485APOS 1 fp0005960_485apos.htm fp0005960_485apos.htm
 
AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 14, 2012

 REGISTRATION NOS. 333 -122901
 811 -21719


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

FORM N-1A

 
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
[   ]
PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.
[   ]
POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO.  295
[X]
AND/OR
 
   
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
[   ]
AMENDMENT NO.  304
[X]
 

 
INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

803 West Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)
Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (414) 299-2295

Constance Dye Shannon
UMB Fund Services, Inc.
803 West Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

COPIES TO:

Michael Glazer
Bingham McCutchen LLP
355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 4400
Los Angeles, CA 90071-3106
 

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

 
[   ]
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485; or
 
[   ]
on                , pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485; or
 
[   ]
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485;
 
[   ]
on                 pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485; or
 
[X]
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485; or
 
[   ]
on                 pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485; or
 
[   ]
on                 pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

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

 
 

 
 
Subject to Completion_______, 2013
 
 
 
 


Stone Toro Relative Value Fund
 
 


PROSPECTUS
______ __, 2013
 

 
 


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

 
The information in this Prospectus is not complete and may be changed.  These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective.  This Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
 
 
 
1

 
 
Stone Toro Relative Value Fund
A series of the Investment Managers Series Trust (the “Trust”)

Table of Contents

SUMMARY SECTION
3
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
6
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
8
SHAREHOLDER SERVICE FEES – OTHER PAYMENTS TO THIRD PARTIES
9
YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUND
9
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
17
FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES
18
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
18
 
This Prospectus sets forth basic information about the Fund that you should know before investing.  It should be read and retained for future reference.
 
The date of this Prospectus is _______, 2013
 

 
 
2

 

SUMMARY SECTION

Stone Toro Relative Value Fund

Investment Objective
The Stone Toro Relative Value Fund (the “Fund”) seeks capital appreciation with a secondary focus on current income.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees
  (fees paid directly from your investment)
 
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)
None
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of
the lesser of the value redeemed or the amount invested)
None
Redemption fee if redeemed within 90 days of purchase
(as a percentage of amount redeemed)
1.00%
Wire fee
$20
Overnight check delivery fee
$15
Retirement account fees (annual maintenance and redemption requests)
$15
   
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
  (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
Management fees
1.00%
Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Fees
None
Other expenses (includes shareholder service fee of up to 0.15%)1
0.57%
Total annual fund operating expenses2
1.57%
 
1
“Other expenses” have been based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.
2
The Fund’s adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or pay for operating expenses of the Fund to ensure that total annual fund operating expenses (excluding taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses as determined in accordance with Form N-1A, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, or extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 1.65% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.  This agreement is in effect until ________, 2014, and may be terminated before that date only by the Trust’s Board of Trustees.  The Fund’s adviser is permitted to seek reimbursement from the Fund, subject to limitations, for fees it waived and Fund expenses it reimbursed for three years from the date of any such waiver or reimbursement.

Example
This example is intended to help you compare the costs of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.  The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods.  The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same.  The one-year example and the first year of the three-year example are based on net operating expenses which reflect the expense waiver/reimbursement by the Fund’s adviser.  Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
 
 
3

 

1 Year
3 Years
$160
$496

Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio).  A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account.  These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance.  The Fund is newly-created and, as a result, does not yet have a portfolio turnover rate.

Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests primarily in common stock of small to large sized companies. The Fund’s adviser defines small to large sized companies as those with market capitalizations greater than $1.5 billion at the time of purchase.  The Fund will focus on companies that pay a dividend.   The Fund may invest up to 40% of its net assets in American Depository Receipts ("ADRs"). ADRs are receipts that represent interests in foreign securities held on deposit by U.S. banks. 
 
The Fund’s investment strategy involves active and frequent trading.  As a result, the Fund’s portfolio turnover is expected to exceed 100% on an annual basis, which will result in the Fund incurring transaction costs that detract from performance and affect the tax treatment of the Fund’s gains.

Principal Risks of Investing
The Fund’s principal risks are mentioned below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause investors to lose money.

 
·
Market Risk.  The Fund’s share price may be affected by a sudden decline in the market value of an investment, or by an overall decline in the stock market.

 
·
Equity Securities Risk.  Investment in equity securities involves substantial risks and may be subject to wide and sudden fluctuations in market value, with a resulting fluctuation in the amount of profits and losses.

 
·
Value-Oriented Investment Strategies RiskValue stocks are those that the Fund’s adviser believes to be undervalued in comparison to their peers due to adverse business developments or other factors.  Due to its value orientation, the Fund may have a higher than average exposure to cyclical stocks.  Cyclical stocks may tend to increase in value more quickly during economic upturns than non-cyclical stocks, but also lose value more quickly during economic downturns.  Therefore, the Fund is most suitable for long-term investors who are willing to hold their shares for extended periods of time through market fluctuations and the accompanying changes in share prices.

 
·
Small- and Mid-Cap Company Risk.  The securities of small- or mid-capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements and may have lower trading volumes or more erratic trading than securities of larger companies or the market averages in general.  In addition, such companies typically are subject to a greater degree of change in earnings and business prospects than are larger, more established companies.

 
·
Foreign Investment Risk. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environment of foreign countries.  In addition, changes in exchange rates and interest rates may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s foreign investments. Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be
 
 
4

 
 
 
 
subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms.  The Fund’s investments in ADRs are also subject to these risks.
 
 
·
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s turnover rate may be high.  A high turnover rate (100% or more) may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions, and it may negatively affect the Fund’s performance.
 
 
·
Management Risk.  The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed portfolio.  The Fund’s adviser applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.

Performance
The Fund is new and it does not have a full calendar year performance record to compare against other mutual funds or broad measures of securities market performance such as indices. Performance information will be available after the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year.

Investment Adviser
Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP (the “Adviser” or “Stone Toro”).

Portfolio Managers
Michael Jarzyna, Founding Partner and CIO of Stone Toro, has been the portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in _____, 2013.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
To purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest at least the minimum amount.
 
Minimum Investments
To Open
Your Account
To Add to
Your Account
Direct Regular Accounts
$1,000
$100
Direct Retirement Accounts
$1,000
$100
Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
$100
Gift Account For Minors
$1,000
$100

Shares of the Fund are redeemable on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business through your broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, by mail, or by telephone.  If you are purchasing or redeeming Fund shares through an intermediary such as a broker-dealer or bank, contact your intermediary directly.

Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will ordinarily be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.  Shareholders investing through such tax-deferred accounts may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those accounts. The Fund will report items of income, return of capital and gain or loss to you through Form 1099.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services.  These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment.  Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
 
 
5

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES 


Investment Objective
The Fund’s primary investment objective is capital appreciation with a secondary focus on current income. There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.  The Fund’s investment objective is not fundamental, and may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, upon at least 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.
 
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests primarily in common stock of small to large sized companies. The Adviser defines small to large sized companies as those with market capitalizations greater than $1.5 billion at the time of purchase.  The Fund will focus on companies that pay a dividend.  The Fund may invest up to 40% of its net assets in ADRs.
 
The Fund’s investment strategy involves active and frequent trading.  As a result, the Fund’s portfolio turnover is expected to exceed 100% on an annual basis, which will result in the Fund incurring transaction costs that detract from performance and affect the tax treatment of the Fund’s gains.
 
The Adviser employs a unique proprietary process, the Relative Value Process (the “Process”), to identify “special investment value”.  The Process is based on fundamentals and valuation.  Under the Process, a security’s value is defined relative to a company’s own history and not relative to a benchmark, peer group, or index. The Process utilizes fundamental variables that the Adviser believes historically have been successful in predicting stock price movement.  The Adviser considers investments across all sectors and does not focus on any one industry. 
 
The Adviser may sell all or a portion of a portfolio holding of the Fund when, in its opinion, one or more of the following occurs: (1) a company’s price exceeds fair value; (2) the Fund’s position in a company becomes over-weighted due to appreciation; (3) a company’s fundamentals deteriorate; (4) the Adviser identifies another more compelling investment; or (5) to meet redemption requests.
 
When the Adviser believes equity market conditions are not favorable to the Fund’s principal investment strategies, the Fund may temporarily invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or high quality short-term money market instruments.  In such a case, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

Principal Risks of Investing
The Fund’s principal risks are mentioned below. Before you decide whether to invest in the Fund, carefully consider these risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in the Fund, which may cause investors to lose money.

 
·
Market Risk.  The Fund’s share price may be affected by a sudden decline in the market value of an investment, or by an overall decline in the stock market.  Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, sector of the economy or the market as a whole.

 
·
Equity Risk.  The value of equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific companies in which the Fund invests.  For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of equity securities of an issuer held by the Fund; the price of common stock of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the stock market; or a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks and other equity securities held by the Fund.  Common stock of an issuer in the Fund's portfolio may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial condition. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company's capital structure, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk
 
 
6

 
 
 
 
than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers.  The stock market has been subject to significant volatility recently, which has increased the risk associated with an investment in the Fund.
 
 
·
Value-Oriented Investment Strategies Risk. Value-oriented investment strategies bring specific risks to a common stock portfolio.  Due to its value orientation, the Fund may have a higher than average exposure to cyclical stocks.  Cyclical stocks may tend to increase in value more quickly during economic upturns than non-cyclical stocks, but also lose value more quickly during economic downturns.  Therefore, the Fund is most suitable for long-term investors who are willing to hold their shares for extended periods of time through market fluctuations and the accompanying changes in share prices.

 
·
Small and Mid-Cap Company Risk.  Investing in small or mid-capitalization companies generally involves greater risks than investing in larger, more established ones. Small- or mid-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources or may depend on the expertise of a few people and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies or the market averages in general. Many small capitalization companies may be in the early stages of development. Since equity securities of smaller companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and may not be regularly traded, it may be difficult or impossible to sell securities at an advantageous time or a desirable price.

 
·
Foreign Investment Risk. Investments in foreign securities are affected by risk factors generally not thought to be present in the United States. The prices of foreign securities may be more volatile than the securities of U.S. issuers because of economic and social conditions abroad, political developments, and changes in the regulatory environment of foreign countries.  Special risks associated with investments in foreign markets include less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, less government supervision of exchanges, brokers and issuers, greater risks associated with counterparties and settlement, and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations.  In addition, changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and imposition of foreign taxes may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s foreign investments.  Foreign companies are generally subject to different legal and accounting standards than U.S. companies, and foreign financial intermediaries may be subject to less supervision and regulation than U.S. financial firms. There also may be less publicly available information about a non-U.S. company than a U.S. company.

The Fund’s investments in ADRs are subject to these risks, even though ADRs are denominated in U.S. dollars, because changes in currency and exchange rates affect the value of the issuers of ADRs.  In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depository receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depository receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

 
·
Portfolio Turnover Risk.  The Fund’s turnover rate may be high.  A high turnover rate (100% or more) may lead to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions, and it may negatively affect the Fund’s performance.

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

Portfolio Holdings Information
A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) dated _____, 2013.  Currently, disclosure of the Fund’s holdings is required to be made quarterly within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter, in the Fund’s Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Fund shareholders, or in the quarterly holdings report on Form N-Q, as applicable.
 
 
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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Investment Adviser
The Adviser, Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP, is the Fund’s investment adviser and provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Adviser and the Trust (the “Advisory Agreement”).  The Adviser was founded in 2010 and its principal address is 313 Commons Way, Princeton, New Jersey 08540. Stone Toro is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an investment adviser and has approximately $186 million in assets under management as of September 30, 2012.

The Adviser provides the Fund with advice on buying and selling securities.  The Adviser also furnishes the Fund with office space and certain administrative services.  For its services, the Adviser is entitled to receive an annual management fee listed below, calculated daily and payable monthly of the Fund’s average daily net assets:

Fund
Annual Fee
Stone Toro Relative Value Fund
1.00%

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s Semi-Annual Report to shareholders dated as of________, 2013.

Portfolio Managers
Michael Jarzyna, CFA, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.  He has over 18 years of investment experience.  Mr. Jarzyna has served as Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager for the Advisor since he co-founded the firm in 2009.  From 2008 to 2009, Mr. Jarzyna served as the Director and Associate Portfolio Manager on Blackrock’s Value Opportunity Fund. In addition, he was appointed as Team Leader of BlackRock’s internal Technology Research Group. From 1998 to 2008 and prior to BlackRock’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, he managed the technology portions of both the small and mid-cap value funds. Mr. Jarzyna is a graduate of Rutgers College and received his MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from Syracuse University.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio manager’s method of compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the portfolio manager’s ownership of Fund securities.

Other Service Providers

IMST Distributors, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Foreside Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), the Trust’s principal underwriter acts as the Trust’s distributor in connection with the offering of Fund shares.  The Distributor may enter into agreements with banks, broker-dealers, or other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase or redeem shares.  The Distributor is not affiliated with the Adviser or any other service provider for the Fund.

Fund Expenses
The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses (all of which will be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund’s shareholders), including among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Fund and the Fund’s independent trustees; insurance (including trustees’ and officers’ errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; fees and expenses of the Fund’s custodians, administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent, if any; expenses in connection with the issuance and offering of shares; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio holding of the Fund and any litigation expenses.

The Adviser has contractually agreed, however, to waive its fees and/or pay for expenses of the Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding, as applicable, taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses as determined in accordance with Form N-1A expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, or extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 1.65% of
 
 
8

 
 
average daily net assets of the Fund. This agreement is in effect until _______, 2014, and may be terminated only by the Board.

Any reduction in advisory fees or payment of the Fund’s expenses made by the Adviser in a fiscal year reimbursed by the Fund in subsequent fiscal years if the Adviser so requests.  This reimbursement may be paid by the Fund if the aggregate amount of operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the current limitation on Fund expenses or the limitation on Fund expenses in effect at the time of the fee waiver or expense reimbursements.  The Adviser is permitted to be reimbursed for fee reductions and/or expense payments made for a period of three years from the date the expenses were waived and/or Fund expenses were reimbursed.  Any such reimbursement is contingent upon the Board’s subsequent review and ratification of the reimbursed amounts and may not cause the total fee paid by the Fund in a fiscal year to exceed the applicable limitation on Fund expenses.  The Fund must pay current ordinary operating expenses before the Adviser is entitled to request any reimbursement of fees and/or Fund expenses.

SHAREHOLDER SERVICE FEES – OTHER PAYMENTS TO THIRD PARTIES


Shareholder Servicing Fee
In addition, each Fund may pay a fee at an annual rate of up to ____% of its average daily net assets to shareholder servicing agents.  Shareholder servicing agents provide administrative and support services to their customers, which may include establishing and maintaining accounts and records relating to shareholders, processing dividend and distribution payments from the Funds on behalf of shareholders, responding to routine inquiries from shareholders concerning their investments, assisting shareholders in changing dividend options, account designations and addresses, and other similar services.

Additional Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
The Adviser, out of its own resources, and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash payments or non-cash compensation to broker-dealers or intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.  These additional cash payments are generally made to intermediaries that provide shareholder servicing, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary.  The Adviser may pay cash compensation for inclusion of the Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list, or in other sales programs, or may pay an expense reimbursement in cases where the intermediary provides shareholder services to the Fund’s shareholders.  The Adviser may also pay cash compensation in the form of finder’s fees that vary depending on the dollar amount of the shares sold.

YOUR ACCOUNT WITH THE FUND

Share Price
The price of the Fund’s shares is the net asset value per share (“NAV”). The NAV is determined by dividing the value of the Fund’s securities, cash and other assets, minus all expenses and liabilities, by the number of shares outstanding (assets-liabilities / # of shares = NAV).  The NAV takes into account the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management and administration fees, which are accrued daily.  The NAV is calculated as of the close of regular trading (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day that the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for unrestricted business.  However, the Fund’s NAV may be calculated earlier if trading on the NYSE is restricted or as permitted by the SEC.  The NYSE is closed on weekends and most national holidays.  However, foreign securities listed primarily on non-U.S. markets may trade on weekends or other days on which the Fund does not value its shares, which may significantly affect the Fund’s NAV on days when you are not able to buy or sell Fund shares.
 
In certain circumstances, the Fund employs fair value pricing to ensure greater accuracy in determining daily NAVs and to prevent dilution by frequent traders or market timers who seek to exploit temporary market anomalies.  The Board has adopted procedures in the event that the Fund must utilize fair value pricing, including when reliable market quotations are not readily available, when the Fund’s pricing service does not provide a valuation (or provides a valuation that, in the judgment of the Adviser, does not represent the security’s fair value), or when, in the judgment of the Adviser, events have rendered the market value unreliable (see the discussion of fair value
 
 
9

 
 
pricing of foreign securities in the paragraph below).  Valuing securities at fair value involves reliance on the judgment of the Board (or a committee thereof), and may result in a different price being used in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV from quoted or published prices for the same securities.  Fair value determinations are made in good faith in accordance with procedures adopted by the Board.  There can be no assurance that the Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it sells the security.

Fair value pricing may be applied to foreign securities held by the Fund upon the occurrence of an event after the close of trading on non-U.S. markets but before the close of trading on the NYSE when the Fund’s NAV is determined.  If the event may result in a material adjustment to the price of the Fund’s foreign securities once non-U.S. markets open on the following business day (such as, for example, a significant surge or decline in the U.S. market), the Fund may value such foreign securities at fair value, taking into account the effect of such event, in order to calculate the Fund’s NAV.  Other types of portfolio securities that the Fund may fair value include, but are not limited to:  (1) investments that are illiquid or traded infrequently, including “restricted” securities and private placements for which there is no public market; (2) investments for which, in the judgment of the Adviser, the market price is stale; (3) securities of an issuer that has entered into a restructuring; (4) securities for which trading has been halted or suspended; and (5) fixed income securities for which there is not a current market value quotation.

BUYING FUND SHARES

To purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest at least the minimum amount.

Minimum Investments
To Open
Your Account
To Add to
Your Account
Direct Regular Accounts
$1,000
$100
Direct Retirement Accounts
$1,000
$100
Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
$100
Gift Account For Minors
$1,000
$100

Shares of the Fund may be purchased by check, by wire transfer of funds via a bank or through an approved financial intermediary (i.e., a supermarket, investment advisor, financial planner or consultant, broker, dealer or other investment professional and their agents) authorized by the Fund to receive purchase orders.  A financial intermediary may charge additional fees and may require higher minimum investments or impose other limitations on buying and selling Fund shares.  You may make an initial investment in an amount greater than the minimum amounts shown in the preceding table and the Fund may, from time to time, reduce or waive the minimum initial investment amounts.  The minimum initial investment amount is automatically waived for Fund shares purchased by Trustees of the Trust and current or retired directors and employees of the Adviser and its affiliates.

