ck0000768847-20260428
INDZ
| VanEck India Select ETF
Principal
U.S. Listing Exchange for the Fund: NYSE Arca, Inc.
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these
securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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VanEck
India Select ETF
SUMMARY
INFORMATION
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
VanEck
India Select ETF (the "Fund") seeks long-term capital
appreciation.
FEES AND
EXPENSES
The
following tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund (“Shares”).
You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to
financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples
below.
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Shareholder
Fees
(fees
paid directly from your investment) |
None |
Annual
Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses
that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your
investment)
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Management
Fee |
0.75 |
% |
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Other
Expenses(a)
(b) |
0.00 |
% |
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Total
Annual Fund Operating Expenses(a) |
0.75 |
% |
(a) Van Eck
Associates Corporation (the “Adviser”) will pay all expenses of the Fund, except
for the fee payment under the investment management agreement, acquired fund
fees and expenses, interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and
extraordinary expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to
pay the offering costs until at least May 1,
2027.
(b)
“Other
Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal
year.
EXPENSE
EXAMPLE
This
example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with
the cost of investing in other funds. This example does not take into account
brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the
Fund.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time
periods indicated and then sell or hold all of your Shares at the end of those
periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return
and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same and applies fee waivers
and/or expense reimbursements, if any, for the periods indicated above under
“Annual Fund Operating Expenses.” Although your actual
costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would
be:
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Year |
Expenses |
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$77 |
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$240 |
PORTFOLIO
TURNOVER
The
Fund will pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it purchases and
sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover
will cause the Fund to incur additional transaction costs and may result in
higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which
are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, may
affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, no portfolio
turnover figures are available.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT
STRATEGIES
The
Fund is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve
its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus
any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies that
are economically tied to India (“Indian
Companies”).
For
purposes of this policy, an Indian Company includes an issuer that: (i) is
domiciled in India; (ii) is listed on an Indian exchange; (iii) derives more
than 50% of its revenues or profits from India; or (iv) has its principal place
of business in India. The Fund may invest in companies across all market
capitalizations, including small-, mid-, and large-capitalization issuers.
Equity securities include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities,
American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and
shares of other investment companies (including ETFs) that provide exposure to
Indian Companies.
The
Fund uses a disciplined, multi-step investment process that seeks to identify
companies with strong long-term return profiles, high capital efficiency, and
resilient business models.
The
process begins by seeking to identify companies that have delivered consistent
shareholder returns and outperformance over time relative to the broader market.
In addition, the investment team may include select companies with shorter
operating histories, particularly in sectors undergoing structural change or
technological disruption.
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The
next step of the investment process seeks to reduce or eliminate exposure to
names that may exhibit signs of potential deterioration (i.e., decreasing
capital efficiency). These include, but are not limited to, companies the
investment team believes may experience projected declines in return on equity
(ROE) or return on invested capital (ROIC), or those that the investment team
believes to be trading at valuation levels above their own recent history.
Portfolio
construction follows a core-satellite structure. The core allocation consists of
high-conviction large-cap holdings that serve as the portfolio’s anchor.
Satellite allocations focus on small- and mid-cap companies and tactical
opportunities. Under normal conditions, the Adviser expects the Fund’s portfolio
to include 60 to 90 holdings.
Additional
risk controls may include adjustments to position sizes based on valuation
signals and optimization around portfolio-level risk parameters. While the
portfolio is typically rebalanced semi-annually, the Adviser expects to monitor
the portfolio on a monthly basis to maintain the portfolio generally in line
with the intended allocations. The Adviser expects to adjust positions in
response to material changes in company fundamentals or broader market
conditions.
The
Fund may from time to time have significant exposure to one or more sectors,
including financials, industrials, materials, healthcare, and consumer
discretionary. The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, and, therefore, may invest a larger percentage
of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may engage in active and frequent
trading of portfolio securities.
PRINCIPAL
RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
There
is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
The Fund’s share price and return will fluctuate with changes in
the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment
in the Fund involves the risk of losing money.
Special
Risk Considerations of Investing in Indian Issuers.
Investments in securities of Indian issuers involve risks and special
considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities
markets. Such heightened risks include, among others, greater government control
over the economy, including the risk that the Indian government may decide not
to continue to support economic reform programs, political and legal
uncertainty, competition from low-cost issuers of other emerging economies in
Asia, currency fluctuations or blockage of foreign currency exchanges and the
risk of nationalization or expropriation of assets. Issuers in India are subject
to less stringent requirements regarding accounting, auditing, financial
reporting and record keeping than are issuers in more developed markets, and
therefore, all material information may not be available or reliable. India is
also located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural
disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Any such natural disaster could
cause a significant impact on the Indian economy and could impact operations of
Indian issuers, causing an adverse impact on the Fund. In addition, religious
and border disputes persist in India. Moreover, India has experienced civil
unrest and hostilities with neighboring countries, including Pakistan, and the
Indian government has confronted separatist movements in several Indian states.
India has experienced acts of terrorism that has targeted foreigners. Such acts
of terrorism have had a negative impact on tourism, an important sector of the
Indian economy.
The
securities market of India is considered an emerging market characterized by a
small number of listed companies with significantly smaller market
capitalizations, greater price volatility and substantially less liquidity than
developed markets, such as the United States. These factors, coupled with
restrictions on foreign investment and other factors, limit the supply of
securities available for investment by the Fund. This will affect the rate at
which the Fund is able to invest in India, the purchase and sale prices for such
securities and the timing of purchases and sales. Emerging markets can
experience high rates of inflation, deflation and currency devaluation. Certain
restrictions on foreign investment may decrease the liquidity of the Fund’s
portfolio or inhibit the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective. In
addition, the Reserve Bank of India, the Indian counterpart of the Federal
Reserve Bank in the United States, imposes certain limits on the foreign
ownership of Indian securities. These restrictions and/or controls may at times
limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or
operating in India and may inhibit the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment
objective.
Active
Management Risk. In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser will apply investment
techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but
there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results.
Investment decisions made by the Adviser in seeking to achieve the Fund’s
investment objective may cause a decline in the value of the investments held by
the Fund and, in turn, cause the Fund’s shares to lose value or underperform
other funds with similar investment objectives.
Consumer Discretionary Sector
Risk. The
Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on,
the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. The
consumer discretionary sector comprises companies whose
businesses are sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers of high-end
apparel and automobile and leisure companies. Companies in
the consumer discretionary sector are subject to
fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely
affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political
and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates,
imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and
labor relations.
Convertible
Securities Risk.
Convertible securities are subject to risks associated with both fixed income
securities and common stocks. Depending on its conversion value, the price of a
convertible security will be influenced by interest rates (i.e.,
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its
price generally will increase when interest rates fall and decrease when
interest rates rise) or will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the
equity security into which the security can be
converted.
Depositary Receipts
Risk. The
Fund may invest in depositary receipts (including American Depositary Receipts
and Global Depositary Receipts), which involve similar risks to those associated
with investments in foreign securities. Depositary receipts are receipts listed
on U.S. or foreign exchanges issued by banks or trust companies that entitle the
holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying
foreign shares. The issuers of certain depositary receipts are under no
obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such
receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the
deposited securities. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid than
the underlying shares in their primary trading market. The issuers of depositary
receipts may discontinue issuing new depositary receipts and withdraw existing
depositary receipts at any time, which may result in costs and delays in the
distribution of the underlying assets to the Fund and may negatively impact the
Fund’s performance.
Emerging
Market Issuers Risk.
Investments in securities of emerging market issuers involve risks not typically
associated with investments in securities of issuers in more developed countries
that may negatively affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Such
heightened risks may include, among others, expropriation, nationalization
and/or confiscation of assets and property, restrictions on and government
intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political
instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental
decision making, armed conflict, the impact on the economy as a result of civil
war, crime (including drug violence) and social instability as a result of
religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest. Issuers in certain emerging
market countries are subject to less stringent requirements regarding
accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping than are issuers in
more developed markets, and therefore, all material information may not be
available or reliable. Emerging markets are also more likely than developed
markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well
as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Low
trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets may make trades
harder to complete and settle, and governments or trade groups may compel local
agents to hold securities in designated depositories that may not be subject to
independent evaluation. Local agents are held only to the standards of care of
their local markets. In general, the less developed a country’s securities
markets are, the greater the likelihood of custody problems. Additionally, each
of the factors described below could have a negative impact on the Fund’s
performance and increase the volatility of the Fund.
Securities
Market Risk.
Securities markets in emerging market countries are underdeveloped and are often
considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets
located in more developed countries. Securities markets in emerging market
countries are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower
market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater
price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets,
governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. These factors,
coupled with restrictions on foreign investment and other factors, limit the
supply of securities available for investment by the Fund. This will affect the
rate at which the Fund is able to invest in emerging market countries, the
purchase and sale prices for such securities and the timing of purchases and
sales. Emerging markets can experience high rates of inflation, deflation and
currency devaluation. The prices of certain securities listed on securities
markets in emerging market countries have been subject to sharp fluctuations and
sudden declines, and no assurance can be given as to the future performance of
listed securities in general. Volatility of prices may be greater than in more
developed securities markets. Moreover, securities markets in emerging market
countries may be closed for extended periods of time or trading on securities
markets may be suspended altogether due to political or civil unrest. Market
volatility may also be heightened by the actions of a small number of investors.
Brokerage firms in emerging market countries may be fewer in number and less
established than brokerage firms in more developed markets. Since the Fund may
need to effect securities transactions through these brokerage firms, the Fund
is subject to the risk that these brokerage firms will not be able to fulfill
their obligations to the Fund. This risk is magnified to the extent the Fund
effects securities transactions through a single brokerage firm or a small
number of brokerage firms. In addition, the infrastructure for the safe custody
of securities and for purchasing and selling securities, settling trades,
collecting dividends, initiating corporate actions, and following corporate
activity is not as well developed in emerging market countries as is the case in
certain more developed markets.
Political
and Economic Risk.
Certain emerging market countries have historically been subject to political
instability and their prospects are tied to the continuation of economic and
political liberalization in the region. Instability may result from factors such
as government or military intervention in decision making, terrorism, civil
unrest, extremism or hostilities between neighboring countries. Any of these
factors, including an outbreak of hostilities could negatively impact the Fund’s
returns. Limited political and democratic freedoms in emerging market countries
might cause significant social unrest. These factors may have a significant
adverse effect on an emerging market country’s economy.
Many
emerging market countries may be heavily dependent upon international trade and,
consequently, may continue to be negatively affected by trade barriers, exchange
controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other
protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which it
trades. They also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by
economic conditions in the countries with which they trade.
In
addition, commodities (such as oil, gas and minerals) represent a significant
percentage of certain emerging market countries’ exports and these economies are
particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. Adverse economic
events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries
of this region. In addition, most emerging market countries have experienced, at
one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in
some
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cases,
hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates, extreme measures
by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally debilitating effect
on economic growth.
Although
inflation in many countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain
at lower levels. The political history of certain emerging market countries has
been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in
civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such events could
reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and
removal of trade barriers, and result in significant disruption in securities
markets in the region.
Also,
from time to time, certain issuers located in emerging market countries in which
the Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to
sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations
and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of
terrorism. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is
identified as an issuer which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries.
The Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those
risks.
The
economies of one or more countries in which the Fund may invest may be in
various states of transition from a planned economy to a more market oriented
economy. The economies of such countries differ from the economies of most
developed countries in many respects, including levels of government
involvement, states of development, growth rates, control of foreign exchange
and allocation of resources. Economic growth in these economies may be uneven
both geographically and among various sectors of their economies and may also be
accompanied by periods of high inflation. Political changes, social instability
and adverse diplomatic developments in these countries could result in the
imposition of additional government restrictions, including expropriation of
assets, confiscatory taxes or nationalization of some or all of the property
held by the underlying issuers of securities of emerging market issuers. There
is no guarantee that the governments of these countries will not revert back to
some form of planned or non-market oriented economy, and such governments
continue to be active participants in many economic sectors through ownership
positions and regulation. The allocation of resources in such countries is
subject to a high level of government control. Such countries’ governments may
strictly regulate the payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and
set monetary policy. Through their policies, these governments may provide
preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. The policies set
by the government of one of these countries could have a substantial effect on
that country’s economy.
Investment
and Repatriation Restrictions Risk.
