. The Fund shareholders are entitled to 60 days’ notice prior to any change in this non-fundamental investment policy. The Fund may also invest up to 60% of the notional value of the Fund in derivative instruments, intended to provide exposure to companies principally engaged in the cannabis and hemp ecosystem. Such derivative instruments may include, but are not limited to, total return swaps.

 

The Fund will not hold direct ownership in any company that grows, produces, distributes or sells cannabis or products derived from cannabis in a country, state, province or other political subdivision where those activities are illegal under applicable law. Companies eligible for direct investment by the Fund do not currently include companies that grow, produce, distribute or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis inside the U.S., regardless of whether such company is listed on a U.S. exchange or an exchange in a country where such cannabis-related activities are legal. Additionally, the Fund will not directly invest in companies that grow, produce, distribute or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis both in a country where its activities are entirely legal and in the U.S. where its activities are legal under both state and local law, but not under U.S. federal law. The Fund will directly invest in companies that only supply products and/or perform activities that are legal under applicable national, state, provincial and local laws, including U.S. federal, state and local laws. However, these companies may supply products and perform activities in the U.S. to companies that grow, produce, distribute or sell cannabis or products derived from cannabis in a manner that is legal under state and local law, but not under U.S. federal law. Companies with a presence in the U.S. may engage in pharmaceutical activities and/or grow, produce, distribute or sell hemp or products derived from hemp only if such activities are properly licensed and legal under the applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, and are otherwise in conformity with the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018.

 

The Fund may invest in companies whose securities are listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”), but only after an additional review conducted by the Adviser, due to the CSE’s policy of listing companies whose activities in the U.S. are contrary to U.S. federal law. The Adviser will conduct such additional review as set forth in the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures with respect to investments in cannabis-related companies.

 

If after the Fund acquires a company’s securities the Adviser identifies or becomes aware that the company no longer meets its eligibility requirements, the Fund will use its best efforts to remove the position in a prudent and expedited manner.

 

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Types of Investments

  

Common Stocks. Common stock represents an ownership position in a company. Common stock may or may not pay dividends and may or may not carry voting rights. Common stock occupies the most junior position in a company’s capital structure. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity.

 

Depositary Receipts. The Fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers in the form of sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”),Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) (collectively “Depositary Receipts”). ADRs are Depositary Receipts normally issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. corporation. EDRs and GDRs are typically issued by non-U.S. banks or trust companies, although they also may be issued by U.S. banks or trust companies, and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by either a non-U.S. or a U.S. corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market. Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. Ownership of unsponsored Depositary Receipts may not entitle the Fund to financial or other reports from the issuer of the underlying security, to which it would be entitled as the owner of sponsored Depositary Receipts. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States; therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.

 

Equities. The Fund may invest in equity securities. Equity securities represent an ownership position in a company. The prices of equity securities fluctuate based on, among other things, events specific to their issuers and market, economic, and other conditions. Equity securities in which the Fund invests include common stocks. Common stocks include the common stock of any class or series of a domestic or foreign corporation or any similar equity interest, such as a trust or partnership interest. These investments may or may not pay dividends and may or may not carry voting rights. Common stock occupies the most junior position in a company’s capital structure. Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity.

 

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Illiquid Securities. The Fund may invest in illiquid securities (any investment 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 asset). For purposes of this restriction, illiquid securities may include, but are not limited to, certain restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws), securities that may only be resold pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act but that are deemed to be illiquid; and repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days. However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid securities if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. The Adviser and/or applicable Sub-Adviser, subject to oversight by the Board of Trustees, has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation under the Fund’s liquidity risk management program, adopted pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act.

 

Non-U.S. Securities. The Fund may have exposure to non-U.S. securities. Non-U.S. securities include securities issued or guaranteed by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States (including emerging markets), securities issued or guaranteed by foreign, national, provincial, state, municipal or other governments with taxing authority or by their agencies or instrumentalities and debt obligations of supranational governmental entities such as the World Bank or European Union. Foreign securities may also include U.S. dollar-denominated debt obligations, such as “Yankee Dollar” obligations, of non-U.S. issuers and of supra-national government entities. Yankee Dollar obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign corporations, banks and governments. Foreign securities also may be traded on foreign securities exchanges or in over-the-counter (“OTC”) capital markets.

 

Certain of the Fund’s investment in foreign securities may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. To the extent the Fund invests in such instruments, the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars will be affected by changes in exchange rates. Generally, the Fund’s currency exchange transactions will be conducted on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the currency exchange market. The cost of the Fund’s currency exchange transactions will generally be the difference between the bid and offer spot rate of the currency being purchased or sold. In order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future currency exchange rates, the Fund is authorized to enter into various currency exchange transactions.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts. The Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), which are typically publicly traded corporations or trusts that invest in residential or commercial real estate. A REIT is a corporation or business trust (that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation) which meets the definitional requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The Internal Revenue Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct from taxable income the dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level federal income tax and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for federal income tax purposes. REITs can generally be divided into the following three types: (i) equity REITs which invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents and capital gains or real estate appreciation; (ii) mortgage REITs which invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgage loans and derive their income primarily from interest payments; and (iii) hybrid REITs which combine the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs.

 

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Securities Lending. The Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of its total assets to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In a portfolio securities lending transaction, the Fund receives from the borrower an amount equal to the interest paid or the dividends declared on the loaned securities during the term of the loan as well as the interest on the collateral securities, less any fees (such as finders or administrative fees) the Fund pays in arranging the loan. The Fund may share the interest it receives on the collateral securities with the borrower. The terms of the Fund’s loans permit the Fund to reacquire loaned securities on five business days’ notice or in time to vote on any important matter. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or borrower at any time, and the borrowed securities must be returned when the loan is terminated. The Fund may pay fees to arrange for securities loans.

 

The SEC currently requires that the following conditions must be met whenever the Fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (1) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral from the borrower; (2) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (5) the Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees approved by the Board in connection with the loan; (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, the Board must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, and (7) the Fund may not loan its portfolio securities so that the value of the loaned securities is more than one-third of its total asset value, including collateral received from such loans. These conditions may be subject to future modification. Such loans will be terminable at any time upon specified notice. The Fund might experience the risk of loss if the institution with which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the Fund. In addition, the Fund will not enter into any portfolio security lending arrangement having a duration of longer than one year. The principal risk of portfolio lending is potential default or insolvency of the borrower. In either of these cases, the Fund could experience delays in recovering securities or collateral or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities. As part of participating in a lending program, the Fund may be required to invest in collateralized debt or other securities that bear the risk of loss of principal. In addition, all investments made with the collateral received are subject to the risks associated with such investments. If such investments lose value, the Fund will have to cover the loss when repaying the collateral.

 

Any loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily. Any securities that the Fund may receive as collateral will not become part of the Fund’s investment portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which the Fund is permitted to invest. During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any accrued income on those securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn income or receive an agreed-upon fee from a borrower that has delivered cash-equivalent collateral.

 

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Securities of Other Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law. Under the 1940 Act, a fund’s investment in investment companies is limited to, subject to certain exceptions, (i) 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company, and (iii) 10% of the fund’s total assets with the respect to investment companies in the aggregate. Other investment companies in which The Fund invest can be expected to incur fees and expenses for operations, such as investment advisory and administration fees, which would be in addition to those incurred by the Fund. The SEC adopted Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act on November 19, 2020, which became effective January 19, 2021. Rule 12d1-4 allows, subject to certain conditions, the Fund to invest in other registered investment companies beyond the limits contained in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. While the Fund may comply with Rule 12d1-4 prior to January 19, 2022, its exemptive relief is expected to be rescinded effective January 19, 2022. After this date, it is expected that the Fund will be required to comply with the conditions of Rule 12d1-4 to the extent it invests in registered investment companies beyond the limits prescribed in Section 12(d)(1).

 

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. The Fund may invest on a limited basis in securities of special purpose acquisition companies (each a “SPAC” and collectively, “SPACs”). A SPAC is a special purpose company whose business plan is to raise capital in an initial public offering (“IPO”) and, within a specific period of time, engage in a merger or acquisition with one or more unidentified companies.  SPACs are formed by sponsors who believe that their experience, reputations and/or contacts will allow them to identify and complete a business combination transaction with one or more target businesses that will ultimately be a successful public company. Some SPACs focus on acquiring a target in a particular industry while others may pursue a business combination transaction in any business, industry or geographic location, including outside of the United States.  The Fund may, from time to time, seek investments in SPACs with a stated purpose of targeting companies principally engaged in the cannabis and hemp ecosystem, consistent with the Fund’s investment strategy.  

 

In a SPAC’s IPO, the SPAC typically offers units comprised of a share of common stock and a warrant to purchase a share or less of common stock that is exercisable, with a strike price higher than the offering price of the unit, if the SPAC completes a business combination transaction. Generally, the units offered in a SPAC’s IPO are listed on a national securities exchange and the common stock and warrants comprising the units are listed and trade separately shortly after the IPO.    Because SPACs have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. There is no guarantee that the SPACs in which the Fund may invest will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable. Public stockholders of SPACs may not be afforded a meaningful opportunity to vote on a proposed initial business combination because certain stockholders, including stockholders affiliated with the management of the SPAC, may have sufficient voting power, and a financial incentive, to approve such a transaction without support from public stockholders. As a result, a SPAC may complete a business combination even though a majority of its public stockholders do not support such a combination. SPACs in which the Fund may invest pursue acquisitions only within a certain industry or industries, which may increase the volatility of their prices.

 

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Swap Agreements. The Fund may enter into swap agreements, including, but not limited to, total return swaps. The Fund may utilize swap agreements in an attempt to gain exposure to the securities in a market without actually purchasing those securities, or to hedge a position. 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.

 

The Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by segregating assets determined to be liquid. 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 which may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s illiquid investment limitations. The Fund will not enter into any swap agreement unless the Adviser believes that the other party to the transaction is creditworthy. The 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 counterparty.

 

The Fund may enter into swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. The counterparty to any swap agreement will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker-dealer. The counterparty 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, plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty 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 the 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.

 

Swap agreements typically are settled on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap agreement or periodically during its term. Other swap agreements, may require initial premium (discount) payments as well as periodic payments (receipts) related to the interest leg of the swap or to the default of a reference obligation.

 

Swap agreements do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to swap agreements is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If a swap counterparty defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments 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 each equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid assets, having an aggregate NAV at least equal to such accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the Fund’s custodian. Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash of liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, the Fund and the Adviser believe that these transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.

 

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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, which are traded in the OTC market. The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of Fund transactions in swap agreements.

 

The use of swap agreements is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If a counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of the swap would likely decline. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the Fund could eliminate its exposure under an outstanding swap agreement by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same or another party.

 

Short-Term Instruments and Temporary Investments. The Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity, in connection with collateral received by the Fund in its securities lending activities, or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include, but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, fixed-time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and non-U.S. banks (including non-U.S. branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated, at the date of purchase, “Prime-1” by Moody’s® Investors Service, Inc., “F-1” by Fitch Ratings, Inc., or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s® Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global, Inc., or if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; (vi) repurchase agreements; and (vii) short-term U.S. dollar denominated obligations of non-U.S. banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks that may be purchased by the Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or forward-settled basis. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

 

CFTC Regulation – Commodity Pool Exclusion and Registration

 

The 2010 enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act resulted in historic and comprehensive statutory reform of derivatives, including swaps, futures and forward contracts, and the manner in which they are designed, negotiated, reported, executed, settled (or “cleared”) and regulated. Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act creates a framework for the regulation of OTC derivatives, such as swaps. In particular, it makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market and grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants. The legislation and the related regulations developed by the CFTC, SEC, and other federal regulators that have been and may be promulgated in the future may negatively impact the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective either through investment limits or requirements imposed on it or any of its counterparties. In particular, capital requirements and requirements related to the mandatory clearing of OTC derivatives transactions have impacted and may continue to impact the costs to the Fund of trading these instruments and, as a result, may affect returns to investors in the Fund.

 

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In February 2012, the CFTC announced substantial amendments to the exclusion in its Regulation 4.5 for registered investment companies from registration as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”). Under these amendments, if the Fund use commodity interests (such as CFTC-regulated futures, options on futures and swaps) other than for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined by the CFTC) and seeks to claim the Regulation 4.5 exclusion from registration, the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish these positions (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions and excluding the amount by which options are “in-the-money” at the time of purchase) may not exceed 5% of such fund’s NAV. Alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of these positions, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 100% of such fund’s NAV (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). The Fund intends to comply with the requirements enumerated above to be excluded from registration as a CPO.

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund buys and sells portfolio securities in the normal course of its investment activities. The proportion of the Fund’s investment portfolio that is bought and sold during a year is known as the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate. A turnover rate of 100% would occur, for example, if the Fund bought and sold securities valued at 100% of its net assets within one year. A high portfolio turnover rate could result in the payment by the Fund of increased brokerage costs, expenses and taxes. Significant variations in portfolio turnover from year-to-year are generally the result of fluctuations in the size of a Fund or changes to the Fund’s portfolio holdings. During the fiscal period ended October 31, 2019, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio. During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 64% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Investment Risks

 

Overview

 

An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks that an investment in the Fund shares entails, including the risk that the financial condition of the issuers of the equity securities or the general condition of the securities market may worsen and the value of the securities and therefore the value of the Fund may decline. The Fund may not be an appropriate investment for those who are unable or unwilling to assume the risks involved generally with such an investment. The past market and earnings performance of any of the securities included in the Fund is not predictive of their future performance.

 

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Borrowing and Leverage Risk

  

When the Fund borrows money, it must pay interest and other fees, which will reduce the Fund’s returns if such costs exceed the returns on the portfolio securities purchased or retained with such borrowings. Any such borrowings are intended to be temporary. However, under certain market conditions, including periods of low demand or decreased liquidity, such borrowings might be outstanding for longer periods of time. As prescribed by the 1940 Act, the Fund will be required to maintain specified asset coverage of at least 300% with respect to any bank borrowing immediately following such borrowing. The Fund may be required to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms if market fluctuations or other factors reduce the Fund’s asset coverage to less than the prescribed amount.

 

Common Stocks Risk

 

Common stocks are especially susceptible to general market movements and to volatile increases and decreases of value as market confidence in and perceptions of the issuers change. These perceptions are based on unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic or banking crises. Amplify Investments cannot predict the direction or scope of any of these factors. Shareholders of common stocks have rights to receive payments from the issuers of those common stocks that are generally subordinate to those of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks of, such issuers.

 

Shareholders of common stocks of the type held by the Fund have a right to receive dividends only when and if, and in the amounts, declared by the issuer’s board of directors and have a right to participate in amounts available for distribution by the issuer only after all other claims on the issuer have been paid. Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer and, therefore, do not offer any assurance of income or provide the same degree of protection of capital as do debt securities. The issuance of additional debt securities or preferred stock will create prior claims for payment of principal, interest and dividends which could adversely affect the ability and inclination of the issuer to declare or pay dividends on its common stock or the rights of holders of common stock with respect to assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy. The value of common stocks is subject to market fluctuations for as long as the common stocks remain outstanding, and thus the value of the equity securities in the Fund will fluctuate over the life of the Fund and may be more or less than the price at which they were purchased by the Fund. The equity securities held in the Fund may appreciate or depreciate in value (or pay dividends) depending on the full range of economic and market influences affecting these securities, including the impact of the Fund’s purchase and sale of the equity securities and other factors.

 

Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the entity, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Cumulative preferred stock dividends must be paid before common stock dividends and any cumulative preferred stock dividend omitted is added to future dividends payable to the holders of cumulative preferred stock. Preferred stockholders are also generally entitled to rights on liquidation, which are senior to those of common stockholders.

 

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Cyber Security Risk

 

As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent in the course of business, The Fund have become more susceptible to potential operational risks through breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. Such events could cause the Fund to incur regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures and/or financial loss. Cyber security breaches may involve unauthorized access to the Fund’s digital information systems through “hacking” or malicious software coding, but may also result from outside attacks such as denial-of-service attacks through efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users. In addition, cyber security breaches of the Fund’s third party service providers, such as its administrator, transfer agent, custodian, or sub-adviser, as applicable, or issuers in which the Fund invests, can also subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security breaches. The Fund has established risk management systems designed to reduce the risks associated with cyber security. However, there is no guarantee that such efforts will succeed, especially because the Fund does not directly control the cyber security systems of issuers or third party service providers.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk

 

Investing in Depositary Receipts involves the same risks as direct investments in non-U.S. securities. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain Depositary Receipts are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications or pass through any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities to the holders of such receipts. The Fund may therefore receive less timely information or have less control than if it invested directly in the non-U.S. issuer.

