SEC Info  
    Home      Search      My Interests      Help      Sign In      Please Sign In

First Trust Private Credit Fund, et al. – ‘N-2/A’ on 9/1/22

On:  Thursday, 9/1/22, at 6:42pm ET   ·   As of:  9/2/22   ·   Accession #:  1104659-22-97115   ·   File #s:  811-23792, 333-264365

Previous ‘N-2’:  ‘N-2’ on 4/19/22   ·   Latest ‘N-2’:  This Filing   ·   2 References:   

Find Words in Filings emoji
 
  in    Show  and   Hints

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 9/02/22  First Trust Private Credit Fund   N-2/A       9/01/22   14:2.2M                                   Toppan Merrill/FA
          First Trust Private Credit Fund

Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement by a Closed-End Investment Company   —   Form N-2   —   ICA’40

Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: N-2/A       Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement   HTML   1.26M 
                by a Closed-End Investment Company                               
 2: EX-99.(A)(1)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML    172K 
 3: EX-99.(B)   Miscellaneous Exhibit                               HTML     28K 
 4: EX-99.(G)(1)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML     34K 
 5: EX-99.(G)(2)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML     61K 
 6: EX-99.(G)(3)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML     69K 
 7: EX-99.(G)(4)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML     59K 
 8: EX-99.(H)(1)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML    134K 
 9: EX-99.(J)   Miscellaneous Exhibit                               HTML    161K 
10: EX-99.(K)(1)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML    176K 
11: EX-99.(K)(2)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML     14K 
12: EX-99.(L)   Miscellaneous Exhibit                               HTML     14K 
13: EX-99.(N)   Miscellaneous Exhibit                               HTML      7K 
14: EX-99.(R)(5)  Miscellaneous Exhibit                             HTML     97K 


‘N-2/A’   —   Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement by a Closed-End Investment Company

Document Table of Contents

Page (sequential)   (alphabetic) Top
 
11st Page  –  Filing Submission
"Fund Summary
"Fund Fees and Expenses
"Financial Highlights
"Use of Proceeds
"Investment Objective and Strategies
"Use of Leverage
"Principal Risk Factors
"Management of the Fund
"Distribution
"Distribution and Service Plan
"Administration
"Custodian
"Fund Expenses
"Voting
"Shareholder Rights
"Conflicts of Interest
"Outstanding Securities
"Tender Offers/Offers to Repurchase
"Tender/Repurchase Procedures
"Transfers of Shares
"Anti-Money Laundering
"Credit Facility
"Calculation of Net Asset Value
"Suspension of Calculation of Net Asset Value
"Distribution Policy
"Dividend Reinvestment Plan
"Taxes
"Taxation of the Fund
"Shareholder Taxation
"Other Tax Matters
"Erisa and Code Considerations
"Description of Shares
"Purchasing Shares
"Class A Shares Purchase Programs
"Term, Dissolution and Liquidation
"Reports to Shareholders
"Fiscal Year
"Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; Legal Counsel
"Inquiries
"General Information
"Investment Policies and Practices
"Fundamental Policies
"Non-Fundamental Policies
"Additional Information on Investment Techniques of the Fund and Related Risks
"Other Potential Risks and Additional Investment Information
"Board of Trustees and Officers
"Codes of Ethics
"Investment Management and Other Services
"Brokerage
"Administrator
"Distributor
"Additional Payment to Financial Intermediaries
"Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
"Control Persons and Principal Shareholders
"Appendix A -- Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures
"Appendix B -- Ratings of Investments Description of Securities Ratings
"Appendix C -- Financial Statements
"Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
"Statement of Assets and Liabilities
"Statement of Operations
"Notes to Financial Statements
"Schedule of Investments
"Summary of Investments
"Statement of Changes in Net Assets

This is an HTML Document rendered as filed.  [ Alternative Formats ]



 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 1, 2022

 

Securities Act File No. 333-264365

1940 Act File No. 811-23792

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-2

 

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 x
  Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 x
 

 

and

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

x
  Amendment No. 1 x

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street Milwaukee, WI 53212

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

414-299-2270

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

 

Ann Maurer

235 West Galena Street Milwaukee, WI 53212

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

Copy to:

Joshua B. Deringer, Esq.

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

215-988-2700

 

APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING:

AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE

 

¨Check box if the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans.

 

xCheck box if any securities being registered on this Form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”), other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

¨Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 or a post-effective amendment thereto.

 

¨Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction B or a post-effective amendment thereto that will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act.

 

¨Check box if this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction B to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act.

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

 

¨when declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act

 

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

¨This [post-effective] amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed [post-effective amendment] [registration statement].

 

¨This Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is:

 

¨This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is:.

 

¨This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is:

 

Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:

 

xRegistered Closed-End Fund (closed-end company that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”)).

 

¨Business Development Company (closed-end company that intends or has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act).

 

xInterval Fund (Registered Closed-End Fund or a Business Development Company that makes periodic repurchase offers under Rule 23c- 3 under the Investment Company Act).

 

¨A.2 Qualified (qualified to register securities pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of this Form).

 

¨Well-Known Seasoned Issuer (as defined by Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

 

¨Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934).If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.

 

xNew Registrant (registered or regulated under the Investment Company Act for less than 12 calendar months preceding this filing).

 

THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.

 

 

 

 C: 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, September 1, 2022

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

PROSPECTUS

Class A Shares (FTCAX)

Class I Shares (FTPCX)

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that intends to operate as an interval fund. Shares of the Fund (the “Shares”) are continuously offered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and repurchased by the Fund on a quarterly basis in an amount no less than 5% and not more than 25% of the outstanding Shares, according to the Fund’s repurchase policy established pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the Investment Company Act.

 

The Fund operates under an Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 16, 2022 (the “Declaration of Trust”). First Trust Capital Management L.P. serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Adviser” or “FTCM”) of the Fund. The Investment Adviser is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Fund offers two separate share classes: Class A Shares and Class I Shares.

 

Total Offering(1)  Class A Shares   Class I Shares 
Public Offering Price   

Current Net Asset Value

    

Current Net Asset Value

 
           

Sales Charge (Load)(2) as a percentage of purchase amount

   5.75%   0.00%
           
Proceeds to Fund(3)   

Current Net Asset Value Minus Sales Charge

    

Current Net Asset Value

 

 

(1) First Trust Portfolios L.P. (the “Distributor”) acts as the principal underwriter of the Fund’s Shares. An indefinite amount of Shares are being offered on a commercially reasonable efforts basis through the Distributor and may also be offered through other brokers or dealers that have entered into selling agreements with the Distributor. The Investment Adviser pays the Distributor out of its own resources a fee for certain distribution-related services. The Investment Adviser, the Distributor and/or its affiliates may make payments to selected affiliated or unaffiliated third parties (including the parties who have entered into selling agreements with the Distributor) from time to time in connection with the distribution of Shares and/or the servicing of Shareholders (as defined below) and/or the Fund. These payments will be made out of the Investment Adviser’s and/or affiliates’ own assets and will not represent an additional charge to the Fund. The amount of such payments may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such payments may provide such third parties or their employees with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund over other investment options. See DISTRIBUTOR.” The minimum initial investment in Class A Shares by any investor is $1,000 and the minimum initial investment in Class I Shares by any investor is $1,000. However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below this minimum. See FUND SUMMARY — THE OFFERING.”
  
(2) Investments in Class A Shares of the Fund are sold subject to a sales charge of up to 5.75% of the investment. For some investors, the sales charge may be waived or reduced. The full amount of the sales charges may be reallowed to brokers or dealers participating in the offering. Your financial intermediary may impose additional charges when you purchase Shares of the Fund. See FUND SUMMARY — THE OFFERING.”
  
(3) The Fund’s initial offering expenses are described under “FUND FEES AND EXPENSES” below. The total of expenses of issuance and distribution are $98,347.

 

Investment Objective. The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets across a wide array of credit strategies. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Adviser and one or more sub-advisers, in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Adviser. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective or that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

 

 C: 

 

Investment Strategies. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, to a diverse portfolio of private credit instruments. For the purpose of this policy, “private credit instruments” include, without limitation, those that are issued in private offerings or by private companies, such as commercial real estate mezzanine loans, real estate mortgages, distressed securities, notes, debentures, bank loans, convertible and preferred securities. These instruments may be acquired directly from the issuer or in secondary market transactions. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in government and municipal obligations.

 

The Fund’s investment program is speculative and entails substantial risks, including the risks typically associated with credit instruments. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved or that its investment program will be successful. Investors should consider the Fund as a supplement to an overall investment program and should invest only if they are willing to undertake the risks involved. Investors could lose some or all of their investment (See “PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 13).

 

Interval Fund: The Fund has an interval fund structure pursuant to which the Fund, subject to applicable law, conducts quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% and not more than 25% of the Fund’s Shares outstanding at NAV. While the quarterly repurchase offer is expected to be 5%, the amount of each quarterly repurchase offer may be 5% to 25% subject to approval of the Board of Trustees (the “Board” and each of the trustees on the Board, a “Trustee”). It is also possible that a repurchase offer may be oversubscribed, with the result that shareholders may only be able to have a portion of their Shares repurchased. There is no assurance that you will be able to tender your Shares when or in the amount that you desire. The Fund’s Shares are not listed and the Fund does not currently intend to list its Shares for trading on any national securities exchange. There is not expected to be any secondary trading market in the Shares. The Shares are, therefore, not marketable. Even though the Fund will make quarterly repurchase offers to repurchase a portion of the Shares to try to provide liquidity to shareholders, you should consider the Shares to be illiquid. (See “PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS - INTERVAL FUND RISK”).

 

 

This prospectus (the “Prospectus”) applies to the public offering of two separate classes of shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of the Fund, designated as Class A (“Class A Shares”) and Class I (“Class I Shares”).

 

The Shares will be offered in a continuous offering. The Shares will generally be offered for purchase on any business day, which is any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business, in each case subject to any applicable sales charges and other fees, as described herein. The Shares will be issued at net asset value (“NAV”) per Share. No holder of Shares (each, a “Shareholder”) will have the right to require the Fund to redeem its Shares.

 

This Prospectus concisely provides information that you should know about the Fund before investing. You are advised to read this Prospectus carefully and to retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including the Fund’s statement of additional information (the “SAI”), dated [      ], has been filed with the SEC. You may request a free copy of this Prospectus, the SAI, annual and semi-annual reports, when available, and other information about the Fund, and make inquiries without charge by writing to the Fund, c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc., 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, by calling the Fund toll-free at (877)779-1999 or by accessing the Investment Adviser’s website at https://www.FirstTrustCapital.com. The information on the Investment Adviser’s website is not incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and investors should not consider it a part of this Prospectus. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus in its entirety. You may also obtain copies of the SAI, and the annual and semi-annual reports of the Fund, when available, as well as other information about the Fund on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov. You may also email requests for these documents to publicinfo@sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s internet site is provided solely for the information of prospective investors and is not intended to be an active link.

 

Shares are an illiquid investment.

 

The Fund has no operating history and the Shares have no history of public trading.

 

The Fund does not intend to list the Shares on any securities exchange and the Fund does not expect a secondary market in the Shares to develop.

 

You should generally not expect to be able to sell your Shares (other than through the limited repurchase process), regardless of how the Fund performs.

 

Although the Fund is required to and has implemented a Share repurchase program, only a limited number of Shares will be eligible for repurchase by the Fund.

 

You should consider that you may not have access to the money you invest for an indefinite period of time.

 

An investment in the Shares is not suitable for you if you need foreseeable access to the money you invest.

 

 C: 

 

Because you will be unable to sell your Shares or have them repurchased immediately, you will find it difficult to reduce your exposure on a timely basis during a market downturn.

 

The amount of distributions that the Fund may pay, if any, is uncertain.

 

The Fund may pay distributions in significant part from sources that may not be available in the future and that are unrelated to the Fund’s performance, such as from offering proceeds, borrowings, and amounts from the Fund’s affiliates that are subject to repayment by investors.

 

An investor will pay a sales load of up to 5.75% on the amounts it invests. If you pay the maximum aggregate 5.75% for sales load, you must experience a total return on your net investment of 6.10% in order to recover these expenses.

 

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has determined whether this Prospectus is truthful or complete, nor have they made, nor will they make, any determination as to whether anyone should buy these securities. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

You should not construe the contents of this Prospectus and the SAI as legal, tax or financial advice. You should consult with your own professional advisers as to legal, tax, financial, or other matters relevant to the suitability of an investment in the Fund.

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus. The Fund has not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information provided by this Prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date shown below.

 

The Fund’s Shares do not represent a deposit or an obligation of, and are not guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depository institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.

 

THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER IS FIRST TRUST PORTFOLIOS L.P.

 

The date of this Prospectus is [   ]

 

 C: 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

FUND SUMMARY 1
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES 6
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 8
USE OF PROCEEDS 8
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGIES 8
USE OF LEVERAGE 10
PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS 13
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND 30
DISTRIBUTION 34
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN 37
ADMINISTRATION 37
CUSTODIAN 38
FUND EXPENSES 38
VOTING 39
SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS 39
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 40
OUTSTANDING SECURITIES 41
TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE 41
TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES 41
TRANSFERS OF SHARES 43
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING 43
CREDIT FACILITY 44
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 44
SUSPENSION OF CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 46
DISTRIBUTION POLICY 46
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN 47
TAXES 48
TAXATION OF THE FUND 48
SHAREHOLDER TAXATION 49
OTHER TAX MATTERS 52
ERISA AND CODE CONSIDERATIONS 52
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 53
PURCHASING SHARES 53
CLASS A SHARES PURCHASE PROGRAMS 54
TERM, DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION 55
REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS 55
FISCAL YEAR 55
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL 55
INQUIRIES 55

 

 C: 

 

FUND SUMMARY

 

This is only a summary and does not contain all of the information that investors should consider before investing in the Fund. Investors should review the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and SAI, especially the information set forth under the heading Principal Risk Factors.”

 

The Fund and the Shares

First Trust Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) is a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund was organized as a Delaware trust on February 14, 2022. The Fund intends to operate as an interval fund pursuant to Rule 23c-3 of the Investment Company Act. The Fund is an appropriate investment only for those investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk and do not require a liquid investment.

 

The Fund offers two separate classes of shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) designated as Class A (“Class A Shares”) and Class I (“Class I Shares”). Class A Shares and Class I Shares are subject to different fees and expenses. The Fund may offer additional classes of Shares in the future. The Shares will be continuously offered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

The Fund intends to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which generally requires that, at the end of each quarter: (1) at least 50% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in (i) cash and cash items (including receivables), Federal Government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies; and (ii) securities of separate issuers, each of which amounts to no more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets (and no more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting shares), and (2) (i) no more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in securities (other than Federal Government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer; (ii) the securities (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) of two or more issuers which the taxpayer controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses; or (iii) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. To continue to qualify as a RIC, the Fund must also satisfy other applicable requirements, including restrictions on the kinds of income that the Fund can earn and requirements that the Fund distribute most of its income to shareholders each year.

   
Investment Objective and Strategies

The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets across a wide array of credit strategies. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Adviser and one or more sub-advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”), in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Adviser. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective or that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, to a diverse portfolio of private credit instruments. For the purpose of this policy, “private credit instruments” include, without limitation, those that are issued in private offerings by private or public companies, such as commercial real estate mezzanine loans, real estate mortgages, distressed securities, notes, debentures, bank loans, and convertible and preferred securities. These instruments may be acquired directly from the issuer or in secondary market transactions.

 

During temporary defensive periods, the Fund may deviate from its investment policies and objective. During such periods, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in cash or cash equivalents, including short- or intermediate-term U.S. Treasury securities, as well as other short-term investments, including high quality, short-term debt securities. There can be no assurance that such techniques will be successful. Accordingly, during such periods, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

 C: 

 C: 1

 

The Investment Adviser and Sub- Advisers

 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Adviser”) of the Fund. The Investment Adviser provides day-to-day investment management services to the Fund including selecting Sub-Advisers and determining the amount of the Fund’s assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. Its principal place of business is located at 225 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 2100, ChicagoIllinois 60606. The Investment Adviser is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). As of May 31, 2022, the Investment Adviser had approximately $3.7 billion of assets under management. See “FEES AND EXPENSES” below.

 

Each Sub-Adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, will be primarily responsible for its investment strategy and the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Investment Adviser. Currently, Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC, Mount Logan Management, LLC and Palmer Square Capital Management LLC serve as Sub-Advisers to the Fund. See “MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND.” The engagement of each current Sub-Adviser has been approved by the Board and the initial Shareholder of the Fund. The engagement of a new Sub-Adviser will be subject to Board approval and an approval by the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act).

   
The Administrator The Fund has retained UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the “Administrator”) to provide it with certain administrative services, including performing all actions related to the issuance and repurchase of Shares of the Fund. The Fund compensates the Administrator for these services and reimburses the Administrator for certain of its out- of-pocket expenses. See “FEES AND EXPENSES” below.
   
Fees and Expenses

The Fund bears its own operating expenses (including, without limitation, its offering expenses not paid by the Investment Adviser). A more detailed discussion of the Fund’s expenses can be found under “FUND EXPENSES.

 

Investment Management Fee. The Fund pays the Investment Adviser a management fee (the “Investment Management Fee”) in consideration of the advisory services provided by the Investment Adviser to the Fund. The Fund pays the Investment Adviser an annual rate of 1.35%, payable monthly in arrears, based upon the Fund’s net assets as of month-end. The Investment Management Fee is paid to the Investment Adviser before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund. Each Sub-Adviser receives a portfolio management fee, which is paid by the Investment Adviser out of the Investment Management Fee. See “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEE.”

 

Administration Fee. The Fund pays the Administrator an annual fee calculated as a percentage of the Fund’s net assets. In addition, the Fund pays the Administrator its pro-rata share, based on combined assets under management, of an annual relationship-level base fee of $75,000 paid by all registered investment companies advised by the Investment Adviser and serviced by the Administrator (together with the asset-based fee, the “Administration Fee”). The Administration Fee generally covers fund administration, fund accounting, tax regulation and compliance, transfer agent and record keeping, and custody administration services provided by the Administrator or its affiliates. The Administration Fee is paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund, and therefore decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Fund also reimburses the Administrator for certain out-of-pocket expenses. See “ADMINISTRATION.

 

Pursuant to exemptive relief from the SEC, the Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class A and Class I Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund is permitted to pay as compensation up to 1.00% and 0.25% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively, (the “Distribution and Servicing Fee”) to qualified recipients under the Distribution and Service Plan. The Distribution and Servicing Fee is paid out of the Fund’s assets attributable to the applicable Class and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of such Class. For purposes of determining the Distribution and Servicing Fee only, the value of the Fund’s assets is calculated prior to any reduction for any fees and expenses, including, without limitation, the Distribution and Servicing Fee payable. See DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN.”

 

 C: 

2

 

 

The Investment Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Adviser has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.40% and 1.65% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively (the “Expense Limit”) for an initial term ending April 29, 2023 (“Initial Term”). The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may not be terminated before that date by the Investment Adviser. After the Initial Term, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may be terminated by the Fund or the Investment Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice. Unless it is terminated, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement automatically renews for consecutive one-year terms. Because taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.40% and 1.65% for the Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Adviser may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit. See FUND EXPENSES.”

   
The Offering

The minimum initial investment in the Fund by any investor in either the Class A Shares or Class I Shares is $1,000 and the minimum additional investment in the Fund by any Shareholder is $1,000. However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below these minimums. The Shares will be offered in a continuous offering. Shares will generally be offered for purchase on each business day, except that Shares may be offered more or less frequently as determined by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) in its sole discretion. Once a prospective investor’s purchase order is received, a confirmation is sent to the investor. Potential investors should send subscription funds by wire transfer pursuant to instructions provided to them by the Fund. Subscriptions are generally subject to the receipt of cleared funds on or prior to the acceptance date set by the Fund and notified to prospective investors.

 

A prospective investor must submit a completed investor application on or prior to the acceptance date set by the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to reject, in its sole discretion, any request to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time. The Fund also reserves the right to suspend or terminate offerings of Shares at any time at the Board’s discretion.

 

Investments in Class A Shares of the Fund may be subject to a sales charge of up to 5.75% of the subscription amount. The full amount of the sales charge may be reallowed to brokers or dealers participating in the offering. Your financial intermediary may impose additional charges when you purchase Shares of the Fund.

   
Distribution Policy

The Fund intends to make monthly distributions to its shareholders equal to 5% annually of the Fund’s NAV per Share (the “Distribution Policy”). This predetermined dividend rate may be modified by the Board from time to time, and increased to the extent of the Fund’s investment company taxable income that it is required to distribute in order to maintain its status as a regulated investment company.

 

If, for any distribution, available cash is less than the amount of this predetermined dividend rate, then assets of the Fund will be sold and such disposition may generate additional taxable income. The Fund’s final distribution for each calendar year will include any remaining investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income undistributed during the year, as well as the net capital gain realized during the year. Shareholders should not assume that the source of any payment from the Fund is net profit. This distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, have certain adverse consequences to the Fund and its shareholders because it may result in a return of capital resulting in less of a shareholder’s assets being invested in the Fund and, over time, increase the Fund’s expense ratio. The distribution policy also may cause the Fund to sell a security at a time it would not otherwise do so in order to manage the distribution of income and gain.

 

 C: 

3

 

Dividend Reinvestment Program

The Fund has a dividend reinvestment plan (the “DRIP”). Unless a Shareholder elects to receive cash by contacting the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at 1-877-779-1999 or 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, all dividends and/or capital gains distributions declared on Shares will be automatically reinvested in full and fractional Shares at the Fund’s then current NAV. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the DRIP will receive all dividends and capital gains distributions in cash paid by check mailed directly to the shareholder of record or via electronic funds transfer (or, if the Shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee) by the Administrator as dividend disbursing agent. Participation in the DRIP is completely voluntary and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by notice if received and processed by the Administrator prior to the dividend record date; otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared dividend or other distribution. Such notice will be effective with respect to a particular dividend or other distribution (together, a “Dividend”). Some brokers or dealers may automatically elect to receive cash on behalf of Shareholders who hold their Shares in the broker or dealer’s name and may reinvest that cash in additional Shares. Reinvested Dividends will increase the Fund’s assets on which the Investment Management Fee is payable to the Investment Manager.

 

A Shareholder receiving Shares under the DRIP instead of cash distributions may still owe taxes and, because Fund Shares are generally illiquid, may need other sources of funds to pay any taxes due. The Fund reserves the right to cap the aggregate amount of any income dividends and/or capital gain distributions that are made in cash (rather than being reinvested) at a total amount of not less than 20% of the total amount distributed to Shareholders. In the event that Shareholders submit elections in aggregate to receive more than the cap amount of such a distribution in cash, any such cap amount will be pro-rated among those electing Shareholders.

 

All correspondence or questions concerning the DRIP should be directed to the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at 1-877-779-1999 or 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212.

   
Repurchase Offers The Fund provides a limited degree of liquidity to the Shareholders by conducting repurchase offers quarterly with a Valuation Date (as defined below) on or about March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year. In each repurchase offer, the Fund may offer to repurchase its Shares at their NAV as determined as of approximately March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, of each year, as applicable (each, a “Valuation Date”). Each repurchase offer will be for no less than 5% of the Fund’s Shares outstanding, but if the value of Shares tendered for repurchase exceeds the value the Fund intended to repurchase, the Fund may determine to repurchase less than the full number of Shares tendered. In such event, Shareholders will have their Shares repurchased on a pro rata basis, and tendering Shareholders will not have all of their tendered Shares repurchased by the Fund. See “TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE.”
   
Risk Factors

The Fund is subject to substantial risks — including market risks and strategy risks. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the investment strategies employed by the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers, which may include credit risks, prepayment risks, valuation risks and interest rate risks. While the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers will attempt to moderate any risks, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment activities will be successful or that the investors will not suffer losses. There may also be certain conflicts of interest relevant to the management of the Fund, arising out of, among other things, activities of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers and their affiliates and employees with respect to the management of accounts for other clients, as well as any proprietary accounts. Prospective investors should review carefully the “PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS” section of this Prospectus. An investment in the Fund should only be made by investors who understand the risks involved and who are able to withstand the loss of the entire amount invested.

 

 C: 

4

 

  Accordingly, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment, and you should invest in the Fund only if you can sustain a complete loss of your investment. The Fund should be considered an illiquid investment. Shareholders will not be able to redeem Shares on a daily basis because the Fund is a closed-end fund operating as an interval fund. The Fund’s Shares are not traded on an active market and there is currently no secondary market for the Shares, nor does the Fund expect a secondary market in the Shares to develop. However, limited liquidity may be available through the quarterly repurchase offers described in this Prospectus. Past results of the Investment Adviser, its principals, and the Fund are not indicative of future results. See PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS.”
   
Summary of Taxation The Fund intends to elect to be treated and qualify as a RIC for federal income tax purposes and intends to maintain its RIC status each year. As a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal corporate income tax, provided it distributes all, or virtually all, of its net taxable income and gains each year. See “TAXES.

 

 C: 

5

 

FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following tables describe the estimated aggregate fees and expenses that the Fund expects to incur and that the Shareholders can expect to bear, either directly or indirectly, by investing in the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in Class A Shares. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section titled “PURCHASING SHARES” beginning on page 53 of this Prospectus.

 

SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES:   Class A
Shares
    Class I
Shares
 
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) (1) (as a percentage of subscription amount)     5.75 %     None  

 

ANNUAL EXPENSES:
(As a Percentage of Net Assets Attributable to Shares)(2)
           
Management Fee(3)     1.35 %     1.35 %
Distribution and Servicing Fee(4)     1.00 %     0.25 %
Other Expenses     0.24 %     0.24 %
Total Annual Expenses     2.59 %     1.84 %
Less: Amount Paid or Absorbed Under Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement(5)     0.19 %     0.19 %
Net Annual Expenses(5)     2.40 %     1.65 %

 

(1) Investors in Class A Shares may be charged a sales charge of up to 5.75% of the subscription amount.
   
(2) This table summarizes the expenses of the Fund and is designed to help investors understand the costs and expenses they will bear, directly or indirectly, by investing in the Fund. For purposes of determining net assets in fee table calculations, derivatives are valued at market value.
   
(3) For its provision of advisory services to the Fund, the Investment Adviser receives an annual Management Fee, payable monthly in arrears, equal to 1.35% of the Fund’s net assets determined as of month-end. The Management Fee will be paid to the Investment Adviser before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date, and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund. The Investment Adviser pays the Sub-Advisers from the Management Fee it receives from the Fund.
   
(4) Pursuant to exemptive relief from the SEC, the Fund offers multiple classes of shares and has adopted a distribution and service plan for Class A and Class I Shares. Investors may pay a Distribution and Servicing Fee of up to 1.00% and 0.25% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A and Class I Shares, respectively, to qualified recipients. Payment of the Distribution and Servicing Fee is governed by a Distribution and Service Plan for Class A and Class I Shares which, pursuant to the conditions of the exemptive order issued by the SEC, has been adopted by the Fund with respect to the applicable Class in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. See DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN.”
   
(5) The Investment Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Adviser has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.40% and 1.65% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively (the “Expense Limit”) for an initial term of one year from the effective date of the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (“Initial Term”). The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may not be terminated during the Initial Term by the Fund or the Investment Adviser. After the Initial Term, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may be terminated by the Fund or the Investment Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice. Unless it is terminated, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement automatically renews for consecutive one-year terms. Because taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.40% and 1.65% for the Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Adviser may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in effect at the time of the Waiver and the Expense Limit at the time of the recoupment.

 

 C: 

6

 

The purpose of the table above is to assist prospective investors in understanding the various fees and expenses Shareholders will bear directly or indirectly. “Other Expenses,” as shown above, is an estimate based on anticipated investments in the Fund and anticipated expenses for the current fiscal year of the Fund’s operations, and includes, among other things, professional fees and other expenses that the Fund will bear, including initial and ongoing offering costs and fees and expenses of the Administrator and custodian. For a more complete description of the various fees and expenses of the Fund, see “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEE,” “ADMINISTRATION,” “FUND EXPENSES,” and “PURCHASING SHARES.

 

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that all distributions are reinvested at NAV and that the percentage amounts listed under annual expenses remain the same in the years shown (except that the example reflects the expense limitation for the one-year period and the first year of each additional period). The assumption in the hypothetical example of a 5% annual return is the same as that required by regulation of the SEC applicable to all registered investment companies. The assumed 5% annual return is not a prediction of, and does not represent, the projected or actual performance of the Shares.

 

EXAMPLE

 

Class A Shares   1 Year     3 Years     5 Years     10 Years  
You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on the Imposition of the 5.75% Sales Charge and a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return:   $ 80     $ 132     $ 186     $ 332  

 

Class I Shares   1 Year     3 Years     5 Years     10 Years  
You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return:   $ 17     $ 56     $ 98     $ 214  

 

The example is based on the annual fees and expenses of Class A Shares and Class I Shares set out in the table above and should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, the rate of return of the Fund may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return used in the example. A greater rate of return than that used in the example would increase the dollar amount of the asset- based fees paid by the Fund.

 

 C: 

7

 

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

The Fund is newly organized, and it has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Therefore, there is no financial history for the Fund.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

The proceeds from the sale of Shares, not including the amount of any sales charges and the Fund’s fees and expenses (including, without limitation, offering expenses not paid by the Investment Adviser), will be invested by the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and strategies as soon as practicable, but in no event later than three months after receipt, consistent with market conditions and the availability of suitable investments. Delays in investing the Fund’s assets may occur, for example, because of the time required to complete certain transactions, but any such delay will not exceed three months after the receipt of funds.

 

Pending the investment of the proceeds of any offering or any other available funds pursuant to the Fund’s investment objective and strategies, a portion of such amounts, which may include a substantial portion of the proceeds of an offering, may be invested in short-term debt securities or money market funds. In addition, subject to applicable law, the Fund may maintain a portion of its assets in cash or short-term securities or money market funds to meet operational needs, for temporary defensive purposes, or to maintain liquidity. The Fund may be prevented from achieving its objective during any period in which the Fund’s assets are not substantially invested in accordance with its principal investment strategies.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGIES

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets across a wide array of credit strategies. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Adviser and one or more sub- advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”), in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Adviser. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective or that the Fund’s investment strategies will be successful.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without the approval of shareholders.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND OVERVIEW OF INVESTMENT PROCESS

 

The Investment Adviser seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objective by managing a portion of the Fund’s assets directly and by delegating the management of a portion of Fund assets to one or more experienced Sub-Advisers. The Investment Adviser maintains primary responsibility for allocating Fund assets to the Sub-Advisers and from time to time will select and determine the percentage of Fund assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. While the Investment Adviser delegates a portion of the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets to a combination of Sub-Advisers, the Investment Adviser retains overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Fund’s securities portfolio.

 

When considering allocations across the Sub-Advisers, the Investment Adviser considers both the bottom-up opportunity set within a given Sub-Adviser’s area of expertise as well as the collective mandate for the Fund as a whole. The Investment Adviser will determine the portion of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser based upon the Investment Adviser’s views on portfolio construction, the activities of other investment managers, existing market conditions, and the Sub-Adviser’s circumstances. The Investment Adviser will consider a variety of factors, including but not limited to the Sub-Adviser’s style, historical performance, and the characteristics of each sub-adviser’s allocated assets (including liquidity, risk, yield and ratings information). The Investment Adviser may, from time to time, in its sole discretion reallocate the Fund’s assets among itself and the Sub-Advisers.

 

 C: 

8

 

The Investment Adviser may exercise its discretion to manage a portion of Fund assets directly for any reason, including to establish positions in securities and strategies it deems appropriate for meeting the Fund’s investment objectives, to modify the Fund’s exposure to a particular investment or market-related risk created by a Sub-Adviser, or to invest the Fund’s assets pending allocation to a Sub-Adviser.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, to a diverse portfolio of private credit instruments. For the purpose of this policy, “private credit instruments” include, without limitation, those that are issued in private offerings by private or public companies, such as commercial real estate mezzanine loans, real estate mortgages, distressed securities, notes, debentures, bank loans, and convertible and preferred securities. These instruments may be acquired directly from the issuer or in secondary market transactions.

 

The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers target investments that they consider undervalued. In selecting investments, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers consider maturity, yield and ratings information and opportunities for price appreciation among other criteria. In addition, they analyze an investment's collateral quality, credit support, structure, as applicable, in addition to market conditions. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers may sell investments if it is determined that any of the mentioned factors have changed materially from their previous analysis or that other factors indicate that an investment is no longer earning a return commensurate with its risk. They do not target any particular allocations to investment grade and non-investment grade fixed income investments. The Fund will primarily hold a combination of investment grade and non-investment grade debt and investments ranging from medium to longer term maturities, which may vary from time to time. While there are no specific criteria or target thresholds, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers attempt to diversify risks that arise from position sizes, geography, ratings, duration, deal structure and collateral values.

 

The Fund may invest in asset-backed fixed income securities, including securities backed by assets such as credit card receivables, student loans, automobile loans and residential and commercial real estate, and fixed or floating rate bank loans and participations. The Fund may also invest in collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), which are backed by a pool of corporate debt. CLOs are similar to collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) but differ as to the type of underlying loan. The Fund may invest in non-agency, residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”). Residential mortgage loans are generally classified into three categories based on the risk profile of the borrower and the property: (i) Prime, (ii) Alternative-A (“Alt-A”), and (iii) Subprime. Prime residential mortgage loans are extended to borrowers who represent a relatively low risk profile through a strong credit history. Subprime loans are made to borrowers who display poor credit histories and other characteristics that correlate with a higher default risk. Alt-A loans are made to borrowers whose risk profile falls between Prime and Subprime. When selecting RMBS investments for the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers intend to focus on RMBS that are collateralized by pools of Prime or Alt-A mortgages and that are seasoned (i.e., have a history of timely payments). (These securities are also known as CMOs.)

 

Prime mortgage loans may be either “agency” or “non-agency.” Agency loans have balances that fall within the limits set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) and qualify as collateral for securities that are issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). Non-agency loans have balances that may or may not fall within the limits set by FHFA and do not qualify as collateral for securities that are issued by Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, and are sponsored by private companies other than government sponsored enterprises (sometimes referred to as “private label paper”).

 

Additionally, the Fund may invest in bank loans and participations, including first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans. The Fund may invest in bank loans and participations of any credit quality, maturity or duration. The bank loans and participations in which the Fund will invest may have fixed or floating interest rates, may be senior or subordinated, may be leveraged loans and may be rated below investment grade or unrated (commonly referred to as low credit quality securities or “junk bonds”). The Fund may invest in bank loans through assignments (whereby the Fund assumes the position of the lender to the borrower) or loan participation (whereby the Fund purchases all or a portion of the economic interest in a loan). “Unitranche” loans are loans that combine both senior and subordinate debt into a single loan under which the borrower pays an interest rate intended to reflect the relative risk of the secured and unsecured components of the loan.

 

 C: 

9

 

During temporary defensive periods, the Fund may deviate from its investment policies and objective. During such periods, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in cash or cash equivalents, including short- or intermediate-term U.S. Treasury securities, as well as other short-term investments, including high quality, short-term debt securities. There can be no assurance that such techniques will be successful. Accordingly, during such periods, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

The Fund has applied for exemptive relief from the provisions of Sections 17(d) of the Investment Company Act to invest in certain investment transactions alongside other funds managed by the Investment Adviser or certain of its affiliates, subject to certain conditions. The Investment Adviser will not cause the Fund to engage in certain investments alongside affiliates unless the Fund has received an order granting an exemption from Section 17 of the Investment Company Act or unless such investments are not prohibited by Section 17(d) of the Investment Company Act or interpretations of Section 17(d) as expressed in SEC no-action letters or other available guidance. However, there can be no assurance when or if the Fund will obtain such exemptive relief. Furthermore, even if the Fund is able to receive exemptive relief, the Fund could be limited in its ability to invest in certain investments in which the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates are investing or are invested.

 

Unless otherwise specified, the investment policies and limitations of the Fund are not considered to be fundamental by the Fund and can be changed without a vote of the Shareholders.

 

USE OF LEVERAGE

 

The Fund currently intends to use leverage primarily for non-investment purposes, such as for financing the repurchase of its Shares or to otherwise provide the Fund with liquidity. Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund may utilize leverage through the issuance of Preferred Shares in an amount up to 50% of its total assets and/or through borrowings and/or the issuance of notes or debt securities (collectively, “Borrowings”) in an aggregate amount of up to 33-1/3% of its total assets (as further described below). The Fund anticipates that its leverage will vary from time to time, based upon changes in market conditions and variations in the value of the portfolio’s holdings; however, the Fund’s leverage will not exceed the limitations set forth under the Investment Company Act. The Fund does not anticipate issuing Preferred Shares during its first year of operations.

 

If and when the Fund employs leverage, there is no assurance that such leveraging strategies will be successful. The use of leverage will increase the volatility of the performance of the underlying investment portfolio and could result in the Fund experiencing greater losses than if leverage was not used. Leveraging is a speculative technique and there are special risks and costs involved. To the extent the Fund uses leverage and invests in other investments that also use leverage, the risks associated with leverage will be further magnified, potentially significantly. See PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS — BORROWING, USE OF LEVERAGE.”