The government in an emerging market country may restrict or control to varying
degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers
located or operating in such emerging market countries. These restrictions
and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities
of issuers located or operating in emerging market countries and may inhibit the
Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. In addition, the Fund may not
be able to buy or sell securities or receive full value for such securities.
Moreover, certain emerging market countries may require governmental approval or
special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors and may limit the
amount of investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or
issuer; may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an
issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for
purchase by domiciliaries of such emerging market countries; and/or may impose
additional taxes on foreign investors. A delay in obtaining a required
government approval or a license would delay investments in those emerging
market countries, and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to invest in
certain securities while approval is pending. The government of certain emerging
market countries may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables
the Fund to invest in such country. These factors make investing in issuers
located or operating in emerging market countries significantly riskier than
investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries, and any
one of them could cause a decline in the net asset value of the
Fund.
Additionally,
investments in issuers located in certain emerging market countries may be
subject to a greater degree of risk associated with governmental approval in
connection with the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds
of sales of securities by foreign investors. Moreover, there is the risk that if
the balance of payments in an emerging market country declines, the government
of such country may impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital
remittances. Consequently, the Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or
a refusal to grant, required governmental approval for repatriation of capital,
as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments.
Furthermore, investments in emerging market countries may require the Fund to
adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions,
each of which may involve additional costs to the
Fund.
Limited
Disclosure About Emerging Market Issuers Risk.
Issuers located or operating in emerging market countries are not subject to the
same rules and regulations as issuers located or operating in more developed
countries. Therefore, there may be less financial and other information publicly
available with regard to issuers located or operating in emerging market
countries and such issuers are not subject to the uniform accounting, auditing
and financial reporting standards applicable to issuers located or operating in
more developed countries.
Foreign
Currency Risk Considerations.
The Fund’s assets that are invested in securities of issuers in emerging market
countries will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, and the proceeds
received by the Fund from these investments may be denominated in foreign
currencies. The value of an emerging market country’s currency may be subject to
a high degree of fluctuation. This fluctuation may be due to changes in interest
rates, the effects of monetary policies issued by the United States, foreign
governments, central banks or supranational entities, the imposition of currency
controls or other national or global political or economic developments. The
economies of certain emerging
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market
countries can be significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain
emerging market countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained
at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels
determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large
adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative
effect on foreign investors.
The
Fund’s exposure to an emerging market country’s currency and changes in value of
such foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may reduce the Fund’s investment
performance and the value of your investment in the Fund. Meanwhile, the Fund
will compute and expects to distribute its income in U.S. dollars, and the
computation of income will be made on the date that the income is earned by the
Fund at the foreign exchange rate in effect on that date. Therefore, if the
value of the respective emerging market country’s currency falls relative to the
U.S. dollar between the earning of the income and the time at which the Fund
converts the relevant emerging market country’s currency to U.S. dollars, the
Fund may be required to liquidate certain positions in order to make
distributions if the Fund has insufficient cash in U.S. dollars to meet
distribution requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The
liquidation of investments, if required, could be at disadvantageous prices or
otherwise have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.
Certain
emerging market countries also restrict the free conversion of their currency
into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. There is no significant
foreign exchange market for many such currencies and it would, as a result, be
difficult for the Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to
protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such
currencies. Furthermore, if permitted, the Fund may incur costs in connection
with conversions between U.S. dollars and an emerging market country’s currency.
Foreign exchange dealers realize a profit based on the difference between the
prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer
normally will offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while
offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire immediately to resell
that currency to the dealer. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange
transactions either on a spot (i.e.,
cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market,
or through entering into forward, futures or options contracts to purchase or
sell foreign currencies.
Operational
and Settlement Risk.
In addition to having less developed securities markets, emerging market
countries have less developed custody and settlement practices than certain
developed countries. Rules adopted under the Investment Company Act of 1940
permit the Fund to maintain its foreign securities and cash in the custody of
certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories. Banks in emerging
market countries that are eligible foreign sub-custodians may be recently
organized or otherwise lack extensive operating experience. In addition, in
certain emerging market countries there may be legal restrictions or limitations
on the ability of the Fund to recover assets held in custody by a foreign
sub-custodian in the event of the bankruptcy of the sub-custodian. Because
settlement systems in emerging market countries may be less organized than in
other developed markets, there may be a risk that settlement may be delayed and
that cash or securities of the Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or
defects in the systems. Under the laws in many emerging market countries, the
Fund may be required to release local shares before receiving cash payment or
may be required to make cash payment prior to receiving local shares, creating a
risk that the Fund may surrender cash or securities without ever receiving
securities or cash from the other party. Settlement systems in emerging market
countries also have a higher risk of failed trades and back to back settlements
may not be possible.
The
Fund may not be able to convert a foreign currency to U.S. dollars in time for
the settlement of redemption requests. In the event that the Fund is not able to
convert the foreign currency to U.S. dollars in time for settlement, which may
occur as a result of the delays described above, the Fund may be required to
liquidate certain investments and/or borrow money in order to fund such
redemption. The liquidation of investments, if required, could be at
disadvantageous prices or otherwise have an adverse impact on the Fund’s
performance (e.g.,
by causing the Fund to overweight foreign currency denominated holdings and
underweight other holdings which were sold to fund redemptions). In addition,
the Fund will incur interest expense on any borrowings and the borrowings will
cause the Fund to be leveraged, which may magnify gains and losses on its
investments.
In
certain emerging market countries, the marketability of investments may be
limited due to the restricted opening hours of trading exchanges, and a
relatively high proportion of market value may be concentrated in the hands of a
relatively small number of investors. In addition, because certain emerging
market countries’ trading exchanges on which the Fund’s portfolio securities may
trade are open when the relevant exchanges are closed, the Fund may be subject
to heightened risk associated with market movements. Trading volume may be lower
on certain emerging market countries’ trading exchanges than on more developed
securities markets and securities may be generally less liquid. The
infrastructure for clearing, settlement and registration on the primary and
secondary markets of certain emerging market countries are less developed than
in certain other markets and under certain circumstances this may result in the
Fund experiencing delays in settling and/or registering transactions in the
markets in which it invests, particularly if the growth of foreign and domestic
investment in certain emerging market countries places an undue burden on such
investment infrastructure. Such delays could affect the speed with which the
Fund can transmit redemption proceeds and may inhibit the initiation and
realization of investment opportunities at optimum times.
Certain
issuers in emerging market countries may utilize share blocking schemes. Share
blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights
related to an issuer’s securities are predicated on these securities being
blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level for a period of
time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of barring
the purchase and sale of certain voting securities within a specified number of
days
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before
and, in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where a vote of
shareholders will be taken. Share blocking may prevent the Fund from buying or
selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are
blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The blocking period can last
up to several weeks. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be
quite onerous with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In
addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed. As a result of the
ramifications of voting ballots in markets that allow share blocking, the
Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting
proxies in those markets.
Corporate
and Securities Laws Risk.
Securities laws in emerging market countries are relatively new and unsettled
and, consequently, there is a risk of rapid and unpredictable change in laws
regarding foreign investment, securities regulation, title to securities and
securityholders rights. Accordingly, foreign investors may be adversely affected
by new or amended laws and regulations. In addition, the systems of corporate
governance to which emerging market issuers are subject may be less advanced
than those systems to which issuers located in more developed countries are
subject, and therefore, securityholders of issuers located in emerging market
countries may not receive many of the protections available to securityholders
of issuers located in more developed countries. In circumstances where adequate
laws and securityholders rights exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift
and equitable enforcement of the law. In addition, the enforcement of systems of
taxation at federal, regional and local levels in emerging market countries may
be inconsistent and subject to sudden change. The Fund has limited rights and
few practical remedies in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities
to bring enforcement actions in emerging markets may be
limited.
Equity Securities Risk.
The value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to
general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the markets in
which the issuers of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors
relating to specific issuers in which the Fund invests. Equity securities are
subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure
with respect to priority to a share of corporate income, and therefore will be
subject to greater dividend risk than preferred securities or debt instruments.
In addition, while broad market measures of equity securities have historically
generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, equity securities
have generally also experienced significantly more volatility in those
returns.
Large-Capitalization
Companies Risk. The
Fund may invest in large-capitalization companies and, therefore will be subject
to certain risks associated with large-capitalization companies. Securities of
large-capitalization companies (generally companies with market capitalization
greater than $10 billion) could fall out of favor with the market and
underperform securities of small- or medium-capitalization companies. Larger,
more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow
more slowly than smaller companies.
Financials
Sector Risk. The Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a
greater extent on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in
the financials sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that
affects the scope of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount
of capital they must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials
sector may be adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses,
which usually increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades.
In addition, the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including
continuing consolidations, development of new products and structures and
changes to its regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the
financials sector perceived as benefiting from government intervention in the
past may be subject to future government-imposed restrictions on their
businesses or face increased government involvement in their operations.
Increased government involvement in the financials sector, including measures
such as taking ownership positions in financial institutions, could result in a
dilution of the Fund’s investments in financial institutions.
Foreign
Currency Risk.
Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments
and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuers will generally be
denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and
changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in
reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be
subject to a high degree of fluctuation. The Fund may also (directly or
indirectly) incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and
foreign currencies.
Foreign
Securities Risk. Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks
beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional
risks include greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable
financial information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by
foreign governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability.
Because certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity
of large traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that
trade in such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in
countries whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners.
Any reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s
investments. Foreign market trading hours, clearance and settlement procedures,
and holiday schedules may limit the Fund's ability to buy and sell
securities.
Healthcare
Sector Risk.
The Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent
on, the overall condition of the health care sector. Companies in the healthcare
sector may be affected by extensive government regulation, restrictions on
government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products
and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services,
limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and
other market developments. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on
patent protection. The
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expiration
of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies. Many
healthcare companies are subject to extensive litigation based on product
liability and similar claims.
Healthcare
companies are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise
prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the
healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of
obtaining such approvals may be long and costly. Companies in the healthcare
sector may be thinly capitalized and may be susceptible to product
obsolescence.
High
Portfolio Turnover Risk.
The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities,
which will result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including
brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale
of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. High portfolio
turnover may also result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable
account. The effects of high portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund
performance.
Industrials
Sector Risk. The Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a
greater extent on, the overall condition of the industrials sector. The
industrials sector comprises companies who produce capital goods used in
construction and manufacturing, such as companies that make and sell machinery,
equipment and supplies that are used to produce other goods. Companies in the
industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government
regulation, world events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the
industrials sector may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product
liability claims and exchange rates.
Market
Risk.
The prices of securities are subject to the risks associated with investing in
the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and
unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and
public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political,
economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics
and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts, war, social unrest, recessions, inflation,
interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, embargoes, tariffs, sanctions
and other trade barriers) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and
other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies
world-wide. Overall securities values could decline generally or underperform
other investments. An investment may lose
money.
Materials
Sector Risk. The
Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on,
the overall condition of the materials sector. Companies engaged in the
production and distribution of materials may be adversely affected by changes in
world events, political and economic conditions, energy conservation,
environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates,
imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and
labor relations. At times, worldwide production of industrial materials has
exceeded demand as a result of over-building or economic downturns, leading to
poor investment returns or losses. Other risks may include liabilities for
environmental damage and general civil liabilities, and mandated expenditures
for safety and pollution control.
New
Fund Risk.
The Fund is a new fund, with a limited or no operating history and a small asset
base. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain a viable
size. Due to the Fund’s small asset base, certain of the Fund’s expenses and its
portfolio transaction costs may be higher than those of a fund with a larger
asset base. To the extent that the Fund does not grow to or maintain a viable
size, it may be liquidated, and the expenses, timing and tax consequences of
such liquidation may not be favorable to some
shareholders.
Non-Diversified
Risk. The
Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the Investment Company Act
of 1940. The Fund is subject to the risk that it will be more volatile than a
diversified fund because the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of its
assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of its
assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single investment
may have a greater impact on the Fund’s net asset value and may make the Fund
more volatile than more diversified funds. The Fund may be particularly
vulnerable to this risk if it is comprised of a limited number of
investments.
Operational
Risk.
The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors,
including human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s
service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate
processes and technology or system
failures.
