Teucrium Commodity Trust - Quarter Report: 2020 March (Form 10-Q)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
|
☒
|
Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the quarterly
period ended March
31, 2020.
|
|
|
|
OR
|
☐
|
Transition report pursuant to Section 13 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the transition
period
from
to
.
|
|
|
|
Commission File Number:
001-34765
Teucrium Commodity
Trust
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
|
Delaware
|
27-0724963
|
(State or other jurisdiction
of
|
(I.R.S. Employer
|
incorporation or
organization)
|
Identification No.)
|
|
|
Three Main Street, Suite 215
Burlington, VT 05401
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Burlington, VT 05401
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
(802) 540-0019
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Indicate by check mark whether the
registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by
Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been
subject to such filing requirements for the past 90
days.
☒ Yes
☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the
registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate
Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T
(§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or
for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit
and post such files).
☒ Yes
☐ No
Indicate by check mark whether the
registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a
non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging
growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated
filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller
reporting company,” and “emerging growth company”
in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer
☐
|
Accelerated filer
☒
|
Non-accelerated filer
☐
|
Smaller reporting
company ☒
|
(Do not check if a smaller
reporting company)
|
Emerging growth company
☐
|
If an emerging growth company,
indicate by a check mark if the registrant has elected not to use
the extended transition period for complying with any new or
revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section
13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the
registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the
Exchange Act).
☐ Yes
☒ No
Indicate the number of shares
outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock,
as of the last practicable date.
|
Total Number of Oustanding Shares as of May 7, 2020
|
Teucrium
Corn Fund
|
4,750,004
|
Teucrium
Sugar Fund
|
1,350,004
|
Teucrium
Soybean Fund
|
2,075,004
|
Teucrium
Wheat Fund
|
8,975,004
|
Teucrium
Agricultural Fund
|
75,002
|
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
Table of Contents
|
Page
|
Part I. FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
|
|
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
82
|
|
|
|
101
|
|
|
|
104
|
|
|
|
Part II. OTHER
INFORMATION
|
104
|
|
|
104
|
|
|
|
104
|
|
|
|
113
|
|
|
|
115
|
|
|
|
115
|
|
|
|
115
|
|
|
|
116
|
2
Part
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements.
Index to Financial
Statements
Documents
|
|
Page
|
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
5
|
|
|
7
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
9
|
|
|
10
|
|
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
|
|
|
|
18
|
|
|
19
|
|
|
21
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
23
|
|
|
24
|
|
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN
FUND
|
|
|
|
33
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
35
|
|
|
36
|
|
|
37
|
|
|
38
|
|
TEUCRIUM SUGAR
FUND
|
|
|
|
46
|
|
|
47
|
|
|
49
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
51
|
|
|
52
|
|
TEUCRIUM WHEAT
FUND
|
|
|
|
59
|
|
|
60
|
|
|
62
|
|
|
63
|
|
|
64
|
|
|
65
|
|
TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL
FUND
|
|
|
|
71
|
|
|
72
|
|
|
74
|
|
|
75
|
|
|
76
|
|
|
77
|
3
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
COMBINED STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$134,559,122
|
$166,081,885
|
Interest
receivable
|
7,598
|
250
|
Other
assets
|
216,850
|
9,719
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
4,069,150
|
7,712,856
|
Due
from broker
|
10,027,631
|
4,252
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
14,096,781
|
7,717,108
|
Total
assets
|
$148,880,351
|
$173,808,962
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
119,938
|
141,898
|
Other
liabilities
|
6,559
|
38,767
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
9,403,383
|
581,574
|
Due
to broker
|
2,789,534
|
5,140,126
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
12,192,917
|
5,721,700
|
Total
liabilities
|
12,319,414
|
5,902,365
|
|
|
|
Net Assets
|
$136,560,937
|
$167,906,597
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
4
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
COMBINED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
March 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Percentage of
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 0.28% (cost
$62,641,650)
|
$62,641,650
|
45.87%
|
62,641,650
|
Blackrock
FedFund - Institutional Class 0.36% (cost: $2,542,247)
|
2,542,247
|
1.86
|
2,542,247
|
Total
money market funds (cost: $65,183,897)
|
$65,183,897
|
47.73%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.01% (cost: $6,135,045 due: 4/07/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$6,139,099
|
4.50%
|
6,140,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
Energy
Transfer Partners 1.56% (cost: $19,956,766 due:
4/29/2020)
|
$19,975,790
|
14.63%
|
20,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies 1.95% (cost: $2,488,818 due: 4/01/2020)
|
2,500,000
|
1.83
|
2,500,000
|
FMC
Technologies 1.85% (cost: $12,444,417 due: 5/01/2020)
|
12,480,833
|
9.14
|
12,500,000
|
HP
Inc 3.23% (cost: $12,457,778 due: 5/08/2020)
|
12,458,890
|
9.12
|
12,500,000
|
Jabil
Inc 1.86% (cost: $4,983,812 due: 5/08/2020)
|
4,990,493
|
3.65
|
5,000,000
|
PVH
Corp 1.86% (cost: $4,979,188 due: 5/19/2020)
|
4,987,666
|
3.65
|
5,000,000
|
PVH
Corp 1.61% (cost: $4,992,445 due: 4/13/2020)
|
4,997,333
|
3.66
|
5,000,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (total cost: $62,303,224)
|
$62,391,005
|
45.68%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$133,714,001
|
97.91%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States wheat futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
wheat futures JUL20 (611 contracts)