 

Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company Risk

 

If, in any year, the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the applicable tax laws, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation. In such circumstances, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment. If the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company, distributions to the Fund’s shareholders generally would be eligible for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders.

 

Initial Public Offering Risk

 

The Fund may, on a limited basis, participate in IPOs. The market value of IPO shares may fluctuate considerably and is often subject to speculative trading due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, a smaller number of shares available for trading and limited information available about the issuer, its business model, the quality of management, earnings growth potential and other criteria used to evaluate its investment prospects. Such stocks may have exhibited price appreciation in connection with the IPO that is not sustained, and it is not uncommon for stocks to decline in value in the period following the IPO. Additionally, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods of time. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain allocable portions of IPO shares. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Investors in IPO shares can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.

 

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Legal and Litigation Risk

 

In certain frontier and emerging markets, fraud and corruption may be more prevalent than in developed market countries. Securities and issuers that the Fund may invest in are exposed to these risks, which could have a negative impact on a security’s value. It may be difficult for the Fund to obtain or enforce judgments against parties located outside of the U.S. It may be difficult or impossible to obtain or enforce remedies against non-U.S. governments, their agencies, quasi-sovereign entities, other non-U.S. issuers or counterparties.

 

Listing Standards Risk

 

The Fund is required by the Exchange to comply with certain listing standards (which includes certain investment parameters) in order to maintain its listing on the Exchange. Compliance with these listing standards may compel the Fund to sell securities at an inopportune time or for a price other than the security’s then-current market value. The sale of securities in such circumstances could limit the Fund’s profit or require the Fund to incur a loss, and as a result, the Fund’s performance could be impacted.

 

Market Events Risk

 

Turbulence in the economic, political and financial system has historically resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the capital markets. Both domestic and non-U.S. capital markets have been experiencing increased volatility and turmoil, with issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets particularly affected, and it is uncertain whether or for how long these conditions could continue. Reduced liquidity in equity, credit and fixed-income markets may adversely affect many issuers worldwide. This reduced liquidity may result in less money being available to purchase raw materials, goods and services from emerging markets, which may, in turn, bring down the prices of these economic staples. It may also result in small or emerging market issuers having more difficulty obtaining financing, which may, in turn, cause a decline in their security prices. These events and possible continued market turbulence may have an adverse effect on the Fund.

 

In addition, local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, spread of infectious diseases or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its investments. Such events may affect certain geographic regions, countries, sectors and industries more significantly than others. Such events could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other instruments and could result in disruptions in the trading markets. Any of such circumstances could have a materially negative impact on the value of the Fund’s Shares and result in increased market volatility. During any such events, the Fund’s Shares may trade at increased premiums or discounts to their NAV.

 

- 17 -

 

  

Health crises caused by the outbreak of infectious diseases or other public health issues, may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, economic, market and financial risks. The impact of any such events, could negatively affect the global economy, as well as the economies of individual countries or regions, the financial performance of individual companies, sectors and industries, and the markets in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Any such impact could adversely affect the prices and liquidity of the securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests and negatively impact the Fund’s investment return.

 

For example, an outbreak of a respiratory disease designated as COVID-19 was first detected in China in December 2019 and subsequently spread internationally. The transmission of COVID-19 and efforts to contain its spread have resulted in international, national and local border closings and other significant travel restrictions and disruptions, significant disruptions to business operations, supply chains and customer activity, event cancellations and restrictions, service cancellations, reductions and other changes, significant challenges in healthcare service preparation and delivery, and quarantines, as well as general concern and uncertainty that has negatively affected the economic environment. These impacts also have caused significant volatility and declines in global financial markets, which have caused losses for investors. The impact of this COVID-19 pandemic may be short term or may last for an extended period of time, and in either case could result in a substantial economic downturn or recession.

 

In addition, the operations of the Fund, the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers may be significantly impacted, or even temporarily or permanently halted, as a result of government quarantine measures, voluntary and precautionary restrictions on travel or meetings and other factors related to a public health emergency, including its potential adverse impact on the health of any such entity’s personnel.

 

Non-U.S. Securities Risk

 

The Fund’s non-U.S. investments may be adversely affected by political and social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies, difficulty in enforcing obligations, decreased liquidity or increased volatility. Non-U.S. investments also involve the risk of the possible seizure, nationalization or expropriation of the issuer or non-U.S. deposits (in which an underlying fund could lose its entire investments in a certain market) and the possible adoption of non-U.S. governmental restrictions such as exchange controls. Unless the Fund has hedged its non-U.S. securities risk, non-U.S. securities risk also involves the risk of negative non-U.S. currency rate fluctuations, which may cause the value of securities denominated in such non-U.S. currency (or other instruments through which an underlying fund has exposure to non-U.S. currencies) to decline in value. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency hedging strategies, if used, are not always successful.

 

- 18 -

 

 

REITs Risk

  

The Fund may invest in REITs. REITs are financial vehicles that pool investors’ capital to purchase or finance real estate. REITs may concentrate their investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types, e.g., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings. The market value of REIT shares and the ability of the REITs to distribute income may be adversely affected by several factors, including but not limited to, rising interest rates; changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions; perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties; the ability of the owners to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance; increased competition from new properties; the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws; changes in real estate taxes and other operating expenses; adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies; adverse changes in zoning laws; and other factors beyond the control of the issuers of the REITs. REITs may be affected by changes in underlying real estate values, which may have an exaggerated effect to the extent such REIT may concentrate investments in particular geographic regions or property types. In addition, distributions received from REITs may consist of dividends, capital gains and/or return of capital. Many of these distributions however will not generally qualify for favorable treatment as qualified dividend income.

 

Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalization, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of securities issued by such REITs. Furthermore, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. In addition to these risks, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. In addition, equity and mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.

 

Securities of Other Investment Companies Risk

 

The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies. As a shareholder in securities of another investment company, the Fund will bear its ratable share of that investment company’s expenses, and would be subject to payment of the Fund’s advisory and administrative fees with respect to assets so invested. Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. In addition, the Fund will incur brokerage costs when purchasing and selling shares of exchange-traded investment companies.

 

Management of the Fund

 

Trustees and Officers

  

The general supervision of the duties performed for the Fund under the Investment Management Agreement (as defined below) is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. There are five Trustees of the Trust, two of whom are “interested persons” (as the term is defined in the 1940 Act) (“Interested Trustees”) and three of whom are Trustees who are not officers or employees of Amplify Investments or any of its affiliates (each an “Independent Trustee” and collectively the “Independent Trustees”). The Trustees serve for indefinite terms until their resignation, death or removal. The Trust has not established a lead Independent Trustee position. The Trustees set broad policies for the Fund, choose the Trust’s officers and hired the Fund’s investment adviser. Each Trustee, except for Christian Magoon and John Phillips, is an Independent Trustee. Mr. Magoon is deemed an Interested Trustee of the Trust due to his positions as Chief Executive Officer and President of Amplify Investments and the Trust. Mr. Phillips is deemed an Interested Trustee due to his positions as Chief Operating Officer of Amplify Investments and Secretary of the Trust. The officers of the Trust manage its day-to-day operations, are responsible to the Trust’s Board of Trustees and serve indefinite terms. The following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Trust and a statement of their present positions and principal occupations during the past five years, the number of portfolios each Trustee oversees and the other directorships they have held during the past five years, if applicable.

  

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Name, Address
and Year of Birth
Position and
Offices with Trust
Term of Office
and Year First
Elected or
Appointed
Principal Occupations
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in the
Amplify
Investments Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee
Other
Trusteeships
or
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During the
Past 5 Years
Interested Trustees
Christian Magoon(1)
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1974
Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Chief Executive Officer and President

• Indefinite term

• Since inception

Chief Executive Officer, Magoon Capital (2010 - present); Chief Executive Officer, YieldShares, LLC (2013 – present); Chief Executive Officer, Amplify Investments LLC (2015 – present); President of Amplify Investments LLC (2015 – 2019). 12 None
John Phillips(2)
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1958
Secretary

• Indefinite term

• Since inception

Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product Development, Amplify Investments LLC (2015 - present) 12 None
Independent Trustees
Michael DiSanto
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1979
Trustee

• Indefinite term

• Since inception

Attorney, City of Naperville, Illinois (2007 - present); Member, Elder Board of the Compass Church, (2013 - present) 12 None
Rick Powers
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1957
Trustee

• Indefinite term

• Since inception

Director, Department of Public Works, City of Peoria, Illinois (2019 – Present);Deputy Commissioner, Transportation, State of Indiana (2014 - 2019) 12 None
Mark Tucker
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1963
Trustee

• Indefinite term

• Since inception

Sole member, Aspen Equity Partners, LLC (2009 - present); New Liberty Popcorn, LLC (2015 - present) 12 None
Officers of the Trust
Ed Keiley
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1965
Chief Compliance Officer

• Indefinite term

• Since inception

Chief Compliance Officer, Amplify Investments LLC (2016 - present); Trader Compliance, Inc. (2003 - present) N/A N/A
Bradley H. Bailey
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1967
Chief Financial Officer

• Indefinite term

• 2016

Chief Financial Officer, Amplify Investments LLC (2016 - present); Chief Financial Officer, Copia Capital LLC (2014 - 2016) N/A N/A
William H. Belden
c/o Amplify Investments LLC
310 South Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
Y.O.B.: 1965
Vice President

• Indefinite term

• 2020

President, Amplify Investments LLC (2018 – present); Managing Director, Guggenheim Investments (2009 – 2018) N/A N/A

 

 

(1)Mr. Magoon is deemed an “interested person” of the Trust due to his position as Chief Executive Officer of Amplify Investments LLC and Chief Executive Officer and President of the Trust.
(2)Mr. Phillips is deemed an “interested person” of the Trust due to his positions as Chief Operating Officer of Amplify Investments LLC and Secretary of the Trust.

 

- 20 -

 

 

Unitary Board Leadership Structure

 

It is anticipated that each Trustee will serve as a trustee of all funds in the Amplify Investments Fund Complex (as defined below), which is known as a “unitary” board leadership structure. Each Trustee currently serves as a trustee of the Fund and is anticipated to serve as a trustee for future Funds advised by Amplify Investments (each, an “Amplify Fund” and collectively, the “Amplify Investments Fund Complex”). None of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, nor any of their immediate family members, have ever been a director, officer or employee of, or consultant to, Amplify Investments or any of its affiliates. Mr. Magoon, an Interested Trustee, serves as the Chair of the Board for each Fund in the Amplify Investments Fund Complex.

 

The same five persons serve as Trustees on the Trust’s Board and are anticipated to serve on the Boards of all other Amplify Funds. The unitary board structure was adopted for the Amplify Funds because of the efficiencies it achieves with respect to the governance and oversight of the Amplify Funds. Each Amplify Fund is subject to the rules and regulations of the 1940 Act (and other applicable securities laws), which means that many of the Amplify Funds face similar issues with respect to certain of their fundamental activities, including risk management, portfolio liquidity, portfolio valuation and financial reporting. Because of the similar and often overlapping issues facing the Amplify Funds, including among any such exchange-traded funds, the Board of the Amplify Funds believes that maintaining a unitary board structure promotes efficiency and consistency in the governance and oversight of all Amplify Funds and reduces the costs, administrative burdens and possible conflicts that may result from having multiple boards. In adopting a unitary board structure, the Trustees seek to provide effective governance through establishing a board the overall composition of which, as a body, possesses the appropriate skills, diversity, independence and experience to oversee the Fund’s business. 

 

Annually, the Board of Trustees will review its governance structure and the committee structures, its performance and functions and any processes that would enhance board governance over the business of the Amplify Funds. The Board of Trustees has determined that its leadership structure, including the unitary board and committee structure, is appropriate based on the characteristics of the funds it serves and the characteristics of the Amplify Investments Fund Complex as a whole.

 

The Board of Trustees has established two standing committees (as described below) and has delegated certain of its responsibilities to those committees. The Board of Trustees and its committees meet frequently throughout the year to oversee the activities of the Fund, review contractual arrangements with and the performance of service providers, oversee compliance with regulatory requirements and review Fund performance. The Independent Trustees are represented by independent legal counsel at all Board and committee meetings. Generally, the Board of Trustees acts by majority vote of the Trustees present at a meeting, assuming a quorum is present, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

  

- 21 -

 

 

The two standing committees of the Board of Trustees are the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Audit Committee.

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for appointing and nominating non-interested persons to the Board of Trustees. Messrs. DiSanto, Powers and Tucker are members of the Nominating and Governance Committee. If there is no vacancy on the Board of Trustees, the Board of Trustees will not actively seek recommendations from other parties, including shareholders. The Nominating and Governance Committee will not consider new trustee candidates who are 70 years of age or older or will turn 70 years old during the initial term. When a vacancy on the Board of Trustees occurs and nominations are sought to fill such vacancy, the Nominating and Governance Committee may seek nominations from those sources it deems appropriate in its discretion, including shareholders of the Fund. To submit a recommendation for nomination as a candidate for a position on the Board of Trustees, shareholders of the Fund should mail such recommendation to John Phillips, Secretary, at the Trust’s address, 310 South Hale Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Such recommendation shall include the following information: (i) a statement in writing setting forth (A) the name, age, date of birth, business address, residence address and nationality of the person or persons to be nominated; (B) the class or series and number of all shares of the Fund owned of record or beneficially by each such person or persons, as reported to such shareholder by such nominee(s); (C) any other information regarding each such person required by paragraphs (a), (d), (e) and (f) of Item 401 of Regulation S-K or paragraph (b) of Item 22 of Rule 14a-101 (Schedule 14A) under the 1934 Act; (D) any other information regarding the person or persons to be nominated that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitation of proxies for election of trustees or directors pursuant to Section 14 of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; and (E) whether such shareholder believes any nominee is or will be an “interested person” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) and, if not an “interested person,” information regarding each nominee that will be sufficient for the Fund to make such determination; and (ii) the written and signed consent of any person to be nominated to be named as a nominee and to serve as a trustee if elected. In addition, the Trustees may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as they may reasonably require or deem necessary to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a Trustee. The Nominating and Governance Committee met one time during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

   

The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting process, the system of internal controls and audit process and for evaluating and appointing independent auditors (subject also to approval of the Board of Trustees). Messrs. DiSanto, Powers and Tucker serve on the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

 

Risk Oversight

 

As part of the general oversight of the Fund, the Board of Trustees is involved in the risk oversight of the Fund. The Board of Trustees has adopted and periodically reviews policies and procedures designed to address the Fund’s risks. Oversight of investment and compliance risk, including, if applicable, oversight of any Sub-Adviser, is performed primarily at the Board level in conjunction with the Adviser’s investment oversight group and the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), Ed Keiley.

 

- 22 -

 

 

Oversight of other risks also occurs at the committee level. The Adviser’s investment oversight group reports to the Board of Trustees at quarterly meetings regarding, among other things, Fund performance and the various drivers of such performance as well as information related to the Adviser and its operations and processes. The Board of Trustees reviews reports on the Fund’s and the service providers’ compliance policies and procedures at each quarterly Board meeting and receives an annual report from the CCO regarding the operations of the Fund’s and the service providers’ compliance programs. In addition, the Independent Trustees meet privately each quarter with the CCO. The Audit Committee reviews with the Adviser the Fund’s major financial risk exposures and the steps the Adviser has taken to monitor and control these exposures, including the Fund’s risk assessment and risk management policies and guidelines. The Audit Committee also, as appropriate, reviews in a general manner the processes other Board committees have in place with respect to risk assessment and risk management. The Nominating and Governance Committee monitors all matters related to the corporate governance of the Trust.

 

Not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified nor can controls be developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. It may not be practical or cost effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, the processes and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness, and some risks are simply beyond the reasonable control of the Fund or the Adviser or other service providers. Moreover, it is necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Fund’s ability to manage risk is subject to substantial limitations.

 

Board Diversification and Trustee Qualifications

 

As described above, the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees oversees matters related to the nomination of Trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee seeks to establish an effective Board with an appropriate range of skills and diversity, including, as appropriate, differences in background, professional experience, education, vocations, and other individual characteristics and traits in the aggregate. Each Trustee must meet certain basic requirements, including relevant skills and experience, time availability and, if qualifying as an Independent Trustee, independence from the Adviser, underwriters or other service providers, including any affiliates of these entities. 

