Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of Amendment No. 3 and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of a Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 3 Thereto, to List and Trade Shares of the ClearBridge Focus Value ETF Under BZX Rule 14.11(k), 11137-11146 [2020-03770]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 2020 / Notices
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–88247; File No. SR–
CboeBZX–2019–102]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe
BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of Filing of
Amendment No. 3 and Order Granting
Accelerated Approval of a Proposed
Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 3 Thereto, to List and
Trade Shares of the ClearBridge Focus
Value ETF Under BZX Rule 14.11(k)
February 20, 2020.
I. Introduction
On November 27, 2019, Cboe BZX
Exchange, Inc. (‘‘Exchange’’ or ‘‘BZX’’)
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
list and trade shares (‘‘Shares’’) of the
ClearBridge Focus Value ETF (‘‘Fund’’)
under BZX Rule 14.11(k) (Managed
Portfolio Shares).3 The proposed rule
change was published for comment in
the Federal Register on December 17,
2019.4 On December 16, 2019, the
Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to the
proposed rule change, which replaced
and superseded the proposed rule
change as originally filed.5 On January
31, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the
Act,6 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.7
On February 13, 2020, the Exchange
filed Amendment No. 2 to the proposed
rule change, which replaced and
superseded the proposed rule change, as
modified by Amendment No. 1.8 On
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 The Commission recently approved the
Exchange’s proposed rule change to adopt BZX
Rule 14.11(k) to permit the listing and trading of
Managed Portfolio Shares. See Securities Exchange
Act Release No. 87759 (December 16, 2019), 84 FR
70223 (December 20, 2019) (SR–CboeBZX–2019–
047) (‘‘Managed Portfolio Shares Order’’).
4 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87719
(December 11, 2019), 84 FR 68999 (‘‘Notice’’).
5 Amendment No. 1 is available on the
Commission’s website at https://www.sec.gov/
comments/sr-cboebzx-2019-102/srcboebzx20191026634920-203299.pdf.
6 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
7 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 88108,
85 FR 6987 (February 6, 2020). The Commission
designated March 16, 2020, as the date by which
the Commission shall approve or disapprove, or
institute proceedings to determine whether to
disapprove, the proposed rule change.
8 Amendment No. 2 is available on the
Commission’s website at https://www.sec.gov/
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2 17
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February 19, 2020, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 3 to the proposed rule
change, which replaced and superseded
the proposed rule change, as modified
by Amendment No. 2.9 The Commission
has received no comments on the
proposed rule change. The Commission
is publishing this notice to solicit
comments on Amendment No. 3 from
interested persons, and is approving the
proposed rule change, as modified by
Amendment No. 3, on an accelerated
basis.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change, as Modified by Amendment
No. 3
In its filing with the Commission, the
Exchange 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 these
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 aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule
Change
1. Purpose
This Amendment No. 3 to SR–
CboeBZX–2019–102 amends and
replaces in its entirety Amendment No.
2 to the proposal, submitted on
February 13, 2020, which amended and
replaced in its entirety Amendment No.
1 to the proposal, submitted on
December 16, 2019, which amended and
replaced in its entirety the proposal as
originally submitted on November 27,
2019. The Exchange submits this
Amendment No. 2 [sic] in order to
clarify certain points and add additional
details to the proposal.
The Exchange received approval to
add new Rule 14.11(k) for the purpose
of permitting the listing and trading of
Managed Portfolio Shares, which are
securities issued by an actively managed
open-end management investment
comments/sr-cboebzx-2019-102/srcboebzx20191026830764-208570.pdf.
9 Amendment No. 3 is available on the
Commission’s website at https://www.sec.gov/
comments/sr-cboebzx-2019-102/srcboebzx20191026839776-208722.pdf.
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company,10 on December 16, 2019.11
Rule 14.11(k)(2)(A) requires the
Exchange to file separate proposals
under Section 19(b) of the Act before
listing and trading any series of
Managed Portfolio Shares on the
Exchange. As such, the Exchange is
submitting this proposal in order to list
and trade shares of the ClearBridge
Focus Value ETF (the ‘‘Fund’’) under
Rule 14.11(k).
Description of the Fund and the Trust
The shares of the Fund (the ‘‘Shares’’)
will be issued by ActiveShares ETF
Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’), a statutory trust
organized under the laws of the State of
Maryland and registered with the
Commission as an open-end
management investment company.12
The investment adviser to the Trust will
be Precidian Funds LLC (the
10 As defined in Rule 14.11(k)(3)(A), the term
‘‘Managed Portfolio Share’’ means a security that (a)
represents an interest in an investment company
registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940 (‘‘Investment Company’’) organized as an
open-end management investment company, that
invests in a portfolio of securities selected by the
Investment Company’s investment adviser
consistent with the Investment Company’s
investment objectives and policies; (b) is issued in
a Creation Unit (as defined below), or multiples
thereof, in return for a designated portfolio of
instruments (and/or an amount of cash) with a
value equal to the next determined net asset value
and delivered to the Authorized Participant (as
defined in the Investment Company’s Form N–1A
filed with the Commission) through a Confidential
Account; (c) when aggregated into a Redemption
Unit (as defined below), or multiples thereof, may
be redeemed for a designated portfolio of
instruments (and/or an amount of cash) with a
value equal to the next determined net asset value
delivered to the Confidential Account (as defined
below) for the benefit of the Authorized Participant;
and (d) the portfolio holdings for which are
disclosed within at least 60 days following the end
of every fiscal quarter.
11 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87759
(December 16, 2019), 84 FR 70223 (December 20,
2019) (SR–CboeBZX–2019–047).
12 The Trust is registered under the 1940 Act. On
November 1, 2019, the Trust filed a registration
statement on Form N–1A relating to the Fund (File
No. 811–23487) (the ‘‘Registration Statement’’). In
response to an application for exemptive relief (the
‘‘Exemptive Application’’) (File No. 812–14405), the
Commission issued an order granting exemptive
relief applicable to the Trust (‘‘Exemptive Order’’)
under the 1940 Act on May 20, 2019 (Investment
Company Act Release No. 33477). Investments
made by the Fund will comply with the conditions
set forth in the Exemptive Order. The description
of the operation of the Trust and the Fund herein
is based, in part, on the Registration Statement. The
Exemptive Order specifically notes that ‘‘granting
the requested exemptions is appropriate in and
consistent with the public interest and consistent
with the protection of investors and the purposes
fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the
Act. It is further found that the terms of the
proposed transactions, including the consideration
to be paid or received, are reasonable and fair and
do not involve overreaching on the part of any
person concerned, and that the proposed
transactions are consistent with the policy of each
registered investment company concerned and with
the general purposes of the Act.’’
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 2020 / Notices
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‘‘Adviser’’). ClearBridge Investments,
LLC (‘‘ClearBridge’’) and Western Asset
Management Company, LLC (‘‘Western
Asset’’ and, collectively with
ClearBridge, the ‘‘Sub-Advisers’’) will
be the Sub-Advisers to the Fund. Legg
Mason Investor Services, LLC (the
‘‘Distributor’’) will serve as the
distributor of the Fund’s Shares. All
statements and representations made in
this filing regarding the description of
the portfolio or reference assets,
limitations on portfolio holdings or
reference assets, dissemination and
availability of the Verified Intraday
Indicative Value (‘‘VIIV’’),13 reference
assets, and intraday indicative values,
and the applicability of Exchange rules
shall constitute continued listing
requirements for listing the Shares on
the Exchange, as provided under Rule
14.11(a).
Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D) provides that if
the investment adviser to the
Investment Company issuing Managed
Portfolio Shares is registered as a
broker-dealer or is affiliated with a
broker-dealer, such investment adviser
will erect and maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’
between the investment adviser and
personnel of the broker-dealer or brokerdealer affiliate, as applicable, with
respect to access to information
concerning the composition of and/or
changes to such Investment Company
portfolio and/or the Creation Basket.14
Any person related to the investment
adviser or Investment Company who
makes decisions pertaining to the
Investment Company’s portfolio
composition or has access to
information regarding the Investment
Company’s portfolio composition or
changes thereto or the Creation Basket
must be subject to procedures designed
to prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information
regarding the applicable Investment
13 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(B) defines the term VIIV as the
indicative value of a Managed Portfolio Share based
on all of the holdings of a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares as of the close of business on the
prior business day and, for corporate actions, based
on the applicable holdings as of the opening of
business on the current business day, priced and
disseminated in one second intervals during
Regular Trading Hours (as defined in Rule 1.5(w))
by the Reporting Authority, as defined below.
14 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(E) defines the term ‘‘Creation
Basket’’ as on any given business day the names
and quantities of the specified instruments (and/or
an amount of cash) that are required for an AP
Representative (as defined below) to deposit in-kind
on behalf of an Authorized Participant in exchange
for a Creation Unit and the names and quantities
of the specified instruments (and/or an amount of
cash) that will be transferred in-kind to an AP
Representative on behalf of an Authorized
Participant in exchange for a Redemption Unit,
which will be identical and will be transmitted to
each AP Representative before the commencement
of trading.
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Company portfolio or changes thereto or
the Creation Basket.15 Rule
14.11(k)(2)(D) is similar to Rule
14.11(c)(5)(A)(i), related to Index Fund
Shares, except that Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D)
relates to the establishment of a ‘‘fire
wall’’ between the investment adviser
and the broker-dealer as applicable to an
Investment Company’s portfolio and/or
Creation Basket, not an underlying
benchmark index, as is the case with
index-based funds. Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D)
is also similar to Rule 14.11(i)(7), related
to Managed Fund Shares, except that
Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D) relates to the
establishment of a ‘‘fire wall’’ between
the investment adviser and the brokerdealer as applicable to an Investment
Company’s portfolio and Creation
Basket, and not just the underlying
portfolio, as is the case with Managed
Fund Shares. The Adviser is not
registered as a broker-dealer or affiliated
with a broker-dealer. Neither SubAdviser is registered as a broker-dealer,
but each is affiliated with the
Distributor, a broker-dealer, and has
implemented and will maintain a ‘‘fire
wall’’ with respect to such broker-dealer
regarding access to information
concerning the composition of and
changes to the Fund’s portfolio and/or
Creation Basket.
In the event (a) the Adviser or either
Sub-Adviser becomes registered as a
broker-dealer or becomes newly
affiliated with a broker-dealer, or (b) any
new adviser or sub-adviser is a
registered broker-dealer or becomes
affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
implement and maintain a fire wall with
respect to its relevant personnel or its
15 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 its related personnel as well
as the Sub-Advisers and their respective related
personnel will be 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 its fiduciary
obligations 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 (i) adopts and
implements written policies and procedures
reasonably designed to prevent violations, by the
investment adviser and its supervised persons, of
the Advisers Act and the Commission rules adopted
thereunder; (ii) reviews, at least annually, the
adequacy of the policies and procedures established
pursuant to subparagraph (i) above and the
effectiveness of their implementation; and (iii)
designates an individual (who is a supervised
person) responsible for administering the policies
and procedures adopted under subparagraph (i)
above. The Fund will also comply with the
requirements of Regulation Fair Disclosure, as
provided in the Exemptive Application.
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broker-dealer affiliate regarding access
to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the
portfolio and/or Creation Basket.
Any person related to the Adviser, the
Sub-Advisers, or the Trust who makes
decisions pertaining to the Fund’s
portfolio composition or that has access
to information regarding the Fund’s
portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding such
portfolio or changes thereto and the
Creation Basket.
Further, Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E) requires
that any person or entity, including an
AP Representative, custodian, Reporting
Authority, distributor, or administrator,
who has access to information regarding
the Investment Company’s portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket, must be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the
applicable Investment Company
portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket. Moreover, if any such
person or entity is registered as a brokerdealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer,
such person or entity will erect and
maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’ between the
person or entity and the broker-dealer
with respect to access to information
concerning the composition and/or
changes to such Investment Company
portfolio or Creation Basket. Any person
or entity who has access to information
regarding the Fund’s portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the
portfolio composition or changes thereto
or the Creation Basket.
Description of the Fund
ClearBridge Focus Value ETF
The Fund’s holdings will conform to
the permissible investments as set forth
in the Exemptive Application and
Exemptive Order and the holdings will
be consistent with all requirements in
the Exemptive Application and
Exemptive Order.16
16 Pursuant to the Exemptive Order, the
permissible investments include only the following
instruments that trade on a U.S. exchange
contemporaneously with the Shares: ETFs and
exchange-traded notes, common stocks, preferred
stocks, American depositary receipts, real estate
investment trusts, commodity pools, metals trusts,
currency trusts, and futures for which the reference
asset the Fund may invest in directly or, in the case
of an index future, based on an index of a type of
asset that the Fund could invest in directly; as well
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The Fund seeks long-term capital
appreciation. By employing
fundamental research, in an effort to
identify securities with attractive riskadjusted returns, the Fund’s portfolio
management team constructs the
portfolio on a bottom-up basis.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund will not purchase any
securities that are illiquid investments
at the time of purchase and the Fund’s
holdings will be consistent with all
requirements described in the
Exemptive Application and Exemptive
Order.
The Shares of the Fund will conform
to the initial and continued listing
criteria under Rule 14.11(k). The Fund’s
holdings will be limited to and
consistent with what is permissible
under the Exemptive Order.
