Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of AdvisorShares Cornerstone Small Cap ETF Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600, 22337-22344 [2016-08641]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2016 / Notices
public interest, for the protection of
investors, or otherwise in furtherance of
the purposes of the Act. If the
Commission takes such action, the
Commission shall institute proceedings
to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be approved or
disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
BatsEDGX–2016–07 on the subject line.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–BatsEDGX–2016–07. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change;
the Commission does not edit personal
identifying information from
submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make
available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR–
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For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.14
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–08647 Filed 4–14–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
BatsEDGX–2016–07, and should be
submitted on or before May 6, 2016.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–77576; File No. SR–
NYSEArca–2016–46]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Proposed
Rule Change To List and Trade Shares
of AdvisorShares Cornerstone Small
Cap ETF Under NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 8.600
April 11, 2016.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) 1 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
‘‘Act’’) 2 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,3
notice is hereby given that, on March
28, 2016, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the
‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) the
proposed rule change as described in
Items I, II, and III below, which Items
have been prepared by the selfregulatory organization. The
Commission is publishing this notice to
solicit comments on the proposed rule
change from interested persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to list and
trade the shares of the following under
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600
(‘‘Managed Fund Shares’’):
AdvisorShares Cornerstone Small Cap
ETF. The proposed rule change is
available on the Exchange’s Web site at
www.nyse.com, at the principal office of
the Exchange, and at the Commission’s
Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission, the
self-regulatory organization included
statements concerning the purpose of,
and basis for, the proposed rule change
and discussed any comments it received
on the proposed rule change. The text
14 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
2 15 U.S.C. 78a.
3 17 CFR 240.19b–4.
1 15
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of those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below.
The Exchange has prepared summaries,
set forth in sections A, B, and C below,
of the most significant parts of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to list and
trade shares (‘‘Shares’’) of the following
under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600,
which governs the listing and trading of
Managed Fund Shares:4 AdvisorShares
Cornerstone Small Cap ETF (‘‘Fund’’).
The Shares will be offered by
AdvisorShares Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’),5 an
open-end management investment
company.6 The investment adviser to
the Fund will be AdvisorShares
Investments LLC (the ‘‘Adviser’’).
Cornerstone Investment Partners will be
the Fund’s sub-adviser (‘‘Sub-Adviser’’).
Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the
‘‘Distributor’’) will be the principal
underwriter and distributor of the
4 A Managed Fund Share is a security that
represents an interest in an investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1) (‘‘1940 Act’’) organized as
an open-end investment company or similar entity
that invests in a portfolio of securities selected by
its investment adviser consistent with its
investment objectives and policies. In contrast, an
open-end investment company that issues
Investment Company Units, listed and traded on
the Exchange under NYSE Arca Equities Rule
5.2(j)(3), seeks to provide investment results that
correspond generally to the price and yield
performance of a specific foreign or domestic stock
index, fixed income securities index or combination
thereof.
5 The Trust is registered under the 1940 Act. On
January 26, 2016, the Trust filed with the
Commission amendments to its registration
statement on Form N–1A under the Securities Act
of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a) (‘‘Securities Act’’) and under
the 1940 Act relating to the Fund (File Nos. 333–
157876 and 811–22110) (‘‘Registration Statement’’).
The description of the operation of the Trust and
the Fund herein is based, in part, on the
Registration Statement. In addition, the
Commission has issued an order granting certain
exemptive relief to the Trust under the 1940 Act.
See Investment Company Act Release No.
29291(May 28, 2010) (File No. 812–13677)
(‘‘Exemptive Order’’).
6 The Commission has approved listing and
trading on the Exchange of a number of actively
managed funds under Rule 8.600. See, e.g.,
Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 63076
(October 12, 2010), 75 FR 63874 (October 18, 2010)
(SR–NYSEArca–2010–79) (order approving
Exchange listing and trading of Cambria Global
Tactical ETF); 63802 (January 31, 2011), 76 FR 6503
(February 4, 2011) (SR–NYSEArca–2010–118)
(order approving Exchange listing and trading of the
SiM Dynamic Allocation Diversified Income ETF
and SiM Dynamic Allocation Growth Income ETF);
and 65468 (October 3, 2011), 76 FR 62873 (October
11, 2011) (SR–NYSEArca–2011–51) (order
approving Exchange listing and trading of TrimTabs
Float Shrink ETF).
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Fund’s Shares. The Bank of New York
Mellon (the ‘‘Administrator’’ or
‘‘Custodian’’) will serve as the
administrator, custodian and transfer
agent for the Fund.
Commentary .06 to Rule 8.600
provides that, if the investment adviser
to the investment company issuing
Managed Fund Shares is affiliated with
a broker-dealer, such investment adviser
shall erect a ‘‘fire wall’’ between the
investment adviser and the brokerdealer with respect to access to
information concerning the composition
and/or changes to such investment
company portfolio. In addition,
Commentary .06 further requires that
personnel who make decisions on the
open-end fund’s portfolio composition
must be subject to procedures designed
to prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information
regarding the open-end fund’s
portfolio.7 Commentary .06 to Rule
8.600 is similar to Commentary .03(a)(i)
and (iii) to NYSE Arca Equities Rule
5.2(j)(3); however, Commentary .06 in
connection with the establishment of a
‘‘fire wall’’ between the investment
adviser and the broker-dealer reflects
the applicable open-end fund’s
portfolio, not an underlying benchmark
index, as is the case with index-based
funds. Neither the Adviser nor the SubAdviser is registered as a broker-dealer.
Neither the Adviser nor the Sub-Adviser
is affiliated with a broker-dealer. In the
event (a) the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser
becomes a registered broker-dealer or
becomes newly affiliated with a brokerdealer, or (b) any new adviser or any
sub-adviser is a registered broker-dealer
or becomes affiliated with a brokerdealer, it will implement a fire wall
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7 An
investment adviser to an open-end fund is
required to be registered under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Advisers Act’’). As a
result, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser and their
related personnel are subject to the provisions of
Rule 204A–1 under the Advisers Act relating to
codes of ethics. This Rule requires investment
advisers to adopt a code of ethics that reflects the
fiduciary nature of the relationship to clients as
well as compliance with other applicable securities
laws. Accordingly, procedures designed to prevent
the communication and misuse of non-public
information by an investment adviser must be
consistent with Rule 204A–1 under the Advisers
Act. In addition, Rule 206(4)–7 under the Advisers
Act makes it unlawful for an investment adviser to
provide investment advice to clients unless such
investment adviser has (i) adopted and
implemented written policies and procedures
reasonably designed to prevent violation, by the
investment adviser and its supervised persons, of
the Advisers Act and the Commission rules adopted
thereunder; (ii) implemented, at a minimum, an
annual review regarding the adequacy of the
policies and procedures established pursuant to
subparagraph (i) above and the effectiveness of their
implementation; and (iii) designated an individual
(who is a supervised person) responsible for
administering the policies and procedures adopted
under subparagraph (i) above.
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with respect to its relevant personnel or
its broker-dealer affiliate regarding
access to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the
Fund’s portfolio, and will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding such
portfolio.
Principal Investments
According to the Registration
Statement, the investment objective of
the Fund will be to seek to provide total
return through long-term capital
appreciation and current income. Under
normal circumstances,8 the Fund will
invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus
any borrowings for investment
purposes) in common stocks of small
cap companies traded on a U.S. or
foreign exchange or over-the-counter
(‘‘OTC’’). The Sub-Adviser generally
defines a small cap company as one
having a market capitalization less than
the market cap of the largest company
in the Russell 2000 Index (the ‘‘Index’’)
at the time of acquisition. In choosing
securities of U.S. and foreign companies
with market capitalization rankings
between 1000 and 2800, the SubAdviser will create an investable
universe of 1800 companies for the
Fund similar to the components of the
Index, but excluding the smallest 200
market capitalization securities in the
Index. Sector weights will be
constrained relative to Index sector
weights and will be determined by the
relative attractiveness of the specific
sector. Securities will be targeted to be
equally weighted within the sectors, but
may shift with price movements.
According to the Registration
Statement, the Sub-Adviser’s
investment philosophy is based on the
view that the market often misprices
fundamental improvements and is slow
to recognize improving fundamentals,
particularly in small cap stocks. The
Sub-Adviser will seek to benefit from
the volatility of small cap stocks by
participating in upside volatility while
reducing exposure to downside
volatility. The Sub-Adviser generally
intends to select stocks that satisfy three
basic criteria: (1) Analysts have
positively revised their forward looking
estimates of the company’s profitability
and the company has generated earnings
8 The term ‘‘under normal circumstances’’ means,
without limitation, the absence of extreme volatility
or trading halts in the equity markets or the
financial markets generally; operational issues
causing dissemination of inaccurate market
information; or force majeure type events such as
systems failure, natural or man-made disaster, act
of God, armed conflict, act of terrorism, riot or labor
disruption or any similar intervening circumstance.
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in excess of analyst expectations; (2)
balance sheet strength; and (3) financial
flexibility, as determined by measuring
a company’s ability to meet debt and
capital expenditure requirements. The
1800 companies included in the
investable universe will be ranked
according to these criteria, and the most
attractive companies will then be
considered for inclusion within the
strategy, subject to risk controls and the
Fund’s investment objective.
Other Investments
While the Fund, under normal
circumstances, will invest at least 80%
of its assets in the securities described
above, the Fund may invest its
remaining assets in the securities and
financial instruments described below.
In addition to the common stocks of
small cap companies referenced in the
Principal Investments section above, the
Fund may invest in the following equity
securities traded on a U.S. or foreign
exchange or OTC: common stocks,
preferred stocks, rights, warrants,
convertible securities, and master
limited partnerships (‘‘MLPs’’). The
Fund may invest in issuers located
outside the United States directly, or in
exchange-traded funds (‘‘ETFs’’) 9 or
exchange-traded notes (‘‘ETNs’’) that are
indirectly linked to the performance of
foreign issuers; 10 or ‘‘Depositary
Receipts’’, which are the following:
American Depositary Receipts
(‘‘ADRs’’), Global Depositary Receipts
(‘‘GDRs’’), European Depositary Receipts
(‘‘EDRs’’), International Depository
Receipts (‘‘IDRs’’), ‘‘ordinary shares,’’
and ‘‘New York shares’’ issued and
traded in the U.S.11
9 For purposes of this proposed rule change, ETFs
are Investment Company Units (as described in
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3)); Portfolio
Depositary Receipts (as described in NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 8.100); and Managed Fund Shares (as
described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600). The
ETFs all will be listed and traded in the U.S. on
registered exchanges. The Fund will invest in the
securities of ETFs registered under the 1940 Act
consistent with the requirements of Section 12(d)(1)
of the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of
the Commission or interpretation thereof. The Fund
will only make such ETF investments in conformity
with the requirements of Regulation M of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
‘‘Internal Revenue Code’’). While the Fund may
invest in inverse ETFs, the Fund will not invest in
leveraged or inverse leveraged ETFs (e.g., 2X or 3X).
