Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund, using a low-cost “passive” or “indexing” investment approach, seeks to replicate, before the Fund’s fees and expenses, the performance of the China All-Cap Index (Index Ticker: ACNACTR). The China All-Cap Index is designed to measure and monitor the performance of the investable universe of publicly-traded companies based in mainland China (as classified by the S&P BMI County Code classification system). The Index was created by AlphaShares, LLC (“AlphaShares” or the “Index Provider”) and is maintained by Standard & Poor’s (the “Index Administrator”). The Index includes equity securities of companies of all categories of market capitalizations, as defined by AlphaShares (subject to the minimum capitalization requirements set forth in “Additional Information About the Funds’ Principal Investment Strategies and Principal Investments Risk — “Index Construction”).
The Index may include Hong Kong listed securities, including China H-shares and Red Chips. China H-shares are issued by companies incorporated in mainland China and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Red Chip shares are issued by companies with controlling Chinese shareholders that are incorporated outside mainland China and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Index may also include N-Shares, which are issued by companies based in mainland China and listed on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) or NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”). The Index will not include China A-Shares (which are subject to substantial restrictions on foreign investment) or China B-Shares (which offer a generally smaller market and limited liquidity), each of which trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
The Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stock, American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), American depositary shares (“ADSs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) and international depositary receipts (“IDRs”) that comprise the Index and depositary receipts or shares representing common
stocks included in the Index (or underlying securities representing ADRs, ADSs, GDRs and IDRs included in the Index). The depositary receipts included in the Index may be sponsored or unsponsored. The Fund has adopted a policy that requires the Fund to provide shareholders with at least 60 days notice prior to any material change in this policy or the Index. The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board of Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment strategy and other policies without shareholder approval, except as otherwise indicated.
The Fund may invest directly in one or more underlying securities represented by depositary receipts included in the Index under the following limited circumstances: (a) when market conditions result in the underlying security providing improved liquidity relative to the depositary receipt; (b) when a depositary receipt is trading at a significantly different price than its underlying security; or (c) the timing of trade execution is improved due to the local market in which an underlying security is traded being open at different times than the market in which the security’s corresponding depositary receipt is traded.
The Investment Adviser seeks a correlation over time of 0.95 or better between the Fund’s performance and the performance of the Index. A figure of 1.00 would represent perfect correlation.
The Fund generally will invest in all of the securities comprising the Index in proportion to their weightings in the Index. However, under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Index in those weightings. In those circumstances, the Fund may purchase a sample of the securities in the Index in proportions expected by the Investment Adviser to replicate generally the performance of the Index as a whole. There may also be instances in which the Investment Adviser may choose to overweight another security in the Index or purchase (or sell) securities not in the Index which the Investment Adviser believes are appropriate to substitute for one or more Index components in seeking to accurately track the Index. In addition, from time to time securities are added to or removed from the Index. The Fund may sell securities that are represented in the Index or purchase securities that are not yet represented in the Index in anticipation of their removal from or addition to the Index.
Principal Investment Risks
Investors should consider the following risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause you to lose money. The Fund’s Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective. An investment in the Fund has not been guaranteed, sponsored, recommended, or approved by the United States, or any agency, instrumentality or officer of the United States, has not been insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and is not guaranteed by and is not otherwise an obligation of any bank or insured depository institution.
Equity Risk.
The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests. For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of equity securities of an issuer held by the Fund; the price of common stock of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the stock market; or a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks and other equity securities held by the Fund. In addition, common stock of an issuer in the Fund’s portfolio may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial condition. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers. In addition, while broad market measures of common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.
China Investment Risk.