 

Listed below for each current Trustee are the experiences, qualifications and attributes that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this SAI, that each current Trustee should serve as a Trustee in light of the Trust’s business and structure.

 

Independent Trustees. Michael DiSanto has served as an attorney with the City of Naperville, Illinois since 2007, and currently serves as the City Attorney of Naperville. In this capacity, Mr. DiSanto oversees municipal matters for the city. Since 2013, Mr. DiSanto has served on the Elder Board of the Compass Church. Additionally, in 2012, Mr. DiSanto held the position of adjunct professor at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. Mr. DiSanto has served as a College Scholarship Board Member for the National Student Leadership Conference since 2018. Mr. DiSanto has served as a Trustee of the Amplify Funds since 2015. He currently serves as Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee (since 2015) of the Amplify Funds.

 

- 23 -

 

 

Rick Powers is the Director, Department of Public Works, City of Peoria, Illinois, a position he has held since 2019. Previously, from 2014 to 2019, Mr. Powers served as Deputy Commissioner, Transportation with the State of Indiana, a position he has held since 2014. Additionally, from 2001 to 2014, Mr. Powers served as Director, Code Enforcement with the City of Indianapolis, Indiana. Mr. Powers has served as a Trustee of the Amplify Funds since 2015.

 

Mark Tucker is the sole member of Aspen Equity Partners, LLC, a company he founded in 2009 to serve as the managing member of several single-purpose limited liability companies that own and operate commercial property in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Mr. Tucker has served as a Trustee of the Amplify Funds since 2015. He currently serves as Chair of the Audit Committee (since 2015) of the Amplify Funds.

 

Interested Trustees. Christian Magoon is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Amplify Funds and Chief Executive Officer and President of Amplify Investments. Mr. Magoon has served as Chief Executive Officer of Magoon Capital and YieldShares, LLC, which he participated in founding in 2010 and 2013, respectively. Mr. Magoon has served as a Trustee of the Amplify Funds since 2015.

 

John Phillips has worked as the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Product Development of Amplify Investments since March 2015. Previously, Mr. Phillips was the Managing Director responsible for the Product Development Group at White, Weld & Co., LLC since 2007 and prior to that served as a Managing Director at Guggenheim Partners LLC. Mr. Phillips has worked in the financial services industry since 1990.

 

For the 2020 calendar year, each Independent Trustee was paid a fixed annual retainer of $15,000. The fixed annual retainer was allocated equally among each Fund in the Amplify Investments Fund Complex. Beginning with the calendar year 2021, each Independent Trustee is compensated based upon on the average assets under management in the Amplify Investments Fund Complex over trailing six month periods (ending the prior November 30 and May 31, respectively). Payments will be calculated by multiplying the Trust’s assets under management (in millions) by $15.84, then dividing this number by two for the six month retainer payment. The six-month retainer will be allocated equally among each Fund in the Amplify Investments Fund Complex. Trustees are also reimbursed for travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with all meetings

  

The following table sets forth the compensation earned by each Independent Trustee (including reimbursement for travel and out-of-pocket expenses) for services to the Fund and the aggregate compensation paid to them for services to the Amplify Investments Fund Complex, for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020. The Trust has no retirement or pension plans. The officers and Trustees who are “interested persons” as designated above serve without any compensation from the Trust. The Trust has no employees. Its officers are compensated by Amplify Investments.

 

 

Name of Trustee



Compensation from The Fund
Total Compensation from
the Amplify Investments Fund
Complex
Michael DiSanto $1,976 $15,000
Rick Powers $1,976 $15,000
Mark Tucker $1,976 $15,000

 

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Interested and Independent Trustees

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Interested and Independent Trustees in the Fund and all funds overseen by the Trustees in the Amplify Investments Fund Complex as of December 31, 2020:

 

Trustee Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund
Aggregate Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in
All Registered Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee in the Amplify Investments
Fund Complex
Interested Trustees    
Christian Magoon $1 - $10,000 $10,001 - $50,000
John Phillips N/A $10,001 - $50,000
Independent Trustees    
Michael DiSanto N/A $1 - $10,000
Rick Powers N/A N/A
Mark Tucker $1 - $10,000 $10,001 - $50,000

 

As of December 31, 2020, the Independent Trustees of the Trust and immediate family members did not own beneficially or of record any class of securities of an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund.

 

As of December 31, 2020, the officers and Trustees, in the aggregate, owned less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.

 

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

  

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund. A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. The tables set forth in Exhibit B show the percentage ownership of each person or “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act) who, as of June 24, 2021, owned of record, or is known by the Trust to have owned of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the shares of the Fund.

 

- 25 -

 

 

Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers

 

Investment Adviser

 

Amplify Investments LLC, 310 South Hale Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187, serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Amplify Investments is a Delaware limited liability company with a sole member, Amplify Holding Company LLC. Amplify Investments discharges its responsibilities subject to the policies of the Board of Trustees. Amplify Investments also administers the Trust’s business affairs, provides office facilities and equipment and certain clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, and permits any of its officers or employees to serve without compensation as Trustees or officers of the Trust if elected to such positions.

 

Pursuant to an investment management agreement between Amplify Investments and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund (the “Investment Management Agreement”), Amplify Investments oversees the investment of the Fund assets and is responsible for paying all expenses of the Fund, excluding the fee payments under the Investment Management Agreement, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses and other expenses connected with the execution of portfolio transactions, distribution and service fees payable pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan, if any, and extraordinary expenses. The Fund has agreed to pay Amplify Investments an annual management fee equal to a percentage of its daily net assets, as detailed in the below table. Amplify Investments has entered into a Fee Waiver Agreement with the Fund under which it has agreed to waive or reduce the Fund’s management fee and/or reimburse expenses of the Fund in an amount that limits the Fund’s “Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses” (excluding taxes, interest, all brokerage commissions, other normal charges incident to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, distribution of service fees payable pursuant to any applicable Rule 12b-1 plan, and other extraordinary expenses) to not more than 0.75% of the daily net assets of the Fund, until March 1, 2022. Amplify Investments may also terminate the agreement at the end of the term upon 60 days’ written notice to the Fund. In addition, pursuant to its expense limitation agreement with the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to recoup any fees that it waived and/or the Fund expenses that it paid for a period of three years following such fee waivers and/or expense payments. The Fund may only make such repayment to the Adviser if, after the recoupment payment has been taken into account, it does not cause the Fund’s expense ratio to exceed either the expense cap in place at the time the expenses were waived or the Fund’s current expense cap.

 

Management Fee

Fund Fee
Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF 0.65%

 

For services rendered during the fiscal periods set forth below, the following table sets forth the management fee paid by the Fund to Amplify Investments.

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Management Fees

Fiscal period/year ended Management Fees Paid
October 31, 2019* $8,5701
October 31, 2020 $02

* The Fund commenced operations on July 22, 2019.

1 This figure represents the management fees paid to Amplify Investments, net of the fee waiver. Amplify Investments waived $5,512 in management fees during this fiscal period.

2 This figure represents the management fees earned by Amplify Investments $31,496, net of the fee waiver. In addition to the management fees waived, Amplify Investments reimbursed $132,786 in fund expenses during this fiscal year.

 

Under the Investment Management Agreement, Amplify Investments shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of the purchase, sale or retention of any security, whether or not such purchase, sale or retention shall have been based upon the investigation and research made by any other individual, firm or corporation, if such recommendation shall have been selected with due care and in good faith, except loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of Amplify Investments in the performance of its obligations and duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties. The Investment Management Agreement is in place for the original initial two year term, and thereafter only if approved annually by the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Investment Management Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment and is terminable at any time without penalty as to the Fund by the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities on 60 days’ written notice to Amplify Investments, or by Amplify Investments on 60 days’ written notice to the Fund.

 

Sub-Adviser.

 

Amplify Investments has retained Penserra Capital Management LLC (“Penserra” or the “Sub-Adviser”), a New York limited liability company, located at 4 Orinda Way, Suite 100-A, Orinda, California 94563, to act as sub-adviser to the Fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). Penserra is controlled by George Madrigal, the Managing Partner, and Dustin Lewellyn, the Managing Director, who together own a majority interest in Penserra. Penserra’s affiliated broker-dealer, Penserra Securities LLC (“Penserra Securities”), also holds a minority interest in Penserra.

 

Pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement, Amplify Investments has agreed to pay for the services provided by the Sub-Adviser through sub-advisory fees. Amplify Investments is responsible for paying the entire amount of the Sub-Adviser’s fee for the Fund. The Fund does not directly pay the Sub-Adviser.

 

- 27 -

 

 

Penserra receives a sub-advisory fee equal to the greater of (1) $20,000 per annum or (2) 0.05% per annum of the average daily net assets of the Fund on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million and 0.03% on assets over $1 billion, calculated daily and paid monthly. Pursuant to the above, the following sub-advisory fees were paid by the Adviser for the relevant periods.

 

Sub-Advisory Fees
Fiscal period/year ended

 Sub-Advisory Fees
Paid to Penserra

October 31, 2019* $5,534
October 31, 2020 $20,000
*  The Fund commenced operations on July 22, 2019.

 

Portfolio Managers.

 

The portfolio managers are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. There are currently four portfolio managers, as follows:

 

Timothy J. Seymour. Mr. Seymour is a portfolio manager at Amplify Investments. Mr. Seymour has over 24 years of investment experience as a portfolio manager, allocator, and capital markets professional across multiple asset classes. Mr. Seymour has been an early stage investor in the cannabis industry and serves as a board member or in an advisory role for several private cannabis companies. Mr. Seymour is also a Senior Consultant to the JWAM Growth Fund, a cannabis hedge fund. In addition, Mr. Seymour is a frequent and long-time contributor on CNBC, including over a decade of appearances on the show “Fast Money.” Mr. Seymour is the founder and Chief Investment Officer of Seymour Asset Management (“SAM”). SAM provides both asset management and wealth management services for its clients, including direct investment and allocation to private equity and alternative assets. Prior to SAM, Mr. Seymour was the Chief Investment Officer and co-founder of Triogem Asset Management (“Triogem”), where he helped run the firm’s flagship fund, a long/short fund with an emphasis on global emerging markets.

 

Dustin Lewellyn, CFA. Mr. Lewellyn has extensive background in institutional investment process with a specific focus on ETFs, such as the Fund.  Mr. Lewellyn was a portfolio manager at BGI (now part of Blackrock), and he managed a number of international equity funds.  Mr. Lewellyn also was head of ETF product management and product development at Northern Trust where he oversaw the build out and management of all areas of a new ETF business, including primary responsibility for the portfolio management process surrounding the ETFs.  Mr. Lewellyn also built and ran a new ETF business for Charles Schwab, including having primary responsibility for the technology and investment process to support portfolio management for the ETFs. Mr. Lewellyn started a consulting business with a focus on ETFs and helped numerous new ETF sponsors, as well as service providers, understand the resource requirements to participate in the industry utilizing current best practices.  Mr. Lewellyn holds a B.A. from University of Iowa and is a CFA Charterholder.  He also holds security licenses 7, 63, 66 and 24.

 

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Ernesto Tong, CFA. Mr. Tong worked for Barclays Global Investors and Blackrock prior to joining the Sub-Adviser.  During his time at Blackrock, Mr. Tong spent two years as an Index Research Analyst and seven years as a portfolio manager for a number of funds. As an Index Research Analyst, he was responsible for performing independent research and analysis to incorporate into Portfolio Management and Trading strategies and also developing and launching new indices and investment products, particularly in Latin America.  As a portfolio manager, Mr. Tong managed $40 billion in global ETF assets and was responsible for all aspects of portfolio management across domestic and international portfolios.  Mr. Tong was also responsible for launching, managing, and driving the local Latin American ETF products for the portfolio management group, focusing on Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.  Mr. Tong holds a B.A. from the University of California, Davis and is a CFA Charterholder.  He holds security licenses 7 and 63.

  

Anand Desai. Prior to joining Penserra in 2015, Mr. Desai was an officer at State Street, where he had roles in portfolio accounting and client operations.

 

Compensation. Mr. Seymour is compensated by Amplify Investments and Messrs. Lewellyn, Tong and Desai are compensated by Penserra. Mr. Seymour’s portfolio management compensation includes a salary and discretionary bonus. No compensation is directly related to the performance of the underlying assets. Mr. Lewellyn’s portfolio management compensation includes a salary and discretionary bonus based on the profitability of the Penserra. No compensation is directly related to the performance of the underlying assets. Mr. Tong receives from Penserra a fixed base salary and discretionary bonus, and he is also eligible to participate in a retirement plan and to receive an equity interest in Penserra. Mr. Tong’s compensation is based on the performance and profitability of Penserra and his individual performance with respect to following a structured investment process. Mr. Desai receives from Penserra a fixed base salary and discretionary bonus, and is also eligible to participate in a retirement plan. Mr. Desai’s compensation is based on the performance and profitability of Penserra and his individual performance with respect to following a structured investment process.

 

Ownership of Fund Securities.

 

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio managers in the Fund as of October 31, 2020:

Trustee Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund
   
Timothy J. Seymour $1-$10,000
Dustin Lewellyn None
Ernesto Tong None
Anand Desai None

 

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Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers.

 

In addition to the Fund, the portfolio managers are responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts, as listed below. The information below is provided as of October 31, 2020.

 

 

Portfolio Managers

Registered Investment Companies
Number of Accounts
($ assets)
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles
Number of Accounts
($ assets)
Other Accounts Number of Accounts ($ Assets)
Timothy Seymour 1 ($5.9 million) 0 ($0) 0 ($0)
Dustin Lewellyn 23 ($3.5 billion) 2 ($130 million) 0 ($0)
Ernesto Tong 23 ($3.5 billion) 2 ($130 million) 0 ($0)
Anand Desai 23 ($3.5 billion) 2 ($130 million) 0 ($0)

 

Conflicts. The portfolio managers have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to other investments accounts and, accordingly, may be presented with potential or actual conflicts of interest.

 

The management of other accounts may result in the portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of the Fund and/or other accounts. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement and respective Sub-Advisory Agreements, the Board was satisfied that the portfolio managers would be able to devote sufficient attention to the management of the Fund and that the Adviser and each Sub-Adviser seek to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of the portfolio managers.

 

With respect to securities transactions for the Fund, the applicable Sub-Adviser determines which broker to use to execute each transaction, consistent with its duty to seek best execution of the transaction. For buy or sell transactions considered simultaneously for the Fund and other accounts, orders are placed at the same time. Each Sub-Adviser uses its best efforts to ensure that no client is treated unfairly in relation to any other client over time in the allocation of securities or the order of the execution of transactions. Each Sub-Adviser generally allocates trades on the basis of assets under management so that the securities positions represent equal exposure as a percentage of total assets of each client. The Fund and client accounts are not generally invested in thinly traded or illiquid securities; therefore, conflicts in fulfilling investment opportunities are to some extent minimized. If an aggregated trade order is not substantially filled, it will generally be allocated pro rata.

 

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Fund Administration

 

General Information. The administrator, fund accountant and transfer agent for the Fund is U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“USBFS”,“Administrator”, “Fund Accountant” or “Transfer Agent”), which has its principal office at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 and is primarily in the business of providing administrative, fund accounting and stock transfer services to retail and institutional mutual funds. USBFS performs these services pursuant to three separate agreements, a fund administration servicing agreement, a fund accounting servicing agreement and a transfer agent servicing agreement.

 

Administration Agreement. Pursuant to the fund administration servicing agreement with the Trust (“Administration Agreement”), USBFS provides all administrative services necessary for the Fund, other than those provided by Amplify Investments, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees. USBFS employees generally will not be officers of the Fund for which they provide services.

 

The Administration Agreement is terminable by the Board or Amplify Investments on ninety (90) days’ written notice and may be assigned provided the non-assigning party provides prior written consent. The Administration Agreement shall remain in effect for three years from the date of its initial approval, unless amended, and its renewal is subject to approval of the Board for periods thereafter. The Administration Agreement provides that in the absence of the USBFS’ refusal or willful failure to comply with the Agreement or bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on the part of USBFS, USBFS shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder. 

