portfolio holdings, and the extent to which
it concentrates its investments, are likely to change over time.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The following summarizes the principal risks of investing in the Fund.
The Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Market Risk. Securities in the Underlying Index are subject to market fluctuations. You should anticipate that the value
of the Shares will decline, more or less, in correlation with any decline in value of the securities in the Underlying Index. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health
issues, war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, economic crises or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).
Index Risk. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund
does not utilize an investing strategy that seeks returns in excess of the Underlying Index.
Therefore, the Fund would not necessarily buy or sell a security unless that security is added or removed, respectively, from the Underlying Index, even if that security generally is underperforming. Additionally, the Fund rebalances its portfolio in
accordance with the Underlying Index, and, therefore, any changes to the Underlying Index’s rebalance schedule will result in corresponding changes to the Fund’s rebalance schedule.
Industry Concentration Risk. In following its methodology,
the Underlying Index will be concentrated to a significant degree in securities of issuers
operating in a single industry or industry group. As a result, the Fund will also concentrate its investments in such industries or industry groups to approximately the same extent. By concentrating its investments in an industry or industry group, the Fund
faces more risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or industry groups. Such industry-based risks, any of which may adversely affect the companies in which the Fund invests, may include,
but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand in a particular industry; competition for resources; adverse labor
relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in an industry. In addition, at times, such industry or
industry group may be out of favor and underperform other industries or the market as a whole.
Information Technology Sector
Risk. Factors such as the failure to obtain, or delays in obtaining, financing or regulatory approval, intense competition, product
compatibility, consumer preferences, corporate capital expenditure, rapid obsolescence, competition from alternative technologies, and research and development of new products may significantly affect the market
value of securities of issuers in the information technology sector.
Solar Industry Risk. The value of stocks that comprise the
energy sector and the prices of energy may decline. The alternative energy industry can be
significantly affected by obsolescence of existing technology, short product lifecycles, falling prices and profits, competition from new market entrants and general economic conditions. This industry can also be significantly
affected by fluctuations in energy prices and supply and demand of alternative energy fuels,
energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, tax incentives, subsidies and other government regulations and policies. Companies in this industry may be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates,
imposition of import controls, availability of certain inputs and materials required for production, depletion of resources, technological developments and labor relations. Recently, the price of oil has
declined significantly and experienced significant volatility, which may materially impact companies operating in the solar energy sector. Shares of companies involved in the solar energy sector have historically been
more volatile than shares of companies operating in more established industries.
Semiconductors Industry Risk. The Fund will be sensitive
to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the
semiconductors industry. Competitive pressures, intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological developments, changing demand, research and development costs, availability and price of components and product obsolescence
can significantly affect companies operating in the semiconductors industry. Global events, such
as widespread epidemics or pandemics, may impair the manufacturing output of semiconductor equipment and may disrupt supply chains for industries that rely on such equipment. Semiconductor companies are vulnerable to wide
fluctuations in securities prices due to such global circumstances and may be negatively impacted
as a result.
Micro-Capitalization Company Risk. Investments in the securities of micro-capitalization companies involve substantially greater risks of loss
and price fluctuations than other securities with larger capitalizations. Micro-capitalization
companies carry additional risks because their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable (and some companies may be experience significant losses), their share prices tend to be more volatile and their markets less liquid than
companies with larger market capitalizations. Micro-capitalization companies may be newly formed or in the early stages of development, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources, and they may lack
management depth or may be overly reliant on specific key individuals. In addition, less public information may be available about these companies. The shares of micro-capitalization companies tend to trade less frequently
than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these
securities and the future ability to sell these securities.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk. Investing in
securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is
associated with investing in larger, more established companies. These companies' securities may be more volatile and less liquid than those of more established companies. These securities may have returns that vary, sometimes
significantly, from the overall securities market. Often small- and mid-capitalization companies and the industries in which they focus are still evolving and, as a result, they may be more sensitive to changing market
conditions.
Equity Risk. Equity risk is the risk that the value of equity securities, including common stocks, may fall due to both
changes in general economic conditions that impact the market as a whole, as well as factors that
directly relate to a specific company or its industry. Such general economic conditions include changes in interest rates, periods of market turbulence or instability, or general and prolonged periods of economic decline and cyclical change. It is
possible that a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks that the Fund holds. In addition, equity risk includes the risk that investor sentiment toward one or more industries will
become negative, resulting in those investors exiting their investments in those industries, which could cause a reduction in the value of companies in those industries more broadly. The value of a company's common stock
may fall solely because of factors, such as an increase in production costs, that negatively impact other companies in the same region, industry or sector of the market. A company's common stock also may decline
significantly in price over a short period of time due to factors specific to that company, including decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company's products or services. For example, an
adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report or the failure to make anticipated dividend
payments, may depress the value of common stock.
Geographic Concentration Risk. The Fund may from time to
time have a substantial amount of its assets invested in securities of issuers located in a
single country or a limited number of countries. Adverse economic, political or social conditions in those countries may therefore have a significant negative impact on the Fund’s investment performance. For example, a natural or other
disaster could occur in a country or