|
$1,006,000
|
0.74%
|
$17,184,375
|
CBOT
wheat futures SEP20 (522 contracts)
|
1,343,901
|
0.98
|
14,753,025
|
CBOT
wheat futures DEC20 (599 contracts)
|
1,719,249
|
1.26
|
17,153,863
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$4,069,150
|
2.98%
|
$49,091,263
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
|
Notional Amount
|
Description: Liabilities
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
(Long Exposure)
|
|
|
|
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States corn futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
corn futures JUL20 (1,195 contracts)
|
$2,304,990
|
1.69%
|
$20,673,500
|
CBOT
corn futures SEP20 (1,004 contracts)
|
895,568
|
0.66
|
17,557,450
|
CBOT
corn futures DEC20 (1,141 contracts)
|
3,032,440
|
2.22
|
20,395,375
|
|
|
|
|
United
States soybean futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
soybean futures JUL20 (174 contracs)
|
533,646
|
0.39
|
7,738,650
|
CBOT
soybean futures NOV20 (152 contracts)
|
451,546
|
0.33
|
6,669,000
|
CBOT
soybean futures NOV21 (181 contracts)
|
376,677
|
0.28
|
7,649,513
|
|
|
|
|
United
States sugar futures contracts
|
|
|
|
ICE
sugar futures JUL20 (203 contracts)
|
563,378
|
0.41
|
$2,387,280
|
ICE
sugar futures OCT20 (171 contracts)
|
667,517
|
0.49
|
2,060,755
|
ICE
sugar futures MAR21 (190 contracts)
|
577,621
|
0.42
|
2,425,920
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$9,403,383
|
6.89%
|
$87,557,443
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange-traded funds*
|
|
|
Shares
|
Teucrium
Corn Fund
|
$314,694
|
0.23%
|
24,308
|
Teucrium
Soybean Fund
|
325,962
|
0.24
|
23,281
|
Teucrium
Sugar Fund
|
312,214
|
0.23
|
56,824
|
Teucrium
Wheat Fund
|
347,074
|
0.25
|
60,137
|
Total
exchange-traded funds (cost $1,835,997)
|
$1,299,944
|
0.95%
|
|
*The Trust eliminates the shares
owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund from its combined
statements of assets and liabilities due to the fact that these
represent holdings of the Underlying Funds owned by the Teucrium
Agricultural Fund, which are included as shares outstanding of the
Underlying Funds.
(a) Discount yield
at the time of purchase inclusive of collateral
fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
5
December 31,
2019
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Percentage of
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio (cost
$3,060)
|
$3,060
|
0.00%
|
3,060
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.53% (cost: $6,609,673 due 01/30/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$6,611,271
|
3.94%
|
6,619,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
Broadcom
Inc. 2.01% (cost: $4,984,445 due 01/09/20)
|
$4,997,778
|
2.98%
|
5,000,000
|
CNH
Industrial Capital LLC 2.12% (cost: $4,975,210 due
01/10/20)
|
4,997,375
|
2.98
|
5,000,000
|
CNH
Industrial Capital LLC 1.86% (cost: $4,987,924 due
01/06/20)
|
4,998,716
|
2.98
|
5,000,000
|
Energy
Transfer Operating, L.P. 1.99% (cost: $4,987,626 due
01/31/20)
|
4,991,750
|
2.97
|
5,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 1.93% (cost: $12,440,666 due
02/04/20)
|
12,477,333
|
7.43
|
12,500,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 2.01% (cost: $4,977,779 due
03/06/20)
|
4,981,945
|
2.97
|
5,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 1.86% (cost: $2,494,476 due
01/02/20)
|
2,499,872
|
1.49
|
2,500,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.17% (cost: $2,486,562 due
01/02/20)
|
2,499,851
|
1.49
|
2,500,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.15% (cost: $7,462,393 due
01/06/20)
|
7,497,782
|
4.47
|
7,500,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.16% (cost: $9,947,094 due
01/15/20)
|
9,991,678
|
5.95
|
10,000,000
|
Jabil
Inc. 2.15% (cost: $2,489,202 due 02/28/20)
|
2,491,421
|
1.48
|
2,500,000
|
Jabil
Inc. 2.03% (cost: $2,488,637 due 02/28/20)
|
2,491,864
|
1.48
|
2,500,000
|
Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 2.12% (cost: $4,975,500 due
01/09/20)
|
4,997,666
|
2.98
|
5,000,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (total cost: $69,697,514)
|
$69,915,031
|
41.65%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$76,529,362
|
45.59%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States corn futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
corn futures MAY20 (1,334 contracts)
|
$583,610
|
0.35%
|
$26,329,825
|
CBOT
corn futures JUL20 (1,126 contracts)
|
781,445
|
0.47
|
22,576,300
|
|
|
|
|
United
States soybean futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
soybean futures MAR20 (207 contracts)
|
345,319
|
0.21
|
9,889,425
|
CBOT
soybean futures MAY20 (175 contracts)
|
247,987
|
0.15
|
8,476,563
|
CBOT
soybean futures NOV20 (200 contracts)
|
338,590
|
0.20
|
9,787,500
|
|
|
|
|
United
States sugar futures contracts
|
|
|
|
ICE
sugar futures MAY20 (284 contracts)
|
88,865
|
0.05
|
4,306,803
|
ICE
sugar futures JUL20 (241 contracts)
|
223,677
|
0.13
|
3,687,107
|
ICE
sugar futures MAR21 (268 contracts)
|
34,887
|
0.02
|
4,316,301
|
|
|
|
|
United
States wheat futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
wheat futures MAY20 (650 contracts)
|
2,113,350
|
1.26
|
18,256,875
|
CBOT
wheat futures JUL20 (556 contracts)
|
892,498
|
0.53
|
15,665,300
|
CBOT
wheat futures DEC20 (634 contracts)
|
2,062,628
|
1.23
|
18,314,675
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$7,712,856
|
4.60%
|
$141,606,674
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
|
Notional Amount
|
Description: Liabilities
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
(Long Exposure)
|
|
|
|
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States corn futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
corn futures DEC20 (1,308 contracts)
|
$581,574
|
0.35%
|
$26,323,500
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange-traded funds*
|
|
|
Shares
|
Teucrium
Corn Fund
|
$360,286
|
0.21%
|
24,308
|
Teucrium
Soybean Fund
|
371,397
|
0.22
|
23,431
|
Teucrium
Sugar Fund
|
373,786
|
0.22
|
53,124
|
Teucrium
Wheat Fund
|
371,411
|
0.22
|
63,637
|
Total
exchange-traded funds (cost $1,908,649)
|
$1,476,880
|
0.87%
|
|
*The Trust eliminates the shares
owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund from its combined
statements of assets and liabilities due to the fact that these
represent holdings of the Underlying Funds owned by the Teucrium
Agricultural Fund, which are included as shares outstanding of the
Underlying Funds.