Preferred
Securities Risk. Preferred
Securities are essentially contractual obligations that entail rights to
distributions declared by the issuer’s board of directors but may permit the
issuer to defer or suspend distributions for a certain period of time. If the
Fund owns a Preferred Security whose issuer has deferred or suspended
distributions, the Fund may be required to account for the distribution that has
been deferred or suspended for tax purposes, even though it may not have
received this income in cash. Further, Preferred Securities may lose substantial
value if distributions are deferred, suspended or not declared. Preferred
Securities may also permit the issuer to convert Preferred Securities into the
issuer’s common stock. Preferred Securities that are convertible into common
stock may decline in value if the common stock to which Preferred Securities may
be converted declines in value. Preferred Securities are subject to greater
credit risk than traditional fixed income securities because the rights of
holders of Preferred Securities are subordinated to the rights of the bond and
debtholders of an issuer.
Small-
and Medium-Capitalization Companies Risk.
The Fund may invest in small- and medium-capitalization companies and, therefore
will be subject to certain risks associated with small- and
medium-capitalization companies. These companies are often subject to less
analyst coverage and may be in early and less predictable periods of their
corporate existences, with
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little
or no record of profitability. In addition, these companies often have greater
price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity than larger more
established companies. These companies tend to have smaller revenues, narrower
product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller shares of their
product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less competitive
strength than large-capitalization companies. Returns on investments in
securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the returns
on investments in securities of larger companies.
Authorized
Participant Concentration Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of Authorized Participants, none
of which are obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To
the extent that those Authorized Participants exit the business, or do not
process creation and/or redemption orders, there may be a significantly
diminished trading market for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds
at a discount (or premium) to net asset value and possibly face trading halts
and/or de-listing. This can be reflected as a spread between the bid-ask prices
for the Fund. The Authorized Participant concentration risk may be heightened in
cases where Authorized Participants have limited or diminished access to the
capital required to post collateral.
No
Guarantee of Active Trading Market Risk. There can be no assurance that an active trading market for
the Shares will develop or be maintained, as applicable. Further, secondary
markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and
extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market
makers and Authorized Participants may step away from making a market in the
Shares and in executing creation and redemption orders, which could cause a
material deviation in the Fund’s market price from its net asset
value.
Trading
Issues Risk.
Trading in shares on the exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable.
In addition, trading in shares on the exchange is subject to trading halts
caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the relevant exchange’s
“circuit breaker” rules. If a trading halt or unanticipated early close of the
exchange occurs, a shareholder may be unable to purchase or sell Shares of the
Fund. There can be no assurance that requirements of the exchange necessary to
maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain
unchanged.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of
Fund Shares. The market price of the Shares may fluctuate in response to
the Fund’s net asset value, the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings and supply
and demand for Shares. Shares may trade above, below, or at their most recent
net asset value. Factors including disruptions to creations and redemptions, the
existence of market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for
Shares (including through a trading halt), may result in Shares trading at a
significant premium or discount to net asset value or to the intraday value of
the Fund’s holdings. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when the market
price is at a premium to the net asset value or sells Shares at a time when the
market price is at a discount to the net asset value, the shareholder may pay
significantly more or receive significantly less than the underlying value of
the Shares. The securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close
at a different time than the exchange on which the Shares are traded. Liquidity
in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times.
Accordingly, during the time when the exchange is open but after the applicable
market closing, fixing or settlement times, bid/ask spreads on the exchange and
the resulting premium or discount to the Shares’ net asset value may widen.
Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s Shares
may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for
the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings and a shareholder may be unable to sell
his or her Shares.
Cash
Transactions Risk. Unlike other ETFs, the Fund expects to effect its creations and
redemptions at least partially for cash, rather than wholly for in-kind
securities. Therefore, it may be required to sell portfolio securities and
subsequently incur brokerage costs and/or recognize gains or losses on such
sales that the Fund might not have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio
securities in kind. As such, investments in Shares may be less tax-efficient
than an investment in a conventional ETF. Transaction costs, including brokerage
costs, will decrease the Fund’s net asset value to the extent not offset by the
transaction fee payable by an Authorized Participant.
PERFORMANCE
The Fund commenced operations on February
18, 2026 and therefore does not have a performance history for the calendar year
ended December 31, 2025. Once available, the Fund’s performance
information will be accessible on the Fund’s website at www.vaneck.com.
PORTFOLIO
MANAGEMENT
Investment
Adviser. Van
Eck Associates Corporation
Portfolio
Manager.
The following individual will be primarily responsible for the day-to-day
management of the Fund’s portfolio:
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| Name |
Title
with Adviser |
Date
Began Managing the Fund |
| Angus
Shillington |
Portfolio
Manager |
February
2026 |
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PURCHASE
AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
Individual
Shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market
transactions through a broker or dealer at a market price. Shares of the Fund
are listed on the Exchange, and because Shares trade at market prices rather
than net asset
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value,
Shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than net asset value
(i.e.,
a “premium”) or less than net asset value (i.e.,
a “discount”).
An
investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest
price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares of the Fund (bid) and the
lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or
selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).
Recent
information, including information about the Fund’s net asset value, market
price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is included on the Fund’s
website at www.vaneck.com.
TAX
INFORMATION
The
Fund’s distributions (other than return of capital distributions) are taxable
and will generally be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.
PAYMENTS
TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES
The
Adviser and its related companies may pay broker-dealers or other financial
intermediaries (such as a bank) for the sale of the Fund Shares and related
services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing your
broker-dealer or other intermediary or its employees or associated persons to
recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial adviser or visit
your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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| ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND
RISKS |
INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE
The
Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.
The
Fund's investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board
of Trustees (the "Board of Trustees") of the VanEck Funds (the "Trust") without
shareholder approval. To the extent practicable, the Fund will provide
shareholders with 60 days' prior written notice before changing its investment
objective.
PRINCIPAL
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The
Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities. The Fund
is an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that seeks to achieve its
investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of
its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity
securities of companies that are economically tied to India (“Indian
Companies”).
For
purposes of this policy, an Indian Company includes an issuer that: (i) is
domiciled in India; (ii) is listed on an Indian exchange; (iii) derives more
than 50% of its revenues or profits from India; or (iv) has its principal place
of business in India. The Fund may invest in companies across all market
capitalizations, including small-, mid-, and large-capitalization issuers.
Equity securities include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities,
American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and
shares of other investment companies (including ETFs) that provide exposure to
Indian Companies.
The
Fund uses a disciplined, multi-step investment process that seeks to identify
companies with strong long-term return profiles, high capital efficiency, and
resilient business models.
The
process begins by seeking to identify companies that have delivered consistent
shareholder returns and outperformance over time relative to the broader market.
In addition, the investment team may include select companies with shorter
operating histories, particularly in sectors undergoing structural change or
technological disruption.
The
next step of the investment process seeks to reduce or eliminate exposure to
names that may exhibit signs of potential deterioration (i.e., decreasing
capital efficiency). These include, but are not limited to, companies the
investment team believes may experience projected declines in return on equity
(ROE) or return on invested capital (ROIC), or those that the investment team
believes to be trading at valuation levels above their own recent history.
Portfolio
construction follows a core-satellite structure. The core allocation consists of
high-conviction large-cap holdings that serve as the portfolio’s anchor.
Satellite allocations focus on small- and mid-cap companies and tactical
opportunities. Under normal conditions, the Adviser expects the Fund’s portfolio
to include 60 to 90 holdings.
Additional
risk controls may include adjustments to position sizes based on valuation
signals and optimization around portfolio-level risk parameters. While the
portfolio is typically rebalanced semi-annually, the Adviser expects to monitor
the portfolio on a monthly basis to maintain the portfolio generally in line
with the intended allocations. The Adviser expects to adjust positions in
response to material changes in company fundamentals or broader market
conditions.
The
Fund may from time to time have significant exposure to one or more sectors,
including financials, industrials, materials, healthcare, and consumer
discretionary. The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, and, therefore, may invest a larger percentage
of its assets in a particular issuer. The Fund may engage in active and frequent
trading of portfolio securities.
The
Adviser may reduce or eliminate positions in companies that no longer exhibit
certain characteristics such as, but not limited to, market leadership declining
growth, deteriorating operating performance, or a weakening market
capitalization profile.
FUNDAMENTAL
AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
The
Fund’s investment objective and each of its other investment policies are
non-fundamental policies that may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the
Trust without shareholder approval, except as noted in this
Prospectus
or the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) under the section entitled
“Fundamental Investment Restrictions.”
The Fund’s policy of investing “at least 80% of its net assets” (which includes
net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes) is non-fundamental and
may be changed by the Board of Trustees without a shareholder vote, as long as
shareholders are given 60 days notice of the change.
RISKS
OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
The
following section provides additional information regarding the principal risks
identified under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund’s
“Summary Information” section followed by additional risk information.
There
is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s
share price and return will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the
Fund’s portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the Fund involves the
risk of losing money.
Special
Risk Considerations of Investing in Indian Issuers.
Investments in securities of Indian issuers involve risks and special
considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities
markets. Such heightened risks include, among others, greater government control
over the economy, political and legal uncertainty, competition from low-cost
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issuers
of other emerging economies in Asia, currency fluctuations or blockage of
foreign currency exchanges and the risk of nationalization or expropriation of
assets. Large portions of many Indian companies remain in the hands of
individuals and corporate governance standards of Indian companies may be weaker
and less transparent, which may increase the risk of loss and unequal treatment
of investors. In addition, religious and border disputes persist in India. India
has experienced civil unrest and hostilities with neighboring countries,
including Pakistan, and the Indian government has confronted separatist
movements in several Indian states. India has also experienced acts of terrorism
that have targeted foreigners, which have had a negative impact on tourism, an
important sector of the Indian economy. India has tested nuclear arms, and the
threat of deployment of such weapons could hinder development of the Indian
economy and escalating tensions could impact the broader region.
The
Indian securities markets are smaller and less liquid than securities markets in
more developed economies and are subject to greater price volatility. Issuers in
India are subject to less stringent requirements regarding accounting, auditing
and financial reporting than are issuers in more developed markets, and
therefore, all material information may not be available or reliable. India also
has less developed clearance and settlement procedures, and there have been
times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of
securities and have been significantly delayed. Indian stock exchanges have
experienced problems such as temporary exchange closures, broker defaults,
settlement delays and strikes by brokers that have affected the market price and
liquidity of the securities of Indian companies. In addition, the governing
bodies of the Indian stock exchanges have from time to time restricted
securities from trading, limited price movements and restricted margin
requirements. Further, from time to time, disputes have occurred between listed
companies and the Indian stock exchanges and other regulatory bodies that, in
some cases, have had a negative effect on market sentiment. In addition,
inflation in India may be at very high levels. High inflation may lead to the
adoption of corrective measures designed to moderate growth, regulate prices of
staples and other commodities and otherwise contain inflation. Such measures
could inhibit economic activity in India. Additionally, each of the factors
described below could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance and
increase the volatility of the Fund.
Economic
Risk. The
Indian government has exercised and continues to exercise significant influence
over many aspects of the economy, and the number of public sector enterprises in
India is substantial. Accordingly, Indian government actions in the future could
have a significant effect on the Indian economy. The Indian government has
experienced chronic structural public sector deficits. High amounts of debt and
public spending could have an adverse impact on India’s economy. Services are
the major source of economic growth, accounting for half of India’s output with
less than one quarter of its labor force. Additionally, the Indian economy may
be dependent upon agriculture. About two-thirds of the workforce is in
agriculture. The Fund’s investments may be susceptible to adverse weather
changes including the threat of monsoons and other natural disasters. Despite
strong growth, the World Bank and others express concern about the combined
state and federal budget deficit.
Active
Management Risk.
In managing the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser will apply investment techniques
and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be
no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. Investment decisions
made by the Adviser in seeking to achieve the Fund’s investment objective may
cause a decline in the value of the investments held by the Fund and, in turn,
cause the Fund’s shares to lose value or underperform other funds with similar
investment objectives.
Consumer Discretionary Sector
Risk. The
Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on,
the overall condition of the consumer discretionary sector. The
consumer discretionary sector comprises companies whose
businesses are sensitive to economic cycles, such as manufacturers of high-end
apparel and automobile and leisure companies. Companies in
the consumer discretionary sector are subject to
fluctuations in supply and demand. These companies may also be adversely
affected by changes in consumer spending as a result of world events, political
and economic conditions, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates,
imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and
labor relations.
Convertible
Securities Risk. Convertible
securities are subject to risks associated with both fixed income securities and
common stocks. Depending on its conversion value, the price of a convertible
security will be influenced by interest rates (i.e., its price generally will
increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise) or will
tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the equity security into which the
security can be converted. Convertible securities are usually subordinated to
comparable nonconvertible securities. Moreover, many convertible securities have
credit ratings that are below investment grade and are subject to the same risks
as lower-rated debt securities. Convertible securities generally do not
participate directly in any dividend increases or decreases of the underlying
securities, although the market prices of convertible securities may be affected
by any dividend changes or other changes in the underlying
securities.