 

The Fund’s Borrowings (if any) may be at a fixed or floating rate and generally will be based upon short-term rates. The cost associated with any issuance and use of leverage will be borne by the Shareholders and result in a reduction of the NAV of the Shares. Such costs may include legal fees, audit fees, structuring fees, commitment fees and a usage (borrowing) fee. In addition, the Borrowings in which the Fund may incur may be secured by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the assets of the Fund.

 

Certain types of Borrowings may result in the Fund being subject to covenants in credit agreements relating to asset coverage and portfolio composition requirements. Generally, covenants to which the Fund may be subject include affirmative covenants, negative covenants, financial covenants, and investment covenants. An example of an affirmative covenant would be one that requires the Fund to send its annual audited financial report to the lender. An example of a negative covenant would be one that prohibits the Fund from making any amendments to its fundamental policies. An example of a financial covenant is one that would require the Fund to maintain a 3:1 asset coverage ratio. An example of an investment covenant is one that would require the Fund to limit its investment in a particular asset class. The Fund may need to liquidate its investments when it may not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy such obligations or to meet any asset coverage and segregation requirements (pursuant to the Investment Company Act or otherwise). As the Fund’s portfolio will be substantially illiquid, any such disposition or liquidation could result in substantial losses to the Fund.

 

 C: 

10

 

The Fund may enter into derivatives or other transactions that may provide leverage (other than through Borrowings or the issuance of Preferred Shares). Under the current regulatory framework, certain such transactions would not be subject to the above noted limitations under the Investment Company Act to the extent the Fund earmarks or segregates liquid assets (or enters into offsetting positions) to cover its obligations under those transactions and instruments in accordance with applicable SEC regulations and interpretations. On October 28, 2020, the SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act relating to a registered investment company’s use of derivatives and related instruments. Rule 18f-4 prescribes specific value-at-risk leverage limits for certain derivatives users and requires certain derivatives users to adopt and implement a derivatives risk management program (including the appointment of a derivatives risk manager and the implementation of certain testing requirements), and prescribes reporting requirements in respect of derivatives. Subject to certain conditions, if a fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” as defined in Rule 18f-4, it is not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC rescinded certain of its prior guidance regarding asset segregation and coverage requirements in respect of derivatives transactions and related instruments. With respect to reverse repurchase agreements or other similar financing transactions in particular, Rule 18f-4 permits a fund to enter into such transactions if the fund either (i) complies with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18 of the Investment Company Act, and combines the aggregate amount of indebtedness associated with all tender option bonds or similar financing with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the relevant asset coverage ratio, or (ii) treats all tender option bonds or similar financing transactions as derivatives transactions for all purposes under Rule 18f-4. The Fund was required to comply with Rule 18f-4 beginning August 19, 2022 and has adopted procedures for investing in derivatives and other transactions in compliance with Rule 18f-4. The Fund intends to be a limited derivatives user under Rule 18f-4 of the Investment Company Act. As a limited derivatives user, the Fund’s derivatives exposure, excluding certain currency and interest rate hedging transactions, may not exceed 10% of its net assets. This restriction is not fundamental and may be changed by the Fund without a shareholder vote.as a limited derivatives user. Rule 18f-4 under the Investment Company Act may require the Fund to observe more stringent asset coverage and related requirements than were previously imposed by the Investment Company Act, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties or issuers, as applicable, with which the Fund may engage in derivative transactions could also limit or prevent the Fund from using certain instruments. See PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORSGOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN FINANCIAL MARKETS RISK.”

 

The terms of the Fund’s Borrowings may also contain provisions which limit certain activities of the Fund, including the payment of dividends to Shareholders in certain circumstances, and the Fund may be required to maintain minimum average balances with the lender or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit. Any such requirements will increase the cost of Borrowing over the stated interest rate. In addition, certain types of Borrowings may involve the rehypothecation of the Fund’s securities. Furthermore, the Fund may be subject to certain restrictions on investments imposed by guidelines of one or more rating agencies, which may issue ratings for the short-term corporate debt securities or preferred stock issued by the Fund. These guidelines may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed by the Investment Company Act, as described below. It is not anticipated that these covenants or guidelines will impede the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers from managing the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies. Any Borrowing will likely be ranked senior or equal to all other existing and future Borrowings of the Fund. The leverage utilized by the Fund would have complete priority upon distribution of assets over the Shares.

 

 C: 

11

 

Under the requirements of the Investment Company Act, the Fund, immediately after any Borrowing, must have an “asset coverage” of at least 300% (33- 1/3% of total assets). With respect to such Borrowing, asset coverage means the ratio which the value of the total assets of the Fund, less all liabilities and indebtedness not represented by senior securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act), bears to the aggregate amount of such borrowing represented by senior securities issued by the Fund. Also under the Investment Company Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue preferred stock unless immediately after such issuance the value of the Fund’s total assets is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding preferred stock (i.e., the liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Fund’s total assets). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Shares unless, at the time of such declaration, the value of the Fund’s total assets is at least 200% of such liquidation value. If preferred stock is issued, the Fund intends, to the extent possible, to purchase or redeem its preferred stock from time to time to the extent necessary in order to maintain coverage of any preferred stock of at least 200%. In addition, as a condition to obtaining ratings on the preferred stock, the terms of any preferred stock issued are expected to include asset coverage maintenance provisions which will require the redemption of the preferred stock in the event of non-compliance by the Fund and also may prohibit dividends and other distributions on the Shares in such circumstances. In order to meet redemption requirements, the Fund may have to liquidate portfolio securities. Such liquidations and redemptions would cause the Fund to incur related transaction costs and could result in capital losses to the Fund. Prohibitions on dividends and other distributions on the Shares could impair the Fund’s ability to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

The rights of lenders to the Fund to receive interest on and repayment of principal of any Borrowings will likely be senior to those of the Shareholders. Further, the Investment Company Act grants, in certain circumstances, to the lenders to the Fund certain voting rights in the event of default in the payment of interest on or repayment of principal. In the event that such provisions would impair the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company under the Code, the Fund, subject to its ability to liquidate its portfolio, intends to repay the Borrowings. If the Fund has Preferred Shares outstanding, two of the Fund’s trustees will be elected by the holders of Preferred Shares as a class. The remaining trustees of the Fund will be elected by holders of Shares and Preferred Shares voting together as a single class. In the event the Fund failed to pay dividends on Preferred Shares for two years, the holders of the Preferred Shares would be entitled to elect a majority of the trustees of the Fund.

 

The Fund also may borrow money as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, including the payment of dividends and the settlement of securities transactions which otherwise might require untimely dispositions of Fund securities.

 

Effects of Leverage.

 

Assuming the use of leverage in the amount of 10% of the Fund’s total assets and an annual interest rate on leverage of 4.25% payable on such leverage based on estimated market interest rates as of the date of this Prospectus, the additional income that the Fund must earn (net of estimated expenses related to leverage) in order to cover such interest payments is 0.50%. The Fund’s actual cost of leverage will be based on market interest rates at the time the Fund undertakes a leveraging strategy, and such actual cost of leverage maybe higher or lower than that assumed in the previous example.

 

 C: 

12

 

The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effect of leverage on total return on Shares, assuming investment portfolio total returns (comprised of income, net expenses and changes in the value of investments held in the Fund’s portfolio) of -10%, -5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of what the Fund’s investment portfolio returns will be. In other words, the Fund’s actual returns may be greater or less than those appearing in the table below. The table further reflects the use of leverage representing approximately 10% of the Fund’s assets after such issuance and the Fund’s currently projected annual interest rate of 4.25%. See PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS — BORROWING, USE OF LEVERAGE.” The table does not reflect any offering costs of Shares.

 

Assumed Portfolio Return (Net of Expenses)     -10.00 %     -5.00 %     0.00 %     5.00 %     10.00 %
Corresponding Return to Shareholder     -11.59 %     -6.03 %     -0.47 %     5.09 %     10.64 %

 

Total return is composed of two elements—the dividends on Shares paid by the Fund (the amount of which is largely determined by the Fund’s net investment income after paying the cost of leverage) and realized and unrealized gains or losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As the table shows, leverage generally increases the return to Shareholders when portfolio return is positive or greater than the costs of leverage and decreases return when the portfolio return is negative or less than the costs of leverage.

 

PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS

 

All investments carry risks to some degree. The Fund cannot guarantee that its investment objective will be achieved or that its strategy of investing in the Fund will be successful. An investment in the Fund involves substantial risks, including the risk that the entire amount invested may be lost. Below is a list of the principal risks of investing in the Fund. Different risks may be more significant at different times, depending on market conditions.

 

Repurchase Offers; Limited Liquidity

 

The Fund is a closed-end investment company structured as an “interval fund” and, as such, has adopted a fundamental policy to make quarterly repurchase offers, at per-class NAV, of not less than 5% of the Fund’s outstanding Shares on the repurchase request deadline. The Fund will offer to purchase only a small portion of its Shares each quarter, and there is no guarantee that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares that they desire to sell in any particular repurchase offer. Under current regulations, such offers must be for not less than 5% nor more than 25% of the Fund’s Shares outstanding on the repurchase request deadline. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed, the Fund may repurchase only a pro rata portion of the Shares tendered by each Shareholder. The potential for proration may cause some investors to tender more Shares for repurchase than they wish to have repurchased.

 

The Fund’s repurchase policy will have the effect of decreasing the size of the Fund over time from what it otherwise would have been. Such a decrease may therefore force the Fund to sell assets it would not otherwise sell. It may also reduce the investment opportunities available to it and cause its expense ratio to increase.

 

Payment for repurchased Shares may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser would otherwise want, potentially resulting in losses, and may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover, subject to such policies as may be established by the Board in an attempt to avoid or minimize potential losses and turnover resulting from the repurchase of Shares.

 

If a Shareholder tenders all of its Shares (or a portion of its Shares) in connection with a repurchase offer made by the Fund, that tender may not be rescinded by the Shareholder after the date on which the repurchase offer terminates. However, although the amount payable to the Shareholder will be based on the value of the Fund’s assets as of the repurchase date, the value of Shares that are tendered by Shareholders generally will not be determined until approximately fourteen (14) days after the repurchase offer terminates. Thus, a Shareholder will not know its repurchase price until after it has irrevocably tendered its Shares.

 

Limited Liquidity Risk

 

Shares in the Fund provide limited liquidity since Shareholders will not be able to redeem Shares on a daily basis. A Shareholder may not be able to tender its Shares in the Fund promptly after it has made a decision to do so. In addition, with very limited exceptions, Shares are not transferable, and liquidity will be provided only through repurchase offers made quarterly by the Fund. Shares in the Fund are therefore suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment.

 

 C: 

13

 

Multi-Manager Risk

 

Fund performance is dependent upon the success of the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies in pursuit of its investment objective. The Fund’s performance will depend, in part, on the success of the Investment Adviser’s methodology in allocating the Fund’s assets to the Sub-Advisers and its selection and oversight of the Sub-Advisers. The Sub-Advisers selected by the Investment Adviser may underperform the market generally or other sub-advisers that could have been selected for the Fund. The Sub-Advisers’ investment styles may not always be complementary, which could adversely affect the performance of the Fund. Because each Sub-Adviser makes investment decisions independently, it is possible that one or more Sub-Advisers may, at any time, take positions that may be opposite of positions taken by other Sub-Advisers or the Investment Adviser. In such cases, the Fund will incur brokerage and other transaction costs without accomplishing any net investment results. The Sub-Advisers also maybe competing with one another for similar positions at the same time, which could have the result of increasing a security’s cost. The multi-manager approach could increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rates, which may result in higher levels of realized capital gains or losses with respect to the Fund’s portfolio securities, and higher broker commissions and other transaction costs.

 

No Operating History

 

The Fund is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company with no operating history. It is designed for long-term investing and not as a vehicle for trading.

 

Investment and Market Risk

 

An investment in the Shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other market investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund’s Shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire amount that you invest. Your Shares at any point in time may be worth less than your original investment, even after taking into account the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions.

 

General Economic and Market Conditions

 

The success of the Fund’s activities may be affected by general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws and national and international political circumstances. These factors may affect the level and volatility of security prices and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. Unexpected volatility or illiquidity could impair the Fund’s profitability or result in it suffering losses.

 

Recent Market Circumstances

 

The Fund (as well as its service providers) may be adversely affected by uncertainties and events around the world, such as epidemics and pandemics, including the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, natural disasters, terrorism and other conflicts, social unrest, political developments, and changes in government policies, taxation, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation, currency fluctuations and other developments in the laws and regulations of the countries in which they are invested. The Fund cannot predict the effects or likelihood of such events on the U.S. and world economies, the value of the Shares or the NAV of the Fund. The issuers of securities, including those held in the Fund’s portfolio, could be materially impacted by such events which may, in turn, negatively affect the value of such securities or such issuers’ ability to make interest payments or distributions to the Fund.

 

An outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and spread internationally, and since then, the number of cases has fluctuated and new “variants” have been confirmed around the world. The virus, named “SARS-CoV-2” (sometimes referred to as the “coronavirus” and abbreviated as “COVID-19”) has resulted in closing borders, enhanced health screenings, healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact of COVID-19 and its variants, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could significantly and adversely affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time.

 

 C: 

14

 

The Fund, the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers have in place business continuity plans reasonably designed to ensure that they maintain normal business operations, and that the Fund, its portfolio and assets are protected. However, there can be no assurance that the Fund, its advisers and service providers, or the Fund’s portfolio companies, will be able to maintain normal business operations for an extended period of time or will not lose the services of key personnel on a temporary or long-term basis due to illness or other reasons. A pandemic or disease could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s advisers rely and could otherwise disrupt the ability of the Fund’s service providers to perform essential tasks.

 

To satisfy any repurchase requests during periods of extreme volatility, such as those associated with COVID-19, it is more likely the Fund will be required to dispose of portfolio investments at unfavorable prices compared to their intrinsic value. In addition, any repurchase completed while the Fund has unrealized losses may cause the investors whose shares were repurchased to crystalize their losses even if such unrealized losses do not ultimately convert into realized losses. You should review this prospectus and the SAI to understand the Fund’s discretion to implement temporary defensive measures.

 

The foregoing could lead to a significant economic downturn or recession, increased market volatility, a greater number of market closures, higher default rates and adverse effects on the values and liquidity of securities or other assets. Such impacts, which may vary across asset classes, may adversely affect the performance of the Fund’s investments, the Fund and your investment in the Fund. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or to accurately price its investments.

 

Governmental authorities and regulators throughout the world, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, have in the past responded to major economic disruptions with changes to fiscal and monetary policy, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions, new monetary programs and dramatically lower interest rates. Certain of those policy changes are being implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such policy changes may adversely affect the value, volatility and liquidity of dividend and interest paying securities. The effect of recent efforts undertaken by the U.S. Federal Reserve to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the reduction of the federal funds target rate, and other monetary and fiscal actions that may be taken by the U.S. federal government to stimulate the U.S. economy, are not yet fully known.

 

Although vaccines for COVID-19 have become more widely available, the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its variants and its full impacts are also unknown and the pace of recovery may vary from market to market, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time, especially in certain sectors in which the Fund may make investments. In addition, the impact of infectious illnesses, such as COVID-19, in emerging market countries may be greater due to generally less established healthcare systems. This crisis or other public health crises may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries or globally. Such developments could, in turn, reduce the value of securities owned by the Fund and adversely affect the Fund’s NAV.

 

In addition, Russia's recent military interventions in Ukraine have led to, and may lead to additional sanctions being levied by the United States, European Union and other countries against Russia. Russia's military incursion and the resulting sanctions could adversely affect global energy and financial markets and thus could affect the value of the Fund’s investments, even beyond any direct exposure the Fund may have to Russian issuers or the adjoining geographic regions. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. Any such disruptions caused by Russian military action or resulting sanctions may magnify the impact of other risks described in this Prospectus.

 

 C: 

15

 

Government Intervention in Financial Markets Risk

 

The instability in the financial markets in the recent past led the U.S. government and foreign governments to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. Current market conditions could lead to further such actions. See “—RECENT MARKET CIRCUMSTANCES.” U.S. federal and state governments and foreign governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take additional actions that affect the regulation of the securities in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such securities, in ways that are unforeseeable and on an “emergency” basis with little or no notice with the consequence that some market participants’ ability to continue to implement certain strategies or manage the risk of their outstanding positions will be suddenly and/or substantially eliminated or otherwise negatively implicated. Given the complexities of the global financial markets and the limited time frame within which governments have been able to take action, these interventions have sometimes been unclear in scope and application, resulting in confusion and uncertainty, which in itself has been materially detrimental to the efficient functioning of such markets as well as previously successful investment strategies. Decisions made by government policy makers could exacerbate any economic difficulties. Issuers might seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives.

 

General Credit Risks

 

The value of any underlying collateral, the creditworthiness of the borrower and the priority of the lien are each of great importance. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers cannot guarantee the adequacy of the protection of the Fund’s interests, including the validity or enforceability of the loan and the maintenance of the anticipated priority and perfection of the applicable security interests. Furthermore, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers cannot assure that claims may not be asserted that might interfere with enforcement of the rights of the holder(s) of the relevant debt. In the event of a foreclosure, the liquidation proceeds upon sale of such asset may not satisfy the entire outstanding balance of principal and interest on the loan, resulting in a loss to the Fund. Any costs or delays involved in the effectuation of a foreclosure of the loan or a liquidation of the underlying property will further reduce the proceeds and thus increase the loss. The strategies utilized by the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers may require accurate and detailed credit analysis of issuers, and there can be no assurance that such analysis will be accurate or complete. Because the Fund may invest significantly in bank loans and participations, which may include covenant-lite loans, this risk will be substantial for the Fund. Credit risk is also greater to the extent that the Fund uses leverage in connection with the management of the Fund.

 

Notes, Debentures and Other Fixed Income Securities

 

The Fund may invest in notes, debentures and other fixed income securities, both U.S. and non-U.S., and may take short positions in these securities. The Fund will invest in these securities when they offer opportunities for capital appreciation (or capital depreciation in the case of short positions) and may also invest in these securities for temporary defensive purposes and to maintain liquidity. Fixed income securities include, among other securities: notes and debentures issued by U.S. and non-U.S. corporations; U.S. government securities or debt securities issued or guaranteed by a non-U.S. government; municipal securities; and mortgage-backed and asset backed securities. These securities may pay fixed, variable or floating rates of interest, and may include zero coupon obligations. Fixed income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk).

 

Collateralized Loan Obligations (“CLOs”) and Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDOs”)

 

CLOs and CDOs are typically privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws, which means less information about the security may be available as compared to publicly offered securities and only certain institutions may buy and sell them. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. An active dealer market may exist for CDOs that can be resold in Rule 144A transactions, but there can be no assurance that such a market will exist or will be active enough for the Fund to sell such securities. In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CDOs carry other risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default, decline in value or quality, or be downgraded by a rating agency; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches, diminishing the likelihood of payment; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (vi) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly.

 

 C: 

16

 C: 

 

Structured Products

 

The CLOs and other CDOs in which the Fund may invest are structured products. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying assets and are subject to counterparty risk.

 

The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of assets underlying structured products will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses shorter-term financing to purchase longer-term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below-market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured products owned by the Fund.

 

Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. Structured products are typically privately offered and sold. As a result, investments in structured products may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. In addition to the general risks associated with fixed-income securities discussed herein, structured products carry additional risks, including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that the investments in structured products are subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

 

Additional Risks of Asset-Backed Securities, CDOs and CLOs

 

Asset-backed securities and CDOs are created by the grouping of certain governmental, government related and private loans, receivables and other non- mortgage lender assets/collateral into pools. A sponsoring organization establishes a special purpose vehicle to hold the assets/collateral and issue securities. Interests in these pools are sold as individual securities.

 

Payments of principal and interest are passed through to investors and are typically supported by some form of credit enhancement, such as a letter of credit, surety bond, limited guaranty or senior/subordination. Payments from the asset pools may be divided into several different tranches of debt securities, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Some tranches entitled to receive regular installments of principal and interest, other tranches entitled to receive regular installments of interest, with principal payable at maturity or upon specified call dates, and other tranches only entitled to receive payments of principal and accrued interest at maturity or upon specified call dates. Different tranches of securities will bear different interest rates, which may be fixed or floating.

 

Investors in asset-backed securities and CDOs bear the credit risk of the assets/collateral. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine, and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CDO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) ratings of A to AAA and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it.

 

 C: 
 17 

 

 

Because the loans held in the pool often may be prepaid without penalty or premium, asset-backed securities and CDOs can be subject to higher prepayment risks than most other types of debt instruments.

 

Prepayments may result in a capital loss to the Fund to the extent that the prepaid securities purchased at a market discount from their stated principal amount will accelerate the recognition of interest income by the Fund, which would be taxed as ordinary income when distributed to the shareholders.

 

The credit characteristics of asset-backed securities and CDOs also differ in a number of respects from those of traditional debt securities. The credit quality of most asset-backed securities and CDOs depends primarily upon the credit quality of the assets/collateral underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the securities is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement to such securities.

 

Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risks

 

The price paid by the Fund for asset-backed securities, including CLOs, the yield the Fund expects to receive from such securities and the average life of such securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying assets. The value of these securities may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, the market’s perception of issuers, and the creditworthiness of the parties involved. The ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend on the ability of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. These securities may have a structure that makes their reaction to interest rate changes and other factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile.

 

In addition to the risks associated with other asset-backed securities as described above, mortgage-backed securities are subject to the general risks associated with investing in real estate securities; that is, they may lose value if the value of the underlying real estate to which a pool of mortgages relates declines. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued by governments or their agencies and instrumentalities, such as, in the United States, Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They may also be issued by private issuers but represent an interest in or are collateralized by pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by a government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities. In addition, mortgage-backed securities may be issued by private issuers and be collateralized by securities without a government guarantee. Such securities usually have some form of private credit enhancement.

 

Pools created by private issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments. Notwithstanding that such pools may be supported by various forms of private insurance or guarantees, there can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors will be able to meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may invest in private mortgage pass-through securities without such insurance or guarantees. Any mortgage-backed securities that are issued by private issuers are likely to have some exposure to subprime loans as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. In addition, such securities are not subject to the underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that would generally apply to securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee, thereby increasing their credit risk. The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by mortgage pools that contain subprime loans, but a level of risk exists for all loans. Market factors adversely affecting mortgage loan repayments may include a general economic downturn, high unemployment, a general slowdown in the real estate market, a drop in the market prices of real estate, or an increase in interest rates resulting in higher mortgage payments by holders of adjustable rate mortgages.

 

 C: 
 18 

 

 

Bank Debt Transactions

 

The Fund may invest in bank loans and participations, including first-lien, second-lien and unitranche loans. Bank loans are generally debt instruments that are secured by the assets of a borrower. Investing in bank loans involves risks that are additional to, and different from, those relating to investments in other types of debt and fixed-income securities. Special risks associated with investments in bank loans and participations include (i) the possible invalidation of an investment transaction as a fraudulent conveyance under relevant creditors’ rights laws, (ii) so-called lender-liability claims by the issuer of the obligations, (iii) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations, and (iv) limitations on the ability of the Fund to directly enforce its rights with respect to participations. Successful claims in respect of such matters may reduce the cash flow and/or market value of the Fund’s investment.

  

The bank loans in which the Fund may invest are generally illiquid. There is no active trading market for most bank loans and participations and the Fund may be unable to sell its bank loan investments quickly or at a fair price. Even where a secondary market for certain bank loans and loan participations exists, the market may be subject to irregular trading activity and wide bid/ask spreads, which may limit liquidity and pricing transparency. There is generally less readily available and reliable information about bank loans and participations than other types of debt instruments and the Fund might be unable to appraise the value of its bank loan investments quickly or accurately. In addition, bank loans and loan participations may be subject to restrictions on sales or assignment and generally are subject to extended settlement periods that may be longer than seven days.

 

Bank loans and participations are also subject to the risk that a borrower will default on a scheduled interest or principal payment. The risk of a borrower’s default will increase with market downturns or substantial increases in interest rates. The value of bank loans and participations may be adversely affected by price volatility due to factors such as the market’s perception of a borrower’s creditworthiness or general market liquidity. If a borrower defaults and a bank loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become the owner, in whole or in part, of any collateral securing the loan, and may bear the costs of owning and disposing of such collateral. The Fund may invest in bank loans through assignments, whereby the Fund assumes the position of the lender to the borrower, or loan participations, whereby the Fund purchases all or a portion of the economic interest in a loan. If it invests in a loan participation, the Fund will generally have no direct right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement and may not benefit directly from the collateral securing the underlying debt obligation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a loan participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may have limited rights to any collateral underlying the loan participation. As a consequence, the Fund may be exposed to the credit risk of both the borrower under the bank loan and the lender selling the participation. Bank loans may not be deemed to be “securities” for purposes of the federal securities laws, and bank loan investors may not have the protections of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws and must rely instead on contractual provisions in loan agreements and applicable common-law fraud protections. The Fund’s investments in bank loans of below investment grade companies also entail specific risks associated with investments in non-investment grade securities. Additionally, the bank loan market is currently facing unprecedented levels of illiquidity and volatility. There can be no assurance as to when or even if this current market illiquidity and volatility will abate or that future levels of supply and demand in bank loan trading will provide an adequate degree of liquidity, that the current period of illiquidity will not persist or worsen and that the market will not experience periods of significant illiquidity in the future.

 

Rating Agencies Risk

 

Rating agencies may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuer’s current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. In addition, rating agencies are subject to an inherent conflict of interest because they are often compensated by the same issuers whose securities they grade.

 

Default Risk

 

The ability of the Fund to generate income through its loan investments is dependent upon payments being made by the borrowers underlying such loan investments. If a borrower is unable to make its payments on a loan, the Fund may be greatly limited in its ability to recover any outstanding principal and interest under such loan.

 

 C: 
 19 

 

 

A portion of the loans in which the Fund may invest may not be guaranteed or insured by a third party and may not be backed by any governmental authority. The Fund may need to rely on the collection efforts of third parties, which also may be limited in their ability to collect on defaulted loans. The Fund may not have direct recourse against borrowers, may not be able to contact a borrower about a loan, and may not be able to pursue borrowers to collect payment under loans. To the extent a loan is secured, there can be no assurance as to the amount of any funds that may be realized from recovering and liquidating any collateral or the timing of such recovery and liquidation and hence there is no assurance that sufficient funds (or, possibly, any funds) will be available to offset any payment defaults that occur under the loans. Loans are credit obligations of the borrowers and the terms of certain loans may not restrict the borrowers from incurring additional debt. If a borrower incurs additional debt after obtaining a loan through a platform, the additional debt may adversely affect the borrower’s creditworthiness generally, and could result in the financial distress, insolvency or bankruptcy of the borrower. This circumstance would ultimately impair the ability of that borrower to make payments on its loans and the Fund’s ability to receive the principal and interest payments that it expects to receive on such loan. To the extent borrowers incur other indebtedness that is secured, the ability of the secured creditors to exercise remedies against the assets of that borrower may impair the borrower’s ability to repay its loans or it may impair a third party’s ability to collect, on behalf of the Fund, on the loan upon default. To the extent that a loan is unsecured, borrowers may choose to repay obligations under other indebtedness (such as loans obtained from traditional lending sources) before repaying a loan facilitated through a direct lending platform because the borrowers have no collateral at risk. The Fund will generally not be made aware of any additional debt incurred by a borrower or whether such debt is secured.

 

If a borrower files for bankruptcy, any pending collection actions will automatically be put on hold and further collection action will not be permitted absent court approval. It is possible that a borrower’s liability on its loan will be discharged in bankruptcy. In most cases involving the bankruptcy of a borrower with an unsecured loan, unsecured creditors will receive only a fraction of any amount outstanding on the loan, if anything.

 

Unitranche Loans Risk

 

The Fund may invest in unitranche loans, which are loans that combine both senior and subordinated debt, generally in a first-lien position. Because unitranche loans combine characteristics of senior and subordinated debt, they have risks similar to the risks associated with secured debt and subordinated debt according to the combination of loan characteristics of the unitranche loan. Unitranche loans generally allow the borrower to make a large lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term and there is a heightened risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity.

 

Secured and First-Lien Loan Risk

 

The Fund may invest in secured bank loans and participations, which include first-lien instruments. Secured debt in many instances is fully collateralized by assets of the borrower. Thus, it is generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trader creditors, and preferred or common stockholders. However, there is a risk that the collateral securing the Fund’s loans may decrease in value over time, may be difficult to sell in a timely manner, may be difficult to appraise, and may fluctuate in value based upon market conditions. Additionally, substantial increases in interest rates may cause an increase in loan defaults as borrowers may lack resources to meet higher debt service requirements. In some circumstances, the Fund’s security interest could be subordinated to claims of other creditors. In addition, any deterioration in a borrower’s financial condition and prospects may result in the deterioration in the value of the related collateral. Consequently, the fact that debt is secured does not guarantee that the Fund will receive principal and interest payments according to the investment terms or at all, or that the Fund will be able to collect on the investment should the Fund be forced to enforce its remedies.

 

 C: 
 20 

 

 

Interest Rate Risk

 

The Fund is subject to the risks of changes in interest rates. A decline in interest rates could reduce the amount of current income the Fund is able to achieve from interest on fixed-income securities, investments in bank loans and participations, convertible debt and the proceeds of short sales. An increase in interest rates could reduce the value of any fixed income securities, and convertible securities owned by the Fund. To the extent that the cash flow from a fixed income security is known in advance, the present value (i.e., discounted value) of that cash flow decreases as interest rates increase; to the extent that the cash flow is contingent, the dollar value of the payment may be linked to then prevailing interest rates. Moreover, the value of many fixed income securities depends on the shape of the yield curve, not just on a single interest rate. Thus, for example, a callable cash flow, the coupons of which depend on a short rate such as the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or Secured Overnight Financial Rate Data (“SOFR”), may shorten (i.e., be called away) if the long rate decreases. In this way, such securities are exposed to the difference between long rates and short rates. The Fund may also invest in floating rate securities. The value of these investments is closely tied to the absolute levels of such rates, or the market’s perception of anticipated changes in those rates. This introduces additional risk factors related to the movements in specific interest rates that may be difficult or impossible to hedge, and that also interact in a complex fashion with prepayment risks. Although government financial regulators, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken steps to maintain historically low interest rates, they may raise rates at any time.

  

LIBOR Discontinuation Risk

 

The Fund’s investments, interest payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as LIBOR. LIBOR is used extensively in the U.S. and globally as a “benchmark” or “reference rate” for various commercial and financial contracts, including corporate and municipal bonds, bank loans, asset-backed and mortgage-related securities, interest rate swaps and other derivatives. In July of 2017, the head of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. The FCA and ICE Benchmark Administrator have since announced that most LIBOR settings will no longer be published after December 31, 2021 and a majority of U.S. dollar LIBOR settings will cease publication after June 30, 2023. It is possible that a subset of LIBOR settings will be published after these dates on a “synthetic” basis, but any such publications would be considered non-representative of the underlying market. The U.S. Federal Reserve, based on the recommendations of the New York Federal Reserve's Alternative Reference Rate Committee (comprised of major derivative market participants and their regulators), has begun publishing SOFR that is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR. Proposals for alternative reference rates for other currencies have also been announced or have already begun publication. Markets are slowly developing in response to these new reference rates. Uncertainty related to the liquidity impact of the change in rates, and how to appropriately adjust these rates at the time of transition, poses risks for the Fund. The effect of any changes to, or discontinuation of, LIBOR on the Fund will depend on, among other things, (1) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts, and (2) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new instruments and contracts. The expected discontinuation of LIBOR could have a significant impact on the financial markets in general and may also present heightened risk to market participants, including public companies, investment advisers, investment companies, and broker-dealers. The risks associated with this discontinuation and transition will be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner.

 

The expected discontinuation of LIBOR could have a significant impact on the Fund’s business. There could be significant operational challenges for the transition away from LIBOR including, but not limited to, amending loan agreements with borrowers on investments that may have not been modified with fallback language and adding effective fallback language to new agreements in the event that LIBOR is discontinued before maturity. Beyond these challenges, the Fund anticipates there may be additional risks to the Fund’s current processes and information systems that will need to be identified and evaluated. Due to the uncertainty of the replacement for LIBOR, the potential effect of any such event on the Fund’s cost of capital and net investment income cannot yet be determined. In addition, the cessation of LIBOR could:

 

Adversely impact the pricing, liquidity, value of, return on and trading for a broad array of financial products, including any LIBOR-linked securities, loans and derivatives that may be included in the Fund’s assets and liabilities;

 

 C: 
 21 

 

 

Require extensive changes to documentation that governs or references LIBOR or LIBOR-based products, including, for example, pursuant to time-consuming renegotiations of documentation to modify the terms of investments;

  

Result in inquiries or other actions from regulators in respect of the Fund’s preparation and readiness for the replacement of LIBOR with one or more alternative reference rates;

 

Result in disputes, litigation or other actions with the Fund’s underlying obligors (as applicable), or other counterparties, regarding the interpretation and enforceability of provisions in the Fund’s LIBOR-based investments, such as fallback language or other related provisions, including, in the case of fallbacks to the alternative reference rates, any economic, legal, operational or other impact resulting from the fundamental differences between LIBOR and the various alternative reference rates;

 

Require the transition and/or development of appropriate systems and analytics to effectively transition the Fund’s risk management processes from LIBOR-based products to those based on one or more alternative reference rates, which may prove challenging given the limited history of the proposed alternative reference rates; and

 

Additional costs in relation to any of the above factors.

 

The transition process might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for instruments whose terms currently include LIBOR. It could also lead to a reduction in the value of some LIBOR-based investments. Since the usefulness of LIBOR as a benchmark could deteriorate during the transition period, these effects could occur prior to the completion of the transition. All of the aforementioned may adversely affect the Fund’s performance or NAV.

 

Low Credit Quality Securities

 

The Fund is permitted to invest in particularly risky investments that also may offer the potential for correspondingly high returns. As a result, the Fund may lose all or substantially all of its investment in any particular instance. There is no minimum credit standard as a prerequisite to an investment in any security. Debt securities, including bank loans and participations, may be less than investment grade and may be considered to be “junk bonds” or be distressed or “special situations” with heightened risk of loss and/or liquidity. “Junk bonds” are considered by the rating agencies to be predominately speculative and may involve major risk exposures such as: (i) vulnerability to economic downturns and changes in interest rates; (ii) sensitivity to adverse economic changes and corporate developments; (iii) redemption or call provisions that may be exercised at inopportune times; and (iv) difficulty in accurately valuing or disposing of such securities. Such securities may rank junior to other outstanding securities and obligations of the issuer, all or a significant portion of whose debt securities may be secured by substantially all of the issuer’s assets. Moreover, the Fund may invest in securities that are not protected by financial covenants or limitations on additional indebtedness.

 

Subordinated and Second-Lien Loans

 

The Fund may invest in secured subordinated loans, including second-lien loans. Second-lien loans are generally second in line in terms of repayment priority. A second-lien loan may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first-lien or it may be secured by a separate set of assets. Second-lien loans generally give investors priority over general unsecured creditors in the event of an asset sale. The priority of the collateral claims of third- or lower lien loans ranks below holders of second lien loans and so on. Such junior loans are subject to the same general risks inherent to any loan investment, including credit risk, market, liquidity, and interest rate risk. Due to their lower place in the borrower’s capital structure and possible unsecured or partially secured status, such loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than senior loans of the same borrower.

 

 C: 
 22 

 

 

Securities Believed to be Undervalued or Incorrectly Valued

 

Securities that the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers believe are fundamentally undervalued or incorrectly valued may not ultimately be valued in the capital markets at prices and/or within the time frame the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers anticipate. As a result, the Fund may lose all or substantially all of its investment in such a security.

  

Illiquid Portfolio Investments

 

The Fund may invest in securities that are subject to legal or other restrictions on transfer or for which no liquid market exists. The market prices, if any, for such investments tend to be volatile and the Fund may not be able to sell them when the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers desire to do so or to realize what the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers perceive to be their fair value in the event of a sale. The sale of restricted and illiquid investments often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over the counter markets. Restricted securities may sell at prices that are lower than similar securities that are not subject to restrictions on resale.

 

Valuation Risk

 

Unlike publicly traded common stock, which trades on national exchanges, there is no central place or exchange for shares or interests in some of the Fund’s investments, including bank loans and participations to trade. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of certain of the Fund’s investments may carry more risk than that of common stock. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial and real estate markets, incomplete or unreliable reference data, human error, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when an instrument is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such instruments carried on the Fund’s books.

 

When market quotations are not readily available or are deemed to be inaccurate or unreliable, the Fund’s Valuation Committee values such investments at fair value as determined pursuant to the Valuation Procedures approved by the Board. In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset. Shareholders should recognize that fair value pricing involve various judgments and consideration of factors that may be subjective and inexact. As a result, there can be no assurance that fair value priced assets will not result in future adjustments to the prices of securities or other assets, or that fair value pricing will reflect a price that the Fund is able to obtain upon sale. It is also possible that the fair value determined for a security or other asset will be materially different from quoted or published prices, from the prices used by others for the same security or other asset and/or from the value that actually could be or is realized upon the sale of that security or other asset. For example, the Fund’s NAV could be adversely affected if the Fund’s determinations regarding the fair value of the Fund’s investments were materially higher than the values that the Fund ultimately realizes upon the disposal of such investments. In addition, valuation for illiquid assets may require more research than for more liquid investments and elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available.

