Gabelli Love Our Planet & People ETF
(the “Love Our Planet Fund” or the “Fund”)
Investment Objective
The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund:
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The investment advisory agreement between Gabelli ETFs Trust (the “Trust”) and Gabelli Funds, LLC (the “Adviser”) (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) provides that the Adviser will pay all operating expenses of the Fund, except the management fees, interest expenses, taxes, expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, distribution fees or expenses, litigation expenses, and any extraordinary expenses. You may also incur usual and customary brokerage commissions and other charges when buying and selling shares that are not reflected in the fee table and expense example below.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (fees paid directly from your investment): | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment): | |
| Management Fees | 0.90 % |
| Other Expenses (1) | 0.00 % |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.90 % |
| Less Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (1) | (0.90 )% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver | 0.00 % |
(1) “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Gabelli Funds, LLC, the Fund’s adviser (the “Adviser”), has contractually agreed to waive the Fund’s management fee of 0.90% on the first $100 million in net assets for one year from the commencement of the Fund’s operations. The management fee waiver shall not apply to any brokerage costs, acquired Fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes, and extraordinary expenses that the Fund may incur. This agreement may be terminated only by, or with the consent of, the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
Expense Example
This 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 you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods shown 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 on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | |
| $0 | $197 |
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 rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when the Fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual Fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. No portfolio turnover is included for the Fund because the Fund has not yet commenced operations.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing substantially all, and in any case no less than 80%, of its assets in U.S. exchange-listed common and preferred stocks of companies that meet the Fund’s guidelines for social responsibility at the time of investment. The Fund may also invest in foreign securities by investing in American Depositary Receipts. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests its assets in stocks that are listed on a national securities exchange or similar market, such as the National Market System of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). The Fund focuses on investments in companies whose securities are trading at a material discount to their private market value (“PMV”). PMV is the value the Adviser believes informed investors would be willing to pay for a company.
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Socially Responsible Criteria. The Fund combines a differentiated, value oriented investment philosophy with social screens and a holistic ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analysis to deliver returns in a socially responsive manner. The Adviser employs a social screening overlay process at the time of investment to identify companies that meet the Fund’s social guidelines. In determining the social responsiveness of a particular company the investment team looks for companies that have initiated and implemented internal policies with respect to certain social issues such as inequality in the workspace and/or fair treatment of workers. The Fund relies primarily on proprietary research conducted by the Adviser to reach a judgement on the social responsiveness of each investment candidate but may also employ third-party data services. The Adviser will look to MSCI Inc. to provide third-party data services along with internal research in reaching the final judgment on the social responsiveness of an issuer. Pursuant to the guidelines, the Fund will not invest in publicly traded fossil fuel (coal, oil, and gas) companies, the top 50 defense/weapons contractors, or in companies that derive more than 5% of their revenues from the following areas: tobacco, alcohol, gaming, and defense/weapons production.
After identifying companies that satisfy these social criteria, the Adviser then will invest in securities of companies that the Adviser believes are trading at a material discount to PMV. The Adviser will monitor each holding on a regular basis to ensure its compliance with the Fund’s guidelines. Securities that no longer meet these guidelines will be sold within a reasonable period of time after the Adviser makes such a determination. Securities may also be sold if the Adviser believes the securities no longer appear to be underpriced relative to their PMV, or if there is a change to an underlying industry or company that the Adviser believes may negatively affect the value of such securities.
Principal Risks
You may want to invest in the Fund if:
| ● | you are a long term investor |
| ● | you seek capital appreciation |
| ● | you want exposure to equity investments in companies that meet the Fund’s socially responsible guidelines |
| ● | you seek long term growth of capital |
The Fund’s share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Your investment in the Fund is not a deposit of the bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency; you may lose money by investing in the Fund. When you sell Fund shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them.
Investing in the Fund involves the following risks:
| ● | Non-Transparent Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Structure Risk. Unlike most actively managed ETFs the Fund does not provide daily disclosure of its portfolio holding. Instead, the Fund provides a verified intraday indicative value (“VIIV”), calculated and disseminated every second throughout the trading day. The VIIV is intended to provide investors and other market participants with a highly correlated per share value of the underlying portfolio that can be compared to the current market price. There is, however, a risk that shares of the Fund may trade at a wider bid/ask spread than ETFs that publish their portfolios on a daily basis, especially during periods of market disruption or volatility, and therefore, may cost investors more to trade. Because the Fund trades on the basis of the VIIV, it may trade at a wider bid/ask spread than traditional ETFs that publish their portfolios on a daily basis. Accordingly, the Adviser or its designee will monitor on an on-going basis how shares of the Fund trade, including the level of any market price premium or discount to NAV and the bid/ask spreads on market transactions. Should there be extended periods of unusually high bid/ask spreads, the Board will consider the continuing viability of the Fund, whether shareholders are being harmed, and what, if any, action would be appropriate to among other things, narrow the premium/discount or spread, as applicable. Potential actions may include, but are not limited to, changing lead market makers, listing the Fund on a different exchange, changing the size of Creations Units, changing the Fund’s investment objective or strategy, and liquidating the Fund. There is also a risk that the market price may vary significantly from the NAV and, thus, the underlying value of the Fund significantly from the underlying NAV of the Fund. There is also a risk that, despite not disclosing the portfolio holdings each day, some market participants may seek to use publically available information, including the VIIV, to identify the Fund’s investment strategy and engage in certain predatory trading practices that may have the potential to harm the Fund. |
| ● | Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses. In addition, due to the non-transparency of the portfolio a trading halt in a portfolio security could cause discrepancies between the VIIV and NAV of the Fund resulting in uncertainty on the part of the AP that results in wider, less liquid markets. Any security for which trading has been halted for an extended period of time will be disclosed on the Fund’s website, www.gabelli.com. |
