N-CSR 1 fp0085170-3_ncsr.htm

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number (811-23226)

 

Listed Funds Trust
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

Kent P. Barnes, Secretary

Listed Funds Trust

c/o U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

777 East Wisconsin Avenue, 10th Floor

Milwaukee, WI 53202

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

(414) 516-1681

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

 

Date of fiscal year end: August 31

 

Date of reporting period: August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

 

(a)

 

 

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF (OVL)
Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF (OVS)
Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF (OVF)
Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF (OVLH)
Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF (OVB)
Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF (OVT)
Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF (OVM)

 

 

 

ANNUAL REPORT

 

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Table of Contents

 

 

 

   

Shareholder Letter (Unaudited)

2

Performance Overviews (Unaudited)

6

Schedules of Investments and Written Options

9

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

9

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

11

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

13

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

15

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

17

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

19

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

21

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

23

Statements of Operations

25

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

27

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

27

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

28

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

29

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

30

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

31

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

32

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

33

Financial Highlights

34

Notes to Financial Statements

40

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

52

Board Consideration and Approval of Advisory Agreement (Unaudited)

54

Shareholder Expense Example (Unaudited)

58

Review of Liquidity Risk Management Program (Unaudited)

60

Board of Trustees and Officers (Unaudited)

61

Supplemental Information (Unaudited)

64

Privacy Policy (Unaudited)

65

 

 

 

1

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Shareholder Letter

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

 

 

In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, risk assets recovered sharply as investors became increasingly comfortable with the ability of the economy to withstand the sharp rise in interest rates since late 2020. Against this supportive backdrop, The Overlay Strategy that is designed to add incremental return to low-cost passive beta sources gained 1.37% in gross return for the year, causing the funds to compare more favorably to their peers and respective benchmarks.

 

Fund and Benchmark Annualized Returns

Fund

Fiscal Year 9/1/2022
to 8/31/2023

Since Inception*

OVL NAV Returns

16.19%

13.36%

OVL Market Price Returns

16.02%

13.37%

S&P 500 Total Return Index

15.94%

13.02%

OVS NAV Returns

5.75%

8.74%

OVS Market Price Returns

5.75%

8.76%

S&P SmallCap 600 Total Return Index

5.53%

8.45%

OVF NAV Returns

11.35%

1.46%

OVF Market Price Returns

11.39%

1.50%

MSCI AC World Index ex USA Net Index (USD)

11.89%

4.48%

OVB NAV Returns

-0.63%

-1.14%

OVB Market Price Returns

-0.56%

-1.12%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

-1.19%

-1.70%

OVM NAV Returns

2.67%

0.72%

OVM Market Price Returns

2.71%

0.72%

Bloomberg U.S. Municipal Bond Index

1.70%

0.00%

OVT NAV Returns

2.81%

-1.58%

OVT Market Price Returns

2.77%

-1.60%

Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Bond Index

2.26%

-1.37%

OVLH NAV Returns

10.49%

4.86%

OVLH Market Price Returns

10.32%

4.88%

S&P 500 Total Return Index

15.94%

8.45%

 

Total Expense Ratio for all Funds 0.75%

 

*

Fund inception dates are 9/30/2019 for OVL, OVS, OVF, OVB, and OVM and 1/14/2021 for OVT and OVLH

 

You cannot invest directly in an index. Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance would have been lower without fee waivers in effect. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For the most recent month-end performance, please call 1-866-704-OVLS. Overlay Shares are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Total Returns are calculated using the daily 4:00pm EST net asset value (NAV). Market price returns reflect the midpoint of the bid/ask spread as of the close of trading on the exchange where Fund shares are listed. Market price returns do not represent the returns you would receive if you traded shares at other times.

 

Indexes are unmanaged and the returns shown do not reflect any management fees, transaction costs or expenses. One cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

 

2

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Shareholder Letter

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

The key themes during the course of the fiscal year were as follows:

 

 

1.

Inflation/Interest Rate Concerns Concerns continued relating to the pace of inflation and the FOMC’s ability to contain it without sending the economy into a recession. However, as the fiscal year wore on, the equity markets and other risk assets seemed to gain comfort with these concerns despite continued hawkish rhetoric from the Fed and significant uncertainty as to when interest rate hikes would conclude, and also when eventual rate cuts would start. Interest rates, however, continued to climb as the 5-year Treasury yield jumped from about 3.25% to nearly 4.5% at one point. The yield on the 10-year Treasury yield went from 3.1% to almost 4.1% at the end of the fiscal year.

 

 

2.

Economic/Earnings Outlook – Inflation and interest rate dynamics continued to fuel uncertainty around the economy (as higher rates impact spending power and creates more employment uncertainty) and earnings. While earnings reports have generally been fine, the challenge is estimating earnings over the coming years, as a recession could cut into revenues and sticky inflation and interest rates can increase corporate costs, leading to lower earnings and possibly margin compression.

 

 

3.

Tightening of Monetary Policy The big question remains “when will they finish raising interest rates?” The market appears to be pricing in the assumption that they are close to the end of the hiking cycle. However, these assumptions over the past year have underestimated the Fed’s hawkish stance.

 

 

4.

Bonds Have Become More AttractiveWhile bonds still face interest risk should rates continue to move higher, and default risk should we have a recession, bond yields are finally starting to reach levels that many investors find interesting relative to the value in the equity market that appreciated significantly during the fiscal year.

 

The Overlay Strategy

 

The returns of the Overlay Shares are based on a combination of the returns of passive index beta exposure and the return generated from our option writing strategy (the “Overlay”). As such, the Overlay is the only active component of the Funds and is managed the same way across all seven of the Overlay Shares. The Overlay aims to generate positive returns in a wide variety of markets. For this fiscal year, overall market volatility compressed, allowing the Strategy to generate a gross incremental return of 1.37% for the Fiscal Year.

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF (OVL)

 

The outperformance of the Overlay Strategy led OVL (at NAV) to outperform the S&P 500 Total Return Index in the fiscal year, returning 16.19% compared to 15.94% for the index. This outperformance was driven solely by the gains in the Overlay. The portion of the Fund’s returns driven by the S&P 500 Index were aided by reduced concerns around inflation and higher interest rates. Since inception, the Fund is up 13.36% on an annualized basis versus 13.02% for the index due to the value added by the Overlay.

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF (OVS)

 

OVS (at NAV) posted positive returns for the fiscal year, 5.75% compared with 5.53% for the S&P SmallCap 600 Total Return Index. This outperformance was driven solely by the gains in the Overlay. The SmallCap 600 Total Return Index continued to underperform the S&P 500 Index by more than 10% during the fiscal year. Since inception, the Fund is up 8.74% on an annualized basis versus 8.45% for the index due to the value added by the Overlay.

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF (OVF)

 

OVF (at NAV) underperformed the MSCI AC World Index ex USA Index for the fiscal year, returning 11.35% compared to 11.89%. While the Overlay contributed positively to the Fund, the use of iShares MinVol factor versions of the MSCI EAFE Index (EFAV) and MSCI Emerging Markets Index (EEMV) generate modest underperformance as MinVol strategies were out of favor relative to riskier equity assets. Since inception, the Fund is up 1.46% on an annualized basis versus a positive 4.48% for the index due to the longer-term underpormance on the MinVol factors.

 

3

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Shareholder Letter

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF (OVB)

 

OVB (at NAV) outperformed the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index for the fiscal year, returning -0.63% compared to -1.19% for the index. During the year, bonds continued to experience periods of choppiness due to heightened interest rate volatility resulting from rapidly changing expectations around future inflation and significant changes in monetary policy. Since inception, the Fund is down -1.14% on an annualized basis versus -1.70% for the index due to the value added by the Overlay.

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF (OVM)

 

OVM (at NAV) outperformed the Bloomberg U.S. Municipal Bond for the fiscal year, returning 2.67% compared to 1.70% for the index. This outperformance was driven primarily by the gains in the Overlay. The underlying municipal bond ETF (iShares National Muni Bond ETF -MUB) outperformed corporate bonds as the tax equivalent yield of munis was more attractive than corporate bonds. Since inception, the Fund is up 0.72% on an annualized basis versus 0.00% for the index due to the value added by the Overlay.

 

Overlay Shares Short-Term Bond ETF (OVT)

 

During the Fiscal Year, OVT (at NAV) outperformed the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Bond Index, returning 2.81% compared to 2.26% for the index. This outperformance was driven mainly by the gains in the Overlay. Given the lower duration of the bonds held, the underlying Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) has less sensitivity to changes in interest rates, and as such the Fund experienced less volatility than AGG during this period. The Fund is designed to provide a competitive income stream to investors who are concerned about the risk of rising interest rates. Since inception, the Fund is down -1.58% compared to -1.37% for the index.

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF (OVLH)

 

During the Fiscal Year, OVLH (at NAV) underperformed the S&P 500 Index, returning 10.49% compared to 15.94% for the index. The cost of the hedges and the reduction in their value as the market rose and volatility fell prevented the Fund from performing better during the year. Since inception, the Fund is up 4.86% compared to 8.45% for the index.

 

Looking forward, the path for the next Fiscal Year will continue to be highly dependent on the impact that inflation and higher interest rates have on the economy and corporate earnings. If history repeats itself, the equity markets may be in a prolonged period of below average volatility that started early in the fiscal year, leading us to be optimistic about the ability for the Strategy to add value over the coming years.

 

Risk Factors

 

The Funds invest in options that derive their performance from the performance of the S&P 500 Index. Selling (writing) and buying options are speculative activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. The Funds’ use of put options can lead to losses because of adverse movements in the price or value of the underlying asset, which may be magnified by certain features of the options. When selling a put option, the Fund will receive a premium; however, this premium may not be enough to offset a loss incurred by the Fund if the price of the underlying asset is below the strike price by an amount equal to or greater than the premium. Purchased put options may expire worthless and the Fund would lose the premium it paid for the option. The Fund may lose significantly more than the premiums it receives in highly volatile market conditions. OVS: Investments made in small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and less liquid due to limited resources or product lines and more sensitive to economic factors. OVF: Investing in foreign securities may involve certain additional risks, exchange rate fluctuations, less liquidity, greater volatility and less regulation. OVB and OVT: The Fund is subject to the same risks as the underlying bonds in the portfolio such as credit, call and interest rate risk. As interest rates rise the value of bond prices will decline. OVM: Funds that invest primarily in state-specific municipal obligations of issuers and therefore will be affected by economic, political or other events affecting municipal issuers.

 

4

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Shareholder Letter

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

The Funds will invest in short term put options which are financial derivatives that give buyers the right, but not the obligation, to sell (put) an underlying asset at an agreed-upon price and date. The Funds’ use of options may reduce the Funds’ ability to profit from increases in the value of the underlying asset. The Funds could experience a loss or increased volatility if its derivatives do not perform as anticipated or are not correlated with the performance of their underlying asset or if the Funds are unable to purchase or liquidate a position.

 

OVL, OVS, OVF, OVB and OVM were recently organized 9/30/2019 while OVT and OVLH have an inception date of 1/14/2021. As a result, investors have a limited track record on which to base their investment decision. Investments involve risk including the possible loss of principal.

 

5

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Performance Overviews

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

 

 

Hypothetical Growth of $10,000 Investment
(Since Commencement through 8/31/2023)

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

3 Year

Since
Commencement
1

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF—NAV

16.19%

10.36%

13.36%

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF—Market

16.02%

10.20%

13.37%

S&P 500 Total Return Index

15.94%

10.52%

13.02%

 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

3 Year

Since
Commencement
1

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF—NAV

5.75%

12.30%

8.74%

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF—Market

5.75%

12.30%

8.76%

S&P SmallCap 600 Total Return Index

5.53%

12.61%

8.45%

 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

3 Year

Since
Commencement
1

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF — NAV

11.35%

1.93%

1.46%

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF — Market

11.39%

2.10%

1.50%

MSCI AC World Index ex USA Net Index (USD)

11.89%

3.99%

4.48%

 

6

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Performance Overviews

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Hypothetical Growth of $10,000 Investment
(Since Commencement through 8/31/2023)

 

 

 


 

 


 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

Since
Commencement
2

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF—NAV

10.49%

4.86%

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF—Market

10.32%

4.88%

S&P 500 Total Return Index

15.94%

8.45%

 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

3 Year

Since
Commencement
1

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF—NAV

-0.63%

-4.34%

-1.14%

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF—Market

-0.56%

-4.37%

-1.12%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

-1.19%

-4.41%

-1.70%

 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

Since
Commencement
2

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF—NAV

2.81%

-1.58%

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF—Market

2.77%

-1.60%

Bloomberg U.S. Corporate 1-5 Years Total Return Index

2.26%

-1.37%

 

7

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Performance Overviews

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Hypothetical Growth of $10,000 Investment
(Since Commencement through 8/31/2023)

 

 

ANNUALIZED TOTAL RETURN
FOR THE PERIODS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2023

Total Returns

1 Year

3 Year

Since
Commencement
1

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF—NAV

2.67%

-0.97%

0.72%

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF—Market

2.71%

-0.92%

0.72%

Bloomberg U.S. Municipal Bond Index

1.70%

-1.32%

0.00%

Bloomberg 1-15 Years Municipal Bond Index

1.68%

-0.88%

0.35%

 

1

The Fund commenced operations on September 30, 2019.