10 ETNs include Index-Linked Securities (as
described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule5.2(j)(6)).
While the Fund may invest in inverse ETNs, the
Fund will not invest in leveraged or inverse
leveraged ETNs (e.g., 2X or 3X).
11 According to the Registration Statement, ADRs
are U.S. dollar denominated receipts typically
issued by U.S. banks and trust companies that
evidence ownership of underlying securities issued
by a foreign issuer. The underlying securities may
not necessarily be denominated in the same
currency as the securities into which they may be
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The Fund may invest in the securities
of other investment companies to the
extent that such an investment would be
consistent with the requirements of
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, or any
rule, regulation or order of the
Commission or interpretation thereof.
Consistent with such restrictions
discussed above, the Fund may invest in
U.S. exchange-listed closed-end funds
and business development companies
(‘‘BDCs’’). Except with respect to ETFs,
as described above,12 the Fund will not
invest in inverse, leveraged, or inverse
leveraged investment company
securities.
With respect to the Fund’s
investments in the equity securities of
foreign issuers, the Fund may invest in
the equity securities of foreign issuers in
emerging countries.
The Fund may invest in the securities
of exchange-traded pooled vehicles that
are not investment companies and, thus,
not required to comply with the
provisions of the 1940 Act.13 These
pooled vehicles typically hold
commodities, such as gold or oil,
currency, or other property that is itself
not a security.
The Fund may invest in shares of real
estate investment trusts (‘‘REITs’’) that
are U.S. exchange-listed.
The Fund may enter into repurchase
agreements with financial institutions,
which may be deemed to be loans.
converted. The underlying securities are held in
trust by a custodian bank or similar financial
institution in the issuer’s home country. Generally,
ADRs in registered form are designed for use in
domestic securities markets and are traded on
exchanges or OTC in the U.S. GDRs, EDRs, and
IDRs are similar to ADRs in that they are certificates
evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer;
however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in
bearer form and denominated in other currencies,
and are generally designed for use in specific or
multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs,
for example, are designed for use in European
securities markets while GDRs are designed for use
throughout the world. Ordinary shares are shares of
foreign issuers that are traded abroad and on a U.S.
exchange. New York shares are shares that a foreign
issuer has allocated for trading in the U.S. No more
than 10% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested
in non-exchange-listed ADRs.
12 See note 9, supra.
13 For purposes of this filing, ‘‘exchange-traded
pooled vehicles’’ consist of Equity Gold Shares (as
described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.2(j)(5));
Trust Issued Receipts (as described in NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 8.200); Commodity-Based Trust
Shares (as described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.201); Currency Trust Shares (as described in
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.202); Commodity Index
Trust Shares (as described in NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 8.203); and Commodity Futures Trust Shares
(as described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.204).
The exchange-traded pooled vehicles all will be
listed and traded in the U.S. on registered
exchanges. While the Fund may invest in inverse
exchange-traded pooled vehicles, the Fund will not
invest in leveraged or inverse leveraged exchangetraded pooled vehicles (e.g., 2X or 3X).
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The Fund may enter into reverse
repurchase agreements as part of the
Fund’s investment strategy.14
The Fund may invest in U.S.
government securities. Securities issued
or guaranteed by the U.S. government or
its agencies or instrumentalities include
the following: U.S. Treasury securities,
which are backed by the full faith and
credit of the U.S. Treasury and which
differ only in their interest rates,
maturities, and times of issuance; U.S.
Treasury bills, which have initial
maturities of one year or less; U.S.
Treasury notes, which have initial
maturities of one to ten years; and U.S.
Treasury bonds, which generally have
initial maturities of greater than ten
years. The Fund may invest in certain
U.S. government securities that are
issued or guaranteed by agencies or
instrumentalities of the U.S. government
including, but not limited to, obligations
of U.S. government agencies or
instrumentalities such as the Federal
National Mortgage Association (‘‘Fannie
Mae’’), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation (‘‘Freddie Mac’’), and the
Government National Mortgage
Association (‘‘Ginnie Mae’’).
The Fund may invest in U.S.
exchange-traded equity options, U.S.
exchange-traded index options, and U.S.
exchange-traded stock index futures
contracts, all of which are traded in
markets that are members of the
Intermarket Surveillance Group (ISG’’)
or with which the Exchange has in place
a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.
The Fund may invest in U.S.
exchange-traded ‘‘passive foreign
investment companies’’ (‘‘PFICs’’),
which are generally certain non-U.S.
corporations that receive at least 75% of
their annual gross income from passive
sources (such as interest, dividends,
certain rents and royalties or capital
gains) or that hold at least 50% of their
assets in investments producing such
passive income.
The Fund, from time to time, in the
ordinary course of business, may
purchase securities on a when-issued,
delayed-delivery or forward
14 According to the Registration Statement,
reverse repurchase agreements involve sales of
portfolio assets by the Fund concurrently with an
agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same
assets at a later date at a fixed price. Generally, the
effect of such a transaction is that the Fund can
recover all or most of the cash invested in the
portfolio securities involved during the term of the
reverse repurchase agreement, while the Fund will
be able to keep the interest income associated with
those portfolio securities. The Fund will establish
a segregated account with the Trust’s custodian
bank in which the Fund will maintain cash, cash
equivalents or other portfolio securities equal in
value to the Fund’s obligations in respect of reverse
repurchase agreements.
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22339
commitment basis (i.e., delivery and
payment can take place between a
month and 120 days after the date of the
transaction).
According to the Registration
Statement, to respond to adverse
market, economic, political or other
conditions, the Fund may invest up to
100% of its total assets, without
limitation, in high-quality, short-term
debt securities and money market
instruments either directly or through
ETFs. The Fund may be invested in this
manner for extended periods,
depending on the Sub-Advisor’s
assessment of market conditions. Debt
securities and money market
instruments are the following: shares of
other mutual funds, commercial paper,
certificates of deposit, bankers’
acceptances, U.S. government securities,
repurchase agreements, and bonds that
are rated BBB or higher.
Investment Restrictions
According to the Registration
Statement, the Fund will be classified as
a diversified investment company under
the 1940 Act.15
The Fund intends to qualify as a
‘‘regulated investment company’’ for
purposes of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986.16
The Fund may hold up to an aggregate
amount of 15% of its net assets in
illiquid assets.17 The Fund will monitor
its portfolio liquidity on an ongoing
basis to determine whether, in light of
current circumstances, an adequate
level of liquidity is being maintained,
and will consider taking appropriate
steps in order to maintain adequate
liquidity if, through a change in values,
net assets, or other circumstances, more
than 15% of the Fund’s net assets are
held in illiquid assets. Illiquid assets
include securities subject to contractual
or other restrictions on resale and other
instruments that lack readily available
15 The diversification standard is set forth in
Section 5(b)(1) of the 1940 Act.
16 26 U.S.C. 851.
17 Under the supervision of the Fund’s Board of
Trustees (‘‘Board’’), the Adviser determines the
liquidity of the Fund’s investments. In determining
the liquidity of the Fund’s investments, the Adviser
may consider various factors, including (1) the
frequency and volume of trades and quotations; (2)
the number of dealers and prospective purchasers
in the marketplace; (3) dealer undertakings to make
a market; and (4) the nature of the security and the
market in which it trades (including any demand,
put or tender features, the mechanics and other
requirements for transfer, any letters of credit or
other credit enhancement features, any ratings, the
number of holders, the method of soliciting offers,
the time required to dispose of the security, and the
ability to assign or offset the rights and obligations
of the security).
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markets as determined in accordance
with Commission staff guidance.18
The Fund will not:
(a) with respect to 75% of its total
assets, (i) purchase securities of any
issuer (except securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. government, its
agencies or instrumentalities or shares
of investment companies) if, as a result,
more than 5% of its total assets would
be invested in the securities of such
issuer, or (ii) acquire more than 10% of
the outstanding voting securities of any
one issuer.
(b) invest 25% or more of its total
assets in the securities of one or more
issuers conducting their principal
business activities in the same industry
or group of industries. This limitation
does not apply to investments in
securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or
instrumentalities, or shares of
investment companies. The Fund will
not invest 25% or more of its total assets
in any investment company that so
concentrates.
The Fund’s investments will be
consistent with its investment objective
and will not be used to provide multiple
returns of a benchmark or to produce
leveraged returns. The Fund’s
investments will not be used to seek
performance that is the multiple or
inverse multiple (e.g., 2Xs and 3Xs) of
the Fund’s primary broad-based
securities benchmark index (as defined
in Form N–1A).19
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Creation and Redemption of Shares
Shares may be created and redeemed
in ‘‘Creation Unit’’ size aggregations of
at least 25,000 Shares. The size of a
Creation Unit is subject to change. In
order to purchase Creation Units of the
Fund, an investor must generally
deposit a designated portfolio of
18 The Commission has stated that long-standing
Commission guidelines have required open-end
funds to hold no more than 15% of their net assets
in illiquid securities and other illiquid assets. See
Investment Company Act Release No. 28193 (March
11, 2008), 73 FR 14618 (March 18, 2008), footnote
34. See also, Investment Company Act Release No.
5847 (October 21, 1969), 35 FR 19989 (December
31, 1970) (Statement Regarding ‘‘Restricted
Securities’’); Investment Company Act Release No.
18612 (March 12, 1992), 57 FR 9828 (March 20,
1992) (Revisions of Guidelines to Form N–1A). A
fund’s portfolio security is illiquid if it cannot be
disposed of in the ordinary course of business
within seven days at approximately the value
ascribed to it by the fund. See Investment Company
Act Release No. 14983 (March 12, 1986), 51 FR
9773 (March 21, 1986) (adopting amendments to
Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act); Investment
Company Act Release No. 17452 (April 23, 1990),
55 FR 17933 (April 30, 1990) (adopting Rule 144A
under the 1933 Act).
19 The Fund’s broad-based securities benchmark
index will be identified in a future amendment to
the Registration Statement following the Fund’s
first full calendar year of performance.
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securities (the ‘‘Deposit Securities’’)
(and/or an amount in cash in lieu of
some or all of the Deposit Securities)
and generally make a cash payment
referred to as the ‘‘Cash Component’’.
The list of the names and the amounts
of the Deposit Securities will be made
available by the Administrator through
the facilities of the National Securities
Clearing Corporation (‘‘NSCC’’)
immediately prior to the opening of
business each day of the NYSE Arca.
The Cash Component represents the
difference between the net asset value
(‘‘NAV’’) of a Creation Unit and the
market value of the Deposit Securities.