 

There may not exist readily available market quotations for certain of the Fund’s investments. The most relevant information may often be provided by the issuer of such investments, which information could be extremely limited and outdated, and it may be difficult or impossible to confirm or review the accuracy of such information. Further, the issuer of such investments may face a conflict of interest in providing information or valuations to the Fund.

 

The Fund’s NAV is a critical component in several operational matters including computation of advisory and services fees and determination of the price at which the Shares will be offered and at which the Shares will be repurchased. Consequently, variance in the valuation of the Fund’s investments will impact, positively or negatively, the fees and expenses shareholders will pay, the price a shareholder will receive in connection with a repurchase offer and the number of shares an investor will receive upon investing in the Fund. The Fund may need to liquidate certain investments, including illiquid investments, in order to repurchase Shares in connection with a repurchase offer. A subsequent decrease in the valuation of the Fund’s investments after a repurchase offer could potentially disadvantage remaining shareholders to the benefit of shareholders whose Shares were accepted for repurchase. Alternatively, a subsequent increase in the valuation of the Fund’s investments could potentially disadvantage shareholders whose Shares were accepted for repurchase to the benefit of remaining shareholders. Similarly, a subsequent decrease in the valuation of the Fund’s investments after a subscription could potentially disadvantage subscribing investors to the benefit of pre-existing shareholders, and a subsequent increase in the valuation of the Fund’s investments after a subscription could potentially disadvantage pre-existing shareholders to the benefit of subscribing investors. In no event is the Distributor responsible or liable for any errors or inaccuracies with the Fund’s NAV in connection with its distribution of the Fund’s Shares or in connection with any other purpose. The Distributor has no duty to calculate the NAV of Fund Shares or to inquire into the accuracy of the NAV per Share (including a Class thereof) as calculated by or for the Fund.

 

 C: 
 23 

 

 

Moreover, the Fund’s compliance with the asset diversification tests under the Code depends on the fair market values of the Fund’s assets, and, accordingly, a challenge to the valuations ascribed by the Fund could affect its ability to comply with those tests or require it to pay penalty taxes in order to cure a violation thereof.

 

“Covenant-Lite” Loans Risk

 

Although most of the Fund’s loan investments are expected to include both incurrence and maintenance-based covenants, there may be instances in which the Fund invests in covenant-lite loans, which means the obligation contains fewer maintenance covenants than other obligations, or no maintenance covenants, and may not include terms that allow the lender to monitor the performance of the borrower and declare a default if certain criteria are breached. An investment by the Fund in a covenant-lite loan may potentially hinder the Fund’s ability to reprice credit risk associated with the issuer and reduce the Fund’s ability to restructure a problematic loan and mitigate potential loss. As a result, the Fund’s exposure to losses may be increased, which could result in an adverse impact on the Fund’s revenues, net income and NAV.

 

Distressed Securities

 

Certain of the companies in whose securities the Fund may invest may be in transition, out of favor, financially leveraged or troubled, or potentially troubled, and may be or have recently been involved in major strategic actions, restructurings, bankruptcy, reorganization or liquidation. These characteristics of these companies can cause their securities to be particularly risky, although they also may offer the potential for high returns. These companies’ securities may be considered speculative, and the ability of the companies to pay their debts on schedule could be affected by adverse interest rate movements, changes in the general economic factors affecting a particular industry or specific developments within the companies. Such investments can result in significant or even total losses. In addition, the markets for distressed investment assets are frequently illiquid.

 

In liquidation (both in and out of bankruptcy) and other forms of corporate reorganization, there exists the risk that the reorganization either will be unsuccessful (due to, for example, failure to obtain requisite approvals), will be delayed (for example, until various liabilities, actual or contingent, have been satisfied) or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the security in respect to which such distribution was made.

 

In certain transactions, the Fund may not be “hedged” against market fluctuations, or, in liquidation situations, may not accurately value the assets of the company being liquidated. This can result in losses, even if the proposed transaction is consummated.

 

Extension Risk

 

Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.

 

 C: 
 24 

 

 

Prepayment Risk

  

When interest rates decline, fixed income securities and bank loans and participations with stated interest rates may have their principal paid earlier than expected. This may result in the Fund having to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates, which can reduce the returns of the Fund.

 

Convertible Securities Risk

 

Convertible securities have characteristics of both equity and fixed-income securities. The value of a convertible security tends to move with the market value of the underlying stock, but may also be affected by interest rates, credit quality of the issuer and any call provisions. In particular, when interest rates rise, fixed-income securities will decline in value. Convertible securities frequently have speculative characteristics and may be acquired without regard to minimum quality ratings. Lower quality convertible securities, also known as “junk bonds,” involve greater risk of default or price changes due to the issuer’s creditworthiness. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than those of higher quality securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty, which may follow periods of rising interest rates. Securities in the lowest quality category may present the risk of default, or may be in default.

 

Preferred Stock Risk

 

Preferred stock represents an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stock, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. The market value of preferred stock is subject to company-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities and is also sensitive to changes in the company’s creditworthiness, the ability of the company to make payments on the preferred stock, and changes in interest rates, typically declining in value if interest rates rise.

 

U.S. Government Securities

 

Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or U.S. government sponsored enterprises (“GSEs”), including, for example, pass-through certificates issued by Ginnie Mae, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies or GSEs, such as securities issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency or GSE, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies or GSEs, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. Government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

 

Municipal Obligations

 

The Fund may invest in municipal bonds. Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by the states, possessions, or territories of the United States (including the District of Columbia) or a political subdivision, public instrumentality, agency, public authority or other governmental unit of such states, possessions, or territories (e.g., counties, cities, towns, villages, districts and authorities). For example, states, possessions, territories and municipalities may issue municipal bonds to raise funds for various public purposes such as airports, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, water and sewer works, gas, and electric utilities. They may also issue municipal bonds to refund outstanding obligations and to meet general operating expenses. Municipal bonds may be general obligation bonds or revenue bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds are payable from revenues derived from particular facilities, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or from other specific revenue sources. They are not usually payable from the general taxing power of a municipality. In addition, certain types of “private activity” bonds may be issued by public authorities to obtain funding for privately operated facilities, such as housing and pollution control facilities, for industrial facilities and for water supply, gas, electricity and waste disposal facilities. Other types of private activity bonds are used to finance the construction, repair or improvement of, or to obtain equipment for, privately operated industrial or commercial facilities. Current federal tax laws place substantial limitations on the size of certain of such issues. Because the interest on municipal bonds is generally exempt from federal income tax, their value may be materially affected by changes in federal income tax rates.

 

 C: 
 25 

 

 

Constitutional amendments, legislative enactments, executive orders, administrative regulations, voter initiatives, and the issuer’s regional economic conditions may affect the municipal security’s value, interest payments, repayment of principal and the Fund’s ability to sell the security. The Fund may be more sensitive to adverse economic, business, political or public health developments if it focuses its assets in municipal bonds that are issued to finance similar projects (such as those relating to education, health care, housing, transportation, and utilities), industrial development bonds, in particular types of municipal securities (such as general obligation bonds, private activity bonds and moral obligation bonds), or in municipal securities of a particular state or territory. While income earned on municipal securities is generally not subject to federal tax, the failure of a municipal security issuer to comply with applicable tax requirements may make income paid thereon taxable, resulting in a decline in the security’s value. In addition, there could be changes in applicable tax laws or tax treatments that reduce or eliminate the current federal income tax exemption on municipal securities or otherwise adversely affect the current federal or state tax status of municipal securities. The secondary market for municipal obligations also tends to be less well-developed and less liquid than many other securities markets, which may limit the Fund’s ability to sell its municipal obligations at attractive prices. Further, inventories of municipal securities held by brokers and dealers have decreased in recent years, lessening their ability to make a market in these securities, which has resulted in increased municipal security price volatility and trading costs, particularly during periods of economic or market stress.

 

Interval Fund Risk

 

The Fund is operated as an interval fund under Rule 23c-3 of the Investment Company Act. As an interval fund, the Fund has adopted a fundamental policy to conduct quarterly repurchase offers for at least 5% and up to 25% of the outstanding Shares at NAV, subject to certain conditions described herein (the “repurchase policy”), unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements. See “TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE” and TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES.” Although the repurchase policy permits repurchases of between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s outstanding Shares, for each quarterly repurchase offer, the Fund currently expects to offer to repurchase 5% of the Fund’s outstanding Shares at NAV, subject to approval of the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”). The Fund will not otherwise be required to repurchase or redeem Shares at the option of a Shareholder. It is possible that a repurchase offer may be oversubscribed, in which case Shareholders may only have a portion of their Shares repurchased. If the number of Shares tendered for repurchase in any repurchase offer exceeds the number of Shares that the Fund has offered to repurchase, the Fund will repurchase Shares on a pro-rata basis or may, but is not required to, increase the number of Shares to be repurchased in an additional amount not to exceed 2.0% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund (subject to certain additional exceptions discussed below under “Tender Offers/Offers to Repurchase”).

 

Limited liquidity is provided to Shareholders only through the Fund’s quarterly Repurchase Offers for no less than 5% of the Shares outstanding nor more than 25% of the Shares outstanding on the Repurchase Request Deadline. The Repurchase Offer amount will be determined by the Board before each Repurchase Offer. There is no guarantee that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares they desire in a quarterly Repurchase Offer. The Fund’s Repurchase Offers may be oversubscribed. In the event of oversubscription, the Fund may repurchase shares on a pro rata basis. Because of the potential for proration, some Shareholders might tender more shares than they wish to have repurchased in order to ensure the repurchase of specific number of Shares. Additionally, in certain instances such Repurchase Offers may be suspended or postponed by a vote of a majority of the Board, including a vote by a majority of the Independent Trustees, as permitted by the Investment Company Act and other laws. See “TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE” and "TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES."

 

 C: 
 26 

 

 

Repurchase Policy Risk

  

Repurchases of Shares will reduce the amount of outstanding Shares and, thus, the Fund’s net assets. To the extent that additional Shares are not sold, a reduction in the Fund’s net assets may increase the Fund’s expense ratio (subject to the Investment Adviser’s reimbursement of expenses) and limit the investment opportunities of the Fund.

 

If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed by Shareholders, the Fund will repurchase only a pro rata portion of the Shares tendered by each Shareholder. In addition, because of the potential for such proration, Shareholders may tender more Shares than they may wish to have repurchased in order to ensure the repurchase of a specific number of their Shares, increasing the likelihood that other Shareholders may be unable to liquidate all or a given percentage of their investment in the Fund. To the extent Shareholders have the ability to sell their Shares to the Fund pursuant to a repurchase offer, the price at which a Shareholder may sell Shares, which will be the NAV per Share most recently determined as of the last day of the offer, may be lower than the price that such Shareholder paid for its Shares.

 

The Fund may find it necessary to hold a portion of its net assets in cash or other liquid assets, sell a portion of its portfolio investments or borrow money in order to finance any repurchases of its Shares. The Fund may accumulate cash by holding back (i.e., not reinvesting or distributing to Shareholders) payments received in connection with the Fund’s investments, which could potentially limit the ability of the Fund to generate income. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid, higher quality portfolio investments to purchase Shares that are tendered, which may increase risks for remaining Shareholders and increase Fund expenses. Although most, if not all, of the Fund’s investments are expected to be illiquid and the secondary market for such investments is likely to be limited, the Fund believes it would be able to find willing purchasers of its investments if such sales were ever necessary to supplement such cash generated by payments received in connection with the Fund’s investments. However, the Fund may be required to sell such investments during times and at prices when it otherwise would not, which may cause the Fund to lose money. The Fund may also borrow money in order to meet its repurchase obligations. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain financing for its repurchase offers. If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on any such borrowings will negatively affect Shareholders who do not tender their Shares in a repurchase offer by increasing the Fund’s expenses (subject to the Investment Adviser’s reimbursement of expenses) and reducing any net investment income. The purchase of Shares by the Fund in a repurchase offer may limit the Fund’s ability to participate in new investment opportunities.

 

In the event a Shareholder chooses to participate in a repurchase offer, the Shareholder will be required to provide the Fund with notice of intent to participate prior to knowing what the repurchase price will be on the repurchase date. Although the Shareholder may have the ability to withdraw a repurchase request prior to the repurchase date, to the extent the Shareholder seeks to sell Shares to the Fund as part of a repurchase offer, the Shareholder will be required to do so without knowledge of what the repurchase price of the Shares will be on the repurchase date. It is possible that general economic and market conditions could cause a decline in the NAV per Share prior to the repurchase date. See “TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE” and "TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES" below for additional information on, and the risks associated with, the Fund’s repurchase policy.

 

Reliance on Key Persons Risk

 

The Fund relies on the services of certain executive officers who have relevant knowledge of credit related investments and familiarity with the Fund’s investment objective, strategies and investment features. The loss of the services of any of these key personnel could have a material adverse impact on the Fund.

 

Fund Capitalization Risk

 

There is a risk that the Fund may not continue to raise capital sufficient to maintain profitability and meet its investment objective. An inability to continue to raise capital may adversely affect the Fund’s diversification, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations, as well as its compliance with regulatory requirements and tax diversification requirements.

 

 C: 
 27 

 

 

Borrowing, Use of Leverage

  

The Fund may leverage its investments by “borrowing.” The use of leverage increases both risk of loss and profit potential. The Investment Adviser may cause the Fund to leverage investments by borrowing. The Fund is subject to the Investment Company Act requirement that an investment company satisfy an asset coverage requirement of 300% of its indebtedness, including amounts borrowed, measured at the time the investment company incurs the indebtedness. This means that at any given time the value of the Fund’s total indebtedness may not exceed one-third the value of its total assets (including such indebtedness). The interests of persons with whom the Fund enters into leverage arrangements will not necessarily be aligned with the interests of the Fund’s Shareholders and such persons will have claims on the Fund’s assets that are senior to those of the Fund’s Shareholders.

 

In addition, the management fee payable to the Investment Adviser may be higher when the Fund uses leverage than when it does not use leverage. Because the Investment Adviser may have a financial incentive to use leverage, there exists a potential conflict of interest in determining whether to use or increase the use of leverage for the Fund. The Fund may use or continue to use leverage when the Investment Adviser believes the benefits to Shareholders of maintaining the leveraged position likely will outweigh any current reduced return due to the costs of the leverage, but expects to reduce, modify or cease its leverage when the Investment Adviser believes the costs of the leverage likely will exceed the return provided from the investments made with the proceeds of the leverage.

 

Diversification Risk

 

The Fund is a “non-diversified” management investment company under the Investment Company Act. This means that the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in a limited number of issuers than would be the case if the Fund were classified as a “diversified” management investment company. Accordingly, the Fund may be subject to greater risk with respect to its portfolio securities than a “diversified” fund because changes in the financial condition or market assessment of a single issuer may cause greater fluctuation in the value of its interests.

 

Cybersecurity Risk

 

The Fund and its service providers are susceptible to cyber security risks that include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data; denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems, compromises to networks or devices that the Fund and its service providers use to service the Fund’s operations; or operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Fund and its service providers. Cyber-attacks against or security breakdowns of the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact the Fund and its shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process transactions; inability to calculate the Fund’s NAV; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund may incur additional costs for cyber security risk management and remediation purposes. In addition, cyber security risks may also impact issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause the Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Fund or its service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyber-attacks or other information security breaches in the future.

 

Technology Risk

 

As the use of Internet technology has become more prevalent, the Fund and its service providers and markets generally have become more susceptible to potential operational risks related to intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund or a service provider to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption or lose operational capacity. There can be no guarantee that any risk management systems established by the Fund, its service providers, or issuers of the securities in which the Fund invests to reduce technology and cyber security risks will succeed, and the Fund cannot control such systems put in place by service providers, issuers or other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund.

 

 C: 
 28 

 

 

Temporary Defensive Strategies Risk

  

When the Investment Adviser anticipates unusual market or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure and invest all or a portion of its assets in cash or cash equivalents or accept lower current income from short-term investments rather than investing in high yielding long-term securities. In such a case, Shareholders of the Fund may be adversely affected and the Fund may not pursue or achieve its investment objectives.

 

Potential Conflicts of Interest Risk

 

The Investment Adviser, Sub-Advisers and the portfolio managers of the Fund have interests which may conflict with the interests of the Fund. In particular, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers manage and/or advise other investment funds or accounts with the same or similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund. As a result, the Investment Adviser, Sub-Advisers and the Fund’s portfolio managers may devote unequal time and attention to the management of the Fund and those other funds and accounts, and may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities as might be the case if they were to devote substantially more attention to the management of the Fund. The Investment Adviser, Sub-Advisers and the Fund’s portfolio managers may identify a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and accounts, and the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds and accounts, which may limit the Fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. Additionally, transaction orders may be aggregated for multiple accounts for purpose of execution, which may cause the price or brokerage costs to be less favorable to the Fund than if similar transactions were not being executed concurrently for other accounts. Furthermore, it is theoretically possible that a portfolio manager could use the information obtained from managing a fund or account to the advantage of other funds or accounts under management, and also theoretically possible that actions could be taken (or not taken) to the detriment of the Fund. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and accounts. For example, a portfolio manager may determine that it would be in the interest of another account to sell a security that the Fund holds, potentially resulting in a decrease in the market value of the security held by the Fund.

 

Conflicts potentially limiting the Fund’s investment opportunities may also arise when the Fund and other clients of the Investment Adviser and Sub- Advisers invest in, or even conduct research relating to, different parts of an issuer’s capital structure, such as when the Fund owns senior debt obligations of an issuer and other clients own junior tranches of the same issuer. In such circumstances, decisions over whether to trigger an event of default, over the terms of any workout, or how to exit an investment may result in conflicts of interest. In order to minimize such conflicts, a portfolio manager may avoid certain investment opportunities that would potentially give rise to conflicts with other clients of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers or result in the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers receiving material, non-public information, or the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers may enact internal procedures designed to minimize such conflicts, which could have the effect of limiting the Fund’s investment opportunities. Additionally, if the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers acquire material non-public confidential information in connection with its business activities for other clients, a portfolio manager or other investment personnel may be restricted from purchasing securities or selling certain securities for the Fund or other clients.

 

The portfolio managers also may engage in cross trades between funds and accounts, may select brokers or dealers to execute securities transactions based in part on brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers which may not benefit all funds and accounts equally and may receive different amounts of financial or other benefits for managing different funds and accounts. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers and its affiliates may provide more services to some types of funds and accounts than others.

 

 C: 
 29 

 

 

The Fund, Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers have adopted policies and procedures that address the foregoing potential conflicts of interest, including policies and procedures to address the allocation of investment opportunities, execution of portfolio transactions, personal trading by employees and other potential conflicts of interest that are designed to ensure that all accounts of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers are treated equitably. There is no guarantee that the policies and procedures adopted by the Investment Adviser, Sub-Advisers and the Fund will be able to identify or mitigate the conflicts of interest that arise between the Fund and any other investment funds or accounts that the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers may manage or advise from time to time. For further information on potential conflicts of interest, see “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES —CONFLICTS OF INTEREST” in the SAI.

  

Failure to Obtain 17(d) Exemptive Relief

 

The Investment Company Act prohibits the Fund from making certain investments alongside affiliates unless it receives an order from the SEC permitting it to do so. The Fund has applied for exemptive relief from the provisions of Sections 17(d) of the Investment Company Act to invest in certain privately negotiated investment transactions alongside current or future business development companies (“BDCs”), private funds, separate accounts, or registered investment companies that are advised by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates or any company that is a direct or indirect, wholly- or majority-owned subsidiary of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, collectively, the Fund’s “co-investment affiliates,” subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. There is no assurance that the Fund or the Investment Adviser will receive such exemptive relief, and if they are not able to obtain the exemptive relief, the Fund will not be permitted to participate in such co-investment opportunities. This may reduce the Fund’s ability to deploy capital and invest its assets. The Fund may be forced to invest in cash, cash equivalents or other assets that may result in lower returns than otherwise may be available through these co-investment opportunities.

 

In view of the risks noted above, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment and prospective investors should invest in the Fund only if they can sustain a complete loss of their investment.

 

No guarantee or representation is made that the investment program of the Fund will be successful or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

The Board of Trustees

 

The Board has overall responsibility for the management and supervision of the business operations of the Fund on behalf of the Shareholders. A majority of the Board is and will be persons who are not “interested persons,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act (the “Independent Trustees”). To the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act and other applicable law, the Board may delegate any of its rights, powers and authority to, among others, the officers of the applicable fund, any committee of such board, or service providers. See “BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS” in the Fund’s SAI for the identities of the Trustees and executive officers of the Fund, brief biographical information regarding each of them, and other information regarding the election and membership of the Board.

 

The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers

 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. serves as the investment adviser of the Fund and is responsible for determining and implementing the Fund’s overall investment strategy, including selecting each Sub-Adviser and determining the amount of the Fund’s assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. The Investment Adviser is a Delaware limited partnership and is controlled by First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. First Trust Capital Solutions L.P. is owned 50% by First Trust Capital Partners, LLC, an affiliate of the Distributor, and 50% by VFT Holdings LP and its affiliates. The Investment Adviser is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Advisers Act. The Investment Adviser provides investment advice to open-end and closed-end funds and private funds, and as of May 31, 2022, had assets under management of approximately $3.7 billion.

 

 C: 
 30 

 

 

Each Sub-Adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, subject to Shareholder approval, will be primarily responsible for its investment strategy and the day- to-day management of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Investment Adviser.

 

Founded in 2009, Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC (“Angel Oak”) is located at 3344 Peachtree Rd. Suite 1725, Atlanta, GA 30326. Angel Oak is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of May 31, 2022, approximately $16 billion for banking or thrift institutions, investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, pension and profit sharing plans, other investment advisers, insurance companies, and corporations.

 

Founded in July 2019, Mount Logan Management, LLC (“Mount Logan”) is located at 650 Madison Ave, 23rd Floor, New York, New York, 10022. Mount Logan is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of December 31, 2021, approximately $1.1 billion. Mount Logan is owned by Mount Logan Capital, Inc., a Canadian alternative asset management company that is focused on investing in public and private debt securities in the North American market. Mount Logan Capital, Inc., is managed by employees of BC Partners Advisors, L.P. (together with its global affiliates, “BC Partners”). BC Partners is an international investment firm with over $40 billion in assets under management focused on private equity, credit and real estate investments in Europe and North America. BC Partners was founded in 1986 and has offices in London, New York, Paris, and Hamburg.

 

Founded in 2009, Palmer Square Capital Management LLC (“Palmer Square”) is located at 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 315, Mission Woods, KS 66205. Palmer Square is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of May 31, 2022, approximately $22.4 billion for pooled investment vehicles, investment companies, high net worth individuals and institutions.

 

The Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates may serve as investment managers to other funds that have investment programs which are similar to the investment program of the Fund, and the Investment Adviser and/or a Sub-Adviser or one of their affiliates may in the future serve as the investment manager or otherwise manage or direct the investment activities of other registered and/or private investment companies with investment programs similar to the investment program of the Fund. See “CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

The personnel of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers who currently have primary responsibility for management of the Fund (the “Portfolio Managers”) are as follows:

 

MICHAEL PECK — Portfolio Manager

 

Mr. Peck, CFA, joined the Investment Adviser and its affiliated companies in February 2012 and is currently Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chief Investment Officer of FTCM and President and Co-Chief Investment Officer of Vivaldi Capital Management LP. Prior thereto, Mr. Peck was a Portfolio Manager at Coe Capital, LLC, a Chicago-based registered investment adviser, from March 2010 to December 2011. From June 2007 through March 2009, Mr. Peck was a paid consultant at various real estate and investment companies. From 2006 to 2008, Mr. Peck was a Senior Financial Analyst/Risk Manager at The Bond Companies. Mr. Peck graduated from Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Mr. Peck also holds a Master of Arts in Finance and a Masters in Business Administration (Real Estate Analysis and Financial Analysis) from DePaul University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”).

 

BRIAN MURPHY — Portfolio Manager

 

Mr. Murphy joined the Investment Adviser in March 2014 as a Senior Research Analyst and currently serves as Co-Chief Investment Officer of FTCM. Mr. Murphy was previously a Director at Voyager Management, LLC (“Voyager Management”), a fund of hedge fund firm, from 2010 to 2014. Prior to Voyager Management, from 2009 to 2010, Mr. Murphy was Derivatives Product Specialist at Analytic Investors, specializing in quantitative derivative hedge fund strategies. Mr. Murphy was also an Analyst at Iron Partners, LLC, a fund of hedge fund firm, from 2007 to 2009, where he was primarily responsible for covering hedged equity, equity trading, derivative and structured product services. Mr. Murphy graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.

 

 C: 
 31 

 

 

Sub-Advisers

  

Angel Oak

 

SAM DUNLAP — Portfolio Manager

 

Sam Dunlap is a Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of the public strategies at Angel Oak Capital Advisors and serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Multi-Strategy Income Fund and the Strategic Credit Fund. He is also responsible for managing the Angel Oak Multi-Strategy UCITS Fund and some of the separately managed accounts for Angel Oak clients, primarily depository institutions. Sam joined Angel Oak in 2009 and serves as a voting member of the firm’s public funds Investment Committee. He has also been featured as a television guest on CNBC, Fox Business, and TD Ameritrade Network as well as quoted in Bloomberg and Reuters. Sam began his capital markets career in 2002 and has investment experience across multiple sectors of the fixed income market. Prior to joining Angel Oak, he spent six years marketing and structuring interest rate derivatives with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey where he focused on both interest rate hedging products and interest rate linked structured notes. Before SunTrust, Sam spent two years at Wachovia in Charlotte, NC supporting the agency mortgage pass-through trading desk. Sam holds a B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Georgia.

 

COLIN MCBURNETTE — Portfolio Manager

 

Colin McBurnette is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Angel Oak Capital Advisors and serves as a Portfolio Manager for the Multi-Strategy Income Fund, the Ultra Short Income Fund, the Strategic Credit Fund, and the Strategic Mortgage Income Fund. He also focuses on security and portfolio analytics and is responsible for building and managing strategies within the residential mortgage-backed securities market. Colin joined Angel Oak in 2012 and serves as a voting member of the firm’s public funds Investment Committee. He is also a speaker on many of the firm’s quarterly calls for both its private and public funds. Prior to Angel Oak, Colin worked for Prodigus Capital Management where he was responsible for the acquisition and management of their distressed debt portfolio, as well as the development of their proprietary financial technology platform. Previously, Colin worked in the Real Estate Capital Markets group for Wachovia Bank and Wells Fargo where he focused on risk management for their commercial real estate REPO lines. Colin holds B.B.A. degrees in Banking & Finance and Real Estate from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.

 

Mount Logan

 

TED GOLDTHORPE, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Mount Logan Capital Inc.

 

Ted joined BC Partners in New York in 2017 to lead BC Partners Credit. Ted was previously President of Apollo Investment Corporation (one of the largest publicly traded U.S. BDCs) and the Chief Investment Officer of Apollo Investment Management where he was the head of its U.S. Opportunistic Platform and also oversaw the Private Origination business. He was also a member of the firm-wide Senior Management Committee. Prior to Apollo, Ted worked at Goldman Sachs for 13 years where he most recently ran the bank loan distressed investing desk. He was previously the head of Principal Capital Investing for the Special Situations Group. Ted launched BC Partners’ credit business in 2017 and oversees a team of experienced credit professionals. As a Partner of the Firm, Ted also, if requested, sits on the Investment Committee of the private equity business. Ted has a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen’s University.

 

MATTHIAS EDERER, Partner at BC Partners and Co-President of Mount Logan Management LLC

 

Matthias Ederer joined BC Partners in New York in 2017. Matthias Ederer joined as part of the creation of BC Partners Credit, having previously been a Partner and founding team member of Wingspan Investment Management, which he joined in 2013. Prior to Wingspan, he spent seven years in Goldman Sachs' Special Situations Group and Bank Loan Distressed Investing Group in New York and London. Matthias holds an MPhil Economics from Oxford University (Nuffield College) and a BSc Economics from the University of Warwick and speaks German, French and English.

 

HENRY WANG, Partner at BC Partners and Co-President of Mount Logan Management LLC

 

Henry Wang joined BC Partners in New York in 2017. Henry joined as part of the creation of BC Partners Credit, having formerly been a Partner at Stonerise Capital Partners where he spent over five years. Previously, he worked for over seven years at Goldman Sachs in its Special Situations Group and Investment Banking Division. Henry also worked for Vulcan Capital (Paul Allen’s investment firm, co-founder of Microsoft) and Thomas Weisel Partners. Henry has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BSBA from Boston University.

 

 C: 
 32 

 

 

Palmer Square

 

ANGIE K. LONG, CFA.

 

Ms. Long has been the Chief Investment Officer of Palmer Square since February 2011. She has key responsibilities for all investment-related activities with a particular focus on portfolio construction and risk management. Prior to joining Palmer Square, Ms. Long worked for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in New York from 1998 to 2011. There, she held a variety of management and trading roles, including Deputy Head of Credit Trading for North America, Head of High Yield Trading, and Head of Credit Derivatives Trading. She has been a trader and investor within many products and strategies including high yield bonds, high yield credit derivatives, distressed debt, capital structure arbitrage and structured credit. Among other career achievements, Ms. Long is credited with creating the High Yield Debt Index, the first liquid credit trading index. She was named a managing director of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. at age 29. She was responsible for building J.P. Morgan’s High Yield Credit Derivatives business and Credit Options business. She received an AB degree in Economics from Princeton University in 1997 and is a CFA® charterholder.

 

CHRISTOPHER D. LONG.

 

Mr. Long is the founder of Palmer Square and is responsible for Palmer Square alternative and credit investments business, managing both the firm’s investment activities and operations as well as defining its investment policy. Mr. Long was a Managing Director and Investment Committee Member at Prairie Capital Management, LLC (“Prairie”) from 2006 to 2009, where he was one of the team members responsible for the firm’s proprietary alternative investment products. Prior to joining Prairie, Mr. Long was at various New York City-based firms including Sandell Asset Management, Corp. (“Sandell”), a multi-billion multi-strategy hedge fund, where he, as a Research Analyst, invested in both equity and debt securities from 2005 to 2006. Prior to Sandell, he worked at Morgan Stanley in the Credit Derivatives and Distressed Securities Group as an Associate, focusing on the firm’s proprietary investments during the summer of 2004. Before Morgan Stanley, Mr. Long worked at TH Lee Putnam Ventures, a $1.1 billion private equity fund sponsored by Thomas H. Lee Partners and Putnam Investments, from 1999 to 2003. Mr. Long started his career at J.P. Morgan & Co. in Leveraged Finance and Mergers & Acquisitions (FIG Group), advising corporations and private equity firms on investment banking and capital markets, from 1997 through 1999. Mr. Long received an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 2005, and an undergraduate degree in Economics, cum laude, from Princeton University in 1997.

 

TAYLOR R. MOORE, CFA.

 

Mr. Moore is Executive Director, Portfolio Manager and Head of Structured Credit Trading at Palmer Square. Mr. Moore joined Palmer Square in 2013. Prior to joining Palmer Square, Taylor worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York and Delaware. Mr. Moore was an integral part of the firm’s North American foreign exchange business serving as Associate Product Controller. Mr. Moore played a key role in all financial operations and management of JPMorgan’s Forward and Spot foreign exchange trading desks. He began his career at JPMorgan as part of the firm’s Corporate Development Program, a two year selective leadership development program. Prior to JPMorgan Chase & Co., Mr. Moore worked at Frontier Investment Bank, a boutique investment bank based out of Kansas City. Mr. Moore received a BA in Economics from Cornell University and is a CFA® charterholder.

 

See “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES” in the SAI for additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed, and the portfolio managers’ ownership of Fund securities.

 

The Investment Management Agreement

 

The Investment Management Agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) between the Investment Adviser and the Fund became effective as of April 29, 2022 and will continue in effect for an initial two-year term. Thereafter, the Agreement will continue in effect from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or a majority of the Board, and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. See “VOTING.” The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the Investment Company Act), and is terminable by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund at any time without penalty upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Investment Manager. The Investment Manager may terminate the Investment Management Agreement at any time without penalty upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Fund. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Management Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to Shareholders.

 

 C: 
 33 

 

 

The Agreement provide that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Investment Adviser and any partner, director, officer or employee of the Investment Adviser, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, will not be liable to the Fund for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law or for any act or omission by the person in connection with the performance of services to the Fund. The Agreement also provide for indemnification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by the Fund, of the Investment Adviser or any partner, director, officer or employee of the Investment Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any liability or expense to which the person may be liable that arises in connection with the performance of services to the Fund, so long as the liability or expense is not incurred by reason of the person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund.

 

Investment Management Fee

 

The Fund pays to the Investment Adviser an investment management fee (the “Investment Management Fee”) in consideration of the advisory and other services provided by the Investment Adviser to the Fund. Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Adviser a monthly Investment Management Fee equal to 1.35% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s NAV as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. The Investment Management Fee will be paid to the Investment Adviser before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund. NAV means the total value of all assets of the Fund, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund; provided that for purposes of determining the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Adviser for any month, NAV will be calculated prior to any reduction for any fees and expenses of the Fund for that month, including, without limitation, the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Adviser for that month.

 

Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Angel Oak, Angel Oak receives a portfolio management fee equal to 0.50% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s NAV as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Mount Logan, Mount Logan receives a portfolio management fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s NAV as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Palmer Square, Palmer Square receives a portfolio management fee equal to 0.50% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s NAV as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. Each Sub-Adviser’s fee is paid by the Investment Adviser out of the Investment Management Fee.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreements will be available in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to Shareholders. See “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES – THE SUB-ADVISERS” in the SAI for a discussion of the sub-advisory agreements among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and each Sub-Adviser.

 

DISTRIBUTION

 

First Trust Portfolios L.P. is the distributor (also known as principal underwriter) of the Shares of the Fund and is located at 120 E. Liberty Drive, Suite 400, WheatonIllinois 60187. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Distributor is affiliated with the Investment Adviser.

 

 C: 
 34 

 

 

Under a Distribution Agreement with the Fund (the “Distribution Agreement”), the Distributor acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the continuous offering of Shares of the Fund. The Distributor distributes Shares of the Fund on a commercially reasonable efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Shares. The Investment Adviser pays the Distributor out of its own resources a fee for certain distribution-related services. The Distributor and its officers have no role in, or responsibility for, determining the investment policies of the Fund or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund or determining the valuation of the Fund’s assets and liabilities. In addition, the Distributor is not responsible for any operational matters associated with repurchases of Fund Shares.

  

The Distributor or its affiliates may enter into agreements with selected broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries for distribution of Shares. With respect to certain financial intermediaries and related fund “supermarket” platform arrangements, the Fund and/or the Investment Adviser, rather than the Distributor, may enter into such agreements. These financial intermediaries may charge a fee for their services and may receive shareholder service or other fees from parties other than the Distributor. These financial intermediaries may otherwise act as processing agents and are responsible for promptly transmitting purchase, redemption and other requests to the Fund.

 

The Fund may authorize one or more financial intermediaries and their authorized agents that have made arrangements with the Fund (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”) to receive on its behalf purchase orders and repurchase requests. Such Financial Intermediaries are authorized to designate other intermediaries or designees to receive purchase orders and repurchase requests on the Fund’s behalf. The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase order or repurchase request when a Financial Intermediary or, if applicable, a Financial Intermediary’s designee, receives the order or repurchase request. Orders will be priced at the next computed per-class NAV per Share after they are received by a Financial Intermediary or the Financial Intermediary’s authorized designee.

 

Investors may be charged a fee if they effect transactions through a Financial Intermediary or authorized designee. Investors who purchase Shares through Financial Intermediaries will be subject to the procedures of those intermediaries through which they purchase Shares, which may include charges, investment minimums, cutoff times and other restrictions in addition to, or different from, those listed herein. Information concerning any charges or services will be provided to customers by the Financial Intermediary through which they purchase Shares. Investors purchasing Shares of the Fund through Financial Intermediaries should acquaint themselves with their Financial Intermediary’s procedures and should read the Prospectus in conjunction with any materials and information provided by their Financial Intermediary. The Financial Intermediary, and not its customers, will be the shareholder of record, although customers may have the right to vote Shares depending upon their arrangement with the Financial Intermediary. The Investment Adviser pays the Distributor out of its own resources a fee for certain distribution-related services. The maximum amount of compensation to be received by the participating members from any source will not exceed 8% of the proceeds raised in the offering. The Fund intends to rely on an exemptive order granted by the SEC to the Investment Adviser and another fund managed by the Investment Adviser that permits the Fund to offer multiple classes of Shares and to adopt a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class A and Class I Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Distribution and Service Plan allows the Fund to pay distribution and servicing fees for the sale and servicing of its Class A and Class I Shares to qualified recipients. The Fund or other parties may pay the Financial Intermediary for maintaining individual ownership records as well as providing other shareholder services or other services.

