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Brochure
June 27, 2025
Macquarie Investment
Management
Business Trust
Form ADV — Part 2A
This brochure provides information about the qualifications and business
practices of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust (“MIMBT”).
If you have any questions about the contents of this brochure, please contact
us at (215) 255-2300. The information in this brochure has not been
approved or verified by the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”) or by any state securities authority.
is
available
on
the SEC’s website
MIMBT is a registered investment adviser. Registration of an investment
adviser does not imply any level of skill or training. Additional information
about MIMBT
at
www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
610 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 255-2300
www.delawarefunds.com
Item 2 — Summary of Material Changes
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) requires that Macquarie
Investment Management Business Trust (“MIMBT”) provide our clients with a summary of any
material changes made to MIMBT’s Form ADV Part 2A (the “Brochure”) since the date of our last
annual update. Our goal when preparing our Brochure and this summary of material changes is
to provide you with easy-to-understand “plain English disclosure,” using an easy-to-read format
and definite, concrete, and understandable words.
Below is a summary of the material changes to this Brochure since the June 28, 2024, annual
update. We urge you to carefully review this summary of material changes and all subsequent
summaries, as they contain important information about any significant changes to our advisory
services, fee structure, business practices, conflicts of interest and disciplinary history. Please read
the full brochure for additional information regarding the changes described below.
A complete copy of MIMBT’s Brochure is available by calling (215) 255-2300. Our Brochure is also
available free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.
•
Item 8 – Appendix B, Risk of Loss Disclosures – Updates throughout to reflect new and
expanded market and other risks.
•
Item 9 – Updated to reflect that MIMBT entered into a settlement agreement with the SEC
consenting to an order (Settlement Order) relating to a legacy investment strategy, the
Absolute Return Mortgage-Backed Securities Strategy (ARMBS Strategy). MIMBT no longer
offers the ARMBS Strategy. MIMBT agreed to the Settlement Order without admitting or
denying the SEC’s findings.
•
Item 10 – Updated to remove language associated with registrations of management persons
as Futures Commission Merchants, Commodity Pool Operators or Commodity Trading
Advisors to reflect MIMBT’s deregistration as a commodity pool operator and commodity
trading advisor.
•
Item 10 – Updated to clarify that client accounts of Participating Affiliates could invest in
the same securities in which client accounts of MIMBT invest.
•
Item 11 – Updated disclosure regarding MIMBT’s aggregation of client orders with affiliates
and proprietary accounts.
•
Item 12 – Updated to reflect MIMBT’s approach to the aggregation and allocation of trades
for client accounts, and to include disclosure regarding the correction of trade errors.
2
Item 3 — Table of Contents
Item 2 — Summary of Material Changes .................................................................................... 2
Item 3 — Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... 3
Item 4 — Advisory Business ......................................................................................................... 5
Our Firm ................................................................................................................................. 5
Assets Under Management .................................................................................................... 5
Advisory Services and Individual Needs of Clients................................................................ 5
Delaware Management Company (“DMC”) ............................................................................ 5
Macquarie Investment Management Advisers (“MIMA”) ...................................................... 6
Defined Benefit Plans ....................................................................................................... 7
Endowments and Foundations ......................................................................................... 7
Delaware Capital Management (“DCM”) ............................................................................... 7
Macquarie Asset Advisers (“MAA”) ........................................................................................ 8
Macquarie Alternative Strategies (“MAS”) ............................................................................. 8
Delaware Investments Fund Advisers (“DIFA”) .................................................................... 8
CPG Fund Advisers (“CFA”) ................................................................................................... 8
Macquarie Private Fund Advisers (“MPFA”) ......................................................................... 9
Item 5 — Fees and Compensation ................................................................................................ 9
Delaware Management Company (“DMC”) ............................................................................ 9
Macquarie Investment Management Advisers (“MIMA”) ...................................................... 9
Delaware Capital Management (“DCM”) ............................................................................. 10
Macquarie Asset Advisers (“MAA”) ...................................................................................... 11
Macquarie Alternative Strategies (“MAS”)........................................................................... 11
CPG Fund Advisers (“CFA”) ................................................................................................. 11
Macquarie Private Fund Advisers (“MPFA”) ....................................................................... 12
Item 6 — Performance-Based Fees and Side-By-Side Management ......................................... 12
Performance-Based Fees ....................................................................................................... 12
Side-by-Side Management .................................................................................................... 12
Item 7 — Types of Clients .......................................................................................................... 12
Institutional Clients .............................................................................................................. 12
Retail Investors ..................................................................................................................... 13
Item 8 — Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss .................................. 13
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies .................................................................. 13
Risk of Loss ........................................................................................................................... 14
Item 9 — Disciplinary Information ............................................................................................. 14
Item 10 — Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ............................................... 16
3
Affiliations and Conflicts of Interest .................................................................................... 16
Recommendation of Other Investment Advisers .................................................................. 19
Item 11 — Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal
Trading ....................................................................................................................................... 19
Code of Ethics ....................................................................................................................... 19
Potential Conflicts Relating to Advisory Activities .............................................................. 19
Conflicts Relating to Cross Trades and Proprietary Accounts ............................................. 21
Conflicts Relating to Valuation of Securities ........................................................................ 22
Conflicts Relating to Investments in Affiliated Funds ........................................................ 22
Restrictions and Conflicts Relating to Information Possessed or Provided by MIMBT ...... 23
Material Non-Public Information and Insider Trading ................................................. 23
Information Barriers/Ethical Walls ................................................................................ 23
Other Trading Restrictions ............................................................................................. 23
Item 12 — Brokerage Practices .................................................................................................. 24
Research and Other Soft Dollar Benefits ............................................................................. 24
Brokerage for Client Referrals .............................................................................................. 25
Directed Brokerage ............................................................................................................... 25
Aggregation and Allocation of Trades .................................................................................. 25
Wrap Accounts ...................................................................................................................... 26
Item 13 — Review of Accounts ................................................................................................... 28
Content and Frequency of Reports Provided to Institutional and Wrap Clients ................ 28
Item 14 — Client Referrals and Other Compensation from Non- Clients ................................. 29
Compensation for Client Referrals ....................................................................................... 29
Item 15 — Custody ..................................................................................................................... 29
Item 16 — Investment Discretion ............................................................................................... 30
Item 17 — Voting Client Securities ............................................................................................ 30
Item 18 — Financial Information ................................................................................................. 31
APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................ 32
APPENDIX B ............................................................................................................................ 42
4
guidelines.
Item 4 — Advisory Business
Our Firm
Advisory Services and Individual Needs of
Clients
Investment Management
Macquarie
Business Trust (“MIMBT”) is a business
trust organized under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act that consists of the
following eight series:
• Delaware Management Company
• Macquarie Investment Management
Advisers
The services offered by the various series of
MIMBT are described more fully below. In
addition, MIMBT often tailors its investment
advisory services to the individual needs of
particular institutional clients through its
investment advisory agreement with the
client, written agreements regarding the
client’s investment guidelines, objectives, and
restrictions, or other written instructions.
Delaware Management Company (“DMC”)
Investments
Fund
• Delaware Capital Management
• Macquarie Asset Advisers
• Macquarie Alternative Strategies
• Delaware
Advisers
(the
to
• CPG Fund Advisers
• Macquarie Private Fund Advisers
MIMBT has been in business since 1929
and is a registered investment adviser
under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 (the “Advisers Act”).
the
securities
investment
The DMC series provides
investment and
advisory services
reinvestment of assets)
registered
investment companies or “funds” within
Macquarie Funds
(formerly Delaware
Funds® by Macquarie), Optimum Funds and
Macquarie ETF Trust, as well as to certain
other affiliated funds and pooled vehicles.
These services include professional portfolio
research and
management,
investment
trading
analysis, and
capabilities required to make all investment
decisions for such funds, as well as managing
fund assets on an ongoing basis and placing
for the execution of securities
orders
transactions.
(USA)
fund
assets,
and
MIMBT’s principal owners (those owning
more than 25% of the firm) are Delaware
Investments Management Company,
LLC, Macquarie Management Holdings,
Inc., Macquarie Affiliated Managers
Inc., Macquarie Affiliated
(USA)
Managers Holdings
Inc.,
Macquarie FG Holdings Inc., Macquarie
Asset Management US Holdings Pty
Limited, Macquarie Asset Management
Holdings Pty Limited, and Macquarie
Group Limited.
fee and
if
DMC provides both direct
investment
management services, where it invests and
reinvests
indirect
investment management services, where it
identifies and hires sub-advisory firms with
specific investment expertise to manage fund
assets. When a sub-adviser has been
engaged, DMC pays the sub- adviser out of its
management
supervises and
monitors the activities of the sub-advisory
firm.
transaction
is expected
In April 2025, Macquarie Group Limited
and Nomura Holdings Inc. announced an
agreement to enter into a transaction
consummated, Nomura
whereby,
Holdings Inc. will wholly own and control
MIMBT. As of the date of this Brochure,
the
to be
completed by the end of 2025.
Assets Under Management
DMC enters into an investment advisory
agreement with a given fund. The advisory
agreement is subject to periodic review and
continuance (generally annually) by the
fund’s Board of Directors or Trustees, as
required under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Each
advisory agreement is terminable without
As of March 31, 2025, MIMBT had assets
under management of $164,320,917,908,
all of which are managed on a
discretionary basis pursuant to client
5
under
an
all-inclusive
services
to
penalty, generally upon sixty (60) days’
notice by the fund’s Board or by DMC,
and each terminates automatically in the
event of its assignment (as that term is
defined in the 1940 Act). Each fund’s
board supervises and directs DMC’s
provision of advisory services.
or
financial
Macquarie Investment Management
Advisers (“MIMA”)
investment advisory services to certain
clients
fee
arrangement known as a “wrap fee
investment
agreement.” MIMA provides
clients who
management
generally do not direct trading of their
account to a particular bank or a registered
broker/dealer
service
a
organization (also known as “wrap fee
sponsors”). These types of accounts are also
known as "free trading accounts.”
traditional
to
services, MIMA
investment
In addition
management
offers
asset/liability analysis services for pension
plans, endowments, and foundations. These
services attempt to manage a client’s assets
relative to a future defined benefit pension
liability or spending requirements.
The MIMA series provides investment
advisory services to large institutional
clients domiciled in the U.S. and abroad,
many of which are tax-exempt, and to
insurance company general and separate
include
accounts. Clients of MIMA
without limitation, pension and profit-
sharing plans and endowment funds,
domestic or international registered and
unregistered pooled vehicles, as well as
the nuclear decommissioning trusts of
utility companies.
investment
company
I
of
trading
strategies,
The MIMA series is also an investment
manager for Macquarie Fund Solutions
an
(Société
d'Investissement à Capital Variable)
registered under Part
the
Luxembourg Law of 17 December 2010
concerning undertakings for collective
investment in transferable securities
(“UCITS”) (the “Law of 2010”). The
Macquarie Fund Solutions funds are
available to qualified, non-U.S. investors.
MIMA provides investment sub-advisory
services to other UCITS funds and ex-
U.S. pooled vehicles.
Certain MIMBT series, such as MIMA,
Macquarie Asset Advisers
(“MAA”) or
Macquarie Alternative Strategies (“MAS”),
offer transition management services to
institutional clients seeking to transition
their portfolio holdings from one investment
manager
from one
to another and/or
to another. Such
investment strategy
services may be provided in conjunction with
a MIMBT series or an affiliate of MIMBT
within the Macquarie Group, as well as third
parties. The relevant MIMBT series may give
advice to transition management clients
regarding
including
recommending trading baskets of securities
individual securities when
rather than
deemed to be in the best interest of such
clients and to the extent consistent with
applicable laws. MIMBT affiliates within the
Macquarie Group may provide brokerage and
other services, including referral services, to
transition accounts of MIMBT series that
have been authorized or directed by the
transition management clients to use such
affiliates to the extent consistent with
applicable laws and may be compensated
directly or indirectly for their services in
accordance with applicable law.
individuals
conjunction with
our
In addition to the foregoing, MIMA
serves as investment manager to the
Macquarie Collective Investment Trust
and Macquarie Collective Investment
(together, the “Macquarie
Trust II
CITs”), each a collective investment of
assets of participating tax qualified
pension and profit-sharing plans and
related trusts and other tax deferred
entities and provides advisory services to
high-net-worth
(whose
accounts are generally managed on a
fully discretionary basis).
On a limited basis, MIMA also provides
MIMA provides these services on its own or
traditional
in
investment management services, which are
described elsewhere in this brochure. These
financial
services can be provided
to
6
intermediaries or to their clients.
Defined Benefit Plans
and fixed income strategies. Certain wrap fee
sponsors are also registered as investment
advisers under the Advisers Act.
involves
Our asset/liability analysis
assessing a
client’s existing asset
solution relative to its pension liabilities.
We may include additional alternative
asset solutions in the analysis. Some or
all of the following factors may be
considered in the analysis, among others:
projected liability cash flow projections;
liability return review and custom
liability benchmarking; and modelling of
asset returns.
clients
with
receiving
instructions. At
is
and
can
implementing
effected
only
take
In some circumstances, DCM enters into
agreements directly with individual wrap fee
clients using a wrap fee agreement. The
purpose of these wrap fee agreements is to
allow DCM to manage wrap fee client
accounts and make investment decisions on
behalf of the client as to which securities are
bought and sold for the account, as well as
the total amount of securities to be bought
and sold at a given time. The discretionary
authority granted to DCM may be limited by
conditions imposed by wrap sponsors or wrap
investment
in their stated
fee clients
guidelines and objectives or using separate
times, DCM’s
written
limited by
discretionary authority
directions from the wrap fee client to have
transactions
through
designated registered broker-dealers. DCM
into
does not generally
taxes
consideration when making
investment
decisions for wrap fee clients.
investments;
request MIMA’s
Certain
traditional asset management services in
connection
the
asset/liability analysis. These asset
include
services
management
developing
a
particular asset solution given the plan’s
liability structure and funded status and
the plan sponsor’s financial position and
objectives. Examples of
the asset
management services include: liability
long duration
driven
portfolio management; and excess alpha
and
investment
correlation
low
strategies.
Endowments and Foundations
It should be noted that, in some instances,
wrap account assets are invested in a money
market mutual fund that is not managed by
DCM. The expenses of investing in these
funds will include management fees that are
incurred in addition to any fees payable to
DCM.
endowments
and
regard
to
DCM also provides investment advisory
services to wrap sponsors by providing a
model portfolio of securities to wrap fee
sponsors. The wrap fee sponsor typically has
the
full discretion with
implementation of these model portfolios.
the
to
implementing
in
fixed
The model for our asset allocation service
foundations
for
incorporates user-defined parameters
including inflation and capital market
assumptions to allow a client to assess
projected asset and spending levels.
Although
is generally
service
marketed
intermediaries, certain
clients request our traditional asset
management services in connection with
receiving the asset allocation service. The
include
asset management services
developing
a
and
particular asset solution given the
client’s projected spending goals.
Delaware Capital Management (“DCM”)
DCM also provides investment advisory
services to fixed income wrap program
participants. For the accounts of these
clients, DCM generally does not execute any
transactions
income securities
through a wrap sponsor or an affiliated
broker of the wrap sponsor’s firm. For certain
equity investment strategies, DCM will
“trade away” from the wrap sponsor (or an
affiliated broker-dealer of the wrap sponsor).
This practice is unlike the typical wrap
program practice whereby most securities
The DCM series participates primarily in
wrap fee arrangements that it enters
with various wrap fee sponsors for equity
7
securities
agreement is subject to periodic review and
continuance (generally annually) by the
fund’s Board of Directors or Trustees, as
required under the 1940 Act. Each advisory
or sub-advisory agreement is terminable
without penalty, generally upon sixty (60)
days’ notice by the fund’s Board or by DIFA,
and each terminates automatically in the
event of its assignment (as that term is
defined in the 1940 Act). Each fund’s board
supervises and directs DIFA’s provision of
advisory services and, in cases where DIFA
acts as sub-adviser, DIFA is also supervised
by the separate investment advisory firm
that acts as investment adviser to the fund.
transactions are directed to and executed
by the wrap sponsor (or an affiliated
broker-dealer of the wrap sponsor) and
the wrap fee paid by the client covers or
includes brokerage transaction costs. As
a result, any such “trade away” brokerage
transaction costs of
“trade away”
transactions, (e.g., commissions, mark-
ups and mark- downs) paid for fixed-
income
transactions and
equity securities transactions effected for
wrap program participants will not have
been offset or reduced by wrap fees paid
and will represent an additional cost to be
paid by the wrap program participant (in
addition to the wrap fee).
CPG Fund Advisers (“CFA”)
Macquarie Asset Advisers (“MAA”)
The MAA series provides investment
advisory services primarily to private
CDOs and CLOs that are sold to large
institutional investors.
Macquarie Alternative Strategies
(“MAS”)
services
primarily
The MAS series provides investment
advisory
to
institutional accounts and alternative
investment portfolios, including on-shore
and off-shore funds and products.
The CPG Fund Advisers series was created to
provide investment advisory services (the
investment and reinvestment of assets) to
registered investment companies or “funds”
within the Central Park Group Funds, and
potentially to certain other affiliated funds
and pooled vehicles. These services include
professional
management,
portfolio
investment research and analysis, and the
securities trading capabilities required to
make all investment decisions for such funds,
as well as managing fund assets and liquidity
on an ongoing basis and placing orders for the
execution of securities transactions.
Delaware Investments Fund Advisers
(“DIFA”)
there are no plans
to
to
Currently CFA does not act as investment
adviser for any Central Park Group Funds
transfer
and
management of any Central Park Group
Funds to CFA.
The DIFA series provides investment
sub-advisory
certain
services
registered
investment companies or
“funds” other than Macquarie Funds and
certain other affiliated funds. These
services include professional portfolio
management, investment research and
analysis, and the securities trading
capabilities needed
for making all
investment decisions for such funds, as
well as managing fund assets on an
ongoing basis and placing orders for the
execution of securities transactions.
CPG Fund Advisers provides both direct
investment management services, where it
invests and reinvests fund assets, and
indirect investment management services,
where it identifies and hires sub-advisory
firms with specific investment expertise to
manage fund assets. When a sub-adviser has
been engaged, CPG Fund Advisers pays the
sub-adviser out of its management fee and
supervises and monitors the activities of the
sub-advisory firm. CPG Fund Advisers is the
advisor to several continuously offered
closed-end funds and to several closed-end
funds that are no longer offered for sales.
Other than one international fund, each of
DIFA either enters into an investment
advisory agreement with a given fund
and/or into a sub-advisory agreement
with the fund’s investment adviser. In
each case, the advisory or sub-advisory
8
the funds managed by CPG Fund
Advisers focuses on private markets
securities.
Macquarie Private Fund Advisers
(“MPFA”)
that DMC receives from the funds for which
it serves as advisor or sub-advisor are
disclosed in each fund’s prospectus, generally
most fees are computed based on the average
daily net assets of the specific fund. A copy of
the appropriate prospectus is provided to
clients prior to investment and is available
free of charge upon request at any time.
to
expenses
to
the
The Macquarie Private Fund Advisers
investment advisory
series provide
institutional
services primarily
accounts and alternative
investment
portfolios, including private funds and
products.
As described in the fund prospectus, DMC
from time to time agrees to waive fees and/or
out-of-pocket
extent
necessary to limit the funds’ expenses to
specified amounts.