(a) Discount yield
at the time of purchase inclusive of collateral
fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of
these financial statements.
6
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
COMBINED STATEMENTS OF
OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Income
|
||
Realized
and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures
contracts:
|
||
Realized
loss on commodity futures contracts
|
$(1,689,955)
|
$(4,606,081)
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
(12,465,515)
|
(4,676,731)
|
Interest
income
|
640,533
|
986,041
|
Total
loss
|
(13,514,937)
|
(8,296,771)
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Management
fees
|
384,364
|
366,662
|
Professional
fees
|
290,889
|
302,080
|
Distribution
and marketing fees
|
654,180
|
567,197
|
Custodian
fees and expenses
|
77,872
|
84,049
|
Business
permits and licenses fees
|
41,878
|
31,946
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
50,909
|
63,719
|
Brokerage
commissions
|
-
|
28,128
|
Other
expenses
|
19
|
7,899
|
Total
expenses
|
1,500,111
|
1,451,680
|
|
|
|
Expenses
waived by the Sponsor
|
(173,253)
|
(134,117)
|
|
|
|
Total
expenses, net
|
1,326,858
|
1,317,563
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
$(14,841,795)
|
$(9,614,334)
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
7
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Operations
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(14,841,795)
|
$(9,614,334)
|
Capital transactions
|
|
|
Issuance
of Shares
|
6,857,296
|
10,098,620
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(23,362,396)
|
(6,794,615)
|
Net
change in the cost of the Underlying Funds
|
1,235
|
1,554
|
Total
capital transactions
|
(16,503,865)
|
3,305,559
|
|
|
|
Net change in net assets
|
(31,345,660)
|
(6,308,775)
|
|
|
|
Net assets, beginning of period
|
167,906,597
|
150,251,160
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period
|
$136,560,937
|
$143,942,385
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
8
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY
TRUST
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Cash flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(14,841,795)
|
$(9,614,334)
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
activities:
|
|
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
12,465,515
|
4,676,731
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
Due
from broker
|
(10,023,379)
|
3,027,583
|
Interest
receivable
|
(7,348)
|
90
|
Other
assets
|
(207,131)
|
(348,421)
|
Due
to broker
|
(2,350,592)
|
77,840
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
(21,960)
|
(12,198)
|
Payable
for purchases of commercial paper
|
-
|
(14,951,548)
|
Other
liabilities
|
(32,208)
|
13,120
|
Net
cash used in operating activities
|
(15,018,898)
|
(17,131,137)
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities:
|
|
|
Proceeds
from sale of Shares
|
6,857,296
|
10,098,620
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(23,362,396)
|
(6,794,615)
|
Net
change in cost of the Underlying Funds
|
1,235
|
1,554
|
Net
cash (used in)/provided by financing activities
|
(16,503,865)
|
3,305,559
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
|
(31,522,763)
|
(13,825,578)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
166,081,885
|
159,250,322
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
$134,559,122
|
$145,424,744
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
9
NOTES
TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Note 1 –
Organization and Operation
Teucrium Commodity Trust
(“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust organized on
September 11, 2009, is a series trust consisting of five series:
Teucrium Corn Fund (“CORN”), Teucrium Sugar Fund
(“CANE”), Teucrium Soybean Fund (“SOYB”),
Teucrium Wheat Fund (“WEAT”), and Teucrium Agricultural
Fund (“TAGS”). All these series of the Trust are
collectively referred to as the “Funds” and singularly
as the “Fund.” Each Fund is a commodity pool that is a
series of the Trust. The Funds issue common units, called the
“Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial
interests in a Fund. Effective as of April 29, 2019, the Trust and
the Funds operate pursuant to the Trust’s Fifth Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement (the “Trust
Agreement”).
On June 7, 2010, the initial Form
S-1 for CORN was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”). On June 8, 2010, four
Creation Baskets for CORN were issued representing 200,000 shares
and $5,000,000. CORN began trading on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) Arca on June 9, 2010. The current registration
statement for CORN was declared effective by the SEC on May 1,
2020. The registration statement for CORN registered an additional
10,000,000 shares.
On June 13, 2011, the initial Forms
S-1 for CANE, SOYB, and WEAT were declared effective by the SEC. On
September 16, 2011, two Creation Baskets were issued for each Fund,
representing 100,000 shares and $2,500,000, for CANE, SOYB, and
WEAT. On September 19, 2011, CANE, SOYB, and WEAT started trading
on the NYSE Arca. The current registration statements for CANE and
SOYB were declared effective by the SEC on April 30, 2018. The
registration statements for SOYB and CANE registered an additional
5,000,000 shares each. The current
registration statement for WEAT was declared effective on April 29,
2019. This registration statement for WEAT registered an additional
30,000,000 shares.
On February 10, 2012, the Form S-1
for TAGS was declared effective by the SEC. On March 27, 2012, six
Creation Baskets for TAGS were issued representing 300,000 shares
and $15,000,000. TAGS began trading on the NYSE Arca on March 28,
2012. The current registration statement for TAGS was declared
effective by the SEC on April 30, 2018.
The Sponsor is a member of the
National Futures Association (the "NFA") and became a commodity
pool operator ("CPO") registered with the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (the "CFTC") effective November 10, 2009. The Sponsor
registered as a Commodity Trading Advisor ("CTA") with the CFTC
effective September 8, 2017.
The
accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in
accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC
and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote
disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted
in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial
information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial
information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of
management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Fund’s
financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that
these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the
financial statements and related notes included in the
Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most
recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily
indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending
December 31, 2020.