 

 C: 
 35 

 

 

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor is solely responsible for its costs and expenses incurred in connection with its registration and qualification as a broker-dealer under state or federal laws. The Distribution Agreement also provides that the Fund will indemnify the Distributor and its affiliates and certain other persons against certain liabilities. In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard by the Distributor in the performance of its duties, obligations, or responsibilities set forth in the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor and its affiliates, including their respective officers, directors, partners, agents, and employees (collectively with the Distributor, the “Distributor Indemnitees”), shall not be liable for, and the Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless such persons from and against any and all taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims, demands and liabilities (including, without limitation, the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged tax, charge, assessment, claim, demand, liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in connection therewith as well as any disbursements and liabilities arising under applicable federal and state laws) (collectively, “Losses”) arising directly or indirectly from the following: (i) the inaccuracy of factual information furnished to the Distributor by the Fund or the Fund’s investment adviser, custodians, or other service providers in any material respect; (ii) any claim that the registration statement, prospectus, statement of additional information, shareholder report, sales literature and advertisements approved for use by the Fund and/or the Fund’s investment adviser or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein (and in the case of the prospectus and statement of additional information, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, or any other statute, regulation, self-regulatory organization rule or applicable common law, except to the extent the statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished by or on behalf of the Distributor in writing; (iii) any wrongful act of the Fund or any of its officers; (iv) any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which the Distribution Agreement relates; (v) the Fund’s breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants contained in the Distribution Agreement; (vi) the Fund’s failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations; (vii) any liability of the Distributor resulting from a representation, covenant or warranty that the Distributor makes, or any indemnification that the Distributor provides, on behalf of the Fund and in reliance on a Fund representation, covenant or warranty in an intermediary agreement relating to the Fund; (viii) the Distributor’s reliance on any instruction, direction, notice, instrument or other information that the Distributor reasonably believes to be genuine; (ix) any other action or omission to act which the Distributor takes in connection with the provision of services to the Fund pursuant to the Distribution Agreement and the Fund’s Prospectus; or (x) any action taken or omitted by the Fund prior to the effective date of the Distribution Agreement. The Distributor also has no duty to calculate the net asset value of Fund Shares or to inquire into, or liability for, the accuracy of the net asset value per Share (including a Class thereof) as calculated by or for the Fund.

 

Class A Shares in the Fund are offered with a maximum sales charge of 5.75% of the subscription amount. The Fund or Investment Adviser may elect to reduce, otherwise modify or waive the sales charge with respect to any Shareholder. No sales charge is expected to be charged with respect to investments by the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates, directors, principals, officers and employees and others in the Fund’s sole discretion. There is no minimum aggregate amount of Shares required to be purchased in any offering.

 

The Investment Adviser, the Distributor and/or its affiliates may make payments to selected affiliated or unaffiliated third parties (including the parties that have entered into selling agreements with the Distributor) from time to time in connection with the distribution of Shares and/or the servicing of Shareholders and/or the Fund. These payments will be made out of the Investment Adviser’s, the Distributor’s and/or affiliates’ own assets, as applicable, and will not represent an additional charge to the Fund. The amount of the foregoing payments may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such payments may provide such third parties or their employees with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund over other investment options. Contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it receives or may receive. The Distributor may reallow all or a portion of the sales load to broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries. Similarly, the Distributor may reallow all or a portion of the distribution and/or service fees to the financial intermediary or other third party; however, the Distributor shall not be obligated to make such payments to the financial intermediaries or other parties unless the Distributor has received a corresponding payment from the Fund. The Distributor may also make payments to financial intermediaries from its own resources, subject to the following conditions: (a) any such payments shall not create any obligation for or recourse against the Fund or Class thereof and (b) the terms and conditions of any such payments are consistent with the Fund’s Prospectus and applicable federal and state securities laws and are disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus or SAI to the extent such laws require. The Distributor may retain any portion of the sales load, distribution and/or service fee not paid to a financial intermediary. See "ADDITIONAL PAYMENT TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES" in the SAI.

 

 C: 
 36 

 

 C: 

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

 

The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class A Shares and Class I Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Distribution and Service Plan allows the Fund to pay distribution and servicing fees for the sale and servicing of its Class A and Class I Shares. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, Class A Shares are permitted to pay as compensation up to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares and Class I Shares are permitted to pay as compensation up to 0.25% on an annualized basis the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class I Shares (collectively, the “Distribution and Servicing Fee”) to qualified recipients. The Fund or the Distributor may pay all or a portion of these fees to any registered securities dealer, financial institution or any other person who renders assistance in distributing or promoting the sale of the respective Class of Shares or who provides certain shareholder services, pursuant to a written agreement. The Distribution and Servicing Fee is paid out of the Fund’s assets attributable to the applicable Class and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of such Class.

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

The Fund has retained the Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc., whose principal business address is 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, to provide administrative services, and to assist with operational needs. The Administrator provides such services to the Fund pursuant to an administration agreement between the Fund and the Administrator (the “Administration Agreement”). The Administrator is responsible directly or through its agents for, among other things, providing the following services to the Fund; (1) maintaining a list of Shareholders and generally performing all actions related to the issuance and repurchase of Shares of the Fund, if any, including delivery of trade confirmations and capital statements; (2) providing certain administrative, clerical and bookkeeping services; (3) providing transfer agency services, services related to the payment of distributions, and accounting services; (4) computing the NAV of the Fund in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and procedures defined in consultation with the Investment Adviser; (5) overseeing the preparation of semi-annual and annual financial statements of the Fund in accordance with GAAP, quarterly reports of the operations of the Fund and information required for tax returns; (6) supervising regulatory compliance matters and preparing certain regulatory filings; and (7) performing additional services, as agreed upon, in connection with the administration of the Fund. The Administrator may from time to time delegate its responsibilities under the Administration Agreement to one or more parties selected by the Administrator, including its affiliates or affiliates of the Investment Adviser.

 

The Fund pays the Administrator an annual fee beginning at 0.11% of the Fund’s net assets and decreasing as assets reach certain levels. In addition, the Fund pays the Administrator its pro-rata share, based on combined assets under management, of an annual relationship-level base fee of $75,000 paid by all registered investment companies advised by the Investment Adviser and serviced by the Administrator (together with the asset-based fee, the “Administration Fee”). This fee structure generally covers fund administration, fund accounting, tax regulation and compliance, transfer agent and record keeping, and custody administration services provided by the Administrator or its affiliates. The amounts listed include certain out of pocket expenses incurred by the Administrator or its affiliates for services provided to the Fund. The Administration Fee is paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund, and therefore decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Fund also reimburses the Administrator for certain out-of-pocket expenses. The Administration Fee and the other terms of the Administration Agreement may change from time to time as may be agreed to by the Fund and the Administrator.

 

The Administration Agreement provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Administrator and any partner, director, officer or employee of the Administrator, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, will not be liable to the Fund for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law or for any act or omission by the person in connection with the performance of administration services for the Fund. The Administration Agreement also provides for indemnification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by the Fund or the Administrator, or any partner, director, officer or employee of the Administrator, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any liability or expense to which the person may be liable that arises in connection with the performance of services to the Fund, so long as the liability or expense is not incurred by reason of the person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund.

 

 C: 

37 

 

 

CUSTODIAN

 

UMB Bank, n.a., an affiliate of the Administrator (the “Custodian”) serves as custodian of the assets of the Fund and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. sub-custodians (which may be banks and trust companies), securities depositories and clearing agencies in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Advisers or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. sub-custodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of the custodian. UMB Bank, n.a.’s principal business address is 1010 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106.

 

FUND EXPENSES

 

The Fund pays all of its expenses, or reimburse the Investment Adviser or its affiliates to the extent they have previously paid such expenses on behalf of the Fund. The expenses of the Fund include, but are not limited to, any fees and expenses in connection with the offering and issuance of Shares; all fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the operation of the Fund; all fees and expenses directly related to portfolio transactions and positions for the Fund’s account such as direct and indirect expenses associated with the Fund’s investments, and enforcing the Fund’s rights in respect of such investments; quotation or valuation expenses; the Investment Management Fee and the Administration Fee; Distribution and Servicing Fee; brokerage commissions; interest and fees on any borrowings by the Fund; professional fees; research expenses (including, without limitation, expenses of consultants who perform fund manager due diligence research); fees and expenses of outside legal counsel (including fees and expenses associated with the review of documentation for prospective investments by the Fund), including foreign legal counsel; accounting, auditing and tax preparation expenses; fees and expenses in connection with repurchase offers and any repurchases or redemptions of Shares; taxes and governmental fees (including tax preparation fees); fees and expenses of any custodian, sub-custodian, transfer agent, and registrar, and any other agent of the Fund; all costs and charges for equipment or services used in communicating information regarding the Fund’s transactions with any custodian or other agent engaged by the Fund; bank services fees; costs and expenses relating to any amendment of the Declaration of Trust or other organizational documents of the Fund; expenses of preparing, amending, printing, and distributing the Prospectus and any other sales material (and any supplements or amendments thereto), reports, notices, other communications to Shareholders, and proxy materials; expenses of preparing, printing, and filing reports and other documents with government agencies; expenses of Shareholders’ meetings, including the solicitation of proxies in connection therewith; expenses of corporate data processing and related services; shareholder recordkeeping and account services, fees, and disbursements; expenses relating to investor and public relations; fees and expenses of the members of the Board who are not employees of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates; insurance premiums; Extraordinary Expenses (as defined below); and all costs and expenses incurred as a result of dissolution, winding-up and termination of the Fund. The Fund may need to sell portfolio securities to pay fees and expenses, which could cause the Fund to realize taxable gains.

 

“Extraordinary Expenses” means all expenses incurred by the Fund outside of the ordinary course of its business, including, without limitation, costs incurred in connection with any claim, litigation, arbitration, mediation, government investigation or dispute and the amount of any judgment or settlement paid in connection therewith, or the enforcement of the rights against any person or entity; costs and expenses for indemnification or contribution payable to any person or entity; expenses of a reorganization, restructuring or merger, as applicable; expenses of holding, or soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders (except to the extent relating to items customarily addressed at an annual meeting of a registered closed-end management investment company); and the expenses of engaging a new administrator, custodian or transfer agent.

 

 C: 

38 

 

 

The Investment Adviser bears all of its expenses and costs incurred in providing investment advisory services to the Fund, including Sub-Advisers’ fees as well as travel and other expenses related to the selection and monitoring of investments. In addition, the Investment Adviser is responsible for the payment of the compensation and expenses of those officers of the Fund affiliated with the Investment Adviser, and making available, without expense to the Fund, the services of such individuals, subject to their individual consent to serve and to any limitations imposed by law.

 

Organizational expenses will be paid out of Fund assets which will be expensed as they are incurred. The Fund bears directly certain ongoing offering costs associated with offers of Shares which will be expensed as they are incurred. Offering costs cannot be deducted by the Fund or the Shareholders.

 

The Investment Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Adviser has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.40% and 1.65% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively (the “Expense Limit”) for an initial term of one year from the effective date of the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (“Initial Term”). The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may not be terminated during the Initial Term by the Fund or the Investment Adviser. After the Initial Term, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may be terminated by the Fund or the Investment Adviser upon 30 days' written notice. Unless it is terminated, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement automatically renews for consecutive one-year terms. Because taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.40% and 1.65% for the Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Adviser may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in effect at the time of the Waiver and the Expense Limit at the time of the recoupment.

 

The Fund’s fees and expenses will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to Shareholders.

 

VOTING

 

Each Shareholder will have the right to cast a number of votes, based on the number of such Shareholder’s Shares, at any meeting of Shareholders called by the Board. Except for the exercise of such voting privileges, Shareholders will not be entitled to participate in the management or control of the Fund’s business and may not act for or bind the Fund.

 

SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS

 

Except for actions under the U.S. federal securities laws, the Amended and Restated By-Laws (“By-Laws”) provide that by virtue of becoming a Shareholder, each Shareholder (i) irrevocably agrees that any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising out of or relating in any way to the Trust, the Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws or asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs (or similar) doctrine, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any other court in the State of Delaware with subject matter jurisdiction, (ii) irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in connection with any such claim, suit, action or proceeding, (iii) irrevocably agrees not to, and waives any right to, assert in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding that (A) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts or any other court to which proceedings in such courts may be appealed, (B) such claim, suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (C) the venue of such claim, suit, action or proceeding is improper, (iv) expressly waives any requirement for the posting of a bond by a party bringing such claim, suit, action or proceeding, (v) consents to process being served in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding by mailing, certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices hereunder, and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof; provided, nothing in clause (v) hereof shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law, and (vi) irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury in any such claim, suit, action or proceeding.

 

 C: 

39 

 

 

The designation of exclusive jurisdictions may make it more expensive for a Shareholder to bring a suit than if the Shareholder were permitted to select another jurisdiction. Also, the designation of exclusive jurisdictions and the waiver of jury trials limit a Shareholder’s ability to litigate a claim in the jurisdiction and in a manner that may be more convenient and favorable to the Shareholder.

 

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 

The Fund may be subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest.

 

The Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates engage in financial advisory activities that are independent from, and may from time to time conflict with, those of the Fund. In the future, there might arise instances where the interests of such affiliates conflict with the interests of the Fund. The Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates may provide services to, invest in, advise, sponsor and/or act as Investment Adviser to investment vehicles and other persons or entities (including prospective investors in the Fund) which may have structures, investment objectives and/or policies that are similar to (or different than) those of the Fund; which may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities; and which may, subject to applicable law, co- invest with the Fund in certain transactions. In addition, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates and respective clients may themselves invest in securities that would be appropriate for the Fund.

 

The Fund has applied for exemptive relief from the SEC that would permit the Fund to participate in certain negotiated investments alongside other funds managed by the Investment Adviser or certain of its affiliates outside the parameters of Section 17 of the Investment Company Act , subject to certain conditions including (i) that a majority of the Trustees of the Board who have no financial interest in the co-investment transaction and a majority of the Trustees of the Board who are not “interested persons,” as defined in the Investment Company Act, approve the 17(d) investment and (ii) that the price, terms and conditions of the 17(d) investment will be identical for each fund participating pursuant to the exemptive relief. The Fund will not engage in 17(d) investments alongside affiliates unless the Fund has received an order granting such exemptive relief or unless such investments are not prohibited by Section 17(d) of the Investment Company Act or interpretations of Section 17(d) as expressed in SEC no-action letters or other available guidance. There can be no assurance when or if the Fund will obtain such exemptive relief. Furthermore, even if the Fund obtains exemptive relief, it could be limited in its ability to invest in certain investments in which the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates are investing or are invested.

 

Although the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates will seek to allocate investment opportunities among the Fund and their other clients in a fair and reasonable manner, there can be no assurance that an investment opportunity which comes to the attention of the Investment Adviser, the Sub- Advisers and their affiliates will be appropriate for the Fund or will be referred to the Fund. The Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates are not obligated to refer any investment opportunity to the Fund.

 

The directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees of the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts (including through funds managed by the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates). As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, investments may be made by directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees that are the same, different from or made at different times than investments made for the Fund. To reduce the possibility that the Fund will be materially adversely affected by the personal trading described above, the Fund, and Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers have adopted codes of ethics (collectively, the “Codes of Ethics”) in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the portfolio transactions of the Fund. The Codes of Ethics are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov, and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by email at publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 C: 

40 

 

 

OUTSTANDING SECURITIES

 

As of the date of this Prospectus, there were no outstanding Shares of the Fund.

 

TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE

 

A substantial portion of the Fund’s investments are illiquid. For this reason, the Fund is structured as a closed-end interval fund which means that the Shareholders will not have the right to redeem their Shares on a daily basis. In addition, the Fund does not expect any trading market to develop for the Shares. As a result, if investors decide to invest in the Fund, they will have very limited opportunity to sell their Shares.

 

The Fund intends to provide a limited degree of liquidity to the Shareholders by conducting repurchase offers quarterly with a Valuation Date (as defined below) on or about March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year.

 

For each repurchase offer the Board will set an amount between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s Shares based on relevant factors, including the liquidity of the Fund’s positions and the Shareholders’ desire for liquidity. A Shareholder whose Shares (or a portion thereof) are repurchased by the Fund will not be entitled to a return of any sales charge that was charged in connection with the Shareholder’s purchase of the Shares.

 

Shares will be repurchased at their NAV determined as of approximately March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, as applicable (each such date, a “Valuation Date”). Shareholders tendering Shares for repurchase will be asked to give written notice of their intent to do on the Valuation Date as specified in the notice describing the terms of the applicable repurchase offer. Shareholders who tender may not have all of the tendered Shares repurchased by the Fund. If over-subscriptions occur, the Fund may elect to repurchase less than the full amount that a Shareholder requests to be repurchased. In such an event, the Fund may repurchase only a pro rata portion of the amount tendered by each Shareholder.

 

In certain circumstances, the Board may require a Shareholder to tender its Shares. Any such redemption will be conducted consistent with the requirements of rule 23c-2 under the Investment Company Act.

 

A Shareholder who tenders for repurchase only a portion of their Shares in the Fund will be required to maintain a minimum account balance of $1,000. If a Shareholder tenders a portion of their Shares and the repurchase of that portion would cause the Shareholder’s account balance to fall below this required minimum of $1,000, the Fund reserves the right to repurchase all of such Shareholder’s outstanding Shares. Such minimum capital account balance requirement may also be waived by the Board in its sole discretion, subject to applicable federal securities laws.

 

TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES

 

Once each quarter, the Fund will offer to repurchase at per-class NAV per Share no less than 5% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements (as discussed below). For each repurchase offer the Board will set an amount between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s Shares based on relevant factors, including the liquidity of the Fund’s positions and the Shareholders’ desire for liquidity. The offer to purchase shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act). Shareholders will be notified in writing of each quarterly repurchase offer and the date the repurchase offer ends (the “Repurchase Request Deadline”). Shares will be repurchased at the per-class NAV per Share determined as of the close of business no later than the seventh day after the Repurchase Request Deadline, or the next business day if the seventh day is not a business day (each a “Repurchase Pricing Date”).

 

 C: 

41 

 

 

Shareholders will be notified in writing about each quarterly repurchase offer, how they may request that the Fund repurchase their Shares, and the “Repurchase Request Deadline,” which is the date the repurchase offer ends. Shares tendered for repurchase by shareholders prior to any Repurchase Request Deadline will be repurchased subject to the aggregate repurchase amounts established for that Repurchase Request Deadline. The time between the notification to Shareholders and the Repurchase Request Deadline is generally thirty (30) days, but may vary from no more than forty-two (42) days to no less than twenty-one (21) days. The Shareholder Notification will contain information Shareholders should consider in deciding whether to tender their Shares for repurchase. The Shareholder Notification also will include detailed instructions on how to tender Shares for repurchase, state the Repurchase Offer Amount and identify the dates of the Repurchase Request Deadline, the scheduled Repurchase Pricing Date, and the date the repurchase proceeds are scheduled for payment (the “Repurchase Payment Deadline”). The Shareholder Notification also will set forth the NAV per Share that has been computed no more than seven (7) days before the date of such notification, and how Shareholders may ascertain the NAV per Share after the notification date. Payment pursuant to the repurchase will be made by checks to the Shareholder’s address of record, or credited directly to a predetermined bank account on the Purchase Payment Date, which will be no more than seven (7) days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Board may establish other policies for repurchases of Shares that are consistent with the Investment Company Act, regulations thereunder and other pertinent laws.

 

If Shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund may, but is not required to, repurchase an additional amount of Shares not to exceed 2% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund on the Repurchase Request Deadline. If the Fund determines not to repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, or if Shareholders tender Shares in an amount exceeding the Repurchase Offer Amount plus 2% of the outstanding Shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will repurchase the Shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders who own less than $1,000 worth of Shares and who tender all of their Shares, before prorating other amounts tendered. In addition, the Fund will accept the total number of Shares tendered in connection with required minimum distributions from an IRA or other qualified retirement plan. It is the Shareholder’s obligation to both notify and provide the Fund supporting documentation of a required minimum distribution from an IRA or other qualified retirement plan.

 

The Fund may suspend or postpone a repurchase offer only: (a) if making or effecting the repurchase offer would cause the Fund to lose its status as a RIC under the Code; (b) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange or any market on which the securities owned by the Fund are principally traded is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or during which trading in such market is restricted; (c) for 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 during which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (d) for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of Shareholders of the Fund.

 

The Fund must maintain liquid assets equal to the Repurchase Offer Amount from the time that the Shareholder Notification is sent to Shareholders until the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Fund will ensure that a percentage of its net assets equal to at least 100% of the Repurchase Offer Amount consists of assets that can be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which the Fund has valued the investment within the time period between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Payment Deadline. The Board has adopted procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the Fund’s assets are sufficiently liquid so that the Fund can comply with the repurchase offer and the liquidity requirements described in the previous paragraph. If, at any time, the Fund falls out of compliance with these liquidity requirements, the Board will take whatever action it deems appropriate to ensure compliance.

 

 C: 

42 

 

 

The Fund may cause a mandatory repurchase or redemption of all or some of the Shares of a Shareholder, or any person acquiring Shares from or through a Shareholder, at net asset value in accordance with the Declaration of Trust and Section 23 of the Investment Company Act and Rule 23c-2 thereunder.

 

TRANSFERS OF SHARES

 

There is no public market for the Shares and none is expected to develop. The Fund does not list its Shares on a stock exchange or similar market. Shares are transferable only in limited circumstances as described below, and liquidity for investments in Shares may be provided only through the repurchase offers described above. If a shareholder attempts to transfer Shares in violation of the Fund’s transfer restrictions, the transfer will not be permitted and will be void. An investment in the Fund is therefore suitable only for investors that can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment.

 

No person shall become a substituted Shareholder of the Fund without the consent of the Fund, which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion. Shares held by Shareholders may be transferred only: (i) by operation of law in connection with the death, divorce, bankruptcy, insolvency, or adjudicated incompetence of the Shareholder; or (ii) under other limited circumstances, with the consent of the Board (which may be withheld in its sole discretion and is expected to be granted, if at all, only under extenuating circumstances).

 

Notice to the Fund of any proposed transfer must include evidence satisfactory to the Board that the proposed transferee, at the time of transfer, meets any requirements imposed by the Fund with respect to investor eligibility and suitability. Notice of a proposed transfer of a Share must also be accompanied by a properly completed investor application in respect of the proposed transferee. In connection with any request to transfer Shares, the Fund may require the Shareholder requesting the transfer to obtain, at the Shareholder’s expense, an opinion of counsel selected by the Fund as to such matters as the Fund may reasonably request. The Board generally will not consent to a transfer of Shares by a Shareholder (i) unless such transfer is to a single transferee, or (ii) if, after the transfer of the Shares, the balance of the account of each of the transferee and transferor is less than $1,000. Each transferring Shareholder and transferee may be charged reasonable expenses, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ and accountants’ fees, incurred by the Fund in connection with the transfer.

 

Any transferee acquiring Shares by operation of law in connection with the death, divorce, bankruptcy, insolvency, or adjudicated incompetence of the Shareholder, will be entitled to the distributions allocable to the Shares so acquired, to transfer the Shares in accordance with the terms of the Declaration of Trust and to tender the Shares for repurchase by the Fund, but will not be entitled to the other rights of a Shareholder unless and until the transferee becomes a substituted Shareholder as specified in the Declaration of Trust. If a Shareholder transfers Shares with the approval of the Board, the Fund shall as promptly as practicable take all necessary actions so that each transferee or successor to whom the Shares are transferred is admitted to the Fund as a Shareholder.

 

By subscribing for Shares, each Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the Board, the Investment Adviser, and each other Shareholder, and any affiliate of the foregoing against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including legal or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses or any judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement), joint or several, to which such persons may become subject by reason of or arising from any transfer made by that Shareholder in violation of the Declaration of Trust or any misrepresentation made by that Shareholder in connection with any such transfer.

 

ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING

 

If the Fund, the Investment Adviser or any governmental agency believes that the Fund has sold Shares to, or is otherwise holding assets of, any person or entity that is acting, directly or indirectly, in violation of U.S., international or other anti-money laundering laws, rules, regulations, treaties or other restrictions, or on behalf of any suspected terrorist or terrorist organization, suspected drug trafficker, or senior foreign political figure(s) suspected of engaging in corruption, the Fund, the Investment Adviser or such governmental agency may freeze the assets of such person or entity invested in the Fund or suspend the repurchase of Shares. The Fund may also be required to, or deem it necessary or advisable to, remit or transfer those assets to a governmental agency, in some cases without prior notice to the investor.

 

 C: 

43 

 

 

CREDIT FACILITY

 

The Fund may enter into one or more credit agreements or other similar agreements negotiated on market terms (each, a “Borrowing Transaction”) with one or more banks or other financial institutions (each, a “Financial Institution”) as chosen by the Investment Adviser and approved by the Board. The Fund may borrow under a credit facility for a number of reasons, including without limitation, to pay fees and expenses, to make income distributions and to satisfy certain repurchase offers in a timely manner to ensure liquidity for the investors. To facilitate such Borrowing Transactions, the Fund may pledge its assets to the Financial Institution.

 

CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

GENERAL

 

The Administrator calculates the Fund’s NAV as of the close of business on each business day and at such other times as the Board may determine, including in connection with repurchases of Shares, in accordance with the procedures described below or as may be determined from time to time in accordance with policies established by the Board (each, a “Determination Date”).

 

The Board has approved valuation procedures for the Fund (the “Valuation Procedures”). The Valuation Procedures provide that the Fund will value its investments at fair value. The Board has approved the delegation of the day to day responsibility for determining these fair values in accordance with the Valuation Procedures to the Investment Adviser as valuation designee (the “Valuation Designee”). The Valuation Committee will oversee the valuation of the Fund's investments on behalf of the Fund. Securities traded on one or more of the U.S. national securities exchanges, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any foreign stock exchange will be valued at the last sale price or the official closing price on the exchange or system where such securities are principally traded for the business day as of the relevant Determination Date. If no sale or official closing price of particular securities are reported on a particular day, the securities will be valued at the closing bid price for securities held long, or the closing ask price for securities held short, or if a closing bid or ask price, as applicable, is not available, at either the exchange or system-defined closing price on the exchange or system in which such securities are principally traded. Over-the- counter securities not quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market will be valued at the last sale price on the relevant Determination Date or, if no sale occurs, at the last bid price, in the case of securities held long, or the last ask price, in the case of securities held short, at the time NAV is determined. Equity securities for which no prices are obtained under the foregoing procedures, including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect the market value, will be valued at the bid price, in the case of securities held long, or the ask price, in the case of securities held short, supplied by one or more dealers making a market in those securities or one or more brokers, in accordance with the Valuation Procedures. Futures index options will be valued at the mid-point between the last bid price and the last ask price on the relevant Determination Date at the time NAV is determined. The mid-point of the last bid and the last ask is also known as the ‘mark’.

 

Fixed-income securities with a remaining maturity of sixty (60) days or more for which accurate market quotations are readily available will normally be valued according to dealer-supplied mean quotations or mean quotations from a recognized pricing service. Fixed-income securities for which market quotations are not readily available or are believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect market value will be valued based upon broker- supplied quotations in accordance with the Valuation Procedures, provided that if such quotations are unavailable or are believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect market value, such fixed-income securities will be valued at fair value in accordance with the Valuation Procedures, which may include the utilization of valuation models that take into account spread and daily yield changes on government securities in the appropriate market (e.g., matrix pricing). High quality investment grade debt securities (e.g., treasuries, commercial paper, etc.) with a remaining maturity of sixty (60) days or less are valued by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser at amortized cost, which the Board has determined to approximate fair value. All other instruments held by the Fund will be valued in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.

 

 C: 

44 

 

 

If no price is obtained for a security in accordance with the foregoing, because either an external price is not readily available or such external price is believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect the market value, the Valuation Committee will make a determination in good faith of the fair value of the security in accordance with the Valuation Procedures. In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset and will be used when there is no public market or possibly no market at all for the asset. The fair values of one or more assets may not be the prices at which those assets are ultimately sold and the differences may be significant.

 

Private Debt Investments. The Fund’s Board has approved procedures pursuant to which the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser and the Board will use their best efforts to ensure that the value of each private debt instrument is adjusted based on the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s estimate of what actual fair value would be under current market conditions. The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser will evaluate each private debt investment’s fair value based on numerous factors, including but not limited to changes in credit risk, construction risk, the financial strength of the borrower, and the debt instrument’s spread to US Treasuries. The Funds will also engage qualified external valuation consultants to provide valuation information, typically on a quarterly basis, but at least semiannually.

 

The Fund will generally value any private debt investments at the lesser of their amortized cost or the high end of any valuation range as provided by a qualified external valuation consultant. In certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may determine that this amount does not represent the fair value of the private debt investment based on current market conditions. In such an instance, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee will fair value the investment. In its fair valuation assessment process, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee may consider any information it deems appropriate including external valuation consultants. Any such fair valuation determinations will be made in good faith by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee, subject to the review and ratification of the Fund’s Valuation Committee. The Distributor is under no duty to verify any valuations of the Fund’s investments.

 

Other Securities. Securities for which the primary market is a national securities exchange are valued at the last reported sales price on the day of valuation. Listed securities for which no sale was reported on that date are valued at the mean between the most recent bid and asked prices. Securities traded on the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing bid prices. Valuation of short-term cash equivalent investments will be at amortized cost.

 

The Investment Adviser and/or the Sub-Advisers act as investment adviser to other clients that may invest in securities for which no public market price exists. Valuation determinations by the Investment Adviser and/or the Sub-Advisers or their affiliates for other clients may result in different values than those ascribed to the same security owned by the Fund. Consequently, the fees charged to the Fund may be different than those charged to other clients, given that the method of calculating the fees takes the value of all assets, including assets carried at different valuations, into consideration.

 

Prospective investors should be aware that situations involving uncertainties as to the value of portfolio positions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s NAV if the judgments of the Board or the Valuation Committee regarding appropriate valuations should prove incorrect. In no event does the Distributor have any responsibility for any valuations of the Fund’s investments (including the accuracy, reliability or completeness thereof) or for the valuation processes utilized for the Fund, and the Distributor disclaims any and all liability for any direct, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of any inaccuracy or incompleteness in valuations. The Distributor has no duty to calculate the NAV of Fund Shares or to inquire into, or liability for, the accuracy of the NAV per Share (including a Class thereof) as calculated by or for the Fund.

 

 C: 

45 

 

 

SUSPENSION OF CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

As noted above, the Administrator calculates the Fund’s NAV as of the close of business on each business day. However, there may be circumstances where it may not be practicable to determine a NAV, such as during any period when the principal stock exchanges for securities in which the Fund has invested its assets are closed other than for weekends and customary holidays (or when trading on such exchanges is restricted or suspended). In such circumstances, the Board (after consultation with the Investment Adviser) may suspend the calculation of NAV. The Fund will not accept subscriptions for Shares if the calculation of NAV is suspended, and the suspension may require the termination of a pending repurchase offer by the Fund (or the postponement of the Valuation Date for a repurchase offer). Notwithstanding a suspension of the calculation of NAV, the Fund will be required to determine the value of its assets and report NAV in its semi-annual and annual reports to Shareholders, and in its reports on Form N-PORT filed with the SEC after the end of the first and third quarters of the Fund’s fiscal year. The Administrator will resume calculation of the Fund’s NAV after the Board (in consultation with the Investment Adviser) determines that conditions no longer require suspension of the calculation of NAV.

 

DISTRIBUTION POLICY

 

The Fund intends to make monthly distributions to its shareholders equal to 5% annually of the Fund’s NAV per Share (the “Distribution Policy”). This predetermined dividend rate may be modified by the Board from time to time, and increased to the extent of the Fund's investment company taxable income that it is required to distribute in order to maintain its status as a regulated investment company.

 

If, for any distribution, available cash is less than the amount of this predetermined dividend rate then assets of the Fund will be sold, which may result in additional gain, and a portion of the distribution may be a tax-free return of capital from the Fund’s assets. The Fund’s final distribution for each calendar year will include any remaining investment company taxable income and net tax- exempt income undistributed during the year, as well as the net capital gain realized during the year. If the total distributions made in any calendar year exceed investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt income and net capital gain, such excess distributed amount would be treated as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Payments in excess of the earnings and profits would first be a tax- free return of capital to the extent of the adjusted tax basis in the Shares. After such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, the payment would constitute capital gain (assuming the Shares are held as capital assets). This Distribution Policy may, under certain circumstances, have certain adverse consequences to the Fund and its shareholders because it may result in more dividend income for shareholders than would otherwise be the case and/or a return of capital resulting in less of a shareholder’s assets being invested in the Fund and, over time, increase the Fund’s expense ratio. The Distribution Policy also may cause the Fund to sell a security at a time it would not otherwise do so in order to make the monthly distributions.

 

Unless the registered owner of Shares elects to receive cash, all dividends declared on Shares will be automatically reinvested in additional Shares of the Fund. See “DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN.”

 

The dividend distribution described above may result in the payment of approximately the same amount or percentage to the Fund’s shareholders each period. Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act and Rule 19a-1 thereunder require the Fund to provide a written statement accompanying any such payment that adequately discloses its source or sources. Thus, if the source of the dividend or other distribution were the original capital contribution of the shareholder, and the payment amounted to a return of capital, the Fund would be required to provide written disclosure to that effect. As required under the Investment Company Act, the Fund will provide a notice to shareholders at the time of a payment or distribution when such does not consist solely of net income. Additionally, each payment will be accompanied by a written statement which discloses the source or sources of each payment. The IRS requires you to report these amounts, excluding returns of capital, (such amounts will be reported by the Fund to shareholders on IRS Form 1099) on your income tax return for the year declared. The Fund will provide disclosures, with each payment, that estimates the percentages of the current and year-to-date payments that represent (1) net investment income, (2) capital gains and (3) return of capital. At the end of the year, the Fund may be required under applicable law to re-characterize payments made previously during that year among (1) ordinary income, (2) capital gains and (3) return of capital for tax purposes. Nevertheless, persons who periodically receive the payments may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits when they are not. Shareholders should read any written disclosure provided pursuant to Section 19(a) and Rule 19a-1 carefully and should not assume that the source of any payment from the Fund is net profit.

 

 C: 

46 

 

 

The Board reserves the right to change the Distribution Policy from time to time.

 

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

 

The Fund has a dividend reinvestment plan (the “DRIP”). Unless a Shareholder elects to receive cash by contacting the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at 1-877-779-1999 or 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, all dividends and/or capital gains distributions declared on Shares will be automatically reinvested in full and fractional Shares at the Fund’s then current NAV. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the DRIP will receive all dividends and capital gains distributions in cash paid by check mailed directly to the shareholder of record or via electronic funds transfer (or, if the Shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee) by the Administrator as dividend disbursing agent. Participation in the DRIP is completely voluntary and may be terminated or resumed at any time without penalty by notice if received and processed by the Administrator prior to the dividend record date; otherwise such termination or resumption will be effective with respect to any subsequently declared dividend or other distribution. Such notice will be effective with respect to a particular dividend or other distribution (together, a “Dividend”). Some brokers or dealers may automatically elect to receive cash on behalf of Shareholders who hold their Shares in the broker or dealer’s name and may re-invest that cash in additional Shares. Reinvested Dividends will increase the Fund’s assets on which the Investment Management Fee is payable to the Investment Adviser.

 

Whenever the Fund declares a dividend and/or capital gain payable in cash, non-participants in the DRIP will receive cash and participants in the DRIP will receive the equivalent in Shares. The Shares will be acquired by the Administrator for the DRIP participants’ accounts through receipt of additional unissued but authorized Shares from the Fund (“Newly Issued Shares”).

 

The Administrator maintains all Shareholders’ accounts in the DRIP and furnishes written confirmation of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by Shareholders for tax records. Shares in the account of each DRIP participant will be held by the Administrator on behalf of the DRIP participant, and each Shareholder proxy will include those Shares purchased or received pursuant to the DRIP. The Administrator will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for Shares held under the DRIP in accordance with the instructions of the participants.

 

Beneficial owners of Shares who hold their Shares in the name of a broker or dealer should contact the broker or nominee to determine whether and how they may participate in, or opt out of, the DRIP. In the case of Shareholders such as banks, brokers or dealers that hold shares for others who are the beneficial owners, the Administrator will administer the DRIP on the basis of the number of Shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners who participate in the DRIP.

 

There will be no brokerage charges with respect to Shares issued directly by the Fund. The automatic reinvestment of dividends and/or capital gains in Shares under the DRIP will not relieve participants of any federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such dividends and/or capital gains, even though such participants have not received any cash with which to pay the resulting tax. See “TAXES — SHAREHOLDER TAXATION — DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS” below.

 

The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the DRIP. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases in the DRIP; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the DRIP to include a service charge payable by the participants.

 

 C: 

47 

 

 

All correspondence or questions concerning the Plan should be directed to the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at 1-877-779-1999 or 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212.

 

TAXES

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The following is a summary of certain material federal income tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of Shares. Because the federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund may vary from Shareholder to Shareholder depending on each Shareholder’s unique federal income tax circumstances, this summary does not attempt to discuss all of the federal income tax consequences of such an investment. Among other things, except in certain limited cases, this summary does not purport to deal with persons in special situations (such as financial institutions, non-U.S. persons, insurance companies, entities exempt from federal income tax, regulated investment companies, dealers in commodities and securities and pass through entities). Further, to the limited extent this summary discusses possible foreign, state and local income tax consequences, it does so in a very general manner. Finally, this summary does not purport to discuss federal tax consequences (such as estate and gift tax consequences) other than those arising under the federal income tax laws. You are therefore urged to consult your tax advisers to determine the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of Shares.