Item 5 — Fees and
Compensation
Macquarie Investment Management
Advisers (“MIMA”)
client
account,
enters
standard
in
fees
fully
for
The compensation paid to MIMA by each
institutional
including
registered or unregistered pooled vehicles, is
generally based upon a percentage of assets
under management and may be subject to a
minimum charge. Generally, the fee is based
upon the market value of the account as of the
end of each calendar quarter, although in
some instances it can be based upon the
account’s average quarterly assets, three
month or four-month average. The fee
structure varies from time to time as the
advisory fees are subject to negotiation. In
certain instances, a portion of the fee, which
may be greater or less than the standard fee
schedule, is calculated on a performance
basis. Fees generally are calculated and
some
payable quarterly, monthly
instances per client contract and will be
prorated if a contract is terminated other
than at quarter-end. Fees for institutional
accounts are generally not billed in advance
of services. A table of representative fee
schedules
is
institutional accounts
attached to this Brochure as Appendix A.
or portfolio
taxes,
and
MIMBT’s fees and compensation vary
based upon the type of service provided.
Clients generally have different fee
arrangements. In addition, some clients
have negotiated most favored nation
clauses in their investment management
agreements with MIMBT. These
provisions generally require MIMBT to
notify the client if MIMBT has entered or
subsequently
into a more
fee arrangement with a
favorable
similarly situated or comparable client
fee
and offer the client the same
fee
The
arrangement.
structures and schedules currently in
effect for the services offered by each of
MIMBT’s series are described more fully
below and in Appendix A, attached to this
Brochure. Clients will generally incur
brokerage
for the transactions
executed in their accounts as discussed
in Item 12, “Brokerage
more
Practices.” Brokerage fees differ for
MIMBT’s wrap fee clients as described
below. In addition, clients typically will
bear other costs associated with their
accounts
investments,
including, but not limited to: (i) custodial
charges, (ii) auditing fees, (iii) transfer
agency fees, (iv) interest expenses, and
(v)
other
duties
governmental charges (if applicable).
Delaware Management Company
(“DMC”)
The advisory and other fees and expenses that
MIMA receives from ex-US pooled vehicles,
including, but not limited to UCITS funds for
which it serves as the advisor and sub-
advisor are generally disclosed
in the
applicable prospectus. The compensation
paid to MIMA by each fund varies, although
most fees are computed based on the average
daily net assets of the specific fund. The fees
are accrued daily and paid monthly in
The advisory and other fees and expenses
9
in the
a fee is charged, the fee is typically not based
on assets under management.
funds’ expenses
fund
arrears. As described
prospectus, MIMA from time to time
agrees to waive fees and/or out-of-pocket
expenses to the extent necessary to limit
to
the applicable
specified amounts.
accounts
Compensation paid to MIMA by pooled
vehicles it manages will generally be
similarly structured and will be governed
by and disclosed in an offering document
or similar document.
Fees for other
investment management
services, including investment management
services provided to insurance company and
separate
(“Insurance Asset
Management”) provided by MIMA are
generally calculated as a percentage of assets
under management and are payable in
arrears. However, such fees are also typically
negotiated on a case-by- case basis and vary
between clients.
the
Delaware Capital Management (“DCM”)
clients
that
receive
The trustees of the Macquarie CITs pay
MIMA directly
investment
for
advisory and administrative services
provided by MIMA to the Macquarie
CITs. The trustee receives a
fee,
calculated daily, and paid monthly in
arrears, for the trustee, management,
investment advisory and administrative
services provided by the trustee and
MIMA.
or more
in
investment
the program;
Advisory services provided to high-net-
worth individuals are provided at fee
rates that correspond to those outlined
for institutional clients in Appendix A.
MIMA clients may receive investment
advisory services subject to wrap fee
agreements similar to those utilized by
MIMBT’s DCM series. Please reference
the discussion of DCM’s wrap fees below
for more information.
client. MIMA
investment
DCM
advisory services subject to a wrap fee
agreement are generally charged a bundled
fee by the wrap fee sponsor (referred to as a
“wrap fee”) based upon a percentage of the
market value of the account. This wrap fee
generally covers portions of or all services for:
(1) selection or assistance in the selection of
advisers
one
participating
(2) the
investment adviser's fee to manage the
client's portfolio on a discretionary basis or to
provide a portfolio model; (3) brokerage
commissions and, in some instances, dealer
mark-ups or mark-downs for the execution
of trades by the designated broker; (4) acting
as custodian for the assets in the client's
portfolio which also includes providing the
client with trade confirms and regular
(5) periodic evaluation and
statements;
comparison of account performance, and (6)
continuing
investment
consultation on
objectives. A wrap fee agreement may not
include all fees described above and not all
fees will be covered by the wrap fee (such as
“trade-away” transactions). Please refer to
the information relating to wrap accounts in
Item 12, “Brokerage Practices.”
Over time, the fee structures for these
types of services vary as the advisory fees
are subject to negotiation with the
can be
sponsor or
compensated on a different basis with
respect to other wrap fee programs, but
under no circumstances will MIMA be
compensated on the basis of a share of
the capital gains upon, or the capital
appreciation of,
the assets under
management.
services,
analysis,
the
For the vast majority of wrap accounts, the
sponsor charges the fee to the client, rather
than DCM. The sponsor calculates the fee to
be paid to DCM based upon the negotiated fee
contained within the contract between the
sponsor and DCM. The fees received for
investment advice to wrap programs vary
depending on
investment strategy
selected, level of assets under management,
MIMA charges clients a flat or other fee
such
for
as
certain
asset/liability
transition
management services, or management of
derivatives. The fee varies from time to
time, as it is subject to negotiation and is
fully waived in certain instances. If such
10
and other factors.
administrator for each payment period,
typically on a quarterly basis. If an account is
terminated prior to a normal accrual period,
the fee due will be calculated on a pro rata
basis.
Macquarie Alternative Strategies (“MAS”)
The advisory and other fees and expenses that
MAS receives from the private funds for
which it serves as advisor are disclosed in
each private fund’s offering documents,
generally most fees are computed based on
the average daily net assets of the specific
fund. A copy of the relevant private fund
offering document is provided to clients prior
to investment and is available free of charge
upon request at any time.
In certain
instances, the fee or a portion of the fee,
which may be greater or less than the
standard fee schedule, will be calculated on a
performance basis. In addition, MAS reserves
the right to waive or alter the fee, or a portion
of the fee, on a discretionary basis.
Delaware Investments Fund Advisers
(“DIFA”)
The advisory and other fees that DIFA
receives from the funds for which it serves as
sub-advisor are generally disclosed in each
fees are
fund’s prospectus, and most
computed based on the average daily net
assets of the specific fund. It is DIFA’s
understanding that DIFA’s fund clients
provide a copy of the fund’s prospectus to
fund shareholders prior to investment and
makes it available upon request at any time.
For some wrap accounts, DCM has a
direct contract with the client. In these
cases, DCM calculates the fee due based
on the fee schedule in place with the
client. DCM generally will either bill the
client or request the fee to be deducted
from the client’s account and forwarded
in payment of fees due. If an advisory
contract is terminated prior to the end of
the billing period, DCM will refund any
fees paid in advance on a pro rata basis.
The fee a client pays in a wrap fee
program typically covers advice, trading
done through the sponsor, custody, and
reporting, but does not cover trades
executed with a broker other than the
sponsor, and other fees such as IRA fees,
wire transfer fees, exchange fees, and
mark-ups and mark-downs on fixed
income securities. Certain investment
strategies trade infrequently, resulting
in the client paying a higher proportion
of its wrap fee for non-trading services
than if the client used an investment
strategy that traded more frequently. In
addition, some investment strategies
incur additional trading costs, such as
when DCM purchases shares in a non-US
market and converts them to American
Depository Receipts (ADRs) and incurs a
conversion fee. This will result in the
wrap client paying other fees in addition
to the standard bundled fee. Over time,
the fee structure for these types of
services varies as the advisory fees are
subject to negotiation with the sponsor or
client.
CPG Fund Advisers (“CFA”)
Macquarie Asset Advisers (“MAA”)
liquidated over the
For providing certain management and
administrative services to registered funds
and registered fund of funds, CPG Fund
Advisers receives directly from each Fund a
monthly or quarterly fee, as applicable, based
on the net assets or capital commitments of
the Fund, in accordance with the investment
advisory or similar agreement applicable to
that Fund and as disclosed in each Fund’s
offering documents. These fees are not
negotiable by investors in the registered
funds and registered fund of funds but are
subject to periodic renewal by the Fund’s
Compensation paid to MAA is generally
calculated as a contractual percentage of
the collateral asset value of
the
investment vehicle
to which MAA
provides services. This value fluctuates
over time and is reduced as the collateral
is
life of the
investment vehicle. The fee structures
vary from time to time as they are subject
to negotiation. Fees are payable in
arrears and are generally deducted from
trustee or
clients’ assets by
the
11
conformity with the Advisers Act and the
available exemptions thereunder.
In each instance where MIMBT charges a
performance-based fee to a separate account
client, MIMBT will seek a contractual
representation from the client that it is
qualified to be charged such a fee. MIMBT
will also seek to disclose the risks to clients,
including conflicts of interest and operation
of the performance fee, usually in the
investment advisory contract.
Side-by-Side Management
Board of Directors. For registered funds
and registered fund of funds, CPG Fund
Advisers does not receive any fees in
advance of providing services and
management fees are payable in arrears.
Additionally, certain registered funds
and registered fund of funds pay a fee to
placement agents, distributors, sub-
placement agents, dealers or selling
agents out of the net assets of certain
designated Fund shares or “units” based
on the net asset value or capital
commitments of such units as disclosed
in a Fund’s offering documents.
Macquarie Private Fund Advisers
(“MPFA”)
Performance-based
increase
is a
Management of accounts with different fee
arrangements can create a conflict of interest
by incentivizing favoritism of the higher fee
arrangement.
fee
arrangements such as those discussed
potential conflicts of
above
interest because MIMBT, through its various
series, manages accounts with such fee
arrangements side-by-side with accounts
that are charged a standard fee based on
assets under management, or other non-
performance-based fees.
incentive
With regard to the Access Funds and
Fund of Funds, MPFA’s fees are based on
the services it provides, the amount
contributed or committed by investors
and whether
financial
there
intermediary, all of which is set forth in
the confidential offering memorandum
for the applicable Fund. Generally,
MPFA will, as described in each Fund’s
offering documents, receive an asset-
based fee directly from a Fund based on
assets under management or capital
commitments, and, in certain cases, an
incentive allocation based on net new
profits, subject to a high-water mark. In
the event that MPFA has received any
fees in advance of providing services, it
will, upon termination of its services, pro-
rate and refund any excess amount.
These fees are generally not negotiable
by investors in the Access Funds.
Item 6 — Performance-
Based Fees and Side-By-
Side Management
or
Interest
Performance-Based Fees
- Brokerage Practices
into performance
The existence of performance-based fee
arrangements creates an
for
MIMBT to recommend investments that are
riskier or more speculative than those which
would be recommended under a different fee
arrangement. Such fee arrangements also
create an incentive to favor accounts paying
higher fees over other accounts in the
allocation of investment opportunities. To
mitigate these conflicts, MIMBT has adopted
policies and procedures reasonably designed
to ensure that allocation decisions are not
influenced by
fee arrangements and
investment opportunities are allocated in a
manner consistent with MIMBT’s fiduciary
obligations. See Item 11 - Code of Ethics,
Participation
in Client
Transactions and Personal Trading and Item
for more
12
information about how MIMBT addresses
conflicts of interest related to portfolio
transactions and trade allocation.
fees are
subject
Item 7 — Types of Clients
In some cases, MIMBT, through its
series, enters
fee
arrangements with qualified clients and
in certain cases, investors in private
funds. Such
to
individualized negotiation with each
in
such client and are structured
Institutional Clients
12
foundations,
trusts,
also
by
on-site
MIMBT advises a variety of institutional
clients, including individuals, registered
and private funds both on and off-shore,
unaffiliated off-shore and on-shore
corporate and public pension plans,
nuclear
endowments,
decommissioning
collective
investment trusts, collateralized debt
obligation funds, hedge funds, sovereign
insurance-related
wealth
funds, and
accounts. MIMBT
provides
investment services to certain affiliates
and acts as a sub-advisor to unaffiliated
sponsors and investment products.
and analysts devote the majority of their time
to securities analysis. Prime sources of
financial data include corporate annual and
financial reports, the various manuals
published by rating services, and financial
data calculated by research services. Much of
this information is available electronically
and MIMBT often employs sophisticated
computer technology to sift through the
information effectively. Research regarding a
prospective portfolio purchase may also be
supplemented
corporate
interviews. Additionally, research-oriented
brokerage houses can provide an important
source of information used for this analysis,
as do trade journals, financial newspapers,
magazines, and the like.
factors
The minimum account size for our
institutional client accounts varies based
on a variety of
including
investment style and the nature of the
client relationship but is generally $25
million or more.
Retail Investors
domestic
consider many
and
provides
closed-end
funds,
investment
MIMBT
management and related services to a
wide variety of retail investors through
funds,
funds,
mutual
exchange-traded
variable
insurance portfolios, affiliates, mutual
fund sub-advisory relationships, ex-U.S.
pooled vehicles, alternative products, and
separately managed accounts (“SMA”).
MIMBT’s investment personnel utilize this
substantial research platform to conduct the
fundamental
investment analysis upon
which their advisory services are based. This
analysis may
factors,
international
including
economic and political studies, industry and
sector evaluations drawn from business cycle
analyses, and the analysis of individual
companies within industries and sectors.
Additionally, any analysis or evaluation of
bonds and fixed income securities may be
based upon studies of credit worthiness of
issuers, yield, call protection and other
factors.
providing
investment
individual
consider
The minimum account size for such retail
clients varies based on a variety of
factors, including prospectus limits, the
type of product, and minimum account
sizes that are imposed by financial
intermediaries. SMA program clients
generally must comply with a minimum
initial account size imposed by the
unaffiliated sponsor, which is typically
$50,000 or more.
Item 8 — Methods of
Analysis, Investment
Strategies and Risk of Loss
Methods of Analysis and Investment
Strategies
seeking
to
In order to provide advisory services to
our clients, MIMBT's portfolio managers
When
advisory
flexible
services, MIMBT maintains a
strategy designed to conform with various
clients’
investment objectives,
whether such objectives are growth, total
return, current income, tax- exempt income,
asset allocation, international or global, or
stability of principal. In addition, a portfolio
the
manager will generally
composition of the relevant benchmark
index, as well as the composition of portfolios
within a competitive peer group when
constructing the portfolio for a fund. This
method
is designed to minimize both
excessive volatility within the portfolio and
wide divergence in performance versus the
market in a given investment style or
mandate, while
produce
consistently above- average
long-term
performance.
13
list
of
representative
vehicles we advise are typically detailed in
the offering memoranda and subscription
documents related to each of those vehicles,
which are listed in MIMBT’s Form ADV Part
1A.
these
Item 9 — Disciplinary
Information
each
strategy
A
composites that are available to clients of
MIMBT, including the material risks
attendant to each strategy, is attached to
this Brochure as Appendix B. In
pursuing
strategies, MIMBT
recommends a variety of securities and
does not limit its recommendations to a
particular type of security although
particular strategies will be invested in a
more concentrated type of securities (e.g.,
specialty funds). Clients are strongly
encouraged to review the information on
risk of loss below, as well as the material
risks attendant
strategy
to
composite before investing.
Risk of Loss
of
their
objective. Clients
From time to time the various entities within
MIMBT receive requests for information,
inquiries or other correspondence relating to
regulatory investigations or law enforcement
matters that have been designated as
confidential or non-public by the issuing
law enforcement agency.
regulatory or
MIMBT takes all such inquiries seriously
and will fully cooperate with regulatory and
law enforcement agencies by providing the
requested information and maintaining the
confidentiality
investigations.
Accordingly, MIMBT will not routinely
provide information on these matters.
As with any investment, there is no
guarantee that a portfolio or account
managed by MIMBT will achieve its
investment
and
investors in pooled funds are reminded
that they could lose money and that they
alone will bear such losses.
consenting
to an order
Securities
On September 19, 2024, MIMBT entered into
a settlement agreement with
the U.S.
Securities
and Exchange Commission
(the
(“SEC”)
“Settlement Order”) relating to a legacy
investment strategy, the Absolute Return
Strategy
Mortgage-Backed
(“ARMBS Strategy”). MIMBT no longer offers
the ARMBS Strategy. MIMBT agreed to the
Settlement Order without admitting or
denying the SEC’s findings.
The material risks attendant to each of
MIMBT’s
strategy
investment
composites are outlined in Appendix B,
which is attached to this Brochure. The
value of a portfolio managed by MIMBT
will be exposed to one or more of the risks
described in Appendix B, any of which
could cause fluctuations in the portfolio’s
return, the price of a pooled portfolio’s
shares, or the portfolio’s yield.
(1) MIMBT valued
trades of
Under the Settlement Order, the SEC found
that, between January 1, 2017 and April 2021
certain
(“Period”):
collateralized mortgage-backed obligations
inflated prices;(2) MIMBT
(“CMOs”) at
executed dealer-interposed and
internal
those CMOs between
cross
registered investment company clients and
other clients at prices that deviated from
market prices; (3) certain disclosures of
MIMBT relating to performance, valuation,
liquidity and cross trading contained false
and misleading statements and omissions;
and (4) MIMBT failed to implement policies
and procedures relating
to valuation,
conflicts of interest and cross trades.
Please note that there are many other
circumstances not described within this
Brochure or Appendix B that could
adversely affect Client and pooled fund
investors’ investments and prevent a
portfolio from reaching its objective.
Clients and pooled fund investors should
review the service and risk descriptions
set forth in the various marketing and
disclosure materials provided to them.
Specifically, investors in the shares of the
registered
companies
investment
managed by MIMBT should review the
prospectus used to offer those shares.
Similarly, the objectives and material
risks of the privately placed pooled
Under the Settlement Order, MIMBT also
14
relief
from
the standard
review
DIFA required exemptive relief under
Section 9 of the 1940 Act to continue to be
eligible to provide Fund Service Activities
after April 1, 2015. On May 15, 2015, the SEC
staff, acting under delegated authority from
the SEC, granted temporary exemptive relief
from Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act with respect
to the Injunction. On July 6th, 2015, the SEC
issued temporary exemptive relief and a
notice of application for permanent exemptive
relief from Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act with
respect to the injunction. On August 3, 2015,
the SEC granted to DMC and DIFA
permanent exemptive
the
provisions of Section 9(a), indicating that the
SEC has determined that DMC and DIFA
have met
for receiving
exemptive relief.
compliance policies
the
recommendations
other matters,
that
been
agreed to: (i) cease and desist from
committing or causing any violations or
future violations of Sections 206(1),
206(2), and 206(4) of the Advisers Act and
Rules 206(4)-7 and 206(4)-8 thereunder,
and Sections 17(a)(1) and (a)(2) and 34(b)
of the 1940 Act and Rules 22c-1 and 38a-
1 thereunder; (ii) pay disgorgement of
$7,633,671 and prejudgment interest of
$2,197,535 to the SEC; (iii) pay a civil
money penalty
in the amount of
$70,000,000 to the SEC, of which the
SEC may distribute such civil money
penalties to impacted investors, in its
discretion, in a Fair Fund distribution;
(iv) retain a compliance consultant for a
period of two years to conduct a
comprehensive
the
of
implementation of
effectiveness and
and
MIMBT’s
procedures, relating to: (a) valuation of
relevant CMOs and associated liquidity
risks; (b) cross trading; and (c) advisory
conflicts of interest and disclosures with
respect to (a) and (b); and (v) adopt and
compliance
implement all
of
consultant’s
and
provide to the SEC staff a final report
prepared by the compliance consultant at
the end of its engagement that confirms,
the
among
recommendations have
fully
implemented. Please see Item 11 of
MIMBT’s ADV Part 1A for additional
information.