Investing in securities of Chinese companies involves additional risks, including, but not limited to: the economy of China differs, often unfavorably, from the U.S. economy in such respects as structure, general development, government involvement, wealth distribution, rate of inflation, growth rate, allocation of resources and capital reinvestment, among others; the central government has historically exercised substantial control over virtually every sector of the Chinese economy through administrative regulation and/or state ownership; and actions of the Chinese central and local government authorities continue to have a substantial effect on economic conditions in China. In addition, previously the Chinese government has from time to time taken actions that influence the prices at which certain goods may be sold, encourage companies to invest or concentrate in particular industries, induce mergers between companies in certain industries and induce private companies to publicly offer their securities to increase or continue the rate of economic growth, control the rate of inflation or otherwise regulate economic expansion. It may do so in the future as well, potentially having a significant adverse effect on economic conditions in China, the economic prospects for, and the market prices and liquidity of, the securities of Chinese companies and the payments of dividends and interest by Chinese companies.
From time to time, certain of the companies comprising the Index that are located in China may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations and/or in countries identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism. One or more of these companies may be subject to constraints under U.S. law or regulations which could negatively affect the company’s performance, and/or could suffer damage to its reputation if it is identified as a company which invests or deals with countries which are identified by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism or subject to sanctions. As an investor in such companies, the Fund is indirectly subject to those risks.
Foreign Investment Risk.
The Fund’s investments in non-U.S. issuers may involve unique risks compared to investing in securities of U.S. issuers, including less market liquidity, generally greater market volatility than U.S. securities and less complete financial information than for U.S. issuers. In addition, adverse political, economic or social developments could undermine the value of the Fund’s investments or prevent the Fund from realizing the full value of its investments. Financial reporting standards for companies based in foreign markets differ from those in the United States. Finally, the value of the currency of the country in which the Fund has invested could decline relative to the value of the U.S. dollar, which may affect the value of the investment to U.S. investors. The Fund will not enter into transactions to hedge against declines in the value of the Fund’s assets that are denominated in a foreign currency.
Emerging market countries are countries that major international financial institutions, such as the World Bank, generally consider to be less economically mature than developed nations. Emerging market countries can include every nation in the world except the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most countries located in Western Europe. Investing in foreign countries, particularly emerging market countries, entails the risk that news and events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, may present the risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets. The economies of emerging markets countries also may be based on only a few industries, making them more vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions and more sensitive to debt burdens or inflation rates. Local securities markets may trade a small number of securities and may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of holdings difficult or impossible at times.
Financial Services Sector Risk.
The financial services industries are subject to extensive government regulation, can be subject to relatively rapid change due to increasingly blurred distinctions between service segments, and can be significantly affected by availability and cost of capital funds, changes in interest rates, the rate of corporate and consumer debt defaults, and price competition. In addition, the deterioration of the credit markets since late 2007 generally has caused an adverse impact in a broad range of markets, including U.S. and international credit and interbank money markets generally, thereby affecting a wide range of financial institutions and markets. In particular, events in the financial sector since late 2008 have resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign. This situation has created instability in the financial markets and caused certain financial services companies to incur large losses. Numerous financial services companies have experienced substantial declines in the valuations of their
assets, taken action to raise capital (such as the issuance of debt or equity securities), or even ceased operations. Issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets have been particularly affected by the foregoing events and the general market turmoil, and it is uncertain whether or for how long these conditions will continue.
Telecommunications Sector Risk.
The telecommunications sector is subject to extensive government regulation. The costs of complying with governmental regulations, delays or failure to receive required regulatory approvals or the enactment of new adverse regulatory requirements may adversely affect the business of the telecommunications companies. The telecommunications sector can also be significantly affected by intense competition, including competition with alternative technologies such as wireless communications, product compatibility, consumer preferences, rapid obsolescence and research and development of new products. Other risks include those related to regulatory changes, such as the uncertainties resulting from such companies’ diversification into new domestic and international businesses, as well as agreements by any such companies linking future rate increases to inflation or other factors not directly related to the actual operating profits of the enterprise.
Limited Exposure Risk.
China A-Shares and China B-Shares are not eligible for inclusion in the Index, even if they would otherwise qualify under the other criteria set forth under “Index Construction.” China A-Shares are subject to substantial restrictions on foreign investment, while the China B-Share market generally is smaller and offers less liquidity than the categories of securities which may be included in the Index. However, by excluding such shares from the Index, the exposure provided by the Index (and thus the Fund) to the Chinese presence in the sector may be more limited than would be the case if the Index included China A-Shares or China B-Shares.
