0001398344-20-001672.txt : 20200130 0001398344-20-001672.hdr.sgml : 20200130 20200130171147 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001398344-20-001672 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: POS EX PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20200130 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20200130 EFFECTIVENESS DATE: 20200130 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: Investment Managers Series Trust II CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001587982 IRS NUMBER: 000000000 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: POS EX SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 333-232760 FILM NUMBER: 20562267 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 235 WEST GALENA STREET CITY: MILWAUKEE STATE: WI ZIP: 53212 BUSINESS PHONE: 414-299-2295 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 235 WEST GALENA STREET CITY: MILWAUKEE STATE: WI ZIP: 53212 POS EX 1 fp0050101_posex.htm

Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 30, 2020

 

1933 Act Registration File No. 333-232760

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-14

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]

 

[ ] Pre-Effective Amendment No.

[X] Post-Effective Amendment No.          3

 

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

 

INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST II

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212-3948

(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.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212-3948

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

Copy to:

Laurie Dee

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

600 Anton Boulevard, Suite 1800

Costa Mesa, CA 92626-7653

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Title of Securities Being Registered:

AXS Managed Futures Strategy Fund – Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class I Shares

 

No filing fee is required because an indefinite number of shares have previously been registered pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

 

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE

 

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Trust”) Registration Statement on Form N-14 hereby incorporates Part A and Part B from the Trust’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 filed on September 12, 2019. This Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 is being filed for purposes of adding the final tax opinion with respect to the AXS Managed Futures Strategy Fund as an Exhibit to Part C of the Registration Statement.

 

 

 

 

 

PART C

Item 15.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 Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Investment Managers Series Trust II (the “Registrant” or the “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 Investment Company Act of 1940 (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 liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to Trustees, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission the (“SEC”) such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a Trustee, officer or controlling person of 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, 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 Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

The Registrant has also entered into Indemnification Agreements with each of its trustees which provide that the Registrant shall advance expenses and indemnify and hold harmless each trustee in certain circumstances against any expenses incurred by a trustee in any proceeding arising out of or in connection with the trustee's service to the Registrant, to the maximum extent permitted by the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, the Securities Act and the 1940 Act, and which provide for certain procedures in connection with such advancement of expenses and indemnification.

 

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 Securities 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 the Distributor and/or each of the Distributor Indemnitees may incur under the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 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 the 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 the Distributor in writing for the purpose of, and used in, the preparation thereof; (b) from and against any and all Losses which the Distributor and/or each of the Distributor Indemnitees may incur in connection with the Distribution 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 the Distribution Agreement, (c) from and against any and all Losses which the 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 the Distribution Agreement, or (d) from and against any and all Losses which the 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 Securities Act or the 1940 Act.

 

 

 

Item 16.Exhibits

 

1)       Charter Documents:

 

a.Certificate of Trust (1)

 

b.Agreement and Declaration of Trust (1)

 

2)By-Laws:

 

a.Amended By-Laws of Registrant (3)

 

3)Not applicable.

 

4)Agreement and Plan of Reorganization:

 

a.Form of Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (4)

 

5)Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders is incorporated by reference to Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws

 

6)Investment Management Agreements:

 

a.Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and AXS Investments LLC (5)

b.Form of Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between AXS Investments LLC and Sub-Adviser (5)

c.Form of Subsidiary Advisory Agreement (5)

d.Form of Subsidiary Sub-Advisory Agreement (5)

 

7)Distribution Agreements:

 

a.Distribution Agreement (2)

i.Amendment to Distribution Agreement (5)

 

8)Not applicable

 

9)Custody Agreements:

 

a.Custody Agreement (2)

 

10)Distribution Plan and Rule 18f-3 Plan:

 

a.Form of Multiple Class (Rule 18f-3) Plan (5)

 

b.Form of Distribution (Rule 12b-1) Plan (5)

 

11)Opinion of Counsel:

 

a.Opinion and consent of counsel as to the legality of the securities being registered (5)

 

 

 

12)Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent:

 

a.Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent with respect to AXS Multi-Strategy Alternatives Fund (7)
b.Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent with respect to AXS Aspect Core Diversified Strategy Fund (8)
c.Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent with respect to AXS Alternative Growth Fund (8)
d.Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent with respect to AXS Chesapeake Strategy Fund (8)
e.Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent with respect to AXS Managed Futures Strategy Fund – filed herewith.