 

2

The Fund commenced operations on January 14, 2021.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when sold or redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. For the most recent month-end performance, please call (866) 704-6857. You cannot invest directly in an index. Shares are bought and sold at market price (closing price), not net asset value (“NAV”), and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Market performance is determined using the bid/ask midpoint at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time when the NAV is typically calculated. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. Returns shown do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or the redemption of fund shares.

 

The S&P 500 Total Return Index is a market-value weighted index consisting of 500 stocks chosen for market size, liquidity, and industry group representation, with each stock’s weight in the Index proportionate to its market value. The S&P SmallCap 600 Total Return Index seeks to measure the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity market. The index is designed to track companies that meet specific inclusion criteria to ensure that they are liquid and financially viable. The MSCI AC World Index ex USA Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 22 of 23 developed markets countries (excluding the U.S.) and 26 emerging markets countries. The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based flagship benchmark that measures the investments grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market. The index includes Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, MBS (agency fixed-rate and hybrid ARM passthroughs), ABS and CMBS (agency and non-agency). The Bloomberg U.S. Corporate 1-5 Years Total Return Index measures the investment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bond market with 1-5 year maturities. The Bloomberg U.S. Municipal Bond Index covers the USD-denominated long-term tax-exempt bond market. The index has four main sectors: state and local general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, insured bonds and prerefunded bonds. The Bloomberg 1-15 Year Municipal Bond index is the 1-15 year component of the Municipal Bond index, a rules-based, market-value-weighted index engineered for the long-term tax-exempt bond market. The index is a broad measure of the municipal bond market with maturities of at least one year.

 

8

 

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 100.1%

       

Exchange Traded Funds — 100.1%

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (a)(b)

    381,698     $ 157,958,083          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $150,251,571)

            157,958,083          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.0% (c)

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (d)

    31,012       31,012          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $31,012)

            31,012          
                         

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(e)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.1%

       

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (f)

    69     $ 65,205     $ 31,102,854  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (f)

    69       56,235       31,102,854  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $131,381)

            121,440          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $150,413,964) — 100.2%

            158,110,535          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (0.2)%

            (245,442 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 157,865,093          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $121,419,791.

 

(c)

Less than 0.05%.

 

(d)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(e)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

(f)

Held in connection with a written option, see Schedule of Written Options for more detail.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

9

 

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    69     $ 132,135     $ 31,102,854  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    69       120,750       31,102,854  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $254,950)

  $ 252,885          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

10

 

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 100.0%

       

Exchange Traded Funds — 100.0%

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (a)(b)

    76,590     $ 7,718,740          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $7,946,437)

            7,718,740          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.1%

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (c)

    8,355       8,355          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $8,355)

            8,355          
                         

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(d)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    3     $ 2,835     $ 1,352,298  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    4       3,260       1,803,064  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $6,724)

            6,095          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $7,961,516) — 100.2%

            7,733,190          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (0.2)%

            (18,188 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 7,715,002          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $2,965,855.

 

(c)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(d)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

(e)

Held in connection with a written option, see Schedule of Written Options for more detail.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

11

 

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    3     $ 5,745     $ 1,352,298  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    4       7,000       1,803,064  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $13,005)

          $ 12,745          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

12

 

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 100.2%

       

Exchange Traded Funds — 100.2%

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (a)

    201,082     $ 13,454,397          

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (b)

    68,141       3,342,997          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $16,460,386)

            16,797,394          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.00% (c)

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (d)

    1,785       1,785          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $1,785)

            1,785          
                         

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(e)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (f)

    7     $ 6,615     $ 3,155,362  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (f)

    8       6,520       3,606,128  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $14,340)

            13,135          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $16,476,511) — 100.3%

            16,812,314          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (0.3)%

            (42,544 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 16,769,770          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $3,188,900.

 

(c)

Less than 0.05%.

 

(d)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(e)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

(f)

Held in connection with a written option, see Schedule of Written Options for more detail.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

13

 

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    7     $ 13,405     $ 3,155,362  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    8       14,000       3,606,128  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $27,784)

          $ 27,405          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

14

 

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 98.2%

       

Exchange Traded Funds — 98.2%

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (a)(b)

    228,969     $ 94,754,241          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $85,549,996)

            94,754,241          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.8%

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (c)

    824,821       824,821          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $824,821)

            824,821          

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(d)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 2.1%

               

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 2.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400

    43     $ 35,045     $ 19,382,938  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400

    43       40,635       19,382,938  

Expiration: November 2023, Exercise Price: $4,150

    44       106,040       19,833,704  

Expiration: November 2023, Exercise Price: $4,300

    44       175,120       19,833,704  

Expiration: December 2023, Exercise Price: $4,100

    44       140,140       19,833,704  

Expiration: December 2023, Exercise Price: $4,300

    44       241,560       19,833,704  

Expiration: January 2024, Exercise Price: $4,300

    44       306,460       19,833,704  

Expiration: March 2024, Exercise Price: $4,300

    44       418,660       19,833,704  

Expiration: June 2024, Exercise Price: $4,300

    44       589,820       19,833,704  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $2,266,945)

            2,053,480          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $88,641,762) — 101.1%

            97,632,542          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (1.1)%

            (1,098,290 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 96,534,252          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $15,793,408.

 

(c)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(d)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

15

 

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    43     $ 82,345     $ 19,382,938  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    43       75,250       19,382,938  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $158,882)

          $ 157,595          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

16

 

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 99.7%

               

Exchanged Traded Funds — 99.7%

               

iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (a)(b)

    509,073     $ 49,278,267          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $58,343,388)

            49,278,267          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.4%

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (c)

    172,084       172,084          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $172,084)

            172,084          
                         

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(d)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    22     $ 20,790       $9,916,852  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    22       17,930       9,916,852  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $41,890)

            38,720          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $58,557,362) — 100.2%

            49,489,071          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (0.2)%

            (84,109 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 49,404,962          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $44,890,419.

 

(c)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(d)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

(e)

Held in connection with a written option, see Schedule of Written Options for more detail.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

17

 

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    22     $ 42,130     $ 9,916,852  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    22       38,500       9,916,852  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $81,288)

          $ 80,630          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

18

 

 

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 99.8%

               

Exchange Traded Funds — 99.8%

               

Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (a)(b)

    836,053     $ 63,372,818          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $67,498,234)

            63,372,818          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.3%

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (c)

    200,094       200,094          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $200,094)

            200,094          
                         

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(d)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    28     $ 26,460     $ 12,621,448  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    28       22,820       12,621,448  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $53,314)

            49,280          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $67,751,642) — 100.2%

            63,622,192          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (0.2)%

            (100,352 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 63,521,840          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $16,336,189.

 

(c)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(d)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

(e)

Held in connection with a written option, see Schedule of Written Options for more detail.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

19

 

 

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    28     $ 53,620     $ 12,621,448  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    28       49,000       12,621,448  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $103,458)

          $ 102,620          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

20

 

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

   

Value

   

 

 

INVESTMENT COMPANIES — 99.8%

       

Exchange Traded Funds — 99.8%

iShares National Muni Bond ETF (a)(b)

    138,654     $ 14,622,450          

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (Cost $15,761,734)

            14,622,450          
                         

MONEY MARKET FUNDS — 0.2%

               

First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X, 5.25% (c)

    31,405       31,405          

TOTAL MONEY MARKET FUNDS (Cost $31,405)

            31,405          
                         

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(d)

   

 

   

Notional
Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

PURCHASED PUT OPTIONS — 0.1%

               

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    6     $ 5,670     $ 2,704,596  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,400 (e)

    6       4,890       2,704,596  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (Cost $11,424)

            10,560          
                         

Total Investments (Cost $15,804,563) — 100.1%

            14,664,415          

Other Assets and Liabilities, net — (0.1)%

            (14,903 )        

TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 14,649,512          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Fair value of this security exceeds 25% of the Fund’s net assets. Additional information for this security, including the financial statements, is available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security is segregated as collateral for written options. The value of the security segregated as collateral for written options is $8,330,496.

 

(c)

The rate shown is the seven-day yield at period end.

 

(d)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

(e)

Held in connection with a written option, see Schedule of Written Options for more detail.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

21

 

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

Schedule of Written Options

August 31, 2023

 

 

 

 

Number of
Contracts
(a)

   

Value

   

Notional
Value

 

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.2)%

       

WRITTEN PUT OPTIONS — (0.2)%

CBOE S&P 500 Index

                       

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    6     $ 11,490     $ 2,704,596  

Expiration: September 2023, Exercise Price: $4,460

    6       10,500       2,704,596  

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (Premiums Received $22,170)

          $ 21,990          

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

CBOE

Chicago Board Options Exchange

 

(a)

Each contract has a multiplier of 100.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

22

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2023

 

 

   

Overlay Shares
Large Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Small Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares Foreign
Equity ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Hedged Large
Cap Equity ETF

 

Assets

                               

Investments, at value(1)

  $ 158,110,535     $ 7,733,190     $ 16,812,314     $ 97,632,542  

Receivable for investment securities sold

    139,926       6,084       13,449,492       86,442  

Deposits at broker for options

    57,387             12,982        

Interest receivable

    213       29       12       3,952  

Total assets

    158,308,061       7,739,303       30,274,800       97,722,936  
                                 

Liabilities

                               

Payable to Adviser

    96,196       4,918       10,675       62,491  

Written options, at value(2)

    252,885       12,745       27,405       157,595  

Payable to broker for options

          2,534             911,259  

Payable for investment securities purchased

    90,878       3,952       13,466,632       55,359  

Accrued broker commission expense

    3,009       152       318       1,980  

Total liabilities

    442,968       24,301       13,505,030       1,188,684  

Net Assets

  $ 157,865,093     $ 7,715,002     $ 16,769,770     $ 96,534,252  
                                 

Net Assets Consists of:

                               

Paid-in capital

  $ 157,834,961     $ 8,202,983     $ 17,840,108     $ 90,842,098  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated losses)

    30,132       (487,981 )     (1,070,338 )     5,692,154  

Net Assets

  $ 157,865,093     $ 7,715,002     $ 16,769,770     $ 96,534,252  
                                 

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding (unlimited number of shares authorized, no par value)

    4,375,000       250,000       750,000       3,450,000  

Net asset value, redemption price and offering price per share

  $ 36.08     $ 30.86     $ 22.36     $ 27.98  
                                 

(1) Cost of investments

  $ 150,413,964     $ 7,961,516     $ 16,476,511     $ 88,641,762  

(2) Premiums received

    254,950       13,005       27,784       158,882  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

23

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2023

 

 

   

Overlay Shares
Core Bond ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Short Term
Bond ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Municipal
Bond ETF

 

Assets

                       

Investments, at value(1)

  $ 49,489,071     $ 63,622,192     $ 14,664,415  

Receivable for investment securities sold

    44,614       56,782       12,168  

Receivable for Fund shares sold

                542,610  

Deposits at broker for options

    11,057       21,827       11,053  

Interest receivable

    625       798       113  

Total assets

    49,545,367       63,701,599       15,230,359  
                         

Liabilities

                       

Payable to Adviser

    29,809       39,000       9,126  

Written options, at value(2)

    80,630       102,620       21,990  

Payable for investment securities purchased

    28,976       36,878       549,440  

Accrued broker commission expense

    990       1,261       291  

Total liabilities

    140,405       179,759       580,847  

Net Assets

  $ 49,404,962     $ 63,521,840     $ 14,649,512  
                         

Net Assets Consists of:

                       

Paid-in capital

  $ 61,518,824     $ 68,816,658     $ 16,055,850  

Total distributable earnings/(accumulated losses)

    (12,113,862 )     (5,294,818 )     (1,406,338 )

Net Assets

  $ 49,404,962     $ 63,521,840     $ 14,649,512  
                         

Shares of beneficial interest outstanding (unlimited number of shares authorized, no par value)