Depositary Receipts
Risk. The
Fund may invest in depositary receipts (including American Depositary Receipts
and Global Depositary Receipts), which involve similar risks to those associated
with investments in foreign securities. Depositary receipts are receipts listed
on U.S. or foreign exchanges issued by banks or trust companies that entitle the
holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying
foreign shares. The issuers of certain depositary receipts are under no
obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such
receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the
deposited securities. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid than
the underlying shares in their primary trading market. The issuers of depositary
receipts may discontinue issuing new depositary receipts and
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withdraw
existing depositary receipts at any time, which may result in costs and delays
in the distribution of the underlying assets to the Fund and may negatively
impact the Fund’s performance.
Emerging
Market Issuers Risk.
Investments in securities of emerging market issuers involve risks not typically
associated with investments in securities of issuers in more developed countries
that may negatively affect the value of your investment in the Fund. Such
heightened risks may include, among others, expropriation, nationalization
and/or confiscation of assets and property, restrictions on and government
intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political
instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental
decision making, armed conflict, the impact on the economy as a result of civil
war, crime (including drug violence) and social instability as a result of
religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest. Issuers in certain emerging
market countries are subject to less stringent requirements regarding
accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping than are issuers in
more developed markets, and therefore, all material information may not be
available or reliable. Emerging markets are also more likely than developed
markets to experience problems with the clearing and settling of trades, as well
as the holding of securities by local banks, agents and depositories. Low
trading volumes and volatile prices in less developed markets may make trades
harder to complete and settle, and governments or trade groups may compel local
agents to hold securities in designated depositories that may not be subject to
independent evaluation. Local agents are held only to the standards of care of
their local markets. In general, the less developed a country’s securities
markets are, the greater the likelihood of custody problems. Additionally, each
of the factors described below could have a negative impact on the Fund’s
performance and increase the volatility of the Fund.
Securities
Market Risk.
Securities markets in emerging market countries are underdeveloped and are often
considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets
located in more developed countries. Securities markets in emerging market
countries are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower
market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater
price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets,
governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. These factors,
coupled with restrictions on foreign investment and other factors, limit the
supply of securities available for investment by the Fund. This will affect the
rate at which the Fund is able to invest in emerging market countries, the
purchase and sale prices for such securities and the timing of purchases and
sales. Emerging markets can experience high rates of inflation, deflation and
currency devaluation. The prices of certain securities listed on securities
markets in emerging market countries have been subject to sharp fluctuations and
sudden declines, and no assurance can be given as to the future performance of
listed securities in general. Volatility of prices may be greater than in more
developed securities markets. Moreover, securities markets in emerging market
countries may be closed for extended periods of time or trading on securities
markets may be suspended altogether due to political or civil unrest. Market
volatility may also be heightened by the actions of a small number of investors.
Brokerage firms in emerging market countries may be fewer in number and less
established than brokerage firms in more developed markets. Since the Fund may
need to effect securities transactions through these brokerage firms, the Fund
is subject to the risk that these brokerage firms will not be able to fulfill
their obligations to the Fund. This risk is magnified to the extent the Fund
effects securities transactions through a single brokerage firm or a small
number of brokerage firms. In addition, the infrastructure for the safe custody
of securities and for purchasing and selling securities, settling trades,
collecting dividends, initiating corporate actions, and following corporate
activity is not as well developed in emerging market countries as is the case in
certain more developed markets.
Political
and Economic Risk.
Certain emerging market countries have historically been subject to political
instability and their prospects are tied to the continuation of economic and
political liberalization in the region. Instability may result from factors such
as government or military intervention in decision making, terrorism, civil
unrest, extremism or hostilities between neighboring countries. Any of these
factors, including an outbreak of hostilities could negatively impact the Fund’s
returns. Limited political and democratic freedoms in emerging market countries
might cause significant social unrest. These factors may have a significant
adverse effect on an emerging market country’s economy.
Many
emerging market countries may be heavily dependent upon international trade and,
consequently, may continue to be negatively affected by trade barriers, exchange
controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other
protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which it
trades. They also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by
economic conditions in the countries with which they trade.
In
addition, commodities (such as oil, gas and minerals) represent a significant
percentage of certain emerging market countries’ exports and these economies are
particularly sensitive to fluctuations in commodity prices. Adverse economic
events in one country may have a significant adverse effect on other countries
of this region. In addition, most emerging market countries have experienced, at
one time or another, severe and persistent levels of inflation, including, in
some cases, hyperinflation. This has, in turn, led to high interest rates,
extreme measures by governments to keep inflation in check, and a generally
debilitating effect on economic growth.
Although
inflation in many countries has lessened, there is no guarantee it will remain
at lower levels. The political history of certain emerging market countries has
been characterized by political uncertainty, intervention by the military in
civilian and economic spheres, and political corruption. Such events could
reverse favorable trends toward market and economic reform, privatization, and
removal of trade barriers, and result in significant disruption in securities
markets in the region.
Also,
from time to time, certain issuers located in emerging market countries in which
the Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to
sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United
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Nations
and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of
terrorism. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is
identified as an issuer which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries.
The Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those
risks.
The
economies of one or more countries in which the Fund may invest may be in
various states of transition from a planned economy to a more market oriented
economy. The economies of such countries differ from the economies of most
developed countries in many respects, including levels of government
involvement, states of development, growth rates, control of foreign exchange
and allocation of resources. Economic growth in these economies may be uneven
both geographically and among various sectors of their economies and may also be
accompanied by periods of high inflation. Political changes, social instability
and adverse diplomatic developments in these countries could result in the
imposition of additional government restrictions, including expropriation of
assets, confiscatory taxes or nationalization of some or all of the property
held by the underlying issuers of securities of emerging market issuers. There
is no guarantee that the governments of these countries will not revert back to
some form of planned or non-market oriented economy, and such governments
continue to be active participants in many economic sectors through ownership
positions and regulation. The allocation of resources in such countries is
subject to a high level of government control. Such countries’ governments may
strictly regulate the payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and
set monetary policy. Through their policies, these governments may provide
preferential treatment to particular industries or companies. The policies set
by the government of one of these countries could have a substantial effect on
that country’s economy.
Investment
and Repatriation Restrictions Risk.
The government in an emerging market country may restrict or control to varying
degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers
located or operating in such emerging market countries. These restrictions
and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities
of issuers located or operating in emerging market countries and may inhibit the
Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. In addition, the Fund may not
be able to buy or sell securities or receive full value for such securities.
Moreover, certain emerging market countries may require governmental approval or
special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors and may limit the
amount of investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or
issuer; may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an
issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for
purchase by domiciliaries of such emerging market countries; and/or may impose
additional taxes on foreign investors. A delay in obtaining a required
government approval or a license would delay investments in those emerging
market countries, and, as a result, the Fund may not be able to invest in
certain securities while approval is pending. The government of certain emerging
market countries may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables
the Fund to invest in such country. These factors make investing in issuers
located or operating in emerging market countries significantly riskier than
investing in issuers located or operating in more developed countries, and any
one of them could cause a decline in the net asset value of the
Fund.
Additionally,
investments in issuers located in certain emerging market countries may be
subject to a greater degree of risk associated with governmental approval in
connection with the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds
of sales of securities by foreign investors. Moreover, there is the risk that if
the balance of payments in an emerging market country declines, the government
of such country may impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital
remittances. Consequently, the Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or
a refusal to grant, required governmental approval for repatriation of capital,
as well as by the application to the Fund of any restrictions on investments.
Furthermore, investments in emerging market countries may require the Fund to
adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions,
each of which may involve additional costs to the Fund.
Limited
Disclosure About Emerging Market Issuers Risk.
Issuers located or operating in emerging market countries are not subject to the
same rules and regulations as issuers located or operating in more developed
countries. Therefore, there may be less financial and other information publicly
available with regard to issuers located or operating in emerging market
countries and such issuers are not subject to the uniform accounting, auditing
and financial reporting standards applicable to issuers located or operating in
more developed countries.
Foreign
Currency Risk Considerations.
The Fund’s assets that are invested in securities of issuers in emerging market
countries will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, and the proceeds
received by the Fund from these investments may be denominated in foreign
currencies. The value of an emerging market country’s currency may be subject to
a high degree of fluctuation. This fluctuation may be due to changes in interest
rates, the effects of monetary policies issued by the United States, foreign
governments, central banks or supranational entities, the imposition of currency
controls or other national or global political or economic developments. The
economies of certain emerging market countries can be significantly affected by
currency devaluations. Certain emerging market countries may also have managed
currencies which are maintained at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar
rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to
sudden and large adjustments in the currency which, in turn, can have a
disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors.
The
Fund’s exposure to an emerging market country’s currency and changes in value of
such foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may reduce the Fund’s investment
performance and the value of your investment in the Fund. Meanwhile, the Fund
will compute and expects to distribute its income in U.S. dollars, and the
computation of income will be made on the date that the income is earned by the
Fund at the foreign exchange rate in effect on that date. Therefore, if the
value of the respective emerging market country’s currency falls relative to the
U.S. dollar between the earning of the income and
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the
time at which the Fund converts the relevant emerging market country’s currency
to U.S. dollars, the Fund may be required to liquidate certain positions in
order to make distributions if the Fund has insufficient cash in U.S. dollars to
meet distribution requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The
liquidation of investments, if required, could be at disadvantageous prices or
otherwise have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.
Certain
emerging market countries also restrict the free conversion of their currency
into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. There is no significant
foreign exchange market for many such currencies and it would, as a result, be
difficult for the Fund to engage in foreign currency transactions designed to
protect the value of the Fund’s interests in securities denominated in such
currencies. Furthermore, if permitted, the Fund may incur costs in connection
with conversions between U.S. dollars and an emerging market country’s currency.
Foreign exchange dealers realize a profit based on the difference between the
prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer
normally will offer to sell a foreign currency to the Fund at one rate, while
offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire immediately to resell
that currency to the dealer. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency exchange
transactions either on a spot (i.e.,
cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market,
or through entering into forward, futures or options contracts to purchase or
sell foreign currencies.
Operational
and Settlement Risk.
In addition to having less developed securities markets, emerging market
countries have less developed custody and settlement practices than certain
developed countries. Rules adopted under the Investment Company Act of 1940
permit the Fund to maintain its foreign securities and cash in the custody of
certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories. Banks in emerging
market countries that are eligible foreign sub-custodians may be recently
organized or otherwise lack extensive operating experience. In addition, in
certain emerging market countries there may be legal restrictions or limitations
on the ability of the Fund to recover assets held in custody by a foreign
sub-custodian in the event of the bankruptcy of the sub-custodian. Because
settlement systems in emerging market countries may be less organized than in
other developed markets, there may be a risk that settlement may be delayed and
that cash or securities of the Fund may be in jeopardy because of failures of or
defects in the systems. Under the laws in many emerging market countries, the
Fund may be required to release local shares before receiving cash payment or
may be required to make cash payment prior to receiving local shares, creating a
risk that the Fund may surrender cash or securities without ever receiving
securities or cash from the other party. Settlement systems in emerging market
countries also have a higher risk of failed trades and back to back settlements
may not be possible.
The
Fund may not be able to convert a foreign currency to U.S. dollars in time for
the settlement of redemption requests. In the event that the Fund is not able to
convert the foreign currency to U.S. dollars in time for settlement, which may
occur as a result of the delays described above, the Fund may be required to
liquidate certain investments and/or borrow money in order to fund such
redemption. The liquidation of investments, if required, could be at
disadvantageous prices or otherwise have an adverse impact on the Fund’s
performance (e.g.,
by causing the Fund to overweight foreign currency denominated holdings and
underweight other holdings which were sold to fund redemptions). In addition,
the Fund will incur interest expense on any borrowings and the borrowings will
cause the Fund to be leveraged, which may magnify gains and losses on its
investments.
