Quantified Tactical Sectors Fund
Investor Class Shares QTSSX
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS
November 1, 2023
as supplemented May 10, 2024
Adviser:
Advisors Preferred, LLC 1445 Research Boulevard, Ste. 530 Rockville, MD 20850 |
Sub-Adviser:
Flexible Plan Investments, Ltd. 3883 Telegraph Road, Suite 100 Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 |
Before you invest, you want to review the Fund’s complete prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s prospectus and other information about the Fund at http://www.quantifiedfunds.com/fund-documents. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-855-64-QUANT (1-855-647-8268), emailing orderquantifiedfunds@ultimusfundsolutions.com or by asking any financial intermediary that offers shares of the Fund. The Fund’s prospectus, dated November 1, 2023, and statement of additional information, dated November 1, 2023, each as supplemented May 10, 2024, are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus and may be obtained, free of charge, at the website or phone number noted above.
Investment Objective: The Quantified Tactical Sectors Fund (the “Fund”) seeks high appreciation on an annual basis consistent with a high tolerance for risk.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund: This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Examples below.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a |
Investor Class |
Advisor Class Shares |
Management Fees | 1.00% | 1.00% |
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% | 1.00% |
Other Expenses | 0.33%(1) | 0.18%(2) |
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(3) | 0.13% | 0.13% |
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(3) | 1.71% | 2.31%(2) |
(1) | Includes up to 0.15% for shareholder services which may include sub-transfer agent and sub-accounting fees. |
(2) | Estimated for Advisor Class Shares which has not commenced operations. |
(3) | The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s financial highlights, when issued, because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund and do not include the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. |
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Example: This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
Class | 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
Investor | $174 | $539 | $928 | $2,019 |
Advisor | $234 | $721 | $1,235 | $2,646 |
Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over“ its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. For the fiscal year ended to June 30, 2023, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 1,223% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies: The Fund’s investment adviser, Advisors Preferred, LLC (the “Adviser”), delegates execution of the Fund’s investment strategy to a subadviser, Flexible Plan Investments, Ltd. (“FPI“ or the “Subadviser”). The Subadviser selects investments for the Fund and provides trade placement for fixed income instruments, including cash equivalents. The Adviser provides trade placement for non-fixed income instruments. The Fund is aggressively managed by the Subadviser using a tactical strategy that typically results in high portfolio turnover. Tactical asset allocation is an active portfolio management strategy that shifts the percentage of assets held in various sectors to seek to take advantage of what the Subadviser believes are the strongest market sectors. The Fund invests primarily in equity securities (common and preferred stocks) either directly through individual stocks or indirectly through exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and other investment companies. The Fund invests without restriction as to issuer capitalization; and the Fund is non-diversified, which means it may invest a high percentage of its assets in a limited number of securities. Investments in ETFs and other investment companies provide the Fund exposure to equity sectors. Leveraged ETFs may also be used. The Fund also may invest in leveraging instruments: futures contracts, forward contracts, options and swap agreements to amplify returns or enhance liquidity.
The Subadviser believes that market leader sectors offer the potential for above-average returns. The Subadviser usually refers to the S&P Dow Jones Indices Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®) for sector and sub-sector definitions. The Subadviser defines a market leader sector as an equity (common or preferred) sector or sub-sector that has the highest price momentum (compared to all other sectors). The Subadviser measures sector price momentum using the rate of change of the price of an ETF that is representative of the sector. Representative ETFs are index ETFs or ETFs that invest primarily in a sector or subsector of the measured sector. Sector representative ETFs are chosen based upon purity of sector exposure (highest percentage invested in a sector), lowest expense ratio, and liquidity. Representative ETFs are expected to remain relatively consistent but may be changed if an ETF became illiquid. Additionally, broad equity market exposure may be utilized in times of sector weakness. Among representative ETFs, the Subadviser selects those with the highest price momentum. The Subadviser may evaluate all sectors and individual equity securities as often as daily based on rankings, but it may reallocate less often in order to minimize the impact and costs associated with trading. The Subadviser’s ranking strategy attempts to respond to both the performance of each equity security, as well as the performance of the equity market.