A copy of the Settlement Order is
available on
the SEC’s website at
https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/admi
n/2024/ia-6709.pdf.
On the basis of the Order and Offers of
Settlement by DMC and DIFA, the SEC
found that: 1) DMC and DIFA served or
conducted Fund Service Activities as of April
1, 2015 and, notwithstanding the entry of an
Injunction against an affiliate of DMC and
DIFA on that date and the resulting
statutory disqualification of DMC and DIFA,
in Fund Service
continued to engage
Activities after April 1, 2015 without
exemptive relief; 2) as a result of the entry of
the Injunction against the affiliate, Sections
9(a)(2) and 9(a)(3) of the 1940 Act together
also prohibited DMC and DIFA
from
engaging in Fund Service Activities as of
April 1, 2015; 3) DMC and DIFA did not
contact SEC staff to begin the process of
obtaining exemptive relief until April 7,
2015; and 4) as a result of the conduct
described above, each of DMC and DIFA
violated Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act. Without
admitting or denying the validity of the
SEC’s findings, DMC and DIFA each agreed
to pay a penalty of $20,000.
of
In July 2015, DMC and DIFA, both series
of MIMBT that advise or sub-advise
registered investment companies (“Fund
Service Activities”), entered into a
settlement
administrative
an
proceeding with the SEC. The SEC’s
Order
found that DMC and DIFA
violated Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act due
to engaging in Fund Service Activities
from April 1, 2015, through May 15, 2015
without exemptive relief. Due to an
injunction against an affiliate of DMC
and DIFA on April 1, 2015, DMC and
MIMBT does not believe that the 2015
settlement order described above has
materially adversely affected MIMBT’s
ability to service its clients. The statutory
disqualification related to affiliated activity
and not to personnel of or services provided
by MIMBT. Further, neither DMC nor DIFA
nor any of their current or former directors,
officers or employees was involved in any way
in the matters that led to the injunction
15
against the affiliate. In addition, the
matters that led to the injunction against
the affiliate did not involve any Fund or
client or the assets of any Fund or client
managed or sub-advised by DMC or
DIFA.
management services with various entities
registered across the world, we are affiliated
with various U.S. and non-U.S. investment
advisers, broker- dealers, and pooled
investment vehicles, among other financial
entities. From time to time, MIMBT will
enter into agreements and arrangements
with certain MGL entities as is permitted
under applicable law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither
MIMBT nor its management persons
have been the subject of any criminal
proceedings that are material to a client’s
or a prospective client’s evaluation of our
advisory business.
Item 10 — Other Financial
Industry Activities and
Affiliations
Registrations of Management
Persons as Broker-Dealers or
Registered Representatives of
Broker-Dealers
broker-dealer
for
MIMBT, through the DMC series, is the
advisor
(formerly
for Macquarie Funds
Delaware Funds® by Macquarie), Optimum
Funds and Macquarie ETF Trust, which
consist of registered investment companies
(open end mutual funds) and other products.
Additionally, MIMBT is affiliated with the
general partners of the private investment
pools for which it serves as advisor. MIMBT’s
MIMA series also serves as a general partner
to a private investment pool that MIMBT
advises. MIMBT’s MIMA series is also an
investment manager for Macquarie Fund
Solutions (the “Company”), an investment
company organized as an
investment
company (société d'investissement à capital
variable) registered under Part I of the
Luxembourg Law of 17 December 2010
concerning undertakings
collective
investment (the "Law of 2010").
of MIMBT’s management
Certain
persons and other employees are
registered representatives of Delaware
Distributors, L.P. (“DDLP”), an affiliated
and
SEC-registered
member of
the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority.
Affiliations and Conflicts of Interest
significant minority
investment
other
exchange-traded
MIMBT is committed to providing clients
with service of the highest quality and is
guided by the desire to act in the best
interests of our clients. Nevertheless,
there are circumstances where client
interests conflict with MIMBT’s interests
or the interests of other clients. A number
of these conflicts are inherent to our
business and are encountered by other
large financial services firms that offer
similar services. MIMBT has adopted
policies and procedures that we believe
are designed to ensure that we are
always acting in the best interests of our
clients, some of which are described in
more detail below.
or
Interest
Because MIMBT is wholly owned by
Macquarie Group Limited (“MGL”), a
global provider of banking, financial,
funds
advisory,
investment
and
MIMBT, through its series DMC, serves as
the advisor for certain exchange-traded funds
and also, through its series DIFA, as sub-
advisor to certain
ETFs advised by
Investment Management
BondBloxx
(“BondBloxx”). MIMBT’s parent company,
Macquarie Management Holdings, Inc. owns
a
in
BondBloxx, which serves as advisor to
certain
funds
(together with the exchange-traded funds
advised by MIMBT, the “Related ETFs”).
MIMBT therefore has a financial incentive to
invest client assets in the Related ETFs,
particularly when a Related ETF is newly
formed or underperforming. MIMBT has
adopted policies and procedures reasonably
designed to mitigate this conflict of interest,
as described in Item 11 – Code of Ethics,
in Client
Participation
Transactions and Personal Trading. MIMBT
is affiliated with DDLP, an SEC-registered
broker-dealer that acts as the principal
16
law. It
of Macquarie Funds
underwriter
by
(formerly Delaware
Funds®
[and
Macquarie), Optimum Funds
certain other registered
investment
companies advised by MIMBT]. . DDLP
will from time-to-time act as placement
agent for MIMBT- managed products in
ex-U.S. jurisdictions. Through MGL’s
ownership of MIMBT, DDLP is likely to
maintain affiliations with certain other
broker- dealers. However, MIMBT does
not have any relationships with an
affiliated broker-dealer other than DDLP
that are material to MIMBT’s advisory
business or its clients.
SEC-registered
institutional-quality
transaction
interest. We may use our affiliates to provide
other services to our clients to the extent
permitted under applicable
is
important to note that certain entities that
are under common control with MIMBT
provide investment banking services such as
advising on merger and acquisition activity
and the underwriting of
initial public
offerings and secondary offerings. Due to
restrictions under the 1940 Act and certain
client guidelines, this affiliation results in
clients not being able to participate in all
transactions due to the involvement of a
MIMBT affiliate in the transaction or in
having the clients' participation in the
transaction structured in a different manner
or otherwise altered in order to be consistent
with applicable restrictions. Similarly, while
MIMBT is not prohibited from executing
its affiliates that
transactions through
operate as broker or dealers, any such
execution will be subject to applicable
statutory, regulatory and client contracts
and/or guidelines, which can ultimately
result in the transaction being placed with
another broker-dealer or limiting certain
aspects of
(such as
the
commission costs).
Macquarie
Limited
is not obligated
portfolio
and
MIMBT has affiliations with other
related
investment
including Central Park
advisers,
a wholly-owned
LLC,
Advisers,
subsidiary of New York-based Central
Park Group, LLC (CPG), an independent
investment advisory firm that specializes
alternative
in
investment strategies for high-net-worth
investors. Additionally, through MGL’s
ownership of MIMBT, Macquarie Bank
Limited (an Australian Registered Bank)
is an indirect owner of MIMBT. MIMBT
also liaises with, or hires as sub-advisors,
certain investment adviser affiliates,
including but not limited to, Macquarie
Europe
Investment Management
Limited,
Investment
Management Austria Kapitalalanlage
AG, Macquarie Investment Management
Global
and Macquarie
Investment Management Europe S.A. to
trading,
provide services, such as
quantitative support, and investment
research and recommendations to its
clients to the extent consistent with
applicable law and MIMBT’s contractual
obligations. For additional information
regarding our affiliates, please refer to
Part 1A of MIMBT’s Form ADV. From
time to time, MIMBT will engage in
business activities with some or all of its
affiliates,
providing
including
investment advisory services to affiliated
accounts or accounts seeded by affiliates,
subject to our policies and procedures
governing how we handle conflicts of
In the ordinary course of business, MIMBT
provides advice to a number of clients,
including MIMBT affiliates. Accordingly,
MIMBT provides advice to certain clients, or
takes actions on behalf of certain clients, that
differ from recommendations made to other
clients or actions taken on behalf of other
clients. MIMBT
to
recommend to any or all clients those
investments that it recommends to, or
purchases or sells for, certain other clients.
Additionally,
advisory
employees of MIMBT and
its affiliates
regularly share information, perceptions,
advice and recommendations about market
trends, the valuation of individual securities,
and investment strategies, except where
prohibited by ethical walls established by
MIMBT or its affiliates or applicable law or
regulation. Persons associated with MIMBT
have investments in securities that are
recommended to clients or held in client
accounts, subject to compliance with our
policies regarding personal securities trading.
17
instruments held by or potentially considered
for one or more client accounts.
regarding
information
Additional
potential conflicts of interest arising from
our relationships and activities with our
affiliates is provided in Item 11, “Code of
Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client
Transactions and Personal Trading.”
funds,
A Participating Affiliate may recommend or
invest on behalf of clients in the same
securities that MIMBT recommends or
invests on behalf of its U.S. clients, including
registered mutual
institutional
accounts and other clients.
interest
services
to
its
Affiliates”).
MIMBT and a Participating Affiliate have
conflicts of
in allocating their
personnel’s time and services among client
accounts. MIMBT will devote as much time
and personnel resources to each client
account as it deems appropriate to perform
its duties in accordance with its management
agreement.
clients.
Such
investment companies
services
offered
client
accounts
MIMBT has a fiduciary duty to provide
unbiased advice and to disclose any material
conflicts of interest to its clients, as mandated
under the Advisers Act. Furthermore, it is
MIMBT’s goal to act in good faith and to treat
all client accounts in a fair and equitable
manner over time, regardless of the client’s
strategy, fee arrangements, or the influence
of a client or client’s beneficiaries. MIMBT
employs various controls to assist in the
disclosure and management of potential
conflicts of interest and maintains policies
(including MIMBT’s Code of Ethics and an
investment allocation policy and related
procedures) that are designed to mitigate any
such conflicts. Item 11 of this Brochure,
“Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in
Client Transactions and Personal Trading”
provides more detailed
information on
MIMBT’s Code of Ethics. In instances where
unique requirements or restrictions are
required due to the identification of different
conflicts, MIMBT will typically establish
additional policies and controls or develop
alternate processing requirements to assist in
the mitigation of these conflicts.
the
its affiliates’
and
Additionally,
certain wholly owned
subsidiaries of the Macquarie Group
separately organized
from MIMBT
support MIMBT in the provision of
advisory
clients
The
(“Participating
Participating Affiliates are regulated in
their home jurisdiction(s)[, but include a
subsidiary of the Macquarie Group that
is also a registered investment adviser
under the Advisers Act]. Some members
of MIMBT’s investment team also serve
on the investment team for one or more
Participating Affiliates. Such investment
personnel will be governed by and
supervised under MIMBT’s policies and
procedures designed to mitigate conflicts
of interest related to their investment
management activities on behalf of
MIMBT
investment
personnel will also provide investment
advisory services to accounts managed by
the Participating Affiliate(s), including
registered
for
which MIMBT is the investment adviser.
Such
both
are
domestically and outside of the United
States. MIMBT and a Participating
Affiliate may give advice or take action
investments of
with respect to the
MIMBT
and
Participating Affiliate client accounts
that is not given or taken with respect to
other client accounts with similar
investment programs, objectives, and
strategies. Accordingly, MIMBT client
accounts and Participating Affiliate
client accounts with similar strategies
may not hold the same securities or
same
instruments or achieve
performance.
a
MIMBT
Participating Affiliate also advise client
accounts with conflicting programs,
objectives or strategies. These activities
can adversely affect the prices and
securities or
availability of other
Finally, due to the global nature of MIMBT’s
investment advisory
and
activities throughout the financial industry,
MIMBT and/or its affiliates will, at times,
receive indirect economic benefits related to
our advisory business as a whole, rather than
any particular client (e.g., a volume discount
on costs associated with operation of services
18
supplied by vendors).
imposed.
Recommendation of Other Investment
Advisers
agreements with
for
All employees are required to disclose the
holdings of their personal brokerage accounts
upon hire and to submit duplicates of their
broker account statements and
trade
confirmations. Certain employees of MIMBT
maintain non-discretionary accounts with
unaffiliated third parties and such accounts
will not be subject to all of the Code’s
requirements because these employees have
granted discretion over their trading activity
to a third party. While transactions in these
accounts may be in direct competition or
contravention of client transactions, any such
activity is not MIMBT employee-directed.
Under the Code, the personal trading activity
of MIMBT’s employees is actively monitored
to detect and correct any violations of the
these safeguards,
Code. Regardless of
personal transactions of MIMBT’s associated
persons and personnel represent an inherent
conflict of interest.
into sub-
At times, MIMBT enters
advisory
other
investment advisers. However, these
agreements do not create a material
conflict of interest because, although
MIMBT receives compensation for the
advisory services it provides under any
such sub-advisory agreements, MIMBT
does not receive compensation either
directly or indirectly from such other
investment
the
adviser
recommendation or selection of other
investment advisers for its clients. From
time to time, MIMBT enters
into
agreements with affiliates related to a
variety of financial services and products,
described more fully in Item 14, “Client
Referrals and Other Compensation from
Non-Clients.”
Potential Conflicts Relating to Advisory
Activities
Item 11 — Code of
Ethics, Participation or
Interest in Client
Transactions and
Personal Trading
Code of Ethics
The results of MIMBT’s investment activities
for a client may differ significantly from the
results achieved by MIMBT for other current
or future clients. MIMBT will manage the
assets of a client in accordance with the
investment mandate selected by that client.
However, we may give advice or take action
with respect to the assets of one client that
competes with the advice or investment
action that we take on behalf of other clients.
In particular, we will buy or sell positions for
one client while we are pursuing a strategy
on behalf of another client that is identical,
different, or even opposite to the strategy
pursued on behalf of the first client.
certify
annually
that
MIMBT manages accounts for many different
clients,
including proprietary, seed and
affiliate accounts (including the accounts of
an affiliated insurance company). It is
inevitable that, in certain circumstances, the
investment opportunity will be
same
for more than one client,
appropriate
whether they are managed in a similar or
different style. In such circumstances,
financial or other
MIMBT may have
MIMBT has adopted a Code of Ethics (the
“Code”) and other policies and procedures
relating to, among other things, portfolio
management and
trading practices,
personal investment transactions, and
insider trading, that outline standards of
employee conduct and are designed to
identify, manage,
and/or mitigate
conflicts of interest with respect to our
clients. MIMBT’s Code is available to any
current or prospective client upon
request. All MIMBT employees are
provided with a copy of the Code at the
time they are hired, and each employee
must
they
understand and are in compliance with
the provisions of the Code. Employees are
also promptly notified of any material
changes to the Code and must certify that
they understand any changes that are
19
implement
investment strategies
for
to
advisory clients.
(collectively,
the
to
incentives to favor one client over other
clients when determining how to allocate
investments that are appropriate for
multiple clients. For example, MIMBT
has incentives to favor its proprietary,
seed, and affiliate accounts by allocating
better investment opportunities to such
accounts to maximize returns on its
investments. Similarly, MIMBT has an
favorable
to
allocate
incentive
investment
client
opportunities
accounts paying higher fees.
receive
foreign
MIMBT’s policies and procedures require
that each client be treated fairly and
equitably with respect to the allocation of
investment opportunities. MIMBT seeks
to confirm that clients are treated fairly
by periodically analyzing the patterns of
trading among client accounts managed
by the same portfolio manager or
portfolio management
and
team,
account/composite
reviewing
identify and
performance results to
assess anomalous variances. MIMBT has
also adopted written policies and
procedures designed to mitigate the risk
that proprietary, seed and affiliated
accounts will
preferential
treatment or priority allocations as
compared to other client accounts.
MIMBT's policy is to treat proprietary,
seed and affiliated accounts in the same
manner as other client accounts with
respect to the allocation of investment
opportunities. These and other reviews
are designed to provide reasonable
assurance that no client has been favored
or disfavored over time.
as
MGL, its affiliates, directors, officers, and
"Macquarie
employees
Group") are major participants in the global
financial markets and take part in, among
other things, advisory, transactional and
financial activities and/or hold interests in
securities and companies that may be
directly or indirectly purchased or sold by
MIMBT for its clients' accounts. The global
nature and size of the Macquarie Group may
also influence vendor choice selection by
MIMBT and have an impact on the services
provided to MIMBT clients. The investment
activities of the Macquarie Group limit the
investment opportunities for MIMBT's client
accounts. This would occur, for example, in
certain regulated industries, private equity
markets, emerging markets, and in certain
futures and derivative transactions where
restrictions are imposed upon the aggregate
amount of investment by affiliated investors
or advisers. Present and future activities of
the Macquarie Group, in addition to those
described above, may also result in conflicts
of interest or the application of regulatory
requirements that are disadvantageous to
MIMBT’s clients. At times, Macquarie Group
management will implement corporate policy
or organizational decisions designed to
address global or
jurisdictional
matters and/or internal risk concerns. In
response to these or other situations,
Macquarie Group could impose limits on the
ability of its subsidiaries, including MIMBT,
to invest in a security or make additional
investments in a security. Such limitations
can be more restrictive than those that
MIMBT would impose, or have statutorily
imposed on it, but for its relationship with
limit MIMBT’s
Macquarie Group and
investment activity when investing for client
accounts, even if the client guidelines or
applicable law could be read to permit
investment (or further investment) in such a
security or securities.
including
regulatory
When MIMBT and its affiliates establish
proprietary accounts, provide the initial
seed capital in connection with the
creation of a new investment product or
style, and manage affiliate accounts,
these accounts may not exhibit the same
similarly
results
performance
managed client accounts for a variety of
reasons,
restrictions on the type and amount of
in which the proprietary
securities
capital invests, differential credit and
financing terms, and the use of hedging
transactions that differ from those used
MIMBT has established policies, procedures
and disclosures designed to address conflicts
of interest arising between advisory accounts
of MIMBT and the Macquarie Group's
is MIMBT's policy that
businesses. It
20
is managing
when MIMBT seeks to effect a cross trade
between a client account and MIMBT’s own
account (or, in certain circumstances, the
account of a MIMBT affiliate). These trades
are known as principal transactions. When
engaging in principal transactions, MIMBT
has an incentive to effect the transaction at a
price that disadvantages the client to
MIMBT’s direct benefit (or the direct benefit
of a MIMBT affiliate).
MIMBT has adopted policies and procedures
that it believes are reasonably designed to
mitigate actual and potential conflicts of
interest associated with cross and principal
trades.
personnel involved in decision making for
advisory accounts must act in the best
interests of their advisory clients and
generally without knowledge of the
interests of proprietary trading and other
operations of other entities within the
Macquarie Group, except for situations
where MIMBT
a
proprietary, seed, or affiliate account, as
described
above. Where MIMBT’s
personnel are aware of material conflicts
or potential material conflicts among
advisory accounts, or between advisory
accounts and the Macquarie Group
and/or personnel of the Macquarie Group,
it is MIMBT's policy to disclose the
existence of such material conflicts or
potential material conflicts through its
Form ADV or otherwise to clients.