 

Under the Administration Agreement, USBFS provides all administrative services, including, without limitation: (i) providing services of persons competent to perform such administrative and clerical functions as are necessary to provide effective administration of The Fund; (ii) overseeing the performance of administrative and professional services to the Fund by others, including the Fund’s custodian, as applicable; (iii) preparing, but not paying for, the periodic updating of the Fund’s Registration Statement, Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information in conjunction with Fund counsel, including the printing of such documents for the purpose of filings with the SEC and state securities administrators, preparing the Fund’s tax returns, and preparing reports to the Fund’s shareholders and the SEC; (iv) calculation of yield and total return for the Fund; (v) monitoring and evaluating daily income and expense accruals, and sales and redemptions of Shares of the Fund; (vi) preparing in conjunction with Fund counsel, but not paying for, all filings under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such states or countries as are designated by the Distributor, which may be required to register or qualify, or continue the registration or qualification, of the Fund and/or its Shares under such laws; (vii) preparing notices and agendas for meetings of the Fund’s Board and minutes of such meetings in all matters required by the 1940 Act to be acted upon by the Board; and (viii) monitoring periodic compliance with respect to all requirements and restrictions of the 1940 Act, the Internal Revenue Code and the Prospectus.

 

Accounting Agreement. Pursuant to the fund accounting servicing agreement with the Trust (the “Fund Accounting Agreement”), USBFS provides the Fund with all accounting services, including, without limitation: (i) daily computation of NAV; (ii) maintenance of security ledgers and books and records as required by the 1940 Act; (iii) production of the Fund’s listing of portfolio securities and general ledger reports; (iv) reconciliation of accounting records; and (v) maintaining certain books and records described in Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and reconciling account information and balances among the custodian and Amplify Investments.

 

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For the administrative and fund accounting services rendered to the Fund by USBFS, USBFS is paid an annual fee based on the average net assets of the Fund, subject to a minimum annual fee. The below table sets forth the fees paid by the Fund to USBFS for the specified periods. Prior to April 17, 2020, The Nottingham Company (“Nottingham”) served as the fund accountant and administrator for the Fund. For its services, Nottingham was paid an annual fee based on the average net assets of the Fund, subject to a minimum annual fee.

 

Fund Administration and Accounting Fees

Fiscal period/year ended Fund Administration and Accounting Fees Paid
October 31, 20191 $12,3292
October 31, 20203 $44,3044

1.    The Fund commenced operations July 22, 2019.

2.    These fees represent amounts paid to Nottingham.

3.    On April 17, 2020, USBFS replaced Nottingham as the Fund’s Administrator and Fund Accountant.

4.    This includes fees of $24,451 paid to USBFS for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 and $19,853 paid to The Nottingham Company while it served as administrator during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

 

Transfer and Dividend Agent. USBFS acts as the Fund’s transfer and dividend agent. The Fund pays USBFS for its services as its transfer and dividend agent.

 

Custodian

 

Cowen Execution Services, LLC (“Cowen”), which has its principal offices at 599 Lexington Avenue, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10022, serves as custodian for the Fund’s cash and securities. Pursuant to a Custodian Servicing Agreement with the Trust, Cowen is responsible for maintaining the books and records of the Fund’s portfolio securities and cash. Cowen does not assist in, and is not responsible for, investment decisions involving assets of the Fund.

 

Securities Lending Agents

 

The Fund may participate in securities lending arrangements whereby the Fund lends certain of its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and financial institutions (not with individuals) to receive additional income and increase the rate of return of its portfolio. Cowen Execution Services, LLC serves as the Fund’s securities lending agent and is responsible for (i) negotiating the fees (rebates) of securities loans within parameters approved by the Board; (ii) delivering loaned securities to the applicable borrower(s), a list of which has been approved by the Board; (iii) investing any cash collateral received for a securities loan in investments pre-approved by the Board; (iv) receiving the returned securities at the expiration of a loan’s term; (v) daily monitoring of the value of the loaned securities and the collateral received; (vi) notifying borrowers to make additions to the collateral, when required; (vii) accounting and recordkeeping services as necessary for the operation of the securities lending program, and (viii) establishing and operating a system of controls and procedures to ensure compliance with its obligations under the Fund’s securities lending program. The following table sets forth information regarding the Fund’s securities lending activities during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

 

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  Amplify Seymour
Cannabis ETF
Gross income from securities lending activities $302,580
Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services  
Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split (75,536)
Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) that are not included in the revenue split
Administrative fees not included in revenue split
Indemnification fee not included in revenue split
Rebate (paid to borrower)
Other fees not included in revenue split (specify)
Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities $(75,536)
Net income from securities lending activities $227,044

 

Distributor

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the“Distributor”) serves as distributor and principal underwriter of the Creation Units of the Fund. Its principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes Fund shares. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described below under the heading “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units.”

 

Amplify Investments may, from time to time and from its own resources, pay, defray or absorb costs relating to distribution, including payments out of its own resources to the Distributor, or to otherwise promote the sale of shares. Amplify Investments’ available resources to make these payments include profits from advisory fees received from the Fund. The services Amplify Investments may pay for include, but are not limited to, advertising and attaining access to certain conferences and seminars, as well as being presented with the opportunity to address investors and industry professionals through speeches and written marketing materials. 

 

Since the inception of the Fund, there has been no underwriting commissions with respect to the sale of Fund shares, and the Distributor did not receive compensation on redemptions for the Fund for that period.

 

12b-1 Plan. The Trust has adopted a Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”) pursuant to which the Fund may reimburse the Distributor up to a maximum annual rate of 0.25% of its average daily net assets. The Fund does not currently pay, and the Fund has no current intention to pay, 12b-1 fees.

 

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However, in the event 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, under the Plan and as required by Rule 12b-1, the Trustees will receive and review after the end of each calendar quarter a written report provided by the Distributor of the amounts expended under the Plan and the purpose for which such expenditures were made. With the exception of the Distributor and its affiliates, no “interested person” of the Trust (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) and no Trustee of the Trust has a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or any related agreement.

 

Aggregations. Shares of the Fund in less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to Authorized Participants purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

 

The Distribution Agreement provides that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least 60 days’ written notice by the Trust to the Distributor (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees; or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

 

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with participants that utilize the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (the “DTC Participants”), which have international, operational, capabilities and place orders for Creation Units of the Fund’s shares. Participating Parties (as defined in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) shall be DTC Participants (as defined in “DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund Shares” below).

 

Brokerage Allocations

 

The Sub-Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund and for the placement of the Fund’s securities business, the negotiation of the commissions to be paid on brokered transactions, the prices for principal trades in securities, and the allocation of portfolio brokerage and principal business. It is the policy of Amplify Investments to seek the best execution at the best security price available with respect to each transaction, and with respect to brokered transactions in light of the overall quality of brokerage and research services provided to Amplify Investments and its clients. The best price to the Fund means the best net price without regard to the mix between purchase or sale price and commission, if any. Purchases may be made from underwriters, dealers, and, on occasion, the issuers. Commissions will be paid on the Fund’s futures transactions, if any. The purchase price of portfolio securities purchased from an underwriter or dealer may include underwriting commissions and dealer spreads. The Fund may pay mark-ups on principal transactions. In selecting broker-dealers and in negotiating commissions, the Sub-Adviser considers, among other things, the firm’s reliability, the quality of its execution services on a continuing basis and its financial condition.

 

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Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) permits an investment adviser, under certain circumstances, to cause an account to pay a broker or dealer who supplies brokerage and research services a commission for effecting a transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction. Brokerage and research services include (i) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; (ii) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts; and (iii) effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto (such as clearance, settlement, and custody). Such brokerage and research services are often referred to as “soft dollars.” Amplify Investments has advised the Board of Trustees that it does not currently intend to use soft dollars.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in selecting brokers, the Sub-Adviser may in the future consider investment and market information and other research, such as economic, securities and performance measurement research, provided by such brokers, and the quality and reliability of brokerage services, including execution capability, performance, and financial responsibility. Accordingly, the commissions charged by any such broker may be greater than the amount another firm might charge if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that the amount of such commissions is reasonable in relation to the value of the research information and brokerage services provided by such broker to the Sub-Adviser or the Trust. In addition, the Sub-Adviser must determine that the research information received in this manner provides the Fund with benefits by supplementing the research otherwise available to the Fund. The Investment Management Agreement provides that such higher commissions will not be paid by the Fund unless the Adviser determines in good faith that the amount is reasonable in relation to the services provided. The investment advisory fees paid by the Fund to Amplify Investments under the Investment Management Agreement would not be reduced as a result of receipt by Amplify Investments of research services.

 

The Sub-Adviser places portfolio transactions for other advisory accounts advised by it, and research services furnished by firms through which the Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the Sub-Adviser in servicing all of its accounts; not all of such services may be used by the Sub-Adviser in connection with the Fund. The Sub-Adviser believes it is not possible to measure separately the benefits from research services to each of the accounts (including the Fund) advised by it. Because the volume and nature of the trading activities of the accounts are not uniform, the amount of commissions in excess of those charged by another broker paid by each account for brokerage and research services will vary. However, the Sub-Adviser believes such costs to the Fund will not be disproportionate to the benefits received by the Fund on a continuing basis. The Sub-Adviser seeks to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities by the Fund and another advisory account. In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or the amount of securities available to the Fund. In making such allocations between the Fund and other advisory accounts, the main factors considered by the Sub-Adviser are the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holding of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment and the size of investment commitments generally held.

 

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The following table sets forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during the specified period.

Brokerage Commissions
Fiscal period/year ended Brokerage Commissions Paid
October 31, 2019* $5,756
October 31, 2020 $16,2551

* The Fund commenced operations on July 22, 2019.

1 The Fund’s brokerage commissions increased during the fiscal year due to an increase in assets and the Fund being in operation for the entirety of the fiscal year.

 
 

Affiliated Broker

Commissions Paid

% of Commissions Paid

% of Dollar Amount of Transactions Effected Through Affiliated Broker

Fiscal period ended
October 31, 20191
Cowen and Company, LLC $5,756 100% 100%
Fiscal year ended
October 31, 2020
Cowen and Company, LLC $16,255 100% 100%

 

1. The Fund commenced operations on July 22, 2019

 

The Fund did not pay commissions to brokers in return for research services during the fiscal period ended October 31, 2019 or the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

 

Additional Information

 

Book Entry Only System. The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus.

 

DTC Acts as Securities Depository for Fund Shares. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.

 

DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities, certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).

 

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Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase and sale of shares.

 

Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to a letter agreement between DTC and the Trust, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participants a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

 

Fund distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, as the registered holder of all Fund shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

 

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

 

DTC may decide to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.

 

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Policy Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings. The Trust has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Board of Trustees must approve all material amendments to this policy. The Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services, including publicly accessible Internet websites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Fund shares, together with estimates and actual cash components, is publicly disseminated each day the NYSE is open for trading via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”). The basket represents one Creation Unit of the Fund. The Fund’s portfolio holdings are also available on the Fund’s website at http://www.amplifyetfs.com. The Trust, Amplify Investments and the Distributor will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedule. The Trust is required to disclose on a quarterly basis the complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings with the SEC on Form N-PORT. Form N-PORT for the Trust is available on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. The Fund’ Form N-PORT may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. and information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. The Trust’s Forms N-PORT are available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-855-267-3837 or by writing to Amplify ETF Trust, 310 South Hale Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.

 

Codes of Ethics. In order to mitigate the possibility that the Fund will be adversely affected by personal trading, the Trust, Amplify Investments, the Sub-Advisers and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These Codes of Ethics contain policies restricting securities trading in personal accounts access persons, Trustees and others who normally come into possession of information on portfolio transactions. Personnel subject to the Codes of Ethics may invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund; however, the Codes of Ethics require that each transaction in such securities be reviewed by the Compliance Department. These Codes of Ethics are on public file with, and are available from, the SEC

 

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

 

The Trust has adopted a proxy voting policy that seeks to ensure that proxies for securities held by the Fund are voted consistently with the best interests of the Fund.

 

The Board has delegated to Amplify Investments the proxy voting responsibilities for the Fund and has directed Amplify Investments to vote proxies consistent with the Fund’s best interests. In order to facilitate the proxy voting process, Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”) has been retained to provide access to a selection of third-party providers that are available to provide proxy vote recommendations and research. Votes are cast through the Broadridge ProxyEdge® platform (“ProxyEdge”). With the assistance of Broadridge, Egan-Jones Proxy Services (“Egan-Jones”) has been selected to provide vote recommendations based on its own internal guidelines. The services provided to Amplify Investments through Egan-Jones include access to Egan-Jones’ research analysis and their voting recommendations. Services provided to Amplify Investments through ProxyEdge include receipt of proxy ballots, vote execution based upon the recommendations of Egan-Jones, access to the voting recommendations of Egan-Jones, as well as reporting, auditing, working with custodian banks, and consulting assistance for the handling of proxy voting responsibilities. ProxyEdge also maintains proxy voting records and provides Amplify Investments with reports that reflect the proxy voting activities of client portfolios.

 

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The fundamental guideline followed by Amplify Investments in voting proxies is to make every effort to confirm that the manner in which shares are voted is in the best interest of clients and the value of the investment. Absent special circumstances of the types described below, it is the policy of Adviser to exercise its proxy voting discretion in accordance with the Egan-Jones Proxy Voting Principles and Guidelines set forth in Exhibit A.

 

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available upon request and without charge on the Fund’s website at https://www.amplifyetfs.com, by calling 1-855-267-3837 or by accessing the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov.

 

Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

 

General

 

ETFs, such as the Fund, generally issue and redeem their shares in primary market transactions through a creation and redemption mechanism and do not sell or redeem individual shares. Instead, financial entities, known as “Authorized Participants,” have contractual arrangements with an ETF or one of the ETF’s service providers to purchase and redeem ETF shares directly with the ETF in large blocks of shares known as “Creation Units.” Prior to start of trading on each business day, an ETF publishes through the NSCC the “basket” of securities, cash or other assets that it will accept in exchange for a Creation Unit of the ETF’s shares. An Authorized Participant that wishes to effectuate a creation of an ETF’s shares deposits with the ETF the “basket” of securities, cash or other assets identified by the ETF that day, and then receives the Creation Unit of the ETF’s shares in return for those assets. After purchasing a Creation Unit, the Authorized Participant may continue to hold the ETF’s shares or sell them in the secondary market. The redemption process is the reverse of the purchase process: the authorized participant redeems a Creation Unit of ETF shares for a basket of securities, cash or other assets. The combination of the creation and redemption process with secondary market trading in ETF shares and underlying securities provides arbitrage opportunities that are designed to help keep the market price of ETF shares at or close to the NAV per share of the ETF.

 

An “Authorized Participant” is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC that has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the Authorized Participant to place orders for the purchase or redemption of Creation Units (a “Participant Agreement”). Orders to purchase Creation Units must be delivered through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement and must comply with the applicable provisions of such Participant Agreement. Investors wishing to purchase or sell shares generally do so on an exchange. Institutional investors other than Authorized Participants are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.

 

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A “Business Day” is generally any day on which the NYSE, the Exchange and the Trust are open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the NYSE observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The Business Day on which an order to purchase or redeem Creation Units is received in proper form is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.”

 

Basket Composition and Custom Baskets.

 

Rule 6c-11(c)(3) under of the 1940 Act requires an ETF relying on the exemptions offered by Rule 6c-11 to adopt and implement written policies and procedures governing the construction of baskets and the process that the ETF will use for the acceptance of baskets. In general, in connection with the construction and acceptance of baskets, the Adviser may consider various factors, including, but not limited to: (1) whether the securities, assets and other positions comprising a basket are consistent with the ETF’s investment objective(s), policies and disclosure; (2) whether the securities, assets and other positions can legally and readily be acquired, transferred and held by the ETF and/or Authorized Participant(s), as applicable; (3) whether to utilize cash, either in lieu of securities or other instruments or as a cash balancing amount; and (4) in the case of an ETF that tracks an index, whether the securities, assets and other positions aid index tracking.

 

The Fund may utilize a pro-rata basket or a custom basket in reliance on Rule 6c-11. A “pro-rata basket” is a basket that is a pro rata representation of the ETF’s portfolio holdings, except for minor deviations when it is not operationally feasible to include a particular instrument within the basket, except to the extent that the Fund utilized different baskets in transactions on the same Business Day.