The Subadviser typically assigns each investment in which the Fund invests a minimum holding period, typically one month, and allocation weighting based on its proprietary policies and procedures. By establishing holding periods, the Subadviser seeks to maintain longer-term core holdings for the Fund. However, the non-core holdings of the Fund may produce high turnover.
The Subadviser utilizes at
least two risk mitigation tactics. First, the Subadviser assesses the overall equity market environment. It does so by using a proprietary
analysis technique that is both top-down and algorithm-based. Secondly, the Subadvisor assesses the overall performance of each investment
held. It does so by using a proprietary bottom-up timing model to evaluate performance. These tactics are used for the purpose of determining
both when to reduce the Fund’s exposure to an investment and when to apply leverage to the investment holding. The Subadviser also
uses these tactics to implement its dynamic tactical asset allocation strategy which, at any time for defensive purposes, may result in
a large portion or all of the Fund’s assets invested, directly or indirectly, in cash and/or cash equivalents in order to seek to
provide security of principal, current income and liquidity. A part of the Subadviser’s strategy is to hold cash positions when
the market is not producing returns greater than the short-term cash investments in which the Fund may invest.
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Principal Investment Risks: An investment in the Fund entails risks. The Fund could lose money, or its performance could trail that of other investment alternatives. Neither the Subadviser nor the Adviser can guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. In addition, the Fund presents some risks not traditionally associated with other equity mutual funds. It is important that investors closely review and understand these risks before making an investment in the Fund. Turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and fixed income markets could negatively affect issuers worldwide, including the Fund. There is the risk that you could lose all or a portion of your money on your investment in the Fund.
Subadviser’s Investment Strategy Risk - While the Subadviser seeks to take advantage of investment opportunities for the Fund that will maximize its investment returns, there is no guarantee that such opportunities will ultimately benefit the Fund. The Subadviser will aggressively change the Fund’s portfolio in response to market conditions that are unpredictable and may expose the Fund to greater market risk than other mutual funds. There is no assurance that the Subadviser’s momentum-based investment strategy will enable the Fund to achieve its investment objective. Determination of market leader status based on historical analysis may not be predictive of future leadership status.
Active and Frequent Trading Risk - The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading, leading to increased portfolio turnover, higher transaction costs, and the possibility of increased net realized capital gains, including net short-term capital gains that will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income when distributed to them. The Subadviser’s use of the Fund as an asset allocation tool for its other clients will increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover.
Aggressive Investment Techniques Risk - The Fund uses investment techniques that may be considered aggressive. Risks associated with the use of futures contracts and options include potentially dramatic price changes (losses) in the value of the instruments and imperfect correlations between the price of the contract and the underlying security or index. These instruments may increase the volatility of the Fund and may involve a small investment of cash relative to the magnitude of the risk assumed.
Counterparty Risk - The Fund may invest in financial instruments involving counterparties for the purpose of attempting to gain exposure to a group of securities or asset class without actually purchasing those securities or investments, or to hedge a position. These financial instruments may include swap agreements. The use of swap agreements involves risks that are different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. For example, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. Swap agreements also may be considered to be illiquid. In addition, the Fund may enter into swap agreements that involve a limited number of counterparties, which may increase the Fund’s exposure to counterparty credit risk. The Fund does not specifically limit its counterparty risk with respect to any single counterparty. Further, there is a risk that no suitable counterparties are willing to enter into, or continue to enter into, transactions with the Fund and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
Credit Risk - The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt security goes bankrupt or is unable or unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay principal. The value of a debt security may decline if there are concerns about an issuer’s ability or willingness to make interest and or principal payments. Changes in an issuer’s financial strength or in an issuer’s or debt security’s credit rating also may affect a security’s value and thus have an impact on Fund performance. The Fund considers all derivatives and non-U.S. Treasury debt instruments as subject to credit risk.