Conflicts Relating to Cross Trades and
Proprietary Accounts
Subject to limitations imposed by clients,
applicable laws and regulations, and its
own
internal policies, MIMBT will
execute trades in certain instruments
(including
client accounts
between
proprietary, seed, and affiliate accounts).
These trades are known as cross trades.
Cross trades can provide a benefit to both
clients in the form of reduced market
impact, increased execution efficiency
and reduced transaction costs, and the
ability to fill sell and purchase orders at
more advantageous prices.
With respect to cross trades, these policies
and procedures generally require
that
MIMBT execute cross transactions only if the
following conditions and restraints are
satisfied: (i) MIMBT believes that executing
the cross trade is in the best interests of each
participating client account; (ii) the execution
of the cross trade is consistent with MIMBT’s
obligation to seek best execution for all
participating client accounts; (iii) MIMBT
effects the cross trade using a price it
reasonably believes represents the market
price for the security that is crossed; (iv)
MIMBT will not cross a security where
trading has been suspended or the fair value
has been determined internally by MIMBT;
(v) MIMBT will seek to eliminate or limit all
transaction costs (including, but not limited
to commissions and markups) associated
with cross trades; (vi) MIMBT will not
receive direct or indirect compensation (other
than its normal management, advisory,
performance or similar fees for managing an
account) or pay compensation to a third party
for effecting a cross trade between client
accounts.
that
objectives,
strategies
Cross trades create actual or potential
conflicts of interest between clients, and
for MIMBT and its affiliates, including
the possibility that MIMBT, for example,
will effect a cross trade at a price that is
disadvantageous to a participating client
account, will transfer an undesirable
security from a client paying higher fees
to one paying lower fees, will transfer an
illiquid security held by a client account
in need of liquidity to another client
account, or use one client account to
“park” desirable securities for other
client accounts until cash becomes
available.
In addition, certain conflicts are present
With respect to principal trades, these
policies generally require that MIMBT
execute principal trades only after making
the determination
the principal
transaction is: (i) fair and equitable to and
not contrary to the interests of any client
account involved; and (ii) consistent with the
investment
and
restrictions of any client account involved.
These policies further require that, due to the
21
of
its
consent
to
limit
or
restrict
strategies.
the marketability
Consequently, MIMBT has an incentive to
value, or recommend values, for securities
that are higher than their actual fair market
value when acting as an adviser or sub-
adviser to an account. MIMBT has adopted
policies and procedures
to provide a
framework for mitigating the conflicts of
interest associated with valuing investments,
including mechanisms to value securities
such as using independent third parties to
recommend valuations of instruments when
available, periodic testing of MIMBT’s
valuation methodologies, and independent
oversight of MIMBT’s valuation program by
a cross-function committee of employees who
are independent of portfolio management.
Conflicts Relating to Investments in Affiliated
Funds
regulatory
potential conflicts of interest associated
with principal transactions, MIMBT
must provide full and fair disclosure of
the terms for each principal transaction
with a client and obtain each client’s
informed
the principal
transaction. Neither MIMBT nor our
affiliates receive any compensation for
acting as a broker-dealer when we
engage in cross transactions. For cross
trades involving registered funds, we
follow procedures that comply with Rule
the 1940 Act. These
17a-7 under
procedures
the
circumstances under which we are
permitted to execute cross trades and
prohibit the trading of fixed income or
other securities when the price of that
security is not readily available. Other
types of client accounts (including client
accounts that are “plan assets” subject
to
the Employee Retirement Income
Securities Act of 1974) are subject to
requirements and
other
prohibitions that limit our ability to enter
into cross trades involving these clients.
Consequently, MIMBT’s policy is to not
enter into cross trades on behalf of client
accounts that are “plan assets.”
compliance with
include
to multiple
or
rebates,
other
To ensure
these
restrictions and to mitigate conflicts of
interest associated with cross and
principal trades, MIMBT will not execute
a cross or principal trade in any situation
where it believes doing so is not in the
best interest of a client account.
provided
in
Conflicts Relating to Valuation of
Securities
At times, if permitted by relevant investment
guidelines and applicable law, we purchase
interests in mutual or other registered and
unregistered funds or vehicles that are
offered by MIMBT or its affiliates, including
the Related ETFs,
for client accounts
(including wrap program accounts) when we
believe it is in the best interest of the relevant
client to do so. In addition, MIMBT manages
multi-asset and multi- sector strategies for
that
certain client accounts
funds/strategies
allocations
managed by MIMBT
its affiliates
(“sleeves”). The details of any possible fee
reduction
or
offsets,
in connection with such
arrangements
investments
the
are
documentation relating to the relevant client
account and/or the underlying fund or
vehicle.
is
MIMBT faces an inherent conflict of
interest when it values securities or
assets in client accounts or provides any
in connection with such
assistance
This
valuation.
particularly
in cases where MIMBT
pronounced
receives a fee based on the value of a
client’s assets. For example, overvaluing
certain positions held by clients will
inflate the value of the client assets, as
well as the performance record of such
client accounts, which would
likely
increase the fees payable to MIMBT and
In choosing between funds and managers
affiliated with MIMBT and those not
affiliated with MIMBT,
including when
allocating assets among funds or affiliated
managers within a multi-strategy product,
we have a financial incentive to choose
MIMBT-affiliated funds and managers over
third parties by reason of the additional
investment management, advisory, and other
fees or compensation that we or our affiliates
earn, to increase assets of a fund or strategy,
or to create a performance track record. Under
22
Information Barriers/Ethical Walls
certain conditions, we will offset, rebate,
or otherwise reduce our fees or other
compensation with respect to these types
of investments; however, this reduction
or rebate, if available, will not necessarily
eliminate the conflict and MIMBT would
nevertheless have a financial incentive to
favor investments in MIMBT-affiliated
funds and strategies.
barriers
that
from
For multi-asset
and multi-sector
strategies, MIMBT also monitors the
investments made on behalf of each
client’s account (including funds) to
confirm the account’s adherence to its
investment guidelines, and periodically
evaluates the reasonableness of the
allocation of assets.
Restrictions and Conflicts Relating to
Information Possessed or Provided by
MIMBT
Material Non-Public Information and
Insider Trading
from
time
to
material
The Macquarie Group, including MIMBT,
has internal procedures in place intended to
limit the potential flow of any such non-public
information should MIMBT or any member of
the Macquarie Group come into possession of
material, non-public information. One such
protective measure is the creation of ethical
walls between and within the Macquarie
Group’s various businesses, which serve as
information
prevent
confidential or potentially price- sensitive
information held within one business area in
being
the Macquarie Group
communicated to another business division.
The Macquarie Group's ethical walls are
comprised of a combination of physical
measures and employee conduct measures.
Physical measures include the physical
separation of certain business groups likely
to have access to material non-public
information with appropriate
security
arrangements and security restrictions on
computer files and databases. Employee
conduct measures include policies designed to
prohibit employees of a business division
from communicating any price-sensitive
information to employees on the other side of
an ethical wall, and prohibitions on
employees who are aware of price-sensitive
in activities
information from engaging
involving the provision of securities advice, or
trading on such information.
(“MNPI”) about
Other Trading Restrictions
have
The wide range of banking, financial and
investment advisory, broker-dealer and
other financial and investment industry
activities engaged in by the Macquarie
Group throughout the world poses the
prospect that MIMBT and/or its affiliates
time acquire
will
non-public
confidential,
information
issuers,
corporations, or other entities and their
securities. MIMBT will not use MNPI
obtained from the Macquarie Group
when making
investment decisions
relating to public securities for its clients.
Additionally, MIMBT is not free to
divulge or to act upon such information
with respect to its activities and, on
occasion, will be restricted from buying or
selling certain securities on behalf of
clients because of these circumstances.
These restrictions could adversely impact
the investment performance of client
accounts. We
implemented
procedures, including those described
below relating to information barriers,
which prohibit the misuse of such
information by MIMBT, our employees,
and on behalf of our clients.
In addition to the
foregoing, MIMBT
maintains one or more restricted lists of
companies whose securities are subject to
certain trading prohibitions due to the
business activities of MIMBT and/or the
Macquarie Group. We restrict trading in an
issuer’s securities if the issuer is on a
restricted list or if we otherwise have MNPI
about that issuer. A client’s account could be
prohibited from buying or selling certain
securities until the restriction is lifted, which
could disadvantage the client’s account. In
some cases, we will not initiate or recommend
certain types of transactions or will otherwise
restrict or limit our advice relating to certain
securities if a security is restricted due to
MNPI or if we are seeking to limit receipt of
23
MNPI.
Item 12 — Brokerage Practices
or
MIMBT’s
management agreements with MIMBT’s
various clients, MIMBT will determine in
good faith that these higher commissions are
reasonable in relation to the value of the
brokerage and research services received,
viewed in terms of either a particular
transaction
overall
responsibilities to the clients for which it
exercises discretion. Consequently, certain
clients benefit
from the research and
brokerage services obtained with soft dollars
that were not generated in connection with
their trade commissions.
MIMBT selects brokers, dealers, and
banks to execute transactions for the
purchase or sale of equity securities
based upon a judgment of their capability
“best execution.” When
to provide
seeking “best execution,” MIMBT will
consider a number of factors including,
but not necessarily limited to, the price
paid or received for a security, the
promptness and reliability of execution,
the
confidentiality and placement
accorded the order and other factors
affecting the overall benefit obtained by
the account in the transaction.
When MIMBT uses
client brokerage
commissions to obtain research or other
products or services, we receive a benefit
because MIMBT does not have to produce or
pay for the research or other services.
Therefore, we have an incentive to trade
through broker-dealers who provide soft
dollars rather than broker-dealers who do not
(and who may offer more favorable execution).
utilizes
commission
With respect to fixed income securities,
MIMBT generally makes its purchases in
the primary or secondary markets where
another party may act as principal for the
securities on a net basis. Accordingly, no
is paid by the client,
commission
although the price usually
includes
undisclosed compensation such as a
bid/ask spread to the market-maker.
Transactions effected through broker-
dealers serving as primary market-
makers reflect the spread between the
In certain
bid and asked prices.
circumstances, MIMBT
purchases
securities available from underwriters at
prices that include underwriting fees.
Research and Other Soft Dollar Benefits
MIMBT
sharing
agreements (CSAs) to facilitate payments to
research providers. With a CSA, one
combined commission rate is paid to an
executing broker. A portion of the client
commission is directed to the broker for its
execution services while the other portion is a
separately identified charge that is paid to a
pool of “credits” and is used to obtain
research products or services to aid MIMBT’s
investment decision-making process. After
the pool,
accumulating credits within
MIMBT will subsequently direct that those
credits be used to pay certain parties in
return for eligible research or brokerage
services.
investing
time
to
for
executing
Examples of the types of research and
services received by MIMBT through the use of
CSA credits include advice, either directly or
through publications or writings, as to the
value of securities, regarding the advisability
in, purchasing or selling
of
securities, and the availability of securities or
purchasers or sellers of securities. In
addition, the eligible research or brokerage
services received may include analyses and
reports concerning issuers, securities, or
industries; information on economic factors
in determining
and
trends; assistance
In order to pay for some of the investment
research that is obtained from third-
party sources, MIMBT employs the use of
soft dollars. Soft dollars are an
arrangement in which a portion of each
commission is used to pay for eligible
research or brokerage services
in
addition to trade execution. MIMBT will,
time, cause higher
from
commissions to be paid to brokers and
dealers
securities
transactions in excess of the commission
another broker or dealer would have
charged. Consistent with the safe harbor
in Section 28(e) of
the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and the investment
24
services
and
issuers’
portfolio strategy; access to
executives; providing execution and
clearance
analysis
information; and providing portfolio
performance evaluation and technical
market analysis.
its
process.
requests,
or
such
as
1974, such requests must also indicate that
they are in the best interest of the plan, for
the exclusive benefit of the plan, and subject
to best execution. MIMBT seeks to limit a
reasonable directed brokerage
client’s
instructions to no more than a certain
percentage of eligible commissions on an
annual basis, which differ based on
investment strategy. When clients designate
brokers or dealers, MIMBT in certain cases
will not be able to obtain the same execution
that would be attainable if MIMBT had full
discretion in the selection of the executing
firm or to include the client’s transaction in
large batch transactions with orders on
behalf of fully discretionary clients. Clients
should be aware that direction requests could
result in the payment of higher brokerage
commissions, an increase in transaction
costs, and/or a less favorable net price for
their account. Additionally, orders for clients
with special requirements such as a specified
percentage of directed brokerage, all-or- none
restrictions
execution
prohibiting commingled orders in certain
cases will be placed after orders for clients
that do not carry such restrictions. These
clients can be disadvantaged if they do not
participate in commingled orders. It is
important to note that although MIMBT
attempts to satisfy client direction requests,
there can be no guarantee that client
direction requests will be fully satisfied.
Aggregation and Allocation of Trades
If MIMBT receives a benefit that
includes both brokerage and research
services used by MIMBT in connection
with
investment decision-making
process and services used in connection
with administrative or other functions
not related to the investment decision-
making process, MIMBT will make a
good
faith allocation of brokerage
for the brokerage and
commissions
research services and will pay out of its
own resources for services used
in
connection with administrative or other
functions not related to its investment
decision-making
Such
allocations are made, to the extent
possible, based on some objective unit of
measurement such as percentage of time
used, number and responsibilities of
users, transaction type, or some other
unit of measure. At times, consistent
with applicable law, MIMBT receives
research from third parties that also
provide consulting services to clients
regarding a variety of other financial
services,
investment
management services or refer clients or
potential clients to MIMBT. Clients
should be aware that these activities
have the potential to cause a conflict of
interest.
Brokerage for Client Referrals
MIMBT does not consider client referrals
when selecting or recommending broker-
dealers.
Directed Brokerage
to
Certain clients direct MIMBT to effect
transactions through a designated broker
or brokers. Client direction requests
must be in writing and indicate that the
is properly authorized. For
request
accounts subject
the Employee
Retirement Income Securities Act of
Since certain clients, as well as proprietary,
seed and affiliated accounts, have similar
investment objectives and programs, MIMBT
generally will place a combined order for two
or more accounts or funds engaged in the
purchase or sale of the same security if
MIMBT believes that joint execution is in the
best interest of each participating account,
will result
in best execution and not
systematically advantage or disadvantage
any single client or group of clients over time.
Transactions involving commingled orders
are allocated in a manner deemed equitable
to each account. When a combined order is
executed in a series of transactions at
different prices, each account participating in
the order will be allocated an average price
obtained from the executing broker.
25
Although the joint execution of orders
and/or other allocation of orders could, in
some cases, adversely affect the price or
volume of the security that a particular
account obtains, it is the opinion of
MIMBT that the advantages of combined
orders and/or other allocation typically
outweigh the possible disadvantages of
separate transactions.
for all transactions
managed account clients, MIMBT generally
trades both sets of clients at substantially the
same time. However, in certain cases, such
as frequent cash movements for one set
clients, confidentiality or information
of
leakage concerns, and large model changes,
trade routing processes will not begin
simultaneously. In such cases, MIMBT seeks
to begin trading as soon as reasonably
practicable. The transactions for each set of
clients may finish before, concurrent with, or
after the transactions are completed for the
other set of clients, depending on the
circumstances. In all cases, the traders seek
best execution
in
accordance with MIMBT's best execution
policies and procedures.
Wrap Accounts
allocation
of
To ensure the equitable distribution of
investment opportunities among clients
of the firm, MIMBT has adopted written
policies and procedures, including an
Investment Allocation and Aggregation
Policy, to mitigate the risk that certain
client accounts will receive preferential
treatment as compared to other client
accounts. MIMBT can deviate from pro
investment
rata
opportunities in certain circumstances,
including when pro rata allocation would
result in an account receiving a de
minimis allocation or an amount below
minimum denomination requirements
(which could disadvantage a client
account in asset classes that typically
trade in round lots). In such cases, the
performance of an account could be
materially impacted. Also, for private
placement
conditions
transactions,
imposed by the issuer or client can limit
MIMBT’s ability to allocate opportunities
to certain client accounts.
The wrap program fee does not cover
commissions for trades that MIMBT places
with a broker-dealer other than the sponsor
(“trading away”), or mark- ups or markdowns
charged by those other broker-dealers on
principal trades. The wrap program fee also
does not cover charges imposed by an
electronic communications network (“ECN”)
for trades placed by a broker-dealer on that
ECN. ECN fees generally are included in the
price of the security and are not shown
separately on a confirmation or statement.
The wrap program fee will not be reduced or
offset by these fees. Instead, the additional
fee will reduce the overall return of a client’s
account.
and
International
At times, we place trades for certain
accounts that are in direct conflict with
the investment strategies and trades of
other accounts. This occurs for instance,
when MIMBT places conflicting buy and
sell orders in the same security. Clients
should be aware that such trading can
cause the market prices of the securities
held by the other accounts to be adversely
affected.
MIMBT generally utilizes a different
trade routing process for
its retail
separately managed account business,
and generally will not aggregate orders
for these client accounts with orders for
other client accounts. Further, in each
investment style for which MIMBT has
separately
both
institutional
and
In many wrap fee programs, clients direct
MIMBT to execute trades for their accounts
through the program sponsor, subject to
MIMBT’s duty to seek best execution.
MIMBT is permitted to trade away from the
sponsor in all of the strategies available to
wrap program clients, and in the Fixed
Income,
strategies,
MIMBT trades away from the sponsor with
respect to greater than a majority of the
portfolio driven trades. MIMBT will trade
away when it reasonably believes that
another broker- dealer will provide better
execution than would be obtained if the
transaction were executed through the
sponsor. If a client seeks to use a strategy in
which MIMBT trades away frequently, the
26
in the third
client should consider whether the wrap
program is an appropriate option, given
that the client will be incurring some
redundant costs. Clients should review
their wrap fee program sponsor’s Form
ADV brochure for information about the
sponsor’s review of MIMBT’s efforts to
seek best execution of client trades.
considers
various
of the clients in the second level are
completed, model portfolio information is
delivered to clients
level
contemporaneously. Clients that participate
in the second or third trade rotation levels
may, particularly in markets that exhibit low
liquidity, be disadvantaged by price
movements caused by transactions for clients
that were executed in a prior trade rotation
level.
sponsor. Other
Trade Rotation Level 1: MIMBT’s managed
account clients that do not direct MIMBT to
use specified brokers and/or allow MIMBT to
trade away, are included in the first level. In
addition, certain model portfolio clients
meeting specific criteria may be included in
the first level. The managed account clients
and model portfolio clients included in the
first level will trade (or receive model
portfolios), in random order.
MIMBT
factors,
including without limitation the liquidity
of the security, the time that orders will
be sent and the possibility of information
leakage resulting in worse prices when
trades are placed with multiple sponsors,
and the need for timely execution when
determining whether to trade away from
the
broker-dealers
provide MIMBT with brokerage and
research services related to non-wrap
program trading, as disclosed above in
“Research and Other Soft Dollar
Benefits.”
separately managed
contractual
and
For
account
relationships, if we are trading with
respect to multiple sponsor relationships,
MIMBT’s trade sequence is completed in
a random order. MIMBT seeks to execute
the securities transactions of managed
account clients
(and certain model
portfolio clients for which it provides
trade execution) and to disseminate
model portfolios to its model portfolio
clients in a fair and equitable manner
over time.