Subject to the terms of the Trust
Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC in its capacity as the Sponsor
(“Sponsor”) may terminate a Fund at any time,
regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for
instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net
assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued
operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level
of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a
Fund.
Note 2 –
Principal Contracts and
Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bank N.A.
as the Custodian for the Funds. The principal business address for
U.S. Bank N.A is 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bank N.A. is a Wisconsin state
chartered bank subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System and the Wisconsin State Banking
Department. The principal address for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund
Services") is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. In
addition, effective on the Conversion Date, Global Fund Services, a
wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, commenced serving as
administrator for each Fund, performing certain administrative and
accounting services and preparing certain SEC reports on behalf of
the Funds, and also became the registrar and transfer agent for
each Fund’s Shares. For such services, U.S. Bank and Global
Fund Services will receive an asset based fee, subject to a minimum
annual fee.
For custody services, the Funds will
pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1
billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion,
annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer
Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are
based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds
will pay to Global Fund Services 0.06% of average gross assets on
the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million, 0.04% on
the next $500 million and 0.03% on the balance over $1 billion
annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for
custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is
assessed per Fund. These services are recorded in custodian fees
and expenses on the combined statements of operations. A summary of
these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the
“Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The
Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the
Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in
connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation
Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all
Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor
and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and
Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain
employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered
representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee
of 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets and an
aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Teucrium Funds, along with
certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA,
Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and
$1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded in
distribution and marketing fees on the combined statements of
operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant
to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services,
LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's
Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain
distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution
Consulting Agreement with the Trust's
Sponsor.
ED&F Man Capital
Markets, Inc. (“ED&F Man”) serves as the Underlying
Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying
Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services.
ED&F Man is registered as a FCM with the U.S. CFTC and is a
member of the NFA. ED&F Man is also registered as a
broker/dealer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and
is a member of the FINRA. ED&F Man is a clearing member of ICE
Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile
Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United
States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat
Futures Contracts ED&F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn. Prior
to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage
commissions on the combined statements of operations. Beginning on
August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade
basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the
combined statements of operations for contracts that have been
purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is
recognized as a realized loss on the combined statements of
operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is
included below.
10
The sole Trustee of the Trust is
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The
Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the
State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an
annual fee of $3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in
business permits and licenses fees on the combined statements of
operations. A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital
Partners LLC (TCP) as the Marketing Agent. TCP is registered as a
Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. TCP receives an annual fee
of $90,000 and an additional 0.0015% of average daily net assets in
referred accounts for
distribution and solicitation-related services. This additional fee is determined by an
agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract.
These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on
the combined statements of operations. A summary of these expenses
is included below:
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Amount
Recognized for Custody Services
|
$77,872
|
$84,049
|
Amount
of Custody Services Waived
|
$12,735
|
$13,616
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Distribution Services
|
$43,703
|
$37,906
|
Amount
of Distribution Services Waived
|
$1,470
|
$1,606
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Brokerage Commissions
|
$-
|
$28,128
|
Amount
of Brokerage Commissions Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Wilmington Trust
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Wilmington Trust Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for TCP
|
$22,500
|
$-
|
Amount
of TCP Waived
|
$130
|
$-
|
Note 3 –
Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying financial
statements have been prepared on a combined basis in conformity
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial
Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards
Codification and include the accounts of the Trust, CORN, CANE,
SOYB, WEAT and TAGS. Refer to the accompanying separate financial
statements for each Fund for more detailed information. For the
periods represented by the financial statements herein the
operations of the Trust contain the results of CORN, SOYB, CANE,
WEAT, and TAGS except for eliminations for TAGS as explained below
for the months during which each Fund was in
operation.
Given the investment objective of
TAGS as described in Note 1 above, TAGS will buy, sell and hold, as
part of its normal operations, shares of the four Underlying Funds.
The Trust eliminates the shares of the other series of the Trust
owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund from its combined
statements of assets and liabilities. The Trust eliminates the net
change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on securities
owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund from its combined
statements of operations. The combined statements of changes in net
assets and cash flows present a net presentation of the purchases
and sales of the Underlying Funds of TAGS.
Revenue
Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are
recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on
the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized
appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are
reflected in the combined statements of operations as the
difference between the original contract amount and the fair market
value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last
date of the financial statements. Beginning on August 21, 2019,
brokerage commission expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis.
The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the combined
statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased
since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a
realized loss on the combined statements of operations when a
contract is sold. Changes in the appreciation
or depreciation between periods are reflected in the combined
statements of operations. Interest on cash equivalents with
financial institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The
Funds earn interest on funds held at the custodian and other
financial institutions at prevailing market rates for such
investments.
Beginning in October 2017, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of cash in commercial paper,
which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration
of contracts as described in the notes to the combined financial
statements and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the
combined statements of assets and liabilities and in cash and cash
equivalents cash on the combined statements of cash flows.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the combined statements of operations.
Beginning in February of 2019, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of the cash held by the broker in
short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the combined statements of operations.
The Sponsor adopted ASC 606, Revenue
from Contracts With Customers, for the year ended December 31,
2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements of the Trust or the Funds.
Brokerage
Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began
recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures
contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the
change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures
contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
The below table shows the amounts included on the combined
statements of operations as unrealized losses attributed to
brokerage commissions as of March 31, 2020.
|
CORN
|
SOYB
|
CANE
|
WEAT
|
TAGS
|
TRUST
|
Unrealized
Loss Attributed to Brokerage Commissions
|
$10,661
|
$1,656
|
$2,057
|
$5,400
|
$-
|
$19,774
|
Total
Brokerage Commissions paid including unrealized loss
|
$15,154
|
$4,454
|
$3,075
|
$6,802
|
$1
|
$29,486
|
The Trust is
organized and will be operated as a Delaware statutory trust. For
federal income tax purposes, each Fund will be treated as a
publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is
generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes
unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross
income for each taxable year of its existence consists of
qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as
generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a
financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or
disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest
or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal
activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as
inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to
commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from
commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to
commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor
with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal
contracts with respect to commodities. Each Fund expects that at
least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year
will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed
as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Therefore, the Funds do not record a
provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their
share of a Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns.