Derivatives Risk - The Fund uses investment techniques, including investments in derivatives such as futures contracts, forward contracts, options and swaps, which may be considered aggressive. Investments in such derivatives are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time and may increase the volatility of the Fund. The use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives, such as counterparty risk and the risk that the derivatives may become illiquid. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case. In addition, the Fund’s investments in derivatives currently are subject to the following risks:
Futures and Forward Contracts Risk. There may be an imperfect correlation between the changes in the market value of the securities held by the Fund and the prices of futures contracts. There may not be a liquid secondary market for the futures contracts. Forward transactions include the risks associated with fluctuations in the reference asset.
Hedging Risk. If the Fund uses a hedging instrument at the wrong time or judges the market conditions incorrectly, the hedge might be unsuccessful, reduce the Fund’s investment return, or create a loss.
Options Risk. There may be an imperfect correlation between the prices of options and movements in the price of the securities (or indices) hedged or used for cover which may cause a given hedge not to achieve its objective.
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Swap Agreement Risk. Interest rate swaps are subject to interest rate and credit risk. Total return swaps are subject to counterparty risk, which relates to the credit risk of the counterparty and liquidity risk of the swaps themselves.
Equity Securities Risk - Investments in publicly issued equity securities and securities that provide exposure to equity securities, including common stocks, in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Fluctuations in the value of equity securities in which the Fund invests will cause the Net Asset Value (“NAV”) of the Fund to fluctuate.
Holding Cash Risk - The Fund may hold cash positions in money market funds when the market is not producing returns greater than the short-term cash investments in which the Fund may invest. There is a risk that the sections of the market in which the Fund invests will begin to rise or fall rapidly and the Fund will not be able to sell stocks quickly enough to avoid losses or reinvest its cash positions into areas of the advancing market quickly enough to capture the initial returns of changing market conditions.
Leverage Risk - The Fund may use leveraged investments that attempt to amplify the price movement of underlying securities or indices on a daily or other periodic basis, which may be considered aggressive. Such instruments may experience potentially dramatic price changes (losses), imperfect amplification and imperfect correlations between the price of the investment and the underlying security or index which will increase the volatility of the Fund and may involve a small investment of cash relative to the magnitude of the risk assumed. The use of leveraged instruments may currently expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of leveraged instruments may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case.
Market Risk - Overall investment market risks affect the value of the Fund. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events affect the US and international investment markets. Additionally, unexpected local, regional or global events, such as war; acts of terrorism; financial, political or social disruptions; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; the spread of infectious illnesses or other public health issues (such as the global pandemic coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19)); and recessions and depressions could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and may impair market liquidity. Such events can cause investor fear, which can adversely affect the economies of nations, regions, and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen.
Non-Diversification Risk - The Fund is non-diversified, which means it invests a high percentage of its assets in a limited number of securities. A non-diversified fund’s NAVs and total returns may fluctuate more or fall greater in times of weaker markets than a diversified mutual fund.
Preferred Stock Risk - The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments.
Risks of Investing in Other Investment Companies (including ETFs) - Investments in the securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. By investing in another investment company or ETF, the Fund becomes a shareholder thereof. As a result, Fund shareholders indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by shareholders of the other investment companies or ETFs, in addition to the fees and expenses Fund shareholders indirectly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. If the other investment companies or ETFs fail to achieve their investment objectives, the value of the Fund’s investment will decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETF shares potentially may trade at a discount or a premium and are subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Leveraged ETFs will amplify gains and losses. Most leveraged ETFs “reset“ daily. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance of their underlying index or benchmark during the same period of time. In addition, ETF shares potentially may trade at a discount or a premium and are subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Finally, because the value of other investment company or ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Subadviser may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings in those shares at the most optimal time, adversely affecting the Fund’s performance.
Sector Risk - The Fund may focus its investments in securities of a particular sector. Economic, legislative, or regulatory developments may occur that significantly affect the sector. This may cause the Fund’s NAV to fluctuate more than that of a fund that does not focus in a particular sector.