The Fund’s investments will be
consistent with its investment objective
and will not be used to enhance
leverage.
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Creations and Redemptions of Shares
Creations and redemptions of the
Shares will occur as described in Rule
14.11(k). More specifically, in
connection with the creation and
redemption of Creation Units 17 and
Redemption Units,18 the delivery or
receipt of any portfolio securities inkind will be required to be effected
through a separate confidential
brokerage account (a ‘‘Confidential
Account’’).19 Authorized Participants
(as defined in the Fund’s Form N–1A
filed with the Commission, ‘‘AP’’) will
sign an agreement with an AP
Representative 20 establishing the
as cash and cash equivalents (short-term U.S.
Treasury securities, government money market
funds and repurchase agreements).
17 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(F) defines the term ‘‘Creation
Unit’’ as a specified minimum number of Managed
Portfolio Shares issued by an Investment Company
at the request of an Authorized Participant in return
for a designated portfolio of instruments and/or
cash.
18 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(G) defines the term
‘‘Redemption Unit’’ as a specified minimum
number of Managed Portfolio Shares that may be
redeemed to an Investment Company at the request
of an Authorized Participant in return for a
portfolio of instruments and/or cash.
19 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(D) defines the term
‘‘Confidential Account’’ as an account owned by an
Authorized Participant and held with an AP
Representative on behalf of the Authorized
Participant. The account will be established and
governed by contractual agreement between the AP
Representative and the Authorized Participant
solely for the purposes of creation and redemption,
while keeping confidential the Creation Basket
constituents of each series of Managed Portfolio
Shares, including from the Authorized Participant.
The books and records of the Confidential Account
will be maintained by the AP Representative on
behalf of the Authorized Participant.
20 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(C) defines the term ‘‘AP
Representative’’ as an unaffiliated broker-dealer,
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17:22 Feb 25, 2020
Jkt 250001
Confidential Account for the benefit of
the AP. AP Representatives will be
broker-dealers. An AP must be a
Depository Trust Company (‘‘DTC’’)
Participant that has executed a
‘‘Participant Agreement’’ with the
Distributor with respect to the creation
and redemption of Creation Units and
Redemption Units and formed a
Confidential Account for its benefit in
accordance with the terms of the
Participant Agreement. For purposes of
creations or redemptions, all
transactions will be effected through the
respective AP’s Confidential Account,
for the benefit of the AP, without
disclosing the identity of such securities
to the AP.
Each AP Representative will be given,
before the commencement of trading
each Business Day (defined below), the
Creation Basket (as described below) for
that day. This information will permit
an AP that has established a
Confidential Account with an AP
Representative, to instruct the AP
Representative to buy and sell positions
in the portfolio securities to permit
creation and redemption of Creation
Units and Redemption Units. Shares of
the Fund will be issued and redeemed
in Creation Units and Redemption Units
of 5,000 or more Shares. The Fund will
offer and redeem Creation Units and
Redemption Units on a continuous basis
at the net asset value (‘‘NAV’’) per share
next determined after receipt of an order
in proper form. The NAV per share of
the Fund will be determined as of the
close of regular trading on the Exchange
on each day that the Exchange is open
(a ‘‘Business Day’’). The Fund will sell
and redeem Creation Units and
Redemption Units only on Business
Days.
To keep costs low and permit the
Fund to be as fully invested as possible,
Shares will be purchased and redeemed
in Creation Units and Redemption Units
and generally on an in-kind basis.
Accordingly, except where the purchase
or redemption will include cash under
the circumstances described in the
Exemptive Application, APs will be
required to purchase Creation Units by
making an in-kind deposit of specified
instruments (‘‘Deposit Instruments’’),
and APs redeeming their Shares will
receive an in-kind transfer of specified
instruments (‘‘Redemption
with which an Authorized Participant has signed an
agreement to establish a Confidential Account for
the benefit of such Authorized Participant, that will
deliver or receive, on behalf of the Authorized
Participant, all consideration to or from the
Investment Company in a creation or redemption.
An AP Representative will not be permitted to
disclose the Creation Basket to any person,
including the Authorized Participants.
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11139
Instruments’’) through the AP
Representative in their Confidential
Account.21 On any given Business Day,
the names and quantities of the
instruments that constitute the Deposit
Instruments and the names and
quantities of the instruments that
constitute the Redemption Instruments
will be identical, and these instruments
may be referred to, in the case of either
a purchase or a redemption, as the
‘‘Creation Basket.’’
Placement of Purchase Orders
The Fund will issue Shares through
the Distributor on a continuous basis at
NAV. The Exchange represents that the
issuance of Shares will operate in a
manner similar to that of other ETFs.
The Fund will issue Shares only at the
NAV per share next determined after an
order in proper form is received.
In the case of a creation, the AP
would enter an irrevocable creation
order with the Fund and direct the AP
Representative to purchase the Deposit
Instruments. The AP Representative
would then purchase the necessary
securities in the Confidential Account.
In purchasing the necessary securities,
the AP Representative will use methods,
such as breaking the transaction into
multiple transactions and transacting in
multiple marketplaces, to avoid
revealing the composition of the
Creation Basket. Once the Deposit
Instruments have been acquired in the
Confidential Account, the AP
Representative would contribute the
Deposit Instruments in-kind to the
Fund.
The Distributor will furnish
acknowledgements to those placing
such orders that the orders have been
accepted, but the Distributor may reject
any order which is not submitted in
proper form, as described in the Fund’s
prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information (‘‘SAI’’). The NAV of the
Fund is expected to be determined once
each Business Day at a time determined
by the Trust’s Board of Trustees
(‘‘Board’’), currently anticipated to be as
of the close of the regular trading
session on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00
p.m. E.T.) (the ‘‘Valuation Time’’). The
Fund will establish a cut-off time
(‘‘Order Cut-Off Time’’) for purchase
orders in proper form. Such Order CutOff Time will be provided in the
Registration Statement. To initiate a
purchase of Shares, an AP must submit
21 The Fund must comply with the federal
securities laws in accepting Deposit Instruments
and satisfying redemptions with Redemption
Instruments, including that the Deposit Instruments
and Redemption Instruments are sold in
transactions that would be exempt from registration
under the 1933 Act.
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to the Distributor an irrevocable order to
purchase such Shares after the most
recent prior Valuation Time. All orders
to purchase Creation Units must be
received by the Distributor no later than
the Order Cut-Off Time in each case on
the date such order is placed
(‘‘Transmittal Date’’) for the AP to
receive the NAV per share determined
on the Transmittal Date. As with all
existing ETFs, if there is a difference
between the NAV attributable to a
Creation Unit and the aggregate market
value of the Creation Basket exchanged
for the Creation Unit, the party
conveying instruments with the lower
value will also pay to the other an
amount in cash equal to that difference
(the ‘‘Balancing Amount’’).
Purchases of Shares will be settled inkind and/or cash for an amount equal to
the applicable NAV per share purchased
plus applicable transaction fees.22 Other
than the Balancing Amount, the Fund
will substitute cash only under
exceptional circumstances and as set
forth under the Fund’s policies and
procedures governing the composition
of Creation Baskets.
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Authorized Participant Redemption
The Shares may be redeemed to the
Fund in Redemption Unit size or
multiples thereof as described below.
Redemption orders of Redemption Units
must be placed by an AP (‘‘AP
Redemption Order’’). The Fund will
establish in its Registration Statement
an Order Cut-Off Time for redemption
orders of Redemption Units in proper
form. Redemption Units of the Fund
will be redeemable at their NAV per
share next determined after receipt of a
request for redemption by the Trust in
the manner specified below before the
Order Cut-Off Time. A transaction fee
may also be imposed on redemption
orders. To initiate an AP Redemption
Order, an AP must submit to the
Distributor an irrevocable order to
redeem such Redemption Unit after the
most recent prior Valuation Time, but
not later than the Order Cut-Off Time.
In the case of a redemption, the AP
would enter into an irrevocable
redemption order, and then the Fund
would instruct its custodian to deliver
the Redemption Instruments to the
appropriate Confidential Account. The
Authorized Participant would direct the
AP Representative on when that day to
liquidate those securities. As with the
purchase of securities, the AP
Representative will use methods, such
22 To the extent that the Fund allows creations or
redemptions to be conducted in cash, such
transactions will be effected in the same manner for
all APs transacting in cash.
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17:22 Feb 25, 2020
Jkt 250001
as breaking the transaction into multiple
transactions and transacting in multiple
marketplaces, to avoid revealing the
composition of the Creation Basket.
Consistent with the provisions of
Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act and Rule
22e–2 thereunder, the right to redeem
will not be suspended, nor payment
upon redemption delayed, except for:
(1) Any period during which the
Exchange is closed other than
customary weekend and holiday
closings, (2) any period during which
trading on the Exchange is restricted, (3)
any period during which an emergency
exists as a result of which disposal by
the Fund of securities owned by it is not
reasonably practicable or it is not
reasonably practicable for the Fund to
determine its NAV, and (4) for such
other periods as the Commission may by
order permit for the protection of
shareholders.
Redemptions will occur primarily inkind, although redemption payments
may also be made partly or wholly in
cash.23 The Participant Agreement
signed by each AP will require
establishment of a Confidential Account
to receive distributions of securities inkind upon redemption. Each AP will be
required to open a Confidential Account
with an AP Representative in order to
facilitate orderly processing of
redemptions. Other than the Balancing
Amount, the Fund will substitute cash
only under exceptional circumstances
and as set forth under the Fund’s
policies and procedures governing the
composition of Creation Baskets.24
Exchange-traded instruments 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 securities are primarily
traded at the time of valuation. Other
holdings of the Fund will generally be
valued on the basis of independent
pricing services, quotes obtained from
brokers and dealers or price quotations
or other equivalent indications of value
provided by a third-party pricing
service, reported net asset value, or at
cost.
Availability of Information
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. Interest and investment income
on the Trust’s assets accrue daily and
will be included in the Fund’s total
assets. The NAV per share for the Fund
will be calculated by the Fund’s
administrator and determined as of the
close of the regular trading session on
the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., E.T.)
on each day that the Exchange is open.
The Fund’s website
(www.leggmason.com/etfliterature),
which will be publicly available prior to
the listing and trading of Shares, will
include a form of the prospectus for the
Fund that may be downloaded. The
Fund’s website will include additional
quantitative information updated on a
daily basis, including, on a per Share
basis for the Fund, the prior Business
Day’s NAV and the market closing price
and a calculation of the premium and
discount of the market closing price.
The Fund’s website will also disclose
each day the median bid/ask spread for
the Fund’s most recent 30 days based on
the National Best Bid (‘‘NBB’’) and
National Best Offer (‘‘NBO’’) at the time
of calculation of such NAV (the ‘‘Bid/
Ask Price’’).25 In addition, the Fund will
provide any other information on its
website regarding premiums/discounts
that ETFs registered under the 1940 Act
are required to provide or that are
otherwise required under the Exemptive
Order. The website and information will
be publicly available at no charge.
The Trust’s SAI and the Fund’s
shareholder reports will be available
free upon request from the Trust. These
documents and forms may be viewed
on-screen or downloaded from the
Commission’s website 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. Quotation and last sale
information for the Shares will be
available via the Consolidated Tape
Association (‘‘CTA’’) high-speed line. In
addition, the VIIV, as defined in Rule
14.11(k)(3)(B) and as described further
below, will be widely disseminated by
23 The value of any positions not susceptible to
in-kind settlement may be paid in cash.
24 To the extent that the Fund allows creations or
redemptions to be conducted in cash, such
transactions will be effected in the same manner for
all APs transacting in cash.
25 The Bid/Ask Price of the Fund will be
determined using the mid-point between the
current NBB and NBO 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/or its
service providers.
Net Asset Value
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the Reporting Authority 26 and/or one or
more major market data vendors in onesecond intervals during Regular Trading
Hours.
Dissemination of the VIIV
With respect to trading of the Shares,
the ability of market participants to buy
and sell Shares at prices near the VIIV
is dependent upon their assessment that
the VIIV is a reliable, indicative realtime value for the Fund’s underlying
holdings. Market participants are
expected to accept the VIIV as a reliable,
indicative real-time value because (1)
the VIIV will be calculated and
disseminated based on the Fund’s actual
portfolio holdings, (2) the securities in
which the Fund plans to invest are
generally highly liquid and actively
traded and trade at the same time as the
Fund and therefore generally have
accurate real time pricing available, and
(3) market participants will have a daily
opportunity to evaluate whether the
VIIV at or near the close of trading is
indeed predictive of the actual NAV.
The VIIV for the Fund will be
disseminated by the Reporting
Authority and/or one or more major
market data vendors in one-second
intervals during Regular Trading Hours.
For purposes of the VIIV, securities held
by the Fund will be valued throughout
the day based on the mid-point between
the disseminated current NBB and NBO.
If the Adviser determines that a
portfolio security does not have a
readily available market quotation, that
fact along with the identity and
weighting of that security in the Fund’s
VIIV calculation will be publicly
disclosed on the Fund’s website.
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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. The Exchange will halt
trading in the Shares under the
conditions specified in BZX Rule 11.18.