The financial statements reflect the Funds’ transactions
without adjustment, if any, required for income tax
purposes.
The Funds are required to determine
whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon
examination by the applicable taxing authority, including
resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on
the technical merits of the position. The Funds file income tax
returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax
returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all
tax years 2017 to 2019, the Funds remain subject to income tax
examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit
recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a
greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously
recognized results in the Funds recording a tax liability that
reduces net assets. Based on their analysis, the Funds have
determined that they have not incurred any liability for
unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2020 and for the years
ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017. However, the Funds’
conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and
adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not
limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws,
regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Funds recognize interest accrued
related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed.
No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Funds may be subject to
potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign
jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These
potential examinations may include questioning the timing and
amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax
jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and
foreign tax laws.
11
Creations and
Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase
Creation Baskets from each Fund. The amount of the proceeds
required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of
the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST)
time on the day the order to create the basket is properly
received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem
shares from each Fund only in blocks of shares called
“Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption
proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the
shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on
the day the order to redeem the basket is properly
received.
Each Fund receives or pays the
proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days
after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due
from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the statements of
assets and liabilities as receivable for shares sold. Amounts
payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are reflected in
the statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares
redeemed.
There are a minimum number of
baskets and associated Shares specified for each Fund in the
Fund’s respective prospectus, as amended from time to time.
If a Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares
outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to
be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again
exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can
be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser. These minimum
levels are as follows:
CORN: 50,000 shares representing 2
baskets
SOYB: 50,000 shares representing 2
baskets
CANE: 50,000 shares representing 2
baskets
WEAT: 50,000 shares representing 2
baskets
TAGS: 50,000 shares representing 4
baskets
Cash equivalents are highly liquid
investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired.
The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the combined statements
of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts
that approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature
and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust
has the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial
institutions. The Trust holds a balance in money market funds that
is included in cash and cash equivalents on the combined statements
of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the
available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings
accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents.
Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally
insured limits. The Sponsor invested a portion of the available
cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with
durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash
equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor invests a portion
of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as
collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a
cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured.
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
Money
Market Funds
|
$65,183,897
|
$3,060
|
Demand
Deposit Savings Accounts
|
845,121
|
89,552,523
|
Commercial
Paper
|
62,391,005
|
69,915,031
|
Treasury
Bills
|
6,139,099
|
6,611,271
|
Total
cash and cash equivalents as presented on the combined Statement of
Assets and Liabilities
|
$134,559,122
|
$166,081,885
|
Payable
for Purchases of Commercial
Paper
The amount recorded
by the Trust for commercial paper transactions awaiting settlement,
which represents the amount payable for contracts purchased but not
yet settled as of the reporting date. The value of the contract is
included in cash and cash equivalents, and the payable amount is
included as a liability.
Due from/to
Broker
The amount recorded by the Trust for
the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not
limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the
clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for
commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on
the clearing broker’s records, and amounts of brokerage
commissions paid and recognized as unrealized
losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of
funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with
the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position
in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the
trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or
sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial
margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate
purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin
requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets
may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount
invested, are greater than are customary in other forms of
investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price
changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements
that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of
margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is
set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is
traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during
the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Funds’
clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity
interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a
matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over-the-counter
trading generally involves the extension of credit between
counter-parties, so the counter-parties may agree to require the
posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit
exposure.
When a trader purchases an option,
there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be
paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he
or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the
margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in
addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for
the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of
options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that
out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be
higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets
directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and
conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader
acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the
underlying interest.
12
Ongoing or “maintenance”
margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s
clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures
contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not
satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by
the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time,
the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect
to the Funds’ trading, the Funds (and not their shareholders
personally) are subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges
have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving
procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held
in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated,
and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis,
measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
Payable/Receivable for Securities
Purchased/Sold
Due from/to broker for investments
in securities are securities transactions pending settlement. The
Trust and the Funds are subject to credit risk to the extent any
broker with whom it conducts business is unable to fulfill
contractual obligations on its behalf. The management of the Trust
and the Funds monitors the financial condition of such brokers and
does not anticipate any losses from these counter-parties. From
inception through September 11, 2019, the principal broker through
which the Trust and TAGS can execute securities transaction for
TAGS was the Bank of New York Mellon Capital Markets. Effective
September 11, 2019, the principal broker through which the Trust
and TAGS can execute securities transactions for TAGS is U.S. Bank
N.A.
Sponsor Fee,
Allocation of Expenses and Related Party
Transactions
The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium
Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is
responsible for investing the assets of the Funds in accordance
with the objectives and policies of each Fund. In addition, the
Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide
administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other
necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the
Sponsor elected not to outsource services directly attributable to
the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting,
regulatory compliance and trading activities. In addition, the
Funds, except for TAGS which has no such fee, are contractually
obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on
average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per
annum.
The Funds pay for all brokerage
fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the
use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to
the SEC, FINRA (formerly the National Association of Securities
Dealers) or any other regulatory agency in connection with the
offer and sale of subsequent Shares, after its initial
registration, and all legal, accounting, printing and other
expenses associated therewith. The Funds also pay the fees and
expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and
reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all
Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the
respective Fund based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate
by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to
relative assets under management and creation order
activity.
These aggregate common expenses
include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and
financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance,
trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to
the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
combined statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate
common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Trust and the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing
accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and
trading activities that are directly attributable to the Trust and
the Funds. Such expenses are primarily included as distribution and
marketing fees.