    2,425,000       2,950,000       675,000  

Net asset value, redemption price and offering price per share

  $ 20.37     $ 21.53     $ 21.70  
                         

(1) Cost of investments

  $ 58,557,362     $ 67,751,642     $ 15,804,563  

(2) Premiums received

    81,288       103,458       22,170  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

24

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Statements of Operations

For the Year Ended August 31, 2023

 

 

   

Overlay Shares
Large Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Small Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares Foreign
Equity ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Hedged Large
Cap Equity ETF

 

Investment Income

                               

Dividend income

  $ 3,117,911     $ 118,701     $ 401,018     $ 1,078,078  

Interest income

    141,237       3,233       5,443       128,643  

Total investment income

    3,259,148       121,934       406,461       1,206,721  
                                 

Expenses

                               

Investment advisory fees

    1,346,700       56,061       107,270       512,599  

Interest expense

    162,158       5,327       7,366       105,664  

Total expenses

    1,508,858       61,388       114,636       618,263  

Net Investment Income

    1,750,290       60,546       291,825       588,458  
                                 

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

                               

Net realized gain (loss) on:

                               

Investments

    12,544,065       (55,396 )     (1,143,884 )     341,663  

Purchased options

    (8,577,395 )     (373,004 )     (726,116 )     (7,735,378 )

Written options

    8,743,051       425,817       865,859       4,951,275  

Net realized gain (loss)

    12,709,721       (2,583 )     (1,004,141 )     (2,442,440 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on:

                               

Investments

    6,354,919       315,571       2,138,176       11,484,647  

Purchased options

    (522,909 )     (18,628 )     (28,585 )     (534,117 )

Written options

    1,690,847       59,515       89,034       1,287  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation

    7,522,857       356,458       2,198,625       10,951,817  

Net realized and unrealized gain on investments

    20,232,578       353,875       1,194,484       8,509,377  

Net increase in net assets from operations

  $ 21,982,868     $ 414,421     $ 1,486,309     $ 9,097,835  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

25

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Statements of Operations

For the Year Ended August 31, 2023

 

 

   

Overlay Shares
Core Bond ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Short Term
Bond ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Municipal
Bond ETF

 

Investment Income

                       

Dividend income

  $ 1,465,600     $ 1,548,304     $ 359,463  

Interest income

    35,979       30,258       5,849  

Total investment income

    1,501,579       1,578,562       365,312  
                         

Expenses

                       

Investment advisory fees

    378,630       429,955       106,520  

Interest expense

    46,328       33,028       8,027  

Total expenses

    424,958       462,983       114,547  

Net Investment Income

    1,076,621       1,115,579       250,765  
                         

Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

                       

Net realized gain (loss) on:

                       

Investments

    (3,275,965 )     (354,553 )     (34,771 )

Purchased options

    (2,590,990 )     (2,951,673 )     (706,103 )

Written options

    2,749,398       3,361,898       788,835  

Net realized gain (loss)

    (3,117,557 )     55,672       47,961  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on:

                       

Investments

    721,204       128,119       27,339  

Purchased options

    (129,162 )     (121,027 )     (31,409 )

Written options

    415,447       386,000       101,087  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation

    1,007,489       393,092       97,017  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

    (2,110,068 )     448,764       144,978  

Net increase (decrease) in net assets from operations

  $ (1,033,447 )   $ 1,564,343     $ 395,743  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

26

 

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 1,750,290     $ 1,564,050  

Net realized gain on investments, purchased options and written options

    12,709,721       561,511  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    7,522,857       (42,168,043 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    21,982,868       (40,042,482 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (1,750,290 )     (4,899,550 )

Return of capital

    (4,973,271 )     (4,561,257 )

Total distributions

    (6,723,561 )     (9,460,807 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    25,081,212       130,388,268  

Cost of shares redeemed

    (131,408,340 )     (32,911,208 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    (106,327,128 )     97,477,060  
                 

Total Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

    (91,067,821 )     47,973,771  
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    248,932,914       200,959,143  

End of year

  $ 157,865,093     $ 248,932,914  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    7,725,000       5,125,000  

Shares sold

    775,000       3,550,000  

Shares redeemed

    (4,125,000 )     (950,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    4,375,000       7,725,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

27

 

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 60,546     $ 55,182  

Net realized loss on investments, purchased options and written options

    (2,583 )     (156,627 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    356,458       (1,284,981 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    414,421       (1,386,426 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (56,417 )     (128,647 )

Return of capital

    (208,142 )     (169,944 )

Total distributions

    (264,559 )     (298,591 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

          3,503,710  

Cost of shares redeemed

          (763,482 )

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

          2,740,228  
                 

Total Increase in Net Assets

    149,862       1,055,211  
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    7,565,140       6,509,929  

End of year

  $ 7,715,002     $ 7,565,140  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    250,000       175,000  

Shares sold

          100,000  

Shares redeemed

          (25,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    250,000       250,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

28

 

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 291,825     $ 169,866  

Net realized loss on investments, purchased options and written options

    (1,004,141 )     (419,271 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    2,198,625       (2,138,255 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1,486,309       (2,387,660 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (291,825 )     (215,661 )

Return of capital

    (391,558 )     (255,800 )

Total distributions

    (683,383 )     (471,461 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    5,472,520       8,701,030  

Cost of shares redeemed

    (551,547 )     (1,755,685 )

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    4,920,973       6,945,345  
                 

Total Increase in Net Assets

    5,723,899       4,086,224  
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    11,045,871       6,959,647  

End of year

  $ 16,769,770     $ 11,045,871  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    525,000       250,000  

Shares sold

    250,000       350,000  

Shares redeemed

    (25,000 )     (75,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    750,000       525,000  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

29

 

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 588,458     $ 109,562  

Net realized loss on investments, purchased options and written options

    (2,442,440 )     (294,269 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    10,951,817       (2,873,272 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    9,097,835       (3,057,979 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (448,363 )     (83,054 )

Total distributions

    (448,363 )     (83,054 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    78,559,785       20,928,457  

Cost of shares redeemed

    (16,840,295 )     (3,934,950 )

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    61,719,490       16,993,507  
                 

Total Increase in Net Assets

    70,368,962       13,852,474  
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    26,165,290       12,312,816  

End of year

  $ 96,534,252     $ 26,165,290  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    1,025,000       425,000  

Shares sold

    3,075,000       750,000  

Shares redeemed

    (650,000 )     (150,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    3,450,000       1,025,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

30

 

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 1,076,621     $ 1,282,211  

Net realized loss on investments, purchased options and written options

    (3,117,557 )     (10,553,514 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    1,007,489       (11,318,059 )

Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations

    (1,033,447 )     (20,589,362 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (1,076,621 )     (3,776,862 )

Return of capital

    (1,397,413 )     (2,233,575 )

Total distributions

    (2,474,034 )     (6,010,437 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    9,835,138       32,438,070  

Cost of shares redeemed

    (21,556,487 )     (85,105,287 )

Net decrease in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    (11,721,349 )     (52,667,217 )
                 

Total Decrease in Net Assets

    (15,228,830 )     (79,267,016 )
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    64,633,792       143,900,808  

End of year

  $ 49,404,962     $ 64,633,792  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    3,000,000       5,450,000  

Shares sold

    475,000       1,300,000  

Shares redeemed

    (1,050,000 )     (3,750,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    2,425,000       3,000,000  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

31

 

 

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 1,115,579     $ 449,364  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments, purchased options and written options

    55,672       (1,394,909 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    393,092       (4,419,157 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1,564,343       (5,364,702 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (1,115,579 )     (1,074,490 )

Return of capital

    (1,508,829 )     (1,203,430 )

Total distributions

    (2,624,408 )     (2,277,920 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    12,363,260       25,602,308  

Cost of shares redeemed

    (5,896,882 )     (2,216,510 )

Net increase in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    6,466,378       23,385,798  
                 

Total Increase in Net Assets

    5,406,313       15,743,176  
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    58,115,527       42,372,351  

End of year

  $ 63,521,840     $ 58,115,527  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    2,650,000       1,675,000  

Shares sold

    575,000       1,075,000  

Shares redeemed

    (275,000 )     (100,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    2,950,000       2,650,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

32

 

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2023

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2022

 

From Operations

               

Net investment income

  $ 250,765     $ 137,254  

Net realized gain (loss) on investments, purchased options and written options

    47,961       (331,079 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments, purchased options and written options

    97,017       (1,390,318 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    395,743       (1,584,143 )
                 

From Distributions

               

Distributable earnings

    (250,765 )     (557,933 )

Return of capital

    (384,355 )     (239,175 )

Total distributions

    (635,120 )     (797,108 )
                 

From Capital Share Transactions

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    4,848,670       6,753,353  

Cost of shares redeemed

    (4,881,588 )     (658,205 )

Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    (32,918 )     6,095,148  
                 

Total Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

    (272,295 )     3,713,897  
                 

Net Assets

               

Beginning of year

    14,921,807       11,207,910  

End of year

  $ 14,649,512     $ 14,921,807  
                 

Changes in Shares Outstanding

               

Shares outstanding, beginning of year

    675,000       425,000  

Shares sold

    225,000       275,000  

Shares redeemed

    (225,000 )     (25,000 )

Shares outstanding, end of year

    675,000       675,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

33

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Financial Highlights

 

   

Per Share
Operating
Performance
(For a share
outstanding
throughout
each period)

 
           

Income
(Loss) from
Investment
Operations:

   

Less
Distributions
Paid:

 
   

Net Asset Value,
Beginning
of Period

   

Net investment
income
(1)

   

Net realized
and unrealized
gain (loss) on
investments

   

Total from
investment
operations

   

From Net
investment
income

   

From Net
realized gains

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

                                       

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 32.22       0.32       4.73       5.05       (0.23 )      

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 39.21       0.23       (5.74 )     (5.51 )     (0.30 )     (0.57 )

For the year 09/01/2020 - 08/31/2021

  $ 30.08       0.22       10.16       10.38       (0.87 )     (0.38 )

For the period 09/30/2019(18) - 08/31/2020

  $ 25.00       0.20       5.15       5.35       (0.23 )     (0.04 )

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

                                       

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 30.26       0.24       1.42       1.66       (0.23 )      

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 37.20       0.25       (5.77 )     (5.52 )     (0.34 )     (0.34 )

For the year 09/01/2020 - 08/31/2021

  $ 24.27       0.08       13.83       13.91       (0.89 )     (0.09 )

For the period 09/30/2019(18) - 08/31/2020

  $ 25.00       0.19       (0.68 )(19)     (0.49 )     (0.18 )     (0.06 )

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

                                       

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 21.04       0.45       1.89       2.34       (0.48 )      

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 27.84       0.44       (6.04 )     (5.60 )     (0.54 )     (0.14 )

For the year 09/01/2020 - 08/31/2021

  $ 24.13       0.33       4.39       4.72       (1.01 )      

For the period 09/30/2019(18) - 08/31/2020

  $ 25.00       0.73       (0.73 )(19)     0.00       (0.80 )     (0.05 )

 

 

(1)

Per share net investment income was calculated using average shares outstanding.

 

(2)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

 

(3)

Does not include income and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests.

 

(4)

Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at net asset value. This percentage is not an indication of the performance of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund based on market value due to the differences between the market price of the shares and the net asset value per share of the Fund.

 

(5)

Market value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at market value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at market value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at market value. Market value is determined by the composite closing price. Composite closing security price is defined as the last reported sale price on theNYSE Arca Stock Exchange. The composite closing price is the last reported sale, regardless of volume, and not an average price, and may have occurred on a date prior to the close of the reporting period. Market value may be greater or less than net asset value, depending on the Fund’s closing price on the NYSE Arca Stock Exchange.

 

(6)

Not annualized for periods less than one year.