Trading may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in
the view of the Exchange, make trading
26 Rule 14.11(k)(3)(H) defines the term ‘‘Reporting
Authority’’ in respect of a particular series of
Managed Portfolio Shares as the Exchange, the
exchange that lists a particular series of Managed
Portfolio Shares (if the Exchange is trading such
series pursuant to unlisted trading privileges), an
institution, or a reporting service designated by the
Investment Company as the official source for
calculating and reporting information relating to
such series, including, the net asset value, the
Verified Intraday Indicative Value, or other
information relating to the issuance, redemption or
trading of Managed Portfolio Shares. A series of
Managed Portfolio Shares may have more than one
Reporting Authority, each having different
functions.
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17:22 Feb 25, 2020
Jkt 250001
in the Shares inadvisable, including
whether unusual conditions or
circumstances detrimental to the
maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present. Trading in the
Shares also will be subject to Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a) and (b), which set
forth circumstances under which
trading in the Shares of the Fund will
be halted.
Specifically, Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a)
provides that the Exchange may
consider all relevant factors in
exercising its discretion to halt trading
in a series of Managed Portfolio Shares.
Trading may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in
the view of the Exchange, make trading
in the series of Managed Portfolio
Shares inadvisable. These may include:
(i) The extent to which trading is not
occurring in the securities and/or the
financial instruments composing the
portfolio; or (ii) whether other unusual
conditions or circumstances detrimental
to the maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present.27 The Adviser has
represented to the Exchange that it will
provide the Exchange with prompt
notification upon the existence of any
such condition or set of conditions.
Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b) provides
that, if the Exchange becomes aware
that: (i) The VIIV of a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares is not being calculated
or disseminated in one second intervals,
as required; (ii) the NAV with respect to
a series of Managed Portfolio Shares is
not disseminated to all market
participants at the same time; (iii) the
holdings of a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares are not made available
on at least a quarterly basis as required
under the 1940 Act; or (iv) such
holdings are not made available to all
market participants at the same time,
(except as otherwise permitted under
the currently applicable exemptive
order or no-action relief granted by the
27 The Exemptive Application provides that the
Investment Company or their agent will request that
the Exchange halt trading in the applicable series
of Managed Portfolio Shares where: (i) The intraday
indicative values calculated by the calculation
engines differ by more than 25 basis points for 60
seconds in connection with pricing of the Verified
Intraday Indicative Value; or (ii) holdings
representing 10% or more of a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares’ portfolio have become subject to
a trading halt or otherwise do not have readily
available market quotations. Any such requests will
be one of many factors considered in order to
determine whether to halt trading in a series of
Managed Portfolio Shares and the Exchange retains
sole discretion in determining whether trading
should be halted. As provided in the Exemptive
Application, each series of Managed Portfolio
Shares would employ a pricing verification agent to
continuously compare two intraday indicative
values during Regular Trading Hours in order to
ensure the accuracy of the Verified Intraday
Indicative Value.
PO 00000
Frm 00097
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
11141
Commission or Commission staff to the
Investment Company with respect to the
series of Managed Portfolio Shares), it
will halt trading in such series until
such time as the VIIV, the NAV, or the
holdings are available, as required.
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 Exchange only during Regular
Trading Hours as provided in Rule
14.11(k)(2)(B). The Exchange has
appropriate rules in place to facilitate
trading during all trading sessions in
which the Shares will trade. As
provided in BZX Rule 11.11(a), the
minimum price variation for quoting
and entry of orders in securities traded
on the Exchange is $0.01, with the
exception of securities that are priced
less than $1.00, for which the minimum
price variation for order entry is
$0.0001.
The Shares will conform to the initial
and continued listing criteria under
Rule 14.11(k) as well as all terms in the
Exemptive Order. The Exchange
represents that, for initial and/or
continued listing, the Fund will be in
compliance with Rule 10A–3 under the
Act.28 A minimum of 100,000 Shares of
the Fund will be outstanding at the
commencement of trading on the
Exchange. The Exchange has obtained a
representation from the issuer of the
Shares of the Fund that the NAV per
share of the Fund will be calculated
daily and will be made available to all
market participants at the same time.
Surveillance
The Exchange believes that its
surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the
Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and the
applicable federal securities laws.
Trading of the Shares through the
Exchange will be subject to the
Exchange’s surveillance procedures for
derivative products, including Managed
Portfolio Shares. As part of these
surveillance procedures and consistent
with Rule 14.11(k)(2)(C), the Adviser
will upon request make available to the
Exchange and/or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, the daily portfolio
holdings of the Fund. 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
28 See
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17 CFR 240.10A–3.
26FEN1
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its obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of
the Exchange Act, the Exchange will
surveil 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 Exchange Rule 14.12.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of
the Exchange, or both, will
communicate as needed regarding
trading in the Shares and the underlying
exchange-traded instruments with other
markets and other entities that are
members of the Intermarket
Surveillance Group (‘‘ISG’’), and the
Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the
Exchange, or both, may obtain trading
information regarding trading such
securities from such markets and other
entities. In addition, the Exchange may
obtain information regarding trading in
the Shares and the underlying
exchange-traded instruments from
markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the
Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.29
In addition, the Exchange also has a
general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public
information by its employees.
Information Circular
Prior to the commencement of
trading, the Exchange will inform its
members in an Information Circular
(‘‘Circular’’) of the special
characteristics and risks associated with
trading the Shares. Specifically, the
Circular will discuss the following: (1)
The procedures for purchases and
redemptions of Shares; (2) BZX Rule
3.7, which imposes suitability
obligations on Exchange members with
respect to recommending transactions in
the Shares to customers; (3) how
information regarding the VIIV is
disseminated; (4) the requirement that
members deliver a prospectus to
investors purchasing newly issued
Shares prior to or concurrently with the
confirmation of a transaction; (5) trading
information; and (6) that the portfolio
holdings will be disclosed within at
least 60 days following the end of every
fiscal quarter.
In addition, the Circular will
reference that the Fund is subject to
various fees and expenses described in
the Registration Statement. The Circular
will discuss any exemptive, no-action,
and interpretive relief granted by the
Commission from any rules under the
Act. The Circular will also disclose that
the NAV for the Shares will be
29 For a list of the current members of ISG, see
www.isgportal.org.
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17:22 Feb 25, 2020
Jkt 250001
calculated after 4:00 p.m., E.T. each
trading day.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that this
proposal is consistent with Section 6(b)
of the Act 30 in general and Section
6(b)(5) of the Act 31 in particular in that
it is 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 and a national market
system, and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.
The Exchange believes that this
proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices in that the Fund
would meet each of the rules relating to
listing and trading of Managed Portfolio
Shares and, to the extent that the Fund
is not in compliance with such rules,
the Exchange would either prevent the
Fund from listing and trading if it
hadn’t started trading on the Exchange
or would commence delisting
procedures under Exchange Rule 14.12.
More specifically, the Exchange will
consider the suspension of trading in,
and will commence delisting
proceedings under Rule 14.12 for, the
Fund under any of the following
circumstances: (a) If, following the
initial twelve-month period after
commencement of trading on the
Exchange, there are fewer than 50
beneficial holders of the Fund for 30 or
more consecutive trading days; (b) if the
Exchange has halted trading in the Fund
because the VIIV is interrupted pursuant
to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b) and such
interruption persists past the trading
day in which it occurred or is no longer
available; (c) if the Exchange has halted
trading in the Fund because the NAV
with respect to such Fund is not
disseminated to all market participants
at the same time, the holdings of such
Fund are not made available on at least
a quarterly basis as required under the
1940 Act, or such holdings are not made
available to all market participants at
the same time pursuant to Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b) and such issue
persists past the trading day in which it
occurred; (d) if the Exchange has halted
trading in the Fund pursuant to Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a) and such issue
persists past the trading day in which it
occurred; (e) if the Fund has failed to
file any filings required by the
Commission or if the Exchange is aware
that the Fund is not in compliance with
the conditions of any currently
30 15
31 15
PO 00000
U.S.C. 78f.
U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
Frm 00098
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
applicable exemptive order or no-action
relief granted by the Commission or
Commission staff with respect to the
Fund; (f) if any of the continued listing
requirements set forth in Rule 14.11(k)
are not continuously maintained; (g) if
any of the applicable Continued Listing
Representations, as defined in Rule
14.11(a), for the Fund are not
continuously met; or (h) if such other
event shall occur or condition exists
which, in the opinion of the Exchange,
makes further dealings on the Exchange
inadvisable.
The Adviser is not registered as a
broker-dealer or affiliated with a brokerdealer. Neither Sub-Adviser is registered
as a broker-dealer, but each is affiliated
with the Distributor, a broker-dealer,
and has implemented and will maintain
a ‘‘fire wall’’ with respect to such
affiliate broker-dealer regarding access
to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the
Fund’s portfolio and Creation Basket.
In the event (a) the Adviser or either
Sub-Adviser becomes registered as a
broker-dealer or becomes newly
affiliated with a broker-dealer, or (b) any
new adviser or sub-adviser is a
registered broker-dealer or becomes
affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
implement and maintain 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
portfolio and/or Creation Basket. Any
person related to the Adviser, the SubAdvisers, or the Trust who makes
decisions pertaining to the Fund’s
portfolio composition or that has access
to information regarding the Fund’s
portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding such
portfolio or changes thereto and the
Creation Basket.
Further, Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E) requires
that any person or entity, including an
AP Representative, custodian, Reporting
Authority, distributor, or administrator,
who has access to information regarding
the Investment Company’s portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket, must be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the
applicable Investment Company
portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket. Moreover, if any such
person or entity is registered as a brokerdealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer,
such person or entity will erect and
maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’ between the
person or entity and the broker-dealer
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
26FEN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 2020 / Notices
with respect to access to information
concerning the composition and/or
changes to such Investment Company
portfolio or Creation Basket. Any person
or entity who has access to information
regarding the Fund’s portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket will be subject to
procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the
portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket.
The Exchange further believes that
Rule 14.11(k) is designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and
practices related to the listing and
trading of Managed Portfolio Shares
because it provides meaningful
requirements about both the data that
will be made publicly available about
the Shares as well as the information
that will only be available to certain
parties and the controls on such
information. Specifically, the Exchange
believes that the requirements related to
information protection enumerated
under Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E) will act as a
strong safeguard against misuse and
improper dissemination of information
related to the Fund’s portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket. The requirement that
any person or entity implement
procedures to prevent the use and
dissemination of material nonpublic
information regarding the portfolio or
Creation Basket will act to prevent any
individual or entity from sharing such
information externally and the internal
‘‘fire wall’’ requirements applicable
where an entity is a registered brokerdealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer
will act to make sure that no entity will
be able to misuse the data for their own
purposes. As such, the Exchange
believes that this proposal is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices.
The Exchange further believes that the
proposal is designed to prevent
fraudulent and manipulative acts and
practices related to the listing and
trading of Managed Portfolio Shares and
to promote just and equitable principles
of trade and to protect investors and the
public interest in that the Exchange
would halt trading under certain
circumstances under which trading in
the Shares may be inadvisable.
Specifically, trading in the Shares will
be subject to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a),
which provides that the Exchange may
consider all relevant factors in
exercising its discretion to halt trading
in a series of Managed Portfolio Shares.
Trading may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in
the view of the Exchange, make trading
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:22 Feb 25, 2020
Jkt 250001
in the series of Managed Portfolio
Shares inadvisable. These may include:
(i) The extent to which trading is not
occurring in the securities and/or the
financial instruments composing the
portfolio; or (ii) whether other unusual
conditions or circumstances detrimental
to the maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present.32 The Adviser has
represented to the Exchange that it will
provide the Exchange with prompt
notification upon the existence of any
such condition or set of conditions.
Trading in the Shares will also be
subject to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b),
which provides that if the Exchange
becomes aware that: (i) The VIIV of a
series of Managed Portfolio Shares is not
being calculated or disseminated in one
second intervals, as required; (ii) the
NAV with respect to a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares is not disseminated to
all market participants at the same time;
(iii) the holdings of a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares are not made available
on at least a quarterly basis as required
under the 1940 Act; or (iv) such
holdings are not made available to all
market participants at the same time,
(except as otherwise permitted under
the currently applicable exemptive
order or no-action relief granted by the
Commission or Commission staff to the
Investment Company with respect to the
series of Managed Portfolio Shares), it
will halt trading in such series until
such time as the VIIV, the NAV, or the
holdings are available, as required.
With respect to the proposed listing
and trading of Shares of the Fund, 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 Rule 14.11(k). The
Fund’s holdings will conform to the
permissible investments as set forth in
the Exemptive Application and
Exemptive Order. The Exchange or
FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or
both, will communicate as needed
regarding trading in the Shares and the
underlying exchange-traded instruments
with other markets and other entities
that are members of the ISG, and the
Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the
Exchange, or both, may obtain trading
information regarding trading such
instruments from such markets and
other entities. In addition, the Exchange
may obtain information regarding
trading in the Shares and the underlying
exchange-traded instruments from
markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the
32 See
PO 00000
supra note 27.
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11143
Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.