In-Kind Purchases and Redemptions
The Fund reserves the right to accept payment for shares in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund.  The Fund also reserves the right to pay redemptions by an “in-kind” distribution of securities (instead of cash) from the Fund.  In-kind purchases and redemptions are taxable events and may result in the recognition of gain or loss for federal income tax purposes.  See the SAI for further information about the terms of these purchases and redemptions.

Additional Investments
Additional subscriptions in the Fund generally may be made by investing at least the minimum amount shown in the table above.  Exceptions may be made at the Fund’s discretion.  You may purchase additional shares of the Fund by sending a check together with the investment stub from your most recent account statement to the Fund at the
 
 
10

 
 
applicable address on page.  Please ensure that you include your account number on the check.  If you do not have the investment stub from your account statement, list your name, address and account number on a separate sheet of paper and include it with your check.  You may also make additional investments in the Fund by wire transfer of funds or through an approved financial intermediary.  The minimum additional investment amount is automatically waived for shares purchased by Trustees of the Trust and current or retired directors and employees of the Adviser and its affiliates.  Please follow the procedures described in this Prospectus.

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.  When you open an account, you will be asked for your name, date of birth (for a natural person), your residential address or principal place of business, and mailing address, if different, as well as your social security number or taxpayer identification number.  Additional information is required for corporations, partnerships and other entities.  Applications without such information will not be considered in good order.  The Fund reserves the right to deny applications if the application is not in good order.

This Prospectus should not be considered a solicitation to purchase or as an offer to sell shares of the Fund in any jurisdiction where it would be unlawful to do so under the laws of that jurisdiction.

Automatic Investment Plan
If you intend to use the Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”), you may open your account with the initial minimum investment amount.  Once an account has been opened, you may make additional investments in the Fund at regular intervals through the AIP.  If elected on your account application, funds can be automatically transferred from your checking or savings account on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th or 25th of each month.  In order to participate in the AIP, each additional subscription must be at least $500, and your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network.  The first AIP purchase will be made 15 days after the Fund’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) receives your request in good order.  The Transfer Agent will charge a $25 fee for any ACH payment that is rejected by your bank.  Your AIP will be terminated if two successive mailings we send to you are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable.  You may terminate your participation in the AIP at any time by notifying the Transfer Agent at 1-_______________, at least five days prior to the date of the next AIP transfer.  The Fund may modify or terminate the AIP at any time without notice.

Dividend Reinvestment
You may reinvest dividends and capital gains distributions in shares of the Fund.  Such shares are acquired at NAV (without a sales charge) on the applicable payable date of the dividend or capital gain distribution.  Unless the shareholder instructs otherwise, dividends and distributions are automatically reinvested in shares of the same class of the Fund paying the dividend or distribution.  This instruction may be made by writing to the Transfer Agent or by telephone by calling 1-_______________.  The investor may, on the account application form or prior to any declaration, instruct that dividends and/or capital gain distributions be paid in cash or be reinvested in the Fund at the next determined NAV.  If you elect to receive dividends and/or capital gain distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver the check, or if a check remains outstanding for six months or more, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Fund’s current NAV and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.

Purchase by Telephone
Investors may purchase additional shares by calling _____.  If elected on your account application, telephone orders will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your bank account through the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network.  You must have banking information established on your account prior to making a purchase.  Your shares will be purchased at the public offering price (the NAV next calculated after receipt of your purchase order).
 
Timing and Nature of Requests
The purchase price you will pay for the Fund’s shares will be the next NAV calculated after the Transfer Agent or your authorized financial intermediary receives your request in good order.  “Good order” means that your purchase request includes:  (1) the name of the Fund, (2) the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, (3) your purchase
 
 
11

 
 
application or investment stub, and (4) a check payable to Stone Toro Fund.  All requests received in good order before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be processed on that same day.  Requests received after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be transacted at the next business day’s NAV.  All purchases must be made in U.S. dollars and drawn on U.S. financial institutions.
 
Methods of Buying
 
Through a broker-
dealer or other
financial
intermediary
The Fund is offered through certain brokers and their agents.  The Fund is also offered directly.  An order placed with such a broker or its authorized agent is treated as if it were placed directly with the Fund, and will be executed at the next NAV calculated by the Fund.  Your broker will hold your shares in a pooled account in the broker’s (or agent’s) name.  The Fund may pay the broker (or agent) to maintain your individual ownership information, maintain required records, and provide other shareholder services.  The broker who offers shares may require payment of fees from its individual clients.  If you invest through a broker, the policies and fees may be different than those described in this Prospectus.  For example, the broker may charge transaction fees or set different minimum investments.  The broker is responsible for processing your order correctly and promptly, keeping you advised of the status of your account, confirming your transactions and ensuring that you receive copies of the Fund’s Prospectus.  Please contact your broker to see if it is an approved broker of the Fund or for additional information.

By mail
The Fund will not accept payment in cash, including cashier’s checks.  Also, to prevent check fraud, the Fund will not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks, money orders or starter checks for the purchase of shares.
To buy shares of the Fund, complete an account application and send it together with your check for the amount you wish to invest in the Fund to the address indicated below.  To make additional investments once you have opened your account, write your account number on the check and send it together with the most recent confirmation statement received from the Transfer Agent.  If your check is returned for insufficient funds, your purchase will be canceled and a $25 fee will be assessed against your account by the Transfer Agent.

 
Regular Mail
Stone Toro Fund
P.O. Box 2175
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53201
Overnight Delivery
Stone Toro Fund
803 West Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53233-2301

 
The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents.

By telephone
 
To make additional investments by telephone, you must authorize telephone purchases on your account application.  If you have given authorization for telephone transactions and your account has been open for at least 15 days, call the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-_______________ and you will be allowed to move money in amounts of at least $500 from your bank account to the Fund account upon request.  Only bank accounts held at U.S. institutions that are ACH members may be used for telephone transactions.  If your order is placed before 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) shares will be purchased in your account at the NAV determined on that day.  For security reasons, requests by telephone will be recorded.

By wire
To open an account by wire, a completed account application is required before your wire can be accepted.  You may mail or send by overnight delivery your account application to the Transfer Agent.  Upon receipt of your completed account application
 
 
12

 
 
 
form, an account will be established for you.  The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to your bank to send the wire.  Your bank must include the name of the Fund, the account number, and your name so that monies can be correctly applied.  Your bank should transmit funds by wire to:
 
UMB Bank, n.a.
ABA Number 101000695
For credit to Stone Toro Fund
A/C # 987 173 7764
For further credit to:
“Stone Toro Relative Value Fund”
Your account number
Name(s) of investor(s)
Social security or tax ID numbers
 
Before sending your wire, please contact the Transfer Agent at 1-_______________ to advise it of your intention to wire funds.  This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of your wire.
 
Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) to be eligible for same day pricing.  The Fund and UMB Bank, n.a. are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.
 
Selling (Redeeming) Fund Shares
 
Through a broker-
dealer or other
financial
intermediary
If you purchased your shares through a broker, your redemption order must be placed through the same broker.  The broker must receive and transmit your redemption order to the Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) for the redemption to be processed at the current day’s NAV.  Orders received after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be transacted at the next business day’s NAV.  Please keep in mind that your broker may charge additional fees for its services.
 
By mail
You may redeem shares purchased directly from the Fund by mail.  Send your written redemption request to Stone Toro Fund at the address indicated below.  Your request must be in good order and contain the Fund name, the name(s) on the account, your account number and the dollar amount or the number of shares to be redeemed.  Please have all shareholders sign the redemption request.  Additional documents are required for certain types of shareholders, such as corporations, partnerships, executors, trustees, administrators, or guardians (i.e., corporate resolutions dated within 60 days, or trust documents indicating proper authorization).

 
Regular Mail
Stone Toro Fund
P.O. Box 2175
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53201
Overnight Delivery
Stone Toro Fund
803 West Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53233-2301
 
 
A Medallion signature guarantee must be included if any of the following situations apply:
 
·           You wish to redeem more than $50,000 worth of shares;
·           When redemption proceeds are sent to any person, address or bank account not on record;
·           If a change of address was received by the Transfer Agent within the last 15 days;
·           If ownership is changed on your account; or
·           When establishing or modifying certain services on your account.
 
 
13

 
 
By telephone
To redeem shares by telephone, call the Fund at 1-_______________ and specify the amount of money you wish to redeem.  You may have a check sent to the address of record, or, if previously established on your account, you may have proceeds sent by wire or electronic funds transfer through the ACH network directly to your bank account.  Wire transfers are subject to a $20 fee paid by the shareholder and your bank may charge a fee to receive wired funds.  Overnight check delivery is subject to a $15 fee (additional charges may apply for Saturday delivery). You do not incur any charge when proceeds are sent via the ACH network; however, credit may not be available for two to three business days.
 
If you are authorized to perform telephone transactions (either through your account application form or by subsequent arrangement in writing with the Fund), you may redeem shares up to $50,000, by instructing the Fund by phone at 1-_______________. Unless noted on the initial account application, a Medallion signature guarantee is required of all shareholders in order to qualify for or to change telephone redemption privileges.
 
Note:  The Fund and all of its service providers will not be liable for any loss or expense in acting upon instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine.  To confirm that all telephone instructions are genuine, the caller must verify the following:
 
·           The Fund account number;
·           The name in which his or her account is registered;
·           The social security or tax identification number under which the account is registered; and
·           The address of the account holder, as stated in the account application form.

Medallion Signature Guarantee
In addition to the situations described above, the Fund reserves the right to require a Medallion signature guarantee in other instances based on the circumstances relative to the particular situation.

Shareholders redeeming more than $50,000 worth of shares by mail should submit written instructions with a Medallion signature guarantee from an eligible institution acceptable to the Transfer Agent, such as a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association, or from any participant in a Medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association.  The three recognized Medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program, Stock Exchanges Medallion Program and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program.  Signature guarantees that are not part of these programs will not be accepted.  Participants in Medallion programs are subject to dollar limitations which must be considered when requesting their guarantee. The Transfer Agent may reject any signature guarantee if it believes the transaction would otherwise be improper.  A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan
You may request that a predetermined dollar amount be sent to you on a monthly or quarterly basis.  Your account must maintain a value of at least $2,500 for you to be eligible to participate in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”).  The minimum withdrawal is $1,000.  If you elect to receive redemptions through the SWP, the Fund will send a check to your address of record, or will send the payment via electronic funds transfer through the ACH network, directly to your bank account on record.  You may request an application for the SWP by calling the Transfer Agent toll-free at 1-_______________.  The Fund may modify or terminate the SWP at any time.  You may terminate your participation in the SWP by calling the Transfer Agent at least five business days before the next withdrawal.
 
 
14

 

Payment of Redemption Proceeds
You may redeem shares of the Fund at a price equal to the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent receives your redemption request in good order.  Generally, your redemption request cannot be processed on days the NYSE is closed.  All requests received in good order by the Transfer Agent and/or authorized agent before the close of the regular trading session of the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) will usually be sent to the bank you indicate or mailed on the following day to the address of record.  In all cases, proceeds will be processed within seven calendar days and sent to you after your redemption request has been received.
  
If you purchase shares and request a redemption before the purchase has cleared, the Fund will not honor your request.  Redemption requests must be submitted after the check has cleared. Furthermore, there are certain times when you may be unable to sell Fund shares or receive proceeds.  Specifically, the Fund may suspend the right to redeem shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than three business days: (1) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists affecting the sale of the Fund’s securities or making such sale or the fair determination of the value of the Fund’s net assets not reasonably practicable; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders.

Other Redemption Information
If you hold shares of a Fund in an IRA or other retirement plan, you must indicate on the redemption request whether or not to withhold federal income tax. Redemption requests failing to indicate an election not to have tax withheld will generally be subject to 10% federal income tax withholding. In addition, if you are a resident of certain states, state income tax also applies to non-Roth IRA distributions when Federal withholding applies.  Please consult with your tax professional.

The Fund generally pays sale (redemption) proceeds in cash.  However, under unusual conditions that make the payment of cash unwise (and for the protection of the Fund’s remaining shareholders), the Fund may pay all or part of a shareholder’s redemption proceeds in liquid securities with a market value equal to the redemption price (redemption-in-kind).

The Fund may redeem all of the shares held in your account if your balance falls below the Fund’s minimum initial investment amount due to your redemption activity.  If, within 30 days of the Fund’s written request, you have not increased your account balance, your shares will be automatically redeemed at the current NAV.  The Fund will not require that your shares be redeemed if the value of your account drops below the investment minimum due to fluctuations of the Fund’s NAV.

Cost Basis Information
As of January 1, 2012, federal law requires that open-end regulated investment companies report their shareholders' cost basis, gain or loss, and holding period to the IRS on their shareholders’ Consolidated Form 1099s when “covered” shares of the regulated investment companies are redeemed.  Covered shares are generally any shares acquired (including pursuant to a dividend reinvestment plan) on or after January 1, 2012. 

The Fund has chosen “first-in, first-out” (“FIFO”) as its standing (default) tax lot identification method for all shareholders, which means this is the method the Fund will use to determine which specific shares are deemed to be sold when there are multiple purchases on different dates at differing net asset values, and the entire position is not sold at one time.  The Fund’s standing tax lot identification method is the method it will use to report the sale of covered shares on your Consolidated Form 1099 if you do not select a specific tax lot identification method.  Subject to certain limitations, you may choose a method other than the Fund’s standing method at the time of your purchase or upon the sale of covered shares.  Please refer to the appropriate Treasury regulations or consult your tax advisor with regard to your personal circumstances. 
 
 
15

 

Tools to Combat Frequent Transactions
The Trust’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders.  The Fund discourages excessive, short-term trading and other abusive trading practices that may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm the Fund’s performance.  The Fund takes steps to reduce the frequency and effect of these activities in the Fund.  These steps may include monitoring trading activity and using fair value pricing.  In addition, the Fund may take action, which may include using its best efforts to restrict a shareholder’s trading privileges in the Fund, if that shareholder has engaged in four or more “round trips” in the Fund during the 12-month period.  Although these efforts (which are described in more detail below) are designed to discourage abusive trading practices, these tools cannot eliminate the possibility that such activity may occur.  Further, while the Fund makes efforts to identify and restrict frequent trading, the Fund receives purchase and sale orders through financial intermediaries and cannot always know or detect frequent trading that may be facilitated by the use of intermediaries or the use of group or omnibus accounts by those intermediaries.  The Fund seeks to exercise its judgment in implementing these tools to the best of its ability in a manner that the Fund believes is consistent with shareholder interests.

Redemption Fee
You will be charged a redemption fee of 1.00% of the value of the shares being redeemed if you redeem your shares of the Fund within 90 days of purchase.  The “first in, first out” (“FIFO”) method is used to determine the holding period; this means that if you bought shares on different days, the shares purchased first will be redeemed first for the purpose of determining whether the redemption fee applies.  The redemption fee is deducted from the sale proceeds and is retained by the Fund for the benefit of its remaining shareholders. The fee will not apply to redemptions (i) due to shareholder’s death or disability, (ii) from certain omnibus accounts with systematic or contractual limitations, (iii) of shares acquired through reinvestments of dividends or capital gains distributions, (iv) through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans or employee benefit plans or, with respect to any plan, to comply with minimum distribution requirements, (v) effected pursuant to an automatic non-discretionary rebalancing program, (vi) pursuant to the SWP, (vii) effected pursuant to asset allocation programs, wrap fee programs, and other investment programs offered by financial institutions where investment decisions are made on a discretionary basis by investment professionals, or (viii) by the Fund of accounts falling below the minimum initial investment amount.  The Fund reserves the right to waive this fee in other circumstances if the Adviser determines that doing so is in the best interests of the Fund.
 
Monitoring Trading
Practices
The Fund may monitor trades in an effort to detect short-term trading activities.  If, as a result of this monitoring, the Fund believes that a shareholder has engaged in excessive short-term trading, it may, in its discretion, ask the shareholder to stop such activities or refuse to process purchases in the shareholder’s accounts.  In making such judgments, the Fund seeks to act in a manner that it believes is consistent with the best interest of shareholders.  Due to the complexity and subjectivity involved in identifying abusive trading activity, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s efforts will identify all trades or trading practices that may be considered abusive.
 
 
16

 

General Transaction Policies
Some of the following policies are mentioned above.  In general, the Fund reserves the right to:

 
·
vary or waive any minimum investment requirement;
 
·
refuse, change, discontinue, or temporarily suspend account services, including purchase or telephone redemption privileges, for any reason;
 
·
reject any purchase request for any reason.  Generally, the Fund does this if the purchase is disruptive to the efficient management of the Fund (due to the timing of the investment or an investor’s history of excessive trading);
 
·
redeem all shares in your account if your balance falls below the Fund’s minimum initial investment requirement due to redemption activity.  In these circumstances, the Fund will notify you in writing and request that you increase your balance above the minimum initial investment amount within 30 days of the date of the notice.  If, within 30 days of the Fund’s written request, you have not increased your account balance, your shares will be redeemed.  The Fund will not require that your shares be redeemed if the value of your account drops below the investment minimum due to fluctuations of the Fund’s NAV;
 
·
delay paying redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days after receiving a request, if an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund; and
 
·
reject any purchase or redemption request that does not contain all required documentation.

If you elect telephone privileges on the account application or in a letter to the Fund, you may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone orders as long as the Fund has taken reasonable precautions to verify your identity.  In addition, once you place a telephone transaction request, it cannot be canceled or modified.

During periods of significant economic or market change, telephone transactions may be difficult to complete.  If you are unable to contact the Fund by telephone, you may also mail your request to the Fund at the address listed under “Methods of Buying.”

Please note that the value of your account may be transferred to the appropriate state if no activity occurs in the account within the time period specified by state law.

Your broker or other financial intermediary may establish policies that differ from those of the Fund.  For example, the organization may charge transaction fees, set higher minimum investments, or impose certain limitations on buying or selling shares in addition to those identified in this Prospectus.  Contact your broker or other financial intermediary for details.
 
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund will make distributions of net investment income and net capital gains, if any, at least annually, typically in December.  The Fund may make an additional payment of dividends or distributions if it deems it desirable at any other time during the year.

All dividends and distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless you choose one of the following options:  (1) receive net investment income dividends in cash, while reinvesting capital gain distributions in additional Fund shares; or (2) receive all dividends and distributions in cash.  If you wish to change your distribution option, please write to the Transfer Agent before the payment date of the distribution.