 

The following summary is based upon the Code as well as administrative regulations and rulings and judicial decisions thereunder, as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change at any time (possibly on a retroactive basis). Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the tax consequences to the Fund or Shareholders will continue to be as described herein.

 

The Fund has not sought or obtained a ruling from the IRS (or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental agency) or an opinion of legal counsel as to any specific federal, state, local or foreign tax matter that may affect it. Accordingly, although this summary is considered to be a correct interpretation of applicable law, no assurance can be given that a court or taxing authority will agree with such interpretation or with the tax positions taken by the Fund.

 

Except where specifically noted, this summary relates solely to U.S. Shareholders. A U.S. Shareholder for purposes of this discussion is a person who is a citizen or a resident alien of the U.S., a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) organized under the laws of the U.S. or any political subdivision thereof, an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source or a trust if: (i) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

TAXATION OF THE FUND

 

The Fund intends to qualify as a RIC under federal income tax law. As a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal corporate income taxes, provided that it distributes out to Shareholders its taxable income and gain each year. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in stock, securities or currencies, or net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

 C: 

48 

 

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of the issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

Third, the Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

 

The Fund intends to comply with this distribution requirement. If the Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund could be disqualified as a RIC. If for any taxable year the Fund were not to qualify as a RIC, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to Shareholders. In that event, taxable Shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, although Shareholders that are corporations could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

 

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on RICs that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

Certain of the Fund’s investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a taxable year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. Additionally, some of the CLOs in which the Fund invests may constitute passive foreign investment companies, or under certain circumstances, controlled foreign corporations. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to RICs and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, raise additional debt or equity capital, make taxable distributions of its shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make these income distributions. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize gain or loss on such liquidations; in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, the Fund shareholders may receive larger capital gain distributions than they would in the absence of such transactions.

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund to the extent necessary to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income that it does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

SHAREHOLDER TAXATION

 

Distributions to Shareholders. The Fund contemplates declaring as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income. In general, distributions will be taxable to you for federal, state and local income tax purposes unless you are a tax-exempt entity, including qualified retirement plans or individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”). Distributions are taxable whether they are received in cash or reinvested in Fund Shares. A Shareholder may thus recognize income and gains taxable for federal, state and local income tax purposes and not receive any cash distributions to pay any resulting taxes.

 

 C: 

49 

 

 

Fund distributions, if any, that are attributable to “qualified dividend income” or “long-term capital gains” earned by the Fund would be taxable to non- corporate Shareholders at reduced rates. Shareholders must have owned the Fund Shares for at least sixty-one (61) days during the one hundred twenty-one (121) day period beginning sixty (60) days before the ex-dividend date to benefit from the lower rates on qualified dividend income. However, U.S. individuals with modified adjusted gross income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly) and trusts and estates with income above specified levels are subject to a 3.8% tax on their net investment income, which includes interest, dividends and capital gains.

 

Shareholders are generally taxed on any dividends from the Fund in the year they are actually distributed, except that dividends declared in October, November or December of a year, and paid in January of the following year, will generally be treated for federal income tax purposes as having been paid to Shareholders on December 31st of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

Certain Withholding Taxes. The Fund may be subject to taxes, including foreign withholding taxes, attributable to investments of the Fund. If at the close of the Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the value of its assets consists of foreign stock or securities, the Fund will be eligible to elect, for federal income tax purposes, to treat certain foreign taxes paid by it, including generally any withholding and other foreign income taxes, as paid by its Shareholders. If the Fund so elects, the pro rata amount of such foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be included in its Shareholders’ income and each such Shareholder will be entitled either (1) to credit that proportional amount of taxes against U.S. Federal income tax liability as a foreign tax credit or (2) to take that amount as an itemized deduction. The Fund does not expect to be able to make such election.

 

Sales, Exchanges and Redemptions. You will recognize taxable gain or loss on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares in an amount equal to the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, this gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending on whether your holding period exceeds twelve (12) months. Additionally, any loss realized on a disposition of shares of the Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of sixty-one (61) days beginning thirty (30) days before and ending thirty (30) days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.

 

The Fund is required to compute and report the cost basis of shares sold, exchanged or redeemed. The Fund has elected to use the First In, First Out (“FIFO”) method, unless you instruct the Fund to select a different method, or choose to specifically identify your shares at the time of each sale, exchange or redemption. If your account is held by your broker or other advisor, they may select a different method. In these cases, please contact the holder of your shares to obtain information with respect to the available methods and elections for your account. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal and state income tax returns.

 

 C: 

50 

 

 

Pursuant to the Regulations directed at tax shelter activity, taxpayers are required to disclose to the IRS certain information on Form 8886 if they participate in a “reportable transaction.” A transaction may be a “reportable transaction” based upon any of several indicia with respect to a shareholder, including the recognition of a loss in excess of certain thresholds (for individuals, $2 million in one year or $4 million in any combination of years). Investors should consult their own tax advisers concerning any possible disclosure obligation with respect to their investment in Fund Shares.

 

IRAs and Other Tax Qualified Plans. In general, dividends received and gain or loss realized with respect to shares held in an IRA or other tax qualified plan are not currently taxable unless the Fund Shares were acquired with borrowed funds.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign Shareholders. Nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign investors in the Fund will generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on Fund distributions attributable to net capital gains. However, the Fund does not expect to make significant distributions that will be designated as net capital gains. Moreover, the exemption may not apply, if the investment in the Fund is connected to a trade or business of the foreign investor in the United States or if the foreign investor is present in the United States for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met.

 

Fund distributions attributable to other categories of Fund income, such as interest from non-U.S. payors, and dividends from companies whose securities are held by the Fund, will generally be subject to a 30% withholding tax when paid to foreign shareholders. However, the Fund may be able to designate a portion of the distributions made as interest related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends which are generally exempt from this withholding tax. The withholding tax may, however, be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and a shareholder’s country of residence or incorporation, provided that the shareholder furnishes the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN or W-BEN-E to establish entitlement to these treaty benefits.

 

A foreign investor will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on sales or exchanges of Fund shares unless the investment in the Fund is connected to a trade or business of the investor in the United States or if the investor is present in the United States for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met.

 

In addition, the Fund will be required to withhold 30% tax on certain payments to foreign entities that do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

 

All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund in their country of residence.

 

State and Local Taxes. In addition to the U.S. federal income tax consequences summarized above, you may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions, sales, exchanges, and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of the Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities.

 

Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Under applicable “backup withholding” requirements, the Fund may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the IRS a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale exchange or redemption payable to Shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subjected to backup withholding by the IRS for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are “exempt recipients.” The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a Shareholder will be allowed as a credit against the Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such a Shareholder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

 

 C: 

51 

 

 

OTHER TAX MATTERS

 

The preceding is a summary of some of the tax rules and considerations affecting Shareholders and the Fund’s operations, and does not purport to be a complete analysis of all relevant tax rules and considerations, nor does it purport to be a complete listing of all potential tax risks inherent in making an investment in the Fund. A Shareholder may be subject to other taxes, including but not limited to, state and local taxes, estate and inheritance taxes, and intangible taxes that may be imposed by various jurisdictions. The Fund also may be subject to state, local, and foreign taxes that could reduce cash distributions to Shareholders. It is the responsibility of each Shareholder to file all appropriate tax returns that may be required. Each prospective Shareholder is urged to consult with his or her tax adviser with respect to any investment in the Fund.

 

ERISA AND CODE CONSIDERATIONS

 

Persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an employee benefit plan or other arrangements subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) (an “ERISA Plan”), certain IRAs, or certain Keogh plans, should consider, among other things, the matters described below before determining whether to invest in the Fund. ERISA imposes certain general and specific responsibilities on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an ERISA Plan, including prudence, diversification, the avoidance of prohibited transactions, and other standards. In determining whether a particular investment is appropriate for an ERISA Plan, U.S. Department of Labor regulations provide that a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan must give appropriate consideration to, among other things, the role that the investment plays in the ERISA Plan’s portfolio, whether the investment is designed reasonably to further the ERISA Plan’s purposes, the risk and return factors, the portfolio’s composition with regard to diversification, the liquidity and current total return of the portfolio relative to the anticipated cash flow needs of the ERISA Plan and the proposed investment, the income taxes (if any) attributable to the investment, and the projected return of the investment relative to the ERISA Plan’s funding objectives. Before investing the assets of an ERISA Plan in the Fund, an ERISA Plan fiduciary should determine whether such an investment is consistent with ERISA’s fiduciary responsibilities and the foregoing considerations. If a fiduciary with respect to any such ERISA Plan breaches such responsibilities with regard to selecting an investment or an investment course of action for such ERISA Plan, the fiduciary may be held personally liable for losses incurred by the ERISA Plan as a result of such breach. Non-ERISA-covered IRAs and Keogh plans and other arrangements not subject to ERISA, but subject to the prohibited transaction rules of Section 4975 of the Code (“Code Plans”; together with ERISA Plans, “Plans”), should determine whether an investment in the Fund will violate those rules.

 

Because the Fund will be registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered “plan assets” of the Plans investing in the Fund for purposes of ERISA’s fiduciary responsibility rules and ERISA and the Code’s prohibited transaction rules. Thus, neither the Investment Adviser nor any Sub-Adviser will be a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA and the Code with respect to the assets of any Plan that becomes a Shareholder of the Fund, solely as a result of the Plan’s investment in the Fund.

 

Certain prospective ERISA Plan investors may currently maintain relationships with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser or with other entities that are affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser. Each of such persons may be deemed to be a party in interest to, a disqualified person of, and/ or a fiduciary of any ERISA Plan to which it provides investment management, investment advisory, or other services. ERISA and the Code prohibit ERISA Plan assets from being used for the benefit of a party in interest or disqualified person and also prohibit a fiduciary from using its position to cause the ERISA Plan to make an investment from which it or certain third parties in which such fiduciary has an interest would receive a fee or other consideration. ERISA Plan investors should consult with legal counsel to determine if participation in the Fund is a transaction that is prohibited by ERISA or the Code. ERISA Plan fiduciaries will be required to represent that the decision to invest in the Fund was made by them as fiduciaries that are independent of such affiliated persons, that they are duly authorized to make such investment decisions, and that they have not relied on any individualized advice or recommendation of such affiliated persons as a primary basis for the decision to invest in the Fund.

 

 C: 

52 

 

 

The provisions of ERISA and the Code are subject to extensive and continuing administrative and judicial interpretation and review. The discussion of ERISA and the Code contained herein is, of necessity, general and may be affected by the future publication or the future applicability of final regulations and rulings. Potential investors should consult with their legal advisers regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Code of the acquisition and ownership of Shares.

  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

 

The Fund is authorized to offer two separate classes of Shares designated as Class A Shares and Class I Shares. While the Fund presently intends to offer two classes of Shares, it may offer other classes of Shares as well in the future. From time to time, the Board may create and offer additional classes of Shares, or may vary the characteristics of Class A Shares and Class I Shares described herein, including without limitation, in the following respects: (1) the amount of fees permitted by a distribution and/or service plan as to such class; (2) voting rights with respect to a distribution and/or service plan as to such class; (3) different class designations; (4) the impact of any class expenses directly attributable to a particular class of Shares; (5) differences in any dividends and NAVs resulting from differences in fees under a distribution and/or service plan or in class expenses; (6) any sales load structure; and (7) any conversion features, as permitted under the Investment Company Act. The Fund’s repurchase offers will be made to all of its classes of Shares at the same time, in the same proportional amounts and on the same terms, except for differences in NAVs resulting from differences in fees under a distribution and/or service plan or in class expenses.

 

PURCHASING SHARES

 

PURCHASE TERMS

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A Shares by any investor is $1,000 and the minimum initial investment in Class I Shares by any investor is $1,000. The minimum additional investment in the Fund by any Shareholder is $1,000. However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below these minimums. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and their immediate family members without being subject to the minimum investment requirements. The Shares were initially issued at $10.00 per share. Thereafter the purchase price for each class of Shares is based on the NAV per Share of that Class as of the date such Shares are purchased.

 

Class A Shares are sold at the public offering price, which is the NAV plus an initial maximum sales charge, which varies with the amount you invest as shown in the following chart. This means that part of your investment in the Fund will be used to pay the sales charge.

 

Class A Shares — Sales Charge Schedule

 

    Front-End Sales Charge as a     Front-End Sales Charge as a     Dealer Reallowance as a  
Your Investment   % of Offering Price*     % of Net Investment     % of Offering Price  
Up to $24,999     5.75 %     6.10 %     5.00 %
$25,000 – $49,999     5.00 %     5.26 %     4.50 %
$50,000 – $99,999     4.50 %     4.71 %     3.75 %
$1,000,000 – $249,999     3.50 %     3.63 %     2.75 %
$250,000 – $499,999     2.50 %     2.56 %     2.00 %
$500,000 – $999,999     2.00 %     2.04 %     1.50 %
$1 million or more     None     None     None

 

* The offering price includes the sales charge. 

 

Class I Shares are not subject to any initial sales charge.

 

 C: 

53 

 

 

Shares are generally offered for purchase on each business day, except that Shares may be offered more or less frequently as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. The Board may also suspend or terminate offerings of Shares at any time.

 

Except as otherwise permitted by the Board, initial and subsequent purchases of Shares will be payable in cash. Orders will be priced at the appropriate price next computed after the order is received by the Administrator. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to accept or reject any subscription to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time. In the event that cleared funds and/or a properly completed investor application are not received from a prospective investor prior to the cut-off times pertaining to a particular offering, the Fund may hold the relevant funds and investor application for processing in the next offering.

 

In general, an investment will be accepted if a completed investor application and funds are received in good order. The Fund reserves the right to reject, in its sole discretion, any request to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time.

 

CLASS A SHARES PURCHASE PROGRAMS

 

Eligible purchasers of Class A Shares may be entitled to reduced or waived sales charges through certain purchase programs offered by the Fund. Quantity Discounts. You may be able to lower your Class A sales charges if:

 

you assure the Fund in writing that you intend to invest at least $25,000 in Class A Shares over the next 13 months in exchange for a reduced sales charge (“Letter of Intent”) (see below); or

 

the amount of Class A Shares you already own in the Fund plus the amount you intend to invest in Class A Shares is at least $25,000 (“Cumulative Discount”).

 

By signing a Letter of Intent you can purchase Shares at a lower sales charge level. Your individual purchases will be made at the applicable sales charge based on the amount you intend to invest over a 13-month period as stated in the Letter of Intent. Any Shares purchased within 90 days prior to the date you sign the Letter of Intent may be used as credit toward completion of the stated amount, but the reduced sales charge will only apply to new purchases made on or after the date of the Letter of Intent. Purchases resulting from the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains do not apply toward fulfillment of the Letter of Intent. Shares equal to 5.75% of the amount stated in the Letter of Intent will be held in escrow during the 13-month period. If, at the end of the period, the total net amount invested is less than the amount stated in the Letter of Intent, you will be required to pay the difference between the reduced sales charge and the sales charge applicable to the individual net amounts invested had the Letter of Intent not been in effect. This amount will be obtained from redemption of the escrowed Shares. Any remaining escrowed Shares after payment to the Fund of the difference in applicable sales charges will be released to you. If you establish a Letter of Intent with the Fund, you can aggregate your accounts as well as the accounts of your immediate family members. You will need to provide written instructions with respect to the other accounts whose purchases should be considered in fulfillment of the Letter of Intent.

 

The Letter of Intent and Cumulative Discount are intended to let you combine investments made at other times for purposes of calculating your present sales charge. Any time you can use any of these quantity discounts to “move” your investment into a lower sales charge level, it is generally beneficial for you to do so.

 

For purposes of determining whether you are eligible for a reduced Class A sales charge, you and your immediate family members (i.e., your spouse or domestic partner and your children or stepchildren age 21 or younger) may aggregate your investments in the Fund. This includes, for example, investments held in a retirement account, an employee benefit plan, or through a financial advisor other than the one handling your current purchase. These combined investments will be valued at their current offering price to determine whether your current investment amount qualifies for a reduced sales charge.

 

 C: 

54 

 

 

You must notify the Fund or the Financial Intermediary at the time of purchase whenever a quantity discount is applicable to purchases and you may be required to provide the Fund, or the Financial Intermediary, with certain information or records to verify your eligibility for a quantity discount.

 

Such information or records may include account statements or other records regarding Shares held in all accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) by you and other eligible persons, which may include accounts held at the Fund or a Financial Intermediary. Upon such notification, you will pay the sales charge at the lowest applicable sales charge level. You should retain any records necessary to substantiate the purchase price of Shares, as the Fund and Financial Intermediary may not retain this information.

 

Information about sales charges can be found on the Investment Adviser’s website https://www.FirstTrustCapital.com or you can consult with your financial representative.

 

Large Order Net Asset Value Purchase Privilege

 

There is no initial sales charge on purchases of Class A Shares in an account or accounts with an accumulated value of $1 million or more.

 

Your financial advisor or the Transfer Agent can answer your questions and help you determine if you are eligible.

 

TERM, DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

 

The Fund may be dissolved upon approval of a majority of the Trustees. Upon the liquidation of the Fund, its assets will be distributed first to satisfy (whether by payment or the making of a reasonable provision for payment) the debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund, including actual or anticipated liquidation expenses, other than debts, liabilities or obligations to Shareholders, and then to the Shareholders proportionately in accordance with the amount of Shares that they own. Assets may be distributed in-kind on a proportionate basis if the Board or liquidator determines that the distribution of assets in-kind would be in the interests of the Shareholders in facilitating an orderly liquidation.

 

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

The Fund will furnish to Shareholders as soon as practicable after the end of each of its taxable years such information as is necessary for them to complete U.S. federal and state income tax or information returns, along with any other tax information required by law. The Fund anticipates providing Shareholders with an unaudited semi-annual and an audited annual report within 60 days after the close of the period for which the report is being made, or as otherwise required by the Investment Company Act. Shareholders also will be provided with reports regarding the Fund’s operations each quarter.

 

FISCAL YEAR

 

The Fund’s fiscal year is the 12-month period ending on March 31. The Fund’s taxable year is the 12-month period ending on December 31.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL

 

Grant Thornton LLP, located at principal business address 171 N. Clark Street, ChicagoIllinois 60601, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, providing audit services.

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Fund and the Independent Trustees.

 

INQUIRIES

 

Inquiries concerning the Fund and Shares (including procedures for purchasing Shares) should be directed to the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at (877) 779-1999.

 

 C: 

55 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc. 

235 West Galena Street Milwaukee, WI 53212 

(877) 779-1999

 

Investment Adviser 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. 

225 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 2100 

ChicagoIL 60606

 

Sub-Advisers 

Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC 

3344 Peachtree Rd. Suite 1725 

Atlanta, GA 30326 

 

Mount Logan Management, LLC

650 Madison Avenue, 23rd Floor 

New York, NY 10022

 

Palmer Square Capital Management LLC 

1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 315 

Mission Woods, KS 66205

 

Transfer Agent/Administrator 

UMB Fund Services, Inc. 

235 West Galena Street 

Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Custodian Bank 

UMB Bank, n.a. 

1010 Grand Boulevard 

Kansas City, MO 64106

 

Distributor 

First Trust Portfolios L.P. 

120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400 

WheatonIllinois 60187

 

Fund Counsel 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP 

One Logan Square, Suite 2000 

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Grant Thornton LLP 

171 N. Clark Street, Suite 200 

ChicagoIllinois 60601-3370

 

 C: 

56 

 

 C: 

 

The information in this statement of additional information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This statement of additional information is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, September 1, 2022

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Class A Shares FTCAX

Class I Shares FTPCX

 

Dated [   ], 2022

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

(877) 779-1999

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI relates to and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus (the “Prospectus”) of the First Trust Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) dated [    ], 2022, and as it may be further amended or supplemented from time to time. This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by contacting the Fund at the telephone number or address set forth above.

 

Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the same meaning set forth in the Prospectus.

 

Shares are distributed by First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“Distributor” or “FT Portfolios”) to institutions and financial intermediaries who may distribute Shares to clients and customers (including affiliates and correspondents) of the Fund’s investment adviser, First Trust Capital Management L.P. (the “Investment Adviser”) and to clients and customers of other organizations. The Fund’s Prospectus, which is dated [     ], 2022, provides basic information investors should know before investing. This SAI is intended to provide additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Fund and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus.

 

 C: 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

GENERAL INFORMATION 3
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES 3
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES 3
NON-FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES 4
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND AND RELATED RISKS 4
OTHER POTENTIAL RISKS AND ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION 7
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS 7
CODES OF ETHICS 11
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES 11
BROKERAGE 14
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL 15
ADMINISTRATOR 15
CUSTODIAN 15
DISTRIBUTOR 15
ADDITIONAL PAYMENT TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 15
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 16
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS 17
APPENDIX A — PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 18
APPENDIX B — RATINGS OF INVESTMENTS DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS 26
APPENDIX C — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 33

 

 C: 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

The First Trust Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) is a newly organized Delaware statutory trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund intends to operate as an interval fund.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The investment objective of the Fund, as well as the principal investment strategies of the Fund and the principal risks associated with such investment strategies, are set forth in the Prospectus. Certain additional information regarding the investment program of the Fund is set forth below.

 

FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES

 

The Fund’s fundamental policies, which are listed below, may only be changed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. As defined by the Investment Company Act, the vote of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund” means the vote, at an annual or special meeting of the Shareholders of the Fund (“Shareholders”), duly called, (i) of 67% or more of the Shares represented at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares are present in person or represented by proxy or (ii) of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares, whichever is less. No other policy is a fundamental policy of the Fund, except as expressly stated. Within the limits of the fundamental policies of the Fund, the management of the Fund has reserved freedom of action. The Fund may not:

 

(1)Issue any senior security, except to the extent permitted by Section 18 of the Investment Company Act, as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other applicable authority.

 

(2)Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by Section 18 of the Investment Company Act, as interpreted, modified, or otherwise permitted by the SEC or any other applicable authority. This investment restriction does not apply to borrowings from affiliated investment companies or other affiliated persons of the Fund to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act, the SEC or any other applicable authority.

 

(3)Underwrite securities of other issuers, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(4)Make loans, except through purchasing fixed-income securities, lending portfolio securities, or entering into repurchase agreements in a manner consistent with the investment policies of the Fund, or as otherwise permitted under the Investment Company Act. This investment restriction does not apply to loans to affiliated investment companies or other affiliated persons of the Fund to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act, the SEC or any other applicable authority.

 

(5)Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, except that the Fund may invest in securities that are secured by real estate, including, without limitation, mortgage-related securities, or that are issued by companies or partnerships that invest or deal in real estate or real estate investment trusts, and may hold and dispose of real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities or other permitted investments.

 

(6)Invest in commodities and commodity contracts, except that the Fund (i) may purchase and sell non-U.S. currencies, options, swaps, futures and forward contracts, including those related to indexes, options and options on indexes, as well as other financial instruments and contracts that are commodities or commodity contracts, (ii) may also purchase or sell commodities if acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, (iii) may invest in commodity pools and other entities that purchase and sell commodities and commodity contracts, and (iv) may make such investments as otherwise permitted by the Investment Company Act, and as interpreted, modified or otherwise permitted by regulatory authority having jurisdiction, from time to time.

 

(7)Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in the securities of issuers that the Fund’s investment adviser determines are engaged in any single industry, except that U.S. government securities and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities may be purchased without limitation. This investment restriction does not apply to investments by the Fund in Investment Funds (as defined below). The Fund may invest in Investment Funds that may concentrate their assets in one or more industries. The Fund will consider the concentration of Investment Funds when determining compliance with its concentration policy. The Fund will not invest 25% or more of its assets in an Investment Fund that it knows concentrates its assets in a single industry.

 

With respect to these investment restrictions and other policies described in this SAI or the Prospectus, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of an investment or transaction, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the values of investments or the value of the Fund’s total assets, unless otherwise stated, will not constitute a violation of such restriction or policy.

 

 C: 

3

 

 

In addition to the above, the Fund has adopted a fundamental policy that it will make quarterly repurchase offers for no less than for 5% and not more than 25% of the shares outstanding at per-class net asset value (“NAV”) per share less any repurchase fee, unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements, and each repurchase pricing shall occur no later than the close of business on the seventh day after the Repurchase Request Deadline, or the next business day if the seventh day is not a business day. Shareholders can obtain the date of the next Repurchase Request Deadline by writing to the Fund, c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc., 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, or by calling the Fund toll-free at (877) 779-1999.

 

NON-FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES

 

The Fund may change its investment objective, policies, restrictions, strategies, and techniques.

 

Except as otherwise indicated, the Fund may change its investment objective and any of its policies, restrictions, strategies, and techniques without Shareholder approval. The Fund’s investment objective and investment strategies are not fundamental policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Board without the vote of a majority (as defined by the Investment Company Act) of the Fund’s outstanding Shares.

 

The following descriptions of the Investment Company Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions.

 

Borrowing. The Investment Company Act restricts an investment company from borrowing in excess of 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but excluding temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets). Transactions that are fully collateralized in a manner that does not involve the prohibited issuance of a “senior security” within the meaning of Section 18(f) of the Investment Company Act shall not be regarded as borrowings for the purposes of the Fund’s investment restriction.

 

CommoditiesThe Investment Company Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in commodities or contracts related to commodities, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments. The extent to which the Fund can invest in commodities or contracts related to commodities is set out in the investment strategies and policies described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

Concentration. The SEC staff has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of an investment company’s total assets in any particular industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions such as with respect to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities. For purposes of the Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund may classify and re-classify companies in a particular industry and define and re-define industries in any reasonable manner, consistent with SEC guidance. For purposes of the Fund’s industry concentration policy, the Investment Adviser may analyze the characteristics of a particular issuer and instrument and may assign an industry classification consistent with those characteristics. The Investment Adviser may, but need not, consider industry classifications provided by third parties.

 

Real Estate. The Investment Company Act does not directly restrict an investment company’s ability to invest in real estate or interests in real estate, but does require that every investment company have a fundamental investment policy governing such investments. The Fund may invest in real estate or interests in real estate, securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate (e.g. mortgage loans evidenced by notes or other writings defined to be a type of security), mortgage-related securities, investment funds that invest in real estate through entities that may qualify as REITs, or in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including REITs). The Fund can invest in real estate or interest in real estate to the extent set out in the investment strategies and policies described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

Senior Securities. Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The Investment Company Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does not treat certain transactions as senior securities, such as certain borrowings, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment agreements and standby commitments, with appropriate earmarking or segregation of assets to cover such obligation.

 

Underwriting. Under the Investment Company Act, underwriting securities involves an investment company purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.

 

Lending. Under the Investment Company Act, an investment company may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON INVESTMENT TECHNIQUES OF THE FUND AND RELATED RISKS

 

The following information supplements the discussion of the Fund’s investment policies and techniques in the Prospectus.

 

 C: 

4

 

 

As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets across a wide array of credit strategies. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Adviser and one or more sub-advisers, (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”), in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Adviser. In pursuing its objective, First Trust Capital Management L.P. (the “Investment Adviser”) will allocate at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, to a diverse portfolio of private credit instruments. For the purpose of this policy, “private credit instruments” include, without limitation, those that are issued in private offerings or by private companies, such as commercial real estate mezzanine loans, real estate mortgages, distressed securities, notes, debentures, bank loans, convertible and preferred securities. These instruments may be acquired directly from the issuer or in secondary market transactions. The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in government and municipal obligations.

 

Fixed-Income Securities

 

The Fund may invest in fixed-income securities. The Fund will invest in these securities when their yield and potential for capital appreciation are considered sufficiently attractive, and also may invest in these securities for defensive purposes and to maintain liquidity. Fixed-income securities include bonds, notes and debentures issued by U.S. and foreign corporations and governments. These securities may pay fixed, variable or floating rates of interest, and may include zero coupon obligations. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to the risk of price volatility due to such factors as interest rate sensitivity, market perception of the creditworthiness or financial condition of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). Certain portfolio securities, such as those with interest rates that fluctuate directly or indirectly based on multiples of a stated index, are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to significant reductions of yield and possible loss of principal.

 

The Fund may invest in both investment grade and non-investment grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”). Investment grade debt securities are securities that have received a rating from at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization (a “Rating Agency”) in one of the four highest rating categories or, if not rated by any Rating Agency, have been determined by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser to be of comparable quality.

 

Non-investment grade debt securities, including convertible debt securities, are considered by the Rating Agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Non-investment grade securities in the lowest rating categories may involve a substantial risk of default or may be in default. Adverse changes in economic conditions or developments regarding the individual issuer are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of the issuers of non-investment grade securities to make principal and interest payments than is the case for higher grade securities. In addition, the market for lower grade securities may be thinner and less liquid than the market for higher grade securities.

 

Money Market Instruments

 

The Fund may invest during periods of adverse market or economic conditions for defensive purposes some or all of their assets in high quality money market instruments and other short-term obligations, money market mutual funds or repurchase agreements with banks or broker-dealers or may hold cash or cash equivalents in such amounts as the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser deems appropriate under the circumstances. The Fund also may invest in these instruments for liquidity purposes pending allocation of their respective offering proceeds and other circumstances. Money market instruments are high quality, short-term fixed-income obligations, which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less, and may include U.S. government securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic branches of United States banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and repurchase agreements.

 

When-Issued, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitment Securities

 

To reduce the risk of changes in securities prices and interest rates, the Fund may purchase securities on a forward commitment, when-issued or delayed delivery basis, which means delivery and payment take place a number of days after the date of the commitment to purchase. The payment obligation and the interest rate receivable with respect to such purchases are fixed when the Fund enters into the commitment, but the Fund does not make payment until it receives delivery from the counterparty. After the Fund commits to purchase such securities, but before delivery and settlement, it may sell the securities if it is deemed advisable.

 

Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued or delayed delivery basis are subject to changes in value, generally changing in the same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest rates rise, based upon the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. Securities so purchased may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the yield available in the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment, when-issued or delayed delivery basis when the Fund is fully or almost fully invested results in a form of leverage and may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the net assets of the Fund. In addition, there is a risk that securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis may not be delivered and that the purchaser of securities sold by the Fund on a forward basis will not honor its purchase obligation. In such cases, the Fund may incur a loss.

 

Leverage

 

The Fund may leverage the Fund through (i) borrowings, (ii) swap agreements, options or other derivative instruments, (iii) use of short sales, or (iv) a combination of these methods. The financing entity or counterparty on any swap, option or other derivative instrument may be any entity or institution which the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser determines to be creditworthy.

 

 C: 

5

 

 

As a result of this leverage, a relatively small movement in the spread relationship between the securities and commodities interests the Fund indirectly owns and those which it has indirectly sold short may result in substantial losses.

 

Derivatives

 

Derivatives are securities and other instruments the value or return of which is based on the performance of an underlying asset, index, interest rate or other investment. Derivatives may be volatile and involve various risks, depending upon the derivative and its function in a portfolio. Certain swaps, options and other derivative instruments may be subject to various types of risks, including market risk, liquidity risk, and the risk of non-performance by the counterparty, including risks relating to the financial soundness and creditworthiness of the counterparty, legal risk and operations risk.

 

Swap Agreements

 

The Fund may enter into equity, interest rate, index and currency rate swap agreements. These transactions are entered into in an attempt to obtain a particular return when it is considered desirable to do so, possibly at a lower cost than if an investment was made directly in the asset that yielded the desired return. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than a year. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent interest rates exceed a specified rate or “cap”; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent interest rates fall below a specified level or “floor”; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.

 

Most swap agreements require the calculation of the obligations of the parties to the agreements on a “net basis.” Consequently, the Fund’s current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement generally will be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). The risk of loss with respect to swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that a party is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that it contractually is entitled to receive.

 

Call and Put Options

 

There are risks associated with the sale and purchase of call and put options. The seller (writer) of a call option which is covered (e.g., the writer holds the underlying security) assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the purchase price of the underlying security less the premium received, and gives up the opportunity for gain on the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered call option assumes the risk of a theoretically unlimited increase in the market price of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option. The securities necessary to satisfy the exercise of the call option may be unavailable for purchase except at much higher prices. Purchasing securities to satisfy the exercise of the call option can itself cause the price of the securities to rise further, sometimes by a significant amount, thereby exacerbating the loss. The buyer of a call option assumes the risk of losing its entire premium invested in the call option. The seller (writer) of a put option which is covered (e.g., the writer has a short position in the underlying security) assumes the risk of an increase in the market price of the underlying security above its short sales price plus the premium received for writing the put option, and gives up the opportunity for gain on the short position if the underlying security’s price falls below the exercise price of the option. The seller of an uncovered put option assumes the risk of a decline in the market price of the underlying security below the exercise price of the option. The buyer of a put option assumes the risk of losing his entire premium invested in the put option.

 

Short Selling

 

The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers may engage in short selling. Short selling involves selling securities that are not owned and borrowing the same securities for delivery to the purchaser, with an obligation to replace the borrowed securities at a later date. Short selling allows an investor to profit from declines in market prices to the extent such declines exceed the transaction costs and the costs of borrowing the securities. A short sale creates the risk of an unlimited loss, as the price of the underlying security could theoretically increase without limit, thus increasing the cost of buying those securities to cover the short position. There can be no assurance that the securities necessary to cover a short position will be available for purchase. Purchasing securities to close out the short position can itself cause the price of the securities to rise further, thereby exacerbating the loss. For these reasons, short selling is considered a speculative investment practice.

 

The Fund may also effect short sales “against the box.” These transactions involve selling short securities that are owned (or that the Fund has the right to obtain). When the Fund enters into a short sale against the box, it will set aside securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short (or securities convertible or exchangeable into such securities) and will hold such securities while the short sale is outstanding. The Fund will incur transaction costs, including interest expenses, in connection with opening, maintaining and closing short sales against the box.

 

 C: 

6

 

 

OTHER POTENTIAL RISKS AND ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT INFORMATION

 

Dependence on the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers

 

The success of the Fund depends upon the ability of the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers to develop and implement investment strategies that achieve the investment objective of the Fund. shareholders must rely entirely on the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers to conduct and manage the affairs of the Fund.

 

Business and Regulatory Risks

 

Legal, tax and regulatory developments that may adversely affect the Fund or the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser could occur during the term of the Fund. Securities and other investment markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations and margin requirements enforced by the SEC, other regulators and self-regulatory organizations and exchanges authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of market emergencies. The regulation of investment transactions and funds that engage in such transactions is an evolving area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial actions. It is impossible to predict what, if any, changes in regulations may occur, but any regulations which restrict the ability of the Fund to trade in securities or the ability of the Fund to employ, or brokers and other counterparties to extend, credit in its trading (as well as other regulatory changes that result) could have a material adverse impact on the Fund’s portfolio.

 

Reliance on Key Personnel

 

The Fund’s ability to identify and invest in attractive opportunities is dependent upon the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser. If one or more key individuals leaves the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, as applicable, may not be able to hire qualified replacements, or may require an extended time to do so. This could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment objective.

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may vary from year to year. A high portfolio turnover rate (100% or more) increases the Fund’s transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if the Fund had lower portfolio turnover. The turnover rate will not be a limiting factor, however, if the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser considers portfolio changes appropriate.

 

Financial Failure of Intermediaries

 

There is always the possibility that the institutions, including brokerage firms and banks, with which the Fund does business, or to which securities have been entrusted for custodial purposes, will encounter financial difficulties that may impair their operational capabilities or result in losses to the Fund.

 

Cyber Security Risk

 

The Fund and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from breaches in cyber security. A breach in cyber security refers to both intentional and unintentional events that may cause the Fund to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, or lose operational capacity. Breaches in cyber security include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber-attacks. Cyber security breaches affecting the Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers, financial intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber security breaches may interfere with the processing of Shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value, cause the release of private Shareholder information or confidential business information, impede investment activities, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for Investment Funds and for the issuers of securities in which the Fund or an Investment Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for the Investment Funds or such issuers and may cause the Fund to lose value.

 

Payment in Kind for Repurchased Shares

 

The Fund does not expect to distribute securities as payment for repurchased Shares except in unusual circumstances, such as in the unlikely event that making a cash payment would result in a material adverse effect on the Fund or on Shareholders not requesting that their Shares be repurchased. In the event that the Fund makes such a distribution of securities as payment for Shares, Shareholders will bear any risks of the distributed securities and may be required to pay a brokerage commission or other costs to dispose of such securities.

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

 

The business operations of the Fund are managed and supervised under the direction of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Fund’s Declaration of Trust. The Board has overall responsibility for the management and supervision of the business affairs of the Fund on behalf of its Shareholders, including the authority to establish policies regarding the management, conduct and operation of its business. The Board exercises the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Fund as are customarily exercised by the board of directors of a registered investment company organized as a corporation. The officers of the Fund conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Fund.

 

 C: 

7

 

 

The members of the Board (each, a “Trustee”) are not required to contribute to the capital of the Fund or to hold Shares. A majority of Trustees of the Board are not “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Fund (collectively, the “Independent Trustees”). Any Trustee who is not an Independent Trustee is an interested trustee (“Interested Trustee”).

 

The identity of Trustees of the Board and officers of the Fund, and their brief biographical information, including their addresses, their year of birth and descriptions of their principal occupations during the past five years is set forth below.