Trade Rotation Level 2: MIMBT’s managed
account clients that direct MIMBT to utilize
specified brokers are included in the second
level. MIMBT does not require any client to
direct brokerage; however, some clients
choose to do so and some programs sponsored
by third parties encourage or require it.
Clients in such programs should review their
program’s
disclosure
documents to further understand the impact
of program brokerage arrangements. These
clients are placed in the second level because
their trading activities could disadvantage
other managed account clients of MIMBT
that do not direct the use of specified brokers.
Trading by managed account clients that
direct MIMBT to utilize specified brokers
could, for example: (i) compete in the market
with the other managed account clients’
orders; (ii) interfere with the random trade
rotation program utilized by MIMBT for
its other managed account clients because of
delays in dealing with such specified brokers;
and/or (iii) result in “information leakage”
regarding the model portfolio transactions.
MIMBT uses a three-level trade rotation
procedure. Where one or more sponsor’s
clients in the first or second level are
expected to be trading in the same
security contemporaneously, MIMBT
will generate a random trade rotation
within each level, which includes each
managed account
client or model
portfolio client trading in the same
security contemporaneously in the level.
After the transactions for each of the
clients in the first level are completed,
MIMBT will direct the execution of
transactions on behalf of the clients in
the second level according to their order
on the second
level random trade
rotation. After the transactions for each
As a result, and consistent with MIMBT’s
policies and procedures, on days on which
MIMBT executes trades both for managed
account clients who direct the use of a
particular broker and clients who do not,
MIMBT will prioritize (i.e., place in the first
27
research
personnel.
contact
their
level) orders for managed account clients
who do not direct brokerage. Where
MIMBT does not retain brokerage
discretion, the managed account client
should also review the trade rotation
policy of the sponsor or other broker to
whom the trades are directed. Clients
who do not know whether the program in
which they participate requires that they
direct brokerage to a particular firm
should
financial
adviser/program sponsor.
purchases
sales;
Client accounts and certain institutional
accounts are generally reviewed on a daily
basis. Each client is assigned to at least one
portfolio manager, who is supported by
These
various
investment professionals meet periodically
on both a formal and informal basis to discuss
portfolio strategy, composition, security
selection, industry/sector weightings and
other topics relevant to managing the
account. Reviews generally include: all
and
new
portfolio
objective
investment
characteristics;
adherence; benchmark and peer comparison;
and account dispersion. Security specific
research is formally reviewed and revised, as
necessary.
Trade Rotation Level 3: MIMBT’s model
portfolio sponsor programs are generally
included in the third level, receiving
recommendations and/or
investment
model portfolios following the conclusion
of MIMBT’s first and second levels of
trade rotation.
Where MIMBT engages a sub-adviser to
provide portfolio management services,
the sub-adviser’s trading rotation will
follow their disclosed trade rotation.
Trade Errors
is assigned
Other officers and employees of MIMBT,
including in-house legal, compliance, and
investment risk personnel, also review
account matters on an ongoing basis. Among
the matters reviewed are the nature and
amounts of portfolio holdings, adherence to
investment objectives and policies, and
compliance with statutory and regulatory
requirements. In addition, each institutional
to a relationship
account
manager, who acts as a liaison between the
client, the internal portfolio management
team, and other personnel. Performance of
is computed monthly and
all accounts
reviewed regularly by senior management.
Content and Frequency of Reports Provided
to Institutional and Wrap Clients
information
related
errors
in
MIMBT has adopted policies and
procedures it believes are reasonably
designed to address the identification
and correction of errors that occur in
connection with MIMBT’s management
of client accounts. These policies and
procedures are designed to ensure that
all clients are treated fairly in MIMBT’s
remediation of trade errors and that
impacted clients are restored to a
position at least as favorable as they
would have been in had the error not
occurred. MIMBT will not under any
circumstances seek to correct a trade
error in one client account in a manner
client
that disadvantages another
account. MIMBT generally will not net
gains and losses arising from separate
trade errors when remediating trade
errors, but will net gains and losses
resulting from the same error or a series
of related transactions arising from
certain
closely
circumstances.
Item 13 — Review of Accounts
Periodically, MIMBT supplies various types
of portfolio
to clients, as
appropriate for the type of client and
requested reporting frequency. Clients that
request reports generally receive monthly
and/or quarterly electronic statements and
reports
that relate applicable account
information on topics including, but not
limited to, the following: portfolio holdings;
portfolio valuation; yield; credit quality and
maturity; relative and absolute performance;
trading and commission activity; and views
on securities markets and the economy.
Similar monthly information is typically
provided to wrap fee program sponsors and
made available to the clients within each
wrap fee program depending on the program.
28
In addition to the foregoing, we prepare
and disseminate a variety of special
reports in accordance with individual
client
specifications and applicable
regulatory requirements.
Item 14 — Client Referrals
and Other Compensation
from Non- Clients
by Intermediary and are negotiated based on
a range of factors, including, but not limited
to, ability to attract and retain assets, target
markets, customer relationships, quality of
service and industry reputation. Generally,
such payments are based on a percentage of
the advisory fees received by MIMBT in
connection with advisory services provided to
the referred client or investor. To the extent
that MIMBT enters into these types of
arrangements,
it will comply with all
requirements under applicable law.
financial
introductions
MIMBT and its affiliates can, from time to
time, make
between
prospective or current clients and other
MIMBT affiliates in connection with the
provision of various investment management
or other services to such clients.
Item 15 — Custody
Due to the global nature of MIMBT’s
activities
investment
advisory
industry,
the
throughout
MIMBT, at times, receives
indirect
economic benefits related to our advisory
business as a whole, rather than any
particular client (e.g., a volume discount
on costs associated with operation of
services supplied by vendors). MIMBT
has adopted policies and procedures
designed to ensure that the receipt of any
such indirect economic benefit does not
pose a conflict of interest or prevent us
from acting in the best interests of our
clients.
MIMBT does not act as a custodian for client
assets. However, pursuant to Rule 206(4)-2
under the Advisers Act (the “Custody Rule”),
MIMBT can be deemed to have custody of
client assets.
Compensation for Client Referrals
or
MIMBT will be deemed to have custody of
client assets with respect to any private fund
for which MIMBT or an affiliate is the
general partner or managing member.
Private fund assets are maintained by
qualified custodians and audited financial
statements are distributed to fund investors
within 120 days of fiscal year end in
accordance with the Custody Rule.
create an
incentive
Client funds and securities are held by a
qualified custodian appointed by clients
pursuant to a separate custody agreement or
held by the clients themselves. The services
and fees of such a qualified custodian are
separate from our fees and clients are
responsible for independently negotiating
custody agreements and fees.
carefully
MIMBT will, from time to time, pay
compensation for client referrals or the
promotion of financial products advised
by MIMBT, pursuant to applicable laws
and regulations. Such compensation is
paid to third parties, including investors,
authorized dealers and other financial
intermediaries
institutions
(collectively,
“Intermediaries”). Such
payments compensate Intermediaries for
marketing and other services intended to
assist in the distribution and marketing
of financial products advised by MIMBT
and/or
investment advisory services
provided by MIMBT, among other things,
and
for an
Intermediary to highlight, feature or
recommend such products or services.
MIMBT pays Intermediaries for referrals
from
its own resources and such
payments are not charged to advisory
clients or investors in financial products
advised by MIMBT and do not impact
MIMBT’s advisory fees.
Clients will receive account statements
directly from their custodian and may also
receive certain statements from MIMBT.
Clients are strongly urged to review those
to ensure they
statements
appropriately reflect the activity in their
account. Our statements vary from custodial
The aforementioned payments will differ
29
statements depending on accounting
procedures, reporting dates, or valuation
methodologies of certain securities.
MIMBT
with
Item 16 — Investment Discretion
client’s
grant
of
voting proxies, MIMBT has contracted with
various proxy advisory firms to analyze proxy
statements on behalf of its clients and
provide
research
recommendations on upcoming proxy votes in
accordance with the Procedures. After a
proxy has been voted for a client, a record of
the vote will be available to clients as
requested. The Committee and its delegates
are responsible for overseeing the proxy
advisory firms’ proxy voting activities.
to
MIMBT only provides discretionary
advisory services to a client after signing
investment management
a written
agreement or other document showing
the
investment
discretion or other relevant authority. In
exercising this discretionary investment
authority, MIMBT adheres
the
investment policies,
limitations, and
restrictions of the account.
MIMBT
believes
discretionary
investment
MIMBT’s
authority is generally limited by:
•
Investment or style mandate;
• Client-imposed restrictions on
investments;
documents
fund prospectus),
(e.g.,
if
and/or
statutory
• Governing
mutual
applicable;
• Regulatory
restrictions; and
recommendation
When determining whether to invest in a
particular company, one of the factors
MIMBT may consider is the quality and
depth of the company’s management. As a
that
result,
recommendations of management on any
issue (particularly routine issues) should be
given a fair amount of weight in determining
how proxy issues should be voted. Thus, on
many issues, MIMBT’s votes are cast in
accordance with the recommendations of the
company’s management. However, MIMBT
may vote against management’s position
when it runs counter to MIMBT’s specific
Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”),
and MIMBT will also vote against
management’s
when
MIMBT believes such position is not in the
best interests of our clients.
designed
to
• Applicable
internal MIMBT
and/or
Group
Macquarie
restrictions or policies, such as
address
those
potential conflicts of interest or
risk.
Item 17 — Voting Client
Securities
to
and
Procedures
ownership
Voting
Committee
plans
MIMBT will vote proxies on behalf of
clients pursuant to its Proxy Voting
Policies
(the
“Procedures”). MIMBT has established a
(the
Proxy
“Committee”) which is responsible for
overseeing MIMBT’s proxy
voting
process for its clients. One of the main
responsibilities of the Committee is to
review and approve the Procedures to
ensure that the Procedures are designed
to allow MIMBT to vote proxies in a
manner consistent with the goal of voting
in the best interests of clients.
In order to facilitate the actual process of
As stated above, the Procedures also list
specific Guidelines on how to vote proxies on
behalf of MIMBT’s clients. Some examples of
the Guidelines are as follows: (i) generally
vote for shareholder proposals asking that a
majority or more of directors be independent;
(ii) generally vote
for management or
reduce
proposals
shareholder
supermajority vote requirements, taking into
account:
structure; quorum
requirements; and vote requirements; (iii)
votes on mergers and acquisitions should be
considered on a case-by-case basis; (iv)
generally vote re-incorporation proposals on a
case-by-case basis; (v) votes with respect to
equity-based
are
compensation
generally determined on a case-by-case basis;
(vi) generally vote for proposals requesting
that a company report on its policies,
initiatives, oversight mechanisms, and
ethical standards related to social, economic,
and environmental sustainability, unless the
30
committed
to
accordance with the proxy advisory firm’s
research recommendation or abstain from
voting.
Clients may request that their client services
representative provide them with a complete
copy of the Procedures and information on how
their securities were voted by MIMBT.
institute
open-market
plans
in which
Item 18 — Financial Information
company already provides similar reports
through other means or the company has
formally
the
implementation of a reporting program
based on Global Reporting Initiative
guidelines or a similar standard; and (vii)
generally vote for management proposals
to
share
all
repurchase
shareholders participate on equal terms.
MIMBT does not require or solicit pre- payment
of fees more than six months in advance, if at
all. MIMBT generally bills clients in arrears on
a monthly or quarterly basis, although certain
clients request that fees be paid in advance.
MIMBT is not subject to any financial condition
that is reasonably likely to impair its ability to
meet contractual commitments to clients, nor
has MIMBT been the subject of a bankruptcy
proceeding at any time during the past ten
years.
proxy
advisory
MIMBT has a section in its Procedures
that addresses the possibility of conflicts
of interest. Most of the proxies which
MIMBT receives on behalf of its clients
are voted
in accordance with the
Procedures. Since the Procedures are
pre-determined by
the Committee,
application of the Procedures by portfolio
management teams when voting proxies
after reviewing the proxy and research
provided by the proxy advisory firms
should in most instances adequately
conflicts of
address any potential
interest. If MIMBT becomes aware of a
conflict of interest in an upcoming proxy
vote, the proxy vote will generally be
referred to the Committee or the
Committee’s delegates for review. If the
portfolio management team for such
proxy intends to vote in accordance with
firm’s
the
recommendation pursuant to MIMBT’s
Procedures, then no further action is
needed to be taken by the Committee. If
MIMBT’s portfolio management team is
considering voting a proxy contrary to
the proxy advisory
firm’s research
recommendation under the Procedures,
the Committee or its delegates will
assess the proposed vote to determine if
it is reasonable. The Committee or its
delegates will also assess whether any
business or other material relationships
between MIMBT and a portfolio company
(unrelated to the ownership of the portfolio
company’s securities) could have influenced
an inconsistent vote on that company’s
proxy. If the Committee or its delegates
determines that the proposed proxy vote is
unreasonable or unduly influenced by a
conflict, the portfolio management team
will be required to vote the proxy in
31
APPENDIX A
MACQUARIE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ADVISERS
REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONAL FEE SCHEDULES
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Fixed Income)
.30% — on assets up to $50 Million
.25% — on assets between $50 Million to $100 Million
.20% — on assets between $100 Million to $150 Million
Credit Insurance
.18% — on assets between $150 Million to $250 Million
.15% — on assets between $250 Million to $1 Billion
Negotiable — assets above $1 Billion
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Corporate
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Green Opportunities
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
32
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Fixed Income)
.60% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.50% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Limited Term
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Local Currency
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Select Opportunities
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Sovereign
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
.35% — on amounts from $250 to $500 Million
Emerging Markets Debt
Sovereign ESG
.30% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
33
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Fixed Income)
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
Nuclear Decommissioning
Trust Crossover
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
0.45% — on amounts up to $100 Million
0.40% — on amounts from $100 Million to $200 Million
US Bank Loans
0.35% — on amounts over $200 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.60% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Convertible Bond
.50% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.45% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Core Fixed Income
.20% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.15% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Core Plus Fixed Income
.20% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.15% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Corporate Bond
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
34
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Fixed Income)
.35% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.30% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Diversified Floating
Rate
.25% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.45% — on amount up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
US High Yield Bond
.35% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.40% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.30% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
US High Yield Municipal
.25% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Intermediate Municipal
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Intermediate Term
.20% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.15% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.25% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.20% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Limited Term
.15% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.25% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.20% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Limited Term Multi
Sector
.15% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
35
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Fixed Income)
.35% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Long Duration
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.35% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Long Duration
Government Credit
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.35% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.30% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Multi Sector
.25% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.30% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.25% — on amounts from $25 Million to $100 Million
US Municipal
.20% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.15% — on amounts up to $25 Million
US Ultra Short
.12% — on amounts from $25 million – $100 Million
.10% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
36
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Equities)
.75% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.60% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
Asset Strategy
.50% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
0.80% — on amounts up to $50 Million
0.70% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
Climate Solutions Equity
0.60% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
1.10% — on amounts up to $50 Million
0.90% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
Emerging Markets Equity
0.75% — on amounts from $100 Million to $200 Million
0.60% — on amounts over $200 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.80% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.75% — on amounts from $25 million – $50 Million
Global Equity
.65% — on amounts over $50 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $30 Million
.60% — on amounts from $30 Million to $55 Million
.55% — on amounts from $55 Million to $105 Million
Global Equity
Compounders
.50% — on amounts over $105 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.90% — on assets up to $250 Million
.80% — on assets between $250 Million to $500 Million
Global Healthcare Equity
.70% — on amounts over $500 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.50% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
Global Listed
Infrastructure Equity
.45% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
37
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Equities)
.80% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.70% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
Global Listed Real Assets
.60% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $100 Million
.65% — on amounts from $100 Million to $250 Million
Global Listed Real Estate
.60% — on amounts over $250 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.75% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.60% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
Global Natural Resources
Equity
.50% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
50% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
Global Sustainable
Development Equity
.30% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.75% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.65% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
International Core Equity
.60% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $30 Million
.60% — on amounts from $30 Million to $55 Million
.55% — on amounts from $55 Million to $105 Million
International Equity
Compounders
.50% — on amounts over $105 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.65% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
Science and Technology
.60% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
38
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Equities)
.65% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.45% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
.35% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
Socially Responsible US
Large Cap Core Equity
.30% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.55% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
Systematic Emerging
Markets Equity
.50% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.425% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 Million to $150 Million
Systematic US Core Equity
.375% — on amounts over $150 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.425% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 Million to $150 Million
Systematic US Growth and
Income Equity
.375% — on amounts over $150 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.425% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 Million to $150 Million
Systematic US Growth
Equity
.375% — on amounts over $150 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.50% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
US Large Cap Core Equity
.35% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.50% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
US Large Cap Growth
Equity
.35% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
39
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Equities)
.50% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.40% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
US Large Cap Growth
Equity Concentrated
.35% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.50% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Large Cap Value Equity
.40% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.30% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.70% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.60% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
US Listed Real Estate
.50% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.50% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
US Mid Cap Growth Equity
.45% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.60% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.50% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
US Mid Cap Income
Opportunities
.45% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.80% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.70% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Mid Cap Value Equity
.60% — on amounts over $50 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.85% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.75% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
US Small Cap Core Equity
.65% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
40
Fees and Breakpoints
Institutional Account Type
(Equities)
.75% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.70% — on amounts from $50 million – $100 Million
US Small Cap Growth
Equity
.65% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
1.00% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.80% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Small Cap Value Equity
.75% — on amounts over $50 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.80% — on amounts up to $25 Million
.65% — on amounts from $25 Million to $50 Million
US Smid Cap Core Equity
.55% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
.45% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
.65% — on amounts up to $50 Million
.50% — on amounts from $50 Million to $100 Million
US Wealth Builder
.40% — on amounts over $100 Million
Minimum Fee — None
41
APPENDIX B
MACQUARIE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BUSINESS TRUST
REPRESENTATIVE STRATEGIES AND ACCOMPANYING RISKS
Clients are reminded that investing in securities involves risk, including the risk that you
receive little or no return on your investment and the risk that you lose part or all of the
money you invest. Before making any investment, you should carefully evaluate the risks
involved.
The list included in this appendix outline the primary strategies utilized by MIMBT.
Definitions of all material risks associated with our strategies can be found following the
applicable lists. Clients are encouraged to review their investor materials for further
discussion of these risks and other risks not discussed here.
INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY STRATEGIES
Asset Strategy: The Asset Strategy, formerly known as the Ivy Asset Strategy Composite,
consists of portfolios seeking to provide total return. The purpose of the portfolios within the
strategy is to achieve equity-like returns while mitigating equity-like risk. Portfolios begin
by investing a portion of assets in global equity securities (the Equity Sleeve). Risk
mitigation is sought by allocating the remaining assets among other asset classes (the
Diversifying Sleeve) that seek to provide returns while having less correlation to the Equity
Sleeve. The Diversifying Sleeve asset classes may include global fixed-income securities,
United States Treasury instruments, precious metals, commodities and cash.
investable universe
Climate Solutions Equity: The Climate Solutions Equity Strategy invests in companies
making a significant impact on greenhouse gas emission reductions and the transition to a
low-carbon economy, while also emphasizing selection of companies with perceived superior
financial risk-adjusted returns. To be included in the portfolio, stocks will either be identified
as reducers, companies capable of materially reducing, displacing and/or sequestering their
own carbon emissions or identified as facilitators, those companies helping others to reduce
emissions. The
is developed and emerging markets and all
capitalizations.