With respect to trading of the Shares,
the ability of market participants to buy
and sell Shares at prices near the VIIV
is dependent upon their assessment that
the VIIV is a reliable, indicative realtime value for the Fund’s underlying
holdings. Market participants are
expected to accept the VIIV as a reliable,
indicative real-time value because (1)
the VIIV will be calculated and
disseminated based on the Fund’s actual
portfolio holdings, (2) the securities in
which the Fund plans to invest are
generally highly liquid and actively
traded and trade at the same time as the
Fund and therefore generally have
accurate real time pricing available, and
(3) market participants will have a daily
opportunity to evaluate whether the
VIIV at or near the close of trading is
indeed predictive of the actual NAV.
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 that the NAV per
share of the Fund will be calculated
daily and that the NAV will be made
available to all market participants at
the same time. Investors can also obtain
the Fund’s SAI, shareholder reports,
Form N–CSR, and Form N–PORT. The
Fund’s SAI and shareholder reports will
be available free upon request from the
applicable fund, and those documents
and the Form N–CSR and Form N–
PORT may be viewed on-screen or
downloaded from the Commission’s
website. In addition, with respect to the
Fund, 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.
Information regarding the VIIV will be
widely disseminated every second
throughout Regular Trading Hours by
the Reporting Authority and/or one or
more major market data vendors. The
website for the Fund will include a
prospectus for the Fund that may be
downloaded, and additional data
relating to NAV and other applicable
quantitative information, updated on a
daily basis.
Moreover, prior to the commencement
of trading, the Exchange will inform its
members in a Circular of the special
characteristics and risks associated with
trading the Shares. The Exchange will
halt trading in the Shares under the
conditions specified in BZX Rule 11.18
or for reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares
inadvisable. Trading in the Shares will
be subject to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a)
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and (b), which set forth circumstances
under which Shares of the Fund will be
halted.
In addition, as noted above, investors
will have ready access to the VIIV, and
quotation and last sale information for
the Shares. The Shares will conform to
the initial and continued listing criteria
under Rule 14.11(k). The Fund’s
holdings will be limited to and
consistent with what is permissible
under the Exemptive Order. The Fund’s
investments will be consistent with its
investment objective and will not be
used to enhance leverage.
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 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 relating to
trading in the Shares and may obtain
information via ISG from other
exchanges that are members of ISG or
with which the Exchange has entered
into a comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreement. In addition, as noted
above, investors will have ready access
to information regarding the VIIV and
quotation and last sale information for
the Shares.
For the above reasons, the Exchange
believes that the proposed rule change
is consistent with the requirements of
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
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,
rather will facilitate the listing and
trading of an actively-managed
exchange-traded product that will
enhance competition among both
market participants and listing venues,
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
The Exchange has neither solicited
nor received written comments on the
proposed rule change.
III. Discussion and Commission
Findings
After careful review, the Commission
finds that the proposed rule change, as
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17:22 Feb 25, 2020
Jkt 250001
modified by Amendment No. 3, is
consistent with the Act and rules and
regulations thereunder applicable to a
national securities exchange.33 In
particular, the Commission finds that
the proposed rule change, as modified
by Amendment No. 3, is consistent with
Section 6(b)(5) of the Act,34 which
requires, among other things, that the
Exchange’s rules be 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
and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the
public interest.
The Commission believes that the
proposal is reasonably designed to
promote fair disclosure of information
that may be necessary to price the
Shares appropriately and to prevent
trading in the Shares when a reasonable
degree of certain pricing transparency
cannot be assured. As such, the
Commission believes the proposal is
reasonably designed to maintain a fair
and orderly market for trading the
Shares. The Commission also finds that
the proposal is consistent with Section
11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act, which sets
forth Congress’s finding that it is in the
public interest and appropriate for the
protection of investors and the
maintenance of fair and orderly markets
to assure the availability to brokers,
dealers, and investors of information
with respect to quotations for, and
transactions in, securities.
Specifically, the Commission notes
that the Exchange has obtained a
representation from the issuer that the
NAV per Share of the Fund will be
calculated daily and will be made
available to all market participants at
the same time.35 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. Quotation and last
sale information for the Shares will be
available via the Consolidated Tape
Association high-speed line. In
addition, the VIIV will be widely
disseminated by the Reporting
Authority and/or one or more major
market data vendors in one-second
intervals during Regular Trading Hours,
and must be disseminated to all market
participants at the same time.36
33 In approving this proposed rule change, the
Commission notes that it has considered the
proposed rule’s impact on efficiency, competition,
and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C. 78c(f).
34 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
35 See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(4)(A)(ii).
36 See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(i).
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Moreover, the Fund’s website will
include a form of the prospectus and
additional data relating to NAV and
other applicable quantitative
information for the Fund, including any
information regarding premiums/
discounts that ETFs registered under the
1940 Act are required to provide or that
are otherwise required under the
Exemptive Order. Such website and
information will be publicly available at
no charge.
The Commission also notes that the
Exchange’s rules regarding trading halts
help to ensure the maintenance of fair
and orderly markets for the Shares.
Specifically, pursuant to its rules, the
Exchange may consider all relevant
factors in exercising its discretion to
halt trading in the Shares, and will halt
trading in the Shares under the
conditions specified in BZX Rule 11.18.
Trading may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in
the view of the Exchange, make trading
in the Shares inadvisable, including (1)
the extent to which trading is not
occurring in the securities and/or the
financial instruments composing the
portfolio; or (2) whether other unusual
conditions or circumstances detrimental
to the maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present.37 Trading in the
Shares also will be subject to BZX Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b), which sets forth
additional circumstances under which
trading in the Shares will be halted.
The Commission also believes that the
proposal is reasonably designed to help
prevent fraudulent and manipulative
acts and practices. The Exchange
represents that it has a general policy
prohibiting the distribution of material,
non-public information by its
employees. The Exchange states that the
Adviser is not registered as a brokerdealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer.
The Exchange states that neither SubAdviser is registered as a broker-dealer,
but that each is affiliated with a brokerdealer and has implemented and will
maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’ with respect to
such broker-dealer affiliate regarding
access to information concerning the
composition of and/or changes to the
Fund’s portfolio and Creation Basket.
Further, the Commission notes that any
person related to the Fund’s investment
adviser or to the Trust who makes
decisions pertaining to the Fund’s
portfolio composition or has access to
information regarding the Fund’s
portfolio composition or changes thereto
or the Creation Basket must be subject
to procedures designed to prevent the
use and dissemination of material
nonpublic information regarding the
37 See
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26FEN1
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Fund’s portfolio or changes thereto or
the Creation Basket.38 In addition, any
person or entity, including an AP
Representative, custodian, Reporting
Authority, distributor, or administrator,
who has access to information regarding
the Fund’s portfolio composition or
changes thereto or its Creation Basket,
must be subject to procedures designed
to prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information
regarding the applicable Fund portfolio
or changes thereto or the Creation
Basket.39 Moreover, if any such person
or entity is registered as a broker-dealer
or affiliated with a broker-dealer, such
person or entity must erect and
maintain a ‘‘fire wall’’ between the
person or entity and the broker-dealer
with respect to access to information
concerning the composition of and/or
changes to such Fund’s portfolio or
Creation Basket.40 Finally, the Exchange
represents that trading of the Shares
through the Exchange will be subject to
the Exchange’s surveillance procedures
for derivative products, including
Managed Portfolio Shares,41 and that its
surveillance procedures are adequate to
properly monitor the trading of the
Shares on the Exchange during all
trading sessions and to deter and detect
violations of Exchange rules and the
applicable federal securities laws.
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. Moreover, prior to the
commencement of trading, the Exchange
will inform its members in a Circular of
the special characteristics and risks
associated with trading the Shares.42
38 See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D). The Exchange
represents that any person related to the Adviser,
the Sub-Advisers, or the Trust who makes decisions
pertaining to the Fund’s portfolio composition or
that has access to information regarding the Fund’s
portfolio or changes thereto or the Creation Basket
will be subject to procedures designed to prevent
the use and dissemination of material non-public
information regarding such portfolio or changes
thereto and the Creation Basket.
39 See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E).
40 See id. The Exchange represents that any
person or entity who has access to information
regarding the Fund’s portfolio composition or
changes thereto or the Creation Basket will be
subject to procedures designed to prevent the use
and dissemination of material nonpublic
information regarding the portfolio composition or
changes thereto or the Creation Basket.
41 See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(2)(C), which requires, as
part of the surveillance procedures for Managed
Portfolio Shares, the Fund’s investment adviser to,
upon request by the Exchange or the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (‘‘FINRA’’), on behalf
of the Exchange, make available to the Exchange or
FINRA the daily portfolio holdings of each series
of Managed Portfolio Shares.
42 The Exchange represents that the Circular will
discuss the following: (1) Procedures for purchases
and redemptions of Shares; (2) BZX Rule 3.7, which
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In support of this proposal, the
Exchange represents that:
(1) The Shares will conform to the
initial and continued listing criteria
under BZX Rule 14.11(k).
(2) A minimum of 100,000 Shares of
the Fund will be outstanding at the
commencement of trading on the
Exchange.
(3) The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf
of the Exchange, or both, will
communicate as needed, and may
obtain trading information, regarding
trading in the Shares, and the
underlying exchange-traded instruments
with other markets and other entities
that are members of the ISG. In addition,
the Exchange may obtain information
regarding trading in the Shares and the
underlying exchange-traded instruments
from markets and other entities with
which the Exchange has in place a
comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement.
(4) The Exchange has appropriate
rules to facilitate transactions in the
Shares during all trading sessions in
which the Shares trade.
(5) For initial and continued listing,
the Fund will be in compliance with
Rule 10A–3 under the Act.43
(6) The Fund’s holdings will conform
to the permissible investments as set
forth in the Exemptive Application and
Exemptive Order, and investments
made by the Fund will be consistent
with all requirements set forth in the
Exemptive Application and Exemptive
Order. The Fund’s investments will be
consistent with its investment objective
and will not be used to enhance
leverage.
The Exchange represents that all
statements and representations made in
the filing regarding: (1) The description
of the portfolio or reference assets; (2)
limitations on portfolio holdings or
reference assets; (3) dissemination and
availability of the VIIV, reference assets,
and intraday indicative values; and (4)
the applicability of Exchange rules
constitute continued listing
requirements for listing the Shares on
the Exchange. In addition, the Exchange
represents that the issuer 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
imposes suitability obligations on Exchange
members with respect to recommending
transactions in the Shares to customers; (3) how
information regarding the VIIV is disseminated; (4)
the requirement that members deliver a prospectus
to investors purchasing newly issued shares prior
to or concurrently with the confirmation of a
transaction; (5) trading information; and (6) that the
portfolio holdings will be disclosed within at least
60 days following the end of every fiscal quarter.
43 See 17 CFR 240.10A–3.
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11145
Act, the Exchange will surveil 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
BZX Rule 14.12.
IV. Solicitation of Comments on
Amendment No. 3 to the Proposed Rule
Change
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning whether
Amendment No. 3 is consistent with the
Exchange 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–
CboeBZX–2019–102 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–CboeBZX–2019–102. 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 website (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 website 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.
Persons submitting comments are
cautioned that we do not redact or edit
personal identifying information from
comment submissions. You should
submit only information that you wish
to make available publicly. All
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 38 / Wednesday, February 26, 2020 / Notices
submissions should refer to File
Number SR–CboeBZX–2019–102, and
should be submitted on or before March
18, 2020.
V. Accelerated Approval of Proposed
Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 3
The Commission finds good cause to
approve the proposed rule change, as
modified by Amendment No. 3, prior to
the thirtieth day after the date of
publication of notice of the filing of
Amendment No. 3 in the Federal
Register. In Amendment No. 3, the
Exchange modified the description of
the Fund’s investments and conformed
the description of BZX Rule 14.11(k) to
the final rule approved in the Managed
Portfolio Shares Order. Amendment No.
3 also provides other clarifications and
additional information to the proposed
rule change.44 The changes and
additional information in Amendment
No. 3 assist the Commission in finding
that the proposal is consistent with the
Exchange Act. Accordingly, the
Commission finds good cause, pursuant
to Section 19(b)(2) of the Exchange
Act,45 to approve the proposed rule
change, as modified by Amendment No.
3, on an accelerated basis.
VI. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Act 46 that the
proposed rule change (SR–CboeBZX–
2019–102), as modified by Amendment
No. 3, be, and hereby is, approved on an
accelerated basis.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.47
Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020–03770 Filed 2–25–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Release No. 34–88255; File No. SR–
NYSEArca–2019–60]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE
Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing of
Amendment No. 4 and Order Granting
Accelerated Approval of a Proposed
Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 4, To List and Trade
Shares of the KFA Global Carbon ETF
Under NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E
February 20, 2020.
On August 14, 2019, NYSE Arca, Inc.
(‘‘Exchange’’) filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’), pursuant to Section
19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (‘‘Act’’) 1 and Rule 19b–4
thereunder,2 a proposed rule change to
list and trade shares (‘‘Shares’’) of the
KFA Global Carbon ETF (‘‘Fund’’) under
NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E, which
governs the listing and trading of
Managed Fund Shares on the Exchange.
The proposed rule change was
published for comment in the Federal
Register on August 29, 2019.3 On
September 12, 2019, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 1 to the proposed rule
change, which replaced and superseded
the proposed rule change as originally
filed.4 On October 10, 2019, pursuant to
Section 19(b)(2) of the Exchange Act,5
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.6
On October 22, 2019, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 2 to the proposed rule
change, which replaced and superseded
the proposed rule change, as modified
by Amendment No. 1.7 On November
22, 2019, the Commission published
notice of Amendment No. 2 and
instituted proceedings under Section
19(b)(2)(B) of the Act 8 to determine
1 15
U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
CFR 240.19b–4.