 

(7)

Excludes in-kind transactions associated with creations and redemptions of the Fund.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

34

 

 

 

 

Per Share
Operating
Performance
(For a share
outstanding
throughout
each period)

   

Ratios/
Supplemental
Data

 
 

Less
Distributions
Paid:

                                   

Ratios to
Average Net
Assets of:
(2)(3)

         
 

From Return
of capital

   

Total
distributions
paid

   

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

   

Total return,
at NAV
(4)(6)

   

Total return,
at Market
(5)(6)

   

Net assets,
end of period
(000’s)

   

Expenses

   

Net
investment
income (loss)

   

Portfolio
turnover
rate
(6)(7)

 
                                                                       
    (0.96 )     (1.19 )   $ 36.08       16.19 %     16.02 %   $ 157,865       0.84 %(15)     0.98 %     1 %
    (0.61 )     (1.48 )   $ 32.22       (14.53 )%     (14.41 )%   $ 248,933       0.77 %(10)     0.65 %     5 %
          (1.25 )   $ 39.21       35.36 %     34.77 %   $ 200,959       0.77 %(10)     0.66 %     6 %
          (0.27 )   $ 30.08       21.62 %     22.22 %   $ 97,768       0.76 %(9)     0.85 %     4 %
                                                                       
    (0.83 )     (1.06 )   $ 30.86       5.75 %     5.75 %   $ 7,715       0.82 %(14)     0.81 %     2 %
    (0.74 )     (1.42 )   $ 30.26       (15.30 )%     (15.47 )%   $ 7,565       0.78 %(11)     0.74 %     5 %
          (0.98 )   $ 37.20       58.12 %     58.46 %   $ 6,510       0.77 %(10)     0.25 %     6 %
          (0.24 )   $ 24.27       (1.93 )%     (1.87 )%   $ 3,034       0.76 %(9)     0.90 %     6 %
                                                                       
    (0.54 )     (1.02 )   $ 22.36       11.35 %     11.39 %   $ 16,770       0.80 %(12)     2.04 %     117 %
    (0.52 )     (1.20 )   $ 21.04       (20.64 )%     (20.53 )%   $ 11,046       0.78 %(11)     1.79 %     8 %
          (1.01 )   $ 27.84       19.82 %     20.24 %   $ 6,960       0.77 %(10)     1.28 %     10 %
    (0.02 )     (0.87 )   $ 24.13       (0.03 )%     (0.41 )%   $ 4,223       0.76 %(9)     3.42 %     8 %

 

(8)

The returns reflect the actual performance for the period and do not include the impact of trades executed on the last business day of the period that were recorded on the first business day of the next period

 

(9)

Includes interest expense of 0.01%.

 

(10)

Includes interest expense of 0.02%.

 

(11)

Includes interest expense of 0.03%.

 

(12)

Includes interest expense of 0.05%.

 

(13)

Includes interest expense of 0.06%.

 

(14)

Includes interest expense of 0.07%.

 

(15)

Includes interest expense of 0.09%.

 

(16)

Includes interest expense of 0.10%.

 

(17)

Includes interest expense of 0.15%.

 

(18)

Inception Date.

 

(19)

Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in this caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net aset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statements of Operations due to share transactions for the period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

35

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Financial Highlights

 

   

Per Share
Operating
Performance
(For a share
outstanding
throughout
each period)

 
           

Income
(Loss) from
Investment
Operations:

   

Less
Distributions
Paid:

 

 

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

   

Net
investment
income
(1)

   

Net realized
and unrealized
gain (loss) on
investments

   

Total from
investment
operations

   

From Net
investment
income

   

From Net
realized gains

   

From
Return of
capital

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

                                               

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 25.53       0.23       2.42       2.65       (0.15 )     (0.05 )      

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 28.97       0.14       (3.46 )     (3.32 )     (0.12 )            

For the period 01/14/2021(18) - 08/31/2021

  $ 25.00       0.04       3.93       3.97                    

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

                                               

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 21.54       0.44       (0.59 )(19)     (0.15 )     (0.42 )           (0.60 )

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 26.40       0.26       (3.99 )     (3.73 )     (0.23 )     (0.43 )     (0.47 )

For the year 09/01/2020 - 08/31/2021

  $ 26.61       0.27       0.52       0.79       (0.83 )     (0.17 )      

For the period 09/30/2019(18) - 08/31/2020

  $ 25.00       0.35       1.92       2.27       (0.62 )     (0.04 )      

 

 

(1)

Per share net investment income was calculated using average shares outstanding.

 

(2)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

 

(3)

Does not include income and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests.

 

(4)

Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at net asset value. This percentage is not an indication of the performance of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund based on market value due to the differences between the market price of the shares and the net asset value per share of the Fund.

 

(5)

Market value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at market value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at market value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at market value. Market value is determined by the composite closing price. Composite closing security price is defined as the last reported sale price on theNYSE Arca Stock Exchange. The composite closing price is the last reported sale, regardless of volume, and not an average price, and may have occurred on a date prior to the close of the reporting period. Market value may be greater or less than net asset value, depending on the Fund’s closing price on the NYSE Arca Stock Exchange.

 

(6)

Not annualized for periods less than one year.

 

(7)

Excludes in-kind transactions associated with creations and redemptions of the Fund.

 

(8)

The returns reflect the actual performance for the period and do not include the impact of trades executed on the last business day of the period that were recorded on the first business day of the next period

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

36

 

 

 

 

Per Share Operating
Performance
(For a share
outstanding
throughout
each period)

   

Ratios/
Supplemental
Data

 
 

Less Distributions
Paid:

                                   

Ratios to
Average Net
Assets of:
(2)(3)

         
 

Total
distributions paid

   

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

   

Total return,
at NAV
(4)(6)

   

Total return, at
Market
(5)(6)

   

Net assets,
end of period
(000’s)

   

Expenses

   

Net investment
income (loss)

   

Portfolio
turnover
rate
(6)(7)

 
                                                               
    (0.20 )   $ 27.98       10.49 %     10.32 %   $ 96,534       0.90 %(17)     0.86 %     5 %
    (0.12 )   $ 25.53       (11.54 )%     (11.47 )%   $ 26,165       0.85 %(16)     0.51 %     24 %
        $ 28.97       15.89 %(8)     16.05 %(8)   $ 12,313       0.81 %(13)     0.26 %     13 %
                                                               
    (1.02 )   $ 20.37       (0.63 )%     (0.56 )%   $ 49,405       0.84 %(15)     2.13 %     3 %
    (1.13 )   $ 21.54       (14.56 )%     (14.82 )%   $ 64,634       0.77 %(10)     1.07 %     6 %
    (1.00 )   $ 26.40       3.13 %     3.25 %   $ 143,901       0.77 %(10)     1.03 %     7 %
    (0.66 )   $ 26.61       9.22 %     9.38 %   $ 113,744       0.76 %(9)     1.46 %     5 %

 

(9)

Includes interest expense of 0.01%.

 

(10)

Includes interest expense of 0.02%.

 

(11)

Includes interest expense of 0.03%.

 

(12)

Includes interest expense of 0.05%.

 

(13)

Includes interest expense of 0.06%.

 

(14)

Includes interest expense of 0.07%.

 

(15)

Includes interest expense of 0.09%.

 

(16)

Includes interest expense of 0.10%.

 

(17)

Includes interest expense of 0.15%.

 

(18)

Inception Date.

 

(19)

Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in this caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net aset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statements of Operations due to share transactions for the period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

37

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Financial Highlights

 

   

Per Share
Operating
Performance
(For a share
outstanding
throughout
each period)

 
           

Income
(Loss) from
Investment
Operations:

   

Less
Distributions
Paid:

 
   

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

   

Net
investment
income
(1)

   

Net realized
and unrealized
gain (loss) on
investments

   

Total from
investment
operations

   

From Net
investment
income

   

From Net
realized gains

   

From
Return of
capital

 

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

                                               

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 21.93       0.42       0.17       0.59       (0.44 )           (0.55 )

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 25.30       0.20       (2.52 )     (2.32 )     (0.27 )     (0.30 )     (0.48 )

For the period 01/14/2021(18) - 08/31/2021

  $ 25.00       0.11       0.62       0.73       (0.43 )            

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

                                               

For the year 09/01/2022 - 08/31/2023

  $ 22.11       0.39       0.18 (19)      0.57       (0.38 )           (0.60 )

For the year 09/01/2021 - 08/31/2022

  $ 26.37       0.25       (3.03 )     (2.78 )     (0.29 )     (0.80 )     (0.39 )

For the year 09/01/2020 - 08/31/2021

  $ 25.80       0.31       1.28       1.59       (0.87 )     (0.15 )      

For the period 09/30/2019(18) - 08/31/2020

  $ 25.00       0.32       1.14       1.46       (0.61 )     (0.05 )      

 

 

(1)

Per share net investment income was calculated using average shares outstanding.

 

(2)

Annualized for periods less than one year.

 

(3)

Does not include income and expenses of investment companies in which the Fund invests.

 

(4)

Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at net asset value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at net asset value. This percentage is not an indication of the performance of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund based on market value due to the differences between the market price of the shares and the net asset value per share of the Fund.

 

(5)

Market value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at market value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions at market value during the period, if any, and redemption on the last day of the period at market value. Market value is determined by the composite closing price. Composite closing security price is defined as the last reported sale price on theNYSE Arca Stock Exchange. The composite closing price is the last reported sale, regardless of volume, and not an average price, and may have occurred on a date prior to the close of the reporting period. Market value may be greater or less than net asset value, depending on the Fund’s closing price on the NYSE Arca Stock Exchange.

 

(6)

Not annualized for periods less than one year.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

38

 

 

 

Per Share Operating
Performance
(For a share
outstanding
throughout
each period)

   

Ratios/
Supplemental
Data

 
 

Less Distributions
Paid:

                                   

Ratios to
Average Net
Assets of:
(2)(3)

         
 

Total
distributions paid

   

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

   

Total return,
at NAV
(4)(6)

   

Total return, at
Market
(5)(6)

   

Net assets,
end of period
(000’s)

   

Expenses

   

Net investment
income (loss)

   

Portfolio
turnover
rate
(6)(7)

 
                                                               
    (0.99 )   $ 21.53       2.81 %     2.77 %   $ 63,522       0.81 %(13)     1.95 %     3 %
    (1.05 )   $ 21.93       (9.39 )%     (9.41 )%   $ 58,116       0.77 %(10)     0.85 %     5 %
    (0.43 )   $ 25.30       2.95 %(8)     2.96 %(8)   $ 42,372       0.77 %(10)     0.71 %     3 %
                                                               
    (0.98 )   $ 21.70       2.67 %     2.71 %   $ 14,650       0.81 %(13)     1.77 %     3 %
    (1.48 )   $ 22.11       (11.02 )%     (11.15 )%   $ 14,922       0.77 %(10)     1.03 %     5 %
    (1.02 )   $ 26.37       6.32 %     6.60 %   $ 11,208       0.77 %(10)     1.19 %     7 %
    (0.66 )   $ 25.80       5.92 %     5.71 %   $ 29,020       0.76 %(9)     1.38 %     4 %

 

(7)

Excludes in-kind transactions associated with creations and redemptions of the Fund.

 

(8)

The returns reflect the actual performance for the period and do not include the impact of trades executed on the last business day of the period that were recorded on the first business day of the next period

 

(9)

Includes interest expense of 0.01%.

 

(10)

Includes interest expense of 0.02%.

 

(11)

Includes interest expense of 0.03%.

 

(12)

Includes interest expense of 0.05%.

 

(13)

Includes interest expense of 0.06%.

 

(14)

Includes interest expense of 0.07%.

 

(15)

Includes interest expense of 0.09%.

 

(16)

Includes interest expense of 0.10%.

 

(17)

Includes interest expense of 0.15%.

 

(18)

Inception Date.

 

(19)

Realized and unrealized gains and losses per share in this caption are balancing amounts necessary to reconcile the change in net aset value per share for the period, and may not reconcile with the aggregate gains and losses in the Statements of Operations due to share transactions for the period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

39

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023

 

 

1.

ORGANIZATION

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF (“OVL”), Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF (“OVS”), Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF (“OVF”), Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF (“OVLH”), Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF (“OVB”), Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF (“OVT”) and Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF (“OVM”) (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) are each a diversified series of Listed Funds Trust (the “Trust”), formerly Active Weighting Funds ETF Trust. The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 26, 2016, under a Declaration of Trust amended on December 21, 2018, and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

Each Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its total return investment objective by investing in one or more other ETFs that seek to obtain exposure based on the following:

 

Fund

Investment Objectives

OVL

U.S. large cap equity securities

OVS

U.S. small cap equity securities

OVF

Non-U.S. equity securities (from both developed and emerging markets)

OVLH

Hedged U.S. large cap equity securities

OVB

Investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bonds

OVT

Short-term, investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bonds with dollar-weighted average maturity of no more than three years with a maximum maturity of five years

OVM

Investment grade municipal bonds and below investment grade municipal bonds

 

The Funds may invest directly in the securities held by such ETFs and sell and purchase listed short-term put options to generate income to the Funds (the “Overlay Strategy”).

