497K 1 advisorshares-vice_497k.htm 497K
 

 

ADVISORSHARES VICE ETF (NYSE Arca Ticker: VICE)

SUMMARY PROSPECTUS – November 1, 2020

Before you invest in the AdvisorShares Fund, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, which contain more information about the Fund and the risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s current prospectus and statement of additional information, each dated November 1, 2020, as supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. You can find the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, as well as other information about the Fund, online at http://advisorshares.com/etfs/vice. You may also obtain this information at no charge by calling 877.843.3831 or by sending an email request to info@advisorshares.com.

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or bank. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. Please contact your financial intermediary to elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications electronically. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports and for information about whether your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held with your financial intermediary.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE 

 

The AdvisorShares Vice ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

 

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES 

 

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

 

SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment) None
ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
MANAGEMENT FEES 0.60%
DISTRIBUTION (12b-1) FEES 0.00%
OTHER EXPENSES 0.99%
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES 1.59%
FEE WAIVER/EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT* -0.60% 
TOTAL ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES AFTER FEE WAIVER/EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT  0.99% 

 

 

 

 

  * AdvisorShares Investments, LLC (the “Advisor”) has contractually agreed to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses to keep net expenses (excluding amounts payable pursuant to any plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1, interest expense, taxes, brokerage commissions, acquired fund fees and expenses, other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses) from exceeding 0.99% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for at least one year from the date of this Prospectus. The expense limitation agreement may be terminated, without payment of any penalty, (i) by the Trust for any reason and at any time and (ii) by the Advisor, for any reason, upon ninety (90) days’ prior written notice to the Trust, such termination to be effective as of the close of business on the last day of the then-current one-year period. If it becomes unnecessary for the Advisor to waive fees or reimburse expenses, the Trust’s Board of Trustees may permit the Advisor to retain the difference between the Fund’s total annual operating expenses and the expense limitation currently in effect, or, if lower, the expense limitation that was in effect at the time of the waiver and/or reimbursement, to recapture all or a portion of its prior fee waivers or expense reimbursements within three years of the date they were waived or reimbursed.

 

EXAMPLE

 

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the shares of the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. This Example does not take into account brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that you may pay when purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. If these fees were included, your costs would be higher.

 

The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

  1 YEAR 3 YEARS 5 YEARS 10 YEARS
AdvisorShares Vice ETF $101 $443 $809 $1,839

 

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 rate 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 Total Annual Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. This rate excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind creations or redemptions of the Fund’s shares. During the most recent fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 41% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES 

 

The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities of (i) companies that derive at least 50% of their net revenue from tobacco and alcoholic beverages, (ii) companies that derive at least 50% of their net revenue from the food and beverage industry, and (iii) companies that derive at least 50% of their net revenue from gaming activities. The term “gaming activities” includes casinos and casino hotels, sports betting (including internet gambling and racetracks), and lottery services as well as gaming services, gaming technology and gaming equipment (including video games and esports).

 

The Fund invests primarily in U.S. exchange listed equity securities, including common and preferred stock and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). ADRs are securities traded on a local stock exchange that represent interests in securities issued by a foreign publicly listed company. The investment strategy typically identifies a wide variety of large- and mid-capitalization stocks, as well as numerous small- and micro-cap stocks.

 

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The Fund concentrates at least 25% of its investments in the food, beverage & tobacco industry group within the consumer staples sector. As of June 30, 2020, a significant portion of the Fund’s portfolio was comprised of companies in the agricultural products sub-industry within the consumer staples sector, although this may change from time to time. In addition to its investment in securities of companies that derive a significant portion of their assets or revenue from tobacco and alcoholic beverages, the food and beverage industry, and gaming activities, the Fund also will seek to invest in equity securities of companies that, in the opinion of the Advisor, engage in other vice-related business activities.