 

Rule 6c-11 defines “custom baskets” to include two categories of baskets. First, a basket containing a non-representative selection of the ETF’s portfolio holdings would constitute a custom basket. These types of custom baskets include, but are not limited to, baskets that do not reflect: (i) a pro rata representation of the Fund’s portfolio holdings; (ii) a representative sampling of an ETF’s portfolio holdings; or (iii) changes due to a rebalancing or reconstitution of an ETF’s securities market index, if applicable. Second, if different baskets are used in transactions on the same Business Day, each basket after the initial basket would constitute a custom basket. For example, if an ETF exchanges a basket with either the same or another Authorized Participant that reflects a representative sampling that differs from the initial basket, that basket (and any such subsequent baskets) would be a custom basket. Similarly, if an ETF substitutes cash in lieu of a portion of basket assets for a single Authorized Participant, that basket would be a custom basket. The Adviser’s Rule 6c-11 Committee defines any deviation from a pro-rata basket to be a “custom basket.”

 

Under a variety of circumstances, an ETF and its shareholders may benefit from the flexibility afforded by custom baskets. In general terms, the use of custom baskets may reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve trading. Because utilizing custom baskets provides a way for an ETF to add, remove and re-weight portfolio securities without transacting in the market, it may help the ETF to avoid transaction costs and adverse tax consequences. Rule 6c-11 provides an ETF with flexibility to use “custom baskets” if the ETF has adopted written policies and procedures that: (1) set forth detailed parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets that are in the best interests of the ETF and its shareholders, including the process for any revisions to, or deviations from, those parameters; and (2) specify the titles or roles of employees of the ETF’s investment adviser who are required to review each custom basket for compliance with those parameters.

 

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The use of baskets that do not correspond to pro rata to an ETF’s portfolio holdings has historically created concern that an Authorized Participant could take advantage of its relationship with an ETF and pressure the ETF to construct a basket that favors an Authorized Participant to the detriment of the ETF’s shareholders. For example, because ETFs rely on Authorized Participants to maintain the secondary market by promoting an effective arbitrage mechanism, an Authorized Participant holding less liquid or less desirable securities potentially could pressure an ETF into accepting those securities in its basket in exchange for liquid ETF shares (i.e., dumping). An Authorized Participant also could pressure the ETF into including in its basket certain desirable securities in exchange for ETF shares tendered for redemption (i.e., cherry-picking). In either case, the ETF’s other investors would be disadvantaged and would be left holding shares of an ETF with a less liquid or less desirable portfolio of securities. The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures designed to mitigate these concerns but there is ultimately no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be effective.

 

Basket Dissemination

 

Basket files are published for consumption through the NSCC, a subsidiary of Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, and can be utilized for pricing, creations, redemptions, rebalancing and custom scenarios. In most instances, pro rata baskets are calculated and supplied by the ETF’s custodial bank based on ETF holdings, whereas non-pro rata, custom and forward-looking pro rata baskets are calculated by a fund’s investment adviser and disseminated by the ETF’s custodial bank through the NSCC process. Prior to the opening of business of the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Fund publishes this information for the day ()subject to correction of any errors) and is made available through the NSCC to effectuate creations or redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund until the next list is announced on the next Business Day.

 

Placement of Creation or Redemption Orders

 

All orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units are to be governed according to the applicable Participant Agreement that each Authorized Participant has executed. In general, all orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units must be received by the transfer agent in the proper form required by the Participant Agreement no later than the closing time of the regular trading session of the NYSE (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) on each day the NYSE is open for business (the “Closing Time”) in order for the purchase or redemption of Creation Units to be effected based on the NAV of shares of the Fund as next determined on such date after receipt of the order in proper form. This deadline may be extended upon agreement between the transfer agent, Authorized Participant and the applicable Fund. At its discretion, the Fund may also require an Authorized Participant to submit orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units be placed earlier in the day (such as instances where an applicable market for a security comprising a creation or redemption basket closes earlier than usual). In the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the transfer agent no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Fund may also accept orders to create Creation Units, whether through the Clearing Process (through a “Participating Party”, i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the Continuous Net Settlement system of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC) or outside the Clearing Process (through a DTC Participant, in either case, such party has signed a Participant Agreement with the Distributor), which must be submitted as a “Future Dated Traded” set for one or more Creation Units between 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time (the “Order Window”) in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. This deadline may be extended upon agreement between the transfer agent, Authorized Participant and the applicable Fund. In the case of custom orders, the order must be received by the transfer agent no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Fund may also accept orders to redeem Creation Units, which must be submitted as a “Future Dated Traded” set for one or more Creation Units between the Order Window in the manner set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. This deadline may be extended upon agreement between the transfer agent, Authorized Participant and the applicable Fund. Shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

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All orders from investors who are not Authorized Participants to create Creation Units shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may request the investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to create Creation Units of the Fund have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement. Those persons placing orders should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Instruments (as defined below) and Cash Component (as defined below. Those placing orders for Creation Units through the Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the end of the Order Window. Order for Creation Units that are effected outside of the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. The delivery of Creation Units created through the Clearing Process will ocurr no later than the first Business Day following the Transmittal Date (T+1).

 

A “Deposit Instrument” (an in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities and other instruments) must be delivered to the Trust through DTC or NSCC, and Deposit Instruments which are non-U.S. securities, if applicable, must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian of the Trust on or before the International Contractual Settlement Date, as defined below. If a Deposit Security is an ADR or similar domestic instrument, it may be delivered to the Custodian. Deposit Instruments must be delivered to the Fund through the applicable processes set forth in the Participant Agreement.

 

Beneficial Owners of the Fund’s shares may sell their shares in the secondary market, but must accumulate enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit to redeem through the Fund. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units and there can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur customary brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of the Fund’s shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit. Redemption requests must be placed by or through an Authorized Participant. Creation Units will be redeemable at their NAV per Creation Unit next determined after receipt of a request for redemption by the Fund.

  

In connection with taking delivery of shares of non-U.S. Fund Securities, if applicable, upon redemption of shares of the Fund, a redeeming Beneficial Owner, or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner, must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account the Fund Securities will be delivered.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement, in the event the Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Fund’ transfer agent, the transfer agent will nonetheless accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash having a value (marked to market daily) at least equal to 102% (105% for international securities), which Amplify Investments may change from time to time, of the value of the missing shares.

 

Purchase and Issuance of Creation Units

 

The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of shares of the Fund generally consists of Deposit Instruments and an amount of cash computed as described below (the “Cash Component” sometimes also referred to as the “Balancing Amount”). Together, the Deposit Instruments (and/or any cash with respect to cash purchases and cash-in-lieu amounts) and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the “Deposit Amount” (an amount equal to the aggregate market value of the Deposit Instruments and/or cash in lieu of all or a portion of the Deposit Instruments

 

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A Creation Unit will generally not be issued until the transfer of good title to the applicable Fund of the Deposit Instruments and the payment of the Cash Component, the Creation Transaction Fee (as discussed below) and any other required cash amounts have been completed. To the extent contemplated by the applicable Participant Agreement, Creation Units of the Fund will be issued to such Authorized Participant notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Instruments as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds having a value (marked to market daily) at least equal to 102% (105% for international securities) which Amplify Investments may change from time to time of the value of the missing Deposit Instruments. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date. The Participant Agreement will permit The Fund to use such collateral to buy the missing Deposit Instruments at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the applicable Fund of purchasing such securities and the value of the collateral. 

 

Delivery of Redemption Proceeds

 

Deliveries of securities to Authorized Participants in connection with redemption orders are generally expected to be made within two Business Days. Due to the schedule of holidays in certain countries, however, the delivery of in-kind redemption proceeds for the Fund may take longer than two Business Days after the day on which the redemption request is received in proper form. Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act generally prohibits a registered open-end management investment company from postponing the date of satisfaction of redemption requests for more than seven days after the tender of a security for redemption. This prohibition can cause operational difficulties for ETFs that hold foreign investments and exchange in-kind baskets for Creation Units. For example, local market delivery cycles for transferring foreign investments to redeeming investors, together with local market holiday schedules, can sometimes require a delivery process in excess of seven days. However, Rule 6c-11 grants relief from Section 22(e) to permit an ETF to delay satisfaction of a redemption request for more than seven days if a local market holiday, or series of consecutive holidays, or the extended delivery cycles for transferring foreign investments to redeeming Authorized Participants, or the combination thereof prevents timely delivery of the foreign investment included in the ETF’s basket. Under this exemption, an ETF must deliver foreign investments as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 days after the tender to the ETF. The exemption therefore will permit a delay only to the extent that additional time for settlement is actually required, when a local market holiday, or series of consecutive holidays, or the extended delivery cycles for transferring foreign investments to redeeming authorized participants prevents timely delivery of the foreign investment included in the ETF’s basket. If a foreign investment settles in less than 15 days, Rule 6c-11 requires an ETF to deliver it pursuant to the standard settlement time of the local market where the investment trades. Rule 6c-11 defines “foreign investment” as any security, asset or other position of the ETF issued by a foreign issuer (as defined by Rule 3b-4 under the 1934 Act), and that is traded on a trading market outside of the United States. This definition is not limited to “foreign securities,” but also includes other investments that may not be considered securities. Although these other investments may not be securities, they may present the same challenges for timely settlement as foreign securities if they are transferred in kind.

 

The redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of the Deposit Instruments—as announced on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form—plus or minus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the Fund shares (per Creation Unit) being redeemed, as next determined on the Transmittal Date after receipt of a request in proper form on the Submission Date, and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Instruments (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee (as described below) and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes. In the event that the Deposit Instruments have an aggregate market value greater than the net asset value of the Fund’s shares (per Creation Unit), a compensating cash payment equal to the difference plus the applicable Redemption Transaction Fee and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees or stamp taxes, is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.

 

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Creation and Redemption Orders Outside the Clearing Process

 

As described above, the Clearing Process is the process of creating or redeeming Creation Units through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. Fund Deposits made outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Trust, the Distributor and the Administrator. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Units to be effected outside the Clearing Process need not be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will instead be effected through a transfer of securities and cash directly through DTC. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Submission Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the Trust by no later than 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, of the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Instruments to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Administrator through the Federal Reserve wire system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Administrator no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date. An order to create Creation Units outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Distributor during the Order Window on the Submission Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. However, if the Administrator does not receive both the requisite Deposit Securities and the Cash Component by 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, on the next Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date, such order will be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such cancelled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created will occur no later than the first Business Day following the Transmittal Date (T+1). 

 

Creation Units may be created in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Instruments as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares on the Transmittal Date in proper form since in addition to available Deposit Instruments, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) 102% (105% for international securities) of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”). The order shall be deemed to be received on the Submission Date provided that the order is placed in proper form during the Order Window on such date and federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Administrator by 11:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on the Business Day following the Transmittal Date. If the order is not placed in proper form during the Order Window on the Submission Date or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received by 11:00 a.m. on the Business Day following the Transmittal Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the investor shall be liable to the Trust for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Instruments to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to 102% (105% for international securities) of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Instruments. To the extent that missing Deposit Instruments are not received by 1:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date or in the event a mark to market payment is not made within one Business Day following notification by the Distributor that such a payment is required, the Trust may use the cash on deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Instruments. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Instruments exceeds the market value of such Deposit Instruments on the Transmittal Date by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Instruments have been properly received by the Administrator or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Units of the applicable Fund so created will occur no later than the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date. However, as discussed in the section below, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date 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. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the applicable Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.

 

Orders to redeem Creation Units outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order for redemption of Creation Units to be effected outside the Clearing Process need not be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that redemption of Creation Units will instead be effected through transfer of Shares directly through DTC. An order to redeem Creation Units outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Administrator on the Transmittal Date if (i) such order is received by the Administrator during the Order Window on the Submission Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or proceeded by the requisite number of shares of the applicable Fund and/or the Cash Redemption Amount specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to the Administrator no later than 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively, Eastern Time, on the next Business Day following the Transmittal Date (the “DTC Cut-Off-Time”); and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.

 

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After the Administrator has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, the Administrator will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Fund Securities, which are expected to be delivered within two Business Days, and/or the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant, on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner, by the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date on which such redemption order is deemed received by the Administrator. 

 

The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by the Administrator according to the Fund’s established evaluation procedures computed on the Transmittal Date. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the Administrator by a DTC Participant during the Order Window on the Submission Date, and the requisite number of shares of the Fund are delivered to the custodian prior to the DTC Cut-Off-Time, then the value of the Fund Securities and/or the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be determined by the Administrator on such Transmittal Date. If, however, a redemption order is submitted to the Administrator by a DTC Participant during the Order Window on the Submission Date, but either (1) the requisite number of shares of the Fund are not delivered by the DTC Cut-Off-Time as described above on the next Business Day following the Transmittal Date or (2) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Submission Date. In such case, the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered will be computed on the Business Day that such order is deemed received by the Administrator, i.e., the Business Day on which the shares of the Fund are delivered through DTC to the Administrator by the DTC Cut-Off-Time on such Business Day pursuant to a properly submitted redemption order.

 

If it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash which the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its shares based on the NAV of shares of the Fund next determined on the Transmittal Date (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities which differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.

 

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular stock included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of shares of the Fund to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment, beneficial ownership of Shares or delivery instructions. The Trust also reserves the right to offer an “all cash” option for redemptions of Creation Units for the Fund.

 

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Creation Transaction Fees

 

The Fund imposes fees in connection with the purchase of Creation Units. These fees may vary based upon various facts-based circumstances, including, but not limited to, the composition of the securities included in the Creation Unit or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The price for each Creation Unit will equal the daily NAV per share of the Fund times the number of shares in a Creation Unit, plus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market related to the securities comprising the creation basket. The creation transaction fee charged by the Fund in connection with purchases of Creation Units is detailed below. The creation transaction fee listed below for the Fund is current as of the date of this SAI and is subject to change. In addition to this fee, the Fund may also charge up to a 2% variable fee on the creation of Creation Units.

  

 

Creation Transaction Fee

Fund Fee
Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF $500

 

Redemption Transaction Fees

 

The Fund imposes fees in connection with the redemption of Creation Units. These fees may vary based upon various facts-based circumstances, including, but not limited to, the composition of the securities included in the Creation Unit or the countries in which the transactions are settled. The price received for each Creation Unit will equal the daily NAV per share of the Fund times the number of shares in a Creation Unit, minus the fees described above and, if applicable, any operational processing and brokerage costs, transfer fees, stamp taxes and part or all of the spread between the expected bid and offer side of the market related to the securities comprising the redemption basket. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary in addition to an Authorized Participant to effect a redemption of a Creation Unit may also be assessed an amount to cover the cost of such services. The redemption fee charged by the Fund will comply with Rule 22c-2 of the 1940 Act which limits redemption fees to no more than 2% of the value of the shares redeemed. The redemption transaction fee charged in connection with redemptions of Creation Units for the Fund is detailed below. The redemption transaction fee listed below for the Fund is current as of the date of this SAI and is subject to change. In addition to this fee, the Fund may also charge up to a 2% variable fee on the redemption of Creation Units.

 

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Redemption Transaction Fee
Fund Fee
Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF $500

 

Suspension of Creations

 

The SEC has stated its position that an ETF generally may suspend the issuance of Creation Units only for a limited time and only due to extraordinary circumstances, such as when the markets on which the ETF’s portfolio holdings are traded are closed for a limited period of time. The SEC has also stated that an ETF could not set transaction fees so high as to effectively suspend the issuance of Creation Units. Circumstances in which the Fund may suspend creations include, but are not limited to: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the purchaser or group of related purchasers, upon obtaining the Creation Units of Fund shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the required consideration is not delivered; (iv) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would have certain adverse tax consequences; (v) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of the Fund, be unlawful; (vi) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Fund, First Trust and/or any sub-adviser, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of the Fund’s Beneficial Owners; or (vii) there exist circumstances outside the control of the Fund that make it impossible to process purchases of Creation Units for all practical purposes. Examples of such circumstances include: acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Fund, First Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the transfer agent, the custodian, any sub-custodian or any other participant in the purchase process; and similar extraordinary events. The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject a creation order transmitted to it if: The Transfer Agent shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such prospective creator of the rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Fund, the Transfer Agent, 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 Fund Deposits, nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

 

Suspension of Redemptions

 

An ETF may suspend the redemption of Creation Units only in accordance with Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. Section 22(e) stipulates that no registered investment company shall suspend the right of redemption, or postpone the date of payment or satisfaction upon redemption of any redeemable security in accordance with its terms for more than seven days after the tender of such security to the company or its agent designated for that purpose for redemption, except (1) for any period (A) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary week-end and holiday closings or (B) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (A) disposal by the investment company of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or (B) it is not reasonably practicable for such company fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of security holders of the investment company.