Emerging Markets Equity: The Emerging Markets Equity Strategy seeks to invest in
companies with a discount to intrinsic value, sustainable business franchise, and strong
management primarily located in an emerging market.
42
Global Equity: The Global Equity Strategy, formerly known as the Ivy Global Equity
Composite and earlier the Ivy Global Growth Composite, consists of portfolios seeking to
provide growth of capital by investing primarily in large capitalization common stocks of U.S.
and foreign companies that the investment manager believes to have the potential for long-
term growth and/or operate in regions or countries the manager believes to possess attractive
growth characteristics.
Global Equity Compounders: The Global Equity Compounders Strategy includes investment
portfolios that the firm advises or manages on behalf of clients and investors according to the
Global Equity Compounders Strategy. Portfolios are invested in a broad range of transferable
international equities. The use of leverage, derivatives and short positions is prohibited.
Global Healthcare Equity: The Global Healthcare Equity Strategy seeks superior risk-
adjusted returns by investing primarily in large- and mid-capitalization companies that
develop, produce, or distribute products or services related to the healthcare or medical
industries and derive a substantial portion of their sales from products and services in the
healthcare industry.
Global Listed Infrastructure Equity: The Global Listed Infrastructure Strategy seeks to
invest in globally listed or expected-to-be-listed infrastructure securities issued by entities
that have as their primary focus, the management, ownership and/or operation of
infrastructure and utilities assets.
Global Listed Real Assets: The Global Listed Real Assets Strategy seeks total return, which
is targeted to be in excess of inflation, through growth of capital and current income by
investing in liquid, listed real assets securities that are both tangible and intangible.
Global Listed Real Estate: The Global Listed Real Estate Equity Strategy includes accounts
whose objective is to exceed the FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Developed Real Estate Index.
Securities are selected from real estate and real estate related securities listed on stock
exchanges globally. Portfolios will typically hold between 40 and 100 securities. The strategy
performance is expressed in US dollars and without hedging.
Global Natural Resources Equity: The Global Natural Resources Equity Strategy seeks to
invest in equity securities of issuers in global natural resources industries. The Strategy aims
to position the portfolio to participate in both longer-term broad-based commodity cycles as
well as individual commodity cycles.
Global Sustainable Development Equity: The Global Sustainable Development Equity
Strategy, formerly known as the Global Impact Equity Composite, invests in companies
whose products, services and/or actions have been identified as being aligned with the United
Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) according to MAM's proprietary SDG
database. The portfolio will be structured to minimize tracking error to the MSCI World
Index.
International Core Equity: The International Core Equity Strategy, formerly known as the
Ivy International Core Equity Composite, consists of portfolios seeking to provide capital
43
growth and appreciation. Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in equity securities
principally traded in developed European and Asian/Pacific Basin markets. Portfolios in the
strategy may also invest in issuers located or doing business in emerging market countries
to enhance potential returns. Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in large
capitalization companies with a core-style approach. Portfolios within the strategy may use
forward contracts in seeking to manage its exposure (increase or decrease) to various foreign
currencies.
International Equity Compounders: The International Equity Compounders Strategy,
formerly known as the International Large Cap Value Equity Composite, seeks to provide
value-added returns and overall portfolio diversification to investors by investing in carefully
selected companies, primarily located outside of the US in all market capitalizations.
Science and Technology: The Science and Technology Strategy, formerly known as the Ivy
Science & Technology Composite, consists of portfolios seeking to provide growth of capital.
Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in equity securities of science and technology
companies around the globe, as well as, companies that are poised to benefit via the
application of science and technology. Portfolios within the Strategy may invest in securities
issued by companies of any size, and may invest without limitation to foreign securities,
including securities of issuers within emerging markets. While a growth bias may at times
be present, the strategy is not limited to growth companies.
Socially Responsible US Large Cap Core Equity: The Socially Responsible US Large Cap
Core Equity Strategy utilizes social screens to create a customized universe of large-cap
stocks that is consistent with each client's values.
Systematic Emerging Markets Equity: The Systematic Emerging Markets Equity Strategy
consists of portfolios that use quantitative techniques to identify investment opportunities
that generate reliable excess returns in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The investment
approach is designed to be well-diversified across investment themes and aims to minimise
unrewarded risks through a robust portfolio construction process.
Systematic US Core Equity: The Systematic US Core Equity Strategy consists of portfolios
that use quantitative techniques to identify investment opportunities that generate reliable
excess returns in the S&P 500 Index. The investment approach is designed to be well-
diversified across investment themes and aims to minimise unrewarded risks through a
robust portfolio construction process.
Systematic US Growth and Income Equity: The Systematic US Growth and Income Equity
Strategy, formerly known as the US Equity Income Composite, consists of portfolios that use
quantitative techniques to identify investment opportunities that generate reliable excess
returns in the Russell 1000 Value Index. The investment approach is designed to be well-
diversified across investment themes and aims to minimise unrewarded risks through a
robust portfolio construction process.
Systematic US Growth Equity: The Systematic US Growth Equity Strategy consists of
portfolios that use quantitative techniques to identify investment opportunities that generate
44
reliable excess returns in the Russell 1000 Growth Index. The investment approach is
designed to be well-diversified across investment themes and aims to minimise unrewarded
risks through a robust portfolio construction process.
US Large Cap Core Equity: The US Large Cap Core Equity Strategy, formerly known as the
Ivy US Large Cap Core Equity Composite and earlier the Ivy US Core Equity Composite,
consists of portfolios seeking to provide capital growth & appreciation. Portfolios within the
strategy primarily invest in U.S. common stocks of large capitalization companies, which are
typically companies with market capitalizations of at least $10 billion at time of acquisition.
US Large Cap Growth Equity: The US Large Cap Growth Equity Strategy, formerly known
as the Ivy Large Cap Growth Composite, consists of portfolios seeking to provide growth of
capital. Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in U.S. common stocks of large
capitalization, growth-oriented companies with above-average levels of profitability and that
are believed to have the ability to sustain growth over the long term. Large capitalization
companies typically are companies with market capitalizations of at least $10 billion at time
of acquisition.
US Large Cap Growth Equity Concentrated: The US Large Cap Growth Equity Concentrated
Strategy, formerly known as the Ivy Large Cap Growth Concentrated Composite, consists of
portfolios seeking to provide growth of capital. Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest
in a concentrated selection of U.S. common stocks of large capitalization, growth-oriented
companies with above-average levels of profitability and that are believed to have the ability
to sustain growth over the long term. Large capitalization companies typically are companies
with market capitalizations of at least $10 billion at time of acquisition. Portfolios within
this strategy limit the number of holdings generally to 25 or less.
US Large Cap Value Equity: The US Large Cap Value Equity Strategy seeks superior long-
term risk-adjusted returns by focusing on stocks whose prices are low on a historical basis or
low relative to the appropriate sector or overall market based on measures such as book
value, operating cash flow, and earnings.
US Listed Real Estate: The US Listed Real Estate Equity Strategy includes accounts whose
objective is to exceed the FTSE NAREIT Equity REITS Index. Securities are selected from
real estate and real estate related securities listed on North American stock exchanges.
Portfolios will typically hold between 30 and 60 securities. The strategy performance is
expressed in US dollars and without hedging.
US Mid Cap Growth Equity: The US Mid Cap Growth Equity Strategy, formerly known as
the Ivy Mid Cap Growth Composite, consists of portfolios seeking to provide growth of capital.
Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in U.S. common stocks of mid-capitalization,
growth-oriented companies that the investment manager believes are high quality and/or
offer above-average growth potential. For purposes of this strategy, mid-capitalization
companies typically are companies with market capitalizations within the range of
companies in the Russell Midcap® Growth Index at the time of acquisition.
US Mid Cap Income Opportunities: The US Mid Cap Income Opportunities Strategy,
45
formerly known as the Ivy Mid Cap Income Opportunities Composite, consists of portfolios
seeking to provide total return through a combination of current income and capital
appreciation. Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in a diversified portfolio of
income-producing U.S. common stocks of mid-capitalization companies that the investment
manager believes demonstrates favorable prospects for total return. For purposes of the
strategy, mid-capitalization companies typically are companies with market capitalizations
within the range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Index at the time of acquisition.
US Mid Cap Value Equity: The US Mid Cap Value Equity Strategy seeks to invest in mid-
capitalization value stocks with the Russell Midcap Value Index as its primary benchmark.
US Small Cap Core Equity: The US Small Cap Core Equity Strategy seeks to invest in small-
cap stocks with the Russell 2000 Index as its primary benchmark.
US Small Cap Growth Equity: The US Small Cap Growth Equity Strategy, formerly known
as the Ivy Small Cap Growth Composite, consists of portfolios seeking to provide growth of
capital. Portfolios within the strategy primarily invest in U.S. common stocks of small
capitalization companies. For purposes of the strategy, small capitalization companies
typically are companies with market capitalizations within the range of companies in the
Russell 2000® Growth Index at time of acquisition.
US Small Cap Value Equity: The US Small Cap Value Equity Strategy seeks to realize long-
term capital appreciation by investing in securities of small-cap value companies.
US Smid Cap Core Equity: The US Smid Cap Core Equity Strategy seeks to provide
attractive long-term capital appreciation by investing in a diversified portfolio consisting
primarily of small- and medium capitalization equity securities, based upon fundamental
research.
US Wealth Builder: The US Wealth Builder Strategy invests in a mix of income-generating
equity and debt securities.
46
RISK DISCLOSURES INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY STRATEGIES
Asset Allocation Risk — The risk associated with the allocation of a portfolio's assets
amongst varying underlying styles. Portfolio managers often make investment decisions
independently of one another and may make conflicting investment decisions which could
be detrimental to a portfolio's performance. There is a risk that the allocation of assets
will skew toward a category or underlying fund that performs poorly relative to other
categories or funds, or to the market as a whole, which could result in a portfolio
performing poorly.
Bank Loans and Other Indebtedness Risk — The risk that a portfolio will not receive
payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these
investments. Loans that are fully secured offer a portfolio more protection than unsecured
loans in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal, although there is no
assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the
corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated. Some loans or
claims are in default at the time of purchase. Certain of the loans and the other direct
indebtedness acquired by a portfolio involve revolving credit facilities or other standby
financing commitments that obligate a portfolio to pay additional cash on a certain date
or on demand. These commitments could require a portfolio to increase its investment in
a company at a time when that portfolio might not otherwise decide to do so (including at
a time when the company's financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will
be repaid). To the extent that a portfolio is committed to advance additional cash, it will
at all times hold and maintain cash or other high-grade debt obligations in an amount
sufficient to meet such commitments.
China Investment Risk — The risk that the markets in the greater China region can
experience significant volatility due to social, economic, regulatory, and political
uncertainties. Stock Connect (Connect Program) is a mutual market access program
through which investors in Mainland China and Hong Kong can trade and settle shares
listed on the other market via the stock exchanges and clearing houses in their home
market. Connect Programs are subject to quota limitations, and an investor cannot
purchase and sell the same security on the same trading day, which may restrict a
portfolio’s ability to invest in China A-shares through the Connect Programs and to enter
or exit trades on a timely basis. Only certain China A-shares are eligible to be accessed
through the Connect Programs. Such securities may lose their eligibility at any time, in
which case they could be sold, but could no longer be purchased through the Connect
Programs. Because the Connect Programs are relatively new, the actual effect on the
market for trading China A-shares with the introduction of large numbers of foreign
investors is unknown. (Please also see Foreign Securities Risk)
Investments in China A-shares may not be covered by the securities investor protection
programs of a participating exchange and, without the protection of such programs, will
be subject to the risk of default by the broker. Because of the way in which China A-shares
are held in a Connect Program, the portfolios may not be able to exercise the rights of a
shareholder and may be limited in its ability to pursue claims against the issuer of a
security.
Chinese companies, particularly those engaged in export-oriented businesses, may be
47
adversely impacted by trade or political disputes with China’s major trading partners,
including the United States. In addition, the Chinese government may actively attempt to
influence the operation of Chinese markets through currency controls, direct investments,
limitations on specific types of transactions (such as short selling), limiting or prohibiting
investors (including foreign institutional investors) from selling holdings in Chinese
companies, or other similar actions.
Chinese-based operating companies sometimes rely on variable interest entity (VIE)
structures (typically offshore entities that enter into contractual arrangements with the
China-based company) to raise capital from non-Chinese investors, even though such
arrangements are not formally recognized under Chinese law. Under a VIE structure, a
portfolio will own shares of the offshore entity and typically have little or no ability to
influence the China-based operating company through proxy voting or other means
because it is not an owner or shareholder of the China-based operating company. There is
no guarantee that the Chinese government or a Chinese regulator will not otherwise
interfere with the operation of VIE structures, which could adversely affect the Chinese
operating company's performance, the enforceability of the offshore entity's contractual
arrangements with the Chinese operating company and the value of the offshore entity's
shares.
• Climate Change Investment Focus Risk — The risk that the climate change strategies’
focus on securities of issuers that seek to reduce, displace and/or sequester GHG
emissions or help others to do so may affect the strategy’s exposure to certain sectors or
types of investments. The strategy’s relative investment performance may also be
impacted depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor with
the market. Certain investments may be dependent on or influenced by U.S. and foreign
government policies, including tax incentives and subsidies, as well as on political support
for certain environmental initiatives and developments affecting companies focused on
sustainable energy and climate change solutions generally.
Counterparty Risk — The risk that a counterparty to a derivative contract (such as a
swap, futures or options contract) or a repurchase agreement fails to perform its
obligations under the contract or agreement due to financial difficulties (such as a
bankruptcy or reorganization) or otherwise.
Credit Risk — The risk that a bond's issuer will be unable to make timely payments of
interest and principal. Investing in so-called "junk" or "high yield" bonds entails greater
risk of principal loss than the risk involved in investment grade bonds.
Currency Risk — The risk that the value of a portfolio's investments can be negatively
affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Adverse changes in exchange
rates reduce or eliminate any gains produced by investments that are denominated in
foreign currencies and increases any losses. Currency exchange rates in foreign
countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons,
including changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or
foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International
Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments
in the United States or abroad.
Cybersecurity Risk — The risk that MIMBT and its service providers, are prone to
48
operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks
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 security breaches. Cybersecurity risks have
increased due to the increasing use of hybrid working arrangements and external
ransomware attacks that are impacting company supply chains. Cyber-attacks affecting
MIMBT or its service providers may adversely impact client accounts. For instance,
certain cyber-attacks interfere with the processing of investor transactions, impact the
ability to calculate NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or
confidential business information, impede trading, and/or cause reputational damage.
Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a
client account may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such
issuers and may cause an account’s investment in such companies to lose value.
Default Risk — The risk an issuer may not be able or willing to make principal and
interest payments when due.
Derivatives Risk - Derivatives generally involve additional expenses and are subject to
the risk that a security or a securities index to which the derivative is associated moves
in the opposite direction from what the portfolio manager had anticipated, or that the
linkage between the underlying security or target exposure and the derivative may not
behave as expected. Derivatives may employ leverage, meaning that gains or losses can
be increased. Derivatives require complex legal contracts and are exposed to the risk
that legal contracts do not function as intended. Derivatives may require complex pricing
and fair valuing, and this pricing may not reflect the actual exit price of a derivative
position. Derivatives may also incur Counterparty Risk.
Emerging Markets Risk — The risk that international investing (particularly in emerging
markets) may be adversely affected by political instability; changes in currency exchange
rates; inefficient markets and higher transaction costs; foreign economic conditions; the
imposition of economic or trade sanctions; or inadequate or different regulatory and
accounting standards. The risk associated with international investing will be greater in
emerging markets than in more developed foreign markets because, among other things,
emerging markets may have less stable political and economic environments. In addition,
there often is substantially less publicly available information about issuers and such
information tends to be of a lesser quality. Economic markets and structures tend to be
less mature and diverse, and the securities markets may also be smaller, less liquid, and
subject to greater price volatility. There also may be greater risk associated with the
custody and settlement of securities in such markets. Further, emerging markets can be
affected adversely by changes to the economic health of certain key trading partners,
such as the United States or China, regional or global conflicts, pandemics, terrorism or
war.
ESG Risk — The risk that using ESG criteria in the investment process may exclude
certain companies for non-investment reasons and, therefore, the manager may forgo
some market opportunities available to strategies that do not use ESG factors. In
addition, because company GHG emissions data are not standardized (and are further
subject to estimation error when not company-reported), the data sets the manager must
49
rely on may imperfectly represent companies’ true GHG emissions. Also, the company
emissions targets that MIMBT sets are based on model assumptions and estimations that
carry the inherent risk associated with any modeling or estimating process.
Foreign Company Accounting Risk — The risk that foreign companies are subject to
different accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards than U.S. companies.
There may be less information available about foreign issuers than domestic issuers.
Furthermore, regulatory oversight of foreign issuers may be less stringent or less
consistently applied than in the U.S.
Foreign Government/Supranational Risk — The risk that a foreign government or
government-related issuer is not able or willing to make timely payments on its external
debt obligations.
Foreign Securities Risk — The risk that foreign securities may be adversely affected by
political instability, changes in currency exchange rates, inefficient markets and higher
transaction costs, foreign economic conditions, the imposition of economic or trade
sanctions, or inadequate or different regulatory and accounting standards.
Hostilities and armed conflicts between countries, such as the ongoing conflicts between
Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas, may result in sanctions, supply chain
disruptions or other events that may have severe adverse effects on the region’s
economies and more globally, including significant negative impact on markets for
certain securities and commodities, such as oil and natural gas. Any cessation of trading
securities in these markets will impact the value and liquidity of certain portfolio
holdings.
Forward Foreign Currency Risk — The risk that when a portfolio decides to hedge
against currency risks, for example using forward currency contracts, the portfolio will
be subject to risks, including counterparty risk, and the risk that the hedge fails to
perform as expected and hence does not mitigate losses. Hedging also reduces the
potential for gains.
Fund of Funds Risk — The ability of a fund of funds to meet its investment objective is
directly related to its target allocations among underlying funds and the ability of those
funds to meet their investment objectives. A fund of funds’ share price will likely change
daily based on the performance of the underlying funds in which it invests. In general, a
fund of funds is subject to the same risks as those of the underlying funds it holds.
Additionally, actions by the investing fund could have consequences for the underlying
funds. For example, if there are other investors in the underlying funds, they are also
subject to the risk that the investing fund could withdraw its entire investment, leaving
behind a much smaller fund with higher expenses.
Futures and Options Risk — The risk that a portfolio experiences a loss if it employs an
options or futures strategy related to a security or a market index and that security or
index moves in the opposite direction from what the manager anticipated. Futures and
options also involve additional expenses (such as the payment of premiums), which could
reduce any benefit or increase any loss that a portfolio gains from using the strategy.
Futures and Options are derivatives, and hence are also exposed to Derivatives Risk
50
Government and regulatory risk — The risk that governments or regulatory authorities
have, from time to time, taken or considered actions that could adversely affect
companies in which a portfolios invests, or the investment strategies employed by a
portfolio. For example, the imposition by governments of tariffs, sanctions or other
restrictions on trade could adversely affect companies located in the country of the
government imposing the restriction or in countries that are trade partners with that
country.