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Recognized
Related Party Transactions
|
$591,124
|
$690,808
|
Waived
Related Party Transactions
|
$100,682
|
$36,680
|
The Sponsor has the ability to elect
to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the
management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor,
at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees
waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived
expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor
has determined that there would be no recovery sought for the
amounts below in any future period.
|
CORN
|
SOYB
|
CANE
|
WEAT
|
TAGS
|
TRUST
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2020
|
$87,107
|
$29,971
|
$37,353
|
$-
|
$18,822
|
$173,253
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2019
|
$5,639
|
$62,912
|
$41,482
|
$2,500
|
$21,584
|
$134,117
|
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts
of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair
value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an
asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit
price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants
at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Trust
uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a
fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value
that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use
of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs
be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
market data obtained from sources independent of the Trust.
Unobservable inputs reflect the Trust’s assumptions about the
inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or
liability developed based on the best information available in the
circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access. Valuation
adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 futures
contracts held by CORN, SOYB, CANE and WEAT, the securities of the
Underlying Funds held by TAGS, and any other securities held by any
Fund, together referenced throughout this filing as
“financial instruments.” Since valuations are based on
quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active
market, valuation of these securities does not entail a significant
degree of judgment.
13
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted
prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant
inputs are observable, either directly or
indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement.
The availability of valuation
techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument
to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of
factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the
financial instrument is new and not yet established in the
marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the
transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or
inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the
determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated
values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be
ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances
that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent
uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially
higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a
ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly,
the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair
value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall
into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases,
for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy,
within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is
determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to
the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure
considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than
an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions
are not readily available, the Trust’s own assumptions are
set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing
the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Trust uses
prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date,
including periods of market dislocation. In periods of market
dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced
for many financial instruments. This condition could cause a
financial instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the
fair value hierarchy. For instance, when Corn Futures Contracts on
the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”) are not actively
trading due to a “limit-up” or ‘limit-down”
condition, meaning that the change in the Corn Futures Contracts
has exceeded the limits established, the Trust and the Fund will
revert to alternative verifiable sources of valuation of its
assets. When such a situation exists on a quarter close, the
Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the Level
1 valuation, but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted
Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative
verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in
its applicable financial statements and
reports.
On March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019, in the opinion of the Trust, the reported value at the close
of the market for each commodity contract fairly reflected the
value of the futures and no alternative valuations were required.
The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures
contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period. In
making the determination of a Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the
Funds consider the average volume of the specific underlying
futures contracts traded on the relevant exchange for the periods
being reported.
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Funds did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
The Funds and the Trust record their
derivative activities at fair value. Gains and losses from
derivative contracts are included in the statements of operations.
Derivative contracts include futures contracts related to commodity
prices. Futures, which are listed on a national securities
exchange, such as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another
national market, are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair
value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and
swap contracts), which may be valued using models, depending on
whether significant inputs are observable or unobservable, are
categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value
hierarchy.
Investments in the securities of the
Underlying Funds are freely traded and listed on the NYSE Arca.
These investments are valued at the NAV of the Underlying Fund as
of the valuation date as calculated by the administrator based on
the exchange-quoted prices of the commodity futures contracts held
by the Underlying Fund.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the
accrual method of accounting.
New Accounting
Pronouncements
The
Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued
Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-02:
“Financial
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic
326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant
to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section
on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No.
2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds
language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Funds.
The
FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments—Equity Securities
(Topic 321), Investments—Equity Method and
Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic
815)—Clarifying the
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The
amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a
company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.
The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31,
2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued
2019-07: “Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to
SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532,
Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and
33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and
Miscellaneous Updates.” The amendments improve, update, and
simplify the SEC’s regulations on financial reporting and
disclosure. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended
September 30, 2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Funds.
The FASB issued ASU
2019-04: “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial
Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and
hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments.” The
amendments clarify and improve areas of guidance related to the
recently issued standards on credit losses, hedging, and
recognition and measurement, specifically relating to ASU 2017-12.
The amendments were early adopted for the quarter ended June 30,
2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases
(Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the
guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are
not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing
guidance. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts but the
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements of the Trust or the
Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13:
“Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework
– Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value
Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company
fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were
removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of
the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the
effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial
statements. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts, specifically,
the removal, modification and addition to the fair value
disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-05,
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs
Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118." These
amendments add guidance to the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act). The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2018; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13,
“Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and
Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the
Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission
of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The
amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain
companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No.
2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public
business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a
public business entity except for a requirement to include or the
inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in
another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim
periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. This
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-12,
“Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements
to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. These amendments
refine and expand hedge accounting for both financial (e.g.,
interest rate) and commodity risks. Its provisions create more
transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the
face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. It also
makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of
hedge accounting guidance. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Funds.
14
Note 4 –
Fair Value Measurements
The Trust’s assets and
liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon
a fair value hierarchy as described in the Trust’s
significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table
presents information about the Trust’s assets and liabilities
measured at fair value as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019:
March 31, 2020
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$133,714,001
|
$-
|
$-
|
$133,714,001
|
Commodity
Futures Contracts
|
|
|
|
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
4,069,150
|
-
|
-
|
4,069,150
|
Total
|
$137,783,151
|
$-
|
$-
|
$137,783,151
|
Liabilities:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Commodity
Futures Contracts
|
|
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$6,232,998
|
$-
|
$-
|
$6,232,998
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
1,361,869
|
-
|
-
|
1,361,869
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
1,808,516
|
-
|
-
|
1,808,516
|
Total
|
$9,403,383
|
$-
|
$-
|
$9,403,383
|
December 31,
2019
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$76,529,362
|
$-
|
$-
|
$76,529,362
|
Commodity
Futures Contracts
|
|
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
1,365,055
|
-
|
-
|
1,365,055
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
931,896
|
-
|
-
|
931,896
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
347,429
|
-
|
-
|
347,429
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
5,068,476
|
-
|
-
|
5,068,476
|
Total
|
$84,242,218
|
$-
|
$-
|
$84,242,218
|
Liabilities:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Commodity
Futures Contracts
|
|
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$-
|
$581,574
|
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Funds did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into
and out of each level of the fair value
hierarchy.