In
certain emerging market countries, the marketability of investments may be
limited due to the restricted opening hours of trading exchanges, and a
relatively high proportion of market value may be concentrated in the hands of a
relatively small number of investors. In addition, because certain emerging
market countries’ trading exchanges on which the Fund’s portfolio securities may
trade are open when the relevant exchanges are closed, the Fund may be subject
to heightened risk associated with market movements. Trading volume may be lower
on certain emerging market countries’ trading exchanges than on more developed
securities markets and securities may be generally less liquid. The
infrastructure for clearing, settlement and registration on the primary and
secondary markets of certain emerging market countries are less developed than
in certain other markets and under certain circumstances this may result in the
Fund experiencing delays in settling and/or registering transactions in the
markets in which it invests, particularly if the growth of foreign and domestic
investment in certain emerging market countries places an undue burden on such
investment infrastructure. Such delays could affect the speed with which the
Fund can transmit redemption proceeds and may inhibit the initiation and
realization of investment opportunities at optimum times.
Certain
issuers in emerging market countries may utilize share blocking schemes. Share
blocking refers to a practice, in certain foreign markets, where voting rights
related to an issuer’s securities are predicated on these securities being
blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level for a period of
time around a shareholder meeting. These restrictions have the effect of barring
the purchase and sale of certain voting securities within a specified number of
days before and, in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where a vote
of shareholders will be taken. Share blocking may prevent the Fund from buying
or selling securities for a period of time. During the time that shares are
blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. The blocking period can last
up to several weeks. The process for having a blocking restriction lifted can be
quite onerous with the particular requirements varying widely by country. In
addition, in certain countries, the block cannot be removed. As a result of the
ramifications of voting ballots in markets that allow share blocking, the
Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, reserves the right to abstain from voting
proxies in those markets.
Corporate
and Securities Laws Risk.
Securities laws in emerging market countries are relatively new and unsettled
and, consequently, there is a risk of rapid and unpredictable change in laws
regarding foreign investment, securities regulation, title to securities and
securityholders rights. Accordingly, foreign investors may be adversely affected
by new or amended
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laws
and regulations. In addition, the systems of corporate governance to which
emerging market issuers are subject may be less advanced than those systems to
which issuers located in more developed countries are subject, and therefore,
securityholders of issuers located in emerging market countries may not receive
many of the protections available to securityholders of issuers located in more
developed countries. In circumstances where adequate laws and securityholders
rights exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement
of the law. In addition, the enforcement of systems of taxation at federal,
regional and local levels in emerging market countries may be inconsistent and
subject to sudden change. The Fund has limited rights and few practical remedies
in emerging markets and the ability of U.S. authorities to bring enforcement
actions in emerging markets may be limited.
Equity Securities Risk. The
value of the equity securities held by the Fund may fall due to general market
and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the markets in which the issuers
of securities held by the Fund participate, or factors relating to specific
issuers in which the Fund invests. For example, an adverse event, such as an
unfavorable earnings report, may result in a decline in the value of equity
securities of an issuer held by the Fund; the price of the equity securities of
an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the securities
markets; or a drop in the securities markets may depress the price of most or
all of the equities securities held by the Fund. In addition, the equity
securities of an issuer in the Fund’s portfolio may decline in price if the
issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments. Equity securities are
subordinated to preferred securities and debt in a company’s capital structure
with respect to priority to a share of corporate income, and therefore will be
subject to greater dividend risk than preferred securities or debt instruments.
In addition, while broad market measures of equity securities have historically
generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, equity securities
have generally also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.
Large-Capitalization
Companies Risk. The
Fund may invest in large-capitalization companies and, therefore will be subject
to certain risks associated with large-capitalization companies. Securities of
large-capitalization companies (generally companies with market capitalization
greater than $10 billion) could fall out of favor with the market and
underperform securities of small- or medium-capitalization companies. Larger,
more established companies may be slow to respond to challenges and may grow
more slowly than smaller companies.
Financials
Sector Risk.
The Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent
on, the overall condition of the financials sector. Companies in the financials
sector may be subject to extensive government regulation that affects the scope
of their activities, the prices they can charge and the amount of capital they
must maintain. The profitability of companies in the financials sector may be
adversely affected by increases in interest rates, by loan losses, which usually
increase in economic downturns, and by credit rating downgrades. In addition,
the financials sector is undergoing numerous changes, including continuing
consolidations, development of new products and structures and changes to its
regulatory framework. Furthermore, some companies in the financials sector
perceived as benefiting from government intervention in the past may be subject
to future government-imposed restrictions on their businesses or face increased
government involvement in their operations. Increased government involvement in
the financials sector, including measures such as taking ownership positions in
financial institutions, could result in a dilution of the Fund’s investments in
financial institutions.
Foreign
Currency Risk.
Because all or a portion of the income received by the Fund from its investments
and/or the revenues received by the underlying issuers will generally be
denominated in foreign currencies, the Fund’s exposure to foreign currencies and
changes in the value of foreign currencies versus the U.S. dollar may result in
reduced returns for the Fund, and the value of certain foreign currencies may be
subject to a high degree of fluctuation. The Fund may also (directly or
indirectly) incur costs in connection with conversions between U.S. dollars and
foreign currencies.
Several
factors may affect the price of euros and the British pound sterling, including
the debt level and trade deficit of the Economic and Monetary Union and the
United Kingdom, inflation and interest rates of the Economic and Monetary Union
and the United Kingdom and investors’ expectations concerning inflation and
interest rates and global or regional political, economic or financial events
and situations. The European financial markets have experienced, and may
continue to experience, volatility and have been adversely affected by concerns
about economic downturns, credit rating downgrades, rising government debt
levels and possible default on or restructuring of government debt in several
European countries. These events have adversely affected, and may in the future
affect, the value and exchange rate of the euro and may continue to
significantly affect the economies of every country in Europe, including
European Union member countries that do not use the euro and non-European Union
member countries. Notwithstanding the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement,
following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union and the
subsequent transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainty as
to the United Kingdom’s post-transition framework. Significant uncertainty
exists regarding the effects such withdrawal will have on the euro, European
economies and the global markets. In addition, one or more countries may abandon
the euro and the impact of these actions, especially if conducted in a
disorderly manner, may have significant and far-reaching consequences on the
euro.
The
value of certain emerging market countries’ currencies may be subject to a high
degree of fluctuation. This fluctuation may be due to changes in interest rates,
investors’ expectations concerning inflation and interest rates, the emerging
market country’s debt levels and trade deficit, the effects of monetary policies
issued by the United States, foreign governments, central banks or supranational
entities, the imposition of currency controls or other national or global
political or economic developments. For example, certain emerging market
countries have experienced economic challenges and liquidity issues with respect
to their currency. The economies of certain emerging market countries can be
significantly affected by currency devaluations. Certain emerging market
countries may also have managed currencies which are maintained at artificial
levels
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relative
to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of
system could lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency, which in
turn, may have a negative effect on the Fund and its investments.
Foreign
Securities Risk.
Investments in the securities of foreign issuers involve risks beyond those
associated with investments in U.S. securities. These additional risks include
greater market volatility, the availability of less reliable financial
information, higher transactional and custody costs, taxation by foreign
governments, decreased market liquidity and political instability. Because
certain foreign securities markets may be limited in size, the activity of large
traders may have an undue influence on the prices of securities that trade in
such markets. The Fund invests in securities of issuers located in countries
whose economies are heavily dependent upon trading with key partners. Any
reduction in this trading may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments.
Foreign market trading hours, clearance and settlement procedures, and holiday
schedules may limit the Fund's ability to buy and sell securities.
Certain
foreign markets that have historically been considered relatively stable may
become volatile in response to changed conditions or new developments. Increased
interconnectivity of world economies and financial markets increases the
possibility that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region
will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries
or regions. Because the Fund may invest in securities denominated in foreign
currencies and some of the income received by the Fund may be in foreign
currencies, changes in currency exchange rates may negatively impact the Fund’s
return.
Foreign
issuers are often subject to less stringent requirements regarding accounting,
auditing, financial reporting and record keeping than are U.S. issuers, and
therefore, not all material information may be available or reliable. Securities
exchanges or foreign governments may adopt rules or regulations that may
negatively impact the Fund’s ability to invest in foreign securities or may
prevent the Fund from repatriating its investments. The Fund may also invest in
depositary receipts which involve similar risks to those associated with
investments in foreign securities. In addition, the Fund may not receive
shareholder communications or be permitted to vote the securities that it holds,
as the issuers may be under no legal obligation to distribute shareholder
communications.
Certain
foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and
are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic
sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, entities
and/or individuals, changes in international trade patterns, trade barriers, and
other protectionist or retaliatory measures. The United States and other nations
or international organizations may impose economic sanctions or take other
actions that may adversely affect issuers of specific countries. Economic
sanctions could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the
Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities or groups of securities for a
substantial period of time, and may make the Fund’s investments in such
securities harder to value. These sanctions, any future sanctions or other
actions, or even the threat of further sanctions or other actions, may
negatively affect the value and liquidity of the Fund.
Also,
certain issuers located in foreign countries in which the Fund invests may
operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or
embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries
identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. As a result,
an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer
which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries. The Fund, as an
investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those
risks.
High
Portfolio Turnover Risk.
The Fund may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities,
which will result in increased transaction costs to the Fund, including
brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and other transaction costs on the sale
of the securities and on reinvestment in other securities. High portfolio
turnover may also result in higher taxes when Fund Shares are held in a taxable
account. The effects of high portfolio turnover may adversely affect Fund
performance.
Healthcare
Sector Risk.
The Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent
on, the overall condition of the health care sector. Companies in the healthcare
sector may be affected by extensive government regulation, restrictions on
government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products
and services, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services,
limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and
other market developments. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on
patent protection. The expiration of patents may adversely affect the
profitability of these companies. Many healthcare companies are subject to
extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims.
Healthcare
companies are subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to raise
prices and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Many new products in the
healthcare sector may be subject to regulatory approvals. The process of
obtaining such approvals may be long and costly. Companies in the healthcare
sector may be thinly capitalized and may be susceptible to product
obsolescence.
Industrials
Sector Risk.
The Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent
on, the overall condition of the industrials sector. The industrials sector
comprises companies who produce capital goods used in construction and
manufacturing, such as companies that make and sell machinery, equipment and
supplies that are used to produce other goods. Companies in the industrials
sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world
events and economic conditions. In addition, companies in the industrials sector
may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and
exchange rates.
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The
stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply and
demand both for their specific product or service and for industrial sector
products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face product
obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product
introduction. In addition, the industrials sector may also be adversely affected
by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced or
characterized by unpredictable factors.
Market
Risk.
The prices of securities are subject to the risks associated with investing in
the securities market, including general economic conditions, sudden and
unpredictable drops in value, exchange trading suspensions and closures and
public health risks. These risks may be magnified if certain social, political,
economic and other conditions and events (such as natural disasters, epidemics
and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts, war, social unrest, recessions, inflation,
interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions, embargoes, tariffs, sanctions
and other trade barriers) adversely interrupt the global economy; in these and
other circumstances, such events or developments might affect companies
world-wide. Overall securities values could decline generally or underperform
other investments. An investment may lose money.
Materials
Sector Risk. The
Fund may be sensitive to, and its performance may depend to a greater extent on,
the overall condition of the materials sector. Companies engaged in the
production and distribution of materials may be adversely affected by changes in
world events, political and economic conditions, energy conservation,
environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates,
imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and
labor relations. At times, worldwide production of industrial materials has
exceeded demand as a result of over-building or economic downturns, leading to
poor investment returns or losses. Other risks may include liabilities for
environmental damage and general civil liabilities, and mandated expenditures
for safety and pollution control.
New
Fund Risk.
The Fund is a new fund, with a limited or no operating history and a small asset
base. There can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain a viable
size. Due to the Fund’s small asset base, certain of the Fund’s expenses and its
portfolio transaction costs may be higher than those of a fund with a larger
asset base. To the extent that the Fund does not grow to or maintain a viable
size, it may be liquidated, and the expenses, timing and tax consequences of
such liquidation may not be favorable to some shareholders.
Non-Diversified
Risk.
The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the Investment Company
Act of 1940. The Fund is subject to the risk that it will be more volatile than
a diversified fund because the Fund may invest a relatively high percentage of
its assets in a smaller number of issuers or may invest a larger proportion of
its assets in a single issuer. Moreover, the gains and losses on a single
investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s net asset value and may make
the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds. The Fund may be particularly
vulnerable to this risk if it is comprised of a limited number of
investments.
Operational
Risk.
The Fund is exposed to operational risk arising from a number of factors,
including human error, processing and communication errors, errors of the Fund’s
service providers, counterparties or other third-parties, failed or inadequate
processes and technology or system failures.