 

The Trustees serve on the Board for terms of indefinite duration. A Trustee’s position in that capacity will terminate if the Trustee is removed or resigns or, among other events, upon the Trustee’s death, incapacity, retirement or bankruptcy. A Trustee may resign upon written notice to the other Trustees of the Fund, and may be removed either by (i) the vote of at least two-thirds of the Trustees of the Fund not subject to the removal vote or (ii) the vote of Shareholders of the Fund holding not less than two-thirds of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Shareholders of the Fund. In the event of any vacancy in the position of a Trustee, the remaining Trustees of the Fund may appoint an individual to serve as a Trustee so long as immediately after the appointment at least two-thirds of the Trustees of the Fund then serving have been elected by the Shareholders of the Fund. The Board may call a meeting of the Fund’s Shareholders to fill any vacancy in the position of a Trustee of the Fund, and must do so if the Trustees who were elected by the Shareholders of the Fund cease to constitute a majority of the Trustees then serving on the Board.

 

Independent Trustees

 

Name, Address and
Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Fund
Length of Time
Served
Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex*
Overseen
Other Directorships
Held by Trustees

David G. Lee

Year of Birth: 1952

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Chairman and Trustee Since Inception Retired (since 2012); President and Director, Client Opinions, Inc. (2003 – 2012); Chief Operating Officer, Brandywine Global Investment Management (1998 – 2002). 17 None

Robert Seyferth

Year of Birth: 1952

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Trustee Since Inception

Retired (since 2009); Chief Procurement Officer/Senior Managing Director, Bear Stearns/JP Morgan Chase (1993 – 2009).

 

17 None

Gary E. Shugrue

Year of Birth: 1954

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Trustee Since Inception

Managing Director, Veritable LP (investment advisory firm) (2016 – Present); Founder/ President, Ascendant Capital Partners, LP (private equity firm) (2001 – 2015).

 

15 Trustee, Quaker Investment Trust (2 portfolios) (registered investment company).

 

*The fund complex consists of the Fund, AFA Multi-Manager Credit Fund, Agility Multi-Asset Income Fund, Aspiriant Risk-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund, Aspiriant Risk-Managed Real Asset Fund, Corbin Multi-Strategy Fund, LLC, First Trust Alternative Opportunities Fund, First Trust Private Assets Fund, First Trust Real Assets Fund, Infinity Core Alternative Fund, Keystone Private Income Fund, Optima Dynamic Alternatives Fund, Variant Alternative Income Fund, Variant Impact Fund, Destiny Alternative Fund LLC, Destiny Alternative Fund (Tax Exempt) LLC, and Pender Real Estate Credit Fund.

 

Interested Trustee and Officers

 

Name, Address and Year
of Birth
Position(s) Held with
the Fund
Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex*
Overseen
Other Directorships
Held by Trustees

Terrance P. Gallagher**

Year of Birth: 1958

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.
235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Trustee Since Inception

Executive Vice President and Director of Fund Accounting, Administration and Tax, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2007 – present); President, Investment Managers Series Trust II (registered investment company) (2013-Present); Treasurer, American Independence Funds Trust (registered investment company) (2016-2018); Treasurer, Commonwealth International Series Trust (registered investment company) (2010-2015).

17 Trustee, Investment Managers Series Trust II (19 portfolios) (registered investment company).

 

 C: 

8

 

 

Name, Address and Year
of Birth
Position(s) Held with
the Fund
Length of
Time Served
Principal Occupation(s) During
Past 5 Years
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex*
Overseen
Other Directorships
Held by Trustees

Michael Peck

Year of Birth: 1980

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

President Since Inception Chief Executive Officer and Co-CIO, First Trust Capital Management L.P. (formerly known as Vivaldi Asset Management LLC) (2012 - Present); President and Co-CIO, Vivaldi Capital Management, LP (2012 – Present); Portfolio Manager, Coe Capital Management (2010 – 2012); Senior Financial Analyst and Risk Manager, the Bond Companies (2006 – 2008). N/A N/A

Chad Eisenberg

Year of Birth: 1982

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Treasurer Since Inception Chief Operating Officer, First Trust Capital Management L.P. (formerly known as Vivaldi Asset Management LLC) (2012 – Present); Chief Operating Officer, Vivaldi Capital Management, LP (2012 – Present); Director, Coe Capital Management LLC (2010 – 2011). N/A N/A

Bernadette Murphy

Year of Birth: 1964

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Chief Compliance Officer

Since

Inception

Director, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management solutions firm) (2018 – Present); Director of Compliance and operations, B. Riley Capital Management, LLC (investment advisory firm) (2017 – 2018); Chief Compliance Officer, Dialectic Capital Management, LP (investment advisory firm) (2008 – 2018). N/A N/A

Ann Maurer

Year of Birth: 1972

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Secretary Since Inception Senior Vice President, Client Services (2017 –Present); Vice President, Senior Client Service Manager (2013 – 2017); Assistant Vice President, Client Relations Manager (2002 – 2013), each with UMB Fund Services, Inc. N/A N/A

 

*The fund complex consists of the Fund, AFA Multi-Manager Credit Fund, Agility Multi-Asset Income Fund, Aspiriant Risk-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund, Aspiriant Risk-Managed Real Asset Fund, Corbin Multi-Strategy Fund, LLC, First Trust Alternative Opportunities Fund, First Trust Private Assets Fund, First Trust Real Assets Fund, Infinity Core Alternative Fund, Infinity Long/Short Equity Fund, LLC, Keystone Private Income Fund, Optima Dynamic Alternatives Fund, Variant Alternative Income Fund, Variant Impact Fund, Destiny Alternative Fund LLC, Destiny Alternative Fund (Tax Exempt) LLC, and Pender Real Estate Credit Fund.

 

**Mr. Gallagher is deemed an interested person of the Fund because of his affiliation with the Fund’s Administrator.

 

The Board believes that each of the Trustees’ experience, qualifications, attributes and skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees lead to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve in such capacity. Among the attributes common to all Trustees is the ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, the Investment Adviser, the Sub- Advisers, the Fund’s other service providers, counsel and the independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. A Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through the Trustee’s business, consulting, and public service; experience as a board member of non- profit entities or other organizations; education or professional training; and/or other life experiences. In addition to these shared characteristics, set forth below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee.

 

David G. Lee. Mr. Lee has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. He has more than 28 years of experience in the financial services industry.

 

Robert Seyferth. Mr. Seyferth has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Seyferth has more than 33 years of business and accounting experience.

 

 C: 

9

 

 

Terrance P. Gallagher. Mr. Gallagher has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Gallagher has more than 42 years of experience in the financial service industry.

 

Gary E. Shugrue. Mr. Shugrue has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Shugrue has more than 33 years of experience in the financial service industry.

 

Specific details regarding each Trustee’s principal occupations during the past five years are included in the table above.

 

Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities

 

Overall responsibility for oversight of the Fund rests with the Board. The Fund has engaged the Investment Adviser to manage the Fund on a day-to- day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers and other service providers in the operations of the Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and the Fund’s Declaration of Trust. The Board is currently composed of four members, three of whom are Independent Trustees. The Board will meet in- person at regularly scheduled meetings four times each year. In addition, the Board may hold special in-person or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular meetings. The Independent Trustees have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibility. The Independent Trustees will meet with their independent legal counsel in person prior to and during each quarterly in-person board meeting. As described below, the Board has established a Valuation Committee, an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee, and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities.

 

The Board has appointed David Lee, an Independent Trustee, to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman’s role is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as liaison with the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers, other service providers, counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman serves as a key point person for dealings between management and the Trustees. The Chairman may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview and it allocates areas of responsibility among committees of Trustees and the full Board in a manner that enhances effective oversight.

 

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Fund and is addressed as part of various Board and committee activities. Day-to-day risk management functions are subsumed within the responsibilities of the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), which carry out the Fund’s investment management and business affairs. The Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and other service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various events or circumstances that give rise to risks, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each of the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and other service providers has its own independent interests in risk management, and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. The Board will require senior officers of the Fund, including the President, Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) and the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers, to report to the full Board on a variety of matters at regular and special meetings of the Board, including matters relating to risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee also receive regular reports from the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm on internal control and financial reporting matters. The Board also receives reports from certain of the Fund’s other primary service providers on a periodic or regular basis, including the Fund’s custodian, distributor and administrator. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight.

 

Committees of the Board of Trustees

 

Audit Committee

 

The Board has formed an Audit Committee that is responsible for overseeing the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, its internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers; overseeing the quality and objectivity of the Fund’s financial statements and the independent audit of those financial statements; and acting as a liaison between the Fund’s independent auditors and the full Board. In performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee will select and recommend annually to the entire Board a firm of independent certified public accountants to audit the books and records of the Fund for the ensuing year, and will review with the firm the scope and results of each audit. The Audit Committee currently consists of each of the Fund’s Independent Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Audit Committee did not hold any meetings during the last fiscal year.

 

 C: 

10

 

 

Nominating Committee

 

The Board has formed a Nominating Committee that is responsible for selecting and nominating persons to serve as Trustees of the Fund. The Nominating Committee is responsible for both nominating candidates to be appointed by the Board to fill vacancies and for nominating candidates to be presented to Shareholders for election. In performing its responsibilities, the Nominating Committee will consider candidates recommended by management of the Fund and by Shareholders and evaluate them both in a similar manner, as long as the recommendation submitted by a Shareholder includes at a minimum: the name, address and telephone number of the recommending Shareholder and information concerning the Shareholder’s interests in the Fund in sufficient detail to establish that the Shareholder held Shares on the relevant record date; and the name, address and telephone number of the recommended nominee and information concerning the recommended nominee’s education, professional experience, and other information that might assist the Nominating Committee in evaluating the recommended nominee’s qualifications to serve as a trustee. The Nominating Committee may solicit candidates to serve as trustees from any source it deems appropriate. With the Board’s prior approval, the Nominating Committee may employ and compensate counsel, consultants or advisers to assist it in discharging its responsibilities. The Nominating Committee currently consists of each of the Fund’s Independent Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Nominating Committee did not hold any meetings during the last fiscal year.

 

Valuation Committee

 

The Board has formed a Valuation Committee that is responsible for reviewing fair valuations of securities held by the Fund in instances as required by the valuation procedures adopted by the Board and is responsible for carrying out the provisions of its charter. The Valuation Committee currently consists of each of the Fund’s Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Valuation Committee did not hold any meetings during the last fiscal year.

 

Trustee and Officer Ownership of Securities

 

The Fund has not yet commenced operations as of the date of this SAI; therefore, none of the Trustees owns Shares of the Fund.

 

As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers of the Fund as a group owned less than one percent of the outstanding Shares of the Fund.

 

Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities

 

As of the date of this SAI, none of the Independent Trustees (or their immediate family members) owned beneficially or of record securities of the Investment Adviser, or any Sub-Adviser, or of an entity (other than a registered investment company) controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Investment Adviser or any Sub-Adviser.

 

Trustee Compensation

 

In consideration of the services rendered by the Independent Trustees, the Fund will pay each Independent Trustee a retainer of $10,000 per fiscal year. Trustees that are interested persons will be compensated by the Fund’s administrator and/or its affiliates and will not be separately compensated by the Fund.

 

CODES OF ETHICS

 

The Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and the Distributor have each adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and the Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative, or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Fund. The codes of ethics permit persons subject to them to invest in securities, including securities that may be held or purchased by the Fund, subject to a number of restrictions and controls. Compliance with the codes of ethics is carefully monitored and enforced.

 

The codes of ethics are included as exhibits to the Fund’s registration statement filed with the SEC and are available on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at https://www.sec.gov, and may also be obtained after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

 

The Investment Adviser

 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Investment Adviser is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Subject to the general supervision of the Board, and in accordance with the investment objective, policies, and restrictions of the Fund, the Investment Adviser is responsible for the management and operation of the Fund and, together with the Sub-Advisers, the investment of the Fund’s assets. The Investment Adviser provides such services to the Fund pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”).

 

The Investment Management Agreement became effective as of April 29, 2022 and will continue in effect for an initial two-year term. Thereafter, the Investment Management Agreement will continue in effect from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or a majority of the Board, and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Management Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to Shareholders.

 

Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Adviser a monthly investment management fee (“Investment Management Fee”) equal to 1.35% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s net assets as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. The Investment Management Fee will be paid to the Investment Adviser before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date, and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to its Shareholders. NAV means the total value of all assets of the Fund, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund; provided that for purposes of determining the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Adviser for any month, NAV will be calculated prior to any reduction for any fees and expenses of the Fund for that month, including, without limitation, the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Adviser for that month. The Investment Management Fee will be computed as of the last day of each month, and is due and payable in arrears within ten (10) business days after the end of the month.

 

 C: 

11

 

 

The Investment Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Adviser has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.40% and 1.65% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively (the “Expense Limit”) for an initial term of one year from the effective date of the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (“Initial Term”) . The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may not be terminated before that date by the Investment Adviser. Because taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.40% and 1.65% for the Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively. After the Initial Term, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may be terminated by the Fund or the Investment Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice. Unless it is terminated, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement will automatically renew for consecutive one- year terms. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Adviser may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in effect at the time of the Waiver and the Expense Limit at the time of the recoupment.

 

As the Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI, the Investment Adviser has not received any fees from the Fund.

 

The Sub-Advisers

 

Each Sub-Adviser selected by the Investment Adviser is primarily responsible for its investment strategy and the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Investment Adviser.

 

Founded in 2009, Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC (“Angel Oak”) is located at 3344 Peachtree Rd. Suite 1725, Atlanta, GA 30326. Angel Oak is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of May 31, 2022, approximately $16 billion for banking or thrift institutions, investment companies, pooled investment vehicles, pension and profit sharing plans, other investment advisers, insurance companies, and corporations.

 

Founded in July 2019, Mount Logan Management, LLC (“Mount Logan”) is located at 650 Madison Ave, 23rd Floor, New York, New York, 10022. Mount Logan is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of December 31, 2021, approximately $1.1 billion. Mount Logan is owned by Mount Logan Capital, Inc., a Canadian alternative asset management company that is focused on investing in public and private debt securities in the North American market. Mount Logan Capital, Inc., is managed by employees of BC Partners Advisors, L.P. (together with its global affiliates, “BC Partners”). BC Partners is an international investment firm with over $40 billion in assets under management focused on private equity, credit and real estate investments in Europe and North America. BC Partners was founded in 1986 and has offices in London, New York, Paris, and Hamburg.

 

Founded in 2009, Palmer Square Capital Management LLC (“Palmer Square”) is located at 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 315, Mission Woods, KS 66205. Palmer Square is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of May 31, 2022, approximately $22.4 billion for pooled investment vehicles, investment companies, high net worth individuals and institutions.

 

Pursuant to separate sub-advisory agreements among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and each of Angel Oak, Mount Logan and Palmer Square (each, a “Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Investment Adviser (and not the Fund) pays Angel Oak a monthly advisory fee with respect to the portion of the Fund’s assets managed by Angel Oak equal to 0.50% of such sub-advised assets’ average daily net assets. The Investment Adviser (and not the Fund) pays Mount Logan a monthly advisory fee with respect to the portion of the Fund’s assets managed by Mount Logan equal to 1.00% of such sub-advised assets’ average daily net assets, and the Investment Adviser (and not the Fund) pays Palmer Square a monthly advisory fee with respect to the portion of the Fund’s assets managed by Palmer Square equal to 0.50% of such sub-advised assets’ average daily net assets. Each Sub-Adviser’s fee is paid by the Investment Adviser out of the Investment Adviser’s management fee. Each Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated without the payment of any penalty by the Investment Adviser, the Board, or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser. All fees and expenses are accrued daily and deducted before payment of dividends to investors. Each Sub-Advisory Agreement has been approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and the initial shareholder of the Fund. Information regarding the Board’s approval of each Sub- Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to Shareholders.

 

The Portfolio Managers

 

The personnel of the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers who will have primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio (the “Portfolio Managers”) are Michael Peck, Brian Murphy, Sam Dunlap, Colin McBurnette, Ted Goldthorpe, Matthias Ederer, Henry Wang, Angie K. Long and Christopher D. Long.

 

 C: 

12

 

 

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers(1)

 

    Type of
Accounts
  Total # of
Accounts
Managed
    Total Assets     # of Accounts
Managed that
Advisory Fee
Based on
Performance
    Total Assets that
Advisory Fee Based on
Performance
 
1. Michael Peck   Registered Investment Companies:   4     $ 452 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   7     182 M     2     39.7 M  
    Other Accounts:   0     $ 0     0     $ 0  
                                 
2. Brian Murphy   Registered Investment Companies:   4     452 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   15     329 M     1     39.7 M  
    Other Accounts:   0     $ 0     0     $ 0  
                                 
3. Sam Dunlap   Registered Investment Companies:   7     6,255 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   1     433 M     1     $ 0  
    Other Accounts:   20     451 M     0     $ 0  
                                 
4. Colin McBurnette   Registered Investment Companies:   8     7,614 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   3     638 M     1     183 M  
    Other Accounts:   13     51 M     0     $ 0  
                                 
5. Ted Goldthorpe (2)   Registered Investment Companies:   4     1,484 M     4     $ 1,484  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   24     5,163 M     23     5,091  
    Other Accounts:   0     $ 0 M     0     $ 0  
                                 
6. Matthias Ederer (2)   Registered Investment Companies:   4     1,484 M     4     $ 1,484  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   24     5,163 M     23     5,091  
    Other Accounts:   0     $ 0 M     0     $ 0  
                                 
7. Henry Wang (2)   Registered Investment Companies:   4     1,484 M     4     $ 1,484  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   24     $ 5,163 M     23     5,091  
    Other Accounts:   0     $ 0 M     0     $ 0  
                                 
8. Angie K. Long   Registered Investment Companies:   3     1,357 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   51     19,107 M   46     17,197 M **** 
    Other Accounts:   66     1,931 M **    0     $ 0  
                                 
9. Christopher D. Long   Registered Investment Companies:   3     1,357 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   51     19,107 M   46     17,197 M ****
    Other Accounts:   92     1,942 M ***   0     $ 0  
                                 
10. Taylor R. Moore   Registered Investment Companies:   1     256 M     0     $ 0  
    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:   0     $ 0     0     $ 0  
    Other Accounts:   0     $ 0     0     $ 0  

 

(1) As of May 31, 2022 unless otherwise noted.
(2) As of March 31, 2022
* Includes CIT, BDC, Private Funds, CLOs
** Includes SMAs
*** Includes SMAs, Direct Investors
**** Includes Private Funds, CLOs

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

The Investment Adviser, the Sub-Advisers and Portfolio Managers may manage multiple funds and/or other accounts, and as a result may be presented with one or more of the following actual or potential conflicts:

 

The management of multiple funds and/or other accounts may result in the Investment Adviser, a Sub-Adviser or a Portfolio Manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each fund and/or other account. The Investment Adviser seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of a Portfolio Manager by having the Portfolio Manager focus on a particular investment discipline. Most other accounts managed by a Portfolio Manager are managed using the same investment models that are used in connection with the management of the Fund.

 

If the Investment Adviser, a Sub-Adviser or a Portfolio Manager identifies a limited investment opportunity which may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, a fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of filled purchase or sale orders across all eligible funds and other accounts. To deal with these situations, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers have adopted procedures for allocating portfolio transactions across multiple accounts.

 

The Investment Adviser and Sub-Advisers have adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

 

 C: 

13

 

 

Compensation of the Portfolio Managers

 

Mr. Peck and Mr. Murphy receive base salaries and bonuses, neither of which is based on performance, and are eligible to avail themselves of life insurance, medical and dental benefits offered to all employees of the Investment Adviser and to participate in the Investment Adviser’s 401(k) plan. In addition, they are members of VFT Holdings LP and receive compensation based on the overall profitability of the firm and its affiliates.

 

A competitive base salary and a performance-based bonus (paid in April each year) structure are in place for all asset management team members of Angel Oak. Portfolio managers, analysts, and other associates are paid a competitive base salary and discretionary bonus based on their fiduciary investment responsibilities, performance of the individual and firm. The discretionary bonus structure gives Angel Oak the ability to remain competitive under current market conditions affecting compensation across the industry. The compensation structure of key investment professionals is structured to incent long-term client retention and client service.

 

Each Mount Logan portfolio manager is compensated based on the success of various fund and business platforms. As part of this compensation, the portfolio manager receives a carried interest from the Mount Logan activities that is distributed based on factors such as seniority, longevity and performance, including successful deal sourcing and execution. Each portfolio manager's compensation would increase if the Fund’s performance (and net asset value) increased due to each portfolio manager's indirect interest in the Adviser, but such compensation is not tied to any specific metric.

 

The Palmer Square portfolio managers receive a fixed base salary and a discretionary bonus. Each portfolio manager is an equity owner of the Advisor and shares in the Advisor’s profits. The portfolio managers’ compensation arrangements are not determined on the basis of specific funds or accounts managed.

 

Portfolio Managers’ Ownership of Shares

 

Name of Portfolio Manager:  

Dollar Range of Shares
Beneficially Owned by Portfolio Manager(1):

Michael Peck   None
Brian Murphy   None
Sam Dunlap   None
Colin McBurnette   None
Ted Goldthorpe   None
Matthias Ederer   None
Henry Wang   None
Angie K. Long   None
Christopher D. Long   None
Taylor R. Moore   None

 

(1) As of the date of this SAI.

 

BROKERAGE

 

The Fund does not expect to use one particular broker or dealer. It is the Fund’s policy to obtain the best results in connection with effecting its portfolio transactions, taking into account factors such as price, size of order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of a brokerage firm and the firm’s risk in positioning a block of securities. Generally, equity securities are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. Money market securities and other debt securities are usually bought and sold directly from the issuer or an underwriter or market maker for the securities. Generally, the Fund will not pay brokerage commissions for such purchases. When a debt security is bought from an underwriter, the purchase price will usually include an underwriting commission or concession. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

In addition, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may place a combined order for two or more accounts it manages, including the Fund, that are engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best price and execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account or fund. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or the Fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Investment Adviser that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions. The Investment Adviser believes that the ability of the Fund to participate in higher volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the Fund.

 

The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for brokerage or research services only if a good faith determination is made that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.

 

 C: 

14

 

 

While it is the Fund’s general policy to seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services as defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to the Fund or to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser in advising other clients. When one or more brokers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may select a broker based upon brokerage or research services provided to the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Investment Adviser’s or a Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL

 

Grant Thornton LLP, located at principal business address 171 N. Clark Street, ChicagoIllinois 60601, serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, providing audit services.

 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Fund and the Independent Trustees.

 

ADMINISTRATOR

 

The Fund has contracted with UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the “Administrator”) to provide it with certain administrative and accounting services. As the Fund had not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI, the Administrator has not received any fees from the Fund.

 

CUSTODIAN

 

UMB Bank, n.a. (the “Custodian”), serves as the primary custodian of the assets of the Fund, and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. subcustodians (which may be banks, trust companies, securities depositories and clearing agencies) in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Advisers, or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. subcustodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of such custodian. The Custodian’s principal business address is 1010 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64106. The Custodian is an affiliate of UMB Fund Services, Inc., which serves as the Fund’s administrator.

 

DISTRIBUTOR

 

First Trust Portfolios L.P. (“FT Portfolios”) is the distributor of Shares and is located at 120 East Liberty Drive, Suite 400, WheatonIllinois 60187. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the continuous offering of Shares of the Fund. The Distributor continually distributes Shares of the Fund on a commercially reasonable efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies of the Fund. The Distributor is affiliated with the Investment Adviser.

 

ADDITIONAL PAYMENT TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

FT Portfolios or its affiliates may from time to time make payments, out of their own resources, to certain financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund and other products for which FT Portfolios serves as Distributor (collectively, “FT Portfolios Funds") to promote the sales and retention of FT Portfolios Fund shares by those firms and their customers. The amounts of these payments vary by intermediary. The level of payments that FT Portfolios or an affiliate is willing to provide to a particular intermediary may be affected by, among other factors, (i) the firm’s total assets or FT Portfolios Fund shares held in and recent net investments into FT Portfolios Funds, (ii) the value of the assets invested in the FT Portfolios Funds by the intermediary’s customers, (iii) redemption rates, (iv) its ability to attract and retain assets, (v) the intermediary’s reputation in the industry, (vi) the level and/or type of marketing assistance and educational activities provided by the intermediary, (vii) the firm’s level of participation in FT Portfolios Funds’ sales and marketing programs, (viii) the firm’s compensation program for its registered representatives who sell FT Portfolios Fund shares and provide services to FT Portfolios Fund shareholders, and (ix) the asset class of the FT Portfolios Funds for which these payments are provided. Such payments are generally asset-based but also may include the payment of a lump sum.

 

FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates may also make payments to certain intermediaries for certain administrative services and shareholder processing services, including record keeping and sub-accounting of shareholder accounts pursuant to a sub-transfer agency, omnibus account service or sub-accounting agreement. All fees payable by FT Portfolios or an affiliate under this category of services may be charged back to the FT Portfolios Fund, subject to approval by the Board.

 

 C: 

15

 

 

FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates may make payments, out of its own assets, to those firms as compensation and/or reimbursement for marketing support and/or program servicing to selected intermediaries that are registered as holders or dealers of record for accounts invested in one or more of the FT Portfolios Funds or that make FT Portfolios Fund shares available through certain selected FT Portfolios Fund no-transaction fee institutional platforms and fee-based wrap programs at certain financial intermediaries. Program servicing payments typically apply to employee benefit plans, such as retirement plans, or fee-based advisory programs but may apply to retail sales and assets in certain situations. The payments are based on such factors as the type and nature of services or support furnished by the intermediary and are generally asset-based. Services for which an intermediary receives marketing support payments may include, but are not limited to, business planning assistance, advertising, educating the intermediary’s personnel about FT Portfolios Funds in connection with shareholder financial planning needs, placement on the intermediary’s preferred or recommended fund list, and access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the intermediary. In addition, intermediaries may be compensated for enabling representatives of FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other events sponsored by the intermediary. Services for which an intermediary receives program servicing payments typically include, but are not limited to, record keeping, reporting or transaction processing and shareholder communications and other account administration services, but may also include services rendered in connection with Fund/investment selection and monitoring, employee enrollment and education, plan balance rollover or separation, or other similar services. An intermediary may perform program services itself or may arrange with a third party to perform program services. These payments, if any, are in addition to the service fee and any applicable omnibus sub-accounting fees paid to these firms with respect to these services by the FT Portfolios Funds out of FT Portfolios Fund assets.

 

From time to time, FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates, at its expense, may provide other compensation to intermediaries that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of the FT Portfolios Funds, which may be in addition to marketing support and program servicing payments described above. For example, FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates may: (i) compensate intermediaries for National Securities Clearing Corporation networking system services (e.g., shareholder communication, account statements, trade confirmations and tax reporting) on an asset-based or per-account basis; (ii) compensate intermediaries for providing FT Portfolios Fund shareholder trading information; (iii) make one-time or periodic payments to reimburse selected intermediaries for items such as ticket charges (i.e., fees that an intermediary charges its representatives for effecting transactions in FT Portfolios Fund shares) or exchange order, operational charges (e.g., fees that an intermediary charges for establishing the FT Portfolios Fund on its trading system), and literature printing and/or distribution costs; (iv) at the direction of a retirement plan’s sponsor, reimburse or pay direct expenses of an employee benefit plan that would otherwise be payable by the plan; and (v) provide payments to broker-dealers to help defray their technology or infrastructure costs.

 

When not provided for in a marketing support or program servicing agreement, FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for enabling FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other intermediary employees, client and investor events and other intermediary-sponsored events, and for travel expenses, including lodging incurred by registered representatives and other employees in connection with prospecting, asset retention and due diligence trips. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event. FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates make payments for such events as it deems appropriate, subject to its internal guidelines and applicable law.

 

FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates occasionally sponsor due diligence meetings for registered representatives during which they receive updates on various FT Portfolios Funds and are afforded the opportunity to speak with portfolio managers. Although invitations to these meetings are not conditioned on selling a specific number of shares, those who have shown an interest in FT Portfolios Funds are more likely to be considered. To the extent permitted by their firm’s policies and procedures, all or a portion of registered representatives’ expenses in attending these meetings may be covered by FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates.

 

The amounts of payments referenced above made by FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates could be significant and may create an incentive for an intermediary or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the FT Portfolios Funds to its customers. The intermediary may elevate the prominence or profile of the FT Portfolios Funds within the intermediary’s organization by, for example, placing the FT Portfolios Funds on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or granting FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the FT Portfolios Funds in various ways within the intermediary’s organization. These payments are made pursuant to negotiated agreements with intermediaries. The payments do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of a share or the amount the FT Portfolios Fund will receive as proceeds from such sales. Furthermore, many of these payments are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fee table section of the FT Portfolios Fund’s Prospectus because they are not paid by the FT Portfolios Fund. The types of payments described herein are not mutually exclusive, and a single intermediary may receive some or all types of payments as described.

 

Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. Investors can ask their intermediaries for information about any payments they receive from FT Portfolios and/or its affiliates and the services it provides for those payments. Investors may wish to take intermediary payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to FT Portfolios Fund shares.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund to the Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers. The Investment Adviser and the Sub-Advisers will vote such proxies in accordance with its proxy voting policies and procedures. Copies of the Investment Adviser’s and Sub-Advisers’ proxy policies and procedures are included as Appendix A to this SAI. The Board will periodically review the Fund’s proxy voting record.

 

 C: 

16

 

 

The Fund is required to file Form N-PX, with its complete proxy voting record for the twelve months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. The Fund’s Form N-PX filing, once available, will be available: (i) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 1-(877) 779-1999 or (ii) by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. and affiliated entities (collectively, “FTCM”) have provided the initial seed investments in the Fund. For so long as FTCM has a greater than 25% interest in the Fund, it may be deemed to be a “control person” of the Fund for purposes of the Investment Company Act. However, it is anticipated that FTCM will no longer be a control person when or soon after the Fund commences operations and its Shares are sold to the public.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Appendix C to this SAI provides financial information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s financial statements as of April 1, 2022 have been audited by Grant Thornton LLP, and the Fund’s financial statements as of June 30, 2022 are unaudited.

 

 C: 

17

 

 

APPENDIX A — PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. PROXY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

 

INTRODUCTION

 

First Trust Capital Management L.P. (“FTCM”) acts as either the advisor or sub-advisor to a number of registered investment companies (the “Funds”). In accord with Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, FTCM has adopted the following policies and procedures to provide information on FTCM’s proxy policy generally as well as on procedures for each of the Funds specifically (the “Proxy Policy and Procedure”). These policies and procedures apply only to FTCM. Investment Advisers engaged as sub-advisors for one of the Funds are required to vote proxies in accord with their own policies and procedures and any applicable management agreements.

 

GENERAL GUIDELINES

 

FTCM’s Proxy Policy and Procedure is designed to ensure that proxies are voted in a manner (i) reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders1 and (ii) not affected by any material conflict of interest. FTCM considers shareholders’ best economic interests over the long term (i.e., addresses the common interest of all shareholders over time). Although shareholders may have differing political or social interests or values, their economic interest is generally uniform.

 

FTCM has adopted voting guidelines to assist in making voting decisions on common issues. The guidelines are designed to address those securities in which the Funds generally invest and may be revised in FTCM’s discretion. Any non-routine matters not addressed by the proxy voting guidelines are addressed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote, particularly where such matters have a potential for major economic impact on the issuer’s structure or operations. In making voting determinations, FTCM typically will rely on the individual portfolio managers who invest in and track particular companies as they are the most knowledgeable about, and best suited to make decisions regarding, particular proxy matters. In addition, FTCM may conduct research internally and/or use the resources of an independent research consultant. FTCM may also consider other materials such as studies of corporate governance and/or analyses of shareholder and management proposals by a certain sector of companies and may engage in dialogue with an issuer’s management.

 

FTCM acknowledges its responsibility to identify material conflicts of interest related to voting proxies. FTCM’s employees are required to disclose to the Chief Compliance Officer any personal conflicts, such as officer or director positions held by them, their spouses or close relatives, in any publicly traded company. Conflicts based on business relationships with FTCM, any affiliate or any person associated with FTCM will be considered only to the extent that FTCM has actual knowledge of such relationships. FTCM then takes appropriate steps to address identified conflicts. Typically, in those instances when a proxy vote may present a conflict between the interests of the Fund, on the one hand, and FTCM’s interests or the interests of a person affiliated with FTCM on the other, FTCM will abstain from making a voting decision and will document the decision and reasoning for doing so.

 

In some cases, the cost of voting a proxy may outweigh the expected benefits. For example, casting a vote on a foreign security may involve additional costs such as hiring a translator or traveling to the foreign country to vote the security in person. In such situations, FTCM may abstain from voting a proxy if the effect on shareholders’ economic interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant.

 

In certain cases, securities on loan as part of a securities lending program may not be voted. Nothing in the proxy voting policies shall obligate FTCM to exercise voting rights with respect to a portfolio security if it is prohibited by the terms of the security or by applicable law or otherwise.

 

FTCM will not discuss with members of the public how they intend to vote on any particular proxy proposal.

 

 C: 

18

 

 

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

The Funds are subject to the restrictions of Sections 12(d)(1)(A)(i) and (B)(i) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Generally, these provisions require that any fund and any entity controlled by that fund (including ETFs that are registered investment companies) may not own, in the aggregate, more than three percent (3%) of the total outstanding voting securities of any registered open-end or closed-end investment company, including money market funds or may invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.2 Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the Act provides that the Section 12(d) limitations do not apply to the securities acquired by a fund if (i) immediately after the purchase or acquisition of not more than 3% of the total outstanding stock of such registered investment company is owned by the fund and all affiliated persons of the fund, and (ii) the fund is not proposing to offer or sell any security issued by it through a principal underwriter or otherwise at a public or offering price which includes a sales load of more than one and a half percent (1.5%). In the event that one of Funds relies upon Section 12(d)(1)(F), VAM, acting on behalf of the Fund, will, when voting with respect to any investment company owned by the Fund, comply with either of the following voting restrictions:

 

Seek instruction from the Fund’s shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance with such instructions, or

 

Vote the shares held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security.

 

ISS PROXYEDGE

 

FTCM has entered into a contractual relationship with Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) through which ISS provides certain proxy management services to FTCM’s portfolio management teams. Specifically, ISS (i) provides access to the ISS ProxyExchange web-based voting and research platform to access vote recommendations, research reports, execute vote instructions and run reports relevant to Subscriber’s proxy voting environment; (ii) implements and maps FTCM’s designated proxy voting policies to applicable accounts and generates vote recommendations based on the application of such policies; and (iii) monitors FTCM’s incoming ballots, performs ballot-to- account reconciliations with FTCM and its third party providers to help ensure that ISS is receiving all ballots for which FTCM has voting rights.

 

ISS provides two options for how proxy ballots are executed:

 

1.Implied Consent: ISS executes ballots on FTCM’s behalf based on policy guidelines chosen at the time FTCM entered into the relationship with ISS.

 

2.Mandatory Signoff: ISS is not permitted to mark or process any ballot on FTCM’s behalf without first receiving FTCM’s specific voting instructions via ProxyExchange.

 

FTCM has opted for Option 1. Implied Consent and in so doing has chosen to allow ISS to vote proxies on its behalf “with management’s recommendations.” FTCM has the option, however, to change its vote from the “with management’s recommendations” default at any point prior to the voting deadline if the portfolio managers following the subject company determine it is in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders to do so. In those instances when the subject company’s management has not provided a voting recommendation, FTCM will either vote based on its own determination of what would align most closely with the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders or will opt to allow ISS to submit an “abstain” vote on its behalf. In addition, in those limited instances when share blocking3 may apply, FTCM has instructed ISS not to cast a vote on FTCM’s behalf unless FTCM provides specific instructions via ProxyExchange.

 

FUND-SPECIFIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

Infinity Core Alternative Fund (“ICAF”)

 

ICAF is a “fund of funds” that invests primarily in general or limited partnerships, funds, corporations, trusts or other investment vehicles (collectively, “Investment Funds”). While it is unlikely that ICAF will receive notices or proxies from Investment Funds (or in connection with any other portfolio securities), to the extent that ICAF does receive such notices or proxies and ICAF has voting interests in such Investment Funds, the responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by ICAF lies with FTCM as ICAF’s advisor. FTCM will vote such proxies in accordance with the proxy policies and procedures noted above.

 

ICAF will be required to file Form N-PX with its complete proxy voting record for the twelve (12) months ended June 30th, no later than August 31st of each year. The Fund’s Form N-PX filing will be available: (i) without charge, upon request, by calling 1.877.779.1999 or (ii) by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

All Other Funds

 

With the exception of the First Trust Merger Arbitrage Fund and First Trust Merger Arbitrage ETF, the Funds for which FTCM is presently either an advisor or a sub-advisor are managed by multiple internal and external portfolio management teams. As is noted above, the policies and procedures outlined within this Proxy Policy and Procedure apply to those securities being held in that portion of the Funds’ portfolios managed by an FTCM portfolio manager only.