If you elect to receive distributions in cash and the U.S. Postal Service cannot deliver your check, or if your distribution check has not been cashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the distribution check in your account at the Fund’s then current NAV and to reinvest all subsequent distributions.
 
 
17

 

FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES


The following discussion is very general.  Since each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment in the Fund.

You will generally have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state or local taxes, on distributions received from the Fund, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares.  If you sell Fund shares, it is generally considered a taxable event.

Distributions of net investment income, other than “qualified dividend income,” and distributions of short-term capital gains, are taxable for federal income tax purposes at ordinary income tax rates.  Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable for federal income tax purposes as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held Fund shares.  For taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2012, distributions reported as qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other non-corporate investors at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.  Dividends paid by a Fund may qualify in part for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied.

You may want to avoid buying shares of the Fund just before it declares a distribution (on or before the record date), because such a distribution will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

Dividends declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record as of a date in such month and paid during the following January are treated as if received on December 31 of the calendar year when the dividends were declared.  Information on the federal income tax status of dividends and distributions is provided annually.

If you are neither a citizen nor a resident of the United States, certain dividends you receive from the Fund may be subject to federal withholding tax.  To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are subject to such withholding, the Fund will withhold federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty).  Dividends that are reported by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends” are generally exempt from such withholding for taxable years of the Fund that began before January 1, 2012.

If you do not provide the Fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to backup withholding on your redemption proceeds, dividends and other distributions.  Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States.  The backup withholding rate is currently 28% and is scheduled to increase to 31% in 2013.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS


Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus, no financial information is available.
 
 
18

 
 

 
Investment Adviser
Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP
313 Commons Way
Princeton, New Jersey 08540

Independent Counsel
Bingham McCutchen LLP
355 S. Grand Avenue, Suite 4400
Los Angeles, California 90071

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 




Custodian
UMB Bank, n.a.
928 Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor
Kansas City, Missouri  64106

Fund Co-Administrator
Mutual Fund Administration Corporation
2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226
Glendora, California  91740

Fund Co-Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
UMB Fund Services, Inc.
803 West Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin  53233-2301
 
Distributor
IMST Distributors, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101

 
19

 
 


Stone Toro Relative Value Fund
A series of the Investment Managers Series Trust
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION

You can find more information about the Fund in the following documents:

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)
The SAI provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Fund and certain other additional information.  A current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference.  This means that the SAI is legally considered a part of this Prospectus even though it is not physically within this Prospectus.

Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders.  In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its most recent fiscal year.

The SAI is available and the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports will be available free of charge on the Fund's website at _______________.  You can obtain a free copy of the SAI or the Fund's annual and semi-annual reports (once available), request other information, or inquire about the Fund by contacting a broker that sells the Fund or by calling the Fund (toll-free) at 1-_______________ or by writing to:
 
Stone Toro Fund
P.O. Box 2175
Milwaukee, WI  53201

You may review and copy information including the shareholder reports and SAI at the Public Reference Room of the SEC in Washington, DC.  You can obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling (202) 551-8090.  Reports and other information about the Fund are also available:
 
 
·
Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov;
 
 
·
For a fee, by writing to the Public Reference Room of the SEC, Washington, DC  20549-1520; or
 
 
·
For a fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
 

(The Trust’s SEC Investment Company Act file number is 811- 21719.)
 
 


20
 
 
 

 
 
Subject to Completion, ____ __, 2013

 
Statement of Additional Information
_________________, 2013

Stone Toro Relative Value Fund
(______X)
a series of the Investment Managers Series Trust

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus, and it should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus dated _________, 2013, as may be amended from time to time, of the Stone Toro Relative Value Fund (the “Fund”), a series of the Investment Managers Series Trust (the “Trust”).  Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP (the “Adviser”) is the investment Adviser to the Fund.  A copy of the Fund’s Prospectus may be obtained by contacting the Fund at the address or telephone number specified below.
Stone Toro Fund
P.O. Box 2175
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201
1-__________________

THE TRUST
2
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND POLICIES
2
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
23
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE
32
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
34
PROXY VOTING POLICY
34
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
34
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
35
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
36
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES
38
FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS
39
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
45
GENERAL INFORMATION
46
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
48
APPENDIX A
49
APPENDIX B
50

The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed.  We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective.  This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
 
 
B-1

 
 
THE TRUST

The Trust is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on February 15, 2005.  The Trust currently consists of several other series of shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share.  This SAI relates only to the Fund and not to the other series of the Trust.  The Fund is a diversified fund, which means it is subject to the diversification requirements under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").  Under the 1940 Act, a diversified fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of one issuer (and in not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer), excluding cash, Government securities, and securities of other investment companies.

The Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an open-end management investment company. Such a registration does not involve supervision of the management or policies of the Fund.  The Prospectus of the Fund and this SAI omit certain of the information contained in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC.  Copies of such information may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the prescribed fee.

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND POLICIES

The discussion below supplements information contained in the Fund’s Prospectus pertaining to the investment policies of the Fund.

Market Conditions

The equity and debt capital markets in the United States and internationally have experienced unprecedented volatility.  These conditions have caused a significant decline in the value and liquidity of many securities and other instruments. It is impossible to predict whether these conditions will continue, improve or worsen.  Because this situation is widespread, it may be unusually difficult to identify both risks and opportunities using past models of the interplay of market forces, or to predict the duration of these events.

EQUITY SECURITIES

Common Stock

Common stock represents an equity (ownership) interest in a company, and usually possesses voting rights and earns dividends.  Dividends on common stock are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the issuer.  Common stock generally represents the riskiest investment in a company.  In addition, common stock generally has the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential because increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company’s stock price.
 
 
B-2

 

The fundamental risk of investing in common stock is that the value of the stock might decrease.  Stock values fluctuate in response to the activities of an individual company or in response to general market and/or economic conditions.  While common stocks have historically provided greater long-term returns than preferred stocks, fixed-income and money market investments, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.

Preferred Stock

Preferred stock is a class of stock having a preference over common stock as to the payment of dividends and the recovery of investment in the event a company is liquidated, although preferred stock is usually subordinate to the debt securities of the issuer.  Preferred stock typically does not possess voting rights and its market value may change based on changes in interest rates.  If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of preferred stocks to decline.  Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as call/redemption provisions prior to maturity, a negative feature when interest rates decline.

The Fund’s investment in preferred stocks is subject to the credit risk related to the financial condition of the issuers of those securities.  Credit ratings attempt to evaluate the safety of principal and dividend or interest payments and do not evaluate the risks of fluctuations in market value.

Small - and Mid- Cap Stocks
 
The Fund may invest in stock of companies with market capitalizations that are small compared to other publicly traded companies. Investments in larger companies present certain advantages in that such companies generally have greater financial resources, more extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing and service capabilities, and more stability and greater depth of management and personnel. Investments in smaller, less seasoned companies may present greater opportunities for growth but also may involve greater risks than customarily are associated with more established companies. The securities of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than larger, more established companies. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent upon a limited management group. Their securities may be traded in the over-the-counter market or on a regional exchange, or may otherwise have limited liquidity. As a result of owning large positions in this type of security, the Fund is subject to the additional risk of possibly having to sell portfolio securities at disadvantageous times and prices if redemptions require the Fund to liquidate its securities positions. In addition, it may be prudent for the Fund, as its asset size grows, to limit the number of relatively small positions it holds in securities having limited liquidity in order to minimize its exposure to such risks, to minimize transaction costs, and to maximize the benefits of research. As a consequence, as the Fund’s asset size increases, the Fund may reduce its exposure to illiquid small capitalization securities, which could adversely affect performance.

The Fund may also invest in stocks of companies with medium market capitalizations (i.e., mid-cap companies). Such investments share some of the risk characteristics of investments in stocks of companies with small market capitalizations described above, although mid cap companies tend to have longer operating histories, broader product lines and greater financial resources and their stocks tend to be more liquid and less volatile than those of smaller capitalization issuers.
 
 
B-3

 

Warrants and Rights

The Fund may invest in warrants or rights (including those acquired in units or attached to other securities) that entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time but will do so only if such equity securities are deemed appropriate by the Adviser.  Warrants do not have voting rights, do not earn dividends, and do not entitle the holder to any rights with respect to the assets of the corporation that has issued them.  They do not represent ownership of the underlying companies but only the right to purchase shares of those companies at a specified price on or before a specified exercise date.  Warrants tend to be more volatile than the underlying stock, and if at a warrant’s expiration date the stock is trading at a price below the price set in the warrant, the warrant will expire worthless.  Conversely, if at the expiration date the stock is trading at a price higher than the price set in the warrant, a Fund can acquire the stock at a price below its market value.  The prices of warrants do not necessarily parallel the prices of the underlying securities.

Convertible Securities

A convertible security is a preferred stock, warrant or other security that may be converted or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other security of the same or a different issuer or into cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.  A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive the dividend or interest until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.  Before conversion, convertible securities generally have characteristics similar to both fixed income and equity securities.

Foreign Securities

Investments in the securities of foreign issuers may involve risks in addition to those normally associated with investments in the securities of U.S. issuers.  All foreign investments are subject to risks of foreign political and economic instability, adverse movements in foreign exchange rates, and the imposition or tightening of exchange controls and limitations on the repatriation of foreign capital.  Other risks stem from potential changes in governmental attitude or policy toward private investment, which in turn raises the risk of nationalization, increased taxation or confiscation of foreign investors’ assets.

The financial problems in global economies over the past several years, including the European sovereign debt crisis, may continue to cause high volatility in global financial markets.  In addition, global economies are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely impact a different country or region.  The severity or duration of these conditions may also be affected if one or more countries leave the euro currency or by other policy changes made by governments or quasi-governmental organizations. 

Additional non-U.S. taxes and expenses may also adversely affect the Fund’s performance, including foreign withholding taxes on foreign securities’ dividends.  Brokerage commissions and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than in the United States.  Foreign companies may be subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards.  Most of the foreign securities held by the Fund will not be registered with the SEC, nor will the issuers thereof be subject to the reporting requirements of the SEC.  Accordingly, less information may be available about foreign companies than is generally available on issuers of comparable
 
 
B-4

 
 
securities in the United States.  Foreign securities may also trade less frequently and with lower volume and may exhibit greater price volatility than U.S. securities.

Changes in foreign exchange rates will affect the value in U.S. dollars of all foreign currency-denominated securities held by the Fund.  Exchange rates are influenced generally by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign currency markets and by numerous other political and economic events occurring outside the United States, many of which may be difficult, if not impossible, to predict.

Income from foreign securities will be received and realized in foreign currencies, and the Fund is required to compute and distribute income in U.S. dollars.  Accordingly, a decline in the value of a particular foreign currency against the U.S. dollar occurring after the Fund’s income has been earned and computed in U.S. dollars may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio securities to acquire sufficient U.S. dollars to make a distribution.  Similarly, if the exchange rate declines between the time the Fund incurs expenses in U.S. dollars and the time such expenses are paid, the Fund may be required to liquidate additional foreign securities to purchase the U.S. dollars required to meet such expenses.

The Fund may purchase foreign bank obligations.  In addition to the risks described above that are generally applicable to foreign investments, the investments that the Fund makes in obligations of foreign banks, branches or subsidiaries may involve further risks, including differences between foreign banks and U.S. banks in applicable accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, and the possible establishment of exchange controls or other foreign government laws or restrictions applicable to the payment of certificates of deposit or time deposits that may affect adversely the payment of principal and interest on the securities held by the Fund.

Emerging Markets.  The Fund may invest in emerging market countries or developing countries as defined by the World Bank, International Financial Corporation or the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) emerging market indices or other comparable indices.  Developing countries may impose restrictions on the Fund’s ability to repatriate investment income or capital.  Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of investment income or capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operations of the Fund.

Some of the currencies in emerging markets have experienced devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar, and major adjustments have been made periodically in certain of such currencies.  Certain developing countries face serious exchange constraints.

Governments of some developing countries exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector.  In some countries, the government owns or controls many companies.  Therefore, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in developing countries, which could affect the private sector companies in which the Fund invests.

Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may conduct foreign currency exchange transactions either on a spot, i.e., cash, basis at the prevailing rate in the foreign exchange market or by entering into a forward foreign currency contract.  A forward foreign currency contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific amount of a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (usually less than one year) from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract.  Forward contracts are considered
 
 
B-5

 
 
to be derivatives.  The Fund enters into forward contracts in order to “lock in” the exchange rate between the currency it will deliver and the currency it will receive for the duration of the contract.  In addition, the Fund may enter into forward contracts to hedge against risks arising from securities the Fund owns or anticipates purchasing or the U.S. dollar value of interest and dividends paid on those securities.  The Fund will not have more than 10% of its total assets committed to forward contracts, or maintain a net exposure to forward contracts that would obligate the Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of the Fund’s investment securities or other assets denominated in that currency.

If the Fund delivers the foreign currency at or before the settlement of a forward contract, it may be required to obtain the currency by selling some of the Fund’s assets that are denominated in that specific currency.  The Fund may close out a forward contract obligating it to purchase a foreign currency by selling an offsetting contract, in which case it will realize a gain or a loss.

Foreign currency transactions involve certain costs and risks.  The Fund incurs foreign exchange expenses in converting assets from one currency to another. Forward contracts involve a risk of loss if the Adviser is inaccurate in predicting currency movements.  The projection of short-term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain.  The precise matching of forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved is generally not possible.  Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional foreign currency if the market value of the security is less than the amount of the foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver under the forward contract and the decision is made to sell the security and deliver the foreign currency.  The use of forward contracts as a hedging technique does not eliminate the fluctuation in the prices of the underlying securities the Fund owns or intends to acquire, but it fixes a rate of exchange in advance.  Although forward contracts can reduce the risk of loss if the values of the hedged currencies decline, these instruments also limit the potential gain that might result from an increase in the value of the hedged currencies.

There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies, and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis.  Quotation information available is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market.  The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global around-the-clock market.  Since foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, the Fund may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.

Depository Receipts

American Depository Receipts ("ADRs") are negotiable receipts issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evidence ownership of securities in a foreign company which have been deposited with such bank or trust company's office or agent in a foreign country.  European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”) are negotiable certificates held in the bank of one country representing a specific number of shares of a stock traded on an exchange of another country.  Global Depository Receipts ("GDRs") are negotiable certificates held in the bank of one country representing a specific number of shares of a stock traded on an exchange of another country.  Canadian Depository Receipts (“CDRs”) are negotiable receipts issued by a Canadian bank or trust company that evidence ownership of securities in a foreign company which have been deposited with such bank or trust company's office or agent in a foreign country.
 
 
B-6

 

Investing in ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs presents risks that may not be equal to the risk inherent in holding the equivalent shares of the same companies that are traded in the local markets even though a Fund will purchase, sell and be paid dividends on ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs in U.S. dollars.  These risks include fluctuations in currency exchange rates, which are affected by international balances of payments and other economic and financial conditions; government intervention; speculation; and other factors.  With respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or nationalization of assets, confiscatory taxation, political and social upheaval, and economic instability.  A Fund may be required to pay foreign withholding or other taxes on certain ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, or CDRs that it owns, but investors may or may not be able to deduct their pro-rata share of such taxes in computing their taxable income, or take such shares as a credit against their U.S. federal income tax.  See "Federal Income Tax Matters."  ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs may be sponsored by the foreign issuer or may be unsponsored.  Unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the foreign issuer of the underlying securities.  Unsponsored GDRs, CDRs, EDRs and ADRs are offered by companies which are not prepared to meet either the reporting or accounting standards of the United States.  While readily exchangeable with stock in local markets, unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs may be less liquid than sponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs.  Additionally, there generally is less publicly available information with respect to unsponsored ADRs, EDRs, GDRs, and CDRs.

Investment Company Securities

The Fund may invest in shares of other open-end and closed-end investment companies (each, an “Underlying Fund”), including affiliated funds and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), to the extent permitted by applicable law and subject to certain restrictions set forth in this SAI.  Generally, under the 1940 Act and SEC rules adopted pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Fund’s acquisition of the securities of affiliated and unaffiliated funds is subject to the following guidelines and restrictions:
 
·           The Fund may own an unlimited amount of any affiliated fund’s voting securities.
 
·           The Fund and its “affiliated persons” may own no more than 3% of an unaffiliated fund’s voting securities, subject to the following restrictions:
 
 
i.
the Fund and the Underlying Fund, in the aggregate, may not charge a sales load greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2830(d)(3) of the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) applicable to funds of funds;
 
 
ii.
the Underlying Fund is not obligated to redeem more than 1% of its total outstanding securities during any period less than 30 days; and
 
 
iii.
the purchase or acquisition of the Underlying Fund is made pursuant to an arrangement with the Underlying Fund or its principal underwriter whereby the Fund is obligated either to (i) seek instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to the Underlying Fund and to vote in accordance with such instructions, or (ii) to vote the shares of the Underlying Fund held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other shareholders of the Underlying Fund.
 
 
B-7

 
 
·           The sales load and distribution fees paid by the Fund with respect to an Underlying Fund, aggregated with any distribution fees of the Fund, may not be excessive under FINRA rules.
 
·           Any Underlying Fund must have a policy that prohibits it from acquiring any securities of registered open-end funds or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on certain sections of the 1940 Act.
 
Acquired funds typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund.  The Fund’s purchase of such investment company securities results in the layering of expenses as Fund shareholders would indirectly bear a proportionate share of the operating expenses of such investment companies, including advisory fees, in addition to paying Fund expenses.
 
Under certain circumstances an open-end investment company in which the Fund invests may determine to make payment of a redemption by the Fund wholly or in part by a distribution in kind of securities from its portfolio, instead of in cash.  As a result, the Fund may hold such securities until the Adviser determines it is appropriate to dispose of them.  Such disposition will impose additional costs on the Fund.
 
Investment decisions by the investment advisers to the registered investment companies in which the Fund invests are made independently of the Fund.  At any particular time, one Underlying Fund may be purchasing shares of an issuer whose shares are being sold by another Underlying Fund.  As a result, under these circumstances the Fund indirectly would incur certain transactional costs without accomplishing any investment purpose.

Exchange-Traded Funds

ETFs are pooled investment vehicles that generally seek to track the performance of specific indices. ETFs may be organized as open-end funds or as unit investment trusts. Their shares are listed on stock exchanges and can be traded throughout the day at market-determined prices.