Depositary Receipt Risk.
The Fund may hold the securities of non-U.S. companies in the form of ADRs, GDRs and IDRs. ADRs are negotiable certificates issued by a U.S. financial institution that represent a specified number of shares in a foreign stock and trade on a U.S. national securities exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange. Sponsored ADRs are issued with the support of the issuer of the foreign stock underlying the ADRs and carry all of the rights of common shares, including voting rights. GDRs and IDRs are similar to ADRs, but may be issued in bearer form and are typically offered for sale globally and held by a foreign branch of an international bank. The underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. Issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not contractually obligated to disclose material information in the U.S. and, therefore, such information may not correlate to the market value of the unsponsored depositary receipt. The underlying securities of the ADRs, GDRs and IDRs in the Fund’s portfolio are usually denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. Dollar. As a result, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio. In addition, because the underlying securities of ADRs, GDRs and IDRs trade on foreign exchanges at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading, the value of the securities underlying the ADRs, GDRs and IDRs may change materially at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading, regardless of whether there is an active U.S. market for shares of the Fund.
Small and Medium-Sized Company Risk.
Investing in securities of small and medium-sized companies involves greater risk than is customarily associated with investing in larger, more established companies. Securities of these companies present additional risks because their earnings are less predictable and they are more likely than larger companies to have narrower product lines, markets or financial resources, or to depend on a small, inexperienced management group. These companies’ securities may be more volatile and less liquid than those of larger, more established companies. These securities may have returns that vary, sometimes significantly, from the overall stock market.
Micro-Cap Company Risk.
Micro-cap stocks involve substantially greater risks of loss and price fluctuations because their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), and their share prices tend to be more volatile and their markets less liquid than companies with larger market capitalizations. Micro-cap companies may be newly formed or in the early stages of development, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and may lack management depth. In addition, there may be less public information available about these companies. The shares of micro-cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the future ability to sell these securities. Also, it may take a long time before the Fund realizes a gain, if any, on an investment in a micro-cap company.
Risk of Investing in Hong Kong.
The Fund’s investments which are listed and traded in Hong Kong may expose the Fund to certain legal, regulatory, political, currency and economic risks. China is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner, both in terms of exports and imports. Any changes in the Chinese economy, trade regulations or currency exchange rates may have an adverse impact on Hong Kong’s economy. Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997 as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China under the principle of “one country, two systems.” Although China is obligated to maintain the current capitalist economic and social system of Hong Kong through June 30, 2047, the continuation of economic and social freedoms enjoyed in Hong Kong is dependent on the government of China. There is no guarantee that China will continue to honor Hong Kong’s autonomy, and China may change its policies regarding Hong Kong at any time. Any attempt by China to tighten its control over Hong Kong’s political, economic or social policies may result in an adverse effect on Hong Kong’s economy. Hong Kong is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes and flooding and is economically sensitive to environmental events. Any such event could result in a significant adverse impact on the Hong Kong economy.
Non-Correlation Risk.
The Fund’s return may not match the return of the Index for a number of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index.
The Fund may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into the Fund or reserves of cash held by the Fund to meet redemptions and expenses. If the Fund utilizes a sampling approach or otherwise holds investments other than those which comprise the Index, its return may not correlate as well with the return on the Index, as would be the case if it purchased all of the securities in the Index with the same weightings as the Index.
Concentration Risk.
If the Index concentrates in an industry or group of industries the Fund’s investments will be concentrated accordingly. In such event, the value of the Fund’s Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares of a fund that invests in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
Passive Management Risk.
Unlike many investment companies, the Fund is not “actively” managed. Therefore, it would not necessarily sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble unless that security is removed from the Index, or otherwise take defensive positions in declining markets.
Non-Diversified Fund Risk.
The Fund is considered non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund. Even though no single security weight may exceed 5.0% of the Index at the time of each annual rebalance, changes in the market value of the Index’s constituent securities may result in the Fund being invested in the securities of individual issuers (and making additional such investments in the case of creations of additional Creation Units) in greater proportions. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in share price than would occur in a diversified fund.
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