3 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 86752
(Aug. 23, 2019), 84 FR 45557.
4 Amendment No. 1 is available on the
Commission’s website at: https://www.sec.gov/
comments/sr-nysearca-2019-60/srnysearca2019606117868-192147.pdf.
5 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
6 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87277,
84 FR 55658 (Oct. 17, 2019). The Commission
designated November 27, 2019, as the date by
which the Commission shall approve or disapprove,
or institute proceedings to determine whether to
disapprove, the proposed rule change.
7 Amendment No. 2 is available on the
Commission’s website at: https://www.sec.gov/
comments/sr-nysearca-2019-60/srnysearca2019606324054-194703.pdf.
8 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2)(B).
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
2 17
44 See
Amendment No. 3, supra note 9.
U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
46 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
47 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).
45 15
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whether to approve or disapprove the
proposed rule change.9 On December
16, 2019, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 3 to the proposed rule
change, which replaced and superseded
the proposed rule change, as modified
by Amendment No. 2.10 On December
19, 2019, the Exchange filed
Amendment No. 4 to the proposed rule
change, which replaced and superseded
the proposed rule change, as modified
by Amendment No. 3.11 The
Commission has received no comment
letters on the proposal. The Commission
is publishing this notice to solicit
comments on Amendment No. 4 from
interested persons, and is approving the
proposed rule change, as modified by
Amendment No. 4, on an accelerated
basis.
I. The Exchange’s Description of the
Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 4
The Exchange proposes to list and
trade shares of the KFA Global Carbon
ETF under NYSE Arca Rule 8.600–E
(‘‘Managed Fund Shares’’). This
Amendment No. 4 to SR–NYSEArca2019–60 replaces SR–NYSEArca-2019–
60 as originally filed and Amendments
1, 2 and 3 thereto and supersedes such
filings in their entirety. The proposed
change is available on the Exchange’s
website 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.
9 See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87589,
84 FR 65862 (Nov. 29, 2019).
10 Amendment No. 3 is available on the
Commission’s website at: https://www.sec.gov/
comments/sr-nysearca-2019-60/srnysearca2019606555837-200935.pdf.
11 Amendment No. 4 is available on the
Commission’s website at: https://www.sec.gov/
comments/sr-nysearca-2019-60/srnysearca2019606567293-201062.pdf.
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[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11137-11146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03770]
[[Page 11137]]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-88247; File No. SR-CboeBZX-2019-102]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.; Notice of
Filing of Amendment No. 3 and Order Granting Accelerated Approval of a
Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment No. 3 Thereto, to List
and Trade Shares of the ClearBridge Focus Value ETF Under BZX Rule
14.11(k)
February 20, 2020.
I. Introduction
On November 27, 2019, Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (``Exchange'' or
``BZX'') 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 list and trade shares
(``Shares'') of the ClearBridge Focus Value ETF (``Fund'') under BZX
Rule 14.11(k) (Managed Portfolio Shares).\3\ The proposed rule change
was published for comment in the Federal Register on December 17,
2019.\4\ On December 16, 2019, the Exchange filed Amendment No. 1 to
the proposed rule change, which replaced and superseded the proposed
rule change as originally filed.\5\ On January 31, pursuant to Section
19(b)(2) of the Act,\6\ 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.\7\ On February 13, 2020, the
Exchange filed Amendment No. 2 to the proposed rule change, which
replaced and superseded the proposed rule change, as modified by
Amendment No. 1.\8\ On February 19, 2020, the Exchange filed Amendment
No. 3 to the proposed rule change, which replaced and superseded the
proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 2.\9\ The Commission
has received no comments on the proposed rule change. The Commission is
publishing this notice to solicit comments on Amendment No. 3 from
interested persons, and is approving the proposed rule change, as
modified by Amendment No. 3, on an accelerated basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
\2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
\3\ The Commission recently approved the Exchange's proposed
rule change to adopt BZX Rule 14.11(k) to permit the listing and
trading of Managed Portfolio Shares. See Securities Exchange Act
Release No. 87759 (December 16, 2019), 84 FR 70223 (December 20,
2019) (SR-CboeBZX-2019-047) (``Managed Portfolio Shares Order'').
\4\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87719 (December 11,
2019), 84 FR 68999 (``Notice'').
\5\ Amendment No. 1 is available on the Commission's website at
https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-cboebzx-2019-102/srcboebzx2019102-6634920-203299.pdf.
\6\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
\7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 88108, 85 FR 6987
(February 6, 2020). The Commission designated March 16, 2020, as the
date by which the Commission shall approve or disapprove, or
institute proceedings to determine whether to disapprove, the
proposed rule change.
\8\ Amendment No. 2 is available on the Commission's website at
https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-cboebzx-2019-102/srcboebzx2019102-6830764-208570.pdf.
\9\ Amendment No. 3 is available on the Commission's website at
https://www.sec.gov/comments/sr-cboebzx-2019-102/srcboebzx2019102-6839776-208722.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by Amendment
No. 3
In its filing with the Commission, the Exchange 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 these 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 aspects of such
statements.
A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
1. Purpose
This Amendment No. 3 to SR-CboeBZX-2019-102 amends and replaces in
its entirety Amendment No. 2 to the proposal, submitted on February 13,
2020, which amended and replaced in its entirety Amendment No. 1 to the
proposal, submitted on December 16, 2019, which amended and replaced in
its entirety the proposal as originally submitted on November 27, 2019.
The Exchange submits this Amendment No. 2 [sic] in order to clarify
certain points and add additional details to the proposal.
The Exchange received approval to add new Rule 14.11(k) for the
purpose of permitting the listing and trading of Managed Portfolio
Shares, which are securities issued by an actively managed open-end
management investment company,\10\ on December 16, 2019.\11\ Rule
14.11(k)(2)(A) requires the Exchange to file separate proposals under
Section 19(b) of the Act before listing and trading any series of
Managed Portfolio Shares on the Exchange. As such, the Exchange is
submitting this proposal in order to list and trade shares of the
ClearBridge Focus Value ETF (the ``Fund'') under Rule 14.11(k).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ As defined in Rule 14.11(k)(3)(A), the term ``Managed
Portfolio Share'' means a security that (a) represents an interest
in an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (``Investment Company'') organized as an open-end management
investment company, that invests in a portfolio of securities
selected by the Investment Company's investment adviser consistent
with the Investment Company's investment objectives and policies;
(b) is issued in a Creation Unit (as defined below), or multiples
thereof, in return for a designated portfolio of instruments (and/or
an amount of cash) with a value equal to the next determined net
asset value and delivered to the Authorized Participant (as defined
in the Investment Company's Form N-1A filed with the Commission)
through a Confidential Account; (c) when aggregated into a
Redemption Unit (as defined below), or multiples thereof, may be
redeemed for a designated portfolio of instruments (and/or an amount
of cash) with a value equal to the next determined net asset value
delivered to the Confidential Account (as defined below) for the
benefit of the Authorized Participant; and (d) the portfolio
holdings for which are disclosed within at least 60 days following
the end of every fiscal quarter.
\11\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 87759 (December 16,
2019), 84 FR 70223 (December 20, 2019) (SR-CboeBZX-2019-047).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Description of the Fund and the Trust
The shares of the Fund (the ``Shares'') will be issued by
ActiveShares ETF Trust (the ``Trust''), a statutory trust organized
under the laws of the State of Maryland and registered with the
Commission as an open-end management investment company.\12\ The
investment adviser to the Trust will be Precidian Funds LLC (the
[[Page 11138]]
``Adviser''). ClearBridge Investments, LLC (``ClearBridge'') and
Western Asset Management Company, LLC (``Western Asset'' and,
collectively with ClearBridge, the ``Sub-Advisers'') will be the Sub-
Advisers to the Fund. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (the
``Distributor'') will serve as the distributor of the Fund's Shares.
All statements and representations made in this filing regarding the
description of the portfolio or reference assets, limitations on
portfolio holdings or reference assets, dissemination and availability
of the Verified Intraday Indicative Value (``VIIV''),\13\ reference
assets, and intraday indicative values, and the applicability of
Exchange rules shall constitute continued listing requirements for
listing the Shares on the Exchange, as provided under Rule 14.11(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ The Trust is registered under the 1940 Act. On November 1,
2019, the Trust filed a registration statement on Form N-1A relating
to the Fund (File No. 811-23487) (the ``Registration Statement'').
In response to an application for exemptive relief (the ``Exemptive
Application'') (File No. 812-14405), the Commission issued an order
granting exemptive relief applicable to the Trust (``Exemptive
Order'') under the 1940 Act on May 20, 2019 (Investment Company Act
Release No. 33477). Investments made by the Fund will comply with
the conditions set forth in the Exemptive Order. The description of
the operation of the Trust and the Fund herein is based, in part, on
the Registration Statement. The Exemptive Order specifically notes
that ``granting the requested exemptions is appropriate in and
consistent with the public interest and consistent with the
protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the
policy and provisions of the Act. It is further found that the terms
of the proposed transactions, including the consideration to be paid
or received, are reasonable and fair and do not involve overreaching
on the part of any person concerned, and that the proposed
transactions are consistent with the policy of each registered
investment company concerned and with the general purposes of the
Act.''
\13\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(B) defines the term VIIV as the indicative
value of a Managed Portfolio Share based on all of the holdings of a
series of Managed Portfolio Shares as of the close of business on
the prior business day and, for corporate actions, based on the
applicable holdings as of the opening of business on the current
business day, priced and disseminated in one second intervals during
Regular Trading Hours (as defined in Rule 1.5(w)) by the Reporting
Authority, as defined below.
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Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D) provides that if the investment adviser to the
Investment Company issuing Managed Portfolio Shares is registered as a
broker-dealer or is affiliated with a broker-dealer, such investment
adviser will erect and maintain a ``fire wall'' between the investment
adviser and personnel of the broker-dealer or broker-dealer affiliate,
as applicable, with respect to access to information concerning the
composition of and/or changes to such Investment Company portfolio and/
or the Creation Basket.\14\ Any person related to the investment
adviser or Investment Company who makes decisions pertaining to the
Investment Company's portfolio composition or has access to information
regarding the Investment Company's portfolio composition or changes
thereto or the Creation Basket must be subject to procedures designed
to prevent the use and dissemination of material nonpublic information
regarding the applicable Investment Company portfolio or changes
thereto or the Creation Basket.\15\ Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D) is similar to
Rule 14.11(c)(5)(A)(i), related to Index Fund Shares, except that Rule
14.11(k)(2)(D) relates to the establishment of a ``fire wall'' between
the investment adviser and the broker-dealer as applicable to an
Investment Company's portfolio and/or Creation Basket, not an
underlying benchmark index, as is the case with index-based funds. Rule
14.11(k)(2)(D) is also similar to Rule 14.11(i)(7), related to Managed
Fund Shares, except that Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D) relates to the
establishment of a ``fire wall'' between the investment adviser and the
broker-dealer as applicable to an Investment Company's portfolio and
Creation Basket, and not just the underlying portfolio, as is the case
with Managed Fund Shares. The Adviser is not registered as a broker-
dealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer. Neither Sub-Adviser is
registered as a broker-dealer, but each is affiliated with the
Distributor, a broker-dealer, and has implemented and will maintain a
``fire wall'' with respect to such broker-dealer regarding access to
information concerning the composition of and changes to the Fund's
portfolio and/or Creation Basket.
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\14\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(E) defines the term ``Creation Basket'' as
on any given business day the names and quantities of the specified
instruments (and/or an amount of cash) that are required for an AP
Representative (as defined below) to deposit in-kind on behalf of an
Authorized Participant in exchange for a Creation Unit and the names
and quantities of the specified instruments (and/or an amount of
cash) that will be transferred in-kind to an AP Representative on
behalf of an Authorized Participant in exchange for a Redemption
Unit, which will be identical and will be transmitted to each AP
Representative before the commencement of trading.
\15\ 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 its related personnel as well
as the Sub-Advisers and their respective related personnel will be
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 its fiduciary obligations 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 (i) adopts and implements written policies
and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violations, by the
investment adviser and its supervised persons, of the Advisers Act
and the Commission rules adopted thereunder; (ii) reviews, at least
annually, the adequacy of the policies and procedures established
pursuant to subparagraph (i) above and the effectiveness of their
implementation; and (iii) designates an individual (who is a
supervised person) responsible for administering the policies and
procedures adopted under subparagraph (i) above. The Fund will also
comply with the requirements of Regulation Fair Disclosure, as
provided in the Exemptive Application.
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In the event (a) the Adviser or either Sub-Adviser becomes
registered as a broker-dealer or becomes newly affiliated with a
broker-dealer, or (b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a registered
broker-dealer or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
implement and maintain 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 portfolio
and/or Creation Basket.
Any person related to the Adviser, the Sub-Advisers, or the Trust
who makes decisions pertaining to the Fund's portfolio composition or
that has access to information regarding the Fund's portfolio or
changes thereto or the Creation Basket will be subject to procedures
designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material non-public
information regarding such portfolio or changes thereto and the
Creation Basket.