An ETF generally issues index-based investments in aggregations of 50,000 shares known as “Creation Units” in exchange for a “Portfolio Deposit” consisting of (a) a portfolio of securities substantially similar to the component securities (“Index Securities”) of the applicable index (the “Index”), (b) a cash payment equal to a pro rata portion of the dividends accrued on the ETF’s portfolio securities since the last dividend payment by the ETF, net of expenses and liabilities, and (c) a cash payment or credit (“Balancing Amount”) designed to equalize the net asset value of the Index and the net asset value of a Portfolio Deposit.

Shares of ETFs are not individually redeemable, except upon termination of the ETF. To redeem shares of an ETF, an investor must accumulate enough shares of the ETF to reconstitute a Creation Unit. The liquidity of small holdings of ETF shares, therefore, will depend upon the existence of a secondary market for such shares. Upon redemption of a Creation Unit, the portfolio will receive Index Securities and cash identical to the Portfolio Deposit required of an investor wishing to purchase a Creation Unit that day.
 
 
B-8

 

The price of ETF shares is based upon (but not necessarily identical to) the value of the securities held by the ETF. Accordingly, the level of risk involved in the purchase or sale of ETF shares is similar to the risk involved in the purchase or sale of traditional common stock, with the exception that the pricing mechanism for ETF shares is based on a basket of stocks. Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETF shares purchased or sold by the Fund could result in losses on such shares. There is no assurance that the requirements of the national securities exchanges necessary to maintain the listing of shares of any ETF will continue to be met.

Closed-End Funds

The Fund may invest in shares of closed-end funds.  Investments in closed-end funds are subject to various risks, including reliance on management’s ability to meet the closed-end fund’s investment objective and to manage the closed-end fund portfolio; fluctuation in the net asset value of closed-end fund shares compared to the changes in the value of the underlying securities that the closed-end fund owns; and bearing a pro rata share of the management fees and expenses of each underlying closed-end fund resulting in Fund’s shareholders being subject to higher expenses than if he or she invested directly in the closed-end fund(s).

DERIVATIVES

The Fund may utilize a variety of financial instruments, such as derivatives, options, and forward contracts, both for investment purposes and for hedging purposes.  Hedging involves special risks including the possible default by the other party to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the Adviser’s assessment of certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of hedging could result in losses greater than if hedging had not been used.  Nonetheless, with respect to certain investment positions, the Fund may not be sufficiently hedged against market fluctuations, in which case an investment position could result in a loss greater than if the Adviser had been sufficiently hedged with respect to such position.

The Adviser will not, in general, attempt to hedge all market or other risks inherent in the Fund’s positions, and will hedge certain risks, if at all, only partially.  Specifically, the Adviser may choose not, or may determine that it is economically unattractive, to hedge certain risks, either in respect of particular positions or in respect of the Fund’s overall portfolio.  Moreover, it should be noted that the Fund’s portfolio always will be exposed to unidentified systematic risk factors and to certain risks that cannot be completely hedged, such as credit risk (relating both to particular securities and to counterparties).  The Fund’s portfolio composition may result in various directional market risks remaining unhedged, although the Adviser may rely on diversification to control such risks to the extent that the Adviser believes it is desirable to do so.

Options on Securities and Securities Indices

A call option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the option period.  A put option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to sell specified securities during the option period.  The Fund may invest in both European-style or American-style options. A European-style option is only exercisable immediately prior to its expiration.  American-style options are exercisable at any time prior to the expiration date of the option.
 
 
B-9

 

Writing Call Options.  The Fund may write covered call options.  A call option is “covered” if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute right to acquire the security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or cash equivalents in such amounts as held in a segregated account by UMB Bank, n.a., the Fund’s custodian (the “Custodian”).  The writer of a call option receives a premium and gives the purchaser the right to buy the security underlying the option at the exercise price.  The writer has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security against payment of the exercise price during the option period.  If the writer of an exchange-traded option wishes to terminate his obligation, he may effect a “closing purchase transaction.”  This is accomplished by buying an option of the same series as the option previously written.  A writer may not effect a closing purchase transaction after it has been notified of the exercise of an option.

Effecting a closing transaction in a written call option will permit the Fund to write another call option on the underlying security with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both.  Also, effecting a closing transaction will permit the cash or proceeds from the concurrent sale of any securities subject to the option to be used for other investments of the Fund.  If the Fund desires to sell a particular security from its portfolio on which it has written a call option, it will effect a closing transaction prior to or concurrent with the sale of the security.

The Fund will realize a gain from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is less than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are more than the premium paid to purchase the option.  The Fund will realize a loss from a closing transaction if the cost of the closing transaction is more than the premium received from writing the option or if the proceeds from the closing transaction are less than the premium paid to purchase the option.  However, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, any loss to the Fund resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.

In addition to covered call options, the Fund may write uncovered (or “naked”) call options on securities, including ETFs, and indices; however, SEC rules require that the Fund segregates assets on its books and records with a value equal to the value of the securities or the index that the holder of the option is entitled to call.  Segregated securities cannot be sold while the option strategy is outstanding, unless they are replaced with other suitable assets.  As a result, there is a possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could impede portfolio management or the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

Writing Covered Index Call Options. The Fund may sell index call options.  The Fund may also execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to the option it has sold and then sell another option with either a different exercise price and/or expiration date.  The Fund’s objective in entering into such closing transactions is to increase option premium income, to limit losses or to protect anticipated gains in the underlying stocks.  The cost of a closing transaction, while reducing the premium income realized from the sale of the option, should be offset, at least in part, by the appreciation in the value of the underlying index, and by the opportunity to realize additional premium income from selling a new option.

When the Fund sells an index call option, it does not deliver the underlying stocks or cash to the broker through whom the transaction is effected.  In the case of an exchange-traded option, the Fund establishes an escrow account.  The Custodian (or a securities depository acting for the Custodian) acts as the Fund’s escrow agent.  The escrow agent enters into documents known as escrow receipts with respect to the stocks included in the Fund (or escrow receipts with respect to other acceptable securities).  The escrow agent releases the stocks from the escrow account when the call option expires or the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. Until such release, the underlying stocks cannot be sold by the Fund.  The Fund may enter into similar collateral arrangements with the counterparty when it sells over-the-counter index call options.
 
 
B-10

 

When the Fund sells an index call option, it is also required to “cover” the option pursuant to requirements enunciated by the staff of the SEC.   The staff has indicated that a mutual fund may “cover” an index call option by (1) owning and holding for the term of the option a portfolio of stocks substantially replicating the movement of the index underlying the call option; (2) purchasing an American-style call option on the same index with an exercise price not greater than the exercise price of the written option; or (3) establishing and maintaining for the term of the option a segregated account consisting of cash, U.S. government securities or other high-grade debt securities, equal in value to the aggregate contract price of the call option (the current index value times the specific multiple).  The Fund generally “covers” the index options it has sold by owning and holding stocks substantially replicating the movement of the applicable index.  As an alternative method of “covering” the option, the Fund may purchase an appropriate offsetting option.

The purchaser of an index call option sold by the Fund may exercise the option at a price fixed as of the closing level of the index on exercise date.  Unless the Fund has liquid assets sufficient to satisfy the exercise of the index call option, the Fund would be required to liquidate portfolio securities to satisfy the exercise.  The market value of such securities may decline between the time the option is exercised and the time the Fund is able to sell the securities.  If the Fund fails to anticipate an exercise, it may have to borrow from a bank (in amounts not exceeding 5% of the Fund’s total assets) pending settlement of the sale of the portfolio securities and thereby incur interest charges.  If trading is interrupted on the index, the Fund would not be able to close out its option positions.

Risks of Transactions in Options.  There are several risks associated with transactions in options on securities and indices.  Options may be more volatile than the underlying securities and, therefore, on a percentage basis, an investment in options may be subject to greater fluctuation in value than an investment in the underlying securities themselves.  There are also significant differences between the securities and options markets that could result in an imperfect correlation between these markets, causing a given transaction not to achieve its objective.  In addition, a liquid secondary market for particular options may be absent for reasons which include the following:  there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options of underlying securities; unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; the facilities of an exchange or clearing corporation may not be adequate to handle current trading volume at all times; or one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options that had been issued by a clearing corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.
 
 
B-11

 

A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.  The extent to which the Fund may enter into options transactions may be limited by the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), for qualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

Over-the-Counter Options.  The Fund may engage in transactions involving over-the-counter options as well as exchange-traded options.  Certain additional risks are specific to over-the-counter options.  The Fund may engage a clearing corporation to exercise exchange-traded options, but if the Fund purchased an over-the-counter option, it must then rely on the dealer from which it purchased the option if the option is exercised.  Failure by the dealer to do so would result in the loss of the premium paid by the Fund as well as loss of the expected benefit of the transaction.

Exchange-traded options generally have a continuous liquid market while over-the-counter options may not.  Consequently, the Fund may generally be able to realize the value of an over-the-counter option it has purchased only by exercising or reselling the option to the dealer who issued it.  Similarly, when the Fund writes an over-the-counter option, the Fund may generally be able to close out the option prior to its expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to whom the Fund originally wrote the option.  While the Fund will seek to enter into over-the-counter options only with dealers who will agree to and are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the Fund, there can be no assurance that the Fund will at any time be able to liquidate an over-the-counter option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration.  Unless the Fund, as a covered over-the-counter call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used as cover until the option expires or is exercised.  In the event of insolvency of the other party, the Fund may be unable to liquidate an over-the-counter option.  With respect to options written by the Fund, the inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the Fund.  For example, since the Fund must maintain a secured position with respect to any call option on a security it writes, the Fund may not sell the assets which it has segregated to secure the position while it is obligated under the option.  This requirement may impair the Fund’s ability to sell portfolio securities at a time when such sale might be advantageous.

The SEC has taken the position that purchased over-the-counter options are illiquid securities.  The Fund may treat the cover used for written over-the-counter options as liquid if the dealer agrees that the Fund may repurchase the over-the-counter option it has written for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula.  In such cases, the over-the-counter option would be considered illiquid only to the extent the maximum purchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.  Accordingly, the Fund will treat over-the-counter options as subject to the Fund’s limitation on illiquid securities.  If the SEC changes its position on the liquidity of over-the-counter options, the Fund will change the treatment of such instruments accordingly.

Stock Index Options.  The Fund may invest in options on indices, including broad-based security indices. Puts and calls on indices are similar to puts and calls on other investments except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question rather than on price movements in individual securities. When a fund writes a call on an index, it receives a premium and agrees that, prior to the expiration date, the purchaser of the call, upon exercise of the call, will receive from the fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. The amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple (“multiplier”), which determines the total dollar value for each point of such difference. When a fund buys a call on an index, it pays a premium and has the same rights as to such call as are indicated above. When a fund buys a put on an index, it pays a premium and has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the seller of the put, upon the fund’s exercise of the put, to deliver to the fund an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put, which amount of cash is determined by the multiplier, as described above for calls. When a fund writes a put on an index, it receives a premium and the purchaser of the put has the right, prior to the expiration date, to require the fund to deliver to it an amount of cash equal to the difference between the closing level of the index and exercise price times the multiplier if the closing level is less than the exercise price.
 
 
B-12

 
 
The risks of investment in options on indices may be greater than options on securities. Because index options are settled in cash, if a fund writes a call on an index it cannot provide in advance for its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying index. A fund can offset some of the risk of writing a call index option by holding a diversified portfolio of securities or instruments similar to those on which the underlying index is based. However, a fund cannot, as a practical matter, acquire and hold a portfolio containing exactly the same securities or instruments as underlie the index and, as a result, bears a risk that the value of the securities or instruments held will vary from the value of the index.. 
 
Even if the Fund could assemble a portfolio that exactly reproduced the composition of the underlying index, it still would not be fully covered from a risk standpoint because of the “timing risk” inherent in writing index options. When an index option is exercised, the amount of cash that the holder is entitled to receive is determined by the difference between the exercise price and the closing index level on the date when the option is exercised. As with other kinds of options, a fund as the call writer will not learn of the assignment until the next business day at the earliest. The time lag between exercise and notice of assignment poses no risk for the writer of a covered call on a specific underlying security or instrument, such as common stock, because there the writer’s obligation is to deliver the underlying security or instrument, not to pay its value as of a fixed time in the past. So long as the writer already owns the underlying security or instrument, it can satisfy its settlement obligations by simply delivering it, and the risk that its value may have declined since the exercise date is borne by the exercising holder.  In contrast, even if the writer of an index call holds investments that exactly match the composition of the underlying index, it will not be able to satisfy its assignment obligations by delivering those investments against payment of the exercise price. Instead, it will be required to pay cash in an amount based on the closing index value on the exercise date. By the time it learns that it has been assigned, the index may have declined, with a corresponding decline in the value of its portfolio. This “timing risk” is an inherent limitation on the ability of index call writers to cover their risk exposure by holding security or instrument positions.
 
If the Fund has purchased an index option and exercises it before the closing index value for that day is available, it runs the risk that the level of the underlying index may subsequently change. If such a change causes the exercised option to fall out-of-the-money, the Fund will be required to pay the difference between the closing index value and the exercise price of the option (times the applicable multiplier) to the assigned writer.
 
 
B-13

 

Futures and Options on Futures
 
The Fund may use interest rate, foreign currency, index and other futures contracts.  The Fund may use options on futures contracts. A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of the security or other financial instrument at a specified price and time.  A futures contract on an index is an agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the index contract originally was written. Although the value of an index might be a function of the value of certain specified securities, physical delivery of these securities is not always made.  A public market exists in futures contracts covering a number of indexes, as well as financial instruments, including, without limitation: U.S. Treasury bonds; U.S. Treasury notes; GNMA Certificates; three-month U.S. Treasury bills; 90-day commercial paper; bank certificates of deposit; Eurodollar certificates of deposit; the Australian dollar; the Canadian dollar; the British pound; the Japanese yen; the Swiss franc; the Mexican peso; and certain multinational currencies, such as the euro.  It is expected that other futures contracts will be developed and traded in the future.
 
The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options. Futures options possess many of the same characteristics as options on securities and indexes (discussed above). A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a specified exercise price upon expiration of, or at any time during the period of, the option. Upon exercise of a call option, the holder acquires a long position in the futures contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position.  In the case of a put option, the opposite is true. When a purchase or sale of a futures contract is made by a Fund, the Fund is required to deposit with its futures commission merchant a specified amount of liquid assets ("initial margin").  The margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract.  The initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the futures contract that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied.  The Fund expects to earn taxable interest income on its initial margin deposits.
 
A futures contract held by a Fund is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded.  Each day the Fund pays or receives cash, called "variation margin", equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract.  This process is known as "marking to market". Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead a settlement between the Fund and the broker of the amount one would owe the other if the futures contract expired.  In computing daily net asset value, the Fund will mark to market its open futures positions. The Fund also is required to deposit and to maintain margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it.  Such margin deposits will vary depending on the nature of the underlying futures contract (and the related initial margin requirements), the current market value of the option and other futures positions held by the Fund. Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities, generally these obligations are closed out prior to delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (involving the same exchange, underlying security or index and delivery month).  If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss.  Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss.  The transaction costs also must be included in these calculations.
 
 
B-14

 
 
The Fund may write covered straddles consisting of a call and a put written on the same underlying futures contract.  A straddle will be covered when sufficient assets are deposited to meet the Fund's immediate obligations. The Fund may use the same liquid assets to cover both the call and put options if the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or if the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put.  In such cases, the Fund also will segregate liquid assets equivalent to the amount, if any, by which the put is "in the money."
 
Recent legislation calls for new regulation of the derivatives markets. The extent and impact of the regulation is not yet fully known and may not be for some time. Any new regulations could adversely affect the value, availability and performance of derivative instruments, may make them more costly, and may limit or restrict their use by the Fund.

Stock Index Futures

The Fund may invest in stock index futures only as a substitute for a comparable market position in the underlying securities.  A stock index future obligates the seller to deliver (and the purchaser to accept), effectively, an amount of cash equal to a specific dollar amount times the difference between the value of a specific stock index at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the agreement is made.  No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index is made.  With respect to stock indices that are permitted investments, the Fund intends to purchase and sell futures contracts on the stock index for which it can obtain the best price with consideration also given to liquidity.

Swap Agreements
 
The Fund may enter into interest rate, currency and index swaps and the purchase or sale of related caps, floors and collars. The Fund may enter into these transactions to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio, to protect against currency fluctuations or to protect against any increase in the price of securities it anticipates purchasing at a later date. Swaps may be used in conjunction with other instruments to offset interest rate, currency or other underlying risks. For example, interest rate swaps may be offset with "caps," "floors" or "collars".  A "cap" is essentially a call option which places a limit on the amount of floating rate interest that must be paid on a certain principal amount. A "floor" is essentially a put option which places a limit on the minimum amount that would be paid on a certain principal amount. A "collar" is essentially a combination of a long cap and a short floor where the limits are set at different levels.
 
The Fund will usually enter into swaps on a net basis; that is, the two payment streams will be netted out in a cash settlement on the payment date or dates specified in the instrument, with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. To the extent obligations created thereby may be deemed to constitute senior securities, the Fund will maintain required collateral in a segregated account consisting of U.S. government securities or cash or cash equivalents. If the Fund were assigned an exercise notice on a call it has written, it would be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to satisfy the exercise, unless it has other liquid assets that are sufficient to satisfy the exercise of the call. If the Fund has written a call, there is also a risk that the market may decline between the time the Fund has a call exercised against it, at a price which is fixed as of the closing level of the index on the date of exercise, and the time it is able to sell securities in its portfolio. As with stock options, the Fund will not learn that an index option has been exercised until the day following the exercise date but, unlike a call on stock where it would be able to deliver the underlying securities in settlement, the Fund may have to sell part of its securities portfolio in order to make settlement in cash, and the price of such securities might decline before they can be sold. For example, even if an index call which the Fund has written is "covered" by an index call held by the Fund with the same strike price, it will bear the risk that the level of the index may decline between the close of trading on the date the exercise notice is filed with the Options Clearing Corporation and the close of trading on the date the Fund exercises the call it holds or the time it sells the call, which in either case would occur no earlier than the day following the day the exercise notice was filed.
 
 
B-15

 
 
Total Return Swaps. The Fund may enter into total return swap contracts for investment purposes.  Total return swaps are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments based on the change in market value of the underlying assets, which may include a specified security, basket of securities or security indexes during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate of the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or market, including in cases in which there may be disadvantages associated with direct ownership of a particular security. In a typical total return equity swap, payments made by the Fund or the counterparty are based on the total return of a particular reference asset or assets (such as an equity security, a combination of such securities, or an index). That is, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a stock, basket of stocks, or stock index in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, for example, the index receiver can gain exposure to stocks making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those stocks. Total return swaps involve not only the risk associated with the investment in the underlying securities, but also the risk of the counterparty not fulfilling its obligations under the agreement.
 
Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements for investment purposes.  A credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Fund. The Fund may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. Credit default swaps may also be structured based on the debt of a basket of issuers, rather than a single issuer, and may be customized with respect to the default event that triggers purchase or other factors. As a seller, the Fund would generally receive an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap, which typically is between six months and three years, provided that there is no credit event. If a credit event occurs, generally the seller must pay the buyer the full face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference obligations that may have little or no value. If the Fund were a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund would recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference obligation that may have little or no value.  The use of swap agreements by a fund entails certain risks, which may be different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other investments that are the referenced asset for the swap agreement. Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index, but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all the possible market conditions. Because some swap agreements have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain swaps have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.
 
 
B-16

 
 
The Fund may also purchase credit default swap contracts in order to hedge against the risk of default of the debt of a particular issuer or basket of issuers, in which case the Fund would function as the counterparty referenced in the preceding paragraph. This would involve the risk that the investment may expire worthless and would only generate income in the event of an actual default by the issuer(s) of the underlying obligation(s) (or, as applicable, a credit downgrade or other indication of financial instability). It would also involve the risk that the seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund in the event of a default. The purchase of credit default swaps involves costs, which will reduce the Fund's return. 
 
Currency Swaps. The Fund may enter into currency swap agreements for investment purposes.  Currency swaps are similar to interest rate swaps, except that they involve multiple currencies. The Fund may enter into a currency swap when it has exposure to one currency and desires exposure to a different currency. Typically the interest rates that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal amounts are exchanged at the beginning of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. In addition to paying and receiving amounts at the beginning and termination of the agreements, both sides will also have to pay in full periodically based upon the currency they have borrowed. Change in foreign exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency swaps.
 
Over-the-Counter Transactions
 
Over-the-Counter ("OTC") transactions differ from exchange-traded transactions in several respects.  OTC transactions are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation. Without the availability of a clearing corporation, OTC transaction pricing is normally done by reference to information from market makers, which information is carefully monitored by the Adviser and verified in appropriate cases. As OTC transactions are transacted directly with dealers, there is a risk of nonperformance by the dealer as a result of the insolvency of such dealer or otherwise. An OTC transaction may only be terminated voluntarily by entering into a closing transaction with the dealer with whom the Fund originally dealt. Any such cancellation may require the Fund to pay a premium to that dealer. In those cases in which the Fund has entered into a covered transaction and cannot voluntarily terminate the transaction, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying security until the transaction expires or is exercised or different cover is substituted. The Fund intends to enter into OTC transactions only with dealers which agree to, and which are expected to be capable of, entering into closing transactions with the Fund. There is also no assurance that the Fund will be able to liquidate an OTC transaction at any time prior to expiration.

TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS

The Fund may take temporary defensive measures that are inconsistent with the Fund’s normal fundamental or non-fundamental investment policies and strategies in response to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions as determined by the Adviser.  Such measures could include, but are not limited to, investments in (1) highly liquid short-term fixed income securities issued by or on behalf of municipal or corporate issuers, obligations of the U.S. Government and its agencies, commercial paper, and bank certificates of deposit; (2) repurchase agreements involving any such securities; and (3) other money market instruments.  The Fund also may invest in shares of money market mutual funds to the extent permitted under applicable law. Money market mutual funds are investment companies, and the investments in those companies by the Fund are in some cases subject to certain fundamental investment restrictions.  As a shareholder in a mutual fund, a Fund will bear its ratable share of its expenses, including management fees, and will remain subject to payment of the fees to the Adviser, with respect to assets so invested.  A Fund may not achieve its investment objectives during temporary defensive periods.
 
 
B-17

 

Short-Term Investments

The Fund may invest in any of the following securities and instruments:

Bank Certificates of Deposit, Bankers’ Acceptances and Time Deposits.  The Fund may acquire certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits in U.S. dollar or foreign currencies.  Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against monies deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return.  Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are “accepted” by a bank, meaning in effect that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity.  These short-term instruments which the Fund may acquire must, at the time of purchase, have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million (including assets of both domestic and foreign branches), based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such bank obligations are fully insured by the U.S. Government.  If the Fund holds instruments of foreign banks or financial institutions, it may be subject to additional investment risks that are different in some respects from those incurred if the Fund invests only in debt obligations of U.S. domestic issuers.  See “Foreign Securities” above.  Such risks include future political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes by the particular country in which the issuer is located, the possible confiscation or nationalization of foreign deposits, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other foreign governmental restrictions which may adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on these securities.

Domestic banks and foreign banks are subject to different governmental regulations with respect to the amount and types of loans that may be made and interest rates that may be charged.  In addition, the profitability of the banking industry depends largely upon the availability and cost of funds and the interest income generated from lending operations.  General economic conditions and the quality of loan portfolios affect the banking industry.

As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic banks are required to maintain specified levels of reserves, limited in the amount that they can loan to a single borrower, and are subject to regulations designed to promote financial soundness.  However, such laws and regulations may not necessarily apply to foreign banks, thereby affecting the risk involved in bank obligations that the Fund may acquire.

In addition to purchasing certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, to the extent permitted under its investment strategies and policies stated above and in the Prospectus, the Fund may invest in interest-bearing time deposits or other interest-bearing deposits in commercial or savings banks.  Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained at a banking institution for a specified period of time at a specified interest rate.

Savings Association Obligations.  The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest-bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital, surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest published reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. Government.
 
 
B-18

 

Commercial Paper, Short-Term Notes and Other Corporate Obligations.  The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in commercial paper and short-term notes.  Commercial paper consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations.  Issues of commercial paper and short-term notes will normally have maturities of less than nine months and fixed rates of return, although such instruments may have maturities of up to one year.

The Fund’s investment in commercial paper and short-term notes will consist of issues rated at the time of purchase “A-2” or higher by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“S&P”), “Prime-1” or “Prime-2” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or similarly rated by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, will be determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.  These rating symbols are described in Appendix A.

Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations, i.e., credit risk. The Adviser may actively expose the Fund to credit risk.  However, there can be no guarantee that the Adviser will be successful in making the right selections and thus fully mitigate the impact of credit risk changes on the Fund.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio securities.  Pursuant to such agreements, the Fund acquires securities from financial institutions such as banks and broker-dealers deemed to be creditworthy by the Adviser, subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase and the Fund’s agreement to resell such securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price.  The repurchase price generally equals the price paid by the Fund plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the underlying portfolio security).  Securities subject to repurchase agreements will be held by the custodian or in the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book-Entry System or an equivalent foreign system.  The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the underlying securities at not less than 102% of the repurchase price under the agreement.  If the seller defaults on its repurchase obligation, the Fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from a sale of the underlying securities are less than the repurchase price under the agreement.  Bankruptcy or insolvency of such a defaulting seller may cause the Fund’s rights with respect to such securities to be delayed or limited.  Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans under the 1940 Act.

Government Obligations

The Fund may invest in short-term U.S. Government obligations.  Such obligations include Treasury bills, certificates of indebtedness, notes and bonds.

OTHER INVESTMENTS

Short Sales

A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.  If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss will be increased, by the transaction costs incurred by the Fund, including the costs associated with providing collateral to the broker-dealer (usually cash and liquid securities) and the maintenance of collateral with its custodian. The Fund also may be required to pay a premium to borrow a security, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.
 
 
B-19

 

The broker-dealer will retain the net proceeds of the short sale to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements until the short position is closed out.

When the Adviser believes that the price of a particular security held by the Fund may decline, it may make "short sales against the box" to hedge the unrealized gain on such security.  Selling short against the box involves selling a security which the Fund owns for delivery at a specified date in the future. The Fund will incur transaction costs to open, maintain and close short sales against the box.

To the extent the Fund sells securities short (except in the case of short sales “against the box”), it is required to segregates an amount of cash or liquid securities on its records equal to the market price of the securities sold short.  The segregated assets are marked to market daily in an attempt to ensure that the amount deposited in the segregated account is at least equal to the market value of the securities sold short.  Segregated securities cannot be sold while the position they are covering is outstanding, unless they are replaced with similar securities.  As a result, there is the possibility that segregation of a large percentage of the Fund’s assets could affect its portfolio management.

Illiquid and Restricted Securities

The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including (i) securities for which there is no readily available market; (ii) securities in which the disposition would be subject to legal restrictions (so called “restricted securities”); and (iii) repurchase agreements having more than seven days to maturity.  However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid securities if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund's net assets. The Board or its delegate has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation. The Board has delegated to the Adviser the day-to-day determination of the illiquidity of any security held by the Fund, although it has retained oversight and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. Although no definitive liquidity criteria are used, the Board has directed the Adviser to consider to such factors as (a) frequency of trading and availability of quotations; (b) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security and the availability of buyers; (c) the willingness of dealers to be market makers in the security; and (d) the nature of trading activity including (i) the time needed to dispose of a position or part of a position and (ii) offer and solicitation methods.  A considerable period of time may elapse between the Fund’s decision to sell such securities and the time when the Fund is able to sell them, during which time the value of the securities could decline.  Illiquid securities will usually be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or its delegate. If, through the appreciation of illiquid securities or the depreciation of liquid securities, more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets is invested in illiquid securities, including restricted securities which are not readily marketable, the Fund will take such steps as is deemed advisable, if any, to protect liquidity.

Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell.  Restricted securities issued pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, that have a readily available market usually are not deemed illiquid for purposes of this limitation by the Fund.  However, investing in Rule 144A securities could result in increasing the level of the Fund’s illiquidity if qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities.
 
 
B-20

 

Lending Portfolio Securities

Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and the Fund’s investment restrictions, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to securities broker-dealers or financial institutions, provided that such loans are callable at any time by the Fund (subject to notice provisions described below), and are at all times secured by cash or cash equivalents, which are maintained in a segregated account pursuant to applicable regulations and that are at least equal to the market value, determined daily, of the loaned securities. The advantage of such loans is that the Fund continues to receive the income on the loaned securities while at the same time earns interest on the cash amounts deposited as collateral, which will be invested in short-term obligations. The Fund will not lend portfolio securities if such loans are not permitted by the laws or regulations of any state in which its shares are qualified for sale. The Fund’s loans of portfolio securities will be collateralized in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and no loan will cause the value of all loaned securities to exceed 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets.

A loan may generally be terminated by the borrower on one business day’s notice, or by the Fund on five business days’ notice. If the borrower fails to deliver the loaned securities within five days after receipt of notice or fails to maintain the requisite amount of collateral, the Fund could use the collateral to replace the securities while holding the borrower liable for any excess of replacement cost over collateral. As with any extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery and in some cases even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, these loans of portfolio securities will only be made to firms deemed by the Fund’s management to be creditworthy and when the income that can be earned from such loans justifies the attendant risks. Upon termination of the loan, the borrower is required to return the securities to the Fund. Any gain or loss in the market price during the loan period would inure to the Fund. The risks associated with loans of portfolio securities are substantially similar to those associated with repurchase agreements. Thus, if the counterparty to the loan petitions for bankruptcy or becomes subject to the United States Bankruptcy Code, the law regarding the rights of the Fund is unsettled. As a result, under extreme circumstances, there may be a restriction on the Fund’s ability to sell the collateral, and the Fund would suffer a loss. When voting or consent rights that accompany loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Fund will follow the policy of calling the loaned securities, to be delivered within one day after notice, to permit the exercise of such rights if the matters involved would have a material effect on the Fund’s investment in such loaned securities. The Fund will pay reasonable finder's, administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan of its securities.
 
 
B-21

 

Investment Restrictions

The Fund has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the favorable vote of the holders of a “majority,” as defined in the 1940 Act, of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.  Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.  The Fund’s investment objective is a non-fundamental policy and may be changed without shareholder approval.

The Fund may not:

1.
Issue senior securities, borrow money or pledge its assets, except that (i) the Fund may borrow from banks in amounts not exceeding one-third of its net assets (including the amount borrowed); and (ii) this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options transactions or short sales and in investing in financial futures and reverse repurchase agreements.

2.
Act as underwriter, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter in connection with the sale of securities in its investment portfolio;

3.
With respect to 75% of the Fund’s total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, (a) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (b) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer;

4.
Invest 25% or more of its total assets, calculated at the time of purchase and taken at market value, in any one industry, (other than securities issued by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities);

5.
Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate or real estate limited partnerships (although the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate, such as real estate investment trusts (“REITs”);

6.
Make loans of money, except (a) for purchases of debt securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund, (b) by engaging in repurchase agreements or, (c) through the loan of portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 1/3% of the Fund’s net assets; or

7.
Purchase or sell commodities or commodity futures contracts (although the Fund may invest in financial futures and in companies involved in the production, extraction, or processing of agricultural, energy, base metals, precious metals, and other commodity-related products).

The Fund observes the following restriction as a matter of operating but not fundamental policy, pursuant to positions taken by federal regulatory authorities:
 
 
B-22

 

The Fund may not invest, in the aggregate, more than 15% of its net assets in securities with legal or contractual restrictions on resale, securities that are not readily marketable and repurchase agreements with more than seven days to maturity.

Except with respect to borrowing, if a percentage or rating restriction on investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time a transaction is effected, later changes in percentage resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation.
 
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Trustees and Officers

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Trust is vested with its Board of Trustees.  The Board approves all significant agreements between the Trust and persons or companies furnishing services to it, including the agreements with the Adviser, co-administrators, distributor, custodian and transfer agent.  The day-to-day operations of the Trust are delegated to its officers, except that the Adviser is responsible for making day-to-day investment decisions in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective, strategies, and policies, all of which is subject to general supervision by the Board.

The Trustees and officers of the Trust, their years of birth and positions with the Trust, term of office with the Trust and length of time served, their business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years and other directorships held during the past five years are listed in the table below.  Unless noted otherwise, each person has held the position listed for a minimum of five years. Charles H. Miller, Ashley Toomey Rabun and William H. Young are all of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (collectively, the “Independent Trustees”).

Name, Address, Year of
Birth and Position(s)
held with Trust
Term of
Officec and
Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation During the Past Five
Years and Other Affiliations
Number of
Portfolios in
the Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee
Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee During
the Past Five
Years
“Independent” Trustees:
     
Charles H. Millera
(Born 1947)
Trustee
Since November 2007
Executive Vice President, Client Management and Development, Access Data Corporation, a Broadridge company, a provider of technology and services to asset management firms (1997-present).
53
None
Ashley Toomey Rabun a
(born 1952)
Trustee and Chairperson
of the Board
Since November 2007
President and Founder, InvestorReach, Inc. a financial services consulting firm (1996-present).
53
None
William H. Young a
(born 1950)
Trustee
Since November 2007
Independent financial services consultant (1996-present); Consultant-Interim CEO, Unified Fund Services, Inc., a mutual fund service provider (2003-2006); Ex-officio Board Member of the National Investment Company Service Association and past President and Chairman (1995-1997); Senior Vice President, Oppenheimer Management Company (1983-1996).
53
None
 
 
B-23

 

Name, Address, Year of
Birth and Position(s)
held with Trust
Term of
Officec and
Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation During the Past Five
Years and Other Affiliations
Number of
Portfolios in
the Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee
Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee During
the Past Five
Years
Interested Trustees:
     
John P. Zader a †
(born 1961)
Trustee and President
Since November 2007 as Trustee and December 2007 as President
CEO, UMB Fund Services, Inc., a mutual and hedge fund service provider, and the transfer agent, fund accountant, and co-administrator for the Fund, and affiliate of the Fund’s custodian (2006-present); Consultant to Jefferson Wells International, a provider of professional services for multiple industries, including financial services organizations (2006); Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, a mutual and hedge fund service provider (1988-2006).
53
None
Eric M. Banhazlb†
(born 1957)
Trustee and Vice President
Since January 2008 as Trustee and December 2007 as Vice President
President, Mutual Fund Administration Corp. (2006 – present); Senior Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, a mutual and hedge fund service provider (2001 – 2006.
53
None
Officers of the Trust
   
Rita Damb
(born 1966)
Treasurer and Assistant
Secretary
Since December 2007
Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration Corp. (2006 – present); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, a mutual and hedge fund service provider (2001 - 2006).
N/A
N/A
Joy Ausilib
(born 1966)
Secretary and Assistant
Treasurer
Since December 2007
Vice President, Mutual Fund Administration Corp. (2006 – present); Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, a mutual and hedge fund service provider (2001 - 2006).
N/A
N/A
Terrance P. Gallagher,
CPA, JD a
(born 1958)
Vice President
Since December 2007
Executive Vice President, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2007 – present); Director of Compliance, Unified Fund Services Inc. (2004 – 2007); Partner, The Academy of Financial Services Studies and Precision Marketing Partners (1998 - 2004); Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of AAL Capital Management and The AAL Mutual Funds (1987 - 1998).
N/A
N/A
Robert Tuszynski a
(born 1959)
Vice President
Since March
2010
Senior Vice President, Director of Distribution Services, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2008 – present); Vice President and CCO, CUNA Mutual Fund Group (2004 – 2008).
N/A
N/A
Todd Cippermanb
(born 1966)
Chief Compliance Officer
Since December 2009
Founder and Principal, Cipperman & Company/Cipperman Compliance Services (2004 – present).
N/A
N/A
 
a
Address for certain Trustees and certain officers:  803 West Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI  53233-2301.
b
Address for Mr. Banhazl, Ms. Ausili and Ms. Dam:  2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, CA  91740.  Address for Mr. Cipperman:  500 Swedesford Road, Suite 104, Wayne, PA 19087
c
Trustees and officers serve until their successors have been duly elected.
Mr. Zader is an “interested person” of the Trust by virtue of his position with UMB Fund Services, Inc., the transfer agent, fund accountant and co-administrator of the Fund, and the Fund’s custodian, UMB Bank, n.a.  Mr. Banhazl is deemed to be an “interested person” of the Trust by virtue of his position with Mutual Fund Administration Corp., the Fund’s co-administrator.
 
 
B-24

 
 
Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives from the Trust a quarterly retainer of $10,000, $5,000 for each regular meeting attended and $2,500 for each special in-person meeting attended.  In addition, Ms. Rabun receives an additional annual retainer of $12,000 for serving as Chairperson of the Board, each of Mr. Young and Mr. Miller receives an additional annual retainer of $8,000 for serving as Audit Committee Chair and Valuation Committee Chair, respectively, and Mr. Young receives an additional annual retainer of $4,000 for serving as Derivatives Risk Oversight Committee Chair.  The Trust has no pension or retirement plan.  No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees.