 

The Funds’ Overlay Strategy seeks to generate income for the Funds by utilizing a “put spread” consisting of the sale of exchange-listed short-term put options with a notional value (strike price times the value of the shares) up to 100% of each Fund’s net assets and the purchase of an identical number of short-term put options with a lower strike price. Each Fund seeks to generate income from the sale and purchase of put options with a lower strike price to hedge against a decline in the options’ underlying asset, the S&P 500 Index, which consists of approximately 500 leading U.S.-listed companies representing approximately 80% of the U.S. equity market capitalization.

 

2.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Each Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services — Investment Companies. Each Fund prepares its financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and follows the significant accounting policies described below.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

40

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

Share Transactions

 

The net asset value (“NAV”) per share of each Fund will be equal to a Fund’s total assets minus a Funds’ total liabilities divided by the total number of shares outstanding. The NAV that is published will be rounded to the nearest cent. The NAV is determined as of the close of trading (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading.

 

Fair Value Measurement

 

In calculating the NAV, each Fund’s exchange-traded equity securities will be valued at fair value, which will generally be determined using the last reported official closing or last trading price on the exchange or market on which the security is primarily traded at the time of valuation. Such valuations are typically categorized as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy described below.

 

Securities listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. are generally valued at the NASDAQ official closing price.

 

If market quotations are not readily available, or if it is determined that a quotation of a security does not represent fair value, then the security is valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser using procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”). The valuation of the Fund’s investments is performed in accordance with the principles found in Rule 2a-5 of the 1940 Act. The Board has designated Liquid Strategies, LLC, the Funds’ investment adviser, as the valuation designee of the Funds. The circumstances in which a security may be fair valued include, among others: the occurrence of events that are significant to a particular issuer, such as mergers, restructurings, or defaults; the occurrence of events that are significant to an entire market, such as natural disasters in a particular region or government actions; trading restrictions on securities; thinly traded securities; and market events such as trading halts and early market closings. Due to the inherent uncertainty of valuations, fair values may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had an active market existed. Fair valuation could result in a different NAV than a NAV determined by using market quotations. Such valuations are typically categorized as Level 2 or Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy described below.

 

Money market funds are valued at NAV. If NAV is not readily available, the securities will be valued at fair value.

 

FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”) defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and requires disclosure about fair value measurements. It also provides guidance on determining when there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for an asset or liability, when a transaction is not orderly, and how that information must be incorporated into fair value measurements. Under ASC 820, various inputs are used in determining the value of the Funds’ investments. These inputs are summarized in the following hierarchy:

 

 

Level 1 — Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Funds have the ability to access.

 

 

Level 2 — Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.

 

 

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available; representing the Funds’ own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability and would be based on the best information available.

 

The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3).

 

41

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.

 

Exchange-traded options are valued at the composite mean price, which calculates the mean of the highest bid price and lowest asked price across the exchange. On the last trading day prior to expiration, expiring options may be priced at intrinsic value. The premium a fund pays when purchasing a call option or receives when writing a call or put option will reflect, among other things, the market price of the security, the relationship of the exercise price to the market price of the security, the relationship of the exercise price to the volatility of the security, the length of the option period and supply and demand factors. The premium is the value of an option at the date of purchase. All other securities and investments for which market values are not readily available, including restricted securities, and those securities for which it is inappropriate to determine prices in accordance with the aforementioned procedures, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith under procedures adopted by the Board, although the actual calculations may be done by others. Factors considered in making this determination may include, but are not limited to, information obtained by contacting the issuer, analysts, or the appropriate stock exchange (for exchange-traded securities), analysis of the issuer’s financial statements or other available documents and, if necessary, available information concerning other securities in similar circumstances.

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The hierarchy classification of inputs used to value the Funds’ investments at August 31, 2023, are as follows:

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 157,958,083     $     $     $ 157,958,083  

Money Market Funds

    31,012                   31,012  

Purchased Put Options

          121,440             121,440  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 157,989,095     $ 121,440     $     $ 158,110,535  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 252,885     $     $ 252,885  

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 7,718,740     $     $     $ 7,718,740  

Money Market Funds

    8,355                   8,355  

Purchased Put Options

          6,095             6,095  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 7,727,095     $ 6,095     $     $ 7,733,190  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 12,745     $     $ 12,745  

 

42

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 16,797,394     $     $     $ 16,797,394  

Money Market Funds

    1,785                   1,785  

Purchased Put Options

          13,135             13,135  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 16,799,179     $ 13,135     $     $ 16,812,314  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 27,405     $     $ 27,405  

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 94,754,241     $     $     $ 94,754,241  

Money Market Funds

    824,821                   824,821  

Purchased Put Options

          2,053,480             2,053,480  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 95,579,062     $ 2,053,480     $     $ 97,632,542  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 157,595     $     $ 157,595  

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 49,278,267     $     $     $ 49,278,267  

Money Market Funds

    172,084                   172,084  

Purchased Put Options

          38,720             38,720  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 49,450,351     $ 38,720     $     $ 49,489,071  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 80,630     $     $ 80,630  

 

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 63,372,817     $     $     $ 63,372,817  

Money Market Funds

    200,094                   200,094  

Purchased Put Options

          49,280             49,280  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 63,572,911     $ 49,280     $     $ 63,622,191  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 102,620     $     $ 102,620  

 

43

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

 

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

   

Total

 

Investments - Assets:

                               

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 14,622,450     $     $     $ 14,622,450  

Money Market Funds

    31,405                   31,405  

Purchased Put Options

          10,560             10,560  

Total Investments - Assets

  $ 14,653,855     $ 10,560     $     $ 14,664,415  

Other Financial Instruments - Liabilities:

                               

Written Put Options

  $     $ 21,990     $     $ 21,990  

 

Security Transactions

 

Investment transactions are recorded as of the date that the securities are purchased or sold (trade date). Realized gains and losses from the sale or disposition of securities are calculated based on the specific identification basis.

 

Investment Income

 

Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date. Interest income is accrued daily. An amortized cost method of valuation may be used with respect to debt obligations with sixty days or less remaining to maturity, unless the Adviser determines in good faith that such method does not represent fair value.

 

Tax Information, Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders and Uncertain Tax Positions

 

The Funds are treated as separate entities for Federal income tax purposes. Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs, each Fund must meet certain annual income and quarterly asset diversification requirements and must distribute annually at least 90% of the sum of (i) its investment company taxable income (which includes dividends, interest, and net short-term capital gains) and (ii) certain net tax-exempt income, if any. If so qualified, each Fund will not be subject to Federal income tax.

 

Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The Funds, except for OVLH, generally pay out dividends from net investment income, if any, quarterly. OVLH will distribute net investment income, if any, annually. Each Fund will distribute their net capital gains, if any, to shareholders at least annually. The Funds may also pay a special distribution at the end of the calendar year to comply with Federal tax requirements. The amount of dividends and distributions from net investment income and net realized capital gains are determined in accordance with Federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP. These “book/tax” differences are either considered temporary or permanent in nature. To the extent these differences are permanent in nature, such amounts are reclassified within the components of net assets based on their Federal tax basis treatment; temporary differences do not require reclassification. Dividends and distributions which exceed earnings and profit for tax purposes are reported as a tax return of capital.

 

Management evaluates the Funds’ tax positions to determine if the tax positions taken meet the minimum recognition threshold in connection with accounting for uncertainties in income tax positions taken or expected to be taken for the purposes of measuring and recognizing tax liabilities in the financial statements. Recognition of tax benefits of an uncertain tax position is required only when the position is “more likely than not” to be sustained assuming examination by taxing authorities. Interest and penalties related to income taxes would be recorded as income tax expense. The Funds’ Federal income tax returns are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) for a period of three fiscal years after they are filed. State and local tax returns may be subject to examination for an additional fiscal year depending on the jurisdiction. As of August 31, 2023, the Funds’ most recent fiscal year end, the Funds had no material uncertain tax positions and did not have a liability for

 

44

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

 

any unrecognized tax benefits. As of August 31, 2023, the Funds’ most recent fiscal year end, the Funds had no examination in progress and management is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change in the next twelve months.

 

The Funds recognized no interest or penalties related to uncertain tax benefits in the fiscal year 2023. At August 31, 2023, the Funds’ most recent fiscal year end, the tax periods from commencement of operations remained open to examination in the Funds’ major tax jurisdictions.

 

Indemnification

 

In the normal course of business, the Funds expect to enter into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties, and which provide general indemnifications. The Funds’ maximum exposure under these anticipated arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Funds that have not yet occurred. However, based on experience, the Funds expect the risk of loss to be remote.

 

Derivatives

 

Each Fund may purchase and write put and call options on indices and enter into related closing transactions. All options written on indices or securities must be covered, each Fund will segregate cash and/or other liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s obligations. Put and call options on indices give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than (or less than, in the case of puts) the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. The premium paid to the writer is the consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract.

 

The Funds invest in derivatives in order to protect against a possible decline in the market value of securities in its portfolio, to anticipate an increase in the market value of securities that the Funds may seek to purchase in the future and as a means of increasing the yield on its assets. The Funds purchasing put and call options pay a premium; therefore, if price movements in the underlying securities are such that exercise of the options would not be profitable for the Funds, loss of the premium paid may be offset by an increase in the value of the Funds’ securities or by a decrease in the cost of acquisition of securities by the Funds. When the Funds write an option, if the underlying securities do not increase or decrease to a price level that would make the exercise of the option profitable to the holder thereof, the option generally will expire without being exercised and the Funds will realize as profit the premium received for such option. When an index call option of which the Funds are the writer is exercised, the Funds will be required to deliver a cash amount commensurate to if they were to sell the underlying securities to the option holder at the strike price and will not participate in any increase in the price of such securities above the strike price. When an index put option of which the Funds are the writer is exercised, the Funds will be required to deliver a cash amount commensurate to if they were to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the market value of such securities. The Funds maintain minimal counterparty risk through contracts bought or sold on an exchange. As of August 31, 2023, the Funds’ derivative instruments are not subject to a master netting arrangement.

 

Derivative Instruments

 

The average monthly value outstanding of purchased and written options during the year ended August 31, 2023, were as follows:

 

   

Overlay Shares
Large Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Small Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares Foreign
Equity ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Hedged Large
Cap Equity ETF

 

Purchased Put Options

  $ 651,417     $ 23,731     $ 42,047     $ 1,961,020  

Written Put Options

    (1,333,910 )     (47,713 )     (85,333 )     (242,031 )

 

45

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

   

Overlay Shares
Core Bond ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Short Term
Bond ETF

   

Overlay Shares
Municipal
Bond ETF

 

Purchased Put Options

  $ 176,836     $ 188,265     $ 46,030  

Written Put Options

    (362,798 )     (383,984 )     (94,692 )

 

The following is a summary of the effect of derivative instruments on the Funds’ Statements of Assets and Liabilities as of August 31, 2023:

 

   Equity Risk Contracts  Asset Derivatives, Investments, at value   Liability Derivatives, Written options, at value 
Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF   Purchased Options  $121,440   $ 
   Written Options       252,885 
Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF   Purchased Options   6,095     
   Written Options       12,745 
Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF   Purchased Options   13,135     
   Written Options       27,405 
Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF   Purchased Options   2,053,480     
   Written Options       157,595 
Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF   Purchased Options   38,720     
   Written Options       80,630 
Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF   Purchased Options   49,280     
   Written Options       102,620 
Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF   Purchased Options   10,560     
   Written Options       21,990 

 

The following is a summary of the effect of derivative instruments on the Funds’ Statements of Operations for the year ended August 31, 2023:

 

           

Net Realized Gain (Loss)

   

Net Change in Unrealized
Appreciation/Depreciation

 
           

Purchased
Options

   

Written
Options

   

Purchased
Options

   

Written
Options

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

  $ (8,577,395 )   $ 8,743,051     $ (522,909 )   $ 1,690,847  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

    (373,004 )     425,817       (18,628 )     59,515  

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

    (726,116 )     865,859       (28,585 )     89,034  

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

    (7,735,378 )     4,951,275       (534,117 )     1,287  

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

    (2,590,990 )     2,749,398       (129,162 )     415,447  

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

    (2,951,673 )     3,361,898       (121,027 )     386,000  

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

Equity Risk Contracts

    (706,103 )     788,835       (31,409 )     101,087  

 

46

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

3.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER AGREEMENTS

 

Investment Advisory Agreement

 

The Trust has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with Liquid Strategies, LLC (“Liquid Strategies” or the “Adviser”). Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides a continuous investment program for the Funds’ assets in accordance with their investment objectives, policies and limitations, and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Funds subject to the supervision of the Board, including the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act.