 

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Exceptions to Use of Creation Units

  

Under Rule 6c-11 of the 1940 Act, ETFs are permitted to sell or redeem individual shares on the day of consummation of a reorganization, merger, conversion, or liquidation. In these limited circumstances, an ETF may need to issue or redeem individual shares and may need to transact without utilizing Authorized Participants.

 

Regular Holidays

 

The Fund generally intends to effect deliveries of Creation Units and securities in its portfolio (“Portfolio Securities”) on a basis of “T” plus two Business Days (i.e., days on which the NYSE is open). The Fund may effect deliveries of Creation Units and portfolio securities on a basis other than “T” plus two in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among non-U.S. and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within two Business Days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable non-U.S. market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a non-U.S. market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The longest redemption cycle for the Fund is a function of the longest redemption cycle among the countries whose securities comprise the Fund. The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring Portfolio Securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days for the Fund in certain circumstances. Although certain holidays may occur on different dates in subsequent years, the number of days required to deliver the redemption proceeds in any given year is not expected to exceed 14 days. The proclamation of new holidays, the treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays, or changes in local securities delivery practices, could affect the information set forth herein at some time in the future.

 

Federal Tax Matters

 

This section summarizes some of the main U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning shares of the Fund. This section is current as of the date of this SAI. Tax laws and interpretations change frequently, and these summaries do not describe all of the tax consequences to all taxpayers. For example, these summaries generally do not describe your situation if you are a corporation, a non-U.S. person, a broker-dealer, or other investor with special circumstances. In addition, this section does not describe your state, local or foreign tax consequences.

 

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This federal income tax summary is based in part on the advice of counsel to the Fund. The Internal Revenue Service could disagree with any conclusions set forth in this section. In addition, our counsel was not asked to review, and has not reached a conclusion with respect to the federal income tax treatment of the assets to be deposited in the Fund. This may not be sufficient for prospective investors to use for the purpose of avoiding penalties under federal tax law.

 

As with any investment, prospective investors should seek advice based on their individual circumstances from their own tax advisor.

 

The Fund intends to continue to qualify annually and to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to regulated investment companies, the Fund must, among other things, (i) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships; (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer generally limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, or two or more issuers which the Fund controls which are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more of certain publicly traded partnerships; and (iii) distribute at least 90% of its investment company taxable income (which includes, among other items, dividends, interest and net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses) and at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income each taxable year. There are certain exceptions for failure to qualify if the failure is for reasonable cause or is de minimis, and certain corrective action is taken and certain tax payments are made by the Fund.

 

As a regulated investment company, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to shareholders. The Fund intends to distribute to its shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain. If the Fund retains any net capital gain or investment company taxable income, it will generally be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. In addition, amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax unless, generally, the Fund distributes during each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) at least 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. In order to prevent application of the excise tax, the Fund intends to make its distributions in accordance with the calendar year distribution requirement. A distribution will be treated as paid on December 31 of the current calendar year if it is declared by the Fund in October, November or December with a record date in such a month and paid by the Fund during January of the following calendar year. Such distributions will be taxable to shareholders in the calendar year in which the distributions are declared, rather than the calendar year in which the distributions are received.

 

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Subject to certain reasonable cause and de minimis exceptions, if the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company or failed to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be taxed as an ordinary corporation on its taxable income (even if such income were distributed to its shareholders) and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary income.

 

Distributions

 

Dividends paid out of the Fund’s investment company taxable income are generally taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. However, certain ordinary income distributions received from the Fund may be taxed at capital gains tax rates. In particular, ordinary income dividends received by an individual shareholder from a regulated investment company such as the Fund are generally taxed at the same rates that apply to net capital gain, provided that certain holding period requirements are satisfied and provided the dividends are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund itself.

 

The Fund will provide notice to its shareholders of the amount of any distributions that may be taken into account as a dividend, which is eligible for the capital gains tax rates. The Fund cannot make any guarantees as to the amount of any distribution, which will be regarded as a qualifying dividend.

 

Income from the Fund may also be subject to a 3.8% “Medicare tax.” This tax generally applies to net investment income if the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income exceeds certain threshold amounts, which are $250,000 in the case of married couples filing joint returns and $200,000 in the case of single individuals.

 

A corporation that owns shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to many dividends received from the Fund because the dividends received deduction is generally not available for distributions from regulated investment companies. However, certain ordinary income dividends on shares that are attributable to qualifying dividends received by the Fund from certain domestic corporations may be reported by the Fund as being eligible for the dividends received deduction.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, properly reported as capital gain dividends are taxable to a shareholder as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares. An election may be available to you to defer recognition of the gain attributable to a capital gain dividend if you make certain qualifying investments within a limited time. You should talk to your tax advisor about the availability of this deferral election and its requirements. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional shares, rather than cash, generally will have a tax basis in each such share equal to the value of a share of the Fund on the reinvestment date. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a shareholder as a return of capital which is applied against and reduces the shareholder’s basis in his or her shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the shareholder’s basis in his or her shares, the excess will be treated by the shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of the shares.

  

Shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal income tax status of distributions, and shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional shares will receive a report as to the value of those shares.

 

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Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares

 

Upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund, which a shareholder holds as a capital asset, such a shareholder may realize a capital gain or loss, which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder’s holding period for the shares. Generally, a shareholder’s gain or loss will be a long-term gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year.

 

Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent that shares disposed of are replaced (including through reinvestment of dividends) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after disposition of shares or to the extent that the shareholder, during such period, acquires or enters into an option or contract to acquire, substantially identical stock or securities. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on a disposition of Fund shares held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of long-term capital gain received by the shareholder with respect to such shares.

 

Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units

 

If a shareholder exchanges securities for Creation Units the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the shareholder’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the Cash Component paid. If a shareholder exchanges Creation Units for securities, then the shareholder will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the shareholder’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate market value of the securities received and the Cash Redemption Amount. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units or Creation Units for securities cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

 

Nature of Fund Investments

 

Certain of the Fund’s investment practices are subject to special and complex federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (i) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions; (ii) convert lower taxed long-term capital gain into higher taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income; (iii) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss (the deductibility of which is more limited); (iv) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash; (v) adversely affect the time as to when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur; and (vi) adversely alter the characterization of certain complex financial transactions.

  

Futures Contracts and Options

 

The Fund’s transactions in futures contracts and options will be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital, or short-term or long-term), may accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and may defer Fund losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), and (b) may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement for qualifying to be taxed as a regulated investment company and the distribution requirements for avoiding excise taxes.

 

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Investments in Certain Non-U.S. Corporations

 

If the Fund holds an equity interest in any “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), which are generally certain non-U.S. corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their assets in investments producing such passive income, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and additional interest charges on gains and certain distributions with respect to those equity interests, even if all the income or gain is timely distributed to its shareholders. The Fund will not be able to pass through to its shareholders any credit or deduction for such taxes. The Fund may be able to make an election that could ameliorate these adverse tax consequences. In this case, the Fund would recognize as ordinary income any increase in the value of such PFIC shares, and as ordinary loss any decrease in such value to the extent it did not exceed prior increases included in income. Under this election, the Fund might be required to recognize in a year income in excess of its distributions from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock during that year, and such income would nevertheless be subject to the distribution requirement and would be taken into account for purposes of the 4% excise tax (described above). Dividends paid by PFICs are not treated as qualified dividend income.

 

Backup Withholding

 

The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax from all taxable distributions and sale proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or fail to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that they are subject to backup withholding. Corporate shareholders and certain other shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

 

Non-U.S. Shareholders

 

U.S. taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a non-U.S. trust or estate, a non-U.S. corporation or non-U.S. partnership (“non-U.S. shareholder”) depends on whether the income of the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the shareholder.

 

In addition to the rules described in this section concerning the potential imposition of withholding on distributions to non-U.S. persons, distributions to non-U.S. persons that are “financial institutions” may be subject to a withholding tax of 30% unless an agreement is in place between the financial institution and the U.S. Treasury to collect and disclose information about accounts, equity investments, or debt interests in the financial institution held by one or more U.S. persons or the institution is resident in a jurisdiction that has entered into such an agreement with the U.S. Treasury. For these purposes, a “financial institution” means any entity that (i) accepts deposits in the ordinary course of a banking or similar business; (ii) holds financial assets for the account of others as a substantial portion of its business; or (iii) is engaged (or holds itself out as being engaged) primarily in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities, partnership interests, commodities or any interest (including a futures contract or option) in such securities, partnership interests or commodities. This withholding tax is also currently scheduled to apply to the gross proceeds from the disposition of securities that produce U.S. source interest or dividends. However, proposed regulations may eliminate the requirement to withhold on payments of gross proceeds from dispositions.

  

Distributions to non-financial non-U.S. entities (other than publicly traded non-U.S. entities, entities owned by residents of U.S. possessions, non-U.S. governments, international organizations, or non-U.S. central banks), will also be subject to a withholding tax of 30% if the entity does not certify that the entity does not have any substantial U.S. owners or provide the name, address and TIN of each substantial U.S. owner.  This withholding tax is also currently scheduled to apply to the gross proceeds from the disposition of securities that produce U.S. source interest or dividends. However, proposed regulations may eliminate the requirement to withhold on payments of gross proceeds from dispositions.

 

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Income Not Effectively Connected. If the income from the Fund is not “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the non-U.S. shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will generally be subject to a U.S. tax of 30% (or lower treaty rate), which tax is generally withheld from such distributions.

 

Distributions of capital gain dividends and any amounts retained by the Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains will not be subject to U.S. tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate) unless the non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual and is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements. However, this 30% tax on capital gains of nonresident alien individuals who are physically present in the United States for more than the 182 day period only applies in exceptional cases because any individual present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year is generally treated as a resident for U.S. income tax purposes; in that case, he or she would be subject to U.S. income tax on his or her worldwide income at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, rather than the 30% U.S. tax. In the case of a non-U.S. shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the Fund may be required to withhold U.S. income tax from distributions of net capital gain unless the non-U.S. shareholder certifies his or her non-U.S. status under penalties of perjury or otherwise establishes an exemption. If a non-U.S. shareholder is a nonresident alien individual, any gain such shareholder realizes upon the sale or exchange of such shareholder’s shares of the Fund in the United States will ordinarily be exempt from U.S. tax unless the gain is U.S. source income and such shareholder is physically present in the United States for more than 182 days during the taxable year and meets certain other requirements.

  

Distributions from the Fund that are properly reported by the Fund as an interest-related dividend attributable to certain interest income received by the Fund or as a short-term capital gain dividend attributable to certain net short-term capital gain income received by the Fund may not be subject to U.S. federal income taxes, including withholding taxes when received by certain non-U.S. investors, provided that the Fund makes certain elections and certain other conditions are met.

 

In addition, capital gain distributions attributable to gains from U.S. real property interests (including certain U.S. real property holding corporations) will generally be subject to United States withholding tax and will give rise to an obligation on the part of the non-U.S. shareholder to file a United States tax return.

 

Income Effectively Connected. If the income from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a non-U.S. shareholder, then distributions of investment company taxable income and capital gain dividends, any amounts retained by the Fund which are properly reported by the Fund as undistributed capital gains and any gains realized upon the sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. income tax at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents and domestic corporations. Non-U.S. corporate shareholders may also be subject to the branch profits tax imposed by the Code. The tax consequences to a non-U.S. shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described herein. Non-U.S. shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

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Capital Loss Carryforward

 

As of October 31, 2020, for federal income tax purposes, the Fund had the capital loss carryforwards available to offset future capital gains as indicated in the table below:

 

Short-Term   Long-Term   Expires
         
$1,692,442     Unlimited

 

Other Taxation

 

Fund shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

Determination of Net Asset Value

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Net Asset Value.”

 

The per share net asset value of the Fund is determined by dividing the total value of the securities and other assets, less liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding. Market value prices represent last sale or official closing prices from a national or foreign exchange (i.e., a regulated market) and are primarily obtained from third party pricing services. Under normal circumstances, daily calculation of the net asset value will utilize the last closing price of each security held by the Fund at the close of the market on which such security is principally listed. In determining net asset value, portfolio securities for the Fund for which accurate market quotations are readily available will be valued by the Fund accounting agent as follows:

 

(1)          Common stocks and other equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange other than NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) will be valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. Securities listed on NASDAQ or AIM are valued at the official closing price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, or no official closing price in the case of securities traded on NASDAQ and AIM, the securities are valued at the midpoint between the most recent bid and ask prices on such day. Portfolio securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price or official closing price, as applicable, on the business day as of which such value is being determined at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities.

 

(2)          Securities traded in the OTC market are valued at the midpoint between the bid and asked price, if available, and otherwise at their closing bid prices.

 

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In addition, the following types of securities will be valued as follows:

 

(1)          Fixed income securities with a remaining maturity of 60 days or more will be valued by the fund accounting agent using a pricing service. When price quotes are not available, fair value is based on prices of comparable securities.

 

(2)          Fixed income securities maturing within 60 days are valued by the Fund accounting agent on an amortized cost basis.

 

The value of any portfolio security held by the Fund for which market quotations are not readily available will be determined by Amplify Investments in a manner that most fairly reflects fair market value of the security on the valuation date, based on a consideration of all available information.

 

Certain securities may not be able to be priced by pre-established pricing methods. Such securities may be valued by the Board of Trustees or its delegate at fair value. These securities generally include but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities which may not be publicly sold without registration under the 1933 Act) for which a pricing service is unable to provide a market price; securities whose trading has been formally suspended; a security whose market price is not available from a pre-established pricing source; a security with respect to which an event has occurred that is likely to materially affect the value of the security after the market has closed but before the calculation of Fund net asset value (as may be the case in foreign markets on which the security is primarily traded) or make it difficult or impossible to obtain a reliable market quotation; and a security whose price, as provided by the pricing service, does not reflect the security’s “fair value.” As a general principle, the current “fair value” of an issue of securities would appear to be the amount, that the owner might reasonably expect to receive for them upon their current sale. A variety of factors may be considered in determining the fair value of such securities. The SEC adopted Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, which is expected to go into effect on March 8, 2021. Rule 2a-5 addresses a board’s valuation policies and the role of the board with respect to the fair value of a fund’s investments. It further provides requirements for determining fair value in good faith under the 1940 Act. It is expected that the Fund will be required to comply with the requirements of Rule 2a-5 by September 8, 2022. 

 

Valuing the Fund’s investments using fair value pricing will result in using prices for those investments that may differ from current market valuations. Use of fair value prices and certain current market valuations could result in a difference between the prices used to calculate the Fund’s net asset value and the prices used in secondary market transactions.

 

Because foreign markets may be open on different days than the days during which a shareholder may purchase the shares of the Fund, the value of the Fund’s investments may change on the days when shareholders are not able to purchase the shares of the Fund.

 

The Fund may suspend the right of redemption for the Fund only under the following unusual circumstances: (i) when the NYSE is closed (other than weekends and holidays) or trading is restricted; (ii) when trading in the markets normally utilized is restricted, or when an emergency exists as determined by the SEC so that disposal of the Fund’s investments or determination of its net assets is not reasonably practicable; or (iii) during any period when the SEC may permit.

 

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Dividends and Distributions

 

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes.”

 

General Policies. Dividends from net investment income of the Fund, if any, are declared and paid at least annually. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a regulated investment company or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

 

Dividends and other distributions of Fund shares are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Service. No reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by Beneficial Owners of the Fund for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial Owners should contact their brokers in order to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require Beneficial Owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market. 

 

Miscellaneous Information

 

Counsel. Chapman and Cutler LLP, 111 West Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603, is counsel to the Trust.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Cohen & Company, Ltd., 342 North Water Street, Suite 830, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The firm audits the Fund’s financial statements and performs other related audit services.

 

Performance Information

 

To obtain the Fund’s most current performance information, please call (855) 267-3837 or visit the Fund’s website at www.amplifyetfs.com. From time to time, the Fund’s performance information, such as yield or total return, may be quoted in advertisements or in communications to present or prospective shareholders. Performance quotations represent the Fund’s past performance and should not be considered as representative of future results. The Fund will calculate its performance in accordance with the requirements of the rules and regulations under the 1940 Act, as they may be revised from time to time.

 

Financial Statements

 

The audited financial statements and notes thereto in the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (the “Annual Report”) are incorporated by reference into this SAI. No other parts of the Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. The financial statements included in the Annual Report have been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report thereon also appears in the Annual Report and is incorporated by reference into this SAI. A copy of the Fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 may be obtained upon request and without charge by writing or by calling the Adviser, at the address and telephone number on the back cover of the Prospectus.