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| ● | Authorized Participant and AP Representative Concentration Risk. The creation and redemption process for the Fund occurs through a confidential brokerage account (“Confidential Account”) with an agent, called an AP Representative, on behalf of an Authorized Participant. Each day, the AP Representative will be given the names and quantities of the securities to be deposited, in the case of a creation, or redeemed, in the case of a redemption (“Creation Basket”), allowing the AP Representative to buy and sell positions in the portfolio securities to permit creations or redemptions on the Authorized Participant’s behalf, without disclosing the information to the Authorized Participant. The Fund may have a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants and AP Representatives, none of which are obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to process creation and/or redemption orders, Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting. This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs, generally. The fact that the Fund is offering a novel and unique structure may affect the number of entities willing to act as Authorized Participants and AP Representatives. During times of market stress, Authorized Participants may be more likely to step away from this type of ETF than a traditional ETF. |
| ● | Absence of an Active Market. Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on one or more stock exchanges, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained by market makers or Authorized Participants. Authorized Participants are not obligated to execute purchase or redemption orders for Creation Units. Because this is a novel and unique structure, this could influence the number of entities willing to act as Authorized Participants. In periods of market volatility, market makers and/or Authorized Participants may be less willing to transact in Fund shares. The absence of an active market for the Fund’s shares may contribute to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to net asset value (“NAV”). If a shareholder purchases Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV or sells Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV, the shareholder may sustain losses. |
| ● | New Fund Risk. The Fund is new with a limited operating history and may have higher expenses. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size. The Fund could cease operations, and investors may be required to liquidate or transfer their assets at a loss. However, the expense limitation in place limits this risk through the end of its term. |
| ● | Equity Risk. Equity risk is the risk that the prices of the securities held by the Fund will change due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the companies issuing the securities participate, and the issuer company’s particular circumstances. |
| ● | American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Risk. Investment in ADRs does not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in securities of non-U.S. issuers. The market value of ADRs is dependent upon the market value of the underlying securities and fluctuations in the relative value of the currencies in which the ADRs and the underlying securities are quoted. |
| ● | Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and Global Health Events. COVID-19 and concerns about its rapid spread and infections have severely impacted business activity in virtually all economies, markets, and sectors and negatively impacted the value of many financial and other assets. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty. These events could have a significant impact on the Fund’s performance, as well as the performance and viability of issuers in which it invests. |
| ● | Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that directly relate to an issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception. |
| ● | Management Risk. If the portfolio managers are incorrect in their assessment of the growth prospects of the securities the Fund holds, then the value of the Fund’s shares may decline. |
| ● | Market Trading Risk. Individual Fund shares may be purchased and sold only on a national securities exchange or alternative trading system through a broker-dealer, and may not be directly purchased or redeemed from the Fund. There can be no guarantee that an active trading market for shares will develop or be maintained, or that their listing will continue unchanged. Buying and selling shares may require you to pay brokerage commissions and expose you to other trading costs. Due to brokerage commissions and other transaction costs that may apply, frequent trading may detract from realized investment returns. Trading prices of shares may be above, at, or below the Fund’s NAV, will fluctuate in relation to NAV based on supply and demand in the market for shares and other factors, and may vary significantly from NAV during periods of market volatility. The return on your investment will be reduced if you sell shares at a greater discount or narrower premium to NAV than when you acquired shares. |
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| ● | Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stocks are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. The dividend on a preferred stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer, and participation in the growth of an issuer may be limited. |
| ● | Sector Risk. Although the Fund does not employ a sector focus, its exposure, from time to time, to specific sectors will increase based on the Adviser’s perception of available investment opportunities. If the Fund focuses on a particular sector, the Fund may face an increased risk that the value of its portfolio will decrease because of events disproportionately affecting that sector. Furthermore, investments in particular sectors may be more volatile than the broader market as a whole. |
| ● | Socially Responsible Investment Risk. The application of the Adviser’s socially responsible criteria will affect the Fund’s exposure to certain issuers, industries, sectors, regions, and countries and may impact the relative financial performance of the Fund – positively or negatively – depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor. |
| ● | Trading Issues Risk. Trading in Fund shares on NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”) may be halted in certain circumstances. There can be no assurance that the requirements of NYSE Arca necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met. |
Performance
The Fund has not yet commenced operations, therefore, performance information is not yet available. Performance information will be available after the Fund has been in operation for one calendar year.
Management
The Adviser. Gabelli Funds, LLC
The Portfolio Managers. Mr. Christopher J. Marangi, a Managing Director and Co-Chief Investment Officer for the Value team of GAMCO Investors, Inc., has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception. Mr. Timothy M. Winter joined Gabelli & Company in 2009 and has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception. Ms. Melody Bryant joined GAMCO Investors, Inc. in September 2018 and has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception. Mr. Jose Garza has served as portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception.
Other Information
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded Fund (commonly referred to as an “ETF”). Individual shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange. Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer. The price of Fund shares is based on market price, and because ETF shares trade at market prices rather than at NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (a premium) or less than NAV (a discount). The Fund will only issue or redeem shares that have been aggregated into blocks of 5,000 shares or multiples thereof (“Creation Units”) to Authorized Participants who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The Fund generally will issue or redeem Creation Units in return for a designated portfolio of securities (and an amount of cash) that the Fund specifies each day.
Tax Information
The Fund expects that distributions will generally be taxable as ordinary income or long term capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of 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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