 

The Advisor may use a variety of methods for security selection and will seek to focus on firms that are fundamentally sound and have shown consistency in their financial results and earnings quality. As the Fund primarily focuses on certain industries, the Advisor intends to select companies with strong operating histories and dominant positions in their respective markets. The Advisor will utilize numerous outside analyst ratings and stock selection rating tools. In addition, the Advisor may invest the Fund’s assets in lesser-known companies that the Advisor believes have a unique opportunity for growth. At times, the Advisor may aim to buy certain out-of-favor stocks believed to be at prices below their intrinsic value, as measured by the Advisor or outside analysts. The Fund may sell a security when the Advisor believes that the security is overvalued or better investment opportunities are available, or to limit position size within the Fund’s portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND 

 

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, as described below, that may affect the value of its shares, including the possible loss of money. As with any fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

American Depositary Receipt Risk. ADRs have the same currency and economic risks as the underlying non-U.S. shares they represent. They are affected by the risks associated with non-U.S. securities, such as changes in political or economic conditions of other countries, changes in the exchange rates of, or exchange control regulations associated with, foreign currencies, and differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting, and legal standards and practices. In addition, investments in ADRs may be less liquid than the underlying securities in their primary trading market.

 

Consumer Staples Sector Risk: Consumer staples companies are subject to government regulation affecting their products which may negatively impact such companies' performance. Also, the success of food, beverage, household and personal product companies may be strongly affected by consumer interest, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting supply and demand, including performance of the overall domestic and global economy, interest rates, competition and consumer confidence and spending.

 

Agriculture Products Sub-Industry Risk: Economic forces, including forces affecting agricultural markets, as well as government policies and regulations affecting agriculture companies, could adversely impact the Fund’s investments. Agricultural and livestock production and trade flows are significantly affected by government policies and regulations. In addition, companies in the agriculture products sub-industry must comply with a broad range of environmental laws and regulations. Additional or more stringent environmental laws and regulations may be enacted in the future and such changes could have a material adverse effect on the business of such companies. In addition, agriculture companies may be significantly affected by adverse weather, pollution and/or disease which could limit or halt production.

 

Food, Beverage & Tobacco Industry Group Risk: Companies in the food, beverage and tobacco industry are very competitive and subject to a number of risks. Demographic and product trends, changing consumer preferences, nutritional and health-related concerns, competitive pricing, marketing campaigns, environmental factors, adverse changes in general economic conditions, government regulation, food inspection and processing control, consumer boycotts, risks of product tampering, product liability claims, and the availability and expense of liability insurance can affect the demand for, and success of, such companies’ products in the marketplace. Such companies also face risks associated with changing market prices as a result of, among other things, changes in government support and trading policies and agricultural conditions influencing the growth and harvest seasons. Tobacco companies in particular may be adversely affected by the adoption of proposed legislation and/or by litigation.

 

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Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual issuers, industries or the stock market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

 

ETF Market Risk. In stressed market conditions, the market for ETF shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the ETF’s underlying portfolio holdings. This adverse effect on liquidity for the ETF’s shares in turn can lead to differences between the market price of the ETF’s shares and the underlying value of those shares.

 

Gaming Company Risk. The Fund will be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the gaming industry. Companies in the gaming industry include those engaged in casino operations, racetrack operations, sports and horse race betting operations, online gaming operations and/or the provision of related equipment and technologies. Companies in the gaming industry face intense competition, both domestically and internationally. Companies in the gaming industry are also highly regulated, and state and federal legislative changes and licensing issues (as well as the laws of other countries) can significantly impact their ability to operate in certain jurisdictions, the activities in which such companies are allowed to engage and the profitability of companies in the industry. As a result, the securities of gaming companies owned by the Fund may react similarly to, and move in unison with, one another. Furthermore, certain jurisdictions may impose additional restrictions on securities issued by gaming companies organized or operated in such jurisdictions that may be held by the Fund. The gaming industry may also be negatively affected by changes in economic conditions, consumer tastes and discretionary income levels, intense competition, technological developments that may cause these companies to become obsolete quickly, financial resources, markets or personnel. Certain companies in the gaming industry are highly leveraged and have recently experienced financial difficulty. In addition, the gaming industry is characterized by the use of various forms of intellectual property, which are dependent upon patented technologies, trademarked brands and proprietary information. Companies operating in the gaming industry are subject to the risk of significant litigation regarding intellectual property rights, which may adversely affect and financially harm companies in which the Fund may invest.

 

Growth Investing Risk.  Growth stocks can be volatile for several reasons. Since those companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their businesses, they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. The prices of growth stocks are based largely on projections of the issuer’s future earnings and revenues. If a company’s earnings or revenues fall short of expectations, its stock price may fall dramatically.