Creations and redemptions of Shares
may only be made through an
‘‘Authorized Participant’’, as described
in the Registration Statement.
Shares may be redeemed only in
Creation Units at their NAV and only on
a day that the NYSE Arca is open for
business. The Administrator will make
available immediately prior to the
opening of business each day, through
the facilities of the NSCC, the list of the
names and the amounts of the Fund’s
portfolio securities that will be
applicable that day to redemption
requests in proper form (‘‘Fund
Securities’’). Fund Securities received
on redemption may not be identical to
Deposit Securities, which are applicable
to purchases of Creation Units.
Unless cash redemptions or partial
cash redemptions are available or
specified for the Fund, the redemption
proceeds will consist of the Fund
Securities, plus cash in an amount equal
to the difference between the NAV of
Shares being redeemed as next
determined after receipt by the transfer
agent of a redemption request in proper
form, and the value of the Fund
Securities (the ‘‘Cash Redemption
Amount’’), less the applicable
redemption fee and, if applicable, any
transfer taxes.20
20 The Fund may, in certain circumstances, allow
cash creations or partial cash creations but not
redemptions (or vice versa) if the Adviser or SubAdviser believes it will allow the Fund to adjust its
portfolio in a manner which is more efficient for
shareholders. The Fund may allow creations or
redemptions to be conducted partially in cash only
where certain instruments are (i) in the case of the
purchase of a Creation Unit, not available in
sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) not eligible for
transfer through either the NSCC or the Depository
Trust Company (‘‘DTC’’); or (iii) not eligible for
trading due to local trading restrictions, local
restrictions on securities transfers or other similar
circumstances. To the extent the Fund allows
creations or redemptions to be conducted wholly or
partially in cash, such transactions will be effected
in the same manner for all Authorized Participants
on a given day except where: (i) Such instruments
are, in the case of the purchase of a Creation Unit,
not available to a particular Authorized Participant
in sufficient quantity; (ii) such instruments are not
eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or
PO 00000
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Net Asset Value
The NAV per Share of the Fund will
be computed by dividing the value of
the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value
of its total assets less total liabilities) by
the total number of Shares of the Fund
outstanding, rounded to the nearest
cent. Expenses and fees, including
without limitation, the management,
administration and distribution fees,
will be accrued daily and taken into
account for purposes of determining
NAV per Share. The NAV per Share for
the Fund will be calculated by the
Administrator and determined as of the
regularly scheduled close of normal
trading on the New York Stock
Exchange (‘‘NYSE’’) (normally 4:00 p.m.
Eastern Time) on each day that the
NYSE is open.
In computing the Fund’s NAV, the
Fund’s securities holdings will be
valued based on their last readily
available market price. Price
information on listed securities,
including ETFs in which the Fund
invests, will be taken from the exchange
where the security is primarily traded.
Other portfolio securities and assets for
which market quotations are not readily
available or determined to not represent
the current fair value will be valued
based on fair value as determined in
good faith by the Fund’s Sub-Adviser in
accordance with procedures adopted by
the Fund’s Board of Trustees (‘‘Board’’).
U.S. exchange-traded options will be
valued at the closing settlement price
determined by the applicable exchange.
Exchange-traded equity securities,
including common stocks, ETFs, ETNs,
exchange-traded pooled vehicles,
preferred stocks, rights, warrants,
convertible securities, closed-end funds,
certain Depositary Receipts, MLPs,
REITs, BDCs and PFICs will be valued
at market value, which will generally be
determined using the last reported
official closing or last trading price on
the exchange or market on which the
security is primarily traded at the time
of valuation or, if no sale has occurred,
at the last quoted bid price on the
primary market or exchange on which
they are traded. If market prices are
unavailable or the Fund believes that
they are unreliable, or when the value
of a security has been materially
affected by events occurring after the
relevant market closes, the Fund will
price those securities at fair value as
determined in good faith using methods
approved by the Fund’s Board.
the investor on whose behalf the Authorized
Participant is acting; or (iii) a holder of Shares of
the Fund would be subject to unfavorable income
tax treatment if the holder receives redemption
proceeds in kind.
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15APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2016 / Notices
OTC-traded common stocks, preferred
stocks, rights, warrants, convertible
securities, and MLPs will be valued at
the last reported sale price from the
OTC Bulletin Board or OTC Link LLC
on the valuation date. If such OTCtraded security does not trade on a
particular day, then the mean between
the last quoted closing bid and asked
price will be used.
U.S. government securities,
repurchase agreements and reverse
repurchase agreements will be valued at
prices supplied by approved pricing
services.
Investment company securities (other
than exchange-traded investment
company securities) will be valued at
NAV.
Futures contracts will be valued at the
settlement or closing price determined
by the applicable exchange.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Availability of Information
The Fund’s Web site
(www.advisorshares.com), which will be
publicly available prior to the public
offering of Shares, will include a form
of the prospectus for the Fund that may
be downloaded. The Fund’s Web site
will include additional quantitative
information updated on a daily basis,
including, for the Fund, (1) daily trading
volume, the prior business day’s
reported closing price, NAV and midpoint of the bid/ask spread at the time
of calculation of such NAV (the ‘‘Bid/
Ask Price’’),21 and a calculation of the
premium and discount of the Bid/Ask
Price against the NAV, and (2) data in
chart format displaying the frequency
distribution of discounts and premiums
of the daily Bid/Ask Price against the
NAV, within appropriate ranges, for
each of the four previous calendar
quarters. On each business day, before
commencement of trading in Shares in
the Core Trading Session on the
Exchange, the Fund will disclose on its
Web site the Disclosed Portfolio that
will form the basis for the Fund’s
calculation of NAV at the end of the
business day.22
On a daily basis, the Adviser, on
behalf of the Fund, will disclose on the
Fund’s Web site the following
information regarding each portfolio
21 The Bid/Ask Price of Shares of the Fund will
be determined using the mid-point of the highest
bid and the lowest offer on the Exchange as of the
time of calculation of the Fund’s NAV. The records
relating to Bid/Ask Prices will be retained by the
Fund and its service providers.
22 Under accounting procedures followed by the
Fund, trades made on the prior business day (‘‘T’’)
will be booked and reflected in NAV on the current
business day (‘‘T+1’’). Accordingly, the Fund will
be able to disclose at the beginning of the business
day the portfolio that will form the basis for the
NAV calculation at the end of the business day.
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17:27 Apr 14, 2016
Jkt 238001
holding, as applicable to the type of
holding: Ticker symbol, CUSIP number
or other identifier, if any; a description
of the holding (including the type of
holding); the identity of the security,
index, or other asset or instrument
underlying the holding, if any; for
options, the option strike price; quantity
held (as measured by, for example, par
value, notional value or number of
shares, contracts or units; maturity date,
if any; coupon rate, if any; effective
date, if any; market value of the holding;
and the percentage weighting of the
holding in the Fund’s portfolio. The
Web site information will be publicly
available at no charge.
In addition, a basket composition file,
which includes the security names and
share quantities (as applicable) required
to be delivered in exchange for Fund
Shares, together with estimates and
actual cash components, will be
publicly disseminated daily prior to the
opening of the NYSE via the NSCC. The
basket will represent one Creation Unit
of the Fund.
Investors can also obtain the Fund’s
Statement of Additional Information
(‘‘SAI’’), the Fund’s Shareholder
Reports, and its Form N–CSR and Form
N–SAR, filed twice a year. The Trust’s
SAI and Shareholder Reports will be
available free upon request from the
Trust, and those documents and the
Form N–CSR and Form N–SAR may be
viewed on-screen or downloaded from
the Commission’s Web site at
www.sec.gov. Information regarding
market price and trading volume of the
Shares will be continually available on
a real-time basis throughout the day on
brokers’ computer screens and other
electronic services. Information
regarding the previous day’s closing
price and trading volume information
for the Shares will be published daily in
the financial section of newspapers.
Quotation and last sale information for
the Shares and U.S. exchange-listed
equity securities, including common
stocks, ETFs, ETNs, exchange-traded
pooled vehicles, preferred stocks, rights,
warrants, convertible securities, closedend funds, MLPs, REITs, BDCs, PFICs
and certain Depository Receipts will be
available via the Consolidated Tape
Association (‘‘CTA’’) high-speed line,
and will be available from the national
securities exchange on which they are
listed. Prices related to foreign
exchange-traded common stocks,
preferred stocks, rights, warrants,
convertible securities and MLPs will be
available from the applicable exchange
or from major market data vendors.
Intra-day and closing price information
relating to OTC-traded common stocks,
preferred stocks, rights, warrants,
PO 00000
Frm 00134
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
22341
convertible securities and MLPs will be
available from major market data
vendors. Quotation and last sale
information for futures will be available
from the exchange on which they are
listed. Quotation and last sale
information for exchange-listed options
cleared via the Options Clearing
Corporation will be available via the
Options Price Reporting Authority.
Price information regarding investment
company securities (other than
exchange-traded investment company
securities) will be available from the
applicable fund. Price information
regarding U.S. government securities,
repurchase agreements, and reverse
repurchase agreements may be obtained
from brokers and dealers who make
markets in such securities or through
nationally recognized pricing services
through subscription agreements.
In addition, the Portfolio Indicative
Value, as defined in NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 8.600 (c)(3), based on current
information regarding the value of the
securities and other assets in the
Disclosed Portfolio, will be widely
disseminated at least every 15 seconds
during the Core Trading Session by one
or more major market data vendors.23
The dissemination of the Portfolio
Indicative Value, together with the
Disclosed Portfolio, will allow investors
to determine the value of the underlying
portfolio of the Fund on a daily basis
and will provide a close estimate of that
value throughout the trading day. The
Portfolio Indicative Value should not be
viewed as a ‘‘real-time’’ update of the
NAV per Share of the Fund, which will
be calculated once per day.
Trading Halts
With respect to trading halts, the
Exchange may consider all relevant
factors in exercising its discretion to
halt or suspend trading in the Shares of
the Fund.24 Trading in Shares of the
Fund will be halted if the circuit breaker
parameters in NYSE Arca Equities Rule
7.12 have been reached. Trading also
may be halted because of market
conditions or for reasons that, in the
view of the Exchange, make trading in
the Shares inadvisable. These may
include: (1) The extent to which trading
is not occurring in the securities and/or
the financial instruments comprising
the Disclosed Portfolio of the Fund; or
(2) whether other unusual conditions or
circumstances detrimental to the
maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present. Trading in the
23 Currently, it is the Exchange’s understanding
that several major market data vendors display and/
or make widely available Portfolio Indicative
Values taken from CTA or other data feeds.