Note 5 –
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities
In the normal course of business,
the Funds utilize derivative contracts in connection with its
proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts
are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or
part of an investment. The Funds’ derivative activities and
exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following
primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price,
and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying
risks, the Funds are also subject to additional counter-party risk
due to inability of its counter-parties to meet the terms of their
contracts. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and year ended
December 31, 2019, the Funds invested only in commodity futures
contracts specifically related to each Fund.
Futures
Contracts
The Funds are subject to commodity
price risk in the normal course of pursuing their investment
objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the
future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a
specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures
contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments
(variation margin) are made or received by each Fund each day,
depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract,
and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by each Fund.
Futures contracts may reduce the Funds’ exposure to
counter-party risk since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and
the exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counter-party to all
exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against
default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires
an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the
FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and
other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with
all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation
requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery
may be limited to each Fund’s pro rata share of segregated
customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount
could be less than the total of cash and other equity
deposited.
The following table discloses
information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in
the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these
financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of
netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These
recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in the
Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”)
Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-11
“Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting
Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB
ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope
of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and
Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies
the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the
statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts,
categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM,
ED&F Man as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of March 31,
2020
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wheat futures
contracts
|
$4,069,150
|
$-
|
$4,069,150
|
$-
|
$2,789,534
|
$1,279,616
|
15
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and
Derivative Liabilities as of March 31,
2020
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due from Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn futures
contracts
|
$6,232,998
|
$-
|
$6,232,998
|
$-
|
$6,262,998
|
$-
|
Soybeans futures
contracts
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
Sugar futures
contracts
|
$1,808,516
|
$-
|
$1,808,516
|
$-
|
$1,764,665
|
$43,851
|
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of December 31, 2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn futures
contracts
|
$1,365,055
|
$-
|
$1,365,055
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$783,481
|
Soybeans futures
contracts
|
$931,896
|
$-
|
$931,896
|
$-
|
$643,808
|
$288,088
|
Sugar futures
contracts
|
$347,429
|
$-
|
$347,429
|
$-
|
$237,908
|
$109,521
|
Wheat futures
contracts
|
$5,068,476
|
$-
|
$5,068,476
|
$-
|
$4,258,410
|
$810,066
|
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and
Derivative Liabilities as of December 31,
2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due from Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn futures
contracts
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$581,574
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$-
|
The following is a summary of
realized and unrealized gains (losses) of the derivative
instruments utilized by the Trust:
Three months ended March 31,
2020
Primary Underlying Risk
|
Realized (Loss) Gain on
Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized
(Depreciation) Appreciation on
Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$(1,579,104)
|
$(7,016,479)
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
(856,215)
|
(2,293,765)
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
292,057
|
(2,155,945)
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
453,307
|
(999,326)
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$(1,689,955)
|
$(12,465,515)
|
Three months ended March 31,
2019
Primary Underlying Risk
|
Realized (Loss) Gain on
Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized
(Depreciation) Appreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$(905,724)
|
$(2,115,000)
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
33,638
|
(504,875)
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
361,368
|
60,032
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
(4,095,363)
|
(2,116,888)
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$(4,606,081)
|
$(4,676,731)
|
Volume of
Derivative Activities
The average notional market value
categorized by primary underlying risk for the futures contracts
held was $148.3 million and $145.6 million for the three months
ended March 31, 2020 and 2019,
respectively.
Note 6 -
Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of
the Trust and the initial offering of the shares, including
applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by the
Sponsor for the Funds and will be borne directly by the Sponsor for
any series of the Trust which is not yet operating or will be
issued in the future. The Trust will not be obligated to reimburse
the Sponsor.
16
Note 7 –
Detail of the net assets and shares outstanding of the Funds that
are a series of the Trust
The following are the net assets and
shares outstanding of each Fund that is a series of the Trust and,
thus, in total, comprise the combined net assets of the
Trust:
March 31, 2020
|
Outstanding
Shares
|
Net
Assets
|
Teucrium Corn
Fund
|
4,525,004
|
$58,581,304
|
Teucrium Soybean
Fund
|
1,575,004
|
22,051,905
|
Teucrium Sugar
Fund
|
1,250,004
|
6,868,034
|
Teucrium Wheat
Fund
|
8,500,004
|
49,057,221
|
Teucrium Agricultural
Fund:
|
|
|
Net assets including the
investment in the Underlying Funds
|
75,002
|
1,302,417
|
Less: Investment in the
Underlying Funds
|
|
(1,299,944)
|
Net for the Fund in the
combined net assets of the Trust
|
|
2,473
|
Total
|
|
$136,560,937
|
December 31, 2019
|
Outstanding
Shares
|
Net
Assets
|
Teucrium Corn
Fund
|
5,075,004
|
$75,220,190
|
Teucrium Soybean
Fund
|
1,775,004
|
28,135,131
|
Teucrium Sugar
Fund
|
1,750,004
|
12,313,180
|
Teucrium Wheat
Fund
|
8,950,004
|
52,236,196
|
Teucrium Agricultural
Fund:
|
|
|
Net assets including the
investment in the Underlying Funds
|
75,002
|
1,478,780
|
Less: Investment in the
Underlying Funds
|
|
(1,476,880)
|
Net for the Fund in the
combined net assets of the Trust
|
|
1,900
|
Total
|
|
$167,906,597
|
The detailed information for the
subscriptions and redemptions, and other financial information for
each Fund that is a series of the Trust are included in the
accompanying financial statements of each Fund.
Note 8 –
Subsequent Events
Management has
evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended March 31,
2020 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and
noted no material events requiring either recognition through the
date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Trust and Funds
other than those noted below:
The impact of
COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the
Trust and the Funds is described in more detail in Part 2 of this
10-Q.
CORN: On May 1, 2020 the SEC declared
effective a new registration statement for CORN. This registration
statement registered an additional 10,000,000 shares of the
Fund.