Growth Stocks Risk — The risk that growth stocks may be more volatile than certain
other types of stocks and their prices may fluctuate more dramatically than the overall
stock market. Growth stocks, due to their relatively high market valuations, typically
have been more volatile than value stocks. Growth stocks may not pay dividends, or may
pay lower dividends, than value stocks and may be more adversely affected in a down
market.
Healthcare Risk — The risk that the value of a portfolio's shares will be affected by factors
particular to the healthcare and related sectors and will fluctuate more widely than that
of a portfolio that invests in a broad range of industries. Healthcare companies are
subject to extensive government regulation and their profitability can be affected by
restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical
products and services, pricing pressure, and malpractice or other litigation.
IBOR Risk - The risk that changes related to the use of the London Interbank Offered
Rate (LIBOR) or similar interbank offered rates (“IBORs,” such as the Euro Overnight
Index Average (EONIA)) could have adverse impacts on financial instruments that
reference such rates. While some instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR
or a similar rate is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate setting
methodology, not all instruments have such fallback provisions and the effectiveness of
replacement rates is uncertain. The abandonment of LIBOR and similar rates could
affect the value and liquidity of instruments that reference such rates, especially those
that do not have fallback provisions. The use of alternative reference rate products may
impact investment strategy performance.
Income Stocks Risk — The risk that income from stocks may be reduced by changes in
the dividend policies of companies and the capital resources available for such payments
at such companies. Depending upon market conditions, income producing common stock
may not be widely available and/or may be highly concentrated in only a few market
sectors, thereby limiting the ability to produce current income.
Industry and Sector Risk — The risk that the value of securities in a particular industry
or sector (such as information technology) will decline because of changing expectations
for the performance of that industry or sector making a strategy more vulnerable to
unfavorable developments in that economic sector than strategies that invest more
broadly.
Inflation Risk — The risk that inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates will
have negative effects on economies and financial markets. Inflation has the potential to
increase the cost of fuel, energy, labor, and raw materials, cause supply chain shortages,
and adversely affect consumer spending, economic growth, and the operations of issuers.
51
Past governmental efforts to reduce inflation have involved drastic economic measures
that have had a material adverse effect on the level of economic activity in the countries
where such measures were employed, and similar governmental efforts could be taken
in the future to reduce inflation and could have similar effects.
Information Technology Sector Risk — The risk that investments associated with
investing in the information technology sector, in addition to other risks, include the
intense competition to which information technology companies may be subject; the
dramatic and often unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for qualified
personnel among information technology companies; effects on profitability from being
heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights and the loss or impairment
of those rights; obsolescence of existing technology; general economic conditions; and
government regulation.
Infrastructure-Related Companies Risk — Infrastructure-related businesses are subject
to a variety of factors that adversely affect their business or operations including high
interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, costs associated with
environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown and surplus
capacity, increased competition, uncertainties concerning availability of fuel at
reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies, governmental actions or loss
of tax incentives and other factors.
Interest Rate Risk — Changing interest rates may adversely affect the value of an
investment. An increase in interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other
fixed income securities to fall. Because of this risk, investments in fixed income securities
are subject to risk even if such investments are paid in full at maturity. Changes in
interest rates will affect the value of longer-term fixed income securities more than
shorter-term securities.
Investment Company Securities Risk — The risks of investments in investment
companies typically reflect the risks of the types of securities in which the investment
companies invest. As a shareholder in an investment company, a portfolio would bear its
pro rata share of that investment company’s expenses, which could result in the
duplication of certain fees, including management and administrative fees.
Large Capitalization Risk — The risk that large-capitalization companies tend to be less
volatile than companies with smaller market capitalizations, and therefore portfolios that
focus on these companies may have less potential for large price rises when compared to
portfolios that focus on smaller capitalization companies.
Less Liquid Securities Risk — The risk that investments cannot be sold or disposed of in
current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition
significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid investments may
trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments, and may be subject to wide
fluctuations in market value. An account also may not be able to dispose of illiquid
investments at a favorable time or price during periods of infrequent trading of an illiquid
investment. There is generally no established retail secondary market for high yield
securities. As a result, the secondary market for high yield securities is more limited and
less liquid than other secondary securities markets. The high yield secondary market is
particularly susceptible to liquidity problems when institutional investors, such as
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mutual funds, and certain other financial institutions, temporarily stop buying bonds for
regulatory, financial, or other reasons. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions may
also disrupt the secondary market for securities.
Leveraging Risk — The risk that certain portfolio transactions, such as reverse
repurchase agreements, short sales, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-
issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments,
may give rise to leverage, causing a portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been
leveraged.
Limited Number of Stocks Risk — The risk of the possibility that a single security's
increase or decrease in value has a greater impact on the portfolio's value and total return
because the portfolio would hold larger positions in fewer securities than other portfolios.
Market Risk — The risk that the value of equity securities varies according to how the
market reacts to factors relating to the issuer, market activity or the economy in general.
For example, when the economy is expanding, the market tends to attach positive
outlooks to companies and the value of their stocks tends to rise. The opposite is also
true. Events such as war, military conflict, geopolitical disputes, acts of terrorism, social
or political unrest, natural disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes,
supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and other restrictions on trade, sanctions or the spread
of infectious illness or other public health threats or the threat or potential of one or
more such events and developments, could also significantly impact the value of these
securities. Market value does not always reflect the intrinsic value of a company.
Market Disruption Risk — The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain
market—such as the stock or bond market—will decline in value because of factors such
as adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, or investor confidence or
heavy institutional selling.
Master Limited Partnership Risk — The risk that holders of the units of MLPs have more
limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. There are
also certain tax risks associated with an investment in units of MLPs.
Medium-Cap Companies Risk — Securities issued by medium-sized companies generally
are subject to more abrupt market movements and involve greater risks than investments
in larger companies. This is due to, among other things, the greater business risks of
smaller size and limited product lines, markets, distribution channels, and financial and
managerial resources.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk — The risk that the value of a portfolio’s investments
may be negatively affected by natural disasters, epidemics, or similar events. Natural or
environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and
other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including
pandemics and epidemics, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and
markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets,
currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other
factors affecting the value of a strategy’s investments. Given the increasing
interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country,
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market, or region are increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or
foreign exchange rates in other countries. These disruptions could prevent a strategy
from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and could
negatively impact the strategy’s ability to achieve its investment objective.
Non-Diversification Risk — Because a non-diversified portfolio invests its assets in fewer
issuers, the value of portfolio shares will be more dependent on these issuers, and more
likely increase or decrease more rapidly than if it were fully diversified.
Operational Risk — The risk that MIMBT, its service providers, and other market
participants depend on information and communication technologies to conduct their day-
to-day business operations. These systems are subject to a number of different risks
which could adversely affect MIMBT or a particular investment strategy despite business
continuity plans in place to mitigate these risks.
Political Risk — The risk that countries or an entire region experience political instability.
This generally causes greater fluctuation in the value and liquidity of investments due
to, for example, changes in currency exchange rates, governmental seizures, or
nationalization of assets.
Prepayment Risk —The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a portfolio will
be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest rates are lower than what that bond
was paying. A portfolio may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.
Real Estate Industry Risk — This risk includes, among others: possible declines in the
value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack
of availability of mortgage funds; overbuilding; extended vacancies of properties;
increases in competition, property taxes, and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws;
costs resulting from the cleanup of, and liability to third parties resulting from,
environmental problems; casualty for condemnation losses; uninsured damages from
floods, earthquakes, or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents; and
changes in interest rates; cash-flow fluctuations; and defaults by borrowers. Real estate
investment trusts (REITs) are also subject to the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-
through of income under the Code and/or failing to qualify for an exemption from
registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Real estate securities may be
leveraged, increasing financial risk.
Redemption Risk — The risk that if investor redemptions exceed purchases for an
extended period of time, a portfolio may be required to sell securities without regard to
the investment merits of such actions. This could decrease a portfolio’s asset base,
potentially resulting in a higher expense ratio and lower liquidity for non-redeeming
investors.
Sector Risk — The risk that at times, a portfolio may have a significant portion of its
assets invested in securities of companies conducting business in a broadly related group
of industries within an economic sector. Individual sectors may be more volatile, and may
perform differently, than the broader market. Companies in the same economic sector
may be similarly affected by economic, regulatory, or market events, making the account
more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than accounts that
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invest more broadly.
Short Sales Risk — Positions in shorted securities are speculative and more risky than
long positions (purchases). When a portfolio engages in short selling, it sells a security it
does not own in anticipation of being able to buy that security later at a lower price. If the
price of the security increases, the portfolio loses money. Further, during the time when
the portfolio has shorted the security, the portfolio must borrow that security in order to
make delivery on the previous sale, which raises the cost to the portfolio. Such
investments involve the risk of an unlimited increase in the market price of the security
sold short, which could result in a theoretically unlimited loss. Short sale strategies are
often categorized as a form of leveraging or speculative investment. The use of leverage
will multiply small price movements in securities into larger changes in value. As a result
of using leverage, a portfolio's share price may be more volatile than if no leverage were
used. Positions in shorted securities are speculative and more risky than long positions.
A strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses.
Small Company Risk — The risk that investments in small- and/or medium-sized
companies typically exhibit higher volatility than investments in larger, more established
companies. Company size risk also comes from lower liquidity typically associated with
small company stocks, which means the price may be affected by poorly executed trades,
even if the underlying business of the company is unchanged. Additionally, less
information about small companies is commonly available to the public, potentially
making an informed evaluation of small-cap stocks more difficult for investors.
Social Standards Screen Risk — A social standards strategy generally prohibits
investment in certain types of companies, industries, and segments of the economy. Thus,
the risk is that the strategy (i) misses opportunities to invest in companies, industries or
segments of the economy that are providing superior performance relative to the market
as a whole and (ii) becomes invested in companies, industries and segments of the
economy that are providing inferior performance relative to the market as a whole.
Socially Responsible Investing Policy Risk — The risk that being subject to socially
responsible investment criteria prohibit the purchase of certain securities when it is
otherwise advantageous to do so or forces the sale of securities for social reasons when it
is otherwise disadvantageous to do so.
Sustainability Risk — The risk that a portfolio’s investments may be exposed to certain
sustainability risks, either directly or indirectly, including (i) environmental risks,
including both physical risks and transition risks, such as extreme weather events, global
warming, rising sea levels, changes in environmental regulation, a shift to low carbon
technologies or changing consumer preferences, (ii) social risks, for example human rights
breaches or labor rights breaches, and (iii) governance risks, including poor governance
practices, illegal or poor tax practices or bribery and corruption and, as a consequence,
reputational risks. The examples provided are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all
possible risks and are provided as an indication of the types of sustainability risks that
may arise. Such risks may impact the performance of a portfolio’s investments.
Swaps Risk — The risk that the use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity,
which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with
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ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Whether a strategy will be successful in using
swap agreements to achieve its investment goal depends on the ability of MIMBT to
predict correctly which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If
MIMBT, in using swap agreements, is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest
rates, inflation, currency exchange rates or other applicable factors, the investment
performance of a strategy will be less than its performance would have been if it had not
used the swap agreements.
Transaction Costs Risk — The risk that the costs of buying, selling, and holding
securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, will reduce the return of those
securities.
Value Stocks Risk — The risk that the value of a security believed by MIMBT to be
undervalued may never reach what is believed to be its full value; such security’s value
may decrease, or such security may be appropriately priced. Value stocks are stocks of
companies that may have experienced adverse business or industry developments or may
be subject to special risks that have caused the stocks to be out of favor and, in the opinion
of MIMBT, undervalued.
Valuation Risk — The risk the prices used when valuing the strategy assets and creating
a unit price may not be those achieved when disposing of the assets. Complex securities,
less liquid securities, and securities that do not have a developed secondary market are
more exposed to this risk
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INSTITUTIONAL FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES
Credit Insurance: The Credit Insurance Strategy seeks to outperform the US credit market
by investing in U.S. investment grade credit supplemented with US high yield credit.
Emerging Markets Debt Corporate: The Emerging Markets Debt Corporate Strategy invests
primarily in emerging markets debt instruments that are economically tied to an emerging
markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a company, government or
government entity domiciled or conducting significant business activities in an emerging
markets country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked to emerging markets
debt securities.
Emerging Markets Debt Green Opportunities: The Emerging Markets Debt Green
Opportunities Strategy, formerly known as the Emerging Markets Debt Sustainable
Opportunities Composite, invests primarily in emerging market instruments that are
economically tied to an emerging markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a
government, government entity or corporate domiciled or conducting significant business
activities in an emerging markets country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked
to emerging markets debt securities. The emerging markets bonds included in the strategy
qualify as Sustainable Investments under Article 9 of the Sustainable Financial Disclosure
Regulations.
Emerging Markets Debt Limited Term: The Emerging Markets Debt Limited Term Strategy
invests primarily in emerging markets debt instruments that are economically tied to an
emerging markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a company, government or
government entity domiciled or conducting significant business activities in an emerging
markets country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked to emerging markets
debt securities.
Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency: The Emerging Markets Debt Local Currency
Strategy, formerly known as the Emerging Markets Debt Unconstrained Local Currency
Composite, invests primarily in emerging markets debt instruments that are economically
tied to an emerging markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a company,
government or government entity domiciled or conducting significant business activities in
an emerging markets country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked to emerging
markets debt securities.
Emerging Markets Debt Select Opportunities: The Emerging Markets Debt Select
Opportunities Strategy invests primarily in emerging markets debt instruments that are
economically tied to an emerging markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a
company, government or government entity domiciled or conducting significant business
activities in an emerging markets country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked
to emerging markets debt securities.
Emerging Markets Debt Sovereign: The Emerging Markets Debt Sovereign Strategy invests
primarily in emerging markets debt instruments that are economically tied to an emerging
markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a government, government entity or
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corporate domiciled or conducting significant business activities in an emerging markets
country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked to emerging markets debt
securities.
Emerging Markets Debt Sovereign ESG: The Emerging Markets Debt Sovereign ESG
Strategy invests primarily in emerging markets debt instruments that are economically tied
to an emerging markets country or countries, issued or guaranteed by a government,
government entity or corporate domiciled or conducting significant business activities in an
emerging markets country, or derivatives or pooled structures that are linked to emerging
markets debt securities.
Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Crossover: The Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Crossover
Strategy employs a client-driven, value-oriented investment style, which seeks to produce
tax-efficient, risk-adjusted long-term total returns above the broad fixed income market,
including the municipal fixed income market.
US Bank Loans: The US Bank Loans Strategy seeks to capture the income and capital
appreciation potential offered by a diversified portfolio of bank loans and which do not use
leverage for investment purposes.
US Convertible Bond: The US Convertible Bond Strategy seeks to outperform the traditional
fixed income and equity asset classes by identifying attractive opportunities in the
convertible market through fundamental credit and equity research.
US Core Fixed Income: The US Core Fixed Income Strategy employs a client-driven, value-
oriented investment style, which seeks to produce risk-adjusted long-term total returns
above the broad fixed income market.
US Core Plus Fixed Income: The US Core Plus Fixed Income Strategy seeks to produce risk-
adjusted long-term total returns above the broad fixed income market by investing in a core
of US investment grade bonds supplemented with “plus” sectors (US high yield bonds,
international and emerging markets fixed-income bonds)
US Corporate Bond: The US Corporate Bond Strategy seeks to outperform the US credit
market by investing in US investment grade credit supplemented with US high yield credit.
US Diversified Floating Rate: The US Diversified Floating Rate Strategy seeks to
outperform the ICE BofA US Dollar 3-Month Deposit Offered Rate Constant Maturity Index
by investing primarily in floating-rate securities.
US High Yield Bond: The US High Yield Bond Strategy seeks to capture the income and
capital appreciation potential offered by non-investment-grade bonds.
US High Yield Municipal: The US High Yield Municipal Strategy employs a client-driven,
value-oriented investment style, which seeks to produce risk-adjusted long-term total
returns above the broad municipal fixed income market by investing in medium- and lower-
grade municipal obligations.
US Intermediate Municipal: The US Intermediate Municipal Strategy employs a client-
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driven, value-oriented investment style, which seeks to produce risk-adjusted long-term
total returns above the broad municipal fixed income market. The strategy invests in
securities with maturities of various lengths, depending on market conditions, but will have
an intermediate dollar-weighted average effective maturity.
US Intermediate Term: The US Intermediate Term Strategy seeks to invest in investment
grade fixed income securities across the government, corporate, mortgage-backed, asset-
backed, and commercial mortgage-backed markets. The strategy invests in securities with
maturities of various lengths, depending on market conditions, but will have an
intermediate dollar-weighted average effective maturity
US Limited Term: The US Limited Term Strategy seeks to invest in high quality bonds that
have historically offered above-average yields and superior total returns relative to the
shorter-maturity bond market as a whole.
US Limited Term Multi Sector: The US Limited Term Multi Sector Strategy seeks to invest
in high-quality bonds that have historically offered above-average yields and superior total
returns relative to the shorter-maturity bond market as a whole. The strategy may invest
up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities.
US Long Duration: The US Long Duration Strategy seeks to outperform the long US credit
market by investing in US investment-grade credit with longer maturity supplemented with
US high yield credit.
US Long Duration Government Credit: The US Long Duration Government Credit Strategy
seeks to outperform the long US government/credit market by investing primarily in US
government/credit securities with longer maturities.
US Multi Sector: The US Multi Sector Strategy seeks to produce high current income and
long-term total returns above the broad fixed income market. This broad unconstrained fixed
income strategy seeks to utilize the full opportunity set within the fixed income universe
and may hold securities from a broad range of sectors, including credit (investment grade,
high yield, bank loans, non-dollar, convertible bonds, and structured credit), securitized debt
(MBS, CMBS, CMO, and ABS) and sovereign debt (developed and emerging).
US Municipal: The US Municipal Strategy employs a client-driven, value-oriented
investment style, which seeks to produce risk-adjusted long-term total returns above the
broad municipal fixed income market. The strategy invests in municipal securities from
across the United States with a dollar-weighted average effective maturity between 5 and
30 years.
US Ultra Short: The US Ultra Short Strategy seeks total return to the extent consistent
with a relatively low volatility of principal. The strategy will invest in investment grade
fixed income securities at the time of purchase, including, but not limited to, fixed income
securities issued or guaranteed by the US government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and
by US and non-US corporations. The strategy will maintain an average effective duration of
less than 18 months.
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RISK DISCLOSURES — INSTITUTIONAL FIXED INCOME COMPOSITES
Alternative Minimum Tax Risk — The risk if a portfolio invests in bonds whose income
is subject to the alternative minimum tax, that portion of the portfolio's distributions
would be taxable for shareholders who are subject to this tax.
Bank Loans and Other Indebtedness Risk — The risk that a portfolio will not receive
payment of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these
investments. Because of the limited secondary market for loans, a portfolio may be
limited in its ability to sell loans in its portfolio in a timely fashion and/or at a favorable
price. Loans that are fully secured offer a portfolio more protection than unsecured loans
in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal, although there is no
assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the
corporate borrower's obligation, or that the collateral can be liquidated. Some loans or
claims are in default at the time of purchase. Certain of the loans and the other direct
indebtedness acquired by a portfolio involve revolving credit facilities or other standby
financing commitments that obligate a portfolio to pay additional cash on a certain date
or on demand. These commitments could require a portfolio to increase its investment in
a company at a time when that portfolio might not otherwise decide to do so (including
at a time when the company's financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts
will be repaid). To the extent that a portfolio is committed to advance additional
portfolios, it will at all times hold and maintain cash or other high-grade debt obligations
in an amount sufficient to meet such commitments.