Preferred
Securities Risk. Preferred
Securities are essentially contractual obligations that entail rights to
distributions declared by the issuer’s board of directors but may permit the
issuer to defer or suspend distributions for a certain period of time. Preferred
Securities, which generally pay fixed or adjustable rate dividends or interest
to investors, have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends or
interest and the liquidation of a company’s assets, which means that a company
typically must pay dividends or interest on its Preferred Securities before
paying any dividends on its common stock. On the other hand, preferred
securities are junior to the company’s debt, including both senior and
subordinated debt. Because of their subordinated position in the capital
structure of an issuer, the ability to defer dividend or interest payments for
extended periods of time without triggering an event of default for the issuer,
and certain other features, Preferred Securities are often treated as
equity-like instruments by both issuers and investors, as their quality and
value are heavily dependent on the profitability and cash flows of the issuer
rather than on any legal claims to specific assets. If the Fund owns a Preferred
Security whose issuer has deferred or suspended distributions, the Fund may be
required to account for the distribution that has been deferred or suspended for
tax purposes, even though it may not have received this income in cash. Further,
Preferred Securities may lose substantial value if distributions are deferred,
suspended or not declared. Preferred Securities may also permit the issuer to
convert Preferred Securities into the issuer’s common stock. Preferred
Securities that are convertible into common stock may decline in value if the
common stock to which Preferred Securities may be converted declines in value.
Preferred Securities are subject to greater credit risk than traditional fixed
income securities because the rights of holders of Preferred Securities are
subordinated to the rights of the bond and debtholders of an issuer. Preferred
Securities may be less liquid than such securities as common stocks and do not
convey the same rights as common stock to the holder of Preferred Securities,
such as voting rights (except in certain situations relating to distributions of
preferred dividends). If an issuer of Preferred Securities encounters financial
difficulties, the issuer’s board of directors may not declare a distribution and
the value of Preferred Securities may decline as a result. The board of
directors of an issuer of Preferred Securities may not declare distributions
even if such payments have come due.
Small-
and Medium-Capitalization Companies Risk.
The Fund may invest in small- and medium-capitalization companies and, therefore
will be subject to certain risks associated with small- and medium-
capitalization companies. These companies are often subject to less analyst
coverage and may be in early and less predictable periods of their corporate
existences, with little or no record of profitability. In addition, these
companies often have greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less
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liquidity
than larger more established companies. These companies tend to have smaller
revenues, narrower product lines, less management depth and experience, smaller
shares of their product or service markets, fewer financial resources and less
competitive strength than large-capitalization companies. Returns on investments
in securities of small- and medium-capitalization companies could trail the
returns on investments in securities of larger companies.
Authorized
Participant Concentration Risk.
The Fund may have a limited number of Authorized Participants, none of which are
obligated to engage in creation and/or redemption transactions. To the extent
that those Authorized Participants exit the business, or do not process creation
and/or redemption orders, there may be a significantly diminished trading market
for Shares or Shares may trade like closed-end funds at a discount (or premium)
to net asset value and possibly face trading halts and/or de-listing. This can
be reflected as a spread between the bid-ask prices for the Fund. The Authorized
Participant concentration risk may be heightened in cases where Authorized
Participants have limited or diminished access to the capital required to post
collateral.
No
Guarantee of Active Trading Market Risk. There
can be no assurance that an active trading market for the Shares will develop or
be maintained, as applicable. Further, secondary markets may be subject to
irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement
periods in times of market stress because market makers and Authorized
Participants may step away from making a market in the Shares and in executing
creation and redemption orders, which could cause a material deviation in the
Fund’s market price from its net asset value.
Van
Eck Securities Corporation, the distributor of the Shares, does not maintain a
secondary market in the Shares. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the
secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those
experienced by those Authorized Participants creating and redeeming directly
with the Fund.
Decisions
by market makers or Authorized Participants to reduce their role or “step away”
from these activities in times of market stress could inhibit the effectiveness
of the arbitrage process in maintaining the relationship between the underlying
value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the Fund’s market price. This
reduced effectiveness could result in Fund Shares trading at a price which
differs materially from net asset value and also in greater than normal intraday
bid/ask spreads for Fund Shares.
Trading
Issues Risk.
Trading in shares on the exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable.
In addition, trading in shares on the exchange is subject to trading halts
caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the relevant exchange’s
“circuit breaker” rules. If a trading halt or unanticipated early close of the
exchange occurs, a shareholder may be unable to purchase or sell Shares of the
Fund. There can be no assurance that requirements of the exchange necessary to
maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain
unchanged.
Fund Shares Trading, Premium/Discount Risk and Liquidity of
Fund Shares. Disruptions
to creations and redemptions, the existence of market volatility or potential
lack of an active trading market for Shares (including through a trading halt),
as well as other factors, may result in Shares trading at a significant premium
or discount to net asset value or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings.
The net asset value of the Shares will fluctuate with changes in the market
value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market price of Shares may
fluctuate, in some cases materially, in accordance with changes in net asset
value and the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings, as well as supply and
demand on the Exchange. Shares may trade below, at or above their net asset
value. While the creation/redemption feature is designed to make it likely that
Shares normally will trade close to the value of the Fund’s holdings, market
prices are not expected to correlate exactly to the Fund’s net asset value due
to timing reasons, supply and demand imbalances and other factors. The price
differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces
at work in the secondary trading market for Shares may be closely related to,
but not necessarily identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the
securities of the Fund’s portfolio of investments trading individually or in the
aggregate at any point in time. If a shareholder purchases Shares at a time when
the market price is at a premium to the net asset value or sells Shares at a
time when the market price is at a discount to the net asset value, the
shareholder may pay significantly more or receive significantly less than the
underlying value of the Shares that were bought or sold or the shareholder may
be unable to sell his or her Shares. Any of these factors, discussed above and
further below, may lead to the Shares trading at a premium or discount to the
Fund’s net asset value. In addition, because certain of the Fund’s underlying
securities may trade on exchanges that are closed when the exchange that Shares
of the Fund trade on is open, there are likely to be deviations between the
expected value of an underlying security and the closing security’s price
(i.e.,
the last quote from its closed foreign market) resulting in premiums or
discounts to net asset value that may be greater than those experienced by other
ETFs. In addition, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that
close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may
be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when
the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing, fixing or
settlement times, bid/ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the
Shares’ net asset value may widen. Additionally, in stressed market conditions,
the market for the Fund’s Shares may become less liquid in response to
deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio
holdings.
When
you buy or sell Shares of the Fund through a broker, you will likely incur a
brokerage commission or other charges imposed by brokers. In addition, the
market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes
a bid/ask spread charged by the market makers or other participants that trade
the particular security. The spread of the Fund’s Shares varies over time based
on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s
trading volume, the
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spread
of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease. In times of
severe market disruption, including when trading of the Fund’s holdings may be
halted, the bid/ask spread may increase significantly. This means that Shares
may trade at a discount to the Fund’s net asset value, and the discount is
likely to be greatest during significant market volatility.
Cash
Transactions Risk.
Unlike other ETFs, the Fund effects its creations and redemptions at least
partially for cash, rather than wholly for in-kind securities. Because the Fund
currently intends to effect all or a portion of redemptions for cash, rather
than in-kind distributions, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in
order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds, which
involves transaction costs that the Fund may not have incurred had it effected
redemptions entirely in-kind. These costs may include brokerage costs and/or
taxable gains or losses, which may be imposed on the Fund and decrease the
Fund’s net asset value to the extent such costs are not offset by a transaction
fee payable by an Authorized Participant. If the Fund recognizes a gain on these
sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize a gain it might not
otherwise have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind,
or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required. As a result,
an investment in the Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in a more
conventional ETF. Other ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and
avoid realizing gains in connection with transactions designed to raise cash to
meet redemption requests. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains
to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and
otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may
cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be
subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a
different ETF. Additionally, transactions may have to be carried out over
several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve
considerable transaction fees and taxes.
ADDITIONAL
NON-PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The
Fund may invest in money market instruments, including repurchase agreements or
other funds which invest exclusively in money market instruments, convertible
securities, structured notes (notes on which the amount of principal repayment
and interest payments are based on the movement of one or more specified
factors, such as the movement of a particular stock or stock index) and/or
certain derivatives. Depositary receipts may be used by the Fund in managing
cash flows, and may count towards compliance with the Fund’s 80% policy. The
Fund may also invest, to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of
1940, in other affiliated and unaffiliated funds, such as open-end or closed-end
management investment companies, including other ETFs.
INVESTING
DEFENSIVELY
The
Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the
Fund’s principal investment strategies in anticipation of or in an attempt to
respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. For
temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest without limit in instruments
such as money market instruments, including repurchase agreements or other funds
which invest in money market instruments. The Fund may not achieve its
investment objective while it is investing defensively.
ADDITIONAL
REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS
With
respect to the Fund, the Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of
a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act of 1936
(“CEA”) and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and
therefore is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In
addition, with respect to the Fund, the Adviser is relying upon a related
exclusion from the definition of a “commodity trading advisor (“CTA”) under the
CEA and the rules of the CFTC. The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund,
among other things. to to adhere to certain limits on its investments in
“commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity
options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forward
contracts. Because the Adviser and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of
the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment
strategies, consistent with its investment objective to limit its investments in
these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in
the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither
reviewed nor approved the Adviser’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund,
its investment strategies or this prospectus.
BORROWING
MONEY
The
Fund may borrow money from a bank up to a limit of one-third of the market value
of its assets. The Fund may enter into a credit facility to borrow money for
temporary, emergency or other purposes, including the funding of shareholder
redemption requests, trade settlements and as necessary to distribute to
shareholders any income required to maintain the Fund’s status as a regulated
investment company. To the extent that the Fund borrows money, it may be
leveraged. Leverage generally has the effect of increasing the amount of loss or
gain the Fund might realize, and may increase volatility in the value of the
Fund’s investments.
LENDING
PORTFOLIO SECURITIES
The
Fund may lend its securities as permitted under the 1940 Act, including by
participating in securities lending programs managed by broker-dealers or other
institutions. Securities lending allows the Fund to retain ownership of the
securities loaned and, at the same time, earn additional income. The borrowings
must be collateralized in full with cash, U.S. government securities or
high-quality letters of credit.
The
Fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities loaned or in
gaining access to the securities lending collateral. If the Fund is not able to
recover the securities loaned, the Fund may sell the collateral and purchase a
replacement investment in the market. The value of the collateral could decrease
below the value of the replacement investment by the
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time
the replacement investment is purchased. Cash received as collateral and which
is invested is subject to market appreciation and depreciation.
The
Fund may pay fees to the party arranging the loan of securities. In addition,
the Fund will bear the risk that it may lose money because the borrower of the
loaned securities fails to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.
The Fund could also lose money in the event of a decline in the value of any
cash collateral or in the value of investments made with the cash collateral.
These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Substitute
payments for dividends received by the Fund for securities loaned out by the
Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income.
ADDITIONAL
NON-PRINCIPAL RISKS
Shareholder
Risk. Certain
shareholders, including other funds advised by the Adviser, may from time to
time own a substantial amount of the Fund’s Shares. In addition, a third party
investor, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, an Authorized Participant,
a market maker, or another entity may invest in the Fund and hold its investment
for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large
shareholder would not redeem its investment. Redemptions by shareholders could
have a negative impact on the Fund. In addition, transactions by large
shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on the
exchange and may, therefore, have a material effect on the market price of the
Shares.
Leverage
Risk.
To the extent that the Fund borrows money or utilizes certain derivatives, it
may be leveraged. Leveraging generally exaggerates the effect on net asset value
of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio
securities. The Fund is required to comply with the derivatives rule when it
engages in transactions that create future Fund payment or delivery obligations.
The Fund is required to comply with the asset coverage requirements under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 when it engages in borrowings and/or transactions
treated as borrowings.
CYBER
SECURITY
The
Fund and its service providers are susceptible to cyber security risks that
include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse,
loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data;
denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems; compromises
to networks or devices that the Fund and its service providers use to service
the Fund’s operations; and operational disruption or failures in the physical
infrastructure or operating systems that support the Fund and its service
providers. Cyber attacks against or security breakdowns of the Fund or its
service providers may adversely impact the Fund and its shareholders,
potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of
Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process transactions; the
inability to calculate the Fund’s net asset value; violations of applicable
privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage,
reimbursement or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs.
The Fund may incur additional costs for cyber security risk management and
remediation purposes. In addition, cyber security risks may also impact issuers
of securities in which the Fund invests, which may cause the Fund’s investments
in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Fund or its
service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyber attacks or other
information security breaches in the future.