 

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and Liquid Strategies, each Fund pays a unified management fee to the Adviser, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 0.75% of each Fund’s average daily net assets. Liquid Strategies has agreed to pay all expenses of the Funds except the fee paid to Liquid Strategies under the Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution (12b-1) fees and expenses (if any).

 

Distribution Agreement and 12b-1 Plan

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Foreside Financial Group, LLC (dba ACA Group) (the “Distributor”), serves as each Fund’s distributor pursuant to a Distribution Services Agreement. The Distributor receives compensation for the statutory underwriting services it provides to the Funds. The Distributor enters into agreements with certain broker-dealers and others that will allow those parties to be “Authorized Participants” and to subscribe for and redeem shares of the Funds. The Distributor will not distribute shares in less than whole Creation Units and 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 (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”). In accordance with the Rule 12b-1 Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities. As authorized by the Board, no Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, they will be paid out of each Fund’s assets. The Adviser and its affiliates may, out of their own resources, pay amounts to third parties for distribution or marketing services on behalf of the Funds.

 

Administrator, Custodian and Transfer Agent

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services” or “Administrator”) serves as administrator, transfer agent and fund accounting agent of the Funds pursuant to a Fund Servicing Agreement. U.S. Bank N.A. (the “Custodian”), an affiliate of Fund Services, serves as the Funds’ custodian pursuant to a Custody Agreement. Under the terms of these agreements, the Adviser pays each Fund’s administrative, custody and transfer agency fees.

 

A Trustee and all officers of the Trust are affiliated with the Administrator and Custodian.

 

4.

CREATION AND REDEMPTION TRANSACTIONS

 

Shares of the Funds are listed and traded on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”). Each Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis at NAV only in large blocks of shares called “Creation Units.” Creation Units are to be issued and redeemed principally in kind for a basket of securities and a balancing cash amount. Shares generally will trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit at market prices that change throughout the day. Market prices for the shares may be different from their NAV. The NAV is determined as of the close of trading (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day the NYSE is open for trading. The NAV of the shares of each Fund will be equal to a Fund’s total assets minus a Fund’s total liabilities divided by the total number of shares outstanding. The NAV that is published will be rounded to the nearest cent; however, for purposes of determining the price of Creation Units, the NAV will be calculated to four decimal places.

 

47

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

Creation Unit Transaction Fee

 

Authorized Participants will be required to pay to the Custodian a fixed transaction fee (the “Creation Unit Transaction Fee”) in connection with the issuance or redemption of Creation Units. The standard Creation Unit Transaction Fee will be the same regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased or redeemed by an investor on the applicable business day. The Creation Unit Transaction Fee charged by the Funds for each creation order is $300.

 

An additional variable fee of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for (1) creations effected outside the Clearing Process and (2) creations made in an all cash amount (to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with using cash to purchase or redeem the requisite Deposit Securities). Investors are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the account of the Trust. Each Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders. Variable fees, if any, received by the Funds are displayed in the Capital Share Transactions section on the Statements of Changes in Net Assets.

 

Only “Authorized Participants” may purchase or redeem shares directly from the Funds. An Authorized Participant is either (1) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of National Securities Clearing Corporation or (2) a DTC participant and, in each case, must have executed a Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Most retail investors will not qualify as Authorized Participants or have the resources to buy and sell whole Creation Units. Therefore, they will be unable to purchase or redeem the shares directly from the Funds. Rather, most retail investors will purchase shares in the secondary market with the assistance of a broker and will be subject to customary brokerage commissions or fees. Securities received or delivered in connection with in-kind creates and redeems are valued as of the close of business on the effective date of the creation or redemption.

 

A Creation Unit will generally not be issued until the transfer of good title of the deposit securities to the Funds and the payment of any cash amounts have been completed. To the extent contemplated by the applicable participant agreement, Creation Units of the Funds will be issued to such authorized participant notwithstanding the fact that the Funds’ deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the authorized participant to deliver the missing deposit securities as soon as possible. If the Funds or their agents do not receive all of the deposit securities, or the required cash amounts, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the authorized participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any.

 

5.

FEDERAL INCOME TAX

 

The tax character of distributions paid was as follows:

 

   

Year Ended August 31, 2023

 
   

Ordinary
Income
(1)

   

Tax-Exempt
Income

   

Long-Term
Capital Gain

   

Return of
Capital

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ 1,750,290     $     $     $ 4,973,271  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

    56,417                   208,142  

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    291,825                   391,558  

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

    334,829             113,534        

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    1,076,621                   1,397,413  

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    1,115,579                   1,508,829  

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    4,538       246,227             384,355  

 

48

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

 

   

Year Ended August 31, 2022

 
   

Ordinary
Income
(1)

   

Tax-Exempt
Income

   

Long-Term
Capital Gain

   

Return of
Capital

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ 1,564,050     $     $ 3,335,500     $ 4,561,257  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

    58,326             70,321       169,944  

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    169,865             45,796       255,800  

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

    83,054                    

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    1,282,210             2,494,652       2,233,575  

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    486,699             587,791       1,203,430  

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    525       136,729       420,679       239,175  

 

(1)

Ordinary income includes short-term capital gains.

 

At August 31, 2023, the Funds’ most recent fiscal year end, the components of distributable earnings (accumulated losses) and the cost of investments on a tax basis, including the adjustments for financial reporting purposes, as of the most recently completed Federal income tax reporting year for the Funds were as follows:

 

   

Overlay
Shares
Large Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares
Small Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares
Foreign
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares
Hedged
Large Cap
Equity ETF

   

Overlay
Shares
Core Bond
ETF

   

Overlay
Shares
Short Term
Bond ETF

   

Overlay
Shares
Municipal
Bond ETF

 

Federal Tax Cost of Investments

  $ 152,119,830     $ 8,009,399     $ 16,458,219     $ 88,499,127     $ 58,725,797     $ 67,925,996     $ 15,839,484  

Gross Tax Unrealized Appreciation

  $ 7,760,300     $ 133,099     $ 350,712     $ 9,484,743     $ 24,802     $ 30,830     $ 1,182  

Gross Tax Unrealized Depreciation

    (2,022,480 )     (422,053 )     (24,022 )     (508,922 )     (9,342,158 )     (4,437,254 )     (1,198,241 )

Net Tax Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

    5,737,820       (288,954 )     326,690       8,975,821       (9,317,356 )     (4,406,424 )     (1,197,059 )

Undistributed Ordinary Income

                      291,803                    

Undistributed Tax-Exempt Income

                                         

Undistributed Long-Term Gains

                                         

Other Accumulated Gain (Loss)

    (5,707,688 )     (199,027 )     (1,397,028 )     (3,575,470 )     (2,796,506 )     (888,394 )     (209,279 )

Total Distributable Earnings / (Accumulated Losses)

  $ 30,132     $ (487,981 )   $ (1,070,338 )   $ 5,692,154     $ (12,113,862 )   $ (5,294,818 )   $ (1,406,338 )

 

*

Includes written option premiums.

 

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) is attributable primarily to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales and Mark-to-Market of Section 1256 Contracts.

 

Under current tax law, net capital losses realized after October 31 and net ordinary losses incurred after December 31 may be deferred and treated as occurring on the first day of the following fiscal year. The Funds’ carryforward losses, post-October losses and post-December losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year.

 

49

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

At August 31, 2023, the Funds’ most recent fiscal year end, the Funds had carryforward losses and post-October losses which will be carried forward indefinitely to offset future realized capital gains as follows:

 

   

Indefinite Short-
Term Capital
Loss Carryover

   

Indefinite Long-
Term Capital
Loss Carryover

   

Post-October
Losses

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ 2,260,950     $ 3,446,743     $  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

    112,120       86,907        

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    172,942       1,224,085        

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

                3,575,470  

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    869,889       1,926,617        

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    310,953       577,442        

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    83,070       126,209        

 

Additionally, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles require that certain components of net assets relating to permanent differences be reclassified between financial and tax reporting. These reclassifications have no effect on net assets or net asset value per share. The permanent differences primarily relate to redemptions in-kind. For the year ended August 31, 2023, the following table shows the reclassifications made:

 

   

Total
Distributable
Earnings
(Accumulated
Losses)

   

Paid-In Capital

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ (12,088,265 )   $ 12,088,265  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

           

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    (45,884 )     45,884  

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

    (457,714 )     457,714  

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    2,963,823       (2,963,823 )

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    114,650       (114,650 )

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    34,640       (34,640 )

 

6.

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS

 

During the year ended August 31, 2023, the Funds realized net capital gains and losses resulting from in-kind redemptions, in which shareholders exchanged Fund shares for securities held by the Funds rather than for cash. Because such gains are not taxable to the Funds, and are not distributed to shareholders, they have been reclassified from distributable earnings (accumulated losses) to paid in-capital. The amount of realized gains and losses from in-kind redemptions included in realized gain/(loss) on investments in the Statements of Operations is as follows:

 

   

Realized Gains

   

Realized Losses

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ 14,108,243     $ (99,870 )

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

           

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    79,384        

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

    789,454       (189,973 )

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    11,676       (2,663,452 )

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    29,205       (104,419 )

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    86,497       (45,772 )

 

50

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2023 (Continued)

 

 

Purchases and sales of investments (excluding short-term investments), creations in-kind and redemptions in-kind for the year ended August 31, 2023, were as follows:

 

   

Purchases

   

Sales

   

Creations
In-Kind

   

Redemptions
In-Kind

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ 2,064,440     $ 7,190,704     $ 25,075,336     $ 130,127,802  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

    161,629       277,763              

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    16,669,664       16,824,079       5,452,577       552,221  

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

    19,777,534       3,315,198       56,425,431       14,149,798  

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    1,294,041       2,969,205       9,819,472       21,031,656  

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    1,595,549       2,619,123       12,321,161       5,883,202  

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    398,358       668,957       4,834,221       4,871,841  

 

7.

PRINCIPAL RISKS

 

As with all ETFs, shareholders of the Funds are subject to the risk that their investment could lose money. Each Fund is subject to the principal risks, any of which may adversely affect a Fund’s NAV, trading price, yield, total return, and ability to meet its investment objective.

 

A complete description of principal risks is included in the Funds’ prospectuses under the heading ‘’Principal Investment Risks’’.

 

8.OTHER REGULATORY MATTERS

 

In October 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted a final rule relating to Tailored Shareholder Reports for Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds; Fee Information in Investment Company Advertisements. The rule and form amendments will, among other things, require the Fund to transmit concise and visually engaging shareholder reports that highlight key information. The amendments will require that funds tag information in a structured data format and that certain more in-depth information be made available online and available for delivery free of charge to investors on request. The amendments became effective January 24, 2023. There is an 18-month transition period after the effective date of the amendment.

 

9.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

On October 5, 2023, the following Funds paid a distribution to shareholders of record on October 4, 2023, as follows:

 

   

Ordinary
Income Rate

   

Ordinary Income
Distribution Paid

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

  $ 0.30     $ 1,292,030  

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

    0.28       77,684  

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

    0.11       74,533  

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

    0.27       607,505  

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

    0.29       798,137  

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

    0.25       169,020  

 

Other than as disclosed, there were no other subsequent events requiring recognition or disclosure through the date the financial statements were issued.

 

51

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

 

 

To the Shareholders of Overlay Shares ETFs and
Board of Trustees of Listed Funds Trust

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investments and written options, of Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF, Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF, and Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF (the “Funds”), each a series of Listed Funds Trust, as of August 31, 2023, the related statements of operations, the statements of changes in net assets, the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated below (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of August 31, 2023, the results of their operations, the changes in net assets, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated below, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Fund Name

Statements of
Operations

Statements of
Changes in Net
Assets

Financial Highlights

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF,
Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF,
Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF,
Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF,
and Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

For the year ended August 31, 2023

For the years ended August 31, 2023 and 2022

For the years ended August 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 and for the period from September 30, 2019 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2020

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF
and Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

For the year ended August 31, 2023

For the years ended August 31, 2023 and 2022

For the years ended August 31, 2023 and 2022 and for the period from January 14, 2021 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2021

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2023, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

52

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

(Continued)

 

 

We have served as the Funds’ auditor since 2019.

 

 

COHEN & COMPANY, LTD.
Cleveland, Ohio
October 30, 2023

 

53

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Board Consideration and Approval of Advisory Agreement

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

 

 

At meetings held on May 31, 2023 (the “May Meeting”) and June 7, 2023 (the “June Meeting” and together with the May Meeting, the “Meetings”), the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of Listed Funds Trust (the “Trust”), including those trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) (the “Independent Trustees”), considered the approval of the continuation of the advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) between Liquid Strategies, LLC (the “Adviser”) and the Trust, on behalf of the Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF, Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF, Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF and Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF (each, a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”).