24 See NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.12.
E:\FR\FM\15APN1.SGM
15APN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2016 / Notices
Shares will be subject to NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 8.600(d)(2)(D), which sets
forth circumstances under which Shares
of the Fund may be halted.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Trading Rules
The Exchange deems the Shares to be
equity securities, thus rendering trading
in the Shares subject to the Exchange’s
existing rules governing the trading of
equity securities. Shares will trade on
the NYSE Arca Marketplace from 4 a.m.
to 8 p.m. Eastern Time in accordance
with NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.34
(Opening, Core, and Late Trading
Sessions). The Exchange has
appropriate rules to facilitate
transactions in the Shares during all
trading sessions. As provided in NYSE
Arca Equities Rule 7.6, the minimum
price variation (‘‘MPV’’) for quoting and
entry of orders in equity securities
traded on the NYSE Arca Marketplace is
$0.01, with the exception of securities
that are priced less than $1.00 for which
the MPV for order entry is $0.0001.
The Shares will conform to the initial
and continued listing criteria under
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600.
Consistent with NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 8.600(d)(2)(B)(ii), the Adviser, as
the Reporting Authority, will implement
and maintain, or be subject to,
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding the actual
components of the Fund’s portfolio. The
Exchange represents that, for initial
and/or continued listing, the Fund will
be in compliance with Rule 10A–3 25
under the Act, as provided by NYSE
Arca Equities Rule 5.3. A minimum of
100,000 Shares will be outstanding at
the commencement of trading on the
Exchange. The Exchange will obtain a
representation from the issuer of the
Shares that the NAV per Share will be
calculated daily and that the NAV and
the Disclosed Portfolio as defined in
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600(c)(2)
will be made available to all market
participants at the same time.
Surveillance
The Exchange represents that trading
in the Shares will be subject to the
existing trading surveillances,
administered by the Exchange or the
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(‘‘FINRA’’) on behalf of the Exchange,
which are designed to detect violations
of Exchange rules and applicable federal
securities laws.26 The Exchange
represents that these procedures are
25 17
CFR 240.10A–3.
26 FINRA surveils trading on the Exchange
pursuant to a regulatory services agreement. The
Exchange is responsible for FINRA’s performance
under this regulatory services agreement.
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17:27 Apr 14, 2016
Jkt 238001
adequate to properly monitor Exchange
trading of the Shares in all trading
sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and federal
securities laws applicable to trading on
the Exchange.
The surveillances referred to above
generally focus on detecting securities
trading outside their normal patterns,
which could be indicative of
manipulative or other violative activity.
When such situations are detected,
surveillance analysis follows and
investigations are opened, where
appropriate, to review the behavior of
all relevant parties for all relevant
trading violations.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, will communicate as
needed regarding trading in the Shares
and certain underlying exchange-traded
equity securities (including common
stocks, ETFs, ETNs, exchange-traded
pooled vehicles, MLPs, REITs, BDCs,
PFICs and certain Depository Receipts),
options and futures with other markets
and other entities that are members of
the ISG, and the Exchange or FINRA, on
behalf of the Exchange, may obtain
trading information regarding trading in
such securities and financial
instruments from such markets and
other entities. In addition, the Exchange
may obtain information regarding
trading in such securities and financial
instruments from markets and other
entities that are members of ISG or with
which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.27
Not more than 10% of the net assets
of the Fund in the aggregate invested in
equity securities (other than nonexchange-traded investment company
securities) shall consist of equity
securities whose principal market is not
a member of the ISG or is a market with
which the Exchange does not have a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.
In addition, the Exchange also has a
general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public
information by its employees.
All statements and representations
made in this filing regarding (a) the
description of the portfolio, (b)
limitations on portfolio holdings or
reference assets, or (c) the applicability
of Exchange rules and surveillance
procedures shall constitute continued
listing requirements for listing the
Shares on the Exchange.
27 For a list of the current members of ISG, see
www.isgportal.org. The Exchange notes that not all
components of the Disclosed Portfolio for the Fund
may trade on markets that are members of ISG or
with which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement.
PO 00000
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The issuer has represented to the
Exchange that it will advise the
Exchange of any failure by the Fund to
comply with the continued listing
requirements, and, pursuant to its
obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of the
Act, the Exchange will monitor for
compliance with the continued listing
requirements. If the Fund is not in
compliance with the applicable listing
requirements, the Exchange will
commence delisting procedures under
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.5(m).
Information Bulletin
Prior to the commencement of
trading, the Exchange will inform its
Equity Trading Permit Holders in an
Information Bulletin (‘‘Bulletin’’) of the
special characteristics and risks
associated with trading the Shares.
Specifically, the Bulletin will discuss
the following: (1) The procedures for
purchases and redemptions of Shares in
Creation Unit aggregations (and that
Shares are not individually redeemable);
(2) NYSE Arca Equities Rule 9.2(a),
which imposes a duty of due diligence
on its Equity Trading Permit Holders to
learn the essential facts relating to every
customer prior to trading the Shares; (3)
the risks involved in trading the Shares
during the Opening and Late Trading
Sessions when an updated Portfolio
Indicative Value will not be calculated
or publicly disseminated; (4) how
information regarding the Portfolio
Indicative Value and the Disclosed
Portfolio is disseminated; (5) the
requirement that Equity Trading Permit
Holders deliver a prospectus to
investors purchasing newly issued
Shares prior to or concurrently with the
confirmation of a transaction; and (6)
trading information.
In addition, the Bulletin will
reference that the Fund is subject to
various fees and expenses described in
the Registration Statement. The Bulletin
will discuss any exemptive, no-action,
and interpretive relief granted by the
Commission from any rules under the
Act. The Bulletin will also disclose that
the NAV for the Shares will be
calculated after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time
each trading day.
2. Statutory Basis
The basis under the Act for this
proposed rule change is the requirement
under Section 6(b)(5) 28 that an
exchange have rules that are designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices, to promote just and
equitable principles of trade, to remove
impediments to, and perfect the
mechanism of a free and open market
28 15
E:\FR\FM\15APN1.SGM
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
15APN1
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2016 / Notices
and, in general, to protect investors and
the public interest.
The Exchange believes that the
proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices in that the Shares will
be listed and traded on the Exchange
pursuant to the initial and continued
listing criteria in NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 8.600. The Exchange has in place
surveillance procedures that are
adequate to properly monitor trading in
the Shares in all trading sessions and to
deter and detect violations of Exchange
rules and applicable federal securities
laws. The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf
of the Exchange, will communicate as
needed regarding trading in the Shares,
certain underlying exchange-traded
equity securities (including common
stocks, ETFs, ETNs, exchange-traded
pooled vehicles, REITs, BDCs, PFICs
and certain Depository Receipts),
options and futures with other markets
and other entities that are members of
the ISG, and the Exchange or FINRA, on
behalf of the Exchange, may obtain
trading information regarding trading in
such securities and financial
instruments from such markets and
other entities. In addition, the Exchange
may obtain information regarding
trading in such securities and financial
instruments from markets and other
entities that are members of ISG or with
which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. Not more than 10% of the
net assets of the Fund in the aggregate
invested in equity securities shall
consist of equity securities whose
principal market is not a member of the
ISG or is a market with which the
Exchange does not have a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. Neither the Adviser nor the
Sub-Adviser is registered as a brokerdealer. Neither the Adviser nor the SubAdviser is registered as a broker-dealer.
[sic] Neither the Adviser nor the SubAdviser [sic] The Fund’s investments
will be consistent with its investment
objective and will not be used to
provide multiple returns of a benchmark
or to produce leveraged returns. The
Fund’s investments will not be used to
seek performance that is the multiple or
inverse multiple (i.e., 2Xs and 3Xs) of
the Fund’s primary broad-based
securities benchmark index (as defined
in Form N–1A.
The proposed rule change is designed
to promote just and equitable principles
of trade and to protect investors and the
public interest in that the Exchange will
obtain a representation from the issuer
of the Shares that the NAV per Share
will be calculated daily and that the
NAV and the Disclosed Portfolio will be
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17:27 Apr 14, 2016
Jkt 238001
made available to all market
participants at the same time. In
addition, a large amount of information
will be publicly available regarding the
Fund and the Shares, thereby promoting
market transparency. Quotation and last
sale information for the Shares will be
available via the CTA high-speed line.
In addition, the Portfolio Indicative
Value will be widely disseminated at
least every 15 seconds during the Core
Trading Session by one or more major
market data vendors. The Fund’s Web
site will include a form of the
prospectus for the Fund that may be
downloaded, as well as additional
quantitative information updated on a
daily basis. On each business day,
before commencement of trading in
Shares in the Core Trading Session on
the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on
its Web site the Disclosed Portfolio that
will form the basis for the Fund’s
calculation of NAV at the end of the
business day. On a daily basis, the
Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, will
disclose on the Fund’s Web site the
following information regarding each
portfolio holding, as applicable to the
type of holding: Ticker symbol, CUSIP
number or other identifier, if any; a
description of the holding (including
the type of holding); the identity of the
security, index, or other asset or
instrument underlying the holding, if
any; for options, the option strike price;
quantity held (as measured by, for
example, par value, notional value or
number of shares, contracts or units;
maturity date, if any; coupon rate, if
any; effective date, if any; market value
of the holding; and the percentage
weighting of the holding in the Fund’s
portfolio. The Web site information will
be publicly available at no charge.
Moreover, prior to the commencement
of trading, the Exchange will inform its
Equity Trading Permit Holders in an
Information Bulletin of the special
characteristics and risks associated with
trading the Shares. Trading in Shares of
the Fund will be halted if the circuit
breaker parameters in NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 7.12 have been reached or
because of market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares
inadvisable. Trading in the Shares will
be subject to NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.600(d)(2)(D), which sets forth
circumstances under which Shares of
the Fund may be halted. In addition, as
noted above, investors will have ready
access to information regarding the
Fund’s holdings, the Portfolio Indicative
Value, the Disclosed Portfolio, and
quotation and last sale information for
the Shares.
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
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22343
The proposed rule change is designed
to perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest in that
it will facilitate the listing and trading
of an additional type of activelymanaged exchange-traded product that
will enhance competition among market
participants, to the benefit of investors
and the marketplace. As noted above,
the Exchange has in place surveillance
procedures that are adequate to properly
monitor trading in the Shares in all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and
applicable federal securities laws. In
addition, as noted above, investors will
have ready access to information
regarding the Fund’s holdings, the
Portfolio Indicative Value, the Disclosed
Portfolio, and quotation and last sale
information for the Shares.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that
the proposed rule change will impose
any burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange
notes that the proposed rule change will
facilitate the listing and trading of an
additional type of actively-managed
exchange-traded product that primarily
holds equity securities and that will
enhance competition among market
participants, to the benefit of investors
and the marketplace.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments were solicited
or received with respect to the proposed
rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or up to 90 days (i) as the
Commission may designate if it finds
such longer period to be appropriate
and publishes its reasons for so finding
or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory
organization consents, the Commission
will:
(A) By order approve or disapprove
the proposed rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
E:\FR\FM\15APN1.SGM
15APN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2016 / Notices
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
NYSEArca–2016–46 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–NYSEArca-2016–46. This
file number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission process and review your
comments more efficiently, please use
only one method. The Commission will
post all comments on the Commission’s
Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official
business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change;
the Commission does not edit personal
identifying information from
submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make
available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR–
NYSEArca–2016–46 and should be
submitted on or before May 6, 2016.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.29
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016–08641 Filed 4–14–16; 8:45 am]
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–77578; File No. SR–
NASDAQ–2016–048]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; The
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of
Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of
Proposed Rule Change To Amend
Nasdaq Rule 7039
April 11, 2016.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Act’’),1 and Rule 19b–4 thereunder,2
notice is hereby given that on March 31,
2016, The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
(‘‘Nasdaq’’ or the ‘‘Exchange’’) filed with
the Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’)
a proposed rule change as described in
Items I, II and III below, which Items
have been prepared by the Exchange.