Name of Person/Position
Aggregate
Compensation
From the Fund1
Pension or
Retirement Benefits
Accrued as Part of
Fund’s Expenses
Estimated
Annual Benefits
Upon Retirement
Total
Compensation
from Trust (53
Funds) Paid to
Trustees1
Independent Trustees
       
Charles H. Miller, Trustee
$2,000
None
None
$78,000
Ashley Toomey Rabun,
Trustee and Chairperson
$2,000
None
None
$82,000
William H. Young,
Trustee and Audit Committee Chair
$2,000
None
None
$82,000
 
1
Estimated annual compensation.

Mr. Zader and Mr. Banhazl are not compensated for their services as Trustees because of their affiliation with the Trust.

Additional Information Concerning the Board and the Trustees

The current Trustees were selected in November 2007 (January 2008 for Mr. Banhazl) with a view towards establishing a Board that would have the broad experience needed to oversee a registered investment company comprised of multiple series employing a variety of different investment strategies. As a group, the Board has extensive experience in many different aspects of the financial services and asset management industries.
 
The Trustees were selected to join the Board based upon the following factors, among others: character and integrity; willingness to serve and willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee; as to each Trustee other than Messrs. Banhazl and Zader, satisfying the criteria for not being classified as an “interested person” of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act; and, as to Messrs. Banhazl and Zader, their positions with the Trust’s co-administrators.  In addition, the Trustees have the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills relevant to the operations of the Trust:
 
 
·
Ms. Rabun has substantial senior executive experience in mutual fund marketing and distribution and serving in senior executive and board positions with mutual funds, including multiple series trusts similar to the Trust.
 
 
B-25

 

 
·
Mr. Miller has significant senior executive experience with respect to marketing and distribution of mutual funds, including multiple series trusts similar to the Trust.

 
·
Mr. Young has broad senior executive experience with respect to the operations and management of mutual funds and administrative service providers, including multiple series trusts similar to the Trust.

 
·
Mr. Banhazl has significant experience serving in senior executive and board positions for mutual funds and with respect to the organization and operation of mutual funds and multiple series trusts similar to the Trust.

 
·
Mr. Zader has substantial experience serving in senior executive positions at mutual fund administrative service providers.
 
In its periodic self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Board, the Board considers the complementary individual skills and experience of the individual Trustees primarily in the broader context of the Board’s overall composition so that the Board, as a body, possesses the appropriate (and appropriately diverse) skills and experience to oversee the business of the Funds.  The summaries set forth above as to the qualifications, attributes and skills of the Trustees are required by the registration form adopted by the SEC, do not constitute holding out the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and do not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board as a whole than would otherwise be the case.
 
The Board of Trustees has four standing committees:  the Audit Committee, the Derivatives Risk Oversight Committee (the “Derivatives Committee”), the Nominating and Governance Committee (the “Nominating Committee”), and the Valuation Committee.

 
·
The function of the Audit Committee, with respect to each series of the Trust, is to review the scope and results of the Trust’s annual audit and any matters bearing on the audit or the Fund’s financial statements and to assist the Board’s oversight of the integrity of the Fund’s pricing and financial reporting.  The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees and is chaired by Mr. Young.  It does not include any Interested Trustees.  The Audit Committee is expected to meet at least twice a year with respect to each series of the Trust.
 
The Audit Committee also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”) for the Trust for the purpose of compliance with Rules 205.2(k) and 205.3(c) of the Code of Federal Regulations regarding alternative reporting procedures for attorneys retained or employed by an issuer who appear and practice before the SEC on behalf of the issuer.  The QLCC meets as needed.

 
·
The Derivatives Committee reviews the types of investments in derivatives made by various series of the Trust.  The Derivatives Committee conducts meetings periodically in order to inform the Board of Trustees about various series’ derivatives positions, related valuation issues and such other matters related to derivatives as the Committee shall determine. The Derivatives Committee is comprised of Messrs. Young and Miller and is chaired by Mr. Young.  The Derivatives Committee meets as needed.   
 
 
B-26

 

 
·
The Nominating Committee is responsible for seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees as it considers necessary from time to time and meets at least annually.  The Nominating Committee will consider nominees properly recommended by the Trust’s shareholders.  Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations that include, among other things, biographical data and the qualifications of the proposed nominee to the Trust’s Secretary.  The Independent Trustees comprise the Nominating Committee, and the Committee is chaired by Mr. Miller.  The Nominating Committee meets as needed.
 
 
·
The function of the Valuation Committee is to value securities held by any series of the Trust for which current and reliable market quotations are not readily available.  Such securities are valued at their respective fair values as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee and the actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed by the Board.  The Valuation Committee meets as needed.  The Valuation Committee is comprised of all the Trustees and is chaired by Mr. Miller, but action may be taken by any one of the Trustees.  The Valuation Committee meets as needed.
 
Independent Trustees comprise 60% of the Board and Ashley Toomey Rabun, an Independent Trustee, serves as Chairperson of the Board.  The Chairperson serves as a key point person for dealings between the Trust’s management and the other Independent Trustees. As noted above, through the committees of the Board the Independent Trustees consider and address important matters involving each series of the Trust, including those presenting conflicts or potential conflicts of interest. The Independent Trustees also regularly meet outside the presence of management and are advised by independent legal counsel. The Board has determined that its organization and leadership structure are appropriate in light of its fiduciary and oversight obligations, the special obligations of the Independent Trustees, and the relationship between the Interested Trustees and the Trust’s co-administrators.  The Board also believes that its structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Independent Trustees from management.
 
Consistent with its responsibility for oversight of the Fund in the interests of shareholders, the Board among other things oversees risk management of the Fund’s investment programs and business affairs directly and through the Audit Committee.  The Board has emphasized to the Adviser the importance of maintaining vigorous risk management programs and procedures.
 
The Fund faces a number of risks, such as investment risk, valuation risk, reputational risk, risk of operational failure or lack of business continuity, and legal, compliance and regulatory risk.  Risk management seeks to identify and address risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Fund.  Under the overall supervision of the Board, the Adviser and other service providers to the Fund employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various of those possible events or circumstances, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur.  Different processes, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks.  Various personnel, including the Fund’s CCO, the Adviser’s management, and other service providers (such as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm) make periodic reports to the Board or to the Audit Committee with respect to various aspects of risk management.  The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s investment objective, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness.  Moreover, reports received by the Trustees as to risk management matters are typically summaries of the relevant information.  As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s risk management oversight is subject to substantial limitations.
 
 
B-27

 
 
Fund Shares Beneficially Owned by Trustees.  Certain information regarding ownership by the Trustees of the Fund and other series of the Trust, as of the date of this SAI, is set forth in the following table.

Name of Trustee
Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund
(None, $1-$10,000, $10,001-
$50,000, $50,001-$100,000,
Over $100,000)
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in all Registered
Investment Companies Overseen
by Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies
Charles H. Miller, Independent Trustee
None
None
Ashley Toomey Rabun, Independent Trustee
None
None
William H. Young, Independent Trustee
None
None
John P. Zader, Interested Trustee
None
None
Eric M. Banhazl, Interested Trustee
None
None

  Control Persons, Principal Shareholders, and Management Ownership

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund.  A control person is one who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control.

As of the date of this SAI, the Fund is under the control of __________________ (“__________”) , who had voting authority with respect to 100% of the outstanding shares in the Fund on such date.  However, once the Fund commences investment operations and its shares are sold to the public, ________‘s control will be diluted.  The Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not own more than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.  Furthermore, neither the Independent Trustees, nor members of their immediate families, own securities beneficially or of record in the Adviser, the Fund’s distributor, IMST Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), or any affiliate of the Adviser or Distributor.  Accordingly, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate families, have direct or indirect interest, the value of which exceeds $120,000, in the Adviser, the Distributor or any of their affiliates.

The Adviser

Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP, located at 313 Commons Way, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, acts as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”).  The Adviser is majority owned by Stone Toro Asset Management LLC.

Subject to such policies as the Board of Trustees may determine, the Adviser is ultimately responsible for investment decisions for the Fund.  Pursuant to the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser provides the Fund with such investment advice and supervision as it deems necessary for the proper supervision of the Fund’s investments.  The Adviser also continuously monitors and maintains the Fund’s investment criteria and determines from time to time what securities may be purchased by the Fund.
 
 
B-28

 

The Advisory Agreement will remain in effect for an initial two-year period.  After the initial two-year period, the Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement.  The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund, upon giving the Adviser 60 days’ notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Board, or by the Adviser on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).  The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser under such agreement shall not be liable for any error of judgment or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the Advisory Agreement, except for a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty, or for a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard by the Adviser of its duties under the Advisory Agreement.

In consideration of the services to be provided by the Adviser pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is entitled to receive from the Fund an investment advisory fee computed daily and paid monthly based on an annual rate equal to a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets specified in the Prospectus.

Fund Expenses

The Fund is responsible for its own operating expenses (all of which will be borne directly or indirectly by the Fund’s shareholders), including among others, legal fees and expenses of counsel to the Fund and the Fund’s independent trustees; insurance (including trustees’ and officers’ errors and omissions insurance); auditing and accounting expenses; taxes and governmental fees; listing fees; dues and expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; fees and expenses of the Fund’s custodians, administrators, transfer agents, registrars and other service providers; expenses for portfolio pricing services by a pricing agent, if any; other expenses in connection with the issuance and offering of shares; expenses relating to investor and public relations; expenses of registering or qualifying securities of the Fund for public sale; brokerage commissions and other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio holding of the Fund; expenses of preparation and distribution of reports, notices and dividends to shareholders; expenses of the dividend reinvestment plan; compensation and expenses of trustees; any litigation expenses; and costs of shareholders’ and other meetings.  The Adviser has contractually agreed, however, to waive its fees and/or pay for expenses of the Fund to ensure that the total annual fund operating expenses (excluding taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions,  acquired fund fees and expenses as determined in accordance with Form N-1A, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, or extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) to the limit set forth in the Expense Table in the Prospectus (the “expense cap”).  Any such reductions made by the Adviser in its fees or payment of expenses which are the Fund’s obligation are subject to reimbursement by the Fund to the Adviser, if so requested by the Adviser, in subsequent fiscal years if the aggregate amount actually paid by the Fund toward the operating expenses for such fiscal year (taking into account the reimbursement) does not exceed the lower of the current limitation on Fund expenses and the limitation on Fund expenses in place at the time of the fee waiver or expense reimbursement.  The Adviser is permitted to be reimbursed only for fee reductions and expense payments made in the previous three fiscal years from the date the expense was incurred.  Any such reimbursement is also contingent upon the Board’s subsequent review of the reimbursed amounts.  Such reimbursement may not be paid prior to the Fund’s payment of current ordinary operating expenses.
 
 
B-29

 

Portfolio Managers

The Fund is managed by Michael Jarzyna.

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager. As of the date of this SAI, information on these other accounts is as follows.

Michael Jarzyna, CFA
     
     
With Advisory Fee based on
performance
Type of Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total
Assets
Number of
Accounts
Total
Assets
Registered Investment Companies
None
$0
None
$0
Other Pooled Investments
None
$0
None
$0
Other Accounts
6
$750,000
None
$0
 
Material Conflicts of Interest.  Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other account.  Where conflicts of interest arise between the Fund and other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, the Adviser will proceed in a manner that ensures that the Fund will not be treated less favorably.  There may be instances where similar portfolio transactions may be executed for the same security for numerous accounts managed by the portfolio managers.  In such instances, securities will be allocated in accordance with the Adviser’s trade allocation policy.

Compensation.  The portfolio manager is a founding partner of Stone Toro and does not receive a fixed salary.  The portfolio manager’s salary and bonus is based on the Adviser’s overall profitability, not the profitability of a single fund or strategy.

Ownership of the Fund by the Portfolio Manager.  As of the date of this SAI, the portfolio manager did not own any shares of the Fund.

Service Providers

Pursuant to a Co-Administration Agreement (the “Co-Administration Agreement”), UMB Fund Services, Inc. (“UMBFS”), 803 W. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233, and Mutual Fund Administration Corporation (“MFAC”), 2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226, Glendora, California 91740 (collectively the “Co-Administrators”), act as co-administrators for the Fund.  The Co-Administrators provide certain administrative services to the Fund, including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparing for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance with applicable laws and regulations including those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including net asset value and yield; arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund; and providing, at their own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out their duties.  In this capacity, the Co-Administrators do not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of Fund shares.  The Co-Administration Agreement provides that neither Co-Administrator shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust or its series, except for losses resulting from a Co-Administrator's willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.
 
 
B-30

 

As compensation for their services, the Fund pays the Co-Administrators an administration fee payable monthly at the annual rate set forth below as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets:

Net Assets
Rate
First $150 million
0.10%
Next $100 million
0.08%
Thereafter
0.05%

UMBFS also acts as the Trust’s fund accountant, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent pursuant to separate agreements.

Because the Fund is a newly formed fund that has yet to commence operations, the Fund has not paid any fees to the Co-Administrators as of the date of this SAI.

UMB Bank, n.a. (the “Custodian”), an affiliate of UMBFS, is the custodian of the assets of the Fund pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the Trust, whereby the Custodian provides services for fees on a transactional basis plus out-of-pocket expenses.  The Custodian’s address is 928 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri  64106.  The Custodian does not participate in decisions pertaining to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund.

__________________, [address], is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.  Its services include auditing the Fund’s financial statements and the performance of related tax services.

Bingham McCutchen LLP (“Bingham”), 355 South Grand Avenue, Suite 4400, Los Angeles, California 90071, serves as counsel to the Trust and provides counsel on legal matters relating to the Fund.  Bingham also serves as independent legal counsel to the Board of Trustees.

Distribution Services

The Trust has entered into a Distribution Agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with IMST Distributors, LLC. The Distributor (also known as the principal underwriter) of the shares of the Fund is located at Three Canal Plaza, Sutie 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

Under a Distribution Agreement with the Trust dated January 1, 2013 (the “Distribution Agreement”) the Distributor acts as the agent of the Trust in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Fund. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund Shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust.
 
 
B-31

 

The Distribution Agreement has an initial term of up to two years and will continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and, in either case, by a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Distribution Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party.  The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf  of the Fund on 30 days’ written notice when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust, or by the Distributor on 30 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).  The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the performance of the Distributor's obligations and duties under the Distribution Agreement, except a loss resulting from the Distributor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of such duties and obligations, or by reason of its reckless disregard thereof.

Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Board has adopted, on behalf of the Fund, a Shareholder Service Plan (the “Service Plan”) under which the Adviser will provide, or arrange for others to provide, certain specified shareholder services.  As compensation for the provision of shareholder services, the Fund will pay the Adviser a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.15% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.  The Adviser will pay certain banks, trust companies, broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (each, a “Service Organization”) out of the fees the Adviser receives from the Fund under the Service Plan to the extent that the Service Organization performs shareholder servicing functions for Fund shares owned by its customers.

Marketing and Support Payments

The Adviser, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide cash payments or other compensation to certain financial intermediaries who sell shares of the Fund. These payments are in addition to other fees described in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, and are generally provided for shareholder services or marketing support.  Payments for marketing support are typically for inclusion of the Fund on sales lists, including electronic sales platforms.  Investors may wish to take these payments into account when considering and evaluating recommendations to purchase shares of the Fund.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions.  The purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed by using a broker for the transaction.

Purchases of portfolio securities for the Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters.  Where possible, purchase and sale transactions will be effected through dealers (including banks) that specialize in the types of securities which the Fund will be holding unless better executions are available elsewhere.  Dealers and underwriters usually act as principals for their own accounts.  Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price.  If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter that has provided research or other services as discussed below.
 
 
B-32

 

In placing portfolio transactions, the Adviser will use its reasonable efforts to choose broker-dealers capable of providing the services necessary to obtain the most favorable price and execution available.  The full range and quality of services available will be considered in making these determinations, such as the size of the order, the difficulty of execution, the operational facilities of the broker-dealer involved, the risk in positioning the block of securities, and other factors.  In those instances where it is reasonably determined that more than one broker-dealer can offer the services needed to obtain the most favorable price and execution available, consideration may be given to those broker-dealers which furnish or supply research and statistical information to the Adviser that they may lawfully and appropriately use in their investment advisery capacities, as well as provide other services in addition to execution services.  The Adviser considers such information, which is in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by it under its Advisory Agreement with the Fund, to be useful in varying degrees, but of indeterminable value.

While it is the Fund’s general policy to seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services as defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to the Fund or to the Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Adviser in advising other clients.  In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer.  The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund.

Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of other client accounts that may be managed or advised by the Adviser.  Nevertheless, it is possible that at times, identical securities will be acceptable for both the Fund and one or more of such client accounts.  In such event, the position of the Fund and such client accounts in the same issuer may vary and the holding period may likewise vary.  However, to the extent any of these client accounts seek to acquire the same security as the Fund at the same time, the Fund may not be able to acquire as large a position in such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher price or obtain a lower yield for such security.  Similarly, the Fund may not be able to obtain as high a price for, or as large an execution of, an order to sell any particular security at the same time as the Adviser’s other client accounts.

The Fund does not effect securities transactions through brokers in accordance with any formula, nor does it effect securities transactions through brokers in recognition of the brokers sale of Fund shares.  However, broker-dealers who execute brokerage transactions may effect purchase of shares of the Fund for their customers.
 
 
B-33

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
 
Although the Fund generally will not invest for short-term trading purposes, portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action.  Portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing (1) the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by (2) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned during the fiscal year.  A 100% turnover rate would occur if all the securities in the Fund’s portfolio, with the exception of securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less, were sold and either repurchased or replaced within one year.  A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) generally leads to higher transaction costs and may result in a greater number of taxable transactions.  To the extent net short-term capital gains are realized, any distributions resulting from such gains will be taxed at ordinary income tax rates for federal income tax purposes.

PROXY VOTING POLICY
 
The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Policies”) on behalf of the Trust, which delegates the responsibility for voting the Fund’s proxies to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight.  The Policies require that the Adviser vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund.  The Policies also require the Adviser to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Adviser’s Proxy Policies”) and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.  See Appendix B for the Adviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Guidelines.  This policy is intended to serve as a guideline and to further the economic value of each security held by the Fund.  The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) will review this policy on a regular basis.  Each proxy will be considered individually, taking into account the relevant circumstances at the time of each vote.