 

Large-Capitalization Risk. Large-cap securities tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. During a period when the demand for large-cap securities is less than for other types of investments — small-cap securities, for instance — the Fund’s performance could be reduced.

 

Management Risk. The Advisor continuously evaluates the Fund’s holdings, purchases and sales with a view to achieving the Fund’s investment objective. However, achievement of the stated investment objective cannot be guaranteed. The Advisor’s judgment about the markets, the economy, or companies may not anticipate actual market movements, economic conditions or company performance, and these factors may affect the return on your investment.

 

Market Risk. Due to market conditions, the value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate significantly from day to day. Price fluctuations may be temporary or may last for extended periods. This volatility may cause the value of your investment in the Fund to decrease. Local, regional, or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the market generally and on specific securities. The market value of a security may also decline because of factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. Because of its link to the markets, an investment in the Fund may be more suitable for long-term investors who can bear the risk of short-term principal fluctuations, which at times may be significant.

 

Mid-Capitalization Risk. Mid-cap companies may be more volatile and more likely than large-cap companies to have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, and to depend on a few key employees. Returns on investments in stocks of mid-cap companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of large-cap companies or the equity market as a whole.

 

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Small-Capitalization Risk. Security prices of small-cap companies may be more volatile than those of larger companies and, therefore, the Fund’s share price may be more volatile than those of funds that invest a larger percentage of their assets in securities issued by larger-cap companies. These risks are even greater for micro-cap companies.

 

Trading Risk. Shares of the Fund may trade above or below their net asset value (“NAV”). The trading price of the Fund’s shares may deviate significantly from their NAV during periods of market volatility and, in such instances, you may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of the Fund’s shares. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will develop or be maintained. In addition, trading in shares of the Fund may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), make trading in shares inadvisable.

 

Value Investing Risk. Because the Fund may utilize a value style of investing, the Fund could suffer losses or produce poor results relative to other funds, even in a rising market, if the Advisor’s assessment of a company’s value or prospects for exceeding earnings expectations or market conditions is incorrect.

 

FUND PERFORMANCE 

 

The bar chart and table that follow show how the Fund has performed on a calendar year basis and provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The table also shows how the Fund’s performance compares to the S&P 500 Index, which is a broad-based, unmanaged measurement of changes in stock market conditions based on the average of 500 widely held common stocks. Both the bar chart and the table assume the reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. Past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.

 

Updated performance information is available on the Fund’s website at www.advisorshares.com.

 

Calendar Year Total Returns

 

 

 

The Fund’s year-to-date total return as of September 30, 2020 was 4.07%.

 

Best and Worst Quarter Returns (for the period reflected in the bar chart above) 

  Return Quarter/Year
Highest Return  18.44% 1Q/2019
Lowest Return -18.88% 4Q/2018

 

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AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2019

ADVISORSHARES VICE ETF 1 Year

Since Inception

(12/11/2017)

Return Before Taxes Based on NAV 19.75% 2.42%
Return After Taxes on Distributions 18.58% 1.69%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 11.69% 1.60%
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 31.49% 12.04%

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases, the return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares may exceed other average annual total returns due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of shares at the end of the measurement period.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Name Title
AdvisorShares Investments, LLC Advisor

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

Name and Title Length of Service with the Advisor
Dan S. Ahrens, Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer & Portfolio Manager since November 2008

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis at NAV only in a large specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit.” The shares of the Fund that trade on the Exchange are “created” at their NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in Creation Units. A “creator” enters into an authorized participant agreement (“Participant Agreement”) with the Fund’s distributor or uses a Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participant who has executed a Participant Agreement (an “Authorized Participant”), and deposits into the Fund a portfolio of securities closely approximating the holdings of the Fund along with a specified amount of cash.

 

Individual Fund shares may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through brokers. The shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange and, because shares trade at market price rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a value greater than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV. When buying or selling shares in the secondary market, you may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”). When available, recent information regarding the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads will be available on the Fund’s website at www.advisorshares.com.

 

TAX INFORMATION 

 

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains (or a combination thereof), unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (“IRA”), which may be taxed upon withdrawal.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 

 

Investors purchasing shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges. If you purchase Fund shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Advisor may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing broker-dealers or other intermediaries and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

 

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