The Commission is publishing this
notice to solicit comments on the
proposed rule change from interested
persons.
I. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Terms of Substance of
the Proposed Rule Change
Nasdaq is proposing changes to
amend Nasdaq Rule 7039 (NASDAQ
Last Sale and NASDAQ Last Sale Plus
Data Feeds).
The text of the proposed rule change
is available at
nasdaq.cchwallstreet.com, at Nasdaq’s
principal office, and at the
Commission’s Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
In its filing with the Commission,
Nasdaq included statements concerning
the purpose of, and basis for, the
proposed rule change and discussed any
comments it received on the proposed
rule change. The text of those
statements may be examined at the
places specified in Item IV below. The
Exchange has prepared summaries, set
forth in sections A, B, and C below, of
the most significant parts of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to amend
Nasdaq Rule 7039 (NASDAQ Last Sale
and NASDAQ Last Sale Plus Data
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
1 15
29 17
CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:27 Apr 14, 2016
2 17
Jkt 238001
PO 00000
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
Frm 00137
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Feeds). Nasdaq offers two proprietary
data feeds containing real-time last sale
information for trades executed on
Nasdaq or reported to the Nasdaq/
FINRA Trade Reporting Facility. These
include the ‘‘NASDAQ Last Sale for
NASDAQ,’’ 3 which contains all
transaction reports for Nasdaq-listed
stocks and ‘‘NASDAQ Last Sale for
NYSE/NYSE MKT,’’ 4 which contains all
such transaction reports for NYSE- and
NYSE MKT-listed stocks (collectively,
the ‘‘Nasdaq Last Sale Data Feeds’’).
Specifically, Nasdaq proposes to
amend Nasdaq Rule 7039(b) to reduce
the monthly fee from $50,000 to $41,500
for each distributor of Nasdaq Last Sale
Data Feeds. The new lower fee is
designed to incentivize distributors to
subscribe to the Nasdaq Last Sale Data
Feeds. This fee is exclusive of the
$1,500 monthly fee that all distributors
of a Nasdaq Last Sale Data Feed must
also pay and that is set forth under
Nasdaq Rule 7039(c).
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that its
proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)
of the Act,5 in general, and furthers the
objectives of Sections 6(b)(4) and 6(b)(5)
of the Act,6 in particular, in that it
provides for the equitable allocation of
reasonable dues, fees and other charges
among members and issuers and other
persons using its facilities which the
Exchange operates or controls, and is
not designed to permit unfair
discrimination between customers,
issuers, brokers, or dealers.
The Commission and the courts have
repeatedly expressed their preference
for competition over regulatory
intervention in determining prices,
products, and services in the securities
markets. In Regulation NMS, while
adopting a series of steps to improve the
current market model, the Commission
highlighted the importance of market
forces in determining prices and SRO
revenues and, also, recognized that
current regulation of the market system
‘‘has been remarkably successful in
promoting market competition in its
broader forms that are most important to
investors and listed companies.’’ 7
Likewise, in NetCoalition v. Securities
and Exchange Commission 8
(‘‘NetCoalition’’) the D.C. Circuit upheld
the Commission’s use of a market-based
3 See
Nasdaq Rule 7039(a)(1).
Nasdaq Rule 7039(a)(2).
5 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
6 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(4) and (5).
7 Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34–51808
(June 9, 2005) (‘‘Regulation NMS Adopting
Release’’).
8 NetCoalition v. SEC, 615 F.3d 525 (D.C. Cir.
2010).
4 See
E:\FR\FM\15APN1.SGM
15APN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22337-22344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08641]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-77576; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2016-46]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing
of Proposed Rule Change To List and Trade Shares of AdvisorShares
Cornerstone Small Cap ETF Under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600
April 11, 2016.
Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby
given that, on March 28, 2016, NYSE Arca, Inc. (the ``Exchange'' or
``NYSE Arca'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II,
and III below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory
organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
\3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change
The Exchange proposes to list and trade the shares of the following
under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600 (``Managed Fund Shares''):
AdvisorShares Cornerstone Small Cap ETF. The proposed rule change is
available on the Exchange's Web site at www.nyse.com, at the principal
office of the Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization
included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the
proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared
summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most
significant parts of such statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
The Exchange proposes to list and trade shares (``Shares'') of the
following under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600, which governs the
listing and trading of Managed Fund Shares:\4\ AdvisorShares
Cornerstone Small Cap ETF (``Fund''). The Shares will be offered by
AdvisorShares Trust (the ``Trust''),\5\ an open-end management
investment company.\6\ The investment adviser to the Fund will be
AdvisorShares Investments LLC (the ``Adviser''). Cornerstone Investment
Partners will be the Fund's sub-adviser (``Sub-Adviser''). Foreside
Fund Services, LLC (the ``Distributor'') will be the principal
underwriter and distributor of the
[[Page 22338]]
Fund's Shares. The Bank of New York Mellon (the ``Administrator'' or
``Custodian'') will serve as the administrator, custodian and transfer
agent for the Fund.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ A Managed Fund Share is a security that represents an
interest in an investment company registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1) (``1940 Act'') organized as an
open-end investment company or similar entity that invests in a
portfolio of securities selected by its investment adviser
consistent with its investment objectives and policies. In contrast,
an open-end investment company that issues Investment Company Units,
listed and traded on the Exchange under NYSE Arca Equities Rule
5.2(j)(3), seeks to provide investment results that correspond
generally to the price and yield performance of a specific foreign
or domestic stock index, fixed income securities index or
combination thereof.
\5\ The Trust is registered under the 1940 Act. On January 26,
2016, the Trust filed with the Commission amendments to its
registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933
(15 U.S.C. 77a) (``Securities Act'') and under the 1940 Act relating
to the Fund (File Nos. 333-157876 and 811-22110) (``Registration
Statement''). The description of the operation of the Trust and the
Fund herein is based, in part, on the Registration Statement. In
addition, the Commission has issued an order granting certain
exemptive relief to the Trust under the 1940 Act. See Investment
Company Act Release No. 29291(May 28, 2010) (File No. 812-13677)
(``Exemptive Order'').
\6\ The Commission has approved listing and trading on the
Exchange of a number of actively managed funds under Rule 8.600.
See, e.g., Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 63076 (October 12,
2010), 75 FR 63874 (October 18, 2010) (SR-NYSEArca-2010-79) (order
approving Exchange listing and trading of Cambria Global Tactical
ETF); 63802 (January 31, 2011), 76 FR 6503 (February 4, 2011) (SR-
NYSEArca-2010-118) (order approving Exchange listing and trading of
the SiM Dynamic Allocation Diversified Income ETF and SiM Dynamic
Allocation Growth Income ETF); and 65468 (October 3, 2011), 76 FR
62873 (October 11, 2011) (SR-NYSEArca-2011-51) (order approving
Exchange listing and trading of TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary .06 to Rule 8.600 provides that, if the investment
adviser to the investment company issuing Managed Fund Shares is
affiliated with a broker-dealer, such investment adviser shall erect a
``fire wall'' between the investment adviser and the broker-dealer with
respect to access to information concerning the composition and/or
changes to such investment company portfolio. In addition, Commentary
.06 further requires that personnel who make decisions on the open-end
fund's portfolio composition must be subject to procedures designed to
prevent the use and dissemination of material nonpublic information
regarding the open-end fund's portfolio.\7\ Commentary .06 to Rule
8.600 is similar to Commentary .03(a)(i) and (iii) to NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(3); however, Commentary .06 in connection with the
establishment of a ``fire wall'' between the investment adviser and the
broker-dealer reflects the applicable open-end fund's portfolio, not an
underlying benchmark index, as is the case with index-based funds.
Neither the Adviser nor the Sub-Adviser is registered as a broker-
dealer. Neither the Adviser nor the Sub-Adviser is affiliated with a
broker-dealer. In the event (a) the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser becomes
a registered broker-dealer or becomes newly affiliated with a broker-
dealer, or (b) any new adviser or any sub-adviser is a registered
broker-dealer or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
implement a fire wall with respect to its relevant personnel or its
broker-dealer affiliate regarding access to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the Fund's portfolio, and will be subject
to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material
non-public information regarding such portfolio.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ An investment adviser to an open-end fund is required to be
registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Advisers
Act''). As a result, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser and their related
personnel are subject to the provisions of Rule 204A-1 under the
Advisers Act relating to codes of ethics. This Rule requires
investment advisers to adopt a code of ethics that reflects the
fiduciary nature of the relationship to clients as well as
compliance with other applicable securities laws. Accordingly,
procedures designed to prevent the communication and misuse of non-
public information by an investment adviser must be consistent with
Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act. In addition, Rule 206(4)-7 under
the Advisers Act makes it unlawful for an investment adviser to
provide investment advice to clients unless such investment adviser
has (i) adopted and implemented written policies and procedures
reasonably designed to prevent violation, by the investment adviser
and its supervised persons, of the Advisers Act and the Commission
rules adopted thereunder; (ii) implemented, at a minimum, an annual
review regarding the adequacy of the policies and procedures
established pursuant to subparagraph (i) above and the effectiveness
of their implementation; and (iii) designated an individual (who is
a supervised person) responsible for administering the policies and
procedures adopted under subparagraph (i) above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Principal Investments
According to the Registration Statement, the investment objective
of the Fund will be to seek to provide total return through long-term
capital appreciation and current income. Under normal circumstances,\8\
the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any
borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks of small cap
companies traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange or over-the-counter
(``OTC''). The Sub-Adviser generally defines a small cap company as one
having a market capitalization less than the market cap of the largest
company in the Russell 2000 Index (the ``Index'') at the time of
acquisition. In choosing securities of U.S. and foreign companies with
market capitalization rankings between 1000 and 2800, the Sub-Adviser
will create an investable universe of 1800 companies for the Fund
similar to the components of the Index, but excluding the smallest 200
market capitalization securities in the Index. Sector weights will be
constrained relative to Index sector weights and will be determined by
the relative attractiveness of the specific sector. Securities will be
targeted to be equally weighted within the sectors, but may shift with
price movements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ The term ``under normal circumstances'' means, without
limitation, the absence of extreme volatility or trading halts in
the equity markets or the financial markets generally; operational
issues causing dissemination of inaccurate market information; or
force majeure type events such as systems failure, natural or man-
made disaster, act of God, armed conflict, act of terrorism, riot or
labor disruption or any similar intervening circumstance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the Registration Statement, the Sub-Adviser's
investment philosophy is based on the view that the market often
misprices fundamental improvements and is slow to recognize improving
fundamentals, particularly in small cap stocks. The Sub-Adviser will
seek to benefit from the volatility of small cap stocks by
participating in upside volatility while reducing exposure to downside
volatility. The Sub-Adviser generally intends to select stocks that
satisfy three basic criteria: (1) Analysts have positively revised
their forward looking estimates of the company's profitability and the
company has generated earnings in excess of analyst expectations; (2)
balance sheet strength; and (3) financial flexibility, as determined by
measuring a company's ability to meet debt and capital expenditure
requirements. The 1800 companies included in the investable universe
will be ranked according to these criteria, and the most attractive
companies will then be considered for inclusion within the strategy,
subject to risk controls and the Fund's investment objective.
Other Investments
While the Fund, under normal circumstances, will invest at least
80% of its assets in the securities described above, the Fund may
invest its remaining assets in the securities and financial instruments
described below.
In addition to the common stocks of small cap companies referenced
in the Principal Investments section above, the Fund may invest in the
following equity securities traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange or
OTC: common stocks, preferred stocks, rights, warrants, convertible
securities, and master limited partnerships (``MLPs''). The Fund may
invest in issuers located outside the United States directly, or in
exchange-traded funds (``ETFs'') \9\ or exchange-traded notes
(``ETNs'') that are indirectly linked to the performance of foreign
issuers; \10\ or ``Depositary Receipts'', which are the following:
American Depositary Receipts (``ADRs''), Global Depositary Receipts
(``GDRs''), European Depositary Receipts (``EDRs''), International
Depository Receipts (``IDRs''), ``ordinary shares,'' and ``New York
shares'' issued and traded in the U.S.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ For purposes of this proposed rule change, ETFs are
Investment Company Units (as described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule
5.2(j)(3)); Portfolio Depositary Receipts (as described in NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 8.100); and Managed Fund Shares (as described in NYSE
Arca Equities Rule 8.600). The ETFs all will be listed and traded in
the U.S. on registered exchanges. The Fund will invest in the
securities of ETFs registered under the 1940 Act consistent with the
requirements of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, or any rule,
regulation or order of the Commission or interpretation thereof. The
Fund will only make such ETF investments in conformity with the
requirements of Regulation M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the ``Internal Revenue Code''). While the Fund may
invest in inverse ETFs, the Fund will not invest in leveraged or
inverse leveraged ETFs (e.g., 2X or 3X).
\10\ ETNs include Index-Linked Securities (as described in NYSE
Arca Equities Rule5.2(j)(6)). While the Fund may invest in inverse
ETNs, the Fund will not invest in leveraged or inverse leveraged
ETNs (e.g., 2X or 3X).
\11\ According to the Registration Statement, ADRs are U.S.
dollar denominated receipts typically issued by U.S. banks and trust
companies that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by
a foreign issuer. The underlying securities may not necessarily be
denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they
may be converted. The underlying securities are held in trust by a
custodian bank or similar financial institution in the issuer's home
country. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in
domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or OTC in
the U.S. GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs are similar to ADRs in that they are
certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer;
however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in bearer form and
denominated in other currencies, and are generally designed for use
in specific or multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs,
for example, are designed for use in European securities markets
while GDRs are designed for use throughout the world. Ordinary
shares are shares of foreign issuers that are traded abroad and on a
U.S. exchange. New York shares are shares that a foreign issuer has
allocated for trading in the U.S. No more than 10% of the Fund's net
assets will be invested in non-exchange-listed ADRs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 22339]]
The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies
to the extent that such an investment would be consistent with the
requirements of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, or any rule,
regulation or order of the Commission or interpretation thereof.
Consistent with such restrictions discussed above, the Fund may invest
in U.S. exchange-listed closed-end funds and business development
companies (``BDCs''). Except with respect to ETFs, as described
above,\12\ the Fund will not invest in inverse, leveraged, or inverse
leveraged investment company securities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ See note 9, supra.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
With respect to the Fund's investments in the equity securities of
foreign issuers, the Fund may invest in the equity securities of
foreign issuers in emerging countries.
The Fund may invest in the securities of exchange-traded pooled
vehicles that are not investment companies and, thus, not required to
comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act.\13\ These pooled vehicles
typically hold commodities, such as gold or oil, currency, or other
property that is itself not a security.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ For purposes of this filing, ``exchange-traded pooled
vehicles'' consist of Equity Gold Shares (as described in NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 5.2(j)(5)); Trust Issued Receipts (as described in
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.200); Commodity-Based Trust Shares (as
described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.201); Currency Trust Shares
(as described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.202); Commodity Index
Trust Shares (as described in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.203); and
Commodity Futures Trust Shares (as described in NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 8.204). The exchange-traded pooled vehicles all will be listed
and traded in the U.S. on registered exchanges. While the Fund may
invest in inverse exchange-traded pooled vehicles, the Fund will not
invest in leveraged or inverse leveraged exchange-traded pooled
vehicles (e.g., 2X or 3X).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund may invest in shares of real estate investment trusts
(``REITs'') that are U.S. exchange-listed.
The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with financial
institutions, which may be deemed to be loans.
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements as part of
the Fund's investment strategy.\14\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\14\ According to the Registration Statement, reverse repurchase
agreements involve sales of portfolio assets by the Fund
concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same
assets at a later date at a fixed price. Generally, the effect of
such a transaction is that the Fund can recover all or most of the
cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term
of the reverse repurchase agreement, while the Fund will be able to
keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities.
The Fund will establish a segregated account with the Trust's
custodian bank in which the Fund will maintain cash, cash
equivalents or other portfolio securities equal in value to the
Fund's obligations in respect of reverse repurchase agreements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. Securities
issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or
instrumentalities include the following: U.S. Treasury securities,
which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and
which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of
issuance; U.S. Treasury bills, which have initial maturities of one
year or less; U.S. Treasury notes, which have initial maturities of one
to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds, which generally have initial
maturities of greater than ten years. The Fund may invest in certain
U.S. government securities that are issued or guaranteed by agencies or
instrumentalities of the U.S. government including, but not limited to,
obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as
the Federal National Mortgage Association (``Fannie Mae''), the Federal
Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (``Freddie Mac''), and the Government
National Mortgage Association (``Ginnie Mae'').
The Fund may invest in U.S. exchange-traded equity options, U.S.
exchange-traded index options, and U.S. exchange-traded stock index
futures contracts, all of which are traded in markets that are members
of the Intermarket Surveillance Group (ISG'') or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement.
The Fund may invest in U.S. exchange-traded ``passive foreign
investment companies'' (``PFICs''), which are generally certain non-
U.S. corporations that receive at least 75% of their annual gross
income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents
and royalties or capital gains) or that hold at least 50% of their
assets in investments producing such passive income.
The Fund, from time to time, in the ordinary course of business,
may purchase securities on a when-issued, delayed-delivery or forward
commitment basis (i.e., delivery and payment can take place between a
month and 120 days after the date of the transaction).
According to the Registration Statement, to respond to adverse
market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may invest up
to 100% of its total assets, without limitation, in high-quality,
short-term debt securities and money market instruments either directly
or through ETFs. The Fund may be invested in this manner for extended
periods, depending on the Sub-Advisor's assessment of market
conditions. Debt securities and money market instruments are the
following: shares of other mutual funds, commercial paper, certificates
of deposit, bankers' acceptances, U.S. government securities,
repurchase agreements, and bonds that are rated BBB or higher.
Investment Restrictions
According to the Registration Statement, the Fund will be
classified as a diversified investment company under the 1940 Act.\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\15\ The diversification standard is set forth in Section
5(b)(1) of the 1940 Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund intends to qualify as a ``regulated investment company''
for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ 26 U.S.C. 851.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund may hold up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net
assets in illiquid assets.\17\ The Fund will monitor its portfolio
liquidity on an ongoing basis to determine whether, in light of current
circumstances, an adequate level of liquidity is being maintained, and
will consider taking appropriate steps in order to maintain adequate
liquidity if, through a change in values, net assets, or other
circumstances, more than 15% of the Fund's net assets are held in
illiquid assets. Illiquid assets include securities subject to
contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that
lack readily available
[[Page 22340]]
markets as determined in accordance with Commission staff guidance.\18\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\17\ Under the supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees
(``Board''), the Adviser determines the liquidity of the Fund's
investments. In determining the liquidity of the Fund's investments,
the Adviser may consider various factors, including (1) the
frequency and volume of trades and quotations; (2) the number of
dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace; (3) dealer
undertakings to make a market; and (4) the nature of the security
and the market in which it trades (including any demand, put or
tender features, the mechanics and other requirements for transfer,
any letters of credit or other credit enhancement features, any
ratings, the number of holders, the method of soliciting offers, the
time required to dispose of the security, and the ability to assign
or offset the rights and obligations of the security).
\18\ The Commission has stated that long-standing Commission
guidelines have required open-end funds to hold no more than 15% of
their net assets in illiquid securities and other illiquid assets.
See Investment Company Act Release No. 28193 (March 11, 2008), 73 FR
14618 (March 18, 2008), footnote 34. See also, Investment Company
Act Release No. 5847 (October 21, 1969), 35 FR 19989 (December 31,
1970) (Statement Regarding ``Restricted Securities''); Investment
Company Act Release No. 18612 (March 12, 1992), 57 FR 9828 (March
20, 1992) (Revisions of Guidelines to Form N-1A). A fund's portfolio
security is illiquid if it cannot be disposed of in the ordinary
course of business within seven days at approximately the value
ascribed to it by the fund. See Investment Company Act Release No.
14983 (March 12, 1986), 51 FR 9773 (March 21, 1986) (adopting
amendments to Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act); Investment Company Act
Release No. 17452 (April 23, 1990), 55 FR 17933 (April 30, 1990)
(adopting Rule 144A under the 1933 Act).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund will not:
(a) with respect to 75% of its total assets, (i) purchase
securities of any issuer (except securities issued or guaranteed by the
U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities or shares of
investment companies) if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets
would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or (ii) acquire
more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer.
(b) invest 25% or more of its total assets in the securities of one
or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the
same industry or group of industries. This limitation does not apply to
investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government,
its agencies or instrumentalities, or shares of investment companies.
The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its total assets in any
investment company that so concentrates.
The Fund's investments will be consistent with its investment
objective and will not be used to provide multiple returns of a
benchmark or to produce leveraged returns. The Fund's investments will
not be used to seek performance that is the multiple or inverse
multiple (e.g., 2Xs and 3Xs) of the Fund's primary broad-based
securities benchmark index (as defined in Form N-1A).\19\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\19\ The Fund's broad-based securities benchmark index will be
identified in a future amendment to the Registration Statement
following the Fund's first full calendar year of performance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Creation and Redemption of Shares
Shares may be created and redeemed in ``Creation Unit'' size
aggregations of at least 25,000 Shares. The size of a Creation Unit is
subject to change. In order to purchase Creation Units of the Fund, an
investor must generally deposit a designated portfolio of securities
(the ``Deposit Securities'') (and/or an amount in cash in lieu of some
or all of the Deposit Securities) and generally make a cash payment
referred to as the ``Cash Component''. The list of the names and the
amounts of the Deposit Securities will be made available by the
Administrator through the facilities of the National Securities
Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') immediately prior to the opening of
business each day of the NYSE Arca. The Cash Component represents the
difference between the net asset value (``NAV'') of a Creation Unit and
the market value of the Deposit Securities. Creations and redemptions
of Shares may only be made through an ``Authorized Participant'', as
described in the Registration Statement.
Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV and only
on a day that the NYSE Arca is open for business. The Administrator
will make available immediately prior to the opening of business each
day, through the facilities of the NSCC, the list of the names and the
amounts of the Fund's portfolio securities that will be applicable that
day to redemption requests in proper form (``Fund Securities''). Fund
Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit
Securities, which are applicable to purchases of Creation Units.
Unless cash redemptions or partial cash redemptions are available
or specified for the Fund, the redemption proceeds will consist of the
Fund Securities, plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between
the NAV of Shares being redeemed as next determined after receipt by
the transfer agent of a redemption request in proper form, and the
value of the Fund Securities (the ``Cash Redemption Amount''), less the
applicable redemption fee and, if applicable, any transfer taxes.\20\
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\20\ The Fund may, in certain circumstances, allow cash
creations or partial cash creations but not redemptions (or vice
versa) if the Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes it will allow the Fund
to adjust its portfolio in a manner which is more efficient for
shareholders. The Fund may allow creations or redemptions to be
conducted partially in cash only where certain instruments are (i)
in the case of the purchase of a Creation Unit, not available in
sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) not eligible for transfer
through either the NSCC or the Depository Trust Company (``DTC'');
or (iii) not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions,
local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar
circumstances. To the extent the Fund allows creations or
redemptions to be conducted wholly or partially in cash, such
transactions will be effected in the same manner for all Authorized
Participants on a given day except where: (i) Such instruments are,
in the case of the purchase of a Creation Unit, not available to a
particular Authorized Participant in sufficient quantity; (ii) such
instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized
Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized
Participant is acting; or (iii) a holder of Shares of the Fund would
be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder
receives redemption proceeds in kind.
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Net Asset Value
The NAV per Share of the Fund will be computed by dividing the
value of the net assets of the Fund (i.e., the value of its total
assets less total liabilities) by the total number of Shares of the
Fund outstanding, rounded to the nearest cent. Expenses and fees,
including without limitation, the management, administration and
distribution fees, will be accrued daily and taken into account for
purposes of determining NAV per Share. The NAV per Share for the Fund
will be calculated by the Administrator and determined as of the
regularly scheduled close of normal trading on the New York Stock
Exchange (``NYSE'') (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each day that
the NYSE is open.
In computing the Fund's NAV, the Fund's securities holdings will be
valued based on their last readily available market price. Price
information on listed securities, including ETFs in which the Fund
invests, will be taken from the exchange where the security is
primarily traded. Other portfolio securities and assets for which
market quotations are not readily available or determined to not
represent the current fair value will be valued based on fair value as
determined in good faith by the Fund's Sub-Adviser in accordance with
procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of Trustees (``Board'').
U.S. exchange-traded options will be valued at the closing
settlement price determined by the applicable exchange. Exchange-traded
equity securities, including common stocks, ETFs, ETNs, exchange-traded
pooled vehicles, preferred stocks, rights, warrants, convertible
securities, closed-end funds, certain Depositary Receipts, MLPs, REITs,
BDCs and PFICs will be valued at market value, which will generally be
determined using the last reported official closing or last trading
price on the exchange or market on which the security is primarily
traded at the time of valuation or, if no sale has occurred, at the
last quoted bid price on the primary market or exchange on which they
are traded. If market prices are unavailable or the Fund believes that
they are unreliable, or when the value of a security has been
materially affected by events occurring after the relevant market
closes, the Fund will price those securities at fair value as
determined in good faith using methods approved by the Fund's Board.
[[Page 22341]]
OTC-traded common stocks, preferred stocks, rights, warrants,
convertible securities, and MLPs will be valued at the last reported
sale price from the OTC Bulletin Board or OTC Link LLC on the valuation
date. If such OTC-traded security does not trade on a particular day,
then the mean between the last quoted closing bid and asked price will
be used.
U.S. government securities, repurchase agreements and reverse
repurchase agreements will be valued at prices supplied by approved
pricing services.
Investment company securities (other than exchange-traded
investment company securities) will be valued at NAV.
Futures contracts will be valued at the settlement or closing price
determined by the applicable exchange.
Availability of Information
The Fund's Web site (www.advisorshares.com), which will be publicly
available prior to the public offering of Shares, will include a form
of the prospectus for the Fund that may be downloaded. The Fund's Web
site will include additional quantitative information updated on a
daily basis, including, for the Fund, (1) daily trading volume, the
prior business day's reported closing price, NAV and mid-point of the
bid/ask spread at the time of calculation of such NAV (the ``Bid/Ask
Price''),\21\ and a calculation of the premium and discount of the Bid/
Ask Price against the NAV, and (2) data in chart format displaying the
frequency distribution of discounts and premiums of the daily Bid/Ask
Price against the NAV, within appropriate ranges, for each of the four
previous calendar quarters. On each business day, before commencement
of trading in Shares in the Core Trading Session on the Exchange, the
Fund will disclose on its Web site the Disclosed Portfolio that will
form the basis for the Fund's calculation of NAV at the end of the
business day.\22\
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\21\ The Bid/Ask Price of Shares of the Fund will be determined
using the mid-point of the highest bid and the lowest offer on the
Exchange as of the time of calculation of the Fund's NAV. The
records relating to Bid/Ask Prices will be retained by the Fund and
its service providers.
\22\ Under accounting procedures followed by the Fund, trades
made on the prior business day (``T'') will be booked and reflected
in NAV on the current business day (``T+1''). Accordingly, the Fund
will be able to disclose at the beginning of the business day the
portfolio that will form the basis for the NAV calculation at the
end of the business day.
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On a daily basis, the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, will disclose
on the Fund's Web site the following information regarding each
portfolio holding, as applicable to the type of holding: Ticker symbol,
CUSIP number or other identifier, if any; a description of the holding
(including the type of holding); the identity of the security, index,
or other asset or instrument underlying the holding, if any; for
options, the option strike price; quantity held (as measured by, for
example, par value, notional value or number of shares, contracts or
units; maturity date, if any; coupon rate, if any; effective date, if
any; market value of the holding; and the percentage weighting of the
holding in the Fund's portfolio. The Web site information will be
publicly available at no charge.
In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security
names and share quantities (as applicable) required to be delivered in
exchange for Fund Shares, together with estimates and actual cash
components, will be publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of
the NYSE via the NSCC. The basket will represent one Creation Unit of
the Fund.
Investors can also obtain the Fund's Statement of Additional
Information (``SAI''), the Fund's Shareholder Reports, and its Form N-
CSR and Form N-SAR, filed twice a year. The Trust's SAI and Shareholder
Reports will be available free upon request from the Trust, and those
documents and the Form N-CSR and Form N-SAR may be viewed on-screen or
downloaded from the Commission's Web site at www.sec.gov. Information
regarding market price and trading volume of the Shares will be
continually available on a real-time basis throughout the day on
brokers' computer screens and other electronic services. Information
regarding the previous day's closing price and trading volume
information for the Shares will be published daily in the financial
section of newspapers. Quotation and last sale information for the
Shares and U.S. exchange-listed equity securities, including common
stocks, ETFs, ETNs, exchange-traded pooled vehicles, preferred stocks,
rights, warrants, convertible securities, closed-end funds, MLPs,
REITs, BDCs, PFICs and certain Depository Receipts will be available
via the Consolidated Tape Association (``CTA'') high-speed line, and
will be available from the national securities exchange on which they
are listed. Prices related to foreign exchange-traded common stocks,
preferred stocks, rights, warrants, convertible securities and MLPs
will be available from the applicable exchange or from major market
data vendors. Intra-day and closing price information relating to OTC-
traded common stocks, preferred stocks, rights, warrants, convertible
securities and MLPs will be available from major market data vendors.
Quotation and last sale information for futures will be available from
the exchange on which they are listed. Quotation and last sale
information for exchange-listed options cleared via the Options
Clearing Corporation will be available via the Options Price Reporting
Authority. Price information regarding investment company securities
(other than exchange-traded investment company securities) will be
available from the applicable fund. Price information regarding U.S.
government securities, repurchase agreements, and reverse repurchase
agreements may be obtained from brokers and dealers who make markets in
such securities or through nationally recognized pricing services
through subscription agreements.
In addition, the Portfolio Indicative Value, as defined in NYSE
Arca Equities Rule 8.600 (c)(3), based on current information regarding
the value of the securities and other assets in the Disclosed
Portfolio, will be widely disseminated at least every 15 seconds during
the Core Trading Session by one or more major market data vendors.\23\
The dissemination of the Portfolio Indicative Value, together with the
Disclosed Portfolio, will allow investors to determine the value of the
underlying portfolio of the Fund on a daily basis and will provide a
close estimate of that value throughout the trading day. The Portfolio
Indicative Value should not be viewed as a ``real-time'' update of the
NAV per Share of the Fund, which will be calculated once per day.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\23\ Currently, it is the Exchange's understanding that several
major market data vendors display and/or make widely available
Portfolio Indicative Values taken from CTA or other data feeds.
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Trading Halts
With respect to trading halts, the Exchange may consider all
relevant factors in exercising its discretion to halt or suspend
trading in the Shares of the Fund.\24\ Trading in Shares of the Fund
will be halted if the circuit breaker parameters in NYSE Arca Equities
Rule 7.12 have been reached. Trading also may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange,
make trading in the Shares inadvisable. These may include: (1) The
extent to which trading is not occurring in the securities and/or the
financial instruments comprising the Disclosed Portfolio of the Fund;
or (2) whether other unusual conditions or circumstances detrimental to
the maintenance of a fair and orderly market are present. Trading in
the
[[Page 22342]]
Shares will be subject to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600(d)(2)(D), which
sets forth circumstances under which Shares of the Fund may be halted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\24\ See NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.12.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trading Rules
The Exchange deems the Shares to be equity securities, thus
rendering trading in the Shares subject to the Exchange's existing
rules governing the trading of equity securities. Shares will trade on
the NYSE Arca Marketplace from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time in
accordance with NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.34 (Opening, Core, and Late
Trading Sessions). The Exchange has appropriate rules to facilitate
transactions in the Shares during all trading sessions. As provided in
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.6, the minimum price variation (``MPV'') for
quoting and entry of orders in equity securities traded on the NYSE
Arca Marketplace is $0.01, with the exception of securities that are
priced less than $1.00 for which the MPV for order entry is $0.0001.
The Shares will conform to the initial and continued listing
criteria under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600. Consistent with NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 8.600(d)(2)(B)(ii), the Adviser, as the Reporting
Authority, will implement and maintain, or be subject to, procedures
designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material non-public
information regarding the actual components of the Fund's portfolio.
The Exchange represents that, for initial and/or continued listing, the
Fund will be in compliance with Rule 10A-3 \25\ under the Act, as
provided by NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.3. A minimum of 100,000 Shares
will be outstanding at the commencement of trading on the Exchange. The
Exchange will obtain a representation from the issuer of the Shares
that the NAV per Share will be calculated daily and that the NAV and
the Disclosed Portfolio as defined in NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.600(c)(2) will be made available to all market participants at the
same time.
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\25\ 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
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Surveillance
The Exchange represents that trading in the Shares will be subject
to the existing trading surveillances, administered by the Exchange or
the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (``FINRA'') on behalf of
the Exchange, which are designed to detect violations of Exchange rules
and applicable federal securities laws.\26\ The Exchange represents
that these procedures are adequate to properly monitor Exchange trading
of the Shares in all trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and federal securities laws applicable to
trading on the Exchange.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\26\ FINRA surveils trading on the Exchange pursuant to a
regulatory services agreement. The Exchange is responsible for
FINRA's performance under this regulatory services agreement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The surveillances referred to above generally focus on detecting
securities trading outside their normal patterns, which could be
indicative of manipulative or other violative activity. When such
situations are detected, surveillance analysis follows and
investigations are opened, where appropriate, to review the behavior of
all relevant parties for all relevant trading violations.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, will communicate
as needed regarding trading in the Shares and certain underlying
exchange-traded equity securities (including common stocks, ETFs, ETNs,
exchange-traded pooled vehicles, MLPs, REITs, BDCs, PFICs and certain
Depository Receipts), options and futures with other markets and other
entities that are members of the ISG, and the Exchange or FINRA, on
behalf of the Exchange, may obtain trading information regarding
trading in such securities and financial instruments from such markets
and other entities. In addition, the Exchange may obtain information
regarding trading in such securities and financial instruments from
markets and other entities that are members of ISG or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.\27\
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\27\ For a list of the current members of ISG, see
www.isgportal.org. The Exchange notes that not all components of the
Disclosed Portfolio for the Fund may trade on markets that are
members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing agreement.
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Not more than 10% of the net assets of the Fund in the aggregate
invested in equity securities (other than non-exchange-traded
investment company securities) shall consist of equity securities whose
principal market is not a member of the ISG or is a market with which
the Exchange does not have a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.
In addition, the Exchange also has a general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public information by its employees.
All statements and representations made in this filing regarding
(a) the description of the portfolio, (b) limitations on portfolio
holdings or reference assets, or (c) the applicability of Exchange
rules and surveillance procedures shall constitute continued listing
requirements for listing the Shares on the Exchange.
The issuer has represented to the Exchange that it will advise the
Exchange of any failure by the Fund to comply with the continued
listing requirements, and, pursuant to its obligations under Section
19(g)(1) of the Act, the Exchange will monitor for compliance with the
continued listing requirements. If the Fund is not in compliance with
the applicable listing requirements, the Exchange will commence
delisting procedures under NYSE Arca Equities Rule 5.5(m).
Information Bulletin
Prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will inform its
Equity Trading Permit Holders in an Information Bulletin (``Bulletin'')
of the special characteristics and risks associated with trading the
Shares. Specifically, the Bulletin will discuss the following: (1) The
procedures for purchases and redemptions of Shares in Creation Unit
aggregations (and that Shares are not individually redeemable); (2)
NYSE Arca Equities Rule 9.2(a), which imposes a duty of due diligence
on its Equity Trading Permit Holders to learn the essential facts
relating to every customer prior to trading the Shares; (3) the risks
involved in trading the Shares during the Opening and Late Trading
Sessions when an updated Portfolio Indicative Value will not be
calculated or publicly disseminated; (4) how information regarding the
Portfolio Indicative Value and the Disclosed Portfolio is disseminated;
(5) the requirement that Equity Trading Permit Holders deliver a
prospectus to investors purchasing newly issued Shares prior to or
concurrently with the confirmation of a transaction; and (6) trading
information.
In addition, the Bulletin will reference that the Fund is subject
to various fees and expenses described in the Registration Statement.
The Bulletin will discuss any exemptive, no-action, and interpretive
relief granted by the Commission from any rules under the Act. The
Bulletin will also disclose that the NAV for the Shares will be
calculated after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time each trading day.
2. Statutory Basis
The basis under the Act for this proposed rule change is the
requirement under Section 6(b)(5) \28\ that an exchange have rules that
are designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices,
to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to remove
impediments to, and perfect the mechanism of a free and open market
[[Page 22343]]
and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\28\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Exchange believes that the proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices in that the
Shares will be listed and traded on the Exchange pursuant to the
initial and continued listing criteria in NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.600. The Exchange has in place surveillance procedures that are
adequate to properly monitor trading in the Shares in all trading
sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange rules and
applicable federal securities laws. The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, will communicate as needed regarding trading in the
Shares, certain underlying exchange-traded equity securities (including
common stocks, ETFs, ETNs, exchange-traded pooled vehicles, REITs,
BDCs, PFICs and certain Depository Receipts), options and futures with
other markets and other entities that are members of the ISG, and the
Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, may obtain trading
information regarding trading in such securities and financial
instruments from such markets and other entities. In addition, the
Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in such securities
and financial instruments from markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement. Not more than 10% of the net assets of
the Fund in the aggregate invested in equity securities shall consist
of equity securities whose principal market is not a member of the ISG
or is a market with which the Exchange does not have a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement. Neither the Adviser nor the Sub-Adviser
is registered as a broker-dealer. Neither the Adviser nor the Sub-
Adviser is registered as a broker-dealer. [sic] Neither the Adviser nor
the Sub-Adviser [sic] The Fund's investments will be consistent with
its investment objective and will not be used to provide multiple
returns of a benchmark or to produce leveraged returns. The Fund's
investments will not be used to seek performance that is the multiple
or inverse multiple (i.e., 2Xs and 3Xs) of the Fund's primary broad-
based securities benchmark index (as defined in Form N-1A.
The proposed rule change is designed to promote just and equitable
principles of trade and to protect investors and the public interest in
that the Exchange will obtain a representation from the issuer of the
Shares that the NAV per Share will be calculated daily and that the NAV
and the Disclosed Portfolio will be made available to all market
participants at the same time. In addition, a large amount of
information will be publicly available regarding the Fund and the
Shares, thereby promoting market transparency. Quotation and last sale
information for the Shares will be available via the CTA high-speed
line. In addition, the Portfolio Indicative Value will be widely
disseminated at least every 15 seconds during the Core Trading Session
by one or more major market data vendors. The Fund's Web site will
include a form of the prospectus for the Fund that may be downloaded,
as well as additional quantitative information updated on a daily
basis. On each business day, before commencement of trading in Shares
in the Core Trading Session on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on
its Web site the Disclosed Portfolio that will form the basis for the
Fund's calculation of NAV at the end of the business day. On a daily
basis, the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, will disclose on the Fund's
Web site the following information regarding each portfolio holding, as
applicable to the type of holding: Ticker symbol, CUSIP number or other
identifier, if any; a description of the holding (including the type of
holding); the identity of the security, index, or other asset or
instrument underlying the holding, if any; for options, the option
strike price; quantity held (as measured by, for example, par value,
notional value or number of shares, contracts or units; maturity date,
if any; coupon rate, if any; effective date, if any; market value of
the holding; and the percentage weighting of the holding in the Fund's
portfolio. The Web site information will be publicly available at no
charge.
Moreover, prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will
inform its Equity Trading Permit Holders in an Information Bulletin of
the special characteristics and risks associated with trading the
Shares. Trading in Shares of the Fund will be halted if the circuit
breaker parameters in NYSE Arca Equities Rule 7.12 have been reached or
because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable. Trading in the Shares
will be subject to NYSE Arca Equities Rule 8.600(d)(2)(D), which sets
forth circumstances under which Shares of the Fund may be halted. In
addition, as noted above, investors will have ready access to
information regarding the Fund's holdings, the Portfolio Indicative
Value, the Disclosed Portfolio, and quotation and last sale information
for the Shares.
The proposed rule change is designed to perfect the mechanism of a
free and open market and, in general, to protect investors and the
public interest in that it will facilitate the listing and trading of
an additional type of actively-managed exchange-traded product that
will enhance competition among market participants, to the benefit of
investors and the marketplace. As noted above, the Exchange has in
place surveillance procedures that are adequate to properly monitor
trading in the Shares in all trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and applicable federal securities laws. In
addition, as noted above, investors will have ready access to
information regarding the Fund's holdings, the Portfolio Indicative
Value, the Disclosed Portfolio, and quotation and last sale information
for the Shares.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange notes that the
proposed rule change will facilitate the listing and trading of an
additional type of actively-managed exchange-traded product that
primarily holds equity securities and that will enhance competition
among market participants, to the benefit of investors and the
marketplace.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the
proposed rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register or up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may designate
if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its
reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which the self-regulatory
organization consents, the Commission will:
(A) By order approve or disapprove the proposed rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule
change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
[[Page 22344]]
including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:
Electronic Comments
Use the Commission's Internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
Send an email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include
File Number SR-NYSEArca-2016-46 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEArca-2016-46. This
file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently,
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on
the Commission's Internet Web site (https://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all
written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are
filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to
the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other
than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of the filing also will be available
for inspection and copying at the principal office of the Exchange. All
comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does
not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should
submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All
submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEArca-2016-46 and should
be submitted on or before May 6, 2016.
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\29\
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\29\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-08641 Filed 4-14-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P