 

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Exhibit A - Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Egan-Jones Proxy Services
Standard Proxy Voting
Principles and Guidelines

 

Egan-Jones Proxy Voting Principles

 

Introduction

 

Our Proxy Voting Principles serve as the background for our Proxy Voting Guidelines, which, in turn, act as general guidelines for the specific recommendations that we make with respect to proxy voting. It is important to recognize that such principles are not intended to dictate but guide. Certain of the principles may be inappropriate for a given company, or in a given situation. Additionally, the principles are evolving and should be viewed in that light. Our principles are and will be influenced by current and forthcoming legislation, rules and regulations, and stock exchange rules. Examples include:

 

the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and implementing rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission

 

revised corporate governance listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and resulting SEC rules

 

corporate governance reforms and subsequent proposed rule filings made with the SEC by The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. and resulting SEC rules

 

In general:

 

Directors should be accountable to shareholders, and management should be accountable to directors.

 

Information on the Company supplied to shareholders should be transparent.

 

Shareholders should be treated fairly and equitably according to the principle of one share, one vote.

 

Principles

 

A.Director independence

 

It is our view that:

 

A two-thirds majority of the board should be comprised of independent directors.

 

Independent directors should meet alone at regularly scheduled meetings, no less frequently than semi-annually, without the Chief Executive Officer or other non-independent directors present.

 

When the Chairman of the Board also serves as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, the board should designate one independent director to act as a leader to coordinate the activities of the other independent directors.

 

Committees of the board dealing with the following responsibilities should consist only of independent directors: audit, compensation, nomination of directors, corporate governance, and compliance.

 

No director should serve as a consultant or service provider to the Company.

 

Director compensation should be a combination of cash and stock in the Company, with stock constituting a significant component.

 

 A-1 

 

 

In our opinion, an independent director, by definition, has no material relationship with the Company other than his or her directorship. This avoids the potential for conflict of interest. Specifically such director:

 

should not have been employed by the Company or an affiliate within the previous five years.

 

should not be the founder of the Company.

 

should not be a director of the Company serving in an ex officio capacity.

 

should not be a member of the Company’s Board of Directors for 10 years or more, however, a director who is a diverse nominee may be exempted from this rule on the case-by-case basis.

 

should have no services contract regarding such matters as aircraft rental contract, real property lease or similar contract with the Company or affiliate, or with a member of the Company’s senior management or provide legal or consulting services to the Company within the previous three years.

 

should not be employed by a public company at which an executive officer of the Company serves as a director, and thereby be part of an interlocking relationship.

 

should not be a member of the immediate family (spouse, parents, children, siblings, mothers and fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, and anyone other than domestic employees who share such person’s home) of any person described above.

 

a director who receives, or whose immediate family member receives, more than $120,000 per year in direct compensation (base salary plus cash bonus) from the Company, other than director and committee fees and pension or other forms of deferred compensation for prior service (provided such compensation is not contingent in any way on continued service), is not independent until three years after he or she ceases to receive more than $120,000 per year in such compensation.

 

a director who is an executive officer or an employee, or whose immediate family member is an executive officer, of another company (other than a utility) or non-profit organization that makes payments to, or receives payments from, the Company for property or services in an amount which, in any single fiscal year, exceeds the greater of $1 million, or 2% of the recipient company’s consolidated gross revenues, is not “independent” until three years after falling below such threshold. However, the existence of a credit agreement between a bank and the Company shall not affect the independence of a director who is an executive of that bank within the previous three years.

 

B.Board operating procedures

 

The board should adopt a written statement of its governance principles, and regularly re-evaluate them.

 

Independent directors should establish performance criteria and compensation incentives for the Chief Executive Officer, and regularly review his or her performance against such criteria. Such criteria should align the interests of the CEO with those of shareholders, and evaluate the CEO against peer groups.

 

The independent directors should be provided access to professional advisers of their own choice, independent of management.

  

The board should have a CEO succession plan, and receive periodic reports from management on the development of other members of senior management.

 

Directors should have access to senior management through a designated liaison person.

 

The board should periodically review its own size, and determine the appropriate size.

 

 A-2 

 

 

C.Requirements for individual directors

 

We recommend that:

 

The board should provide guidelines for directors serving on several Boards addressing competing commitments.

 

The board should establish performance criteria for itself and for individual directors regarding director attendance, preparedness, and participation at meetings of the board and of committees of the board, and directors should perform satisfactorily in accordance with such criteria in order to be re-nominated.

 

D.       Shareholder rights

 

A simple majority of shareholders should be able to amend the Company’s bylaws, call special meetings, or act by written consent.

 

“Greenmail” should be prohibited.

 

Shareholder approval should be required to enact or amend a “poison pill” (i.e., “shareholder rights”) plan

 

Directors should be elected annually.

 

The board should ordinarily implement a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of proxy votes.

 

Shareholders should have effective access to the director nomination process.

 

Egan-Jones Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Consistent with the above-listed principles, the proxy voting guidelines outlined below are written to guide the specific recommendations that we make to our clients. Ordinarily, we do not recommend that clients ABSTAIN on votes; rather, we recommend that they vote FOR or AGAINST proposals (or, in the case of election of directors, that they vote FOR ALL nominees, AGAINST the nominees, or that they WITHHOLD votes for certain nominees). In the latter instance, the recommendation on our report takes the form ALL, EXCEPT FOR and lists the nominees from whom votes should be withheld.

 

Whether or not the guideline below indicates “case-by-case basis,” every case is examined to ensure that the recommendation is appropriate.

 

Board Of Directors

 

Election of Directors in Uncontested Elections

 

Case-by-case basis, examining composition of board and key board committees, attendance history, corporate governance provisions and takeover activity, long-term company financial performance relative to a market index, directors’ investment in the Company, etc. 

  

WITHHOLD votes from nominees who:

 

are affiliated outside directors and sit on the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees.

 

are inside directors and sit on the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees.

 

are inside directors and the Company does not have Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees.

 

attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings. Participation by phone is acceptable.

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the shares outstanding.

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the votes cast for two consecutive years.

 

 A-3 

 

 

fail to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders have tendered their shares.

 

implement or renew a “dead-hand” or modified “dead-hand” poison pill.

 

sit on more than five other public boards.

 

serve as both Chairmen of the Board and CEOs and the Company receives a poor Board Score.

 

serve as CEOs and hold more than one outside public directorship.

 

serve as Chairmen of the Board and hold more than one outside public directorship.

 

sit on the existing board, which has failed to respond adequately to a say-on-pay vote in which the majority of votes cast voted AGAINST.

 

sit on the existing board, which has implemented a less frequent say-on-pay vote than the frequency option which received a majority of votes cast in the previous frequency vote.

 

Underperforming Board Policy

 

WITHHOLD votes from Compensation Committee members in cases when the Company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones compensation rating model.

 

WITHHOLD votes from Compensation Committee members in cases when the Company’s Compensation Plans (Cash Bonus Plan or Stock Option Plan) receive an “AGAINST” recommendation from Egan-Jones.

 

Board Accountability

 

Case-by-case basis for the following:

 

Evidence or belief of failure of the board to properly account and prepare for risk (i.e. carbon or cyber issues)

 

A low board score, coupled with poor performance

 

Legal or ethical problems in the Company or its management

   

In cases in which the Company has engaged in the practice commonly referred to as “options backdating,” Egan-Jones may recommend that votes be withheld from nominees serving on the Company’s compensation committee, the Company’s entire board of directors, and/or its chief executive officer. Such recommendations will be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration such matters as intent of the individuals involved, scope and timing of the practice, significance of financial restatement required, and corrective action taken.

 

Furthermore, we may recommend withholding votes from either members of the Company’s compensation committee, its entire board of directors and/or its chief executive officer where the Company has engaged in what we judge to be other unsatisfactory compensation practices. Considerations may include such factors as “pay-for-failure” executive severance provisions, change-in-control payments which are either excessive or which are not tied to loss of job or significant reduction in duties, excessive executive perquisites, unjustified changes in the performance standards applied to performance-based compensation, and executive compensation out of proportion to performance of the Company.

 

FOR responsible shareholder proposals calling for the Company to name as directors only those who receive a majority of shareholder votes.

 

Separating Chairman and CEO

 

FOR shareholder proposals requiring that positions of Chairman and CEO be held separately.

 

Independent Directors

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that a two-thirds majority of directors be independent.

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that the board’s Audit, Compensation, and/or Nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.

 

FOR shareholder proposals that the Chairman OR lead director be independent when the Company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones director independence rating. AGAINST in all other cases.

 

 A-4 

 

 

Stock Ownership Requirements

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring directors to own a minimum amount of company stock in order to qualify as a director or to remain on the board.

 

Term Limits

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to limit tenure of outside directors.

 

Age Limits

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to impose a mandatory retirement age for outside directors.

 

Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals regarding director and officer indemnification and liability, using Delaware law as the standard.

 

AGAINST management proposals to eliminate entirely directors and officers liability for monetary damages for violating the duty of care.

 

AGAINST management indemnification proposals that would expand coverage beyond legal expenses to acts, such as negligence, that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation than mere carelessness.

  

FOR only those management proposals providing such expanded coverage in cases when a director’s or officer’s legal defense was unsuccessful if (1) the director was found to have acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed was in the best interests of the company, and (2) only if the director’s legal expenses would be covered.

 

Charitable Contributions

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals regarding disclosure of charitable contributions.

 

Political Contributions

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals regarding disclosure of political contributions.

 

FOR management proposals regarding approval of political contributions.

 

Lobbying Expenditures

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals for disclosure of lobbying expenditures.

 

Proxy Contests and Other Contested Elections

 

Election of Directors in Contested Elections

 

Case-by-case basis for voting for directors in contested elections, considering long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry, management’s track record, background to the proxy contest, qualifications of director nominees on both slates, evaluation of what each side is offering shareholders as well as likelihood that proposed objectives and goals will be met, and stock ownership positions.

 

FOR plurality voting standard in contested elections.

 

Reimbursement of Proxy Solicitation Expenses

 

Case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals for reimbursement of proxy solicitation expenses. FOR reimbursing proxy solicitation expenses where EGAN-JONES recommends in favor of the dissidents.

 

 A-5 

 

 

Auditors

 

Ratifying Auditors

 

FOR management proposals to ratify appointment of independent auditor unless:

 

Auditor obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones Auditor Rating Model which takes into account a number of factors including but not limited to:

 

ØAuditor rotation every seven years

 

ØNon-audit fees exceeding 50% of total fees

 

ØSignificant and material disciplinary actions taken against the Company’s Auditor

 

Auditor has a financial interest in or association with the Company, and is therefore not independent; or there is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the Company’s financial position.

  

Proxy Contest Defenses

 

Classified Board vs. Annual Election

 

AGAINST management proposals to classify the board.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to repeal (“de-stagger”) classified boards and to elect all directors annually.

 

Removal of Directors

 

AGAINST management proposals that provide that directors may be removed only for cause.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause.

 

CASE-BY-CASE basis for shareholder proposal to remove a director, usually AGAINST unless there are compelling reasons to remove a director or a director does not fulfill Egan-Jones criteria examining independence, meetings attendance, other board memberships, then in such cases FOR.

 

AGAINST management proposals that provide that only continuing directors may elect replacements to fill board vacancies.

 

FOR shareholder proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.

 

Cumulative Voting

 

FOR management proposals to eliminate cumulative voting.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to provide for cumulative voting.

 

Calling Special Meetings

 

AGAINST management proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to call special meetings.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to allow a shareholder holding a 25% or greater interest to call a special shareholder meeting.

 

Acting by Written Consent

 

Case by case for management proposals to restrict or prohibit shareholder ability to take action by written consent.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to allow or make easier shareholder action by written consent.

 

Altering Size of the Board

 

FOR management proposals to fix the size of the board.

 

AGAINST management proposals that give management the ability to alter size of the board without shareholder approval.

 

Tender Offer Defenses

 

“Poison Pills”

 

FOR shareholder proposals that ask the Company to submit its “poison pill” for shareholder ratification.

   

Case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals to redeem a company’s existing “poison pill.”

 

Case-by-case basis for management proposals to ratify a “poison pill.”

 

 A-6 

 

 

Fair Price Provisions

 

Case-by-case basis for adopting fair price provisions, considering vote required to approve the proposed acquisition, vote required to repeal the fair price provision, and mechanism for determining the fair price.

 

AGAINST fair price provisions with shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.

 

“Greenmail”

 

FOR proposals to adopt anti-”greenmail” charter or bylaw amendments or otherwise restrict the company’s ability to make “greenmail” payments.

 

Case-by-case basis for anti-”greenmail” proposals which are bundled with other charter or bylaw amendments.

 

“Pale Greenmail”

 

Case-by-case basis for restructuring plans that involve the payment of pale greenmail.

 

Unequal Voting Rights

 

AGAINST dual-class exchange offers and dual-class recapitalizations.

 

Supermajority Requirement to Amend Charter or Bylaws

 

AGAINST management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve charter and bylaw amendments.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for charter and bylaw amendments.

 

Supermajority Requirement to Approve Mergers

 

AGAINST management proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote to approve mergers and other significant business combinations.

 

FOR shareholder proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements for mergers and other significant business combinations.

 

Placement of Equity with “White Squire”

 

FOR shareholder proposals to require approval of “blank check preferred stock” issues for other than general corporate purposes.

 

Other Governance Proposals

 

Confidential Voting

 

FOR shareholder proposals that request that the company adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent inspectors of election as long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows: In the case of a contested election, management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honor its confidential voting policy. If the dissidents agree, the policy remains in place. If the dissidents do not agree, the confidential voting policy is waived.

  

FOR management proposals to adopt confidential voting.

 

Equal Access

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that would allow significant company shareholders equal access to management’s proxy material in order to evaluate and propose voting recommendations on proxy proposals and director nominees, and in order to nominate their own candidates to the board.

 

 A-7 

 

 

Proxy Access

 

FOR binding shareholder proxy access proposals considering the following criteria:

 

0.5% ownership threshold
Number of board members that may be elected - cap of 1/3 of board or minimum 2 nominees, if the board size is being lowered the calculation is based upon the original board size, if it is being increased the calculation would be based upon the original board size, with each new slot added to the total, so two plus six if six new board positions are being created
We prefer no limit or caps on the number of shareowners in the nominations group
Loaned securities will count towards total
We prefer that all participants affirm that they intend to be “long term shareholders” of the company with at least 6 month ownership duration requirement
Proposals with no re-nominations restrictions are preferred

 

Bundled Proposals

 

Case-by-case basis for bundled or “conditioned” proxy proposals. Where items are conditioned upon each other, examine benefits and costs. AGAINST in instances when the joint effect of the conditioned items is not in shareholders’ best interests. FOR if the combined effect is positive.

 

Shareholder Advisory Committees

 

Case-by-case basis for shareholder proposals establishing a shareholder advisory committee.

 

Capital Structure

 

Common Stock Authorization

 

AGAINST management proposals increasing the number of authorized shares of the class of stock that has superior voting rights in companies that have dual-class capitalization structures.

 

AGAINST management proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock, or equivalents, that exceeds the maximum amount indicated by Egan-Jones model without any specified legitimate purpose.

 

FOR management proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock, or equivalents, that does not exceed the maximum amount indicated by Egan-Jones model or are targeted for a specified legitimate purpose.

 

Case-by-case basis on other such management proposals considering the specified purposes of the proposed increase, any explanation of risks to shareholders of failing to approve the request, potential dilution, and recent track record for using authorized shares, in which case judgment is applied to weigh such factors. Factors which are normally weighed in making such judgments include prior performance of the issuer, changes within the industry, relative performance within the industry, client preferences and overall good corporate governance. In general, we view the authorization of additional common shares to be ordinary and necessary and in the best long-term interests of the issuer and its shareholders.

 

Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends

 

FOR management proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split, provided that the increase in authorized shares would not result in an excessive number of shares available for issuance, considering the industry and company’s returns to shareholders.

 

Reverse Stock Splits

 

FOR management proposals to implement a reverse stock split when the number of shares will be proportionately reduced to avoid delisting.

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals to implement a reverse stock split that do not proportionately reduce the number of shares authorized for issuance.

 

 A-8 

 

 

Preferred Stock

 

AGAINST management proposals authorizing creation of new classes of “blank check preferred stock” (i.e., classes with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights).