If a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the Adviser’s interests and the Fund’s interests, the Adviser will resolve the conflict by following the policy guidelines or the recommendation of an independent third party.

The Fund is required to annually file Form N-PX, which lists the Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the 12-month period ending June 30th each year.  Once filed, the Fund’s proxy voting record will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free 1-_______________ and on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROGRAM
 
The Trust has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “Program”) as required by the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”).  In order to ensure compliance with this law, the Program provides for the development and implementation of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

Procedures to implement the Program include, but are not limited to, determining that the Fund’s Distributor and Transfer Agent have established proper anti-money laundering procedures, reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity, checking shareholder names against designated government lists, including Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), and a complete and thorough review of all new opening account applications.  The Trust will not transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.
 
 
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PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION

The Fund has adopted policies and procedures regarding disclosure of portfolio holdings information (the “Disclosure Policy”).  The Board of Trustees determined that the adoption of the Disclosure Policy, including the disclosure permitted therein, was in the best interests of the Fund.  The Disclosure Policy applies to the Fund, Adviser and other internal parties involved in the administration, operation or custody of the Fund, including, but not limited to UMBFS, MFAC, the Board of Trustees, counsel to the Trust and Independent Trustees, Bingham McCutchen LLP, and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, _______________ (collectively, the “Service Providers”).  Pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, non-public information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings may be disclosed to its Service Providers only if such disclosure is consistent with the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the fiduciary duties owed by the Fund and the Adviser to the Fund’s shareholders.  The Fund and its Service Providers may not receive compensation or any other consideration (which includes any agreement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Adviser) in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information of the Fund.  The Fund’s Disclosure Policy is implemented and overseen by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust, subject to the oversight of the Board of Trustees.  Periodic reports regarding these procedures will be provided to the Trust’s Board.

Portfolio holdings information will be deemed public (1) when it has been posted to the Fund's public website (www.___________.com) or (2) in periodic regulatory filings on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov).  In addition, management of the Fund may make publicly available its portfolio holdings by making such information available to any person who calls the Fund’s toll-free number at 1-_______________, no earlier than five days following the effective date of such information (e.g., information as of January 31 may be made available no earlier than February 5).

Non-Public Portfolio Holdings Information Policy.  All portfolio holdings information that has not been disseminated in a manner making it available to investors generally as described above is considered non-public portfolio holdings information for the purposes of the Disclosure Policy.  Pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, the Fund or its Service Providers may disclose non-public portfolio holdings information to certain third parties who fall within pre-authorized categories on a daily basis, with no lag time unless otherwise specified below.  These third parties include: (i) the Fund’s Service Providers and others who need access to such information in the performance of their contractual or other duties and responsibilities to the Fund (e.g., custodians, accountants, the Adviser, administrators, attorneys, officers and Trustees) and who are subject to duties of confidentiality imposed by law or contract, (ii) brokers who execute trades for the Fund, (iii) evaluation service providers (as described below) and (iv) shareholders requesting in-kind redemptions (as described below).

Evaluation Service Providers.  These third parties include mutual fund evaluation services, such as Morningstar and Lipper, if the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for disclosing the information, provided that the third party expressly agrees to maintain the non-public portfolio holdings information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities based on the non-public portfolio holdings information.  Subject to the terms and conditions of any agreement between the Fund or its authorized service providers and the third party, if these conditions for disclosure are satisfied, there shall be no restriction on the frequency with which the Fund’s non-public portfolio holdings information is released, and no lag period shall apply.  In addition, persons who owe a duty of trust or confidence to the Fund or its Service Providers (such as legal counsel) may receive non-public portfolio holdings information without entering into a non-disclosure agreement.
 
 
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Shareholder In-Kind Distributions.  The Fund’s shareholders may, in some circumstances, elect to redeem their shares of the Fund in exchange for their pro rata share of the securities held by the Fund.  In such circumstances, pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, Fund shareholders may receive a complete listing of the portfolio holdings of the Fund up to seven (7) calendar days prior to making the redemption request provided that they represent orally or in writing that they agree to maintain the confidentiality of the portfolio holdings information.

Other Entities.  Pursuant to the Disclosure Policy, the Fund or the Adviser may disclose non-public portfolio holdings information to a third party who does not fall within the pre-approved categories, and who are not executing broker-dealers; however, prior to the receipt of any non-public portfolio holdings information by such third party, the recipient must have entered into a non-disclosure agreement and the disclosure arrangement must have been approved by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Trust.  The Chief Compliance Officer will report to the Board of Trustees on a quarterly basis regarding any recipients of non-public portfolio holdings information approved pursuant to this paragraph.  There are no other ongoing arrangements as of the date of this SAI.

Current Arrangements Regarding Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings As of the date of this SAI, the Trust or a Fund has ongoing business arrangements with the following entities which involve making portfolio holdings information available to such entities as an incidental part of the services they provide to the Trust: (i) Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP (the “Adviser”), MFAC and UMBFS (the Trust's co-administrators) and UMB Bank, n.a. (the “Custodian”) pursuant to investment management, administration and custody agreements, respectively, under which the Trust’s portfolio holdings information is provided daily on a real-time basis (i.e., with no time lag); (ii) [proxy voting company, if any] pursuant to a proxy voting agreement under which the Funds' portfolio holdings information is provided bi-weekly (iii) ____________________ (independent registered public accounting firm), Bingham McCutchen LLP (attorneys) and other professionals engaged by the Trust to whom the Trust provides portfolio holdings information on a regular basis with varying lag times after the date of the information, and (iv) Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Inc., Thomson Financial, Vickers Stock Research Corporation, and Bloomberg L.P., to which the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided quarterly after the end of the previous fiscal quarter, with a 60-day time lag and no earlier than the date such information is filed on the SEC’s EDGAR system on Form N-Q (for the first and third fiscal quarters) or the Annual or Semi-Annual Report is mailed to shareholders (for the second and fourth fiscal quarters), as applicable.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE
 
The NAV of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate and is determined as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) each business day.  The NYSE annually announces the days on which it will not be open for trading.  The most recent announcement indicates that the NYSE will not be open for the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  However, the NYSE may close on days not included in that announcement.
 
 
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The NAV is computed by dividing the value of the securities held by the Fund plus any cash or other assets (including interest and dividends accrued but not yet received) minus all liabilities (including accrued expenses) by the total number of shares in the Fund outstanding at such time.

Net Assets
=
NAV
Shares Outstanding

Generally, the Fund’s investments are valued at market value or, in the absence of a market value, at fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser and the Trust’s Valuation Committee pursuant to procedures approved by or under the direction of the Board.  Pursuant to those procedures, the Board considers, among other things: 1) the last sale price on the securities exchange, if any, on which a security is primarily traded; 2) the mean between the bid and ask prices; 3) price quotations from an approved pricing service, and 4) other factors as necessary to determine a fair value under certain circumstances.

The Fund’s securities which are traded on securities exchanges are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which such securities are traded, as of the close of business on the day the securities are being valued or, lacking any reported sales, at the mean between the last available bid and ask prices.

Securities that are traded on more than one exchange are valued on the exchange determined by the Adviser to be the primary market.  Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation (“NASDAQ”), National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”).  If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has not been any sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and ask prices.  Over-the-counter (“OTC”) securities which are not traded in the NASDAQ National Market System shall be valued at the most recent trade price.

Stocks that are “thinly traded” or events occurring when a foreign market is closed but the NYSE is open (for example, the value of a security held by the Fund has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded) may create a situation where a market quote would not be readily available.  When a market quote is not readily available, the security’s value is based on “fair value” as determined by procedures adopted by the Board.  The Board will periodically review the reliability of the Fund’s fair value methodology.  The Fund may hold portfolio securities, such as those traded on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund’s shares are not priced.  Therefore, the value of the Fund’s shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem shares.

Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above.  Short-term securities with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, amortized to maturity based on their cost to the Fund if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60th day, based on the value determined on the 61st day.
 
 
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All other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Board in good faith deems appropriate to reflect as their fair value.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES

Detailed information on the purchase and redemption of shares is included in the Fund’s Prospectus.  Shares of the Fund are sold at the next offering price calculated after receipt of an order for purchase.  In order to purchase shares of the Fund, you must invest the initial minimum investment for the relevant class of shares.  However, the Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive the minimum initial investment amount for certain investors, or to waive or reduce the minimum initial investment for 401(k) plans or other tax-deferred retirement plans.  You may purchase shares on any day that the NYSE is open for business by placing orders with the Fund.

The Fund reserves the right to refuse any purchase requests, particularly those that would not be in the best interests of the Fund or its shareholders and could adversely affect the Fund or its operations.  This includes those from any individual or group who, in the Fund’s view, is likely to engage in or has a history of excessive trading (usually defined as more than four round-trip transactions out of the Fund within a calendar year).  Furthermore, the Trust may suspend the right to redeem its shares or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for more than three business days (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend or holiday closings) or trading on the NYSE is restricted;  (ii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which the sale by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the value of its net assets;  (iii) for such other periods as the SEC may permit for the protection of the Fund’s shareholders; or (iv) to ensure a recent purchase made by check clears.

Redemptions In Kind

The Trust has filed an election under SEC Rule 18f-1 committing to pay in cash all redemptions by a shareholder of record up to amounts specified by the rule (the lesser of (i) $250,000 or (ii) 1% of the Fund’s assets).  The Fund has reserved the right to pay the redemption price of its shares in excess of the amounts specified by the rule, either totally or partially, by an in-kind distribution of portfolio securities (instead of cash).  The securities so distributed would be valued at the same amounts as those assigned to them in calculating the NAV for the Fund shares being redeemed.  If a shareholder receives an in-kind distribution, the shareholder could incur brokerage or other charges in converting the securities to cash.

The Fund does not intend to hold any significant percentage of its portfolio in illiquid securities, although the Fund, like virtually all mutual funds, may from time to time hold a small percentage of securities that are illiquid.  In the unlikely event the Fund were to elect to make an in-kind redemption, the Fund expects that it would follow the normal protocol of making such distribution by way of a pro rata distribution based on its entire portfolio. If the Fund held illiquid securities, such distribution may contain a pro rata portion of such illiquid securities or the Fund may determine, based on a materiality assessment, not to include illiquid securities in the in-kind redemption. The Fund does not anticipate that it would ever selectively distribute a greater than pro rata portion of any illiquid securities to satisfy a redemption request. If such securities are included in the distribution, shareholders may not be able to liquidate such securities and may be required to hold such securities indefinitely. Shareholders’ ability to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind may be restricted by resale limitations or substantial restrictions on transfer imposed by the issuers of the securities or by law. Shareholders may only be able to liquidate such securities distributed in-kind at a substantial discount from their value, and there may be higher brokerage costs associated with any subsequent disposition of these securities by the recipient.
 
 
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FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal (and, where noted, state and local) income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders. The discussion is very general. Current and prospective shareholders are therefore urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund is treated as a separate entity from other series of the Trust for federal income tax purposes.  The Fund has elected to be treated and intends to qualify each year to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code by complying with all applicable requirements of the Code, including, among other things, requirements as to the sources of the Fund’s income, diversification of the Fund’s assets and timing of Fund distributions.  To so qualify, a Fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditionally permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. Government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, in the securities (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”

As a regulated investment company, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement.  In order to avoid liability for federal excise tax, the Fund must distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (ii) 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12-month period ending on October 31 during such year and (iii) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax.  The Fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporate tax rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders. The Fund's policy is to distribute to its shareholders all investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and any net capital gains for each fiscal year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements of the Code, so that the Fund will not be subject to any federal income or excise taxes.
 
 
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If, for any taxable year, the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company or to meet certain minimum distribution requirements under the Code, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.  In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes.  However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) for taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2013, to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders.  Moreover, if the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company.  Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a regulated investment company, but in order to do so the Fund might incur significant Fund-level taxes and might be forced to dispose of certain assets.  If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within ten years of qualifying as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

Shareholders will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by the Fund whether paid in cash or additional shares.  Distributions of net investment income (including interest, dividend income and net short-term capital gain in excess of any net long-term capital loss, less certain expenses), other than qualified dividend income, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.  For taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2013, distributions of qualified dividend income, as such term is defined in Section 1(h)(11) of the Code (generally dividends received from U.S. domestic corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met), generally will be taxed to non-corporate shareholders at the federal income tax rates applicable to net capital gain, provided the Fund reports the amount distributed as qualified dividend income.

Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, will be taxable to non-corporate shareholders as long-term capital gain without regard to how long a shareholder has held shares of the Fund.  The Fund may retain certain amounts of capital gains and designate them as undistributed net capital gain in a notice to its shareholders, who (i) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amounts so designated, (ii) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the income tax paid by the fund on those undistributed amounts against their federal income tax liabilities and to claim refunds to the extent such credits exceed their liabilities and (iii) will be entitled to increase their federal income tax basis in their shares by an amount equal to the excess of the amounts of undistributed net capital gain included in their respective income over their respective income tax credits.
 
 
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Dividends paid by the Fund may qualify in part for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain holding period and other requirements under the Code are satisfied.  The reported amount, however, cannot exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its taxable year.  In view of the Fund's investment policies, it is expected that dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund's gross income and that, accordingly, a portion of the distributions by the Fund will be eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income and for the dividends received deduction.  However, the portion of the Fund's gross income attributable to qualified dividend income and qualifying dividends is largely dependent on the Fund's investment activities for a particular year and, therefore, cannot be predicted with any certainty.  Qualified dividend income treatment and the dividends received deduction may be reduced or eliminated if, among other things, (i) the shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property or (ii) certain holding period requirements are not satisfied at both the Fund and shareholder levels.  In addition, qualified dividend income treatment is not available if a shareholder elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest.

Dividends and distributions from the Fund will generally be taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012.

Shareholders who choose to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the NAV of a share on the reinvestment date.  Distributions are generally taxable when received.  However, distributions declared in October, November or December to shareholders of record on a date in such a month and paid the following January are taxable for federal income tax purposes as if received on December 31 of the calendar year in which declared.  Distributions are includable in alternative minimum taxable income in computing a shareholder's liability for the federal alternative minimum tax.

A redemption of Fund shares may result in recognition of a taxable gain or loss.  The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for more than one year.  If the shares were held for one year or less, the gain or loss will generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.  Any loss realized upon redemption or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions of long-term capital gains during such six-month period.  Any loss realized upon a redemption may be disallowed under certain wash sale rules to the extent shares of the same Fund or other substantially identical stock or securities are purchased (through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the redemption.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the Fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886.  Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted.  The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper.  Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations considering their individual circumstances.
 
 
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The Fund's transactions in options and other similar transactions, such as futures, may be subject to special provisions of the Code that, among other things, affect the character of any income realized by the Fund from such investments, accelerate recognition of income to the Fund, defer Fund losses, affect the holding period of the Fund's securities, affect whether distributions will be eligible for the dividends received deduction or be treated as qualified dividend income and affect the determination of whether capital gain and loss is characterized as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss.  These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders.  These provisions may also require the Fund to "mark-to-market" certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding U.S. federal income and excise taxes.  The Fund will monitor these transactions and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records, and if the Fund deems it advisable, will make appropriate elections in order to mitigate the effect of these rules, prevent disqualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company and minimize the imposition of U.S. federal income and excise taxes.

The Fund's transactions in broad based equity index futures contracts, exchange-traded options on such indices and certain other futures contracts are generally considered "Section 1256 contracts" for federal income tax purposes.  Any unrealized gains or losses on such Section 1256 contracts are treated as though they were realized at the end of each taxable year.  The resulting gain or loss is treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss.  Gain or loss recognized on actual sales of Section 1256 contracts is treated in the same manner.  As noted above, distributions of net short-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income while distributions of net long-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long the shareholder has held shares of the Fund.

The Fund's entry into a short sale transaction, an option or certain other contracts, such as futures, could be treated as the constructive sale of an appreciated financial position, causing the Fund to realize gain, but not loss, on the position.

If the Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments.  However, the Fund must distribute, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid), including such accrued income to shareholders to avoid federal income and excise taxes.  Therefore, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities (potentially under disadvantageous circumstances) to generate cash, or may have to undertake leverage by borrowing cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements.  Dispositions of portfolio securities may result in additional gains and additional distribution requirements.

If the Fund invests in a market discount bond, it will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues as discussed above.  A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond).
 
 
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The Fund may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries, including taxes on interest, dividends and capital gains with respect to its investments in those countries, which would, if imposed, reduce the yield on or return from those investments.  Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases.  So long as the Fund qualifies for treatment as a regulated investment company and incurs “qualified foreign taxes,” if more than 50% of its net assets at the close of its taxable year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of such foreign taxes paid.  If this election is made, information with respect to the amount of the foreign income taxes that are allocated to the Fund's shareholders will be provided to them and any shareholder subject to tax on dividends will be required (i) to include in ordinary gross income (in addition to the amount of the taxable dividends actually received) his/her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid that are attributable to such dividends; and (ii) either deduct his/her proportionate share of such foreign taxes in computing his/her taxable income or to claim that amount as a foreign tax credit (subject to applicable limitations) against U.S. income taxes.

Qualified foreign taxes generally include taxes that would be treated as income taxes under U.S. tax regulations but do not include most other taxes, such as stamp taxes, securities transaction taxes, and similar taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions for U.S. federal income tax purposes will not, however, be able to deduct their pro rata portion of qualified foreign taxes paid by the Fund, although such shareholders will be required to include their shares of such taxes in gross income if the Fund makes the election described above.  No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability.

If the Fund makes this election and a shareholder chooses to take a credit for the foreign taxes deemed paid by such shareholder, the amount of the credit that may be claimed in any year may not exceed the same proportion of the U.S. tax against which such credit is taken that the shareholder’s taxable income from foreign sources (but not in excess of the shareholder’s entire taxable income) bears to his entire taxable income. For this purpose, long-term and short-term capital gains the Fund realizes and distributes to shareholders will generally not be treated as income from foreign sources in their hands, nor will distributions of certain foreign currency gains subject to Section 988 of the Code or of any other income realized by the Fund that is deemed, under the Code, to be U.S.-source income in the hands of the Fund. This foreign tax credit limitation may also be applied separately to certain specific categories of foreign-source income and the related foreign taxes. As a result of these rules, which may have different effects depending upon each shareholder’s particular tax situation, certain shareholders may not be able to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund. Shareholders who are not liable for U.S. federal income taxes, including tax-exempt shareholders, will ordinarily not benefit from this election. If the Fund does make the election, it will provide required tax information to shareholders. The Fund generally may deduct any foreign taxes that are not passed through to its shareholders in computing its income available for distribution to shareholders to satisfy applicable tax distribution requirements.