 

13)Other Material Contracts:

 

a.Transfer Agency Agreement (2)
b.Fund Accounting Agreement (2)
c.Co-Administration Agreement (2)
d.Form of Operating Expenses Limitation Agreement (5)
e.Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Plan (5)

 

14)Other Opinions:

 

a.Consents of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms (6)

 

15)Not applicable

 

16)Powers of Attorney:

 

a.Powers of Attorney (5)

 

17)Additional Exhibits:

 

a.Proxy Card (6)

 

All Exhibits filed previously are herein incorporated by reference as follows:

 

(1)Previously filed in Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed with the Commission on September 30, 2013.
(2)Previously filed in Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 filed with the Commission on November 15, 2013.
(3)Previously filed in Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 92 filed with the Commission on August 12, 2016.
(4)Filed as Appendix A to Part A of this Registration Statement on Form N-14.
(5)Previously filed in Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 filed with the Commission on July 22, 2019.
(6)Previously filed in Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 filed with the Commission on September 12, 2019.
(7)Previously filed in Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 filed with the Commission on October 25, 2019.
(8)Previously filed in Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 filed with the Commission on November 26, 2019.

 

 

 

Item 17.Undertakings

 

1.The undersigned registrant agrees that prior to any public reoffering of the securities registered through the use of a prospectus which is a part of the registration statement by any person or party who is deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Rule 145(c) of the Securities Act, the reoffering prospectus will contain the information called for by the applicable registration form for reofferings by persons who may be deemed underwriters, in addition to the information called for by the other items of the applicable form.

 

2.The undersigned registrant agrees that every prospectus that is filed under paragraph (1) above will be filed as a part of an amendment to the registration statement and will not be used until the amendment is effective, and that, in determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement for the securities offered therein, and the offering of the securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering of them.

 

3.The undersigned registrant undertakes to file an opinion of counsel supporting the tax consequences to shareholders discussed in the combined proxy statement and prospectus in a post-effective amendment to this registration statement.

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

As required by the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed on behalf of the Registrant, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, on the 30th day of January, 2020.

 

  INVESTMENT MANAGERS SERIES TRUST II
  By: /s/ Terrance Gallagher
 

 

Terrance Gallagher, President and

Principal Executive Officer

 

As required by the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title
     
   
Thomas Knipper   Trustee
     
   
Kathleen K. Shkuda   Trustee
     
   
Larry D. Tashjian   Trustee
     
   
John P. Zader   Trustee
     
   
Eric M. Banhazl   Trustee
     
/s/ Terrence P. Gallagher    
Terrence P. Gallagher   Trustee, President and Principal Executive Officer

 

/s/ Rita Dam

   
Rita Dam   Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer
     
By: /s/ Rita Dam    

Attorney-in-fact, pursuant to power of attorney filed on July 22, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit Index

 

Opinion as to Tax Matters and Consent – AXS Managed Futures Strategy Fund EX-16.12(e)

 

EX-99.16.12.E 2 fp0050101_ex991612e.htm

Morgan Lewis

 

January 24, 2020

 

Northern Lights Fund Trust
17605 Wright Street, Suite 2

Omaha, Nebraska 68130

 

Investment Managers Series Trust II
235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This opinion is furnished to you pursuant to paragraph 8.5 of the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the "Agreement"), dated as of January 24, 2020, by and among Northern Lights Fund Trust (the "Northern Lights Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, on behalf of its series Equinox MutualHedge Futures Strategy Fund (the "Acquired Fund"), and Investment Managers Series Trust II (the "IMST II Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, on behalf of its series AXS Managed Futures Strategy Fund (the "Acquiring Fund"). All capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.

 

The Agreement contemplates the transfer of all of the Acquired Assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for (A) the Acquiring Fund Shares, and (B) the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all liabilities of the Acquired Fund; and (ii) the distribution, in accordance with paragraph 1.4 of the Agreement, of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the shareholders of the Acquired Fund in exchange for their shares in the Acquired Fund and in liquidation of the Acquired Fund (such transfer, assumption, and distribution is referred to herein as the "Reorganization" ).