OTHER
INFORMATION AND POLICIES
BENEFICIARIES
OF CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS
The
Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including,
among others, the Fund’s investment adviser, administrator and distributor, who
provide services to the Fund. Shareholders of the Fund are not parties to, or
intended (or “third-party”) beneficiaries of, any of those contractual
arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in
any individual shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce such
contractual arrangements against the service providers or to seek any remedy
under such contractual arrangements against the service providers, either
directly or on behalf of the Trust.
This
prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Fund that you
should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of the Fund. None of
this prospectus, the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or any document
filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, is intended to, nor
does it, give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Fund and
any investor, or give rise to any contract or other rights in any individual
shareholder, group of shareholders or other person other than any rights
conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be
waived.
CHANGING
THE FUND’S 80% POLICY
The
Fund’s policy of investing “at least 80% of its net assets” (which includes net
assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes) may be changed by the Board
without a shareholder vote, as long as shareholders are given 60 days notice of
the change.
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A
description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure
of the Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Fund’s SAI.
The
percentage limitations relating to the composition of Fund’s portfolio apply at
the time the Fund acquires an investment. A subsequent increase or decrease in
percentage resulting from a change in the value of portfolio securities or the
total or net assets of the Fund will not be considered a violation of the
restriction.
Board
of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust has responsibility for the general oversight
of the management of the Fund, including general supervision of the Adviser and
other service providers, but is not involved in the day-to-day management of the
Trust. A list of the Trustees and the Trust officers, and their present
positions and principal occupations, is provided in the Fund’s SAI.
Investment
Adviser.
Under the terms of an investment management agreement between the Trust and Van
Eck Associates Corporation (“VEAC”) with respect to the Fund (the “Investment
Management Agreement”), VEAC serves as the adviser to the Fund and, subject to
the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for the day-to-day
investment management of the Fund. As of March 31, 2026, VEAC managed
approximately $199.12
billion
in assets. VEAC has been an investment adviser since 1955 and also acts as
adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds, other ETFs, other pooled investment
vehicles and separate accounts. VEAC’s principal business address is 666 Third
Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, New York 10017. A discussion regarding the Board of
Trustees’ approval of the Investment Management Agreement is available in the
Trust’s filing on Form N-CSR for the period ended December 31,
2025.
Pursuant
to the Investment Management Agreement, the Adviser is responsible for all
expenses of the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund
administration, legal, audit and other services, except for the fee payment
under the Investment Management Agreement, acquired fund fees and expenses,
interest expense, offering costs, trading expenses, taxes and extraordinary
expenses. For its services to the Fund, the Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser
an annual unitary management fee equal to 0.75% of its average daily net assets.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser has agreed to pay the offering costs
until at least May 1,
2027.
Manager
of Managers Structure.
The Adviser and the Trust may rely on an exemptive order (the “Order”) from the
Securities and Exchange Commission that permits the Adviser to enter into
investment sub-advisory agreements with unaffiliated sub-advisers without
obtaining shareholder approval. The Adviser, subject to the review and approval
of the Board of Trustees, may select one or more sub- advisers for the Fund and
supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of each
sub-adviser.
The
Order also permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board of
Trustees, to replace sub-advisers and amend investment sub-advisory agreements,
including applicable fee arrangements, without shareholder approval whenever the
Adviser and the Board of Trustees believe such action will benefit the Fund and
its shareholders. The Adviser thus would have the responsibility (subject to the
oversight of the Board of Trustees) to recommend the hiring and replacement of
sub-advisers as well as the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser and
reallocate the Fund’s assets for management among any other sub-adviser(s) and
itself. This means that the Adviser would be able to reduce the sub-advisory
fees and retain a larger portion of the management fee, or increase the
sub-advisory fees and retain a smaller portion of the management fee. The
Adviser would compensate each sub-adviser out of its management
fee.
Administrator,
Custodian and Transfer Agent.
The Adviser is the administrator for the Fund (the “Administrator”), and State
Street Bank and Trust Company is the custodian of the Fund’s assets and provides
transfer agency and fund accounting services to the Fund. The Administrator is
responsible for certain clerical, recordkeeping and/or bookkeeping services
which are required to be provided pursuant to the Investment Management
Agreement.
Distributor.
Van Eck Securities Corporation is the distributor of the Shares (the
“Distributor”). The Distributor will not distribute Shares in less than a
specified number of Shares, each called a “Creation Unit,” and does not maintain
a secondary market in the Shares. The Shares are expected to be traded in the
secondary market.
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The
portfolio manager who is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of
the Fund’s portfolio is Angus Shillington. Mr. Shillington is Portfolio Manager
of the Fund. He joined the Adviser as a Senior Analyst in 2009 and currently
serves on the investment team for various funds advised by the
Adviser.
See
the Fund’s SAI for additional information about the portfolio manager’s
compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and their
respective ownership of Shares.
DETERMINATION
OF NAV
The
net asset value (“NAV”) per Share for the Fund is computed by dividing the value
of the net assets of the Fund (i.e.,
the value of its total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of
Shares outstanding. Expenses and fees, including the management fee, are accrued
daily and taken into account for purposes of determining NAV. The NAV of the
Fund is determined each business day as of the close of trading (ordinarily 4:00
p.m., Eastern time) on the New York Stock Exchange.
The
values of the Fund’s portfolio securities are based on the securities’ closing
prices on the markets on which the securities trade, when available. Due to the
time differences between the United States and certain countries in which the
Fund invests, securities on these exchanges may not trade at times when Shares
of the Fund will trade. In the absence of a last reported sales price, or if no
sales were reported, and for other assets for which market quotes are not
readily available, values may be based on quotes obtained from a quotation
reporting system, established market makers or by an outside independent pricing
service. Debt instruments with remaining maturities of more than 60 days are
valued at the evaluated mean price provided by an outside independent pricing
service. If an outside independent pricing service is unable to provide a
valuation, the instrument is valued at the mean of the highest bid and the
lowest asked quotes obtained from one or more brokers or dealers selected by the
Adviser. Prices obtained by an outside independent pricing service may use
information provided by market makers or estimates of market values obtained
from yield data related to investments or securities with similar
characteristics and may use a computerized grid matrix of securities and its
evaluations in determining what it believes is the fair value of the portfolio
securities. Short-term debt instruments having a maturity of 60 days or less are
valued at amortized cost. Any assets or liabilities denominated in currencies
other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars at the current market
rates on the date of valuation as quoted by one or more sources. If a market
quotation for a security or other asset is not readily available or the Adviser
believes it does not otherwise accurately reflect the market value of the
security or asset at the time the Fund calculates its NAV, the Board of Trustees
has designated the Adviser as the valuation designee pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 to perform fair valuation for such security
or asset in accordance with the Trust’s and Adviser’s valuation policies and
procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. The Fund may also use fair value
pricing in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to, situations
when the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio has been materially
affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security
is principally traded (such as a corporate action or other news that may
materially affect the price of a security) or trading in a security has been
suspended or halted. In addition, the Fund currently expects that it will fair
value certain of the foreign equity securities held by the Fund, if any, each
day the Fund calculates its NAV, except those securities principally traded on
exchanges that close at the same time the Fund calculates its NAV.
Accordingly,
the Fund’s NAV may reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair values rather than
their market prices at the time the exchanges on which they principally trade
close. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that
a fair value determination for a security or other asset is materially different
than the value that could be realized upon the sale of such security or asset.
With respect to securities that are principally traded on foreign exchanges, the
value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be
able to purchase or sell your Shares.
INTRADAY
VALUE
The
trading prices of the Fund’s Shares in the secondary market generally differ
from the Fund’s daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as the supply
of and demand for Fund Shares and underlying securities held by the Fund,
economic conditions and other factors. Information regarding the intraday value
of the Fund’s Shares (“IIV”) may be disseminated throughout each trading day by
the Exchange or by market data vendors or other information providers. The IIV
is based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash required to
be deposited in exchange for a Creation Unit. The IIV does not necessarily
reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities held by
the Fund at a particular point in time or the best possible valuation of the
current portfolio. Therefore, the IIV should not be viewed as a “real-time”
update of the Fund’s NAV, which is computed only once a day. The IIV is
generally determined by using current market quotations and/or price quotations
obtained from broker-dealers and other market intermediaries that may trade in
the portfolio securities held by the Fund and valuations based on current market
rates. The quotations and/or valuations of certain Fund holdings may not be
updated during U.S. trading hours if such holdings do not trade in the United
States. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or
dissemination of the IIV and makes no warranty as to its accuracy.
RULE
144A AND OTHER UNREGISTERED SECURITIES
An
Authorized Participant (i.e.,
a person eligible to place orders with the Distributor to create or redeem
Creation Units of the Fund) that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as
such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
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amended
(the “Securities Act”), will not be able to receive, as part of a redemption,
restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A or other unregistered
securities.
BUYING
AND SELLING EXCHANGE-TRADED SHARES
The
Shares of the Fund are expected to be listed on the Exchange. If you buy or sell
Shares in the secondary market, you will incur customary brokerage commissions
and charges and may pay some or all of the “spread,” which is any difference
between the bid price and the ask price. The spread varies over time for the
Fund’s Shares based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is
generally lower if the Fund has high trading volume and market liquidity, and
generally higher if the Fund has little trading volume and market liquidity
(which is often the case for funds that are newly launched or small in size). In
times of severe market disruption or low trading volume in the Fund’s Shares,
this spread can increase significantly. It is anticipated that the Shares will
trade in the secondary market at prices that may differ to varying degrees from
the NAV of the Shares. During periods of disruptions to creations and
redemptions or the existence of extreme market volatility, the market prices of
Shares are more likely to differ significantly from the Shares’
NAV.
The
Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) serves as securities depository for the Shares.
(The Shares may be held only in book- entry form; stock certificates will not be
issued.) DTC, or its nominee, is the record or registered owner of all
outstanding Shares. Beneficial ownership of Shares will be shown on the records
of DTC or its participants (described below). Beneficial owners of Shares are
not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, will not receive or be
entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are
not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, to exercise any
rights of a holder of Shares, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures
of: (i) DTC; (ii) “DTC Participants,” i.e.,
securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations
and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own
DTC; and (iii) “Indirect Participants,” i.e.,
brokers, dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a
custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly,
through which such beneficial owner holds its interests. The Trust understands
that under existing industry practice, in the event the Trust requests any
action of holders of Shares, or a beneficial owner desires to take any action
that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding Shares, is entitled to take,
DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC
Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and beneficial owners
acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act
upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. As described
above, the Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all Shares for
all purposes. For more information, see the section entitled “Book Entry Only
System” in the Fund’s SAI.
The
Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends and
the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’
Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day,
Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Because
non-U.S. exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its Shares,
the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when
shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s
Shares.
The
right of redemption by an Authorized Participant may be suspended or the date of
payment postponed (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other
than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which
trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during
which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Shares of the
Fund or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such
other circumstance as is permitted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Market
Timing and Related Matters.
The Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions.
Frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares may attempt to take advantage
of a potential arbitrage opportunity presented by a lag between a change in the
value of the Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets
for the Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the
Fund’s NAV (“market timing”). The Board of Trustees considered the nature of the
Fund (i.e.,
a fund whose Shares are expected to trade intraday), that the Adviser monitors
the trading activity of Authorized Participants for patterns of abusive trading,
that the Fund reserves the right to reject orders that may be disruptive to the
management of or otherwise not in the Fund’s best interests, and that the Fund
may fair value certain of its securities. Given this structure, the Board of
Trustees determined that it is not necessary to impose restrictions on the
frequency of purchases and redemptions for the Fund at the present
time.
DISTRIBUTIONS
Net
Investment Income and Capital Gains.
As a shareholder of the Fund, you are entitled to your share of the Fund’s
distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains on its
investments. The Fund pays out substantially all of its net earnings to its
shareholders as “distributions.”
The
Fund typically earns income dividends from stocks and interest from debt
securities. These amounts, net of expenses, are typically passed along to Fund
shareholders as dividends from net investment income. The Fund realizes capital
gains or losses whenever it sells securities. Net capital gains are distributed
to shareholders as “capital gain distributions.” Distributions from the Fund’s
net investment income, including net short-term capital gains, if any, are
taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gains distributions you
receive from the Fund are taxable as long-term capital gains.
