Sprott Asset Management LP is the investment adviser for Sprott Gold Miners ETF and Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF ("the Funds"). ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. is Distributor for the Funds, and ALPS Advisors, Inc. serves as a sub-adviser for the Funds.
Sprott Gold Miners ETF (SGDM) and Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) are concentrated in the gold and silver mining industry. As a result, the Funds are sensitive to changes in, and their performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the gold and silver mining industry. Also, gold and silver mining companies are highly dependent on the price of gold and silver bullion. These prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time so that each Fund's Share price may be more volatile than other types of investments.
Funds that emphasize investments in small-/mid-cap companies will generally experience greater price volatility.
Funds investing in foreign and emerging markets will also generally experience greater price volatility.
Investors should consider the following risk factors and special considerations associated with investing in each Fund, which may cause you to lose money.
Investment Risk. An investment in each Fund is subject to investment risk including the possible loss of the entire principal amount that you invest.
Equity Risk. A principal risk of investing in each Fund is equity risk, which is the risk that the value of the securities held by each Fund will fall due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the issuers of securities held by each Fund participate or factors relating to specific companies in which each Fund invests. For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of equity securities of an issuer held by each Fund; the price of common stock of an issuer may be particularly sensitive to general movements in the stock market; or a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks and other equity securities held by each Fund. In addition, common stock of an issuer in each Fund’s portfolio may decline in price if the issuer fails to make anticipated dividend payments because, among other reasons, the issuer of the security experiences a decline in its financial condition. Common stock is subordinated to preferred stocks, bonds and other debt instruments in a company’s capital structure, in terms of priority to corporate income, and therefore will be subject to greater dividend risk than preferred stocks or debt instruments of such issuers. In addition, while broad market measures of common stocks have historically generated higher average returns than fixed income securities, common stocks have also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns.
Gold and Silver Mining Industry Risk. Because as currently constituted the Underlying Index for each Fund is concentrated in the gold and silver mining industry, each Fund will be sensitive to changes in, and its performance will depend to a greater extent on, the overall condition of the gold and silver mining industry. Competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the financial condition of such companies in the gold and silver mining industry. Also, gold and silver mining companies are highly dependent on the price of gold and silver bullion. These prices may fluctuate substantially over short periods of time so each Fund’s Share price may be more volatile than other types of investments. In times of significant inflation or great economic uncertainty, gold, silver and other precious metals may outperform traditional investments such as bonds and stocks. However, in times of stable economic growth, traditional equity and debt investments could offer greater appreciation potential and the value of gold, silver and other precious metals may be adversely affected, which could in turn affect each Fund’s returns. The production and sale of precious metals by governments or central banks or other large holders can be affected by various economic, financial, social and political factors, which may be unpredictable and may have a significant impact on the supply and prices of precious metals. Economic and political conditions in those countries that are the largest producers of gold may have a direct effect on the production and marketing of gold and on sales of central bank gold holdings. Some gold and precious metals mining operation companies may hedge their exposure to falls in gold and precious metals prices by selling forward future production, which may result in lower returns during periods when the price of gold and precious metals increases. The gold and precious metals industry can be significantly affected by events relating to international political developments, the success of exploration projects, commodity prices and tax and government regulations. If a natural disaster or other event with a significant economic impact occurs in a region where the companies in which each Fund invests operate, such disaster or event could negatively affect the profitability of such companies and, in turn, each Fund’s investment in them.
A significant amount of the companies in the Underlying Index of Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF may be early stage mining companies that are in the exploration stage only or that hold properties that might not ultimately produce gold or silver. The exploration and development of mineral deposits involve significant financial risks over a significant period of time which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. Few properties which are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines. Major expenditures may be required to establish reserves by drilling and to construct mining and processing facilities at a site. In addition, many early stage miners operate at a loss and are dependent on securing equity and/or debt financing, which might be more difficult to secure for an early stage mining company than for a more established counterpart. This segment of mining companies is especially volatile and thus an investment in the Fund may be more speculative than other investments.
Relationship to Gold and Silver Risk. The Underlying Index for each Fund measures the performance of equity securities of companies engaged in gold and silver mining and related services in the precious metals sector. The Underlying Indices do not measure the performance of direct investment in gold and silver and, therefore, may not move in the same direction and to the same extent as the spot prices of gold and silver.