 

Each Fund will be required to file Form N-PX annually, with its complete proxy voting record for the twelve (12) months immediately prior to the Fund’s year-end, no later than sixty (60) days following the Fund’s year-end. The Fund’s Form N-PX filing will be available: (i) without charge, upon request, from the Fund’s administrator or (ii) by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

1Actions taken in accord with the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders are those which align most closely with the Funds’ stated investment objectives and strategies.

 

2The three percent (3%) limit is measured at the time of investment.

 

3Proxy voting in certain countries requires share blocking. Shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the meeting date with a designated depositary. During this blocking period, any shares held by the designated depositary cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares have been returned to FTCM’s custodian banks. FTCM generally opts not to participate in share blocking proxies given these restrictions on their ability to trade.

 

 C: 

19

 

 C: 

 

Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC PROXY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Proxy Voting

 

Application to Investment Advisers

 

The Compliance team for Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC conducts the compliance function for multiple investment advisers registered with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”):

 

1.Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC

2.Angel Oak Capital Partners II, LLC

3.Angel Oak Commercial Real Estate Strategies, LLC

4.Buckhead One Financial Opportunities, LLC

5.Falcons I, LLC

6.Hawks I, LLC

 

The Proxy Voting Policy (the “Policy”) applies to each of the registered investment advisers listed above (each an “Adviser” and, collectively, the “Advisers”).

 

Policy

 

The Advisers as a matter of policy and as a fiduciary to our Clients1 have responsibility for voting proxies for portfolio securities consistent with the best economic interests of our Clients. Proxy voting is an important right of shareholders and reasonable care and diligence must be undertaken to ensure that such rights are properly and timely exercised.

 

Investment advisers registered with the SEC, which exercise voting authority with respect to Client securities, are required by Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to (a) adopt and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that Client securities are voted in the best interests of Clients, including how an adviser addresses material conflicts that may arise between an adviser’s interests and those of its Clients; (b) disclose to Clients how they may obtain information from the adviser with respect to the voting of proxies for their securities; (c) describe to Clients a summary of its proxy voting policies and procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures to its Clients. In addition, SEC Rule 204-2(c)(2) requires investment advisers that exercise voting authority with respect to Client securities to maintain certain records relating to the adviser’s proxy voting activities.

 

The Advisers will vote all proxies in the best interests of Clients and in accordance with the procedures outlined below, unless otherwise mandated by Client instructions, the investment management agreement, or applicable law. Our policy includes the responsibility to receive and vote Client proxies and disclose any potential conflicts of interest as well as making information available to Clients about the voting of proxies for their portfolio securities and maintaining relevant and required records.

 

When voting proxies for holdings of U.S. Registered Funds managed by the Advisers, please review the relevant Trust’s Proxy Voting Policy.

 

When voting proxies for Client holdings in other Registered Funds, please ensure voting decisions comply with the relevant Trust’s Fund of Funds Investments Policy and the Advisers’ Affiliated Fund Investments Policy.

 

Procedures

 

·All proxies that are sent to Clients and received by the Advisers to vote on behalf of Clients will be logged by the Advisers’ Operations team and provided to the portfolio manager responsible for the asset class subject to the proxy (the “Proxy Manager”). The log maintained by the Operations team will include the below information.

 

·The Operations team will determine which Client accounts hold the security to which the proxy relates.

 

·Prior to voting any proxy, the Proxy Manager, in consultation with the Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) if necessary, will determine if there are any conflicts of interest related to the proxy. If a conflict is identified, the CCO will decide as to whether the conflict is material. If it is deemed to be material, the conflict will be addressed as outlined below. Furthermore, the Proxy Manager will be required to confirm to the Operations team that any information relied upon to vote the proxy is believed to be materially accurate and complete.

 

·Absent material conflicts, the Proxy Manager will determine how the relevant Adviser should vote the proxy in accordance with applicable voting guidelines as described below. Operations personnel will vote the proxy per the Proxy Manager’s instructions in a timely and appropriate manner.

 

 

1Clients of the Advisers may include: Publicly offered open-end and closed-end registered investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Registered Funds”); a publicly offered Undertaking for Collective Investment of Transferable Securities (UCITS) fund registered with the Central Bank of Ireland (“UCITS Fund”); private investment funds organized as pooled investment vehicles exempt from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Private Funds”); and institutional and high net-worth individual investors (“Separately Managed Accounts”).

 

 C: 

20

 

 

Voting Guidelines

 

·In the absence of specific voting guidelines from the Client, the Advisers will vote proxies in the best interests of each particular Client. The Advisers’ policy is to vote all proxies from a specific issuer the same way for each Client unless instructed otherwise by a Client or unless there is a situation where the differing investment objectives of Clients lead to different voting directions being in the best interest of different Clients. Clients are permitted to place reasonable restrictions on each Adviser’s voting authority in the same manner that they may place restrictions on the selection of account securities or establish other investment guidelines.

 

·In certain situations, proxy voting is delegated to sub-advisors who advise on the relevant investments undergoing a proxy. These proxies are managed solely by the sub-advisor and are not tracked by the Advisers. As indicated in the Advisers’ Sub-Advisor Due Diligence Policy, the Advisers review the sub-advisor’s proxy voting policy to confirm the policy is effective and complies with the SEC’s requirements. On a quarterly basis, the Compliance team will confirm with any relevant sub-advisor whether they are maintaining appropriate records with respect to the proxies voted on behalf of the Advisers’ Clients.

 

·The Advisers will generally vote in favor of routine corporate housekeeping proposals such as the election of directors and selection of auditors, unless conflicts of interest are raised by an auditor’s non-audit services. The Advisers will seek to maximize long-term value for Clients, protect Clients’ rights, and promote governance structures and practices that reinforce the accountability of corporate management and boards of directors to shareholders.

 

·The Advisers will generally vote against proposals that cause board members to become entrenched or that cause unequal voting rights.

 

·In reviewing proposals, the Advisers will further consider the opinion of management as well as the effect of the proposal on management, shareholder value, and the issuer’s business practices. Throughout the proxy voting window, the Advisers will assess all known and publicly available information with respect to the proxy vote. This may include information made available by the issuer after the proxy vote has been initiated but prior to the proxy vote submission deadline. For example, this may entail information released by the issuer in response to recommendations made by proxy advisory firms.

 

·In certain circumstances, the Advisers may refrain from voting where the economic or other opportunity cost to a Client of voting a company’s proxy exceeds any anticipated benefits (for the relevant Client) of that proxy proposal. In each situation, the Proxy Manager’s decision not to vote will be documented, reviewed by Compliance, and retained in the relevant Adviser’s books and records. The Proxy Manager will be required to confirm that they believe that refraining from voting is in the best interest of the relevant Client.

 

Additional ERISA Considerations

 

The Advisers may manage assets of a benefit plan for the purposes of Title I of the Employment Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). For each ERISA fund managed, the Advisers would need to comply with ERISA’s Fiduciary Duties Regarding Proxy Voting and Shareholder Rights rule (the “ERISA Rule”). The ERISA Rule is largely in-keeping with this Policy. The ERISA Rule adds additional emphasis regarding ERISA fiduciaries’ requirement to carry out all proxy votes prudently and solely in the interests of plan participants and beneficiaries and for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and beneficiaries, additionally noting that ERISA fiduciaries must act solely in accordance with the economic interest of the plan considering only factors that they prudently determine will affect the economic value of the plan’s investment based on a determination of risk and return over an appropriate investment horizon. The ERISA Rule contains additional due diligence and monitoring requirements with respect to the selection and use of third-party proxy advisory firms. The Advisers do not use a proxy advisory firm as noted below.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

·The Advisers will identify any conflicts that exist between the interests of any Adviser and any Client by reviewing the relationship of the Advisers with the issuer of each security to determine if any Adviser has any relationship with the issuer.

 

·The Advisers will identify any conflicts that exist between the interests of any Client and another Client by reviewing each Client’s holdings in the relevant issuer to ensure whether any Client’s holdings at other levels in the issuer’s capital structure conflict with the holdings for which there is a proxy vote.

 

·If a material conflict of interest exists, the relevant Adviser will disclose the conflict to the affected Client(s), to give the Client(s) an opportunity to vote the proxies themselves, or to address the voting issue through other objective means such as voting in a manner consistent with a predetermined voting policy or receiving an independent third-party voting recommendation.

 

 C: 

21

 

 

·The Advisers will maintain a record of the voting resolution of any conflict of interest.

 

Client Requests for Information

 

·All Client requests for information regarding proxy votes, or policies and procedures, received by any employee should be forwarded to the CCO.

 

·In response to any request, the CCO will prepare a written response to the Client with the information requested, and as applicable will include the name of the issuer, the proposal voted upon, and how the relevant Adviser voted the Client’s proxy with respect to each proposal about which the Client inquired.

 

Use of Third-Party Proxy Advisory Services

 

Registered investment advisers may use independent third-party proxy advisory services to assist the adviser by making recommendations regarding how proxies should be voted. The use of proxy advisory services does not relieve an adviser’s obligation to vote in the client’s best interest nor remove an adviser’s obligation to provide full and fair disclosure of any conflicts of interest. Currently, the Advisers predominantly trade fixed-income products which generally do not hold proxy votes and therefore very few proxies are voted by the Advisers. Given the limited number of proxies, the Advisers have not engaged a third-party proxy advisory service. In the future, the Advisers may engage such a service. At that time, the Advisers would be required to vet the independence of the firm engaged to cast those votes, ascertain whether the firm has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze proxy voting issues, evaluate the staffing adequacy and quality of the firm’s personnel, and review the robustness of the firm’s policies and procedures to ensure accurate votes and mitigate conflicts of interest.

 

In addition, given the Advisers’ obligations to provide full and fair disclosure to their Clients of all material facts relating to the advisory relationship, any future engagements with proxy advisory firms will be disclosed to all Clients. If the Advisers use any automated or pre-populated voting services provided by the proxy advisory firms, the Advisers would disclose the extent of that use and under what circumstances the Advisers use such services. Moreover, the Advisers would need to create policies and disclosures to address the use of automated or pre-populated voting in cases where the Advisers may become aware before the proxy voting submission deadline that the issuer intends to file or has filed additional soliciting materials with the SEC regarding a matter to be voted upon.

 

Certification

 

Portfolio managers are required to certify each quarter, that all proxies, if any, voted by the portfolio manager have been voted in the best interest of the Client(s). Such certification will demonstrate that each Adviser’s personnel are periodically reminded of their obligations under this Policy even during extended periods of no proxy activity involving Client positions.

 

Regulatory Reporting

 

Form N-PX

 

Each U.S. Registered Fund has an obligation to file Form N-PX with the SEC no later than August 31 of each year, containing the proxy voting record of each Registered Fund for the twelve-month period ended June 30. Form N-PX is generally filed by the Registered Funds’ administrator.

 

The relevant Adviser of any Registered Fund will assist the administrator with the filing of Form N-PX by notifying the administrator of any proxy votes cast on behalf of a Registered Fund and providing the following information for each security for which a proxy vote was cast during the reporting period: (a) the name of the issuer; (b) the exchange ticker symbol; (c) the CUSIP identifier; (d) the shareholder meeting date; (e) a brief description of the matter voted on; (f) whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a security holder; (g) whether a vote was cast on behalf of the Registered Fund; (h) how the vote was cast (e.g., for or against the proposal, or abstain; for or withhold for election of directors); and (i) whether the registrant cast its vote for or against management.

 

The CCO will review for accuracy a draft of the Form N-PX provided by the administrator prior to filing and will provide the relevant Adviser’s authorization to file the Form N-PX with the SEC.

 

Form ADV

 

A brief summary of each Adviser’s proxy voting policy and procedures will be included in the Adviser’s Form ADV Part 2A and will be updated at least annually or at any time there are material changes to the policy or procedures. The summary will include information as to how Clients can request a copy of each Adviser’s proxy voting policy and procedures and how Clients may request information from the Adviser regarding how proxies were voted on behalf of the Client’s account.

 

 C: 

22

 

 

Testing

 

In order to determine that the Advisers are casting votes on behalf of Clients consistent with this Policy, the Advisers’ Compliance team samples at least ten percent of the proxy votes cast on behalf of Clients on an annual basis to confirm compliance with the Policy.

 

As part of the Advisers’ annual review, the Advisers review and document at least annually the adequacy of this Policy to ensure that it has been formulated reasonably and implemented effectively, including whether the Policy continues to be reasonably designed to ensure that the Advisers cast any votes in the best interests of Clients.

 

Recordkeeping

 

The Advisers will retain the following proxy records in accordance with the SEC’s five-year retention requirement.

 

·These policies and procedures and any amendments;

 

·Each proxy statement that each Adviser receives;

 

·A record of each vote that an Adviser casts and confirmation from the Proxy Manager that the vote was based on materially accurate and complete information;

 

·Any document an Adviser created that was material to deciding how to vote proxies, or that memorializes that decision;

 

·Any documentation of a determination that a conflict of interest exists and the resolution of that conflict; and

 

·A copy of each written request from a Client for information on how an Adviser voted such Client’s proxies, and a copy of any written response.

 

Reviewed/Amended: March 21, 2018; August 31, 2018; July 24, 2019 (no changes); October 22, 2019; July 29, 2020; August 24, 2020; December 18, 2020;June 24, 2021; December 6, 2021.

 

 C: 

23

 

 

PROXY POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

 

As required by Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act, the Adviser has adopted proxy voting policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted by the Adviser in the best interests of clients and that address how the Adviser should resolve material conflicts of interest that may arise between the Adviser’s interests and the interests of clients. The BCPAL Compliance Department is responsible for overseeing the adviser’s compliance with the proxy voting policies and procedures. 

 

Rule 206(4)-6 also requires the Adviser to (a) disclose to clients how they may obtain from the Adviser information as to how the Adviser voted with respect to Client securities, (b) describe to clients the Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures and (c) upon request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures to the requesting client. The Adviser’s Form ADV Part 2 should describe the relevant proxy voting policies and procedures and disclose, as applicable, that a copy of the complete proxy voting policy and information regarding how the Adviser voted proxies for particular portfolio securities may be obtained, free of charge, by request to BC Partners (compliance@bcpartners.com). 

 

 C: 

24

 

 

PROXY POLICY AND PROCEDURE PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

Palmer Square Capital Management LLC

 

Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

In accordance with Rules 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rule, 206(4)-6 and 204-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Palmer Square Capital Management LLC (“Palmer Square”) is providing all clients with a summary of its proxy voting procedures.

 

·It is Palmer Square’s policy to vote client shares primarily in conformity with Glass Lewis & Co. recommendations, in order to mitigate conflicts of interest issues between Palmer Square and its clients. Glass Lewis & Co. and Palmer Square retain a record of all recommendations.

 

·Glass Lewis & Co. is an independent third party that issues recommendations based upon its own internal guidelines.

 

·Palmer Square will vote client shares inconsistent with Glass Lewis & Co. recommendations if Palmer Square believes that doing so is in the best interest of its clients.

 

·In situations where Palmer Square identifies a material conflict of interest in the voting of proxies due to business or personal relationships that Palmer Square maintains with persons having an interest in the outcome of certain votes, Palmer Square will take appropriate steps to ensure that its proxy voting decisions are made in the best interest of its clients.

 

·Palmer Square votes client shares via ProxyEdge, an electronic voting platform provided by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. Additionally, ProxyEdge retains a record of proxy votes for each client.

 

·Annually, Palmer Square will file Form N-PX with the SEC, which will contain each fund’s complete proxy voting record.

 

·Palmer Square’s Compliance Team will periodically review all proxy votes to ensure consistency with its procedures.

 

·Palmer Square’s will conduct a review at least annually of Glass Lewis & Co. to assess the firm’s capacity and competency to serve as a proxy advisor.

 

·Upon request, clients can receive a copy of Palmer Square’s proxy voting procedures and Glass Lewis & Co.’s proxy voting guidelines.

 

·These procedures are currently in effect but could be amended in the future.

 

If you have any questions or would like a copy of Palmer Square’s proxy voting procedures, Glass Lewis & Co.’s proxy voting guidelines and/or a record of how your shares were voted, please contact Palmer Square’s Chief Compliance Officer at 913-647-9700.

 

 C: 

25

 

 

APPENDIX B — RATINGS OF INVESTMENTS DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Short-Term Credit Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings short-term issue credit rating is generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. The following summarizes the rating categories used by S&P Global Ratings for short-term issues:

 

“A-1” – A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

“A-2” – A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

“A-3” – A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

“B” – A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

 

“C” – A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

“D” – A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

 

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings – S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

 

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

“NP” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issuer, obligation and/or program.

 

 C: 

26

 

 

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short-term” based on market convention.1 Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:

 

“F1” – Securities possess the highest short-term credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

 

“F2” – Securities possess good short-term credit quality. This designation indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

 

“F3” – Securities possess fair short-term credit quality. This designation indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

“B” – Securities possess speculative short-term credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

“C” – Securities possess high short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

 

“RD” – Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.

 

“D” – Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an issue of a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated.

 

The DBRS Morningstar® Ratings Limited (“DBRS Morningstar”) short-term obligation ratings provide DBRS Morningstar’s opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of shorter than one year. The R-1 and R-2 rating categories are further denoted by the subcategories “(high)”, “(middle)”, and “(low)”.

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS Morningstar for commercial paper and short-term debt:

 

“R-1 (high)” - Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high. Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

“R-1 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high. Differs from “R-1 (high)” by a relatively modest degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

 

“R-1 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial. Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories. May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

 

“R-2 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

 

“R-2 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events. A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer’s ability to meet such obligations.

 

“R-3” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality. There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due. May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.

 

“R-4” – Short-term debt rated “R-4” is considered to be of speculative credit quality. The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

 

1 A long-term rating can also be used to rate an issue with short maturity.

 

 C: 

27

 

 

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated “R-5” is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.

 

“D” – Short-term debt rated “D” is assigned when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding-up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods. DBRS Morningstar may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.

 

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

The following summarizes the ratings used by S&P Global Ratings for long-term issues:

 

“AAA” – An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

 

“AA” – An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.

 

“A” – An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

 

“BBB” – An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

“BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” – Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

 

“BB” – An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

“B” – An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB”, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

“CCC” – An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

“CC” – An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

 

“C” – An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

 

“D” – An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 30 calendar days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) – Ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

 

“NR” – This indicates that a rating has not been assigned, or is no longer assigned.

 

 C: 

28

 

 

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Ratings - S&P Global Ratings’ issuer credit ratings make a distinction between foreign currency ratings and local currency ratings. A foreign currency rating on an issuer can differ from the local currency rating on it when the obligor has a different capacity to meet its obligations denominated in its local currency, versus obligations denominated in a foreign currency.

 

Moody’s long-term ratings are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations with an original maturity of eleven months or more. Such ratings reflect both on the likelihood of default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:

 

“Aaa” – Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

 

“Aa” – Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

 

“A” – Obligations rated “A” are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

 

“Baa” – Obligations rated “Baa” are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

 

“Ba” – Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

 

“B” – Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

 

“Caa” – Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

 

“Ca” – Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

 

“C” – Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

 

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to unrated obligations, obligation and/or program.

 

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

 

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

 

“AA” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

 

“A” – Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

“BBB” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

 

“BB” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicates an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

 

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material credit risk is present

 

“CCC” – A “CCC” rating indicates that substantial credit risk is present.

 

“CC” – A “CC” rating indicates very high levels of credit risk.

 

“C” – A “C” rating indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

 C: 

29

 

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned “RD” or “D” ratings but are instead rated in the “CCC” to “C” rating categories, depending on their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Fitch believes that this approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

 

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below “CCC”.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated issue of a rated issuer.

 

The DBRS Morningstar long-term obligation ratings provide DBRS Morningstar’s opinion on the risk that investors may not be repaid in accordance with the terms under which the long-term obligation was issued. The obligations rated in this category typically have a term of one year or longer. All rating categories other than AAA and D also contain subcategories “(high)” and “(low)”. The absence of either a “(high)” or “(low)” designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category. The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS Morningstar for long-term debt:

 

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of superior credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high. Credit quality differs from “AAA” only to a small degree. Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

 

“A” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of good credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than “AA.” May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

 

“BBB” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable. May be vulnerable to future events.

 

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is of speculative, non-investment grade credit quality. The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is uncertain. Vulnerable to future events.

 

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is of highly speculative credit quality. There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

“CCC”, “CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is of very highly speculative credit quality. In danger of defaulting on financial obligations. There is little difference between these three categories, although “CC” and “C” ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default or subordinated to obligations rated in the “CCC” to “B” range. Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the “C” category.

 

“D” – A security rated “D” is assigned when the issuer has filed under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or winding up statute or there is a failure to satisfy an obligation after the exhaustion of grace periods. DBRS Morningstar may also use “SD” (Selective Default) in cases where only some securities are impacted, such as the case of a “distressed exchange”.

 

Municipal Note Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will review the following considerations:

 

· Amortization schedule - the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

 

· Source of payment - the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

 

Municipal Short-Term Note rating symbols are as follows:

 

“SP-1” – A municipal note rated “SP-1” exhibits a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

 

“SP-2” – A municipal note rated “SP-2” exhibits a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

 

 C: 

30

 

 

“SP-3” – A municipal note rated “SP-3” exhibits a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

“D” – This rating is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

 

Moody’s uses the global short-term Prime rating scale (listed above under Short-Term Credit Ratings) for commercial paper issued by U.S. municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer’s self-liquidity.

 

For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody’s uses one of two other short-term rating scales, the Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scales provided below.

 

Moody’s uses the MIG scale for U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less. Under certain circumstances, Moody’s uses the MIG scale for bond anticipation notes with maturities of up to five years.

 

MIG Scale

 

“MIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

 

“MIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

 

“MIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

 

“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned. The components are a long-term rating and a short-term demand obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term demand obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to make payments associated with the purchase-price-upon demand feature (“demand feature”) of the VRDO. The short-term demand obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. VMIG ratings with liquidity support use as an input the short-term Counterparty Risk Assessment of the support provider, or the long-term rating of the underlying obligor in the absence of third party liquidity support. Transitions of VMIG ratings of demand obligations with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.

 

Moody’s typically assigns the VMIG short-term demand obligation rating if the frequency of the demand feature is less than every three years. If the frequency of the demand feature is less than three years but the purchase price is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the short-term demand obligation rating is “NR”.

 

“VMIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

 

“VMIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

 

“VMIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

 

“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections.

 

“NR” – Is assigned to an unrated obligation, obligation and/or program.

 

 C: 

31

 

 

About Credit Ratings

 

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

 

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities.

 

Fitch’s credit ratings are forward-looking opinions on the relative ability of an entity or obligation to meet financial commitments. Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) are assigned to corporations, sovereign entities, financial institutions such as banks, leasing companies and insurers, and public finance entities (local and regional governments). Issue-level ratings are also assigned and often include an expectation of recovery, which may be notched above or below the issuer-level rating. Issue ratings are assigned to secured and unsecured debt securities, loans, preferred stock and other instruments. Credit ratings are indications of the likelihood of repayment in accordance with the terms of the issuance. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation’s documentation).

 

DBRS Morningstar offers independent, transparent, and innovative credit analysis to the market. Credit ratings are forward-looking opinions about credit risk that reflect the creditworthiness of an issuer, rated entity, security and/or obligation based on DBRS Morningstar’s quantitative and qualitative analysis in accordance with applicable methodologies and criteria. They are meant to provide opinions on relative measures of risk and are not based on expectations of, or meant to predict, any specific default probability. Credit ratings are not statements of fact. DBRS Morningstar issues credit ratings using one or more categories, such as public, private, provisional, final(ized), solicited, or unsolicited. From time to time, credit ratings may also be subject to trends, placed under review, or discontinued. DBRS Morningstar credit ratings are determined by credit rating committees.

 

 C: 

32

 

 

APPENDIX C — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

 C: 

33

 

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Financial Statements

 

For the Period from February 14, 2022 (Date of Organization) to April 1, 2022

 

 C: 

1

 

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

For the Period from February 14, 2022 (Date of Organization) to April 1, 2022

 

Table of Contents

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 3
   
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 4
   
Statement of Operations 5
   
Notes to Financial Statements 6

 

 C: 

2

 

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

Board of Trustees and Shareholders

First Trust Private Credit Fund

 

Opinion on the financial statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of First Trust Private Credit Fund (a Delaware Statutory Trust) (the “Fund”) as of April 1, 2022 and the related statement of operations for the period from February 14, 2022 (date of organization) through April 1, 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of April 1, 2022, and the results of its operations for the period from February 14, 2022 (date of organization) through April 1, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more of First Trust Capital Management L.P.’s investment companies since 2016.

 

Chicago, IL

May 12, 2022 (except for Note 5, as to which the date is September 1, 2022)

 

 C: 

3

 

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

As of April 1, 2022

 

Assets         
Cash  $100,000     
Receivable from Adviser (See Note 2)   52,852     
Deferred offering costs (See Note 2)   38,355     
Total Assets        191,207 
Liabilities         
Payable for offering costs (See Note 2)   38,355     
Payable for organizational costs (See Note 2)   52,852     
Total Liabilities        91,207 
Net Assets       $100,000 
Components of Net assets:         
Paid-in capital       $100,000 
Net Assets, April 1, 2022       $100,000 
Net assets attributable to:         
Class I shares (unlimited shares authorized and 10,000 shares issued and outstanding)       $100,000 
Net asset value per share:         
Class I shares       $10.00 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 C: 

4

 

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Statement of Operations

 

For the Period from February 14, 2022 (Date of Organization) to April 1, 2022

 

Income     
Investment income  $- 
Expenses     
Organizational costs   52,852 
Less: Reimbursement from the Adviser   (52,852)
Net Expenses   - 
Net Investment Income (Loss)   - 
Net Investment Income and Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations  $- 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 C: 

5

 

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. Organization

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”) is a closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”) and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on February 14, 2022. The Fund intends to operate as an interval fund. First Trust Capital Management L.P. serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Adviser”) of the Fund. The Fund has been inactive since the date it was organized except for matters relating to the Fund's establishment, designation, and registration of the Fund's shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”). The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets across a wide array of credit strategies. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Adviser and one or more sub-advisers, in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Adviser.

 

The Fund offers two separate classes of Shares designated as Class A (“Class A Shares”) and Class I (“Class I Shares”). Class A Shares and Class I Shares are subject to different fees and expenses. Only Class I Shares have been issued as of April 1, 2022. The Fund may offer additional classes of Shares in the future.

 

Class A Shares of the Fund may be subject to a sales charge of up to 5.75% of the subscription amount. There is no sales charge imposed on Class I Shares.

 

2. Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Preparation and Use of Estimates

 

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of the financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statement, as well as reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

Organizational and Offering Costs

 

Organizational costs consist of the costs of forming the Fund, drafting of bylaws, administration, custody and transfer agency agreements, legal services in connection with the initial meeting of trustees and the Fund’s seed audit costs. Offering costs consist of the costs of preparation, review and filing with the SEC the Fund’s registration statement (including this Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information), the costs of preparation, review and filing of any associated marketing or similar materials, the costs associated with the printing, mailing or other distribution of the Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information and/or marketing materials, and the amounts of associated filing fees and legal fees associated with the offering. The aggregate amount of the organizational costs and offering costs as of the date of the accompanying financial statements are estimated to be approximately $52,852 and $38,355, respectively.

 

 C: 

6

 

 

The Investment Adviser has agreed to pay or reimburse the Fund’s organizational costs and offering costs already incurred and any additional costs incurred prior to the commencement of operations of the Fund. Organizational costs incurred by the Fund will be reimbursed by the Investment Adviser and are subject to recoupment by the Investment Adviser in accordance with the Fund's expense limitation agreement discussed in Note 3. Offering costs, which are also subject to the Fund’s expense limitation agreement discussed in Note 3, are accounted for as a deferred charge until Fund shares are offered to the public and will thereafter, be amortized to expense over twelve months on a straight-line basis.

 

Fair Value Measurements

 

The Administrator calculates the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) as of the close of business on each business day and at such other times as the Board may determine, including in connection with repurchases of Shares, in accordance with the procedures described below or as may be determined from time to time in accordance with policies established by the Board (each, a “Determination Date”).

 

The Fund’s Valuation Committee oversees the valuation of the Fund’s investments on behalf of the Fund. The Board has approved valuation procedures for the Fund (the “Valuation Procedures”). Securities traded on one or more of the U.S. national securities exchanges, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any foreign stock exchange will be valued at the last sale price or the official closing price on the exchange or system where such securities are principally traded for the business day as of the relevant Determination Date. If no sale or official closing price of particular securities are reported on a particular day, the securities will be valued at the closing bid price for securities held long, or the closing ask price for securities held short, or if a closing bid or ask price, as applicable, is not available, at either the exchange or system-defined closing price on the exchange or system in which such securities are principally traded. Over-the-counter securities not quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market will be valued at the last sale price on the relevant Determination Date or, if no sale occurs, at the last bid price, in the case of securities held long, or the last ask price, in the case of securities held short, at the time NAV is determined. Equity securities for which no prices are obtained under the foregoing procedures, including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect the market value, will be valued at the bid price, in the case of securities held long, or the ask price, in the case of securities held short, supplied by one or more dealers making a market in those securities or one or more brokers, in accordance with the Valuation Procedures. Futures index options will be valued at the mid-point between the last bid price and the last ask price on the relevant Determination Date at the time NAV is determined. The mid-point of the last bid and the last ask is also known as the ‘mark’.

 

 C: 

7

 

 

Fixed-income securities with a remaining maturity of sixty (60) days or more for which accurate market quotations are readily available will normally be valued according to dealer-supplied mean quotations or mean quotations from a recognized pricing service. Fixed-income securities for which market quotations are not readily available or are believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect market value will be valued based upon broker-supplied quotations in accordance with the Valuation Procedures, provided that if such quotations are unavailable or are believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect market value, such fixed-income securities will be valued at fair value in accordance with the Valuation Procedures, which may include the utilization of valuation models that take into account spread and daily yield changes on government securities in the appropriate market (e.g., matrix pricing). High quality investment grade debt securities (e.g., treasuries, commercial paper, etc.) with a remaining maturity of sixty (60) days or less are valued by the Investment Adviser or a Sub- Adviser at amortized cost, which the Board has determined to approximate fair value. All other instruments held by the Fund will be valued in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.

 

If no price is obtained for a security in accordance with the foregoing, because either an external price is not readily available or such external price is believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect the market value, the Valuation Designee will make a determination in good faith of the fair value of the security in accordance with the Valuation Procedures. In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset and will be used when there is no public market or possibly no market at all for the asset. The fair values of one or more assets may not be the prices at which those assets are ultimately sold and the differences may be significant.

 

The Fund’s Board has approved procedures pursuant to which the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser and the Board will use their best efforts to ensure that the value of each private debt instrument is adjusted based on the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s estimate of what actual fair value would be under current market conditions. The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser will evaluate each private debt investment’s fair value based on numerous factors, including but not limited to changes in credit risk, construction risk, the financial strength of the borrower, and the debt instrument’s spread to US Treasuries. The Fund may also engage qualified external valuation consultants to provide valuation information, typically on a quarterly basis, but at least semiannually.

 

The Fund will generally value any private debt investments at the lesser of their amortized cost or the high end of any valuation range as provided by a qualified external valuation consultant. In certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may determine that this amount does not represent the fair value of the private debt investment based on current market conditions. In such an instance, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee will fair value the investment. In its fair valuation assessment process, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee may consider any information it deems appropriate including external valuation consultants. Any such fair valuation determinations will be made in good faith by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee, subject to the review and ratification of the Fund’s Valuation Committee. The Distributor is under no duty to verify any valuations of the Fund’s investments.

 

 C: 

8

 

 

Securities for which the primary market is a national securities exchange are valued at the last reported sales price on the day of valuation. Listed securities for which no sale was reported on that date are valued at the mean between the most recent bid and asked prices. Securities traded on the over-the- counter market are valued at their closing bid prices. Valuation of short-term cash equivalent investments will be at amortized cost.

 

Federal Income Taxes

 

The Fund has elected to be treated and intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) for federal income tax purposes. As a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal corporate income tax, provided that when it is a RIC, it distributes out all of its income and gains each year.

 

Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (the “Income Tax Statement”) requires an evaluation of tax positions taken (or expected to be taken) in the course of preparing a Fund’s tax returns to determine whether these positions meet a “more-likely-than-not” standard that, based on the technical merits, have a more than fifty percent likelihood of being sustained by a taxing authority upon examination. A tax position that meets the “more-likely-than-not” recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The Fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations.

 

The Income Tax Statement requires management of the Fund to analyze tax positions taken in the prior three open tax years, if any, and tax positions expected to be taken in the Fund’s current tax year, as defined by the IRS statute of limitations for all major jurisdictions, including federal tax authorities and certain state tax authorities. For the Period from February 14, 2022 (Date of Organization) to April 1, 2022, the Fund did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The Fund has no examination in progress and is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change in the next twelve months.

 

Indemnifications

 

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these agreements is dependent on future claims that may be made against the Fund, and therefore cannot be established; however, the risk of loss from such claims is considered remote.

 

3. Agreements

 

The Fund has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) with the Investment Adviser. Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Adviser a monthly fee equal to 1.35% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s net assets as of each month-end (the “Investment Management Fee”), subject to certain adjustments.

 

 C: 

9

 

 

Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC, (“Angel Oak”), Angel Oak receives a portfolio management fee equal to 0.50% on an annualized basis of their portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and BC Partners Advisors L.P. (“BC Partners”), BC Partners receives a portfolio management fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of their portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Palmer Square Capital Management LLC, (“Palmer Square”), Palmer Square receives a portfolio management fee equal to 0.50% on an annualized basis of their portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. Each Sub-Adviser’s fee is paid by the Investment Adviser out of the Investment Management Fee.

 

The Investment Adviser has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Adviser has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), in the amount necessary to ensure that total annual expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses (as defined above)) do not exceed 2.40% and 1.65% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively (the “Expense Limit”) for an initial term of one year from the effective date of the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (“Initial Term”). The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may be terminated before that date by the Fund or the Investment Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice. Unless it is terminated, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement automatically renews from year to year. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Adviser may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in effect at the time of the Waiver and the Expense Limit at the time of the recoupment.

 

4. Other Agreements

 

Distribution and Services Agreement

 

The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan which allows the Fund to pay distribution and servicing fees for the sale and servicing of its Class A and Class I Shares. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, Class A Shares are permitted to pay as compensation up to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares and Class I Shares are permitted to pay as compensation up to 0.25% on an annualized basis the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class I Shares (collectively, the “Distribution and Servicing Fee”) to the Fund’s Distributor and/or other qualified recipients. Payment of the Distribution and Servicing Fee is governed by the Distribution and Service Plan, which, pursuant to the conditions of an exemptive order issued by the SEC, has been adopted by the Fund with respect to Class A and Class I Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Distribution and Servicing Fee is paid out of the Fund’s assets attributable to the applicable Class and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of such Class.

 

 C: 

10

 

 

First Trust Portfolios L.P. (the “Distributor”) is the distributor (also known as principal underwriter) of the Shares of the Fund and acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Fund.

 

Fund Administration Agreement

 

The Fund has retained the administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the “Administrator”) to provide administrative services, and to assist with operational needs. In consideration for these services, once the Fund commences operations, the Fund will pay the Administrator as part of a relationship level fee structure which includes an annual base fee per fund of $75,000 and 6.0 basis points on combined assets of all funds managed by the Investment Adviser (the “Administration Fee”). The Administration Fee is paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund and therefore decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Administrator is also reimbursed by the Fund for out-of-pocket expenses relating to services provided to the Fund and receives a fee for transfer agency services. The Administration Fee and the other terms of the Administration Agreement may change from time to time as may be agreed to by the Fund and the Administrator.

 

5. Subsequent Events

 

Effective May 9, 2022, there were subscriptions to the Fund from an affiliate of the Adviser in the amount of $5,000,000 for Class I Shares. Through the date the financial statements were issued, there have not been any additional subscriptions to the Fund.

 

Subsequent to the date of this report, Mount Logan Management, LLC (“Mount Logan”) replaced BC Partners as a Sub-Advisor to the Fund. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Mount Logan, Mount Logan receives a portfolio management fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s NAV as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. Mount Logan and BC Partners are under common control.

 

In preparing these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events through the date of issuance of the financial statements included herein. There have been no subsequent events, other than those noted above, that occurred during such period that would require disclosure or would be required to be recognized in the financial statements.