Call Risk — The risk that a bond issuer will prepay the bond during periods of low interest
rates, forcing a portfolio to reinvest that money at interest rates that might be lower than
rates on the called bond.
Commercial Mortgage Loan Risk — The risk that the portfolio will not receive payment
of principal, interest, and other amounts due in connection with these investments will
depend primarily on the financial condition of the commercial property. Commercial
mortgage loans may be difficult to value and may be illiquid.
Counterparty Risk — The risk that a counterparty to a derivative contract (such as a
swap, futures or options contract) or a repurchase agreement fails to perform its
obligations under the contract or agreement due to financial difficulties (such as a
bankruptcy or reorganization) or otherwise.
Credit Risk — The risk that a bond’s issuer will be unable to make timely payments of
interest and principal. Investing in so-called “junk” or “high yield” bonds entails greater
risk of principal loss than the risk involved in investment grade bonds.
Currency Risk — The risk that the value of a portfolio's investments are negatively
affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Adverse changes in exchange
rates reduce or eliminate any gains produced by investments that are denominated in
foreign currencies and increases any losses. Currency exchange rates in foreign
countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons,
including changes in interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or
foreign governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International
Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments
60
in the United States or abroad.
Cybersecurity Risk — The risk that MIMBT and its service providers, are prone to
operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks
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 security breaches. Cybersecurity risks have
increased due to the increasing use of hybrid working arrangements and external
ransomware attacks that are impacting company supply chains. Cyber-attacks affecting
MIMBT or its service providers may adversely impact client accounts. For instance,
certain cyber-attacks interfere with the processing of investor transactions, impact the
ability to calculate NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or
confidential business information, impede trading, and/or cause reputational damage.
Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a
client account may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such
issuers and may cause an account’s investment in such companies to lose value.
Default Risk — The risk an issuer may not be able or willing to make principal and
interest payments when due.
Emerging Markets Risk — The risk that international investing (particularly in emerging
markets) may be adversely affected by political instability; changes in currency exchange
rates; inefficient markets and higher transaction costs; foreign economic conditions; the
imposition of economic or trade sanctions; or inadequate or different regulatory and
accounting standards. The risk associated with international investing will be greater in
emerging markets than in more developed foreign markets because, among other things,
emerging markets may have less stable political and economic environments. In addition,
there often is substantially less publicly available information about issuers and such
information tends to be of a lesser quality. Economic markets and structures tend to be
less mature and diverse, and the securities markets may also be smaller, less liquid, and
subject to greater price volatility. There also may be greater risk associated with the
custody and settlement of securities in such markets. Further, emerging markets can be
affected adversely by changes to the economic health of certain key trading partners,
such as the United States or China, regional or global conflicts, pandemics, terrorism or
war.
ESG Risk — The risk that using ESG criteria in the investment process may exclude
certain companies for non-investment reasons and, therefore, the strategy may forgo
some market opportunities available to funds that do not use ESG factors. In addition,
because company GHG emissions data are not standardized (and are further subject to
estimation error when not company-reported), the data sets the strategy must rely on
may imperfectly represent companies’ true GHG emissions. Also, the company emissions
targets that MIMBT sets are based on model assumptions and estimations that carry the
inherent risk associated with any modeling or estimating process.
Foreign Government/Supranational Risk — The risk that a foreign government or
government-related issuer is not able or willing to make timely principal and interest
payments on its external debt obligations. This ability to make payments will be strongly
influenced by the issuer's balance of payments, including export performance, its access
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to international credits and investments, fluctuations in interest rates, and the extent of
its foreign reserves.
Foreign Securities Risk — The risk that foreign securities may be adversely affected by
political instability, changes in currency exchange rates, inefficient markets and higher
transaction costs, foreign economic conditions, the imposition of economic or trade
sanctions, or inadequate or different regulatory and accounting standards. Hostilities
between countries may result in sanctions which may have severe adverse effects on the
region’s economies and more globally, including significant negative impact on markets
for certain securities and commodities, such as oil and natural gas. Any cessation of
trading securities in these markets will impact the value and liquidity of certain portfolio
holdings.
Hostilities and armed conflicts between countries, such as the ongoing conflicts between
Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas, may result in sanctions, supply chain
disruptions or other events, which may have severe adverse effects on the region’s
economies and more globally, including significant negative impact on markets for
certain securities and commodities, such as oil and natural gas. Any cessation of
trading securities in these markets will impact the value and liquidity of certain
portfolio holdings.
Forward Foreign Currency Risk — The risk that when a portfolio decides to hedge
against currency risks, for example using forward currency contracts, the portfolio will
be subject to risks, including counterparty risk, and the risk that the hedge fails to
perform as expected and hence does not mitigate losses. Hedging also reduces the
potential for gains.
Futures and Options Risk — The risk of the possibility that a portfolio experiences a
significant loss if it employs an options or futures strategy related to a security or a
market index and that security or index moves in the opposite direction from what the
portfolio manager anticipated. Futures and options also involve additional expenses (such
as the payment of premiums), which could reduce any benefit or increase any loss to a
portfolio from using the strategy.
Geographic Concentration Risk — The risk that a portfolio that concentrates on
investments from a particular state, region, or U.S. territory or possession could be
adversely affected by political and economic conditions in that state, region, U.S. territory
or possession. There is also the risk that an inadequate supply of municipal bonds exists
in a particular state or U.S. territory or possession.
Government and Regulatory Risk — The risk that governments or regulatory authorities
have, from time to time, taken or considered actions that could adversely affect companies
in which a portfolios invests, or the investment strategies employed by a portfolio. For
example, the imposition by governments of tariffs, sanctions or other restrictions on
trade could adversely affect companies located in the country of the government
imposing the restriction or in countries that are trade partners with that country.
High Yield Risk — High yield, high-risk securities (also known as junk bonds), while
generally having higher yields, are subject to reduced creditworthiness of issuers,
increased risks of default, and a more limited and less liquid secondary market than
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higher-rated securities. These securities are subject to greater price volatility and risk of
loss of income and principal than are higher-rated securities. Lower-rated and unrated
fixed income securities tend to reflect short-term corporate and market developments to
a greater extent than higher-rated fixed income securities, which react primarily to
fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Fixed income securities of this type are
considered to be of poor standing and primarily speculative. Such securities are subject
to a substantial degree of credit risk.
Industry and Sector Risk — The risk that the value of securities in a particular industry
(such as financial services or manufacturing) will decline because of changing
expectations for the performance of that industry or sector making a fund more
vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that economic sector than funds that invest
more broadly.
Inflation Risk — The risk that inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates will
have negative effects on economies and financial markets. Inflation has the potential to
increase the cost of fuel, energy, labor, and raw materials, cause supply chain shortages,
and adversely affect consumer spending, economic growth, and the operations of issuers.
Past governmental efforts to reduce inflation have involved drastic economic measures
that have had a material adverse effect on the level of economic activity in the countries
where such measures were employed, and similar governmental efforts could be taken
in the future to reduce inflation and could have similar effects.
Infrastructure-Related Companies Risk — Infrastructure-related businesses are subject
to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations including
high interest costs in connection with capital construction programs, costs associated with
environmental and other regulations, the effects of economic slowdown and surplus
capacity, increased competition, uncertainties concerning availability of fuel at
reasonable prices, the effects of energy conservation policies and other factors.
Interest Rate Risk — Changing interest rates may adversely affect the value of an
investment. An increase in interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other
fixed income securities to fall. Because of this risk, investments in fixed income securities
are subject to risk even if such investments are paid in full at maturity. Changes in
interest rates will affect the value of longer-term fixed income securities more than
shorter-term securities.
Investment Company Securities Risk — The risks of investment in investment
companies typically reflect the risks of the types of securities in which the investment
companies invest. As a shareholder in an investment company, a Portfolio would bear its
pro rata share of that investment company’s expenses, which could result in the
duplication of certain fees, including management and administrative fees.
Less Liquid Securities Risk — The risk of the possibility that investments cannot be sold
or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the
sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Illiquid
investments may trade at a discount from comparable, more liquid investments, and may
be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. An account also may not be able to dispose
of illiquid investments at a favorable time or price during periods of infrequent trading of
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an illiquid investment. To the extent that an account holds fixed income securities in
smaller, “odd lot” sizes, such positions may be less liquid and harder to sell. There is
generally no established retail secondary market for high yield securities. As a result, the
secondary market for high yield securities is more limited and less liquid than other
secondary securities markets. The high yield secondary market is particularly susceptible
to liquidity problems when institutional investors, such as mutual funds, and certain
other financial institutions, temporarily stop buying bonds for regulatory, financial, or
other reasons. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions may also disrupt the secondary
market for high yield securities.
Leveraging Risk — The risk that certain portfolio transactions, such as reverse
repurchase agreements, short sales, loans of portfolio securities, and the use of when-
issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions, or derivative instruments,
may give rise to leverage, causing a portfolio to be more volatile than if it had not been
leveraged.
Lower-Rated Fixed Income Securities Risk — High yield, high-risk securities (also known
as junk bonds), while generally having higher yields, are subject to reduced
creditworthiness of issuers, increased risks of default, and a more limited and less liquid
secondary market than higher-rated securities. These securities are subject to greater
price volatility and risk of loss of income and principal than are higher-rated securities.
Lower-rated and unrated fixed income securities tend to reflect short-term corporate and
market developments to a greater extent than higher-rated fixed income securities, which
react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Fixed income
securities of this type are considered to be of poor standing and primarily speculative.
Such securities are subject to a substantial degree of credit risk.
Market Risk – The risk that the value of fixed income securities varies according to how
the market reacts to factors relating to the issuer, market activity, or the economy in
general. For example, perceptions of a company’s creditworthiness and financial stability
can impact the value of its debt securities. Events such as war, military conflict,
geopolitical disputes, acts of terrorism, social or political unrest, natural disasters,
recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, tariffs, and
other restrictions on trade, sanctions, or the spread of infectious illness or other public
health threats, or the threat or potential of one or more such events and developments,
could also significantly impact the value of these securities.
Market Disruption Risk — The risk that all or a majority of the securities in a certain
market - like the stock or bond market - will decline in value because of factors such as
adverse political or economic conditions, future expectations, or investor confidence or
heavy institutional selling.
Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk — Mortgage-backed and asset-
backed securities, like other fixed income securities, are subject to credit risk and interest
rate risk, and may also be subject to prepayment risk and extension risk. Mortgage-
backed and asset-backed securities can be highly sensitive to interest rate changes. As a
result, small movements in interest rates can substantially impact the value and liquidity
of these securities. Prepayment risk is the risk that the principal on mortgage-backed or
asset-backed securities may be prepaid at any time, which will reduce the yield and
market value of the securities and may cause an account to reinvest the proceeds in lower
yielding securities. Extension risk is the risk that principal on mortgage-backed or asset-
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backed securities will be repaid more slowly than expected, which may reduce the
proceeds available for reinvestment in higher yielding securities and may cause the
security to experience greater volatility due to the extended maturity of the security.
When interest rates rise, the value of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities can
be expected to decline. When interest rates go down, however, the value of these securities
may not increase as much as other fixed income securities due to borrowers refinancing
their loans at lower interest rates or prepaying their loans. In addition, mortgage-backed
and asset-backed securities may decline in value, become more volatile, face difficulties
in valuation, or experience reduced liquidity due to changes in general economic
conditions. During periods of economic downturn, for example, underlying borrowers may
not make timely payments on their loans and the value of property that secures the loans
may decline in value such that it is worth less than the amount of the associated loans. If
the collateral securing a mortgage-backed or asset-backed security is insufficient to repay
the loan, an account could sustain a loss. Such risks generally will be heightened where
a mortgage-backed or asset-backed security includes “subprime” loans. Although
mortgage-backed securities are often supported by government guarantees or private
insurance, there can be no guarantee that those obligations will be met. Furthermore, in
certain economic conditions, loan servicers, loan originators and other participants in the
market for mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities may be unable to receive
sufficient funding, impairing their ability to perform their obligations on the loans.
Certain mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities may be more susceptible to these
risks than other mortgage-backed, asset-backed, or fixed-income securities. For example,
an account's investments in collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), real estate
mortgage investment conduits (REMICs), and stripped mortgage-backed securities are
generally highly susceptible to interest rate risk, prepayment risk, and extension risk. At
times, these investments may be difficult to value and/or illiquid. Some classes of CMOs
and REMICs may have preference in receiving principal or interest payments relative to
more junior classes. The market prices and yields of these junior classes will generally be
more volatile than more senior classes and will be more susceptible to interest rate risk,
prepayment risk, and extension risk than more senior classes. Classes that receive
interest only will generally decrease in value if interest rates decline or prepayment rates
increase. Classes that receive principal only will generally decrease in value if interest
rates increase or prepayment rates decrease. These changes in value can be substantial
and could cause an account to lose the entire value of its investment in CMOs, REMICs,
and stripped mortgage-backed securities.
Natural Disaster/Epidemic Risk — The risk that the value of a portfolio’s investments
may be negatively affected by natural disasters, epidemics, or similar events. Natural or
environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and
other severe weather-related phenomena generally, and widespread disease, including
pandemics and epidemics, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and
markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets,
currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other
factors affecting the value of a fund's investments. Given the increasing interdependence
among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region are
increasingly likely to adversely affect markets, issuers, and/or foreign exchange rates in
other countries. These disruptions could prevent a fund from executing advantageous
investment decisions in a timely manner and could negatively impact the fund's ability
to achieve its investment objective.
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“Odd Lot” Risk — Pricing services generally price fixed income securities assuming
orderly transactions of an institutional "round lot" size. MIMBT may from time-to-time
trade in smaller "odd lot" sizes. This may occur, for example, where it would be
impractical to acquire an institutional “round lot” due to an account's limited size, when
an account receives an odd lot as a result of a corporate action or other event outside of
our control, or when MIMBT directed by a client to transact in a legacy odd lot position.
Odd lots typically trade at lower prices than institutional round lot trades. Over certain
time periods, such differences could materially impact the performance of an account that
holds odd lots.
Operational Risk — The risk that MIMBT, its service providers, and other market
participants depend on information and communication technologies to conduct their day-
to-day business operations. These systems are subject to a number of different risks
which could adversely affect MIMBT or a particular investment strategy despite business
continuity plans in place to mitigate these risks.
Political Risk — The risk that countries or an entire region experience political instability.
This generally causes greater fluctuation in the value and liquidity of investments due to
changes in currency exchange rates, governmental seizures, or nationalization of assets.
Prepayment Risk — The risk that the principal on a bond that is held by a portfolio will
be prepaid prior to maturity at a time when interest rates are lower than what the bond
was paying. A portfolio may then have to reinvest that money at a lower interest rate.
Real Estate Industry Risk — These risks include, among others, possible declines in the
value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack
of availability of mortgage funds; overbuilding; extended vacancies of properties;
increases in competition, property taxes, and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws;
costs resulting from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties resulting from,
environmental problems; casualty for condemnation losses; uninsured damages from
floods, earthquakes, or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents; and
changes in interest rates. Real estate securities may be leveraged, increasing financial
risk.
Recession Risk — The risk that a protracted economic downturn would severely disrupt
the market for high yield bonds, adversely affect the value of outstanding bonds and
adversely affect the ability of high yield issuers to repay principal and interest.
Redemption Risk — The risk that if investor redemptions exceed purchases for an
extended period of time, a portfolio may be required to sell securities without regard to
the investment merits of such actions. This could decrease a portfolio’s asset base,
potentially resulting in a higher expense ratio and lower liquidity for non-redeeming
investors.
Short Sales Risk — Positions in shorted securities are speculative and more risky than
long positions (purchases). When a portfolio engages in short selling, it sells a security it
does not own in anticipation of being able to buy that security later at a lower price. If the
price of the security increases, the portfolio loses money. Further, during the time when
the portfolio has shorted the security, the portfolio must borrow that security in order to
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make delivery on the previous sale, which raises the cost to the portfolio. Such
investments involve the risk of an unlimited increase in the market price of the security
sold short, which could result in a theoretically unlimited loss. Short sale strategies are
often categorized as a form of leveraging or speculative investment. The use of leverage
will multiply small price movements in securities into larger changes in value. As a result
of using leverage, a portfolio's share price may be more volatile than if no leverage were
used. Positions in shorted securities are speculative and more risky than long positions.
A strategy that includes selling securities short could suffer significant losses.
Social Standards Screen Risk — A social standards strategy generally prohibits
investment in certain types of companies, industries, and segments of the U.S. economy.
Thus, the risk is that the strategy (i) misses opportunities to invest in companies,
industries or segments of the U.S. economy that are providing superior performance
relative to the market as a whole and (ii) becomes invested in companies, industries and
segments of the U.S. economy that are providing inferior performance relative to the
market as a whole.
Socially Responsible Investing Policy Risk — The risk that being subject to socially
responsible investment criteria prohibit the purchase of certain securities when it is
otherwise advantageous to do so, or forces the sale of securities for social reasons when it
is otherwise disadvantageous to do so.
Sustainability Risk — The risk that a portfolio’s investments may be exposed to certain
sustainability risks, either directly or indirectly, including (i) environmental risks,
including both physical risks and transition risks, such as extreme weather events, global
warming, rising sea levels, changes in environmental regulation, a shift to low carbon
technologies or changing consumer preferences, (ii) social risks, for example human rights
breaches or labor rights breaches, and (iii) governance risks, including poor governance
practices, illegal or poor tax practices or bribery and corruption and, as a consequence,
reputational risks. The examples provided are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all
possible risks and are provided as an indication of the types of sustainability risks that
may arise. Such risks may impact the performance of a portfolio’s investments.
Swaps Risk — The risk that the use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity,
which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with
ordinary portfolio securities transactions. Whether a Fund will be successful in using
swap agreements to achieve its investment goal depends on the ability of MIMBT to
predict correctly which types of investments are likely to produce greater returns. If
MIMBT, in using swap agreements, is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest
rates, inflation, currency exchange rates or other applicable factors, the investment
performance of a Fund will be less than its performance would have been if it had not
used the swap agreements.
Transaction Costs Risk — The risk that the costs of buying, selling, and holding
securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, will reduce the return of those
securities.
Valuation Risk — The risk the prices used when valuing an account's assets and creating
a unit price may not be those achieved when disposing of the assets. Complex securities,
less liquid securities, and securities that do not have a developed secondary market are
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more exposed to this risk.
Zero Coupon and Pay-in-Kind Bonds Risk — Zero coupon and pay-in-kind (PIK) bonds
are generally considered more interest sensitive than income-bearing bonds, more
speculative than interest-bearing bonds, and have certain tax consequences that could,
under certain circumstances, be adverse to a portfolio. For example, a portfolio accrues,
and is required to distribute to shareholders, income on its zero-coupon bonds. However,
a portfolio generally would not receive the cash associated with this income until the
bonds are sold or mature. If a portfolio does not have sufficient cash to make the required
distribution of accrued income, the portfolio could be required to sell other securities in
its portfolio or to borrow to generate the cash required.
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