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Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk - Investing in the securities of small-capitalization and mid-capitalization companies involves greater risks and the possibility of greater price volatility than investing in larger capitalization and more-established companies. Investments in mid-cap companies involve less risk than investing in small-cap companies. Smaller companies may have limited operating history, product lines, and financial resources, and the securities of these companies may lack sufficient market liquidity. Mid-cap companies often have narrower markets and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies.
Performance: The bar chart and performance table below show the variability of the Fund’s returns, which is some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for each full calendar year since the Fund’s Investor Class Shares inception. The Advisor Class Shares of the Fund have not commenced operations. The performance table compares the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares over time to the performance of a broad-based market index. You should be aware that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) may not be an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Advisor Class shares have similar annual returns to Investor Class shares because the classes are invested in the same portfolio of securities, however, the returns for Advisor Class shares are lower than Investor Class shares because Advisor Class shares have higher expenses. Shareholder reports containing financial and performance information for the Fund will be mailed to shareholders semi-annually. Updated performance information is available at no cost by calling toll-free 1-855-64-QUANT (1-855-647-8268).
Quantified Tactical Sectors Fund
Investor Class Performance Bar Chart
For Calendar Year Ended December 31
Best Quarter | 3.74% | December 31, 2022 |
Worst Quarter | (17.68)% | March 31, 2022 |
The Fund’s Investor Class year-to-date return as of September 30, 2023 was 1.54%.
Performance Table
Average Annual Total Returns
(For periods ended December 31, 2022)
Quantified Tactical Sectors Fund | One Year |
Since Inception(1) |
Investor Class Shares Return before taxes | (27.55)% | (24.09)% |
Investor Class Shares Return after taxes on distributions | (27.58)% | (24.60)% |
Investor Class Shares Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares(2) | (16.29)% | (17.94)% |
S&P 500 Total Return Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)(3) | (18.11)% | 2.58% |
(1) | The Fund’s Investor Class Shares commenced operations on March 4, 2021. The Fund’s Advisor Class Shares have not commenced operations. |
(2) | After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. |
(3) | The S&P 500 Total Return Index is an unmanaged composite of 500 large capitalization companies and includes the reinvestment of dividends. The Index is widely used by professional investors as a performance benchmark for large-cap stocks. Investors cannot invest directly in an index; unlike the Fund’s returns, the index does not reflect any fees or expenses. |
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Investment Adviser: Advisors Preferred, LLC
Subadviser: Flexible Plan Investments, Ltd.
Subadviser Portfolio Managers: Jerry C. Wagner, President of the Subadviser, has served the Fund as a portfolio manager since it commenced operations in 2021. Timothy Hanna, CFA, CFIP, Senior Portfolio Manager of the Subadviser has served the Fund as a portfolio manager since it commenced operations in 2021. Daniel Poppe, CFA, Senior Research Analyst of the Subadviser has served the Fund as a portfolio manager since April 2024.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: You may purchase and redeem shares of the Fund on any day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. You may purchase or redeem Fund shares by written request via mail (Quantified Tactical Sectors Fund, c/o Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC, P.O. Box 541150, Omaha, Nebraska 68154), by wire transfer, by telephone toll-free at 1-855-64-QUANT (1-855-647-8268), or through a financial intermediary. Purchases and redemptions by telephone are only permitted if you previously established these options on your account. The Fund accepts investments in the following minimum amounts:
Class | Account Type | Minimum Initial Investment |
Minimum Subsequent Investment |
Investor | Regular Account | $10,000 | $1,000 |
Investor | Retirement Account | $10,000 | $0 |
Advisor | Regular Account | $10,000 | $1,000 |
Advisor | Retirement Account | $10,000 | $0 |
The Fund, Adviser or Subadviser may waive any investment minimum.
Tax Information: Dividends and capital gain distributions you receive from the Fund, whether you reinvest your distributions in additional Fund shares or receive them in cash, are taxable to you at either ordinary income or capital gains tax rates unless you are investing through a tax-deferred plan such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. However, these dividend and capital gain distributions may be taxable upon their eventual withdrawal from tax-deferred plans.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries: If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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