 

 C: 

11

 

 C: 

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Financial Statements

 

June 30, 2022

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

 

Table of Contents

 

Schedule of Investments 1
 
Summary of Investments 3
 
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 4
 
Statement of Operations 5
 
Statement of Changes in Net Assets 6
 
Financial Highlights 7
 
Notes to Financial Statements 8

 

 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

As of June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Principal            
Amount         Value  
        ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES — 84.0%        
        Bellemeade Re Ltd.        
$ 150,000     Series 2021-1A, Class M1C, 3.88% (30-Day SOFR Average+295 basis points), 3/25/20311,2,3,4   $ 147,580  
        CIFC Funding 2017-III Ltd.        
  500,000     Series 2017-3A, Class C, 4.71% (3-Month USD Libor+365 basis points), 7/20/20301,2,3,4     469,013  
        Clear Creek CLO        
  500,000     Series 2015-1A, Class DR, 4.01% (3-Month USD Libor+295 basis points), 10/20/20301,2,3,4     468,225  
        Deephaven Residential Mortgage Trust        
  200,000     Series 2021-2, Class B1, 3.17%, 4/25/20661,2,4     165,215  
        DT Auto Owner Trust        
  100,000     Series 2022-2A, Class D, 5.46%, 3/15/20281,2     97,646  
        Freddie Mac Structured Agency Credit Risk Debt Notes        
  250,000     Series 2021-DNA2, Class B2, 6.93% (30-Day SOFR Average+600 basis points), 8/25/20331,2,3,4     212,503  
        Hertz Vehicle Financing III LP        
  250,000     Series 2021-2A, Class D, 4.34%, 12/27/20271,2     215,968  
        Home RE Ltd.        
  250,000     Series 2022-1, Class M1C, 6.43% (30-Day SOFR Average+550 basis points), 10/25/20341,2,3,4     238,459  
        Madison Park Funding XXVI Ltd.        
  425,000     Series 2017-26A, Class DR, 4.24% (3-Month USD Libor+300 basis points), 7/29/20301,2,3,4     403,542  
        Marlette Funding Trust        
  100,000     Series 2019-4A, Class C, 3.76%, 12/17/20291,2     98,225  
        Med Trust        
  200,000     Series 2021-MDLN, Class G, 6.57% (1-Month USD Libor+525 basis points), 11/15/20381,3,4     181,649  
        OZLM XXII Ltd.        
  500,000     Series 2018-22A, Class C, 3.70% (3-Month USD Libor+265 basis points), 1/17/20311,2,3,4     440,000  
        PRET 2021-RN2 LLC        
  171,565     Series 2021-RN2, Class A1, 1.74%, 7/25/20511,2,5     161,035  
        PRPM 2021-6 LLC        
  236,278     Series 2021-6, Class A1, 1.79%, 7/25/20261,2,5     221,432  
        Silver Creek CLO Ltd.        
  500,000     Series 2014-1A, Class E1R, 6.68% (3-Month USD Libor+562 basis points), 7/20/20301,2,3,4     443,538  
        Triangle RE Ltd.        
  200,000     Series 2021-3, Class M2, 4.68% (30-Day SOFR Average+375 basis points), 2/25/20341,2,3,4     183,857  

 

 C: 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS - Continued

As of June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Principal          
Amount         Value  
        ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES (Continued)        
        Verus Securitization Trust 2021-1        
$ 144,261     Series 2021-1, Class A2, 1.05%, 1/25/20661,2,4   $ 131,814  
        TOTAL ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES
(Cost $4,309,090)
    4,279,701  

 

Number              
of Shares              
        SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 15.7%        
  801,815     Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Fund - Government Portfolio - Institutional Class 1.37%6     801,815  
        TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $801,815)
    801,815  
        TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 99.7%
(Cost $5,110,905)
    5,081,516  
        Assets in Excess of Other Liabilities — 0.3%     13,145  
        TOTAL NET ASSETS — 100.0%   $ 5,094,661  

 

LLC — Limited Liability Company

LP — Limited Partnership

 

1 Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities are restricted and may be resold in transactions exempt from registration normally to qualified institutional buyers. The total value of these securities is $4,279,701, which represents 84.00% of the total net assets of the Fund.

2 Callable.

3 Floating rate security, upon which interest rate adjusts periodically based on changes in current interest rates and prepayments on the underlying pool of assets. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end.

4 Variable rate security, upon which the interest rate adjusts periodically based on changes in current interest rates and prepayments on the underlying pool of assets. Rate shown is the rate in effect as of period end.

5 Step rate security.

6 The rate is the annualized seven-day yield at period end.

 

See accompanying Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

 C: 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

SUMMARY OF INVESTMENTS

As of June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Security Type/Sector   Percent of Total
Net Assets
 
Asset-Backed Securities     84.0 %
Short-Term Investments     15.7 %
Total Investments     99.7 %
Other Assets in Excess of Liabilities     0.3 %
Total Net Assets     100.0 %

 

See accompanying Notes to Schedule of Investments.

 

 C: 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

As of June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Assets        
Investments, at fair value (Cost $5,110,905)   $ 5,081,516  
Receivables:        
Dividends and interest     25,415  
Deferred Organizational and offering costs (see Note 2)     66,619  
Total assets     5,173,550  
         
Liabilities        
Payables:        
Advisory fees     39,859  
Auditing fees     7,881  
Accrued other expenses     31,149  
Total liabilities     78,889  
         
Net Assets   $ 5,094,661  
         
Components of Net Assets        
         
Paid-in Capital (par value of $0.01 per share with an unlimited number of shares authorized)   $ 5,100,000  
Total accumulated deficit     (5,339 )
Net Assets   $ 5,094,661  
         
Class I Shares:        
Shares of common stock issued and outstanding     510,000  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share   $ 9.99  

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 C: 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

For the Period May 9, 2022 (commencement of operations) to June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Investment Income:        
Interest   $ 36,321  
Total investment income (loss)     36,321  
         
Expenses:        
Legal fees     18,437  
Advisory fees     10,039  
Organizational expenses     8,051  
Auditing fees     7,881  
Offering costs (see Note 2)     4,246  
Chief Compliance Officer fees     3,803  
Shareholder reporting fees     3,485  
Trustees’ fees and expenses     2,431  
Fund accounting and administration fees     973  
Miscellaneous     2,021  
Total expenses     61,367  
Advisory fees waived     (10,039 )
Other expenses absorbed     (39,057 )
Net expenses     12,271  
Net investment income (loss)     24,050  
         
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss):        
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments:     (29,389 )
         
Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets from Operations   $ (5,339 )

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (Unaudited)

 

    For the  
    Period Ended  
    June 30, 20221  
    (Unaudited)  
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets From:        
Operations:        
Net investment income (loss)   $ 24,050  
Net change in unrealized appreciation/depreciation on investments     (29,389 )
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations     (5,339 )
         
Capital Transactions:        
Net proceeds from shares sold:        
Class I     5,000,000  
Net increase (decrease) in net assets from capital transactions     5,000,000  
         
Total increase (decrease) in net assets     4,994,661  
         
Net Assets:        
Beginning of period 2     100,000  
End of period   $ 5,094,661  
         
Capital Share Transactions:        
Shares sold:        
Class I     510,000  
Net increase (decrease) in capital share transactions     510,000  

 

1 Represents the period May 9, 2022 (commencement of operations) to June 30, 2022.

2 The Investment Manager made the initial share purchase of $100,000 on April 1, 2022. The total initial share purchase of $100,000 included 10,000 shares purchased at $10 per share.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Class I (Unaudited)

 

Per share operating performance.

For a capital share outstanding throughout the period.

 

    For the Period Ended  
    June 30, 20221  
Net asset value, beginning of period   $ 10.00  
Income from Investment Operations:        
Net investment income (loss) 2     0.05  
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)     (0.06 )
Total from investment operations     (0.01 )
         
Net asset value, end of period   $ 9.99  
         
Total return 3,4     (0.10 )%
         
Ratios and Supplemental Data:        
Net assets, end of period (in thousands)   $ 5,095  
         
Ratio of expenses to average net assets (including interest expense):        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed 5     8.25 %
After fees waived and expenses absorbed 5     1.65 %
Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets (including interest expense):        
Before fees waived and expenses absorbed 5     9.83 %
After fees waived and expenses absorbed 5     3.23 %
         
Portfolio turnover rate 4     2 %

 

1 Represents the period May 9, 2022 (commencement of operations) to June 30, 2022.

2 Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

3 Total return would have been lower had fees not been waived or absorbed by the Advisor. These returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on the Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares.

4 Not annualized.

5 Annualized.

 

See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Note 1 - Organization

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund (the “Fund”), is a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund operates as an interval fund. The Fund operates under an Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 16, 2022 (the “Declaration of Trust”). First Trust Capital Management L.P. serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Manager”) of the Fund. The Investment Manager is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Fund has elected to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Fund intends to offer shares of beneficial interest (the “Shares”) in two separate share classes: Class A Shares and Class I Shares. Only Class I Shares have been issued as of June 30, 2022. The Fund commenced investment operations on May 9, 2022.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to produce current income. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating a least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, to a diverse portfolio of private credit instruments. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Adviser and one or more sub-advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”), in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Adviser.

 

Effective May 9, 2022, there were subscriptions to the Fund from an affiliate of the Adviser for Class I Shares. Class A Shares have not been offered, as of the date of this report. The Shares are issued at net asset value per Share. No holder of Shares (each, a “Shareholder”) has the right to require the Fund to redeem its Shares.

 

The shares of each class represent an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Fund and have equal rights as to voting, redemptions, dividends and liquidation, subject to the approval of the Trustees. Income, expenses (other than expenses attributable to a specific class), and realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments are allocated to each class of shares in proportion to their relative shares outstanding. Shareholders of a class that bears distribution and service expenses under the terms of a distribution plan have exclusive voting rights with respect to that distribution plan.

 

The Fund is an investment company and accordingly follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services—Investment Companies.”

 

Note 2 - Accounting Policies

 

The following is a summary of the significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

(a) Valuation of Investments

 

The Administrator calculates the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) as of the close of business on each business day and at such other times as the Board may determine, including in connection with repurchases of Shares, in accordance with the procedures described below or as may be determined from time to time in accordance with policies established by the Board (each, a “Determination Date”).

 

The Fund’s Valuation Committee oversees the valuation of the Fund’s investments on behalf of the Fund. The Board has approved valuation procedures for the Fund (the “Valuation Procedures”). Securities traded on one or more of the U.S. national securities exchanges, the Nasdaq Stock Market or any foreign stock exchange will be valued at the last sale price or the official closing price on the exchange or system where such securities are principally traded for the business day as of the relevant Determination Date. If no sale or official closing price of particular securities are reported on a particular day, the securities will be valued at the closing bid price for securities held long, or the closing ask price for securities held short, or if a closing bid or ask price, as applicable, is not available, at either the exchange or system-defined closing price on the exchange or system in which such securities are principally traded. Over-the-counter securities not quoted on the Nasdaq Stock Market will be valued at the last sale price on the relevant Determination Date or, if no sale occurs, at the last bid price, in the case of securities held long, or the last ask price, in the case of securities held short, at the time NAV is determined. Equity securities for which no prices are obtained under the foregoing procedures, including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect the market value, will be valued at the bid price, in the case of securities held long, or the ask price, in the case of securities held short, supplied by one or more dealers making a market in those securities or one or more brokers, in accordance with the Valuation Procedures. Futures index options will be valued at the mid-point between the last bid price and the last ask price on the relevant Determination Date at the time NAV is determined. The mid-point of the last bid and the last ask is also known as the ‘mark’.

 

 C: 

8

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Fixed-income securities with a remaining maturity of sixty (60) days or more for which accurate market quotations are readily available will normally be valued according to dealer-supplied mean quotations or mean quotations from a recognized pricing service. Fixed-income securities for which market quotations are not readily available or are believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect market value will be valued based upon broker-supplied quotations in accordance with the Valuation Procedures, provided that if such quotations are unavailable or are believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect market value, such fixed-income securities will be valued at fair value in accordance with the Valuation Procedures, which may include the utilization of valuation models that take into account spread and daily yield changes on government securities in the appropriate market (e.g., matrix pricing). High quality investment grade debt securities (e.g., treasuries, commercial paper, etc.) with a remaining maturity of sixty (60) days or less are valued by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser at amortized cost, which the Board has determined to approximate fair value. All other instruments held by the Fund will be valued in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.

 

If no price is obtained for a security in accordance with the foregoing, because either an external price is not readily available or such external price is believed by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser not to reflect the market value, the Valuation Committee will make a determination in good faith of the fair value of the security in accordance with the Valuation Procedures. In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset and will be used when there is no public market or possibly no market at all for the asset. The fair values of one or more assets may not be the prices at which those assets are ultimately sold and the differences may be significant.

 

The Fund’s Board has approved procedures pursuant to which the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser and the Board will use their best efforts to ensure that the value of each private debt instrument is adjusted based on the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s estimate of what actual fair value would be under current market conditions. The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser will evaluate each private debt investment’s fair value based on numerous factors, including but not limited to changes in credit risk, construction risk, the financial strength of the borrower, and the debt instrument’s spread to US Treasuries. The Fund may also engage qualified external valuation consultants to provide valuation information, typically on a quarterly basis, but at least semiannually.

 

The Fund will generally value any private debt investments at the lesser of their amortized cost or the high end of any valuation range as provided by a qualified external valuation consultant. In certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may determine that this amount does not represent the fair value of the private debt investment based on current market conditions. In such an instance, the Investment Adviser’s or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee will fair value the investment. In its fair valuation assessment process, the Investment Adviser’s or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee may consider any information it deems appropriate including external valuation consultants. Any such fair valuation determinations will be made in good faith by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser’s Valuation Committee, subject to the review and ratification of the Fund’s Valuation Committee. The Distributor is under no duty to verify any valuations of the Fund’s investments.

 

 C: 

9

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Securities for which the primary market is a national securities exchange are valued at the last reported sales price on the day of valuation. Listed securities for which no sale was reported on that date are valued at the mean between the most recent bid and asked prices. Securities traded on the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing bid prices. Valuation of short-term cash equivalent investments will be at amortized cost.

 

(b) Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses

 

Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on investments are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income and expense is recorded net of applicable withholding taxes on the ex-dividend date and interest income and expense is recorded on an accrual basis. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends, if applicable, are paid (a portion of which may be reclaimable) or provided for in accordance with the applicable country’s tax rules and rates and are disclosed in the Statement of Operations. Withholding tax reclaims are filed in certain countries to recover a portion of the amounts previously withheld. The Fund records a reclaim receivable based on a number of factors, including a jurisdiction’s legal obligation to pay reclaims as well as payment history and market convention. Discounts or premiums on debt securities are accreted or amortized to interest income over the lives of the respective securities using the effective interest method.

 

(c) Federal Income Taxes

 

The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and any net realized gains to its shareholders. Therefore, no provision is made for federal income or excise taxes. Due to the timing of dividend distributions and the differences in accounting for income and realized gains and losses for financial statement and federal income tax purposes, the fiscal year in which amounts are distributed may differ from the year in which the income and realized gains and losses are recorded by the Fund.

 

Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes (the “Income Tax Statement”) requires an evaluation of tax positions taken (or expected to be taken) in the course of preparing a Fund’s tax returns to determine whether these positions meet a “more-likely-than-not” standard that, based on the technical merits, have a more than fifty percent likelihood of being sustained by a taxing authority upon examination. A tax position that meets the “more-likely-than-not” recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The Fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations.

 

The Income Tax Statement requires management of the Fund to analyze tax positions taken in the prior three open tax years, if any, and tax positions expected to be taken in the Fund’s current tax year, as defined by the IRS statute of limitations for all major jurisdictions, including federal tax authorities and certain state tax authorities. For the period from the commencement of the Fund’s operations on May 9, 2022 through June 30, 2022, the Fund did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The Fund has no examination in progress and is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change in the next twelve months.

 

(d) Distributions to Shareholders

 

The Fund intends to make monthly distributions to its shareholders equal to 5% annually of the Fund’s net asset value per Share (the “Distribution Policy”). This predetermined dividend rate may be modified by the Board from time to time, and increased to the extent of the Fund’s investment company taxable income that it is required to distribute in order to maintain its status as a regulated investment company. The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. The character of distributions made during the year from net investment income or net realized gains may differ from the characterization for federal income tax purposes due to differences in the recognition of income expense and gain (loss) items for financial statement and tax purposes.

 

 C: 

10

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

For financial reporting purposes, dividends and distributions to Shareholders are recorded on the ex-date. If, for any distribution, available cash is less than the amount of this predetermined dividend rate, then assets of the Fund will be sold and such disposition may generate additional taxable income. The Fund’s final distribution for each calendar year will include any remaining investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income undistributed during the year, as well as the remaining net capital gain realized during the year. If the total distributions made in any calendar year exceed investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt income and net capital gain, such excess distributed amount would be treated as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Payments in excess of the earnings and profits would first be a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the adjusted tax basis in the Shares. After such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, the payment would constitute capital gain (assuming the Shares are held as capital assets). This Distribution Policy may, under certain circumstances, have certain adverse consequences to the Fund and its shareholders because it may result in a return of capital resulting in less of a shareholder’s assets being invested in the Fund and, over time, increase the Fund’s expense ratio. The Distribution Policy also may cause the Fund to sell a security at a time it would not otherwise do so in order to manage the distribution of income and gain.

 

(e) Organizational and Offering Costs

 

Organizational costs consist of the costs of forming the Fund, drafting of bylaws, administration, custody and transfer agency agreements, legal services in connection with the initial meeting of trustees and the Fund’s seed audit costs. Offering costs consist of the costs of preparation, review and filing with the SEC the Fund’s registration statement, the costs of preparation, review and filing of any associated marketing or similar materials, the costs associated with the printing, mailing or other distribution of the Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information and/or marketing materials, and the amounts of associated filing fees and legal fees associated with the offering. The aggregate amount of the organizational costs and offering costs as of the date of the accompanying financial statements are estimated to be approximately $52,852 and $38,355, respectively.

 

The Investment Adviser has agreed to pay or reimburse the Fund’s organizational costs and offering costs already incurred and any additional costs incurred prior to the commencement of operations of the Fund. Organizational costs incurred by the Fund will be reimbursed by the Investment Adviser and are subject to recoupment by the Investment Adviser in accordance with the Fund's expense limitation agreement discussed in Note 3. Offering costs, which are also subject to the Fund’s expense limitation agreement discussed in Note 3, are accounted for as a deferred charge until Fund shares are offered to the public and will thereafter, be amortized to expense over twelve months on a straight-line basis.

 

Note 3 – Investment Advisory and Other Agreements and Activity with Affiliates

 

The Fund has entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Investment Manager. Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Adviser a monthly fee equal to 1.35% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s net assets as of each month-end (the “Investment Management Fee”), subject to certain adjustments.

 

The Investment Manager has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Manager has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), in the amount necessary to ensure that total annual expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses (as defined above)) do not exceed 2.40% and 1.65% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively (the “Expense Limit”) for an initial term of one year from the effective date of the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (“Initial Term”). The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may not be terminated during the Initial Term by the Fund or the Investment Adviser. After the Initial Term, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement may be terminated before that date by the Fund or the Investment Adviser upon 30 days’ written notice. Unless it is terminated, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement automatically renews from year to year. Because taxes, leverage interest, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.40% and 1.65% for the Class A Shares and Class I Shares, respectively. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Adviser may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in effect at the time of the Waiver and the Expense Limit at the time of the recoupment.

 

 C: 

11

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated amongst the Investment Manager and one or more sub-advisers in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Manager. Currently, the Investment Manager has engaged Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC (“Angel Oak”), BC Partners Advisors L.P. (“BC Partners”) and Palmer Square Capital Management LLC (“Palmer Square”), (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”) to manage certain assets of the Fund and pays the Sub-Advisers from its advisory fees. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Angel Oak, Angel Oak receives a portfolio management fee equal to 0.50% on an annualized basis of their portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and BC Partners, BC Partners receives a portfolio management fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of their portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Palmer Square, Palmer Square receives a portfolio management fee equal to 0.50% on an annualized basis of their portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. Each Sub-Adviser’s fee is paid by the Investment Adviser out of the Investment Management Fee.

 

For the period from the commencement of the Fund’s operations on May 9, 2022 through June 30, 2022 the Adviser has waived $10,039 in advisory fees and absorbed $39,057 in other expenses. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which advisory fees are waived or Fund expenses absorbed by the Investment Manager, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or absorbed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with (a) the limitation on Fund expenses in effect at the time of the relevant reduction in advisory fees or payment of the Fund’s expenses, and (b) the limitation on Fund expenses at the time of the recoupment. At June 30, 2022, the amount of these potentially recoverable expenses was $49,096. The Adviser may recapture all or a portion of this amount no later than March 31, 2026.

 

The beneficial ownership, either directly or indirectly, of more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund creates a presumption of control under Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act. As of June 30, 2022, the Investment Manager and its affiliates owned approximately $5,094,661 (or 100% of net assets) of the Fund.

 

First Trust Portfolios L.P. currently serves as the Fund’s distributor. UMB Fund Services, Inc. (“UMBFS”) serves as the Fund’s fund accountant, transfer agent and administrator; and UMB Bank, n.a., an affiliate of UMBFS, serves as the Fund’s custodian.

 

A trustee and certain officers of the Fund are employees of UMBFS. The Fund does not compensate trustees and officers affiliated with the Fund’s administrator. For the period from the commencement of the Fund’s operations on May 9, 2022 through June 30, 2022, the Fund’s allocated fees incurred for trustees are reported on the Statement of Operations.

 

 C: 

12

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Vigilant Compliance, LLC provides Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) services to the Fund. The Fund’s allocated fees incurred for CCO services for the period from the commencement of the Fund’s operations on May 9, 2022 through June 30, 2022 are reported on the Statement of Operations.

 

Note 4 – Federal Income Taxes

 

The Fund has elected to be treated and intends to qualify as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) for federal income tax purposes. As a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal corporate income tax, provided that when it is a RIC, it distributes out all of its income and gains each year.

 

Note 5 – Investment Transactions

 

For the period from the commencement of the Fund’s operations on May 9, 2022 through June 30, 2022, purchases and sales of investments, excluding short-term investments, were $4,369,767 and $69,650, respectively.

 

Note 6 – Indemnifications

 

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations, which provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. However, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.

 

Note 7 – Repurchase of Shares

 

The Fund intends to provide a limited degree of liquidity to the Shareholders by conducting repurchase offers quarterly with a valuation date on or about March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year. In each repurchase offer, the Fund may offer to repurchase its shares at their net asset value as determined as of approximately March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, of each year, as applicable (each such date, a “Valuation Date”). Each repurchase offer will be for no less than 5% of the shares outstanding, but if the value of shares tendered for repurchase exceeds the value the Fund intended to repurchase, the Fund may determine to repurchase less than the full number of shares tendered. In such event, Shareholders will have their shares repurchased on a pro rata basis, and tendering Shareholders will not have all of their tendered shares repurchased by the Fund. For the period from the commencement of the Fund’s operations on May 9, 2022 through June 30, 2022, the Fund did not conduct any repurchase offers.

 

Note 8 – Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure

 

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with GAAP, and expands disclosure about fair value measurements. It also provides guidance on determining when there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for an asset or a liability, when a transaction is not orderly, and how that information must be incorporated into a fair value measurement.

 

Under Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized into three broad levels as described below:

 

Level 1 — Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access.

 

Level 2 — Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.

 

Level 3 — Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available, representing the Fund’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, and would be based on the best information available.
     

 C: 

13

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.

 

The inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

 

In accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-7, Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent) investments valued at the net asset value as practical expedient are no longer included in the fair value hierarchy.

 

The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The following table summarizes the Fund’s investments that are measured at fair value by level within the fair value hierarchy as of June 30, 2022:

 

    Level 1     Level 2     Level 3*     Total  
Investments                                
Asset-Backed Securities   $ -     $ 4,279,701     $ -     $ 4,279,701  
Short-Term Investments     801,815       -       -       801,815  
Total Investments   $ 801,815     $ 4,279,701     $ -     $ 5,081,516  

 

* The Fund did not hold any Level 3 securities at period end.

 

Note 9 – Risk Factors

 

An investment in the Fund involves various risks. The Fund invests in and actively trade securities and other financial instruments using a variety of strategies and investment techniques with significant risk characteristics, including the risks arising from the volatility of the equity and fixed income securities.

 

No guarantee or representation is made that the investment program will be successful.

 

Certain local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on a security or instrument. Since 2020, the novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) has negatively affected the worldwide economy, as well as the economies of individual countries, the financial health of individual companies and the market in general in significant and unforeseen ways. Following Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order in February 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from entering transactions with the Central Bank of Russia and Executive Orders in March 2022 prohibiting U.S. persons from importing oil and gas from Russia as well as other popular Russian exports, such as diamonds, seafood and vodka. There may also be restrictions on investments in Chinese companies. For example, the President of the United States of America signed an Executive Order in June 2021 affirming and expanding the U.S. policy prohibiting U.S. persons from purchasing or investing in publicly-traded securities of companies identified by the U.S. Government as “Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies.” The list of such companies can change from time to time, and as a result of forced selling or an inability to participate in an investment the Investment Advisor otherwise believes is attractive, the Fund may incur losses. The duration of the coronavirus outbreak and the Russian-Ukraine conflict could adversely affect the Fund’s performance, the performance of the securities in which the Fund invests and may lead to losses on your investment. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and Russia Invasion on the financial performance of the Fund’s investments is not reasonably estimable at this time. Management is actively monitoring these events.

 

 C: 

14

 

 

First Trust Private Credit Fund

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued

June 30, 2022 (Unaudited)

 

Note 10 – Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

In March 2020, FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform: Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The main objective of the new guidance is to provide relief to companies that will be impacted by the expected change in benchmark interest rates at the end of 2021, when participating banks will no longer be required to submit London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) quotes by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. The new guidance allows companies to, provided the only change to existing contracts are a change to an approved benchmark interest rate, account for modifications as a continuance of the existing contract without additional analysis. In addition, derivative contracts that qualified for hedge accounting prior to modification, will be allowed to continue to receive such treatment, even if critical terms change due to a change in the benchmark interest rate. For new and existing contracts, the Funds may elect to apply the amendments as of March 12, 2020, through December 31, 2022. Management is currently assessing the impact of the ASU’s adoption to the Funds’ financial statements and various filings.

 

Note 11 – Events Subsequent to the Period End

 

Subsequent to the date of this report, Mount Logan Management, LLC (“Mount Logan”) replaced BC Partners as a Sub-Advisor to the Fund. Pursuant to a separate sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Adviser and Mount Logan, Mount Logan receives a portfolio management fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s NAV as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments. Mount Logan and BC Partners are under common control.

 

In preparing these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events through the date of issuance of the financial statements included herein. There have been no subsequent events, other than those noted above, that occurred during such period that would require disclosure or would require to be recognized in the financial statements.

 

 C: 

15

 

 

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

 

FIRST TRUST PRIVATE CREDIT FUND 

(the “Registrant”)

 

Item 25.Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
(1) Financial Statements:
    Audited financial statements of the Fund as of April 1, 2022 and unaudited financial statements of the Fund as of June 30, 2022 are included as Appendix C to the Statement of Additional Information filed herewith.
   
(2) Exhibits:
  (a)(1) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated August 16, 2022 is filed herewith.
   
  (a)(2) Certificate of Trust is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(a)(2) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (b) Amended and Restated By-Laws are filed herewith.
     
  (c) Not applicable.
     
  (d) Refer to Exhibit (a)(1), (b).
     
  (e) Not applicable.
     
  (f) Not applicable.
     
  (g)(1) Investment Management Agreement is filed herewith.
     
  (g)(2) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant and Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC is filed herewith.
     
  (g)(3) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant and Mount Logan Management, LLC is filed herewith.
     
  (g)(4) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant and Palmer Square Capital Management LLC is filed herewith.
     
  (h)(1) Distribution Agreement is filed herewith.
     
  (h)(2) Distribution and Service Plan is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(h)(2) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (i) Not applicable.
     
  (j) Custody Agreement is filed herewith.
     
  (k)(1) Administration, Fund Accounting and Recordkeeping Agreement is filed herewith.
     
  (k)(2) Expense Limitation Agreement is filed herewith.
     
  (k)(3) Form of Joint Insured Bond Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(k)(3) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (k)(4) Form of Joint Liability Insurance Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(k)(4k2) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.

 

 C: 

 

 

  (k)(5) Form of Platform Management Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(k)(5k2) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (l) Opinion and Consent of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP are filed herewith.
     
  (m) Not applicable.
     
  (n) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm is filed herewith.
     
  (o) Not applicable.
     
  (p) Not applicable.
     
  (q) Not applicable.
     
  (r)(1) Code of Ethics of Registrant are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(r)(1) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (r)(2) Code of Ethics of First Trust Capital Management L.P. are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(r)(2) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (r)(3) Code of Ethics of First Trust Portfolios L.P. are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(r)(3) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (r)(4) Code of Ethics of Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(r)(4) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (r)(5) Code of Ethics of Mount Logan Management, LLC is filed herewith.
     
  (r)(6) Code of Ethics of Palmer Capital Management LLC are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(r)(6) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.
     
  (s)

Not applicable.

     
  (t) Powers of Attorney are incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2(s) to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. No. 811-23792) as previously filed on April 19, 2022.

 

Item 26.Marketing Arrangements

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 27.Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution of Securities Being Registered

 

All figures are estimates:

 

Registration fees   $ 448  
Legal fees   $ 51,508  
Printing fees   $ 7,040  
Blue Sky fees   $ 39,151  
Transfer Agent Fees   $ 200  
Total   $ 98,347  

 

 C: 

 

 

Item 28.Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control With Registrant

 

The Board of Trustees of the Registrant is identical to the board of trustees and/or board of directors of certain other funds. Nonetheless, the Registrant takes the position that it is not under common control with the other funds since the power residing in the respective boards arises as a result of an official position with the respective funds.

 

Item 29.Number of Holders of Securities

 

Title of Class  

Number of

Shareholders*

 
Class I     2  
Class A     0  

 

  * As of August 15, 2022.

 

Item 30.Indemnification

 

Sections 8.1-8.5 of Article VIII of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust states:

 

Section 8.1 Limitation of Liability. Neither a Trustee nor an officer of the Trust, when acting in such capacity, shall be personally liable to any person other than the Trust or a beneficial owner for any act, omission or obligation of the Trust, any Trustee or any officer of the Trust. Neither a Trustee nor an officer of the Trust shall be liable for any act or omission in his capacity as Trustee or as an officer of the Trust, or for any act or omission of any other officer or any employee of the Trust or of any other person or party, provided that nothing contained herein or in the Act shall protect any Trustee or officer against any liability to the Trust or to Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee or the duties of such officer hereunder.
   
Section 8.2 Indemnification. The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees and officers and persons who serve at the Trust’s request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor, or otherwise, and may indemnify any trustee, director or officer of a predecessor organization (each a “Covered Person”), against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and expenses including reasonable accountants’ and counsel fees) reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or legislative body, in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened, while as a Covered Person or thereafter, by reason of being or having been such a Covered Person, except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person’s office (such willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard being referred to herein as “Disabling Conduct”). Expenses, including accountants’ and counsel fees so incurred by any such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), may be paid from time to time by the Trust in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of (a) an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person to repay amounts so paid to the Trust if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Article VIII and either (b) such Covered Person provides security for such undertaking, (c) the Trust is insured against losses arising by reason of such payment, or (d) a majority of a quorum of disinterested, non-party Trustees, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, determines, based on a review of readily available facts, that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

 

 C: 

 

 

Section 8.3 Indemnification Determinations. Indemnification of a Covered Person pursuant to Section 8.2 shall be made if (a) the court or body before whom the proceeding is brought determines, in a final decision on the merits, that such Covered Person was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct or (b) in the absence of such a determination, a majority of a quorum of disinterested, non-party Trustees or independent legal counsel in a written opinion make a reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that such Covered Person was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct.
   
Section 8.4 Indemnification Not Exclusive. The right of indemnification provided by this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article VIII, “Covered Person” shall include such person’s heirs, executors and administrators, and a “disinterested, non-party Trustee” is a Trustee who is neither an Interested Person of the Trust nor a party to the proceeding in question.
   
Section 8.5 Shareholders. Each Shareholder of the Trust and each Class shall not be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred by, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to, the Trust or by or on behalf of any Class. The Trustees shall have no power to bind any Shareholder personally or to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay pursuant to terms hereof or by way of subscription for any Shares or otherwise.
   
  In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Class shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder of such Class and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives, or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to the applicable Class to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, on behalf of the affected Class, shall, upon request by the Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against the Shareholder for any act or obligation of the Class and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the Class. The indemnification and reimbursement required by the preceding sentence shall be made only out of assets of the one or more Classes whose Shares were held by said Shareholder at the time the act or event occurred that gave rise to the claim against or liability of said Shareholder. The rights accruing to a Shareholder under this Section shall not impair any other right to which such Shareholder may be lawfully entitled, nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Trust or any Class thereof to indemnify or reimburse a Shareholder in any appropriate situation even though not specifically provided herein.
   

Additionally, the Registrant’s various agreements with its service providers contain indemnification provisions.

 

Item 31.Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

 

Information as to the directors and officers of the Registrant’s investment adviser, First Trust Capital Management L.P. (the “Investment Adviser”), together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which the Investment Adviser, and each director, executive officer, managing member or partner of the Investment Adviser, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, managing member, partner or trustee, is included in its Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-122924), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 C: 

 

 

Information as to the directors and officers of the Registrant’s investment sub-adviser, Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC (“Angel Oak”), together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Angel Oak, and each director, executive officer, managing member or partner of Angel Oak, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, managing member, partner or trustee, is included in its Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-70670), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Information as to the directors and officers of the Registrant’s investment sub-adviser, Mount Logan Management, LLC (“Mount Logan”), together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Mount Logan, and each director, executive officer, managing member or partner of Mount Logan, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, managing member, partner or trustee, is included in its Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-110739), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Information as to the directors and officers of the Registrant’s investment sub-adviser, Palmer Square Capital Management LLC (“Palmer Square”), together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which Palmer Square, and each director, executive officer, managing member or partner of Palmer Square, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, managing member, partner or trustee, is included in its Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-72047), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 32.Location of Accounts and Records

 

All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained at the offices of (1) the Registrant’s Administrator, (2) the Investment Adviser, and/or (3) Sub-Advisers. The address of each is as follows:

 

1.

UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

2.

First Trust Capital Management L.P.

225 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 2100

ChicagoIL 60606

3.

Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC

3344 Peachtree Road, Suite 1725

Atlanta, GA 30326

4.

Mount Logan Management, LLC

650 Madison Avenue, 23rd Floor

New York, NY 10022

5.

Palmer Square Capital Management LLC

1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 315

Mission Woods, KS 66205

 

Item 33.Management Services

 

Not applicable.

 

 C: 

 

 

Item 34.Undertakings

 

1. Not applicable.
2. Not applicable.
3. The Registrant undertakes (a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
       
  (1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
       
  (2) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and
       
  (3) (a) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;
       
    (b) that for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;
       
    (c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;
       
    (d) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
       
      (1) if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B [17 CFR 230.430B]:
       
        (A) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and
           
        (B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

 

 C: 

 

       
      (2) if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C [17 CFR 230.430C]: each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.
       
    (e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:
           

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

 

  (1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act of 1933;
     
  (2) free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;
     
  (3) the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and
     
  (4) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.
     
  (5) Not applicable.
     
  (6) Not applicable.
     
  (7) Not applicable.
     
  (8) Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of Additional Information.

 

 C: 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Chicago in the State of Illinois on the 1st day of September 2022.

 

  First Trust Private Credit Fund
   
  By: /s/ Michael Peck
    Name:   Michael Peck
    Title:     President

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

/s/ Michael Peck   President   September 1, 2022
Michael Peck        
         
/s/ Chad Eisenberg   Treasurer   September 1, 2022
Chad Eisenberg        
         
*Terrance P. Gallagher   Trustee   September 1, 2022
Terrance P. Gallagher        
         
*David G. Lee   Trustee   September 1, 2022
David G. Lee        
         
*Robert Seyferth   Trustee   September 1, 2022
Robert Seyferth        
         
*Gary Shugrue   Trustee   September 1, 2022
Gary Shugrue        

 

*By: /s/ Ann Maurer   
  Secretary   
  Attorney-In-Fact (pursuant to Power of Attorney)  

 

 C: 

 

 

Exhibit Index

 

(a)(1) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust
(b) Amended and Restated By-Laws
(g)(1) Investment Management Agreement
(g)(2) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant and Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC
(g)(3) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant and Mount Logan Management, LLC
(g)(4) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant and Palmer Square Capital Management LLC
(h)(1) Distribution Agreement
(j) Custody Agreement
(k)(1) Administration, Fund Accounting and Recordkeeping Agreement
(k)(2) Expense Limitation Agreement
(l) Opinion and Consent of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
(n) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
(r)(5) Code of Ethics of Mount Logan Management, LLC

 

 C: 

 

 


Dates Referenced Herein   and   Documents Incorporated by Reference

This ‘N-2/A’ Filing    Date    Other Filings
3/31/26
6/30/23
4/29/23
12/31/22
Filed as of:9/2/22
Filed on:9/1/22
8/19/22
8/16/22
8/15/22
6/30/22N-PX,  NPORT-P
5/31/22
5/12/22
5/9/223
4/29/22
4/1/22
3/31/22
2/14/22
12/31/21
12/6/21
6/24/21
12/18/20
10/28/20
8/24/20
7/29/20
3/12/20
10/22/19
7/24/19
8/31/18
3/21/18
 List all Filings 


1 Subsequent Filing that References this Filing

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 7/28/23  First Trust Private Credit Fund   486BPOS     7/31/23   16:3.2M                                   Toppan Merrill/FA


1 Previous Filing that this Filing References

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 4/19/22  First Trust Private Credit Fund   N-2         4/18/22   23:2.7M                                   Toppan Merrill/FA
Top
Filing Submission 0001104659-22-097115   –   Alternative Formats (Word / Rich Text, HTML, Plain Text, et al.)

Copyright © 2024 Fran Finnegan & Company LLC – All Rights Reserved.
AboutPrivacyRedactionsHelp — Thu., May 9, 7:27:16.1pm ET