Further, Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E) requires that any person or entity,
including an AP Representative, custodian, Reporting Authority,
distributor, or administrator, who has access to information regarding
the Investment Company's portfolio composition or changes thereto or
the Creation Basket, must be subject to procedures designed to prevent
the use and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding
the applicable Investment Company portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket. Moreover, if any such person or entity is registered
as a broker-dealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer, such person or
entity will erect and maintain a ``fire wall'' between the person or
entity and the broker-dealer with respect to access to information
concerning the composition and/or changes to such Investment Company
portfolio or Creation Basket. Any person or entity who has access to
information regarding the Fund's portfolio composition or changes
thereto or the Creation Basket will be subject to procedures designed
to prevent the use and dissemination of material nonpublic information
regarding the portfolio composition or changes thereto or the Creation
Basket.
Description of the Fund
ClearBridge Focus Value ETF
The Fund's holdings will conform to the permissible investments as
set forth in the Exemptive Application and Exemptive Order and the
holdings will be consistent with all requirements in the Exemptive
Application and Exemptive Order.\16\
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\16\ Pursuant to the Exemptive Order, the permissible
investments include only the following instruments that trade on a
U.S. exchange contemporaneously with the Shares: ETFs and exchange-
traded notes, common stocks, preferred stocks, American depositary
receipts, real estate investment trusts, commodity pools, metals
trusts, currency trusts, and futures for which the reference asset
the Fund may invest in directly or, in the case of an index future,
based on an index of a type of asset that the Fund could invest in
directly; as well as cash and cash equivalents (short-term U.S.
Treasury securities, government money market funds and repurchase
agreements).
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[[Page 11139]]
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. By employing
fundamental research, in an effort to identify securities with
attractive risk-adjusted returns, the Fund's portfolio management team
constructs the portfolio on a bottom-up basis.
Investment Restrictions
The Fund will not purchase any securities that are illiquid
investments at the time of purchase and the Fund's holdings will be
consistent with all requirements described in the Exemptive Application
and Exemptive Order.
The Shares of the Fund will conform to the initial and continued
listing criteria under Rule 14.11(k). The Fund's holdings will be
limited to and consistent with what is permissible under the Exemptive
Order.
The Fund's investments will be consistent with its investment
objective and will not be used to enhance leverage.
Creations and Redemptions of Shares
Creations and redemptions of the Shares will occur as described in
Rule 14.11(k). More specifically, in connection with the creation and
redemption of Creation Units \17\ and Redemption Units,\18\ the
delivery or receipt of any portfolio securities in-kind will be
required to be effected through a separate confidential brokerage
account (a ``Confidential Account'').\19\ Authorized Participants (as
defined in the Fund's Form N-1A filed with the Commission, ``AP'') will
sign an agreement with an AP Representative \20\ establishing the
Confidential Account for the benefit of the AP. AP Representatives will
be broker-dealers. An AP must be a Depository Trust Company (``DTC'')
Participant that has executed a ``Participant Agreement'' with the
Distributor with respect to the creation and redemption of Creation
Units and Redemption Units and formed a Confidential Account for its
benefit in accordance with the terms of the Participant Agreement. For
purposes of creations or redemptions, all transactions will be effected
through the respective AP's Confidential Account, for the benefit of
the AP, without disclosing the identity of such securities to the AP.
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\17\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(F) defines the term ``Creation Unit'' as a
specified minimum number of Managed Portfolio Shares issued by an
Investment Company at the request of an Authorized Participant in
return for a designated portfolio of instruments and/or cash.
\18\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(G) defines the term ``Redemption Unit'' as
a specified minimum number of Managed Portfolio Shares that may be
redeemed to an Investment Company at the request of an Authorized
Participant in return for a portfolio of instruments and/or cash.
\19\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(D) defines the term ``Confidential
Account'' as an account owned by an Authorized Participant and held
with an AP Representative on behalf of the Authorized Participant.
The account will be established and governed by contractual
agreement between the AP Representative and the Authorized
Participant solely for the purposes of creation and redemption,
while keeping confidential the Creation Basket constituents of each
series of Managed Portfolio Shares, including from the Authorized
Participant. The books and records of the Confidential Account will
be maintained by the AP Representative on behalf of the Authorized
Participant.
\20\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(C) defines the term ``AP Representative''
as an unaffiliated broker-dealer, with which an Authorized
Participant has signed an agreement to establish a Confidential
Account for the benefit of such Authorized Participant, that will
deliver or receive, on behalf of the Authorized Participant, all
consideration to or from the Investment Company in a creation or
redemption. An AP Representative will not be permitted to disclose
the Creation Basket to any person, including the Authorized
Participants.
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Each AP Representative will be given, before the commencement of
trading each Business Day (defined below), the Creation Basket (as
described below) for that day. This information will permit an AP that
has established a Confidential Account with an AP Representative, to
instruct the AP Representative to buy and sell positions in the
portfolio securities to permit creation and redemption of Creation
Units and Redemption Units. Shares of the Fund will be issued and
redeemed in Creation Units and Redemption Units of 5,000 or more
Shares. The Fund will offer and redeem Creation Units and Redemption
Units on a continuous basis at the net asset value (``NAV'') per share
next determined after receipt of an order in proper form. The NAV per
share of the Fund will be determined as of the close of regular trading
on the Exchange on each day that the Exchange is open (a ``Business
Day''). The Fund will sell and redeem Creation Units and Redemption
Units only on Business Days.
To keep costs low and permit the Fund to be as fully invested as
possible, Shares will be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units and
Redemption Units and generally on an in-kind basis. Accordingly, except
where the purchase or redemption will include cash under the
circumstances described in the Exemptive Application, APs will be
required to purchase Creation Units by making an in-kind deposit of
specified instruments (``Deposit Instruments''), and APs redeeming
their Shares will receive an in-kind transfer of specified instruments
(``Redemption Instruments'') through the AP Representative in their
Confidential Account.\21\ On any given Business Day, the names and
quantities of the instruments that constitute the Deposit Instruments
and the names and quantities of the instruments that constitute the
Redemption Instruments will be identical, and these instruments may be
referred to, in the case of either a purchase or a redemption, as the
``Creation Basket.''
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\21\ The Fund must comply with the federal securities laws in
accepting Deposit Instruments and satisfying redemptions with
Redemption Instruments, including that the Deposit Instruments and
Redemption Instruments are sold in transactions that would be exempt
from registration under the 1933 Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Placement of Purchase Orders
The Fund will issue Shares through the Distributor on a continuous
basis at NAV. The Exchange represents that the issuance of Shares will
operate in a manner similar to that of other ETFs. The Fund will issue
Shares only at the NAV per share next determined after an order in
proper form is received.
In the case of a creation, the AP would enter an irrevocable
creation order with the Fund and direct the AP Representative to
purchase the Deposit Instruments. The AP Representative would then
purchase the necessary securities in the Confidential Account. In
purchasing the necessary securities, the AP Representative will use
methods, such as breaking the transaction into multiple transactions
and transacting in multiple marketplaces, to avoid revealing the
composition of the Creation Basket. Once the Deposit Instruments have
been acquired in the Confidential Account, the AP Representative would
contribute the Deposit Instruments in-kind to the Fund.
The Distributor will furnish acknowledgements to those placing such
orders that the orders have been accepted, but the Distributor may
reject any order which is not submitted in proper form, as described in
the Fund's prospectus or Statement of Additional Information (``SAI'').
The NAV of the Fund is expected to be determined once each Business Day
at a time determined by the Trust's Board of Trustees (``Board''),
currently anticipated to be as of the close of the regular trading
session on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. E.T.) (the ``Valuation
Time''). The Fund will establish a cut-off time (``Order Cut-Off
Time'') for purchase orders in proper form. Such Order Cut-Off Time
will be provided in the Registration Statement. To initiate a purchase
of Shares, an AP must submit
[[Page 11140]]
to the Distributor an irrevocable order to purchase such Shares after
the most recent prior Valuation Time. All orders to purchase Creation
Units must be received by the Distributor no later than the Order Cut-
Off Time in each case on the date such order is placed (``Transmittal
Date'') for the AP to receive the NAV per share determined on the
Transmittal Date. As with all existing ETFs, if there is a difference
between the NAV attributable to a Creation Unit and the aggregate
market value of the Creation Basket exchanged for the Creation Unit,
the party conveying instruments with the lower value will also pay to
the other an amount in cash equal to that difference (the ``Balancing
Amount'').
Purchases of Shares will be settled in-kind and/or cash for an
amount equal to the applicable NAV per share purchased plus applicable
transaction fees.\22\ Other than the Balancing Amount, the Fund will
substitute cash only under exceptional circumstances and as set forth
under the Fund's policies and procedures governing the composition of
Creation Baskets.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\22\ To the extent that the Fund allows creations or redemptions
to be conducted in cash, such transactions will be effected in the
same manner for all APs transacting in cash.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Authorized Participant Redemption
The Shares may be redeemed to the Fund in Redemption Unit size or
multiples thereof as described below. Redemption orders of Redemption
Units must be placed by an AP (``AP Redemption Order''). The Fund will
establish in its Registration Statement an Order Cut-Off Time for
redemption orders of Redemption Units in proper form. Redemption Units
of the Fund will be redeemable at their NAV per share next determined
after receipt of a request for redemption by the Trust in the manner
specified below before the Order Cut-Off Time. A transaction fee may
also be imposed on redemption orders. To initiate an AP Redemption
Order, an AP must submit to the Distributor an irrevocable order to
redeem such Redemption Unit after the most recent prior Valuation Time,
but not later than the Order Cut-Off Time.
In the case of a redemption, the AP would enter into an irrevocable
redemption order, and then the Fund would instruct its custodian to
deliver the Redemption Instruments to the appropriate Confidential
Account. The Authorized Participant would direct the AP Representative
on when that day to liquidate those securities. As with the purchase of
securities, the AP Representative will use methods, such as breaking
the transaction into multiple transactions and transacting in multiple
marketplaces, to avoid revealing the composition of the Creation
Basket.
Consistent with the provisions of Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act and
Rule 22e-2 thereunder, the right to redeem will not be suspended, nor
payment upon redemption delayed, except for: (1) Any period during
which the Exchange is closed other than customary weekend and holiday
closings, (2) any period during which trading on the Exchange is
restricted, (3) any period during which an emergency exists as a result
of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not
reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund
to determine its NAV, and (4) for such other periods as the Commission
may by order permit for the protection of shareholders.
Redemptions will occur primarily in-kind, although redemption
payments may also be made partly or wholly in cash.\23\ The Participant
Agreement signed by each AP will require establishment of a
Confidential Account to receive distributions of securities in-kind
upon redemption. Each AP will be required to open a Confidential
Account with an AP Representative in order to facilitate orderly
processing of redemptions. Other than the Balancing Amount, the Fund
will substitute cash only under exceptional circumstances and as set
forth under the Fund's policies and procedures governing the
composition of Creation Baskets.\24\
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\23\ The value of any positions not susceptible to in-kind
settlement may be paid in cash.
\24\ To the extent that the Fund allows creations or redemptions
to be conducted in cash, such transactions will be effected in the
same manner for all APs transacting in cash.
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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. Interest and investment income on the
Trust's assets accrue daily and will be included in the Fund's total
assets. The NAV per share for the Fund will be calculated by the Fund's
administrator and determined as of the close of the regular trading
session on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., E.T.) on each day that
the Exchange is open.
Exchange-traded instruments 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 securities
are primarily traded at the time of valuation. Other holdings of the
Fund will generally be valued on the basis of independent pricing
services, quotes obtained from brokers and dealers or price quotations
or other equivalent indications of value provided by a third-party
pricing service, reported net asset value, or at cost.
Availability of Information
The Fund's website (www.leggmason.com/etfliterature), which will be
publicly available prior to the listing and trading of Shares, will
include a form of the prospectus for the Fund that may be downloaded.
The Fund's website will include additional quantitative information
updated on a daily basis, including, on a per Share basis for the Fund,
the prior Business Day's NAV and the market closing price and a
calculation of the premium and discount of the market closing price.
The Fund's website will also disclose each day the median bid/ask
spread for the Fund's most recent 30 days based on the National Best
Bid (``NBB'') and National Best Offer (``NBO'') at the time of
calculation of such NAV (the ``Bid/Ask Price'').\25\ In addition, the
Fund will provide any other information on its website regarding
premiums/discounts that ETFs registered under the 1940 Act are required
to provide or that are otherwise required under the Exemptive Order.
The website and information will be publicly available at no charge.
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\25\ The Bid/Ask Price of the Fund will be determined using the
mid-point between the current NBB and NBO 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/or its service providers.
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The Trust's SAI and the Fund's shareholder reports will be
available free upon request from the Trust. These documents and forms
may be viewed on-screen or downloaded from the Commission's website 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. Quotation
and last sale information for the Shares will be available via the
Consolidated Tape Association (``CTA'') high-speed line. In addition,
the VIIV, as defined in Rule 14.11(k)(3)(B) and as described further
below, will be widely disseminated by
[[Page 11141]]
the Reporting Authority \26\ and/or one or more major market data
vendors in one-second intervals during Regular Trading Hours.