Net
investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, is typically
distributed to shareholders annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more
frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the U.S. Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). In addition, in
situations where the Fund acquires investment securities after the
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beginning
of a dividend period, the Fund may elect to distribute at least annually amounts
representing the full dividend yield net of expenses on the underlying
investment securities, as if the Fund owned the underlying investment securities
for the entire dividend period. If the Fund so elects, some portion of each
distribution may result in a return of capital, which, for tax purposes, is
treated as a return of your investment in Shares. You will be notified regarding
the portion of the distribution which represents a return of
capital.
Distributions
in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional Shares of the Fund only if
the broker through which you purchased Shares makes such option
available.
TAX
INFORMATION
As
with any investment, you should consider how your Fund investment will be taxed.
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You
should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an
investment in the Fund, including the possible application of foreign, state and
local taxes. Unless your investment in the Fund is through a tax-exempt entity
or tax-deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan, you need to be aware
of the possible tax consequences when: (i) the Fund makes distributions, (ii)
you sell Shares in the secondary market or (iii) you create or redeem Creation
Units.
Taxes
on Distributions. As
noted above, the Fund expects to distribute net investment income, if any, at
least annually, and any net realized long-term or short-term capital gains, if
any, annually. The Fund may also pay a special distribution at any time to
comply with U.S. federal tax requirements.
In
general, your distributions are subject to U.S. federal income tax when they are
paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in the Fund. Distributions
of net investment income, including net short-term gains, if any, are generally
taxable as ordinary income. Whether distributions of capital gains represent
long-term or short-term capital gains is determined by how long the Fund owned
the investments that generated them, rather than how long you have owned your
Shares. Distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term
capital losses, if any, are generally taxable as ordinary income. Distributions
of net long- term capital gains in excess of net short-term capital losses, if
any, that are properly reported as capital gain dividends are generally taxable
as long-term capital gains. Long-term capital gains of a non-corporate
shareholder are generally taxable at a maximum rate of 15% or 20%, depending on
whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts.
The
Fund may receive dividends, the distribution of which the Fund may report as
qualified dividends. In the event that the Fund receives such a dividend and
reports the distribution of such dividend as a qualified dividend, the dividend
may be taxed at the maximum capital gains rates of 15% or 20%, provided holding
period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and the Fund
level. There can be no assurance that any significant portion of the Fund’s
distributions will be eligible for qualified dividend treatment.
Distributions
in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated
as a tax-free return of your investment to the extent of your basis in the
Shares, and generally as capital gain thereafter. A return of capital, which for
tax purposes is treated as a return of your investment, reduces your basis in
Shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable
disposition of Shares. A distribution will reduce the Fund’s NAV per Share and
may be taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gain even though, from an
economic standpoint, the distribution may constitute a return of
capital.
Dividends,
interest and gains from non-U.S. investments of the Fund may give rise to
withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions
between certain countries and the United States may, in some cases, reduce or
eliminate such taxes.
If
more than 50% of the Fund’s total assets at the end of its taxable year consist
of foreign securities, the Fund may elect to “pass through” to its investors
certain foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, with the result that each
investor will (i) include in gross income, even though not actually received,
the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s foreign income taxes, and (ii)
either deduct (in calculating U.S. taxable income) or credit (in calculating
U.S. federal income), subject to certain holding period and other limitations,
the investor’s pro rata share of the Fund’s foreign income taxes.
Backup
Withholding. The
Fund may be required to withhold a percentage of your distributions and proceeds
if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security
number or otherwise established a basis for exemption from backup withholding.
The backup withholding rate for individuals is currently 24%. This is not an
additional tax and may be refunded, or credited against your U.S. federal income
tax liability, provided certain required information is furnished to the
Internal Revenue Service.
Taxes
on the Sale or Cash Redemption of Exchange Listed Shares.
Currently, any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares is generally
treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares have been held for more
than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if held for one year or
less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less
is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent that capital gain dividends
were paid with respect to such Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may
be limited. To the extent that the Fund shareholder’s Shares are redeemed for
cash, this is normally treated as a sale for tax purposes.
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Taxes
on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units.
A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a
gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the
market value of the Creation Units at the time of exchange and the sum of the
exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any
cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for
securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference
between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate
market value of the securities received. The Internal Revenue Service, however,
may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for
Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash
sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic
position. Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units or redeeming Creation
Units should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale
rules apply and when a loss might be deductible and the tax treatment of any
creation or redemption transaction.
Under
current U.S. federal income tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a
redemption (or creation) of Creation Units held as capital assets is generally
treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares (or securities
surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital
gain or loss if the Shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one
year or less.
If
you create or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement
showing how many Shares you created or sold and at what price.
Medicare
Tax.
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income
(including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the
Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund
Shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s
“modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted
gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold
amounts.
Non-U.S.
Shareholders.
Dividends paid by the Fund to Non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to
withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable
income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term
capital gains. Dividends paid by the Fund from net tax-exempt income or
long-term capital gains are generally not subject to such withholding tax.
Properly-reported dividends are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding
tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the Fund’s “qualified net interest
income” (generally, the Fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain
contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or
partnership in which the Fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses
that are allocable to such income); or (ii) are paid in respect of the Fund’s
“qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the Fund’s net
short-term capital gain over the Fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable
year). However, depending on its circumstances, the Fund may report all, some or
none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income
or as qualified short-term capital gains and/or treat such dividends, in whole
or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding.
Any
capital gain realized by a Non-U.S. shareholder upon a sale of Shares of the
Fund will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax
unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with the shareholder’s trade or
business in the United States, or in the case of a shareholder who is a
nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the United States
for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are
met or (ii) the Fund is or has been a U.S. real property holding corporation, as
defined below, at any time within the five-year period preceding the date of
disposition of the Fund’s Shares or, if shorter, within the period during which
the Non-U.S. shareholder has held the Shares. Generally, a corporation is a U.S.
real property holding corporation if the fair market value of its U.S. real
property interests, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code and applicable
regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of its
worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a
trade or business. The Fund may be, or may prior to a Non-U.S. shareholder’s
disposition of Shares become, a U.S. real property holding corporation. If the
Fund is or becomes a U.S. real property holding corporation, so long as the
Fund’s Shares are regularly traded on an established securities market, only a
Non-U.S. shareholder who holds or held (at any time during the shorter of the
five year period preceding the date of disposition or the holder’s holding
period) more than 5% (directly or indirectly as determined under applicable
attribution rules of the Internal Revenue Code) of the Fund’s Shares will be
subject to United States federal income tax on the disposition of
Shares.
As
part of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, (“FATCA”), the Fund may be
required to withhold 30% tax on certain types of U.S. sourced income
(e.g.,
dividends, interest, and other types of passive income) paid to (i) foreign
financial institutions (“FFIs”), including non-U.S. investment funds, unless
they agree to collect and disclose to the Internal Revenue Service information
regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain
nonfinancial foreign entities (“NFFEs”), unless they certify certain information
regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. To avoid possible withholding,
FFIs will need to enter into agreements with the Internal Revenue Service which
state that they will provide the Internal Revenue Service information, including
the names, account numbers and balances, addresses and taxpayer identification
numbers of U.S. account holders and comply with due diligence procedures with
respect to the identification of U.S. accounts as well as agree to withhold tax
on certain types of withholdable payments made to non-compliant foreign
financial institutions or to applicable foreign account holders who fail to
provide the required information to the Internal Revenue Service, or similar
account information and required documentation to a local revenue authority,
should an applicable intergovernmental agreement be implemented. NFFEs will need
to provide certain information regarding each substantial U.S. owner or
certifications of no substantial U.S. ownership, unless certain exceptions
apply, or agree to provide certain information to the Internal Revenue Service.
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The
Fund may be subject to the FATCA withholding obligation, and also will be
required to perform due diligence reviews to classify foreign entity investors
for FATCA purposes. Investors are required to agree to provide information
necessary to allow the Fund to comply with the FATCA rules. If the Fund is
required to withhold amounts from payments pursuant to FATCA, investors will
receive distributions that are reduced by such withholding amounts.
Non-U.S.
shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the
particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund, including the
possible applicability of the U.S. estate tax.
The
foregoing discussion summarizes some of the consequences under current U.S.
federal income tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for
personal tax advice. Consult your own tax advisor about the potential tax
consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax laws. Changes
in applicable tax authority could materially affect the conclusions discussed
above and could adversely affect the Fund, and such changes often
occur.
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The
Fund commenced operations on February 18, 2026 and therefore does not have a
financial history.
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| PREMIUM/DISCOUNT
INFORMATION |
Information
regarding how often the closing trading price of the Shares of the Fund was
above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund
for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed
calendar quarter(s) since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) can be
found at www.vaneck.com.
CONTINUOUS
OFFERING
The
method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues
under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold
by the Trust on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the
Securities Act may occur at any point. Broker dealers and other persons are
cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the
circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a
manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the
prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For
example, a broker dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory
underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the
Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares
directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of
new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary
market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for
purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and
circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker dealer or its client in
the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a
complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization
as an underwriter.
Broker
dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as
contrasted to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with
Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section
4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the
prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act.
This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the
Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of
Section 24(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. As a result, broker dealer
firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in
a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and
thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the
meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take
advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of
the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with
respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a
prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed
to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by
the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The
prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with
respect to transactions on an exchange.
In
addition, certain affiliates of the Fund and the Adviser may purchase and resell
Fund Shares pursuant to this Prospectus.
OTHER
INFORMATION
The
Trust was organized as a business trust under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts on April 3, 1985. On May 1, 2016, Van Eck Funds changed its name
to VanEck Funds. For more information on the VanEck Funds, the Trustees and the
Officers of the Trust, see “General Information,” “Description of the Trust” and
“Trustees and Officers” in the SAI. If shareholders are required to vote on any
matters, each Share outstanding would be entitled to one vote. Annual meetings
of shareholders will not be held except as required by the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and other applicable law. See the Fund’s SAI for more information
concerning the Trust’s form of organization. Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 restricts investments by investment companies in the
securities of other investment companies, including Shares of the Fund.
Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the
limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) subject to certain terms and conditions set
forth in Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, including that such
investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund.
The
Prospectus, SAI and any other Fund communication do not create any contractual
obligations between the Fund’s shareholders and the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser
and/or the Trustees. Further, shareholders are not intended third party
beneficiaries of any contracts entered into by (or on behalf of) the Fund,
including contracts with the Adviser or other parties who provide services to
the Fund.
Stradley
Ronon Stevens and Young, LLP serves as counsel to the Trust, including the Fund.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP serves as the Trust’s independent registered public
accounting firm and will audit the Fund’s financial statements
annually.
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ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
This
Prospectus does not contain all the information included in the Registration
Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the
Fund’s Shares. The Fund’s Registration Statement, including this Prospectus, the
Fund’s SAI and the exhibits are available on the EDGAR database at the
Securities and Exchange Commission’s website (http://www.sec.gov), and copies
may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the
following email address: [email protected].
The
SAI for the Fund, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, provides more information about the Fund. The SAI for the Fund is
incorporated herein by reference and is legally part of this Prospectus.
Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the
Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund’s annual
report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment
strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last
fiscal year. The SAI and the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, once
available, may be obtained without charge by writing to the Fund at Van Eck
Securities Corporation, the Fund’s Distributor, at 666 Third Avenue, 9th Floor,
New York, New York 10017 or by calling the Distributor at the following number:
Investor Information: 800.826.2333.
Shareholder
inquiries may be directed to the Fund in writing to 666 Third Avenue, 9th Floor,
New York, New York 10017 or by calling 800.826.2333.
The
Fund’s SAI is available at www.vaneck.com.
(Investment
Company Act file no. 811-04297)
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For
more detailed information, see the Statement of Additional Information (SAI),
which is legally a part of and is incorporated by reference into this
prospectus. The SAI includes information regarding, among other things: the Fund
and its investment policies and risks; management of the Fund, investment
advisory and other services, the Fund’s Board of Trustees, and tax matters
related to the Fund.
Additional
information about the investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and
semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find
a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that
significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal year. In
Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial
statements.
Call
VanEck at 800.826.2333, or visit the VanEck website at vaneck.com to request,
free of charge, the annual or semi-annual reports, once available, the SAI,
information regarding applicable sales loads, breakpoint discounts, reduced or
waived sales charges and eligibility minimums, or other information about the
Fund.
Reports
and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the
SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, copies of this
information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic
request at the following e-mail address: [email protected].
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Transfer
Agent: State Street Bank and Trust Company
SEC
Registration Number: 002-97596
1940
Act Registration Number: 811-04297
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