 

Pursuant to Section 15 of the 1940 Act, the continuation of the Agreement after its initial two-year term must be approved annually by: (i) the vote of the Board or shareholders of a Fund; and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. As discussed in greater detail below, in preparation for the Meetings, the Board requested from, and reviewed a wide variety of information provided by, the Adviser.

 

In addition to the written materials provided to the Board in advance of the Meetings, during the June Meeting a representative from the Adviser provided the Board with an overview of its advisory business, including information about its investment personnel, financial resources, experience, investment processes, quality control and compliance program. The representative discussed the services provided to each Fund by the Adviser, as well as each Fund’s fees and information with respect to the Fund’s strategy and certain operational aspects of the Fund. The Board considered the Adviser’s presentation and the materials it received in advance of the Meetings, including a memorandum from legal counsel to the Trust regarding the responsibilities of the Board in considering the approval of the Agreement. The Board also considered the information about the Funds and the Adviser provided over the course of the prior year. The Board deliberated on the approval of the Agreement for an additional one-year period in light of this information. Throughout the process, the Board was afforded the opportunity to ask questions of, and request additional materials from, the Adviser. The Independent Trustees also met in executive session with counsel to the Trust to further discuss the advisory arrangement and the Independent Trustees’ responsibilities relating thereto.

 

At the Meetings, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, evaluated a number of factors, including, among other things: (i) the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided by the Adviser to the Funds; (ii) each Fund’s expenses and performance; (iii) the cost of the services provided and profits to be realized by the Adviser from the relationship with Funds; (iv) comparative fee and expense data for each Fund and other investment companies with similar investment objectives; (v) the extent to which the advisory fee for each Fund reflects economies of scale shared with its shareholders; (vi) any benefits derived by the Adviser from the relationship with the Funds, including any fall-out benefits enjoyed by the Adviser; and (vii) other factors the Board deemed relevant. In its deliberations, the Board considered the factors and reached the conclusions described below relating to the advisory arrangement and the renewal of the Agreement.

 

Nature, Extent, and Quality of Services Provided. The Trustees considered the scope of services provided under the Advisory Agreement, noting that the Adviser expected to continue to provide substantially similar investment management services to each Fund with respect to implementing its investment program, including arranging for, or implementing, the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, monitoring adherence to its investment restrictions, overseeing the activities of the service providers, monitoring compliance with various policies and procedures with applicable securities regulations, and monitoring the extent to which the Fund achieved its investment objective as an actively-managed fund. In considering the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided by the Adviser, the Board considered the quality of the Adviser’s compliance program and past and current reports from the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) regarding her review of the Adviser’s compliance infrastructure. The Board noted that it had received a copy of the Adviser’s Form ADV, as well as the responses of the Adviser to a detailed series of questions that included, among other things, information about the Adviser’s decision making process, details about each Fund, and information about the services to be provided by the Adviser.

 

Historical Performance. The Board next considered each Fund’s performance. The Board observed that additional information regarding each Fund’s past investment performance, for periods ended March 31, 2023, had been included in the Materials, including the Barrington Report, which compared the performance results of each Fund with the returns of a group of ETFs selected by Barrington Partners as most comparable (the “Peer Group”) as well as with funds in each Fund’s respective Morningstar category (each, a “Category Peer Group”). Additionally, at the Board’s request, the Adviser identified the funds the Adviser considered to be each Fund’s most direct competitors (each, a “Selected Peer Group”) and provided the Selected Peer Group’s performance results.

 

54

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Board Consideration and Approval of Advisory Agreement

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF: The Board noted that the Fund underperformed its broad-based benchmark, the S&P 500 TR Index, for the one-year period, and outperformed the S&P 500 TR Index for each of the three-year and since inception periods. The S&P 500 TR Index provides an indication of the performance of the 500 leading large-cap U.S. companies covering approximately 80% of available market capitalization. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of U.S. large cap equity securities, but also seeks to generate income through short-term put options.

 

The Board noted that, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group, and outperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group for the three-year period. The Board also noted that the Fund was within the range of returns for the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year and three-year periods. The Board considered that the Adviser has not found a competitor with a similar investment strategy, and noted that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as funds that either: i) invest in U.S. large cap equities that are actively managed or ii) seek to add incremental income above a passive benchmark.

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF: The Board noted that the Fund underperformed its broad-based benchmark, the S&P SmallCap 600 TR Index, for the one-year period, and outperformed the S&P SmallCap 600 TR Index for each of the three-year and since inception periods. The S&P SmallCap 600 TR Index provides an indication of the performance of 600 small-sized U.S. companies reflecting the market segment’s distinctive risk and return characteristics. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of U.S. small-cap equity securities, but also seeks to generate income through short-term put options.

 

The Board noted that, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group, and outperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group for the three-year period. The Board also noted that the Fund was within the range of returns for the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year and three-year periods. The Board considered that the Adviser has not found a competitor with a similar investment strategy, and noted that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as actively managed U.S. small cap equities funds.

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF: The Board noted that the Fund underperformed its broad-based benchmark, the MSCI AC World Index ex USA Net, for each of the one-year, three-year and since inception periods. The MSCI AC World Index ex USA Net provides an indication of the performance of large and mid-cap equities from 23 developed markets countries and 24 emerging markets countries, which covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity outside the U.S. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of foreign equity securities, but also seeks to generate income through short-term put options.

 

The Board noted that, for each of the one-year and three-year periods ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund underperformed the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year and three-year periods. The Board considered that the Adviser has not found a competitor with a similar investment strategy, and noted that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as actively managed foreign equities funds.

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF: The Board noted that the Fund outperformed its broad-based benchmark, the S&P 500 TR Index, for the one-year period, and underperformed the S&P 500 TR Index the since inception period. The S&P 500 TR Index provides an indication of the performance of the 500 leading large-cap U.S. companies covering approximately 80% of available market capitalization. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of U.S. large-cap equity securities, but also i) seeks to generate income through short-term put options and ii) hedge against significant declines in the U.S. large-cap equities market.

 

The Board noted that, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund was within the range of returns for the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year period. The Board considered that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as actively managed funds designed to provide equity exposure while mitigating downside risk through hedging strategies.

 

55

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Board Consideration and Approval of Advisory Agreement

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF: The Board noted that the Fund underperformed its broad-based benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index, for the one-year period, and outperformed the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index for each of the three-year and since inception periods. The Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index provides an indication of the performance of the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of U.S. bonds, but also seeks to generate income through short-term put options.

 

The Board noted that, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group, underperformed the median return of its Peer Group for the three-year period, and outperformed the median return of its Category Peer Group for the three-year period. The Board also noted that the Fund was within the range of returns for the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year and three-year periods. The Board considered that the Adviser has not found a competitor with a similar investment strategy, and noted that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as actively managed aggregate bond funds.

 

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF: The Board noted that the Fund underperformed its broad-based benchmark, the Bloomberg US Corporate 1-5 Years Index, for each of the one-year and since inception periods. The Bloomberg US Corporate 1-5 Years Index provides an indication of the performance of the investment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bond market with maturities between 1-5 years. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of U.S. corporate bonds, but also seeks to generate income through short-term put options.

 

The Board noted that, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median returns of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund underperformed the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year period. The Board considered that the Adviser has not found a competitor with a similar investment strategy, and noted that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as actively managed short-term bond funds.

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF: The Board noted that the Fund underperformed its broad-based benchmark, the Bloomberg 1-15 Year Municipal Blend Index, for the one-year period and outperformed the Bloomberg 1-15 Year Municipal Blend Index for each of the three-year and since inception periods. The Bloomberg 1-15 Year Municipal Blend Index provides an indication of the performance of the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market with maturities between 1-15 years. The Board noted, however, that the Fund seeks to provide investors not only with exposure to the performance of U.S. fixed income securities, but also seeks to generate income through short-term put options.

 

The Board noted that, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2023, the Fund underperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group, and outperformed the median return of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group for the three-year period. The Board also noted that the Fund underperformed the funds in the Selected Peer Group for the same one-year period, and outperformed the Selected Peer Group for the same three-year period. The Board considered that the Adviser has not found a competitor with a similar investment strategy, and noted that the funds included in the Selected Peer Group were described by the Adviser as actively managed municipal bond funds.

 

Cost of Services Provided and Profitability. The Board reviewed the expense ratio for each Fund and compared the expense ratio to its respective Peer Group and Category Peer Group as shown in the Barrington Report, as well as its respective Selected Peer Group.

 

The Board took into consideration that the Adviser charges a “unitary fee,” meaning each Fund pays no expenses except for the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The Board noted that the Adviser continued to be responsible for compensating each Fund’s other service providers and paying each Fund’s other expenses out of its own fee and resources. The Board also evaluated the compensation and benefits received by the Adviser from its relationship with the Funds, taking into account analyses of the Adviser’s profitability with respect to the Funds.

 

56

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Board Consideration and Approval of Advisory Agreement

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was slightly lower than the average of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was within the range of the expense ratios for the Selected Peer Group.

 

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the average of its Peer Group and was lower than the average of its Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was within the range of the expense ratios for the Selected Peer Group.

 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the average of its Peer Group and was lower than the average of its Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was significantly higher than the funds in its Selected Peer Group.

 

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the average of each of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was within the range of the expense ratios for the Selected Peer Group.

 

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the average of each of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was higher than the funds in its Selected Peer Group.

 

Overlay Shares Short-Term Bond ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the average of each of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was higher than the funds in its Selected Peer Group.

 

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF: The Board noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was generally equivalent to its unitary fee, plus minimal other expenses representing those expense items excepted from the unitary fee. The Board further noted that the expense ratio for the Fund was higher than the average of each of its Peer Group and Category Peer Group. The Board also noted that the Fund’s expense ratio was significantly higher than the funds in its Selected Peer Group.

 

Economies of Scale. The Board noted that it is not yet evident that the Funds have reached the size at which they have begun to realize economies of scale, but acknowledged that breakpoints might be warranted if a Fund’s assets continue to grow. However, the Board further determined that, based on the amount and structure of each Fund’s unitary fee, any such economies of scale would be shared with such Fund’s respective shareholders. The Board stated that it would monitor fees as the Funds grow and consider whether fee breakpoints may be warranted in the future.

 

Conclusion. No single factor was determinative of the Board’s decision to approve the continuation of the Advisory Agreement; rather, the Board based its determination on the total mix of information available to it. Based on a consideration of all the factors in their totality, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, determined that the terms of the Advisory Agreement, including the compensation payable under the Advisory Agreement, were fair and reasonable to each Fund. The Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, therefore determined that the approval of the continuation of the Advisory Agreement was in the best interests of each Fund and its shareholders.

 

57

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Shareholder Expense Example

(Unaudited)

 

 

As a shareholder of the Funds you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of Fund shares; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other fund expenses. The following example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars and cents) of investing in the Funds and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held throughout the entire period (March 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023).

 

ACTUAL EXPENSES

 

The first line under each Fund in the table below provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line for your Fund under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

 

The second line in the table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds. Please note that the expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as brokerage commissions paid on purchases and sales of Fund shares. Therefore, the second line in the table is useful in comparing ongoing Fund costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

58

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Shareholder Expense Example

(Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
3/1/23

Ending
Account Value
8/31/23

Annualized
Expense
Ratios

Expenses
Paid During
the Period
(1)

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,001.80 0.83% $ 4.12

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.68 0.83% $ 4.16

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,053.60 0.84% $ 4.28

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.63 0.84% $ 4.21

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,042.00 0.83% $ 4.20

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.68 0.83% $ 4.16

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 993.70 0.87% $ 4.30

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.48 0.87% $ 4.36

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 971.10 0.85% $ 4.15

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.58 0.85% $ 4.26

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 993.20 0.82% $ 4.05

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.73 0.82% $ 4.11

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

       

Actual

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.30 0.82% $ 4.07

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

$ 1,000.00 $ 1,020.73 0.82% $ 4.11

 

(1)

Expenses are calculated using the Fund’s annualized expense ratio, multiplied by the average account value for the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the six-month period).

 

59

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Review of Liquidity Risk Management Program

(Unaudited)

 

 

Pursuant to Rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust, on behalf of the series of the Trust covered by this shareholder report (the “Series”), has adopted a liquidity risk management program to govern the Trust’s approach to managing liquidity risk. Rule 22e-4 seeks to promote effective liquidity risk management, thereby reducing the risk that a fund will be unable to meet its redemption obligations and mitigating dilution of the interests of fund shareholders. The Trust’s liquidity risk management program is tailored to reflect the Series’ particular risks, but not to eliminate all adverse impacts of liquidity risk, which would be incompatible with the nature of such Series.