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\26\ Rule 14.11(k)(3)(H) defines the term ``Reporting
Authority'' in respect of a particular series of Managed Portfolio
Shares as the Exchange, the exchange that lists a particular series
of Managed Portfolio Shares (if the Exchange is trading such series
pursuant to unlisted trading privileges), an institution, or a
reporting service designated by the Investment Company as the
official source for calculating and reporting information relating
to such series, including, the net asset value, the Verified
Intraday Indicative Value, or other information relating to the
issuance, redemption or trading of Managed Portfolio Shares. A
series of Managed Portfolio Shares may have more than one Reporting
Authority, each having different functions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dissemination of the VIIV
With respect to trading of the Shares, the ability of market
participants to buy and sell Shares at prices near the VIIV is
dependent upon their assessment that the VIIV is a reliable, indicative
real-time value for the Fund's underlying holdings. Market participants
are expected to accept the VIIV as a reliable, indicative real-time
value because (1) the VIIV will be calculated and disseminated based on
the Fund's actual portfolio holdings, (2) the securities in which the
Fund plans to invest are generally highly liquid and actively traded
and trade at the same time as the Fund and therefore generally have
accurate real time pricing available, and (3) market participants will
have a daily opportunity to evaluate whether the VIIV at or near the
close of trading is indeed predictive of the actual NAV. The VIIV for
the Fund will be disseminated by the Reporting Authority and/or one or
more major market data vendors in one-second intervals during Regular
Trading Hours. For purposes of the VIIV, securities held by the Fund
will be valued throughout the day based on the mid-point between the
disseminated current NBB and NBO. If the Adviser determines that a
portfolio security does not have a readily available market quotation,
that fact along with the identity and weighting of that security in the
Fund's VIIV calculation will be publicly disclosed on the Fund's
website.
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. The Exchange will halt trading in
the Shares under the conditions specified in BZX Rule 11.18. Trading
may be halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the
view of the Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable, including
whether unusual conditions or circumstances detrimental to the
maintenance of a fair and orderly market are present. Trading in the
Shares also will be subject to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a) and (b),
which set forth circumstances under which trading in the Shares of the
Fund will be halted.
Specifically, Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a) provides that the
Exchange may consider all relevant factors in exercising its discretion
to halt trading in a series of Managed Portfolio Shares. Trading may be
halted because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of
the Exchange, make trading in the series of Managed Portfolio Shares
inadvisable. These may include: (i) The extent to which trading is not
occurring in the securities and/or the financial instruments composing
the portfolio; or (ii) whether other unusual conditions or
circumstances detrimental to the maintenance of a fair and orderly
market are present.\27\ The Adviser has represented to the Exchange
that it will provide the Exchange with prompt notification upon the
existence of any such condition or set of conditions.
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\27\ The Exemptive Application provides that the Investment
Company or their agent will request that the Exchange halt trading
in the applicable series of Managed Portfolio Shares where: (i) The
intraday indicative values calculated by the calculation engines
differ by more than 25 basis points for 60 seconds in connection
with pricing of the Verified Intraday Indicative Value; or (ii)
holdings representing 10% or more of a series of Managed Portfolio
Shares' portfolio have become subject to a trading halt or otherwise
do not have readily available market quotations. Any such requests
will be one of many factors considered in order to determine whether
to halt trading in a series of Managed Portfolio Shares and the
Exchange retains sole discretion in determining whether trading
should be halted. As provided in the Exemptive Application, each
series of Managed Portfolio Shares would employ a pricing
verification agent to continuously compare two intraday indicative
values during Regular Trading Hours in order to ensure the accuracy
of the Verified Intraday Indicative Value.
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Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b) provides that, if the Exchange becomes
aware that: (i) The VIIV of a series of Managed Portfolio Shares is not
being calculated or disseminated in one second intervals, as required;
(ii) the NAV with respect to a series of Managed Portfolio Shares is
not disseminated to all market participants at the same time; (iii) the
holdings of a series of Managed Portfolio Shares are not made available
on at least a quarterly basis as required under the 1940 Act; or (iv)
such holdings are not made available to all market participants at the
same time, (except as otherwise permitted under the currently
applicable exemptive order or no-action relief granted by the
Commission or Commission staff to the Investment Company with respect
to the series of Managed Portfolio Shares), it will halt trading in
such series until such time as the VIIV, the NAV, or the holdings are
available, as required.
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 Exchange only during Regular Trading Hours as provided in Rule
14.11(k)(2)(B). The Exchange has appropriate rules in place to
facilitate trading during all trading sessions in which the Shares will
trade. As provided in BZX Rule 11.11(a), the minimum price variation
for quoting and entry of orders in securities traded on the Exchange is
$0.01, with the exception of securities that are priced less than
$1.00, for which the minimum price variation for order entry is
$0.0001.
The Shares will conform to the initial and continued listing
criteria under Rule 14.11(k) as well as all terms in the Exemptive
Order. The Exchange represents that, for initial and/or continued
listing, the Fund will be in compliance with Rule 10A-3 under the
Act.\28\ A minimum of 100,000 Shares of the Fund will be outstanding at
the commencement of trading on the Exchange. The Exchange has obtained
a representation from the issuer of the Shares of the Fund that the NAV
per share of the Fund will be calculated daily and will be made
available to all market participants at the same time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\28\ See 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
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Surveillance
The Exchange believes that its surveillance procedures are adequate
to properly monitor the trading of the Shares on the Exchange during
all trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of Exchange
rules and the applicable federal securities laws. Trading of the Shares
through the Exchange will be subject to the Exchange's surveillance
procedures for derivative products, including Managed Portfolio Shares.
As part of these surveillance procedures and consistent with Rule
14.11(k)(2)(C), the Adviser will upon request make available to the
Exchange and/or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, the daily portfolio
holdings of the Fund. 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
[[Page 11142]]
its obligations under Section 19(g)(1) of the Exchange Act, the
Exchange will surveil 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 Exchange Rule 14.12.
The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or both, will
communicate as needed regarding trading in the Shares and the
underlying exchange-traded instruments with other markets and other
entities that are members of the Intermarket Surveillance Group
(``ISG''), and the Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or
both, may obtain trading information regarding trading such securities
from such markets and other entities. In addition, the Exchange may
obtain information regarding trading in the Shares and the underlying
exchange-traded instruments from markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.\29\
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\29\ For a list of the current members of ISG, see
www.isgportal.org.
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In addition, the Exchange also has a general policy prohibiting the
distribution of material, non-public information by its employees.
Information Circular
Prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will inform its
members in an Information Circular (``Circular'') of the special
characteristics and risks associated with trading the Shares.
Specifically, the Circular will discuss the following: (1) The
procedures for purchases and redemptions of Shares; (2) BZX Rule 3.7,
which imposes suitability obligations on Exchange members with respect
to recommending transactions in the Shares to customers; (3) how
information regarding the VIIV is disseminated; (4) the requirement
that members deliver a prospectus to investors purchasing newly issued
Shares prior to or concurrently with the confirmation of a transaction;
(5) trading information; and (6) that the portfolio holdings will be
disclosed within at least 60 days following the end of every fiscal
quarter.
In addition, the Circular will reference that the Fund is subject
to various fees and expenses described in the Registration Statement.
The Circular will discuss any exemptive, no-action, and interpretive
relief granted by the Commission from any rules under the Act. The
Circular will also disclose that the NAV for the Shares will be
calculated after 4:00 p.m., E.T. each trading day.
2. Statutory Basis
The Exchange believes that this proposal is consistent with Section
6(b) of the Act \30\ in general and Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \31\ in
particular in that it is 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 and a national market system, and, in
general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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\30\ 15 U.S.C. 78f.
\31\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Exchange believes that this proposed rule change is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices in that the Fund
would meet each of the rules relating to listing and trading of Managed
Portfolio Shares and, to the extent that the Fund is not in compliance
with such rules, the Exchange would either prevent the Fund from
listing and trading if it hadn't started trading on the Exchange or
would commence delisting procedures under Exchange Rule 14.12. More
specifically, the Exchange will consider the suspension of trading in,
and will commence delisting proceedings under Rule 14.12 for, the Fund
under any of the following circumstances: (a) If, following the initial
twelve-month period after commencement of trading on the Exchange,
there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the Fund for 30 or more
consecutive trading days; (b) if the Exchange has halted trading in the
Fund because the VIIV is interrupted pursuant to Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b) and such interruption persists past the trading
day in which it occurred or is no longer available; (c) if the Exchange
has halted trading in the Fund because the NAV with respect to such
Fund is not disseminated to all market participants at the same time,
the holdings of such Fund are not made available on at least a
quarterly basis as required under the 1940 Act, or such holdings are
not made available to all market participants at the same time pursuant
to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b) and such issue persists past the trading
day in which it occurred; (d) if the Exchange has halted trading in the
Fund pursuant to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a) and such issue persists
past the trading day in which it occurred; (e) if the Fund has failed
to file any filings required by the Commission or if the Exchange is
aware that the Fund is not in compliance with the conditions of any
currently applicable exemptive order or no-action relief granted by the
Commission or Commission staff with respect to the Fund; (f) if any of
the continued listing requirements set forth in Rule 14.11(k) are not
continuously maintained; (g) if any of the applicable Continued Listing
Representations, as defined in Rule 14.11(a), for the Fund are not
continuously met; or (h) if such other event shall occur or condition
exists which, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on
the Exchange inadvisable.
The Adviser is not registered as a broker-dealer or affiliated with
a broker-dealer. Neither Sub-Adviser is registered as a broker-dealer,
but each is affiliated with the Distributor, a broker-dealer, and has
implemented and will maintain a ``fire wall'' with respect to such
affiliate broker-dealer regarding access to information concerning the
composition and/or changes to the Fund's portfolio and Creation Basket.
In the event (a) the Adviser or either Sub-Adviser becomes
registered as a broker-dealer or becomes newly affiliated with a
broker-dealer, or (b) any new adviser or sub-adviser is a registered
broker-dealer or becomes affiliated with a broker-dealer, it will
implement and maintain 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 portfolio
and/or Creation Basket. Any person related to the Adviser, the Sub-
Advisers, or the Trust who makes decisions pertaining to the Fund's
portfolio composition or that has access to information regarding the
Fund's portfolio or changes thereto or the Creation Basket will be
subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of
material non-public information regarding such portfolio or changes
thereto and the Creation Basket.
Further, Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E) requires that any person or entity,
including an AP Representative, custodian, Reporting Authority,
distributor, or administrator, who has access to information regarding
the Investment Company's portfolio composition or changes thereto or
the Creation Basket, must be subject to procedures designed to prevent
the use and dissemination of material nonpublic information regarding
the applicable Investment Company portfolio or changes thereto or the
Creation Basket. Moreover, if any such person or entity is registered
as a broker-dealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer, such person or
entity will erect and maintain a ``fire wall'' between the person or
entity and the broker-dealer
[[Page 11143]]
with respect to access to information concerning the composition and/or
changes to such Investment Company portfolio or Creation Basket. Any
person or entity who has access to information regarding the Fund's
portfolio composition or changes thereto or the Creation Basket will be
subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information regarding the portfolio or changes
thereto or the Creation Basket.
The Exchange further believes that Rule 14.11(k) is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices related to the
listing and trading of Managed Portfolio Shares because it provides
meaningful requirements about both the data that will be made publicly
available about the Shares as well as the information that will only be
available to certain parties and the controls on such information.
Specifically, the Exchange believes that the requirements related to
information protection enumerated under Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E) will act as
a strong safeguard against misuse and improper dissemination of
information related to the Fund's portfolio composition or changes
thereto or the Creation Basket. The requirement that any person or
entity implement procedures to prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information regarding the portfolio or Creation
Basket will act to prevent any individual or entity from sharing such
information externally and the internal ``fire wall'' requirements
applicable where an entity is a registered broker-dealer or affiliated
with a broker-dealer will act to make sure that no entity will be able
to misuse the data for their own purposes. As such, the Exchange
believes that this proposal is designed to prevent fraudulent and
manipulative acts and practices.
The Exchange further believes that the proposal is designed to
prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices related to the
listing and trading of Managed Portfolio Shares and to promote just and
equitable principles of trade and to protect investors and the public
interest in that the Exchange would halt trading under certain
circumstances under which trading in the Shares may be inadvisable.
Specifically, trading in the Shares will be subject to Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a), which provides that the Exchange may consider
all relevant factors in exercising its discretion to halt trading in a
series of Managed Portfolio Shares. Trading may be halted because of
market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange,
make trading in the series of Managed Portfolio Shares inadvisable.
These may include: (i) The extent to which trading is not occurring in
the securities and/or the financial instruments composing the
portfolio; or (ii) whether other unusual conditions or circumstances
detrimental to the maintenance of a fair and orderly market are
present.\32\ The Adviser has represented to the Exchange that it will
provide the Exchange with prompt notification upon the existence of any
such condition or set of conditions. Trading in the Shares will also be
subject to Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b), which provides that if the
Exchange becomes aware that: (i) The VIIV of a series of Managed
Portfolio Shares is not being calculated or disseminated in one second
intervals, as required; (ii) the NAV with respect to a series of
Managed Portfolio Shares is not disseminated to all market participants
at the same time; (iii) the holdings of a series of Managed Portfolio
Shares are not made available on at least a quarterly basis as required
under the 1940 Act; or (iv) such holdings are not made available to all
market participants at the same time, (except as otherwise permitted
under the currently applicable exemptive order or no-action relief
granted by the Commission or Commission staff to the Investment Company
with respect to the series of Managed Portfolio Shares), it will halt
trading in such series until such time as the VIIV, the NAV, or the
holdings are available, as required.
