and the global timber industry. The
Fund’s portfolio holdings, and the extent to which it concentrates its investments, are likely to change over time.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The following summarizes the principal risks of investing in the Fund.
The Shares will change in value, and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective.
Market Risk. Securities in the Underlying Index are subject to market fluctuations. You should anticipate that the value of the Shares will decline, more or less, in correlation
with any decline in value of the securities in the Underlying Index. Additionally, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, military conflicts, acts of terrorism, economic crises
or other events could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”). Certain changes in the U.S. economy in particular, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets
decline, may have a material adverse effect on global financial markets as a whole, and on the securities to which the Underlying Index has exposure. Increasingly strained relations between the U.S. and foreign countries,
including as a result of economic sanctions and tariffs, may also adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as non-U.S. issuers.
During a general downturn in
the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that specific investments held by the Underlying Index will rise in value.
Index Risk. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not utilize an investing strategy that seeks returns in
excess of its Underlying Index. Therefore, the Fund would not necessarily buy or sell a security
unless that security is added to or removed from, respectively, its Underlying Index, even if
that security generally is underperforming. Additionally, the Fund generally rebalances its portfolio in accordance with its Underlying Index, and, therefore, any changes to its Underlying Index’s rebalance schedule will typically result in
corresponding changes to the Fund’s rebalance schedule.
Industry Concentration Risk. In following its methodology,
the Underlying Index will be concentrated to a significant degree in securities of issuers
operating in a single industry or industry group. As a result, the Fund will also concentrate its investments in such industries or industry groups to approximately the same extent. By concentrating its investments in an industry or industry group, the Fund
faces more risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or industry groups. Such industry-based risks, any of which may adversely affect the companies in which the Fund invests, may include,
but are not limited to, the following: general economic conditions or cyclical market patterns that could negatively affect supply and demand in a particular industry; competition for resources; adverse labor
relations; political or world events; obsolescence of technologies; and increased competition or new product introductions that may affect the profitability or viability of companies in an industry. In addition, at times, such industry or
industry group may be out of favor and underperform other industries or the market as a whole.
Materials Sector Risk. Changes in world events, political,
environmental 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 may adversely affect the companies engaged in the production and distribution of
materials.
Global Timber Industry Risk. The market value of securities of global timber companies may be affected by numerous factors, including events occurring in nature,
international politics, government regulations, competition from other timber companies (and from
companies that make non-wood and engineered wood products) and general economic
conditions.
Foreign Investment Risk. Investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in
U.S.
securities.
Foreign securities may have relatively low market liquidity, greater market volatility, decreased publicly available information and less reliable financial information about issuers, and inconsistent and potentially less stringent accounting, auditing and
financial reporting requirements and standards of practice, including recordkeeping standards, comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers. Foreign securities also are subject to the risks of possible seizure,
expropriation, nationalization, political or social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies or other adverse political or economic developments (in which the Fund could lose its entire investment in a certain market) and the
difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries, including the possible adoption of foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls. Investments in foreign securities also may be subject to dividend
withholding or confiscatory taxes, currency blockage and/or transfer restrictions and higher transactional costs. To the extent the Fund invests in securities denominated in foreign currencies, fluctuations in the value of the U.S.
dollar relative to the values of other currencies may adversely affect investments in foreign securities and may negatively impact the Fund’s returns. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent
regulations than U.S. companies, including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls, and may therefore be more susceptible to fraud or corruption. There may be less public information available about
foreign companies than U.S. companies, making it difficult to evaluate those foreign companies.
From time to time, certain companies in which the Fund invests may operate in, or have
dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations and/or in countries the U.S. government identified as state sponsors of terrorism. One or more of these companies may
be subject to constraints under U.S. law or regulations that could negatively affect the company’s performance. Additionally, one or more of these companies could suffer damage to its reputation if the market identifies it
as a company that invests or deals with countries that the U.S. government identifies as state sponsors of terrorism or is subject to sanctions.
Equity Risk. Equity risk is the risk that the value of
equity securities, including common stocks, may fall due to both changes in general economic
conditions that impact the market as a whole, as well as factors that directly relate to a specific company or its industry. Such general economic conditions include changes in interest rates, periods of market turbulence or instability, or general
and prolonged periods of economic decline and cyclical change. It is possible that a drop in the stock market may depress the price of most or all of the common stocks that the Fund holds. In addition, equity risk
includes the risk that investor sentiment toward one or more industries will become negative, resulting in those investors exiting their investments in those industries, which could cause a reduction in the value of
companies in those industries more broadly. Equity risk also includes the risk of large-capitalization companies, which may adapt more slowly to new competitive challenges or may be more mature and subject to more limited growth
potential, and consequently may underperform other segments of the equity market or the market as a
whole. The value of a company's common stock may fall solely because of factors, such as an
increase in production costs, that negatively impact other companies in the same region, industry or sector of the market. A company's common stock also may decline significantly in price over a short period of time due to factors
specific to that company, including decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company's products or services. For example, an adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report or the failure to
make anticipated dividend payments, may depress the value of common stock.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Investing in
securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is
associated with investing in larger, more established companies. Stocks of small- and mid-capitalization companies tend to be more vulnerable to changing market conditions, may have little or no operating history or track record of
success, and may have more limited