 

FOR management proposals to authorize preferred stock in cases where the Company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms are reasonable.

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals to increase the number of “blank check preferred shares” after analyzing the number of preferred shares available for issuance considering the industry and Company’s returns to shareholders.

 

“Blank Check Preferred Stock”

 

FOR shareholder proposals to have placements of “blank check preferred stock” submitted for shareholder approval, except when those shares are issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course.

 

FOR management proposals to create “blank check preferred stock” in cases when the Company specifically states that the stock will not be used as a takeover defense.

 

Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock

 

FOR management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock.

 

Preemptive Rights

 

Case-by-case basis on shareholder proposals that seek preemptive rights, considering size of the company and shareholder characteristics.

 

Debt Restructurings

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals to increase number of common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan, considering dilution, any resulting change in control.

 

FOR management proposals that facilitate debt restructurings except where signs of self- dealing exist.

 

Share Repurchase Programs

 

FOR management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms.

 

Tracking Stock

  

Case-by-case basis for management proposals for creation of tracking stock, considering the strategic value of the transaction vs. adverse governance changes, excessive increases in authorized stock, inequitable distribution method, diminution of voting rights, adverse conversion features, negative impact on stock option plans, and other alternatives, such as spin-offs.

 

Stock buybacks

 

Case-by-case on management proposals requesting stock buybacks. AGAINST in cases when the Company receives a poor Board or Compensation score. FOR otherwise.

 

Compensation of Officers and Directors

 

Compensation of Officers and Directors

 

FOR compensation plans that result in an amount of dilution (or the equivalent value in cash) that is less than the total amount suggested by Egan-Jones compensation rating model’s maximum dilution function as determined by the Company’s compensation rating.

 

AGAINST compensation plans that result in an excess amount of dilution (or the equivalent value in cash) that is more than the total amount suggested by Egan-Jones compensation rating model’s maximum dilution function as determined by the Company’s compensation rating.

 

 A-9 

 

 

AGAINST compensation plans involving “pay for failure,” such as excessively long contracts, guaranteed compensation, excessive severance packages, or other problematic practice not accounted for in the Egan-Jones compensation rating.

 

Case-by-case (but generally FOR) plans that are completely “decoupled” from the CEOs compensation and thus have no impact on the CEO’s current or future total compensation.

 

Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (“Say-on-Pay”)

 

Case-by-case basis on advisory votes on executive compensation (“Say-on-Pay”), based on the score obtained by the Company in Egan-Jones Compensation Rating. AGAINST a non-binding compensation advisory vote when the Company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones Compensation Rating model, FOR otherwise.

 

Relative Compensation is based upon a number of quantitative and qualitative metrics which produce a final score that is both forward looking and based upon the prior performance metrics of the company’s wealth creation and market capitalization as compared to the CEO’s total compensation package. Higher wealth creation, market capitalization and lower CEO compensation all contribute to a higher score in this rating. Additional qualitative measures such as 162m compliance, executive pension plan status and other relevant factors are then used to calculate the final score.

 

Advisory Votes Regarding Frequency of Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation

 

FOR management proposals that recommend that advisory votes on executive compensation take place annually.

 

AGAINST management proposals that recommend that advisory votes on executive compensation take place every two years or triennially.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals regarding advisory vote on directors’ compensation.

 

Management Proposals Seeking Approval to Re-price Options

 

Case-by-case basis on management proposals seeking approval to re-price options.

 

Director Compensation

 

Case-by-case basis on stock-based plans for directors. 

 

Employee Stock Purchase Plans

 

Case-by-case basis on employee stock purchase plans.

 

Amendments that Place a Maximum Limit on Annual Grants or Amend Administrative Features

 

FOR plans that amend shareholder-approved plans to include administrative features or place maximum limit on annual grants that any participant may receive to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA).

 

Amendments to Added Performance-Based Goals

 

FOR amendments to add performance goals to existing compensation plans to comply with the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

 

Amendments to Increase Shares and Retain Tax Deductions under OBRA

 

Case-by-case basis on amendments to existing plans to increase shares reserved and to qualify the plan for favorable tax treatment under the provisions of Section 162(m).

 

Approval of Cash or Cash & Stock Bonus Plans

 

Case-by-case basis on cash or cash & stock bonus plans to exempt compensation from taxes under the provisions of Section 162(m) of OBRA.

 

Limits on Director and Officer Compensation

 

FOR shareholder proposals requiring additional disclosure of officer and director compensation.

 

Case-by-case basis for all other shareholder proposals seeking limits on officer and director compensation.

 

 A-10 

 

 

“Golden Parachutes” and “Tin Parachutes”

 

FOR shareholder proposals to have “golden and tin parachutes” submitted for shareholder ratification.

 

Case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or cancel “golden or tin parachutes.”

 

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)

 

FOR proposals that request shareholder approval in order to implement an ESOP or to increase authorized number of shares for existing ESOPs, except in cases when the number of shares allocated to the ESOP is “excessive” (i.e., greater than five percent of outstanding shares).

 

401(k) Employee Benefit Plans

 

FOR proposals to implement a 401(k) savings plan for employees.

 

State of Incorporation

 

State Takeover Statutes

 

Case-by-case basis on proposals to opt in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freeze-out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-“greenmail” provisions, and disgorgement provisions). 

 

Reincorporation Proposals

 

Case-by-case basis on proposals to change the Company’s state of incorporation.

 

Business Combinations and Corporate Restructurings

 

Mergers and Acquisitions

 

Case-by-case basis on mergers and acquisitions, considering projected financial and operating benefits, offer price, prospects of the combined companies, negotiation process, and changes in corporate governance.

 

Corporate Restructuring

 

Case-by-case basis on corporate restructurings, including minority squeeze-outs, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and asset sales.

 

Spin-offs

 

Case-by-case basis on spin-offs, considering tax and regulatory advantages, planned use of proceeds, market focus, and managerial incentives.

 

Asset Sales

 

Case-by-case basis on asset sales, considering impact on the balance sheet and working capital, and value received.

 

Liquidations

 

Case-by-case basis on liquidations considering management’s efforts to pursue alternatives, appraisal value, and compensation for executives managing the liquidation.

 

Appraisal Rights

 

FOR providing shareholders with appraisal rights.

 

Mutual Fund Proxies

 

Election of Directors

 

Case-by-case basis for election of directors, considering board structure, director independence, director qualifications, compensation of directors within the fund and the family of funds, and attendance at board and committee meetings.

 

 A-11 

 

 

WITHHOLD votes for directors who:

 

are interested directors and sit on key board committees (Audit or Nominating committees)

 

are interested directors and the company does not have one or more of the following committees: Audit or Nominating.

 

attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings. Participation by phone is acceptable.

 

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of shares outstanding.

  

ignore a shareholder proposal that is approved by a majority of the votes cast for two consecutive years

 

serve as Chairman but are not independent (e.g. serve as an officer of the fund’s advisor)

 

Converting Closed-end Fund to Open-end Fund

 

Case-by-case basis for conversion of closed-end fund to open-end fund, considering past performance as a closed-end fund, market in which the fund invests, measures taken by the board to address the market discount, and past shareholder activism, board activity, and votes on related proposals.

 

Proxy Contests

 

Case-by-case basis on proxy contests, considering past performance, market in which fund invests, and measures taken by the board to address issues raised, past shareholder activism, board activity, and votes on related proposals.

 

Investment Advisory Agreements

 

Case-by-case basis on investment advisory agreements, considering proposed and current fee schedules, fund category and investment objective, performance benchmarks, share price performance relative to that of peers; and magnitude of any fee increase.

 

New Classes or Series of Shares

 

FOR creating new classes or series of shares.

 

Preferred Stock Authorization

 

Case-by-case basis for authorization for or increase in preferred shares, considering financing purpose and potential dilution for common shares.

 

1940 Act Policies

 

Case-by-case basis for 1940 Act policies, considering potential competitiveness, regulatory developments, current and potential returns, and current and potential risk.

 

Changing a Fundamental Restriction to a Non-fundamental Restriction

 

Case-by-case basis on changing fundamental restriction to non-fundamental restriction, considering fund’s target investments, reasons for change, and projected impact on portfolio.

 

Changing Fundamental Investment Objective to Non-fundamental

 

AGAINST proposals to change the fund’s fundamental investment objective to non- fundamental.

 

Name Rule Proposals

 

Case-by-case basis for name rule proposals, considering the following factors: political/economic changes in target market; bundling with quorum requirements or with changes in asset allocation, and consolidation in the fund’s target market.

 

 A-12 

 

 

Disposition of Assets, Termination, Liquidation

 

Case-by-case basis for disposition of assets, termination or liquidation, considering strategies employed, company’s past performance, and terms of liquidation.

 

Charter Modification

 

Case-by-case basis for changes to the charter, considering degree of change, efficiencies that could result, state of incorporation, and regulatory standards and implications.

 

Change of Domicile

 

Case-by-case basis for changes in state of domicile, considering state regulations of each state, required fundamental policies of each state; and the increased flexibility available.

 

Change in Sub-classification

 

Case-by-case basis for change in sub-classification, considering potential competitiveness, current and potential returns, risk of concentration, and industry consolidation in the target industry.

 

Authorizing Board to Hire and Terminate Sub-advisors without Shareholder Approval

 

AGAINST authorizing the board to hire and terminate sub-advisors without shareholder approval.

 

Distribution Agreements

 

Case-by-case basis for approving distribution agreements, considering fees charged to comparably sized funds with similar objectives, proposed distributor’s reputation and past performance, and competitiveness of fund in industry.

 

Master-Feeder Structure

 

FOR establishment of a master-feeder structure.

 

Changes to Charter

 

Case-by-case basis for changes to the charter, considering degree of change implied by the proposal, resulting efficiencies, state of incorporation, and regulatory standards and implications.

 

Mergers

 

Case-by-case basis for proposed merger, considering resulting fee structure, performance of each fund, and continuity of management.

 

Advisory Vote on Merger Related Compensation

 

AGAINST “golden parachutes” which are abusive,

 

such as those that exceed 3x of the cash severance or
if the cash severance multiple is greater than 2.99x or
contain tax gross-ups or
provide for accelerated vesting of equity awards, (however, pro-rata vesting of awards based on past service is acceptable) or
are triggered prior to completion of the transaction or
if the payouts are not contingent on the executive’s termination.

 

Miscellaneous Shareholder Proposals

 

Independent Directors

 

FOR shareholder proposals asking that a three-quarters majority of directors be independent.

 

 A-13 

 

  

FOR shareholder proposals asking that board’s Audit, Compensation, and/or Nominating committees be composed exclusively of independent directors.

 

FOR shareholder proposals that the Chairman OR lead director be independent when the company obtains a questionable score on the Egan-Jones director independence rating. AGAINST in all other cases.

 

Establish Director Ownership Requirement

 

AGAINST proposals establishing a director ownership requirement.

 

Reimbursement of Shareholder for Expenses Incurred

 

CASE-BY-CASE for proposals for reimbursing proxy solicitation expenses in contested meetings.

 

FOR proposals for reimbursing proxy solicitation expenses in contested meetings in cases where EGAN-JONES recommends in favor of the dissidents.

 

Terminate the Investment Advisor

 

CASE-BY-CASE basis for proposals for terminating the investment advisor, considering fund’s performance and history of shareholder relations.

 

Tax Payments on Restricted Awards

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to adopt a policy that the Company will pay the personal taxes owed on restricted stock awards on behalf of named executive officers.

 

Recovery of Unearned Management Bonuses

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to adopt an executive compensation recoupment policy.

 

Clawback Provision Amendment

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that request the board of directors amend the Company’s clawback policy for executive compensation.

 

Quantifiable Performance Metrics

 

CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals that request the board adopt the policy regarding quantifiable performance metrics. FOR this proposal in cases when Egan-Jones compensation rating model results in an ‘Against’ recommendation on ‘Say-on-Pay’ proposal. AGAINST this proposal in cases of when Egan-Jones compensation rating model results in a ‘For’ recommendation on ‘Say-on-Pay’ proposal.

 

Vote Tabulation

 

FOR shareholder proposals that request all matters presented to shareholders, other than the election of directors, shall be decided by a simple majority of the shares voted ‘For’ and ‘Against’ an item and abstentions from the vote count be excluded.

 

Maryland’s Unsolicited Takeover Act

 

FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the Board opt out of MUTA, which allows the board of directors to make changes by board resolution only, without shareholder approval, to a company’s capital structure and charter/bylaws. These include, but are not limited to:

› the ability to re-classify a board;

› the exclusive right to set the number of directors;

› limiting shareholders’ ability to call special meetings to a threshold of at least a majority of shares.

 

Accelerated Vesting

 

FOR shareholder proposals to implement double triggered with pro-rata vesting of awards.

 

Dividends

 

CASE-BY-CASE basis for shareholder proposals to increase dividends, but generally AGAINST in the absence of a compelling reason for.

 

 A-14 

 

 

Shareholder Proposals on Social Issues

 

Energy and Environment

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that request companies to follow the CERES Principles.

 

Generally AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information, unless it appears that the Company has not adequately addressed shareholders’ relevant environmental concerns but FOR shareholder proposals requesting additional disclosure regarding hydraulic fracturing.

 

AGAINST proposals that request that the Board prepare, at reasonable expense and omitting proprietary information, a sustainability report.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that requests that company develop and implement a comprehensive sustainable palm oil sourcing policy.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals promoting recycling.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a report on recyclable packaging.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting that a company voluntarily label genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in its products.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals that requests the Company prepare a report, at reasonable expense and omitting proprietary information, assessing actual and potential material financial risks or operational impacts on the Company related to these genetically modified organisms (GMO issues).

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to eliminate GE ingredients from the company’s products, or proposals asking for reports outlining the steps necessary to eliminate GE ingredients from the company’s products.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting that a company adopt GHG emissions reductions goals and issue a report by at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, on its plans to achieve these goals.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to encourage energy conservation and the development of alternate renewable and clean energy resources and to reduce or eliminate toxic wastes and greenhouse gas emissions.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals on proper disposal of pharmaceuticals.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a report on electronic waste.

 

CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals requesting a report on renewable energy adoption. FOR in cases when the Company receives a poor Board score, AGAINST otherwise.

 

CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals requesting a report on distributed - scale clean electricity. FOR in cases when the Company receives a poor Board score, AGAINST otherwise.

 

FOR shareholder proposals requesting a report on climate change and business model.

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals requesting a report on nanomaterials.

 

FOR shareholder proposals requesting a report on antibiotics in livestock.

 

Northern Ireland

 

AGAINST proposals related to the MacBride Principles.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information about progress being made toward eliminating employment discrimination, unless it appears Company has not adequately addressed shareholder relevant concerns.

 

 A-15 

 

 

Military Business

 

AGAINST proposals on defense issues.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information on military related operations, unless the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

Maquiladora Standards and International Operations Policies

 

AGAINST on proposals relating to the Maquiladora Standards and international operating policies.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports on international operating policy issues, unless it appears the Company has not adequately addressed shareholder relevant concerns.

 

World Debt Crisis

 

AGAINST proposals dealing with Third World debt.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports on Third World debt issues, unless it appears the Company has not adequately addressed shareholder relevant concerns.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity and Discrimination

 

AGAINST on proposals regarding equal employment opportunities and discrimination.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information about affirmative action efforts, unless it appears the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

Holy Land Principles

 

AGAINST shareholder proposals to approve the implementation of the Holy Land Principles.

 

Animal Rights

 

AGAINST proposals that deal with animal rights.

 

Product Integrity and Marketing

 

AGAINST proposals on ceasing production of socially questionable products.

  

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information regarding product integrity and marketing issues, unless it appears the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

Human Resources Issues

 

AGAINST proposals regarding human resources issues.

 

AGAINST proposals requesting reports that seek additional information regarding human resources issues, unless it appears the Company has been unresponsive to shareholder relevant requests.

 

 A-16 

 

  

Exhibit B - Principal Holders Table 

 

Name and Address of Owner Percentage of Record Ownership

National Financial Services LLC

499 Washington Boulevard

Jersey City, New Jersey 07310-1995

29.98%

Charles Schwab & Co Inc.

211 Main Street

San Francisco, California 94105-1905

16.02%

TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.

200 South 108th Avenue

Omaha, Nebraska 68103

14.92%

E*Trade Clearing LLC

34 Exchange Place Plaza II

Jersey City, New Jersey 07311

5.83%

  

 B-1