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\32\ See supra note 27.
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With respect to the proposed listing and trading of Shares of the
Fund, 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 Rule 14.11(k). The Fund's
holdings will conform to the permissible investments as set forth in
the Exemptive Application and Exemptive Order. The Exchange or FINRA,
on behalf of the Exchange, or both, will communicate as needed
regarding trading in the Shares and the underlying exchange-traded
instruments with other markets and other entities that are members of
the ISG, and the Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or both,
may obtain trading information regarding trading such instruments from
such markets and other entities. In addition, the Exchange may obtain
information regarding trading in the Shares and the underlying
exchange-traded instruments from markets and other entities that are
members of ISG or with which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.
With respect to trading of the Shares, the ability of market
participants to buy and sell Shares at prices near the VIIV is
dependent upon their assessment that the VIIV is a reliable, indicative
real-time value for the Fund's underlying holdings. Market participants
are expected to accept the VIIV as a reliable, indicative real-time
value because (1) the VIIV will be calculated and disseminated based on
the Fund's actual portfolio holdings, (2) the securities in which the
Fund plans to invest are generally highly liquid and actively traded
and trade at the same time as the Fund and therefore generally have
accurate real time pricing available, and (3) market participants will
have a daily opportunity to evaluate whether the VIIV at or near the
close of trading is indeed predictive of the actual NAV.
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 that the NAV per share
of the Fund will be calculated daily and that the NAV will be made
available to all market participants at the same time. Investors can
also obtain the Fund's SAI, shareholder reports, Form N-CSR, and Form
N-PORT. The Fund's SAI and shareholder reports will be available free
upon request from the applicable fund, and those documents and the Form
N-CSR and Form N-PORT may be viewed on-screen or downloaded from the
Commission's website. In addition, with respect to the Fund, 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. Information regarding the VIIV will be widely disseminated
every second throughout Regular Trading Hours by the Reporting
Authority and/or one or more major market data vendors. The website for
the Fund will include a prospectus for the Fund that may be downloaded,
and additional data relating to NAV and other applicable quantitative
information, updated on a daily basis.
Moreover, prior to the commencement of trading, the Exchange will
inform its members in a Circular of the special characteristics and
risks associated with trading the Shares. The Exchange will halt
trading in the Shares under the conditions specified in BZX Rule 11.18
or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in the
Shares inadvisable. Trading in the Shares will be subject to Rule
14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a)
[[Page 11144]]
and (b), which set forth circumstances under which Shares of the Fund
will be halted.
In addition, as noted above, investors will have ready access to
the VIIV, and quotation and last sale information for the Shares. The
Shares will conform to the initial and continued listing criteria under
Rule 14.11(k). The Fund's holdings will be limited to and consistent
with what is permissible under the Exemptive Order. The Fund's
investments will be consistent with its investment objective and will
not be used to enhance leverage.
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 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 relating to trading in the Shares and may obtain information
via ISG from other exchanges that are members of ISG or with which the
Exchange has entered into a comprehensive surveillance sharing
agreement. In addition, as noted above, investors will have ready
access to information regarding the VIIV and quotation and last sale
information for the Shares.
For the above reasons, the Exchange believes that the proposed rule
change is consistent with the requirements of Section 6(b)(5) of the
Act.
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, rather will facilitate the listing and trading of
an actively-managed exchange-traded product that will enhance
competition among both market participants and listing venues, 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
The Exchange has neither solicited nor received written comments on
the proposed rule change.
III. Discussion and Commission Findings
After careful review, the Commission finds that the proposed rule
change, as modified by Amendment No. 3, is consistent with the Act and
rules and regulations thereunder applicable to a national securities
exchange.\33\ In particular, the Commission finds that the proposed
rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 3, is consistent with Section
6(b)(5) of the Act,\34\ which requires, among other things, that the
Exchange's rules be 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 and a national market system, and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest.
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\33\ In approving this proposed rule change, the Commission
notes that it has considered the proposed rule's impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C.
78c(f).
\34\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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The Commission believes that the proposal is reasonably designed to
promote fair disclosure of information that may be necessary to price
the Shares appropriately and to prevent trading in the Shares when a
reasonable degree of certain pricing transparency cannot be assured. As
such, the Commission believes the proposal is reasonably designed to
maintain a fair and orderly market for trading the Shares. The
Commission also finds that the proposal is consistent with Section
11A(a)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act, which sets forth Congress's finding that
it is in the public interest and appropriate for the protection of
investors and the maintenance of fair and orderly markets to assure the
availability to brokers, dealers, and investors of information with
respect to quotations for, and transactions in, securities.
Specifically, the Commission notes that the Exchange has obtained a
representation from the issuer that the NAV per Share of the Fund will
be calculated daily and will be made available to all market
participants at the same time.\35\ 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. Quotation and last sale information for the
Shares will be available via the Consolidated Tape Association high-
speed line. In addition, the VIIV will be widely disseminated by the
Reporting Authority and/or one or more major market data vendors in
one-second intervals during Regular Trading Hours, and must be
disseminated to all market participants at the same time.\36\ Moreover,
the Fund's website will include a form of the prospectus and additional
data relating to NAV and other applicable quantitative information for
the Fund, including any information regarding premiums/discounts that
ETFs registered under the 1940 Act are required to provide or that are
otherwise required under the Exemptive Order. Such website and
information will be publicly available at no charge.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\35\ See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(4)(A)(ii).
\36\ See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(i).
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The Commission also notes that the Exchange's rules regarding
trading halts help to ensure the maintenance of fair and orderly
markets for the Shares. Specifically, pursuant to its rules, the
Exchange may consider all relevant factors in exercising its discretion
to halt trading in the Shares, and will halt trading in the Shares
under the conditions specified in BZX Rule 11.18. Trading may be halted
because of market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares inadvisable, including (1) the
extent to which trading is not occurring in the securities and/or the
financial instruments composing the portfolio; or (2) whether other
unusual conditions or circumstances detrimental to the maintenance of a
fair and orderly market are present.\37\ Trading in the Shares also
will be subject to BZX Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(b), which sets forth
additional circumstances under which trading in the Shares will be
halted.
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\37\ See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(4)(B)(iii)(a).
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The Commission also believes that the proposal is reasonably
designed to help prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and
practices. The Exchange represents that it has a general policy
prohibiting the distribution of material, non-public information by its
employees. The Exchange states that the Adviser is not registered as a
broker-dealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer. The Exchange states
that neither Sub-Adviser is registered as a broker-dealer, but that
each is affiliated with a broker-dealer and has implemented and will
maintain a ``fire wall'' with respect to such broker-dealer affiliate
regarding access to information concerning the composition of and/or
changes to the Fund's portfolio and Creation Basket. Further, the
Commission notes that any person related to the Fund's investment
adviser or to the Trust who makes decisions pertaining to the Fund's
portfolio composition or has access to information regarding the Fund's
portfolio composition or changes thereto or the Creation Basket must be
subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination of
material nonpublic information regarding the
[[Page 11145]]
Fund's portfolio or changes thereto or the Creation Basket.\38\ In
addition, any person or entity, including an AP Representative,
custodian, Reporting Authority, distributor, or administrator, who has
access to information regarding the Fund's portfolio composition or
changes thereto or its Creation Basket, must be subject to procedures
designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material nonpublic
information regarding the applicable Fund portfolio or changes thereto
or the Creation Basket.\39\ Moreover, if any such person or entity is
registered as a broker-dealer or affiliated with a broker-dealer, such
person or entity must erect and maintain a ``fire wall'' between the
person or entity and the broker-dealer with respect to access to
information concerning the composition of and/or changes to such Fund's
portfolio or Creation Basket.\40\ Finally, the Exchange represents that
trading of the Shares through the Exchange will be subject to the
Exchange's surveillance procedures for derivative products, including
Managed Portfolio Shares,\41\ and that its surveillance procedures are
adequate to properly monitor the trading of the Shares on the Exchange
during all trading sessions and to deter and detect violations of
Exchange rules and the applicable federal securities laws.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\38\ See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(2)(D). The Exchange represents that
any person related to the Adviser, the Sub-Advisers, or the Trust
who makes decisions pertaining to the Fund's portfolio composition
or that has access to information regarding the Fund's portfolio or
changes thereto or the Creation Basket will be subject to procedures
designed to prevent the use and dissemination of material non-public
information regarding such portfolio or changes thereto and the
Creation Basket.
\39\ See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(2)(E).
\40\ See id. The Exchange represents that any person or entity
who has access to information regarding the Fund's portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the Creation Basket will be
subject to procedures designed to prevent the use and dissemination
of material nonpublic information regarding the portfolio
composition or changes thereto or the Creation Basket.
\41\ See BZX Rule 14.11(k)(2)(C), which requires, as part of the
surveillance procedures for Managed Portfolio Shares, the Fund's
investment adviser to, upon request by the Exchange or the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (``FINRA''), on behalf of the
Exchange, make available to the Exchange or FINRA the daily
portfolio holdings of each series of Managed Portfolio Shares.
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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. Moreover, prior to
the commencement of trading, the Exchange will inform its members in a
Circular of the special characteristics and risks associated with
trading the Shares.\42\
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\42\ The Exchange represents that the Circular will discuss the
following: (1) Procedures for purchases and redemptions of Shares;
(2) BZX Rule 3.7, which imposes suitability obligations on Exchange
members with respect to recommending transactions in the Shares to
customers; (3) how information regarding the VIIV is disseminated;
(4) the requirement that members deliver a prospectus to investors
purchasing newly issued shares prior to or concurrently with the
confirmation of a transaction; (5) trading information; and (6) that
the portfolio holdings will be disclosed within at least 60 days
following the end of every fiscal quarter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In support of this proposal, the Exchange represents that:
(1) The Shares will conform to the initial and continued listing
criteria under BZX Rule 14.11(k).
(2) A minimum of 100,000 Shares of the Fund will be outstanding at
the commencement of trading on the Exchange.
(3) The Exchange or FINRA, on behalf of the Exchange, or both, will
communicate as needed, and may obtain trading information, regarding
trading in the Shares, and the underlying exchange-traded instruments
with other markets and other entities that are members of the ISG. In
addition, the Exchange may obtain information regarding trading in the
Shares and the underlying exchange-traded instruments from markets and
other entities with which the Exchange has in place a comprehensive
surveillance sharing agreement.
(4) The Exchange has appropriate rules to facilitate transactions
in the Shares during all trading sessions in which the Shares trade.
(5) For initial and continued listing, the Fund will be in
compliance with Rule 10A-3 under the Act.\43\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\43\ See 17 CFR 240.10A-3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6) The Fund's holdings will conform to the permissible investments
as set forth in the Exemptive Application and Exemptive Order, and
investments made by the Fund will be consistent with all requirements
set forth in the Exemptive Application and Exemptive Order. The Fund's
investments will be consistent with its investment objective and will
not be used to enhance leverage.
The Exchange represents that all statements and representations
made in the filing regarding: (1) The description of the portfolio or
reference assets; (2) limitations on portfolio holdings or reference
assets; (3) dissemination and availability of the VIIV, reference
assets, and intraday indicative values; and (4) the applicability of
Exchange rules constitute continued listing requirements for listing
the Shares on the Exchange. In addition, the Exchange represents that
the issuer 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
surveil 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 BZX Rule 14.12.
IV. Solicitation of Comments on Amendment No. 3 to the Proposed Rule
Change
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning whether Amendment No. 3 is consistent with the
Exchange 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 [email protected]. Please include
File Number SR-CboeBZX-2019-102 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-CboeBZX-2019-102. 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 website (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 website 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. Persons submitting comments are
cautioned that we do not redact or edit personal identifying
information from comment submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make available publicly. All
[[Page 11146]]
submissions should refer to File Number SR-CboeBZX-2019-102, and should
be submitted on or before March 18, 2020.
V. Accelerated Approval of Proposed Rule Change, as Modified by
Amendment No. 3
The Commission finds good cause to approve the proposed rule
change, as modified by Amendment No. 3, prior to the thirtieth day
after the date of publication of notice of the filing of Amendment No.
3 in the Federal Register. In Amendment No. 3, the Exchange modified
the description of the Fund's investments and conformed the description
of BZX Rule 14.11(k) to the final rule approved in the Managed
Portfolio Shares Order. Amendment No. 3 also provides other
clarifications and additional information to the proposed rule
change.\44\ The changes and additional information in Amendment No. 3
assist the Commission in finding that the proposal is consistent with
the Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Commission finds good cause,
pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Exchange Act,\45\ to approve the
proposed rule change, as modified by Amendment No. 3, on an accelerated
basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\44\ See Amendment No. 3, supra note 9.
\45\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
VI. Conclusion
It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act
\46\ that the proposed rule change (SR-CboeBZX-2019-102), as modified
by Amendment No. 3, be, and hereby is, approved on an accelerated
basis.
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\46\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(2).
For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\47\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\47\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-03770 Filed 2-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P