 

The investment adviser to the Series has adopted and implemented its own written liquidity risk management program (the “Program”) tailored specifically to assess and manage the liquidity risk of the Series. At a recent meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, the Trustees received a report pertaining to the operation, adequacy, and effectiveness of implementation of the Program for the period ended December 31, 2022. The report concluded that the Program is reasonably designed to assess and manage the Series’ liquidity risk and has operated adequately and effectively to manage such risk. The report reflected that there were no liquidity events that impacted the Series’ ability to timely meet redemptions without dilution to existing shareholders. The report further noted that no material changes have been made to the Program since its implementation.

 

There can be no assurance that the Program will achieve its objectives in the future. Please refer to the prospectus for more information regarding the Series’ exposure to liquidity risk and other principal risks to which an investment in the Series may be subject.

 

60

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Board of Trustees and Officers

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

 

 

The Funds’ Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about the Funds’ Trustees and Officers, and is available, without charge upon request by calling 1-866-704-6857, or by visiting the Funds’ website at www.overlayshares.com.

 

Name and Year of Birth

Position Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen
by Trustee

Other
Directorships Held
by Trustee During
Past 5 Years

Independent Trustees

         

John L. Jacobs
Year of birth: 1959

Trustee and Audit Committee Chair

Indefinite term; since 2017

Chairman of Alerian, Inc. (since June 2018); Founder and CEO of Q3 Advisors, LLC (financial consulting firm) (since 2015); Executive Director of Center for Financial Markets and Policy (2016–2022); Distinguished Policy Fellow and Executive Director, Center for Financial Markets and Policy, Georgetown University (2015–2022); Senior Advisor, Nasdaq OMX Group (2015–2016); Executive Vice President, Nasdaq OMX Group (2013–2015)

55

Independent Trustee, SHP ETF Trust (since 2021) (2 portfolios); Director, tZERO Group, Inc. (since 2020); Independent Trustee, Procure ETF Trust II (since 2018) (1 portfolio); Independent Trustee, Horizons ETF Trust I (2015-2019)

Koji Felton
Year of birth: 1961

Trustee

Indefinite term; since 2019

Retired; formerly Counsel, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (investment firm) (2013–2015); Counsel, Dechert LLP (law firm) (2011–2013)

55

Independent Trustee, Series Portfolios Trust (since 2015) (10 portfolios)

Pamela H. Conroy
Year of birth: 1961

Trustee and Nominating and Governance Committee Chair

Indefinite term; since 2019

Retired; formerly Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Compliance Officer, Institutional Capital Corporation (investment firm) (1994–2008)

55

Independent Trustee, Frontier Funds, Inc. (since 2020) (6 portfolios)

Interested Trustee

         

Paul R. Fearday, CPA*
Year of birth: 1979

Trustee and Chairman

Indefinite term; since 2019

Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2008)

55

None

 

*

This Trustee is considered an “Interested Trustee” as defined in the 1940 Act because of his affiliation with U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services and U.S. Bank N.A., which provide fund accounting, administration, transfer agency and custodian services to the Funds.

 

61

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Board of Trustees and Officers

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

Name and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Officers

     

Gregory Bakken
Year of birth: 1983

President and Principal Executive Officer

Indefinite term, February 2019

Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2006)

Travis G. Babich
Year of birth: 1980

Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

Indefinite term, September 2019

Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2005)

Kacie G. Briody
Year of birth: 1992

Assistant Treasurer

Indefinite term, March 2019

Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2021); Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2014 to 2021)

Kent Barnes
Year of birth: 1968

Secretary

Indefinite term, February 2019

Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2018); Chief Compliance Officer, Rafferty Asset Management, LLC (2016 to 2018); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2007 to 2016)

Christi C. James
Year of birth: 1974

Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Officer

Indefinite term, July 2022

Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2022); Principal Consultant, ACA Group (2021 to 2022); Lead Manager, Communications Compliance, T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc. (2018 to 2021); Compliance & Legal Manager, CR Group LP (2017 to 2018).

Jay S. Fitton
Year of birth: 1970

Assistant Secretary

Indefinite term, May 2023

Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (since 2022); Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (2019 to 2022); Partner, Practus (2018 to 2019); Counsel, Drinker Biddle & Rather LLP (2016-2018).

 

 

62

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Supplemental Information

(Unaudited)

 

 

Investors should consider the investment objective and policies, risk considerations, charges and ongoing expenses of an investment carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information relevant to an investment in the Funds. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. A copy of the prospectus for the Funds may be obtained without charge by writing to the Funds, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701, by calling 1-866-704-6857, or by visiting the Funds’ website at www.overlayshares.com.

 

QUARTERLY PORTFOLIO HOLDING INFORMATION

 

Each Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings for its first and third fiscal quarters with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on Part F of Form N-PORT. The Funds’ Part F of Form N-PORT is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free at 1-866-704-6857. Furthermore, you may obtain the Part F of Form N-PORT on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

PROXY VOTING INFORMATION

 

Each Fund is required to file a Form N-PX, with the Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. The Fund’s proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1-866-704-6857 and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF PREMIUMS AND DISCOUNTS

 

Information regarding how often shares of the Funds trade on an exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Funds is available without charge, on the Funds’ website at www.overlayshares.com.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

For the fiscal period ended August 31, 2023, certain dividends paid by the Funds may be subject to a maximum tax rate of 20%, as provided for by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. The percentage of dividends declared from ordinary income designated as qualified dividend income was as follows:

 

QUALIFIED DIVIDEND INCOME/DIVIDENDS RECEIVED DEDUCTION

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, certain dividends paid by the Fund may be subject to a maximum tax rate of 20%, as provided for by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. The percentage of dividends declared from ordinary income designated as qualified dividend income was as follows:

 

Overlay Large Cap Equity ETF

100.00%

Overlay Small Cap Equity

100.00%

Overlay Foreign Equity ETF

100.00%

Overlay Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

0.00%

Overlay Short Term Bond ETF

0.00%

Overlay Municipal Bond ETF

0.00%

 

 

63

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Supplemental Information

(Unaudited) (Continued)

 

 

For corporate shareholders, the percent of ordinary income distributions qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023 was as follows:

 

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Short Term Bond ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF

0.00%

 

The Percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section 871(k)(2)(C) for the Fund was as follows (unaudited).

 

Overlay Large Cap Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Small Cap Equity

0.00%

Overlay Foreign Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Hedged Large Cap Equity ETF

0.00%

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF

0.00%

Overlay Short Term Bond ETF

0.00%

Overlay Municipal Bond ETF

0.00%

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2023, the Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF earned foreign source income and paid foreign taxes, which the Fund intends to pass through to its shareholders pursuant to Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code as follows:

 

      Foreign Source Income Earned       Foreign
Taxes Paid
 

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF

  $ 291,825     $ 6,330  

 

64

 

 

Overlay Shares ETFs

Privacy Policy

August 31, 2023 (Unaudited)

 

 

We are committed to respecting the privacy of personal information you entrust to us in the course of doing business with us.

 

The Funds collect non-public information about you from the following sources:

 

 

Information we receive about you on applications or other forms;

 

 

Information you give us orally; and/or

 

 

Information about your transactions with us or others.

 

We do not disclose any non-public personal information about our customers or former customers without the customer’s authorization, except as permitted by law or in response to inquiries from governmental authorities. We may share information with affiliated and unaffiliated third parties with whom we have contracts for servicing the Funds. We will provide unaffiliated third parties with only the information necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to guard your non-public personal information and require third parties to treat your personal information with the same high degree of confidentiality.

 

In the event that you hold shares of a Fund through a financial intermediary, including, but not limited to, a broker-dealer, bank, or trust company, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your non-public personal information would be shared by those entities with unaffiliated third parties.

 

65

 

 

 

Investment Adviser:

 

Liquid Strategies, LLC
3550 Lenox Road, Suite 2550
Atlanta, GA 30326

 

Legal Counsel:

 

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm:

 

Cohen & Company, Ltd.
1350 Euclid Avenue, Suite 800
Cleveland, OH 44115

 

Distributor:

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, ME 04101

 

Administrator, Fund Accountant & Transfer Agent:

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
d/b/a U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
615 E. Michigan St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian:

 

U.S. Bank N.A.
1555 North RiverCenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

This information must be preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Funds.

 

 

 

(b)Not applicable.

 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

 

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer. The Registrant has not made any substantive amendments to its code of ethics during the period covered by this report. The registrant has not granted any waivers from any provisions of the code of ethics during the period covered by this report. A copy of the registrant’s Code of Ethics is filed herewith.

 

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

The registrant’s Board of Trustees has determined that there is at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee. Mr. John Jacobs is the “audit committee financial expert” and is considered to be “independent” as each term is defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR.

 

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

The registrant has engaged its principal accountant to perform audit services, audit-related services, tax services and other services during the past fiscal year. “Audit services” refer to performing an audit of the registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for the fiscal year. “Audit-related services” refer to the assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit. “Tax services” refer to professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning. There were no “Other services” provided by the principal accountant. The following table details the aggregate fees billed or expected to be billed for the last two fiscal years for audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and other fees by the principal accountant.

 

  FYE  08/31/2023 FYE  08/31/2022
Audit Fees $87,500 $87,500
Audit-Related Fees $0 N/A
Tax Fees $21,000 $21,000
All Other Fees $0 N/A

 

(e)(1) The audit committee has adopted pre-approval policies and procedures that require the audit committee to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services of the registrant, including services provided to any entity affiliated with the registrant.

 

(e)(2) The percentage of fees billed by Cohen & Company, Ltd. applicable to non-audit services pursuant to waiver of pre-approval requirement were as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

  FYE  08/31/2023 FYE  08/31/2022
Audit-Related Fees 0% 0%
Tax Fees 0% 0%
All Other Fees 0% 0%

 

(f) All of the principal accountant’s hours spent on auditing the registrant’s financial statements were attributed to work performed by full-time permanent employees of the principal accountant.

 

(g) The following table indicates the non-audit fees billed or expected to be billed by the registrant’s accountant for services to the registrant and to the registrant’s investment adviser (and any other controlling entity, etc.—not sub-adviser) for the last two years.

 

Non-Audit Related Fees FYE  08/31/2023 FYE  08/31/2022
Registrant N/A N/A
Registrant’s Investment Adviser N/A N/A

 

(h) The audit committee of the board of trustees/directors has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the registrant's investment adviser is compatible with maintaining the principal accountant's independence and has concluded that the provision of such non-audit services by the accountant has not compromised the accountant’s independence.

 

The registrant has not been identified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as having filed an annual report issued by a registered public accounting firm branch or office that is located in a foreign jurisdiction where the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board is unable to inspect or completely investigate because of a position taken by an authority in that jurisdiction.

 

The registrant is not a foreign issuer.

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

 

(a)The registrant is an issuer as defined in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (the “Act”) and has a separately-designated standing audit committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Act. The entire Board of Trustees is acting as the registrant’s audit committee.

 

(b)Not applicable.

 

Item 6. Investments.

 

(a)Schedule of Investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.
(b)Not applicable.

 

 

 

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s Board of Trustees.

 

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)The Registrant’s President and Treasurer have reviewed the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Based on their review, such officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed in this report is appropriately recorded, processed, summarized and reported and made known to them by others within the Registrant and by the Registrant’s service provider.

 

(b)There were no changes in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 13. Exhibits.

 

(a)(1) Any code of ethics or amendment thereto, that is the subject of the disclosure required by Item 2, to the extent that the registrant intends to satisfy Item 2 requirements through filing an exhibit. Filed herewith.

 

 

 

(2) A separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Filed herewith.

 

(3) Any written solicitation to purchase securities under Rule 23c-1 under the Act sent or given during the period covered by the report by or on behalf of the registrant to 10 or more persons. Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

(4) Change in the registrant’s independent public accountant. There was no change in the registrant’s independent public accountant for the period covered by this report.

 

(b)Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Furnished herewith.

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

(Registrant) Listed Funds Trust  
     
By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Gregory C. Bakken  
  Gregory C. Bakken, President/Principal Executive Officer  
     
Date

November 6, 2023

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Gregory C. Bakken  
  Gregory C. Bakken, President/Principal Executive Officer  
     
Date November 6, 2023  
   
By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Travis G. Babich  
  Travis G. Babich, Treasurer/Principal Financial Officer  
     
Date November 6, 2023  

 

*Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.