Depositary Receipt Risk. Each Fund may hold the securities of non-U.S. companies in the form of ADRs. ADRs are negotiable certificates issued by a U.S. financial institution that represent a specified number of shares in a foreign stock and trade on a U.S. national securities exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange. Sponsored ADRs are issued with the support of the issuer of the foreign stock underlying the ADRs and carry all of the rights of common shares, including voting rights. The underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered 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. Issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not contractually obligated to disclose material information in the U.S. and, therefore, such information may not correlate to the market value of the unsponsored depositary receipt. The underlying securities of the ADRs in each Fund’s portfolio are usually denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. Dollar. As a result, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of each Fund’s portfolio. In addition, because the underlying securities of ADRs trade on foreign exchanges at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading, the value of the securities underlying the ADRs may change materially at times when the U.S. markets are not open for trading, regardless of whether there is an active U.S. market for shares of each Fund.
Foreign Investment Risk. Each Fund’s investments in non-U.S. issuers, although limited to ADRs, may involve unique risks compared to investing in securities of U.S. issuers. Adverse political, economic or social developments could undermine the value of each Fund’s investments or prevent each Fund from realizing the full value of its investments. Financial reporting standards for companies based in foreign markets differ from those in the United States.
Countries with emerging markets may have relatively unstable governments, may present the risks of nationalization of businesses, restrictions on foreign ownership and prohibitions on the repatriation of assets. The economies of emerging markets countries also may be based on only a few industries, making them more vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions and more sensitive to debt burdens or inflation rates.
Concentration Risk. Each Fund seeks to track an Underlying Index, which itself may have concentration in certain regions, economies, countries, markets, industries or sectors. Based on the current composition of the Underlying Indices each Fund will be concentrated in the gold and silver mining industry. Underperformance or increased risk in such concentrated areas may result in underperformance or increased risk in each Fund.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Company Risk. Investments in securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies are subject to the risks of common stocks. Investments in smaller companies may involve greater risks because these companies generally have a limited track record. Smaller companies often have narrower markets, more limited managerial and financial resources and a less diversified product offering than larger, more established companies. As a result, their performance can be more volatile, which may increase the volatility of each Fund’s portfolio.
Micro-Capitalization Company Risk. Micro-cap stocks involve substantially greater risks of loss and price fluctuations because their earnings and revenues tend to be less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), and their share prices tend to be more volatile and their markets less liquid than companies with larger market capitalizations. Micro-cap companies may be newly formed or in the early stages of development, with limited product lines, markets or financial resources and may lack management depth. In addition, there may be less public information available about these companies. The shares of micro-cap companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the future ability to sell these securities. Also, it may take a long time before the Fund realizes a gain, if any, on an investment in a micro-cap company.
Non-Correlation Risk. Each Fund’s return may not match the return of the Underlying Index for a number of reasons. For example, each Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Underlying Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing each Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Underlying Index. In addition, the performance of each Fund and the Underlying Index may vary due to asset valuation differences and differences between each Fund’s portfolio and the Underlying Index resulting from legal restrictions.
Due to legal and regulatory rules and limitations, each Fund may not be able to invest in all securities included in the Underlying Index. For tax efficiency purposes, each Fund may sell certain securities to realize losses, causing it to deviate from the Underlying Index.
Each Fund may not be fully invested at times, either as a result of cash flows into each Fund or reserves of cash held by each Fund to meet redemptions and expenses. If each Fund utilizes a sampling approach or otherwise does not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index, its return may not correlate as well with the return on the Underlying Index, as would be the case if it purchased all of the securities in the Underlying Index with the same weightings as the Underlying Index.
Issuer Specific Changes. The value of an individual security or a particular type of security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issues can be more volatile than that of larger issues.
Non-Diversified Fund Risk. Each Fund is considered non-diversified and can invest a greater portion of assets in securities of individual issuers than a diversified fund. As a result, changes in the market value of a single investment could cause greater fluctuations in share price than would occur in a diversified fund.
Fluctuation of Net Asset Value. The net asset value (“NAV”) of each Fund’s Shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of each Fund’s holdings. The market prices of each Fund's Shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in NAV as well as the relative supply of and demand for Shares on the NYSE Arca. The Adviser cannot predict whether Fund Shares will trade below, at or above their NAV. Price differences may be due, in large part, to the fact that supply and demand forces at work in the secondary trading market for the Shares will be closely related to, but not identical to, the same forces influencing the prices of the stocks of the Underlying Index trading individually or in the aggregate at any point in time.
Replication Management Risk. Unlike many investment companies, each Fund is not “actively” managed. Therefore, it would not necessarily sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble unless that security is removed from the Underlying Index.
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