Foreign exchange gains or losses realized by the Fund in connection with certain transactions involving foreign currency-denominated debt securities, certain options and futures contracts relating to foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currencies, or payables or receivables denominated in a foreign currency are subject to Section 988 of the Code, which generally causes such gains or losses to be treated as ordinary gain or loss and may affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.
 
 
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The Fund may purchase the securities of certain foreign investment funds or trusts called passive foreign investment companies ("PFICs").  PFICs may be the only or primary means by which the Fund may invest in some countries.  If the Fund invests in PFICs, it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any "excess distribution" or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend to shareholders.  Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on either the Fund or shareholders with respect to deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.  Capital gains on the sale of such holdings will be deemed to be ordinary income regardless of how long such PFICs are held.  A “qualified electing fund” election or a “mark to market” election may generally be available that would ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but such elections could require the Fund to recognize taxable income or gain (subject to the distribution requirements applicable to regulated investment companies, as described above) without the concurrent receipt of cash. In order to satisfy the distribution requirements and avoid a tax on the Fund, the Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the fund. In order for the Fund to make a qualified electing fund election with respect to a PFIC, the PFIC would have to agree to provide certain tax information to the Fund on an annual basis, which it might not agree to do. The Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in PFICs to limit its tax liability or maximize its return from these investments.

Ordinary dividends and certain other payments made by the Fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate (or a lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty).  In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty.  The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States.  The effectively connected dividends in this particular instance will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder.  A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate, depending on the applicable tax treaty).  A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

The 30% withholding tax generally does not apply to distributions of net capital gains.  For Fund taxable years that began before January 1, 2013, the 30% withholding tax will also not apply to dividends that the Fund reports as (a) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund’s “qualified net interest income,” or (b) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund’s “qualified short-term gain.” “Qualified net interest income” is the Fund’s net income derived from U.S.-source interest and original issue discount, subject to certain exceptions and limitations. “Qualified short-term gain” generally means the excess of the net short-term capital gain of the Fund for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss, if any. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder has to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form).

Distributions paid after December 31, 2013 and redemption payments paid after December 31, 2014 to a shareholder that is a “foreign financial institution” as defined in Section 1471 of the Code and that does not meet the requirements imposed on foreign financial institutions by Section 1471 will generally be subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate notwithstanding the status of any such amounts as capital gain dividends, short-term capital gain dividends or interest-related dividends.  Distributions paid after December 31, 2013 and redemption payments paid after December 31, 2014 to a non-U.S. shareholder that is not a foreign financial institution will generally be subject to such withholding tax if the shareholder fails to make certain required certifications.   The extent, if any, to which such withholding tax may be reduced or eliminated by an applicable tax treaty is unclear.
 
 
B-44

 

The Fund is required to withhold (as “backup withholding”) a portion of reportable payments, including dividends, capital gain distributions and the proceeds of redemptions and exchanges or repurchases of Fund shares, paid to shareholders who have not complied with certain IRS regulations. The backup withholding rate is currently 28% and is scheduled to increase to 31% in 2013.  In order to avoid this withholding requirement, shareholders, other than certain exempt entities, must certify on IRS Forms W-9 or on certain other documents, that the Social Security Numbers or other Taxpayer Identification Numbers they provide are their correct numbers and that they are not currently subject to backup withholding, or that they are exempt from backup withholding. The Fund may nevertheless be required to backup withhold if it receives notice from the IRS or a broker that a number provided is incorrect or that backup withholding is applicable as a result of previous underreporting of interest or dividend income

This discussion and the related discussion in the Prospectus have been prepared by management of the Fund, and counsel to the Trust has expressed no opinion in respect thereof.

Prospective shareholders of the Fund should consult their own tax advisors concerning the effect of owning shares of the Fund in light of their particular tax situations.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund will receive income in the form of dividends and interest earned on its investments in securities.  This income, less the expenses incurred in its operations, is the Fund’s net investment income, substantially all of which will be declared as dividends to the Fund’s shareholders.

The amount of income dividend payments by the Fund is dependent upon the amount of net investment income received by the Fund from its portfolio holdings, is not guaranteed and is subject to the discretion of the Board.  The Fund does not pay “interest” or guarantee any fixed rate of return on an investment in its shares.

The Fund also may derive capital gains or losses in connection with sales or other dispositions of its portfolio securities.  Any net gain the Fund may realize from transactions involving investments held for less than the period required for long-term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing short-term capital gains and losses (taking into account any available carryover of capital losses), although a distribution from capital gains, will be distributed to shareholders with and as a part of the income dividends paid by the Fund and will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.  If during any year the Fund realizes a net gain on transactions involving investments held for more than the period required for long-term capital gain or loss recognition or otherwise producing long-term capital gains and losses, the Fund will have a net long-term capital gain.  After deduction of the amount of any net short-term capital loss, the balance (to the extent not offset by any capital losses available to be carried over) generally will be distributed and treated as long-term capital gains in the hands of the shareholders regardless of the length of time the Fund’s shares may have been held by the shareholders.  For more information concerning applicable capital gains tax rates, see your tax advisor.
 
 
B-45

 

Any dividend or distribution paid by the Fund reduces the Fund’s NAV on the date paid by the amount of the dividend or distribution per share.  Accordingly, a dividend or distribution paid shortly after a purchase of shares by a shareholder would represent, in substance, a partial return of capital (to the extent it is paid on the shares so purchased), even though it would be subject to federal income taxes.

Dividends and other distributions will be made in the form of additional shares of the Fund unless the shareholder has otherwise indicated.  Investors have the right to change their elections with respect to the reinvestment of dividends and distributions by notifying the transfer agent in writing, but any such change will be effective only as to dividends and other distributions for which the record date is seven or more business days after the transfer agent has received the written request.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Investment Managers Series Trust (formerly known as Claymore Trust) is an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on February 15, 2005.  The Trust changed its name to Investment Managers Series Trust on December 3, 2007.  The Trust currently consists of several series of shares of beneficial interest, par value of $0.01 per share.  The Trust’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest and to divide or combine the shares into a greater or lesser number of shares without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in the Fund.  Each share represents an interest in the Fund proportionately equal to the interest of each other share.  Upon the Fund’s liquidation, all shareholders would share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders.

With respect to the Fund, the Trust may offer more than one class of shares.  The Trust has reserved the right to create and issue additional series or classes.  Each share of a series or class represents an equal proportionate interest in that series or class with each other share of that series or class.

The shares of each series or class participate equally in the earnings, dividends and assets of the particular series or class.  Expenses of the Trust, which are not attributable to a specific series or class, are allocated among all the series in a manner believed by management of the Trust to be fair and equitable.  Shares issued do not have pre-emptive or conversion rights.  Shares when issued are fully paid and non-assessable, except as set forth below.  Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each share held.  Shares of each series or class generally vote together, except when required under federal securities laws to vote separately on matters that only affect a particular series or class, such as the approval of distribution plans for a particular class.

The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders but will hold special meetings of shareholders of a series or class when, in the judgment of the Board, it is necessary or desirable to submit matters for a shareholder vote.  Shareholders have, under certain circumstances, the right to communicate with other shareholders in connection with requesting a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of removing one or more trustees.  Shareholders also have, in certain circumstances, the right to remove one or more trustees without a meeting.  No material amendment may be made to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each portfolio affected by the amendment.
 
 
B-46

 

The Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that, at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust or of any series or class, a shareholder servicing agent may vote any shares as to which such shareholder servicing agent is the agent of record for shareholders who are not represented in person or by proxy at the meeting, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares of that portfolio otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such shareholder servicing agent is the agent of record.  Any shares so voted by a shareholder servicing agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for purposes of quorum requirements.  Any series or class may be terminated (i) upon the merger or consolidation with, or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of its assets to, another entity, if approved by the vote of the holders of two-thirds of its outstanding shares, except that if the Board recommends such merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of assets, the approval by vote of the holders of a majority of the series’ or class’ outstanding shares will be sufficient, or (ii) by the vote of the holders of a majority of its outstanding shares, or (iii) by the Board by written notice to the series’ or class’ shareholders.  Unless each series and class is so terminated, the Trust will continue indefinitely.

The Declaration of Trust provides that no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be subject to any personal liability in connection with the assets or affairs of the Trust or any of its series except for losses in connection with his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.

The Trust’s Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities.  Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust itself was unable to meet its obligations.

The Declaration of Trust does not require the issuance of stock certificates.  If stock certificates are issued, they must be returned by the registered owners prior to the transfer or redemption of shares represented by such certificates.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that as to any investment company which has two or more series outstanding and as to any matter required to be submitted to shareholder vote, such matter is not deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a “majority” (as defined in the rule) of the voting securities of each series affected by the matter.  Such separate voting requirements do not apply to the election of Trustees or the ratification of the selection of accountants.  The Rule contains special provisions for cases in which an advisory contract is approved by one or more, but not all, series.  A change in investment policy may go into effect as to one or more series whose holders so approve the change even though the required vote is not obtained as to the holders of other affected series.

The Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor have adopted Codes of Ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act.  These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of the Adviser and Distributor to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.
 
 
B-47

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

As the Fund has recently commenced operations, there are no financial statements available at this time.  Shareholders of the Fund will be informed of the Fund’s progress through periodic reports when those reports become available.  Financial statements certified by the independent registered public accounting firm will be submitted to shareholders at least annually.
 
 
B-48

 
 
APPENDIX A
DESCRIPTION OF SHORT-TERM RATINGS

Description of certain short-term ratings assigned by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“S&P”) and Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”):

S&P

A-1 - A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by S&P.  The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong.  Within this category, certain obligations are given a plus sign (+) designation.  This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2  - A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories.  However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

Moody’s

Prime rating system (short-term)
Issuers rated Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations.  Prime-1 repayment ability will often be evidenced by (a) leading market positions in well-established industries, (b).high rates of return on funds employed, (c) conservative capitalization structure with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection, (d) broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation, and (e) well-established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.

Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of senior short-term debt obligations.  This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree.  Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, may be more subject to variation.  Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions.  Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.

Issuers rated Prime-3 (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable ability for repayment of senior short-term obligations.  The effect of industry characteristics and market compositions may be more pronounced.  Variability in earnings and profitability may result in changes in the level of debt protection measurements and may require relatively high financial leverage.  Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.
 
 
B-49

 
 
APPENDIX B
ADVISER’S PROXY POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
 

STONE TORO INVESTMENT ADVISERS LP
Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
Pending
 
 
 
B-50
 
 
 

 
 
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

Stone Toro Relative Value Fund
 
ITEM 28.
EXHIBITS

 
(a)
(1) Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Registrant (1)
(2) Certificate of Trust (1)
(3) Amendment to Certificate of Trust (1)
(4) Amendment to Certificate of Trust (2)
(5) Amendment to Certificate of Trust (6)
(6) Amendment to Agreement and Declaration of Trust (2)
(7) Amendment to Agreement and Declaration of Trust (4)
(8) Amendment to Agreement and Declaration of Trust (5)
(9) Certificate of Designation – filed herewith
(b) Amended By-Laws of Registrant (5)
 
(c) Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders is incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.
(d) Investment Advisory Agreement – to be filed by amendment
(e) Distribution Agreement – to be filed by amendment
(f)  Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts is not applicable.
(g) Custody Agreement (3)
(h) Other Material Contracts
(1) Transfer Agency Agreement (5)
(2) Fund Accounting Agreement (5)
(3) Co-Administration Agreement (5)
(4) Amended Operating Expense Agreement – to be filed by amendment
(i) Legal Opinion – to be filed by amendment
(j) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – Not Applicable
(k) Not applicable
(l) Initial Subscription Agreement – to be filed by amendment
(m) Rule 12b-1 Plan – Not Applicable
(n) Rule 18f-3 Plan – Not Applicable
(o) Powers of Attorney (3)
(p) Code of Ethics
(1) Code of Ethics of the Trust (7)
(2) Codes of Ethics of the Advisor – to be filed by amendment
__________________________________________________________________

(1) Previously filed in Registrant's Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 filed with the Commission on March 31, 2006.
(2) Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 filed with the Commission on December 5, 2007.
(3) Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 filed with the Commission on February 1, 2008.
(4) Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 filed with the Commission on March 14, 2008.
(5) Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 filed with the Commission on April 1, 2009.
(6) Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 filed with the Commission on December 30, 2009.
(7) Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 filed with the Commission on June 29, 2010.
 
 
 

 
 
ITEM 29.
PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH THE FUND

See the Statement of Additional Information.

ITEM 30
INDEMNIFICATION

Pursuant to Del. Code Ann. Title 12 Section 3817, a Delaware statutory trust may provide in its governing instrument for the indemnification of its officers and Trustees from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever.

Reference is made to Article 8, Section 8.4 of the Registrant's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, which provides:

Subject to the limitations, if applicable, hereinafter set forth in this Section 8.4, the Trust shall indemnify (from the assets of the Series or Series to which the conduct in question relates) each of its Trustees, officers, employees and agents (including Persons who serve at the Trust's request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise (hereinafter, together with such Person's heirs, executors, administrators or personal representative, referred to as a "Covered Person")) against all liabilities, including but not limited to amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and expenses, including reasonable accountants' and counsel fees, incurred by any Covered Person in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having been such a Trustee or officer, director or trustee, except with respect to any matter as to which it has been determined that such Covered Person (i) did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust; (ii) had acted with willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office (iii) for a criminal proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful (the conduct described in (i), (ii) and (iii) being referred to hereafter as "Disabling Conduct"). A determination that the Covered Person is entitled to indemnification may be made by (i) a final decision on the merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that the Covered Person to be indemnified was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct, (ii) dismissal of a court action or an administrative proceeding against a Covered Person for insufficiency of evidence of Disabling Conduct, or (iii) a reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that the indemnity was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct by (a) a vote of a majority of a quorum of Trustees who are neither "interested persons" of the Trust as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act nor parties to the proceeding (the "Disinterested Trustees"), or (b) an independent legal counsel in a written opinion. Expenses, including accountants' and counsel fees so incurred by any such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), may be paid from time to time by one or more Series to which the conduct in question related in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding; provided that the Covered Person shall have undertaken to repay the amounts so paid to such Series if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Article 8 and (i) the Covered Person shall have provided security for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the disinterested Trustees, or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement between the Trust and IMST Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”), the Trust has agreed to indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor, and each of its present or former directors, members, officers, employees, representatives and any person who controls or previously controlled the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (“Distributor Indemnitees”), free and harmless (a) from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, charges, payments, costs and expenses (including the costs of investigating or defending any alleged losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, charges, payments, costs or expenses and any counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) of any and every nature (“Losses”) which Distributor and/or each of the Distributor Indemnitees may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or
 
 
 

 
 
under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement, or alleged untrue statement, of a material fact contained in the registration statement or any prospectus, an annual or interim report to shareholders or sales literature, or any amendments or supplements thereto, or arising out of or based upon any omission, or alleged omission, to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Trust’s obligation to indemnify Distributor and any of the Distributor Indemnitees shall not be deemed to cover any Losses arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Distributor and furnished to the Trust or its counsel by Distributor in writing for the purpose of, and used in, the preparation thereof; (b) from and against any and all Losses which Distributor and/or each of the Distributor Indemnitees may incur in connection with this Agreement or the Distributor’s performance hereunder, except to the extent the Losses result from the Distributor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, (c) from and against any and all Losses which Distributor and/or each of the Distributor Indemnitees may incur resulting from the actions or inactions of any prior service provider to the Trust or any Funds in existence prior to, and added to Schedule A after, the date of this Agreement, or (d) from and against any and all Losses which Distributor and/or each of the Distributor Indemnitees may incur when acting in accordance with instructions from the Trust or its representatives; and provided further that to the extent this agreement of indemnity may require indemnity of any Distributor Indemnitee who is also a trustee or officer of the Trust, no such indemnity shall inure to the benefit of such trustee or officer if to do so would be against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act.

ITEM 31.
BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER

With respect to the Advisor, the response to this Item will be incorporated by reference to the Advisor’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (Form ADV) on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  The Advisor’s Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

ITEM 32.
IMST DISTRIBUTORS, LLC – Effective January 1, 2013

 
(a)
IMST Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended::

 
(b)
The following are the Officers and Managers of  IMST Distributors, LLC, the Registrant’s underwriter.  Their main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine, 04101.

Name
Address
Position with Underwriter
Position with Registrant
Mark A. Fairbanks
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101
President and Manager
None
Richard J. Berthy
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101
Vice President, Treasurer and Manager
None
Meredith F. Henning
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101
Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer
None
Lisa S. Clifford
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101
Vice President and Managing Director of Compliance
None
Jennifer E. Hoopes
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101
Secretary
None
Nishant Bhatnagar
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101
Assistant Secretary
None

 
(c)
Not applicable.

ITEM 33.
LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.

The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
 
 
 

 

Records Relating to:
Are located at:
Registrant’s Transfer Agent, Fund Accountant and Co-Administrator
UMB Fund Services, Inc.
803 W. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53233 
Registrant’s Co-Administrator
Mutual Fund Administration Corporation
2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226
Glendora, California 91740 
Registrant’s Custodian
UMB Bank, n.a.
928  Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor
Kansas City, Missouri, 64106
Registrant’s Investment Adviser
Stone Toro Investment Advisers LP
313 Commons Way
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Registrant’s Distributor
IMST Distributors, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101
 
ITEM 34.
MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Not applicable

ITEM 35.
UNDERTAKINGS

Not applicable
 
 
 

 
 
SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, on the 14th day of December, 2012.

 
INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST
       
 
By:
/s/ John P. Zader
 
   
John P. Zader, President
 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed on
the 14th day of December, 2012, by the following persons in the capacities set forth below.

Signature
Title
 
 
Ashley Toomey Rabun
 
 
Trustee
 
William H. Young
 
 
Trustee
 
Charles H. Miller
 
 
Trustee
/s/ John P. Zader
 
John P. Zader
Trustee and President
 
 
 
Eric M. Banhazl
 
 
/s/ Rita Dam
Trustee and Vice President
Rita Dam
 
Treasurer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer

By
/s/Rita Dam
 
Attorney-in-fact, pursuant to power of attorney previously filed
with Post-Effective Amendment No. 31 on February 1, 2008.
 
 
 

 
 
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Exhibit No.
Certificate of Designation
EX99.28(a)(9)