 

In connection with this opinion we have examined and relied upon the originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to us to our satisfaction, of the Agreement, the Combined Proxy Statement and Prospectus for the Reorganization of the Acquired Fund into the Acquiring Fund, dated September 16, 2019, and related documents (collectively, the "Reorganization

 

  Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP  
     
  One Federal Street  
  Boston, MA 02110-1726 0 +1.617.341.7700
  United States G +1.617.341.7701

 

 

 

 

Northern Lights Fund Trust
Investment Managers Series Trust II
January 24, 2020

Page Two

 

Documents"). In that examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the capacity and authority of each party executing a document to so execute the document, the authenticity and completeness of all documents purporting to be originals (whether reviewed by us in original or copy form) and the conformity to the originals of all documents purporting to be copies (including electronic copies). We have also assumed that each agreement and other instrument reviewed by us is valid and binding on the party or parties thereto and is enforceable in accordance with its terms, and that there are no contracts, agreements, arrangements, or understandings, either written or oral, that are inconsistent with or that would materially alter the terms of the Agreement or the other Reorganization Documents.

 

As to certain factual matters, we have relied with your consent upon, and our opinion is limited by, the representations of the various parties set forth in the Reorganization Documents and in certificates of the Northern Lights Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, and the IMST II Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, each dated as of the date hereof (the "Certificates"). Our opinion assumes (i) that all representations set forth in the Reorganization Documents and in the Certificates will be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of the Reorganization (and that any such representations made "to the best knowledge of ", "to the knowledge of ", or "in the belief of", or otherwise similarly qualified, are true and correct in all material respects without any such qualification), and (ii) that the Agreement is implemented in accordance with its terms and consistent with the representations set forth in the Reorganization Documents and Certificates. Our opinion is limited solely to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and as presently in effect (the "Code"), existing case law, existing permanent and temporary treasury regulations promulgated under the Code, and existing published revenue rulings and procedures of the Internal Revenue Service that are in effect as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change and new interpretation, both prospectively and retroactively. We assume no obligation to update our opinion to reflect other facts or any changes in law or in the interpretation thereof that may hereafter occur.

 

On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, with respect to the Reorganization, we are of the opinion that, for United States federal income tax purposes:

 

1.The transfer to the Acquiring Fund of all the Acquired Assets in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the IMST II Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, of all the Assumed Liabilities of the Acquired Fund, followed by the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the Acquired Fund Shareholders in complete liquidation of the Acquired Fund, will constitute a "reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, and the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund will each be a "party to a reorganization" within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code.

 

2.No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund upon the transfer of all its Acquired Assets to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization solely in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the Assumed Liabilities of the Acquired Fund, or upon the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the Acquired Fund Shareholders, except for (A) gain or loss that may be recognized on the transfer of "section 1256 contracts" as defined in Section 1256(b) of the Code, (B) gain that may be recognized on the transfer of stock in a "passive foreign investment company" as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code, and (C) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a non-recognition transaction under the Code.

 

 

 

 

Northern Lights Fund Trust

Investment Managers Series Trust II

January 24, 2020

Page Three

 

3.The tax basis in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as the tax basis of such Acquired Asset in the hands of the Acquired Fund immediately prior to the transfer thereof, increased by the amount of gain (or decreased by the amount of loss), if any, recognized by the Acquired Fund on the transfer.

 

4.The holding period in the hands of the Acquiring Fund of each Acquired Asset transferred from the Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than Acquired Assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized, will include the Acquired Fund's holding period for such Acquired Asset (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating the holding period with respect to an asset).

 

5.No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon its receipt of all the Acquired Assets of the Acquired Fund solely in exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all the liabilities of the Acquired Fund as part of the Reorganization.

 

6.No gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquired Fund Shareholders upon the exchange of their Acquired Fund Shares solely for Acquiring Fund Shares as part of the Reorganization.

 

7.The aggregate tax basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares that each Acquired Fund Shareholder receives in the Reorganization will be the same as the aggregate tax basis of the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor.

 

8.Each Acquired Fund Shareholder's holding period for the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will include the Acquired Fund Shareholder's holding period for the Acquired Fund Shares exchanged therefor, provided that the Acquired Fund Shareholder held such Acquired Fund Shares as capital assets on the date of the exchange.

 

 

 

Northern Lights Fund Trust

Investment Managers Series Trust II

January 24, 2020

Page Four

 

9.The taxable year of the Acquired Fund will not end as a result of the Reorganization.

 

This opinion is being delivered solely to you for your use in connection with the Reorganization, and may not be relied upon by any other person or used for any other purpose.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

 

MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP