OSI ETF Trust, et al., 66785-66787 [2018-27984]
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 247 / Thursday, December 27, 2018 / Notices
ownership interests, to effectuate
purchases and redemptions in-kind. The
deposit procedures for in-kind
purchases of Creation Units and the
redemption procedures for in-kind
redemptions of Creation Units will be
the same for all purchases and
redemptions and Deposit Instruments
and Redemption Instruments will be
valued in the same manner as those
Portfolio Instruments currently held by
the Funds. Applicants also seek relief
from the prohibitions on affiliated
transactions in section 17(a) to permit a
Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its
shares from a Fund of Funds, and to
engage in the accompanying in-kind
transactions with the Fund of Funds.2
The purchase of Creation Units by a
Fund of Funds directly from a Fund will
be accomplished in accordance with the
policies of the Fund of Funds and will
be based on the NAVs of the Funds.
9. Applicants also request relief to
permit a Feeder Fund to acquire shares
of another registered investment
company managed by the Adviser
having substantially the same
investment objectives as the Feeder
Fund (‘‘Master Fund’’) beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(A) and
permit the Master Fund, and any
principal underwriter for the Master
Fund, to sell shares of the Master Fund
to the Feeder Fund beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(B).
10. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the
Commission to exempt any persons or
transactions from any provision of the
Act if such exemption is necessary or
appropriate in the public interest and
consistent with the protection of
investors and the purposes fairly
intended by the policy and provisions of
the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act
provides that the Commission may
exempt any person, security, or
transaction, or any class or classes of
persons, securities, or transactions, from
any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the
exemption is consistent with the public
interest and the protection of investors.
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the
Commission to grant an order
permitting a transaction otherwise
prohibited by section 17(a) if it finds
that (a) the terms of the proposed
transaction are fair and reasonable and
do not involve overreaching on the part
khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
2 The
requested relief would apply to direct sales
of shares in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of
Funds and redemptions of those shares. Applicants,
moreover, are not seeking relief from section 17(a)
for, and the requested relief will not apply to,
transactions where a Fund could be deemed an
Affiliated Person, or a Second-Tier Affiliate, of a
Fund of Funds because an Adviser or an entity
controlling, controlled by or under common control
with an Adviser provides investment advisory
services to that Fund of Funds.
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17:14 Dec 26, 2018
Jkt 247001
of any person concerned; (b) the
proposed transaction is consistent with
the policies of each registered
investment company involved; and (c)
the proposed transaction is consistent
with the general purposes of the Act.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–27985 Filed 12–26–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–84682; File No. SR–ISE–
2018–95]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Nasdaq
ISE, LLC; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed
Rule Change To Amend
Supplementary Material .07 to ISE Rule
722
November 29, 2018.
Correction
In notice document 2018–26405
beginning on page 62938 in the issue of
Thursday, December 6, 2018, make the
following correction:
On page 62939, in the third column,
the last line of the first full paragraph
‘‘December 26, 2018’’ should read
‘‘December 27, 2018’’.
[FR Doc. C1–2018–26405 Filed 12–26–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1301–00–D
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–84685; File No. SR–Phlx–
2018–76]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Nasdaq
PHLX LLC; Notice of Filing and
Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed
Rule Change To Amend the Pilot
Period for the Listing of P.M.-Settled
Nasdaq-100 Index Options Expiring on
the Third Friday of the Month
November 29, 2018.
Correction
In notice document 2018–26396
beginning on page 62942 in the issue of
Thursday, December 6, 2018, make the
following correction:
On page 62943, in the third column,
the last line of the first full paragraph
‘‘December 26, 2018’’ should read
‘‘December 27, 2018’’.
[FR Doc. C1–2018–26396 Filed 12–26–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1301–00–D
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66785
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
33330; 812–14960]
OSI ETF Trust, et al.
December 19, 2018.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice of an application for an order
under section 6(c) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) for an
exemption from sections 2(a)(32),
5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the Act and
rule 22c–1 under the Act, under
sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an
exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and
17(a)(2) of the Act, and under section
12(d)(1)(J) for an exemption from
sections 12(d)(1)(A) and 12(d)(1)(B) of
the Act. The requested order would
permit (a) actively-managed series of
certain open-end management
investment companies (‘‘Funds’’) to
issue shares redeemable in large
aggregations only (‘‘Creation Units’’); (b)
secondary market transactions in Fund
shares to occur at negotiated market
prices rather than at net asset value
(‘‘NAV’’); (c) certain Funds to pay
redemption proceeds, under certain
circumstances, more than seven days
after the tender of shares for
redemption; (d) certain affiliated
persons of a Fund to deposit securities
into, and receive securities from, the
Fund in connection with the purchase
and redemption of Creation Units; (e)
certain registered management
investment companies and unit
investment trusts outside of the same
group of investment companies as the
Funds (‘‘Funds of Funds’’) to acquire
shares of the Funds; and (f) certain
Funds (‘‘Feeder Funds’’) to create and
redeem Creation Units in-kind in a
master-feeder structure.
Applicants: OSI ETF Trust (the
‘‘Trust’’), a Delaware statutory trust that
is registered under the Act as an openend management investment company
with multiple series, O’Shares
Investment Advisers, LLC (‘‘Initial
Adviser’’), a Delaware limited liability
company registered as an investment
adviser under the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940, and Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (the ‘‘Distributor’’), a
Delaware limited liability company and
broker-dealer registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Exchange Act’’).
Filing Dates: The application was
filed on October 3, 2018.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An
order granting the requested relief will
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
27DEN1
66786
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 247 / Thursday, December 27, 2018 / Notices
be issued unless the Commission orders
a hearing. Interested persons may
request a hearing by writing to the
Commission’s Secretary and serving
applicants with a copy of the request,
personally or by mail. Hearing requests
should be received by the Commission
by 5:30 p.m. on January 14, 2019, and
should be accompanied by proof of
service on applicants, in the form of an
affidavit, or for lawyers, a certificate of
service. Pursuant to rule 0–5 under the
Act, hearing requests should state the
nature of the writer’s interest, any facts
bearing upon the desirability of a
hearing on the matter, the reason for the
request, and the issues contested.
Persons who wish to be notified of a
hearing may request notification by
writing to the Commission’s Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and
Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE,
Washington, DC 20549–1090;
Applicants: Michael W. Mundt, Esq.,
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP,
1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Ste. 500,
Washington, DC 20036; Louise Anne
Poirier, O’Shares Investment Advisers,
LLC, 1010 Sherbrooke St. West, Suite
2105, Montreal, QC H3A 2R7 Canada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bruce R. MacNeil, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551–6817, or Kaitlin C. Bottock,
Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6825
(Division of Investment Management,
Chief Counsel’s Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
following is a summary of the
application. The complete application
may be obtained via the Commission’s
website by searching for the file
number, or for an applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
Summary of the Application
1. Applicants request an order that
would allow Funds to operate as
actively-managed exchange traded
funds (‘‘ETFs’’).1 Fund shares will be
purchased and redeemed at their NAV
in Creation Units only. All orders to
purchase Creation Units and all
redemption requests will be placed by
or through an ‘‘Authorized Participant,’’
which will have signed a participant
agreement with the Distributor. Shares
1 Applicants request that the order apply to the
Initial Funds, as well as to future series of the Trust,
and any other open-end management investment
companies or series thereof (each, included in the
term ‘‘Fund’’), each of which will operate as an
actively-managed ETF. Any Fund will (a) be
advised by the Initial Adviser or an entity
controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with the Initial Adviser (each, an
‘‘Adviser’’) and (b) comply with the terms and
conditions of the application.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Dec 26, 2018
Jkt 247001
will be listed and traded individually on
a national securities exchange, where
share prices will be based on the current
bid/offer market. Certain Funds may
operate as Feeder Funds in a masterfeeder structure. Any order granting the
requested relief would be subject to the
terms and conditions stated in the
application.
2. Each Fund will consist of a
portfolio of securities and other assets
and investment positions (‘‘Portfolio
Instruments’’). Each Fund will disclose
on its website the identities and
quantities of the Portfolio Instruments
that will form the basis for the Fund’s
calculation of NAV at the end of the
day.
3. Shares will be purchased and
redeemed in Creation Units and
generally on an in-kind basis. Except
where the purchase or redemption will
include cash under the limited
circumstances specified in the
application, purchasers will be required
to purchase Creation Units by
depositing specified instruments
(‘‘Deposit Instruments’’), and
shareholders redeeming their shares
will receive specified instruments
(‘‘Redemption Instruments’’). The
Deposit Instruments and the
Redemption Instruments will each
correspond pro rata to the positions in
the Fund’s portfolio (including cash
positions) except as specified in the
application.
4. Because shares will not be
individually redeemable, applicants
request an exemption from section
5(a)(1) and section 2(a)(32) of the Act
that would permit the Funds to register
as open-end management investment
companies and issue shares that are
redeemable in Creation Units only.
5. Applicants also request an
exemption from section 22(d) of the Act
and rule 22c-1 under the Act as
secondary market trading in shares will
take place at negotiated prices, not at a
current offering price described in a
Fund’s prospectus, and not at a price
based on NAV. Applicants state that (a)
secondary market trading in shares does
not involve a Fund as a party and will
not result in dilution of an investment
in shares, and (b) to the extent different
prices exist during a given trading day,
or from day to day, such variances occur
as a result of third-party market forces,
such as supply and demand. Therefore,
applicants assert that secondary market
transactions in shares will not lead to
discrimination or preferential treatment
among purchasers. Finally, applicants
represent that share market prices will
be disciplined by arbitrage
opportunities, which should prevent
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
shares from trading at a material
discount or premium from NAV.
6. With respect to Funds that hold
non-U.S. Portfolio Instruments and that
effect creations and redemptions of
Creation Units in kind, applicants
request relief from the requirement
imposed by section 22(e) in order to
allow such Funds to pay redemption
proceeds within fifteen calendar days
following the tender of Creation Units
for redemption. Applicants assert that
the requested relief would not be
inconsistent with the spirit and intent of
section 22(e) to prevent unreasonable,
undisclosed or unforeseen delays in the
actual payment of redemption proceeds.
7. Applicants request an exemption to
permit Funds of Funds to acquire Fund
shares beyond the limits of section
12(d)(1)(A) of the Act; and the Funds,
and any principal underwriter for the
Funds, and/or any broker or dealer
registered under the Exchange Act, to
sell shares to Funds of Funds beyond
the limits of section 12(d)(1)(B) of the
Act. The application’s terms and
conditions are designed to, among other
things, help prevent any potential (i)
undue influence over a Fund through
control or voting power, or in
connection with certain services,
transactions, and underwritings, (ii)
excessive layering of fees, and (iii)
overly complex fund structures, which
are the concerns underlying the limits
in sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the
Act.
8. Applicants request an exemption
from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the
Act to permit a person who is an
affiliated person, as defined in section
2(a)(3) of the Act (‘‘Affiliated Person’’),
or an affiliated person of an Affiliated
Person (‘‘Second-Tier Affiliate’’), of the
Funds, solely by virtue of certain
ownership interests, to effectuate
purchases and redemptions in-kind. The
deposit procedures for in-kind
purchases of Creation Units and the
redemption procedures for in-kind
redemptions of Creation Units will be
the same for all purchases and
redemptions and Deposit Instruments
and Redemption Instruments will be
valued in the same manner as those
Portfolio Instruments currently held by
the Funds. Applicants also seek relief
from the prohibitions on affiliated
transactions in section 17(a) to permit a
Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its
shares from a Fund of Funds, and to
engage in the accompanying in-kind
transactions with the Fund of Funds.2
2 The requested relief would apply to direct sales
of shares in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of
Funds and redemptions of those shares. Applicants,
moreover, are not seeking relief from section 17(a)
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
27DEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 247 / Thursday, December 27, 2018 / Notices
The purchase of Creation Units by a
Fund of Funds directly from a Fund will
be accomplished in accordance with the
policies of the Fund of Funds and will
be based on the NAVs of the Funds.
9. Applicants also request relief to
permit a Feeder Fund to acquire shares
of another registered investment
company managed by the Adviser
having substantially the same
investment objectives as the Feeder
Fund (‘‘Master Fund’’) beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(A) and
permit the Master Fund, and any
principal underwriter for the Master
Fund, to sell shares of the Master Fund
to the Feeder Fund beyond the
limitations in section 12(d)(1)(B).
10. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the
Commission to exempt any persons or
transactions from any provision of the
Act if such exemption is necessary or
appropriate in the public interest and
consistent with the protection of
investors and the purposes fairly
intended by the policy and provisions of
the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act
provides that the Commission may
exempt any person, security, or
transaction, or any class or classes of
persons, securities, or transactions, from
any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the
exemption is consistent with the public
interest and the protection of investors.
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the
Commission to grant an order
permitting a transaction otherwise
prohibited by section 17(a) if it finds
that (a) the terms of the proposed
transaction are fair and reasonable and
do not involve overreaching on the part
of any person concerned; (b) the
proposed transaction is consistent with
the policies of each registered
investment company involved; and (c)
the proposed transaction is consistent
with the general purposes of the Act.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES
for, and the requested relief will not apply to,
transactions where a Fund could be deemed an
Affiliated Person, or a Second-Tier Affiliate, of a
Fund of Funds because an investment adviser to the
Funds is also an investment adviser to a Fund of
Funds.
Jkt 247001
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
Arca, Inc.; Order Instituting
Proceedings To Determine Whether To
Approve or Disapprove a Proposed
Rule Change To Amend NYSE Arca
Rule 5.2–E(j)(6) Relating to Equity
Index-Linked Securities Listing
Standards Set Forth in NYSE Arca Rule
5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I)
December 19, 2018.
On September 10, 2018, NYSE Arca,
Inc. (‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘NYSE Arca’’) filed
with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘Commission’’), pursuant
to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Act’’ or
‘‘Exchange Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposed rule change to
amend listing standards set forth in
NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I) relating
to criteria applicable to components of
an index underlying an issue of Equity
Index-Linked Securities. The proposed
rule change was published for comment
in the Federal Register on October 1,
2018.3
On November 13, 2018, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act,4 the
Commission designated a longer period
within which to approve the proposed
rule change, disapprove the proposed
rule change, or institute proceedings to
determine whether to disapprove the
proposed rule change.5 The Commission
has received no comment letters on the
proposed rule change. This order
institutes proceedings under Section
19(b)(2)(B) of the Act 6 to determine
whether to approve or disapprove the
proposed rule change.
I. Summary of the Proposal 7
NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I) sets
forth the listing standards applicable to
Equity Index-Linked Securities.8 The
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 84279
(Sept. 25, 2018), 83 FR 49437 (‘‘Notice’’).
4 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
5 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 84576,
83 FR 58315 (Nov. 19, 2018). The Commission
designated December 30, 2018, as the date by which
it should approve, disapprove, or institute
proceedings to determine whether to disapprove the
proposed rule change.
6 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
7 The Commission notes that additional aspects
and information regarding the proposal can be
found in the Notice. See Notice, supra note 3.
8 Equity Index-Linked Securities are securities
that provide for the payment at maturity based on
the performance of an underlying index or indexes
of equity securities, securities of closed-end
management investment companies registered
2 17
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
17:14 Dec 26, 2018
[Release No. 34–84863; File No. SR–
NYSEArca–2018–67]
1 15
[FR Doc. 2018–27984 Filed 12–26–18; 8:45 am]
VerDate Sep<11>2014
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
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66787
Exchange proposes to amend NYSE
Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I) relating to
criteria applicable to components of an
index underlying an issue of Equity
Index-Linked Securities, as described
below.9
Proposed Amendments to NYSE Arca
Rule 5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(v)
The Exchange proposes to amend
NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(v)
to provide that all component securities
of an index underlying an issue of
Equity Index-Linked Securities shall be
either (1) U.S. Component Stocks (as
described in NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–
E(j)(3)) 10 that are listed on a national
securities exchange and are NMS Stocks
as defined in Rule 600 of Regulation
NMS under the Exchange Act; or (2)
Non-U.S. Component Stocks (as
described in NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–
E(j)(3)) 11 that are listed and traded on
an exchange that has last-sale
reporting.12 The proposed amendment,
under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (‘‘1940
Act’’), and/or Investment Company Units (as
described in NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(3)). In the
proposal, the Exchange also refers to these
securities as ‘‘Exchange-Traded Notes’’ or ‘‘ETNs.’’
9 NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(v)
provides that all component securities shall be
either: (A) Securities (other than foreign country
securities and American Depository Receipts
(‘‘ADRs’’)) that are (x) issued by a 1934 Act
reporting company or by an investment company
registered under the 1940 Act, which in each case
is listed on a national securities exchange, and (y)
an ‘‘NMS stock’’ (as defined in Rule 600 of SEC
Regulation NMS); or (B) Foreign country securities
or ADRs, provided that foreign country securities or
foreign country securities underlying ADRs having
their primary trading market outside the United
States on foreign trading markets that are not
members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group
(‘‘ISG’’) or parties to comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreements with the Exchange will not in
the aggregate represent more than 50% of the dollar
weight of the index, and provided further that: (i)
The securities of any one such market do not
represent more than 20% of the dollar weight of the
index; and (ii) the securities of any two such
markets do not represent more than 33% of the
dollar weight of the index.
10 NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(3) provides that the
term ‘‘US Component Stock’’ shall mean an equity
security that is registered under Sections 12(b) or
12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or an
American Depositary Receipt, the underlying equity
security of which is registered under Sections 12(b)
or 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
11 NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–E(j)(3) provides that the
term ‘‘Non-US Component Stock’’ shall mean an
equity security that is not registered under Sections
12(b) or 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and that is issued by an entity that (a) is not
organized, domiciled or incorporated in the United
States, and (b) is an operating company (including
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITS) and income
trusts, but excluding investment trusts, unit trusts,
mutual funds, and derivatives).
12 The text of proposed NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–
E(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(v)(1) is comparable to the
requirement for US Component Stocks in
Commentary .01(a)(A)(5) to NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–
E(j)(3). The text of proposed NYSE Arca Rule 5.2–
E(j)(6)(B)(I)(1)(b)(v)(2) is comparable to the
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
Continued
27DEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 247 (Thursday, December 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66785-66787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27984]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 33330; 812-14960]
OSI ETF Trust, et al.
December 19, 2018.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of an application for an order under section 6(c) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act'') for an exemption from
sections 2(a)(32), 5(a)(1), 22(d), and 22(e) of the Act and rule 22c-1
under the Act, under sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act for an
exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and 17(a)(2) of the Act, and under
section 12(d)(1)(J) for an exemption from sections 12(d)(1)(A) and
12(d)(1)(B) of the Act. The requested order would permit (a) actively-
managed series of certain open-end management investment companies
(``Funds'') to issue shares redeemable in large aggregations only
(``Creation Units''); (b) secondary market transactions in Fund shares
to occur at negotiated market prices rather than at net asset value
(``NAV''); (c) certain Funds to pay redemption proceeds, under certain
circumstances, more than seven days after the tender of shares for
redemption; (d) certain affiliated persons of a Fund to deposit
securities into, and receive securities from, the Fund in connection
with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units; (e) certain
registered management investment companies and unit investment trusts
outside of the same group of investment companies as the Funds (``Funds
of Funds'') to acquire shares of the Funds; and (f) certain Funds
(``Feeder Funds'') to create and redeem Creation Units in-kind in a
master-feeder structure.
Applicants: OSI ETF Trust (the ``Trust''), a Delaware statutory
trust that is registered under the Act as an open-end management
investment company with multiple series, O'Shares Investment Advisers,
LLC (``Initial Adviser''), a Delaware limited liability company
registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act
of 1940, and Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the ``Distributor''), a
Delaware limited liability company and broker-dealer registered under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act'').
Filing Dates: The application was filed on October 3, 2018.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested
relief will
[[Page 66786]]
be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested persons
may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's Secretary and
serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail.
Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on
January 14, 2019, and should be accompanied by proof of service on
applicants, in the form of an affidavit, or for lawyers, a certificate
of service. Pursuant to rule 0-5 under the Act, hearing requests should
state the nature of the writer's interest, any facts bearing upon the
desirability of a hearing on the matter, the reason for the request,
and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing
may request notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.
ADDRESSES: Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street
NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090; Applicants: Michael W. Mundt, Esq.,
Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, 1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Ste.
500, Washington, DC 20036; Louise Anne Poirier, O'Shares Investment
Advisers, LLC, 1010 Sherbrooke St. West, Suite 2105, Montreal, QC H3A
2R7 Canada.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce R. MacNeil, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-6817, or Kaitlin C. Bottock, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6825
(Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's Office).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained via the
Commission's website by searching for the file number, or for an
applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551-8090.
Summary of the Application
1. Applicants request an order that would allow Funds to operate as
actively-managed exchange traded funds (``ETFs'').\1\ Fund shares will
be purchased and redeemed at their NAV in Creation Units only. All
orders to purchase Creation Units and all redemption requests will be
placed by or through an ``Authorized Participant,'' which will have
signed a participant agreement with the Distributor. Shares will be
listed and traded individually on a national securities exchange, where
share prices will be based on the current bid/offer market. Certain
Funds may operate as Feeder Funds in a master-feeder structure. Any
order granting the requested relief would be subject to the terms and
conditions stated in the application.
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\1\ Applicants request that the order apply to the Initial
Funds, as well as to future series of the Trust, and any other open-
end management investment companies or series thereof (each,
included in the term ``Fund''), each of which will operate as an
actively-managed ETF. Any Fund will (a) be advised by the Initial
Adviser or an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common
control with the Initial Adviser (each, an ``Adviser'') and (b)
comply with the terms and conditions of the application.
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2. Each Fund will consist of a portfolio of securities and other
assets and investment positions (``Portfolio Instruments''). Each Fund
will disclose on its website the identities and quantities of the
Portfolio Instruments that will form the basis for the Fund's
calculation of NAV at the end of the day.
3. Shares will be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units and
generally on an in-kind basis. Except where the purchase or redemption
will include cash under the limited circumstances specified in the
application, purchasers will be required to purchase Creation Units by
depositing specified instruments (``Deposit Instruments''), and
shareholders redeeming their shares will receive specified instruments
(``Redemption Instruments''). The Deposit Instruments and the
Redemption Instruments will each correspond pro rata to the positions
in the Fund's portfolio (including cash positions) except as specified
in the application.
4. Because shares will not be individually redeemable, applicants
request an exemption from section 5(a)(1) and section 2(a)(32) of the
Act that would permit the Funds to register as open-end management
investment companies and issue shares that are redeemable in Creation
Units only.
5. Applicants also request an exemption from section 22(d) of the
Act and rule 22c-1 under the Act as secondary market trading in shares
will take place at negotiated prices, not at a current offering price
described in a Fund's prospectus, and not at a price based on NAV.
Applicants state that (a) secondary market trading in shares does not
involve a Fund as a party and will not result in dilution of an
investment in shares, and (b) to the extent different prices exist
during a given trading day, or from day to day, such variances occur as
a result of third-party market forces, such as supply and demand.
Therefore, applicants assert that secondary market transactions in
shares will not lead to discrimination or preferential treatment among
purchasers. Finally, applicants represent that share market prices will
be disciplined by arbitrage opportunities, which should prevent shares
from trading at a material discount or premium from NAV.
6. With respect to Funds that hold non-U.S. Portfolio Instruments
and that effect creations and redemptions of Creation Units in kind,
applicants request relief from the requirement imposed by section 22(e)
in order to allow such Funds to pay redemption proceeds within fifteen
calendar days following the tender of Creation Units for redemption.
Applicants assert that the requested relief would not be inconsistent
with the spirit and intent of section 22(e) to prevent unreasonable,
undisclosed or unforeseen delays in the actual payment of redemption
proceeds.
7. Applicants request an exemption to permit Funds of Funds to
acquire Fund shares beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(A) of the
Act; and the Funds, and any principal underwriter for the Funds, and/or
any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act, to sell shares
to Funds of Funds beyond the limits of section 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act.
The application's terms and conditions are designed to, among other
things, help prevent any potential (i) undue influence over a Fund
through control or voting power, or in connection with certain
services, transactions, and underwritings, (ii) excessive layering of
fees, and (iii) overly complex fund structures, which are the concerns
underlying the limits in sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act.
8. Applicants request an exemption from sections 17(a)(1) and
17(a)(2) of the Act to permit a person who is an affiliated person, as
defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act (``Affiliated Person''), or an
affiliated person of an Affiliated Person (``Second-Tier Affiliate''),
of the Funds, solely by virtue of certain ownership interests, to
effectuate purchases and redemptions in-kind. The deposit procedures
for in-kind purchases of Creation Units and the redemption procedures
for in-kind redemptions of Creation Units will be the same for all
purchases and redemptions and Deposit Instruments and Redemption
Instruments will be valued in the same manner as those Portfolio
Instruments currently held by the Funds. Applicants also seek relief
from the prohibitions on affiliated transactions in section 17(a) to
permit a Fund to sell its shares to and redeem its shares from a Fund
of Funds, and to engage in the accompanying in-kind transactions with
the Fund of Funds.\2\
[[Page 66787]]
The purchase of Creation Units by a Fund of Funds directly from a Fund
will be accomplished in accordance with the policies of the Fund of
Funds and will be based on the NAVs of the Funds.
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\2\ The requested relief would apply to direct sales of shares
in Creation Units by a Fund to a Fund of Funds and redemptions of
those shares. Applicants, moreover, are not seeking relief from
section 17(a) for, and the requested relief will not apply to,
transactions where a Fund could be deemed an Affiliated Person, or a
Second-Tier Affiliate, of a Fund of Funds because an investment
adviser to the Funds is also an investment adviser to a Fund of
Funds.
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9. Applicants also request relief to permit a Feeder Fund to
acquire shares of another registered investment company managed by the
Adviser having substantially the same investment objectives as the
Feeder Fund (``Master Fund'') beyond the limitations in section
12(d)(1)(A) and permit the Master Fund, and any principal underwriter
for the Master Fund, to sell shares of the Master Fund to the Feeder
Fund beyond the limitations in section 12(d)(1)(B).
10. Section 6(c) of the Act permits the Commission to exempt any
persons or transactions from any provision of the Act if such exemption
is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with
the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the
policy and provisions of the Act. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act
provides that the Commission may exempt any person, security, or
transaction, or any class or classes of persons, securities, or
transactions, from any provision of section 12(d)(1) if the exemption
is consistent with the public interest and the protection of investors.
Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to grant an order
permitting a transaction otherwise prohibited by section 17(a) if it
finds that (a) the terms of the proposed transaction are fair and
reasonable and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person
concerned; (b) the proposed transaction is consistent with the policies
of each registered investment company involved; and (c) the proposed
transaction is consistent with the general purposes of the Act.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-27984 Filed 12-26-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P