The Fund does not seek to
distribute any predetermined amount of cash at maturity. During the maturing year of the Underlying Index (i.e., 2025), no new constituents are added and the Underlying Index rebalances only through June. In the last six months of
operation, when the 2025 Bonds held by the Fund mature, the Fund’s portfolio will transition to cash and cash equivalents, including, without limitation, U.S. Treasury Bills and investment grade commercial paper.
The Fund should not be confused with a target date fund, which has assets that are managed according to a particular glidepath that illustrates how its investment strategy becomes increasingly conservative over
time.
The Fund does not purchase all of the securities in the Underlying Index; instead, the Fund utilizes a “sampling” methodology to seek to achieve its investment
objective.
Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., invest more than 25% of the value of its net assets) in
securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries only to the extent that the
Underlying Index reflects a concentration in that industry or group of industries. The Fund will
not otherwise concentrate its investments in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries. As of August 31, 2024, the Fund had significant exposure to the financials sector. The Fund’s 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.
Fixed-Income Securities
Risk. Fixed-income securities are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a
fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices
of most fixed-income securities go up. Fixed-income securities with longer maturities typically are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, making them more volatile than securities with shorter maturities. Credit risk
refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will be unable and/or unwilling to make timely interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Debt instruments are subject to varying degrees of credit risk, which
may be reflected in credit ratings. There is a possibility that the credit rating of a fixed-income security may be downgraded after purchase, which may occur quickly and without advance warning following sudden market
downturns or unexpected developments involving an issuer, and which may adversely affect the liquidity and value of the security.
Foreign Fixed-Income Investment Risk. Investments in
fixed-income securities of non-U.S. issuers are subject to the same risks as other debt
securities, notably credit risk, market risk, interest rate risk and liquidity risk, while also facing risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. For example, foreign securities may have relatively low
market liquidity, greater market volatility, decreased publicly available information, and less reliable financial information about issuers, and inconsistent and potentially less
stringent accounting, auditing and financial reporting requirements and standards of practice, including recordkeeping standards, comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers. Foreign securities also are subject to the
risks of expropriation, nationalization, political instability or other adverse political or economic developments and the difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries. Investments in foreign securities also may be
subject to dividend withholding or confiscatory taxes, currency blockage and/or transfer restrictions and higher transactional costs.
Changing Fixed-Income Market Conditions Risk. Fluctuations in the federal funds and equivalent foreign interest rates or other changes to monetary policy or regulatory
actions may expose fixed-income markets to heightened volatility, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, and to reduced liquidity for certain fixed-income investments, particularly those with longer maturities, when rates
increase. Such changes and resulting increased volatility may adversely impact the Fund, including its operations and return potential. It is difficult to predict the impact of interest rate changes on various markets. In
addition, decreases in fixed-income dealer market-making capacity may also potentially lead to heightened volatility and reduced liquidity in the fixed-income markets. As a result, the value of the Fund's investments and share
price may decline. Changes in central bank policies and other governmental actions and political events within the U.S. and abroad may also, among other things, affect investor and consumer expectations and confidence in the
financial markets. This could result in higher than normal redemptions by APs (as defined herein), which could potentially increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs.
Industry Concentration Risk. In following its methodology, the Underlying Index from time to time may be concentrated to a significant degree in securities of issuers
operating in a single industry or industry group. To the extent that the Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in a particular industry or industry group, the Fund will also concentrate its investments to
approximately the same extent. By concentrating its investments in an industry or industry group, the Fund may face 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.
Financials Sector Risk. The Fund may be susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting the financials sector. Financial services companies are subject
to extensive government regulation and, as a result, their profitability may be affected by new
regulations or regulatory interpretations. Changes in interest rates can have a disproportionate
effect on the financials sector, and financial services companies whose securities the Fund may purchase may themselves have concentrated portfolios, which makes them vulnerable to economic conditions that affect that
sector. Financial services companies have also been affected by increased competition, which
could adversely affect the profitability or viability of such companies.
Fluctuation of Yield and Liquidation Amount Risk. The
Fund, unlike a direct investment in a bond that has a level coupon payment and a fixed payment at
maturity, will make distributions of income that vary over time. Unlike a direct investment in bonds, the breakdown of returns between Fund distributions and liquidation proceeds are not predictable at the time of your investment. For example,
at times during the Fund’s existence, it may