SOYB: The total net
assets for the fund increased by $5,957,653, or 27%, for the period
March 31, 2020 through May 7, 2020. This was driven by a 32%
increase in the shares outstanding and partially offset by a 4%
decrease in the net asset value per share.
CANE: Nothing additional to
report.
WEAT: Nothing additional to
report.
17
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$58,049,998
|
$74,521,123
|
Interest
receivable
|
2,765
|
106
|
Other
assets
|
112,168
|
-
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
-
|
1,365,055
|
Due
from broker
|
6,704,211
|
4,252
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
6,704,211
|
1,369,307
|
Total
assets
|
64,869,142
|
75,890,536
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
53,639
|
65,233
|
Other
liabilities
|
1,201
|
23,539
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
6,232,998
|
581,574
|
Total
liabilities
|
6,287,838
|
670,346
|
|
|
|
Net assets
|
$58,581,304
|
$75,220,190
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
4,525,004
|
5,075,004
|
|
|
|
Shares authorized
|
9,875,000
|
10,125,000
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share
|
$12.95
|
$14.82
|
|
|
|
Market value per share
|
$12.96
|
$14.80
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
18
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Percentage of
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 0.28% (cost
$22,343,582)
|
$22,343,582
|
38.14%
|
22,343,582
|
Blackrock
FedFund - Institutional Class 0.36% (cost $2,516,914)
|
2,516,914
|
4.30
|
2,516,914
|
Total
money market funds (cost: $24,860,496)
|
$24,860,496
|
42.44%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.01% (cost: $3,020,558 due 4/7/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$3,022,556
|
5.16%
|
3,023,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
Energy
Transfer Partners 1.56% (cost: $9,978,383 due
4/29/2020)
|
$9,987,895
|
17.05%
|
10,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc 1.95% (cost: $2,488,818 due
4/01/2020)
|
2,500,000
|
4.27
|
2,500,000
|
FMC
Technologies Inc 1.85% (cost: $4,977,767 due
5/01/2020)
|
4,992,333
|
8.52
|
5,000,000
|
HP
Inc 3.23% (cost: $4,983,111 due 5/08/2020)
|
4,983,556
|
8.51
|
5,000,000
|
Jabil
Inc 1.86% (cost: $4,983,812 due 5/08/2020)
|
4,990,493
|
8.52
|
5,000,000
|
PVH
Corp 1.86% (cost: $2,489,594 due 5/19/2020)
|
2,493,833
|
4.25
|
2,500,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (cost: $29,901,485)
|
$29,948,110
|
51.12%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$57,831,162
|
98.72%
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
|
Notional Amount
|
Description: Liabilities
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
(Long Exposure)
|
|
|
|
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States corn futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
corn futures JUL20 (1,195 contracts)
|
$2,304,990
|
3.93%
|
$20,673,500
|
CBOT
corn futures SEP20 (1,004 contracts)
|
895,568
|
1.53
|
17,557,450
|
CBOT
corn futures DEC20 (1,141 contracts)
|
3,032,440
|
5.18
|
20,395,375
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$6,232,998
|
10.64%
|
$58,626,325
|
(a) Discount yield at
the time of purchase inclusive of collateral
fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
19
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
SCHEDULE OF
INVESTMENTS
December 31,
2019
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Percentage of
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio (cost
$102)
|
$102
|
0.00%
|
102
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.53% (cost: $3,263,392 due 01/30/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$3,264,182
|
4.34%
|
3,268,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
Broadcom
Inc. 2.01% (cost: $4,984,445 due 01/09/2020)
|
$4,997,778
|
6.65%
|
5,000,000
|
CNH
Industrial Capital LLC 2.12% (cost: $4,975,210 due
01/10/2020)
|
4,997,375
|
6.65
|
5,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 1.93% (cost: $4,976,267 due
02/04/2020)
|
4,990,933
|
6.64
|
5,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 2.01% (cost: $4,977,779 due
03/06/2020)
|
4,981,945
|
6.62
|
5,000,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.17% (cost: $2,486,562 due
01/02/2020)
|
2,499,851
|
3.32
|
2,500,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.15% (cost: $2,487,131 due
01/06/2020)
|
2,499,261
|
3.32
|
2,500,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.16% (cost: $4,973,547 due
01/15/2020)
|
4,995,839
|
6.64
|
5,000,000
|
Jabil
Inc. 2.15% (cost: $2,489,202 due 02/28/2020)
|
2,491,421
|
3.31
|
2,500,000
|
Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 2.12% (cost: $2,487,750 due
01/09/2020)
|
2,498,833
|
3.32
|
2,500,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (cost: $34,837,893)
|
$34,953,236
|
46.47%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$38,217,520
|
50.81%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States corn futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
corn futures MAY20 (1,334 contracts)
|
$583,610
|
0.77%
|
$26,329,825
|
CBOT
corn futures JUL20 (1,126 contracts)
|
781,445
|
1.04
|
22,576,300
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$1,365,055
|
1.81%
|
$48,906,125
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
|
Notional Amount
|
Description: Liabilities
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
(Long Exposure)
|
|
|
|
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States corn futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
corn futures DEC20 (1,308 contracts)
|
$581,574
|
0.77%
|
$26,323,500
|
(a) Discount yield at
the time of purchase inclusive of collateral
fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
20
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Income
|
|
|
Realized
and unrealized (loss) gain on trading of commodity futures
contracts:
|
|
|
Realized
loss on commodity futures contracts
|
$(1,579,104)
|
$(905,724)
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
(7,016,479)
|
(2,115,000)
|
Interest
income
|
289,459
|
378,942
|
Total
loss
|
(8,306,124)
|
(2,641,782)
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Management
fees
|
170,797
|
140,122
|
Professional
fees
|
129,806
|
98,245
|
Distribution
and marketing fees
|
328,178
|
198,415
|
Custodian
fees and expenses
|
37,328
|
26,623
|
Business
permits and licenses fees
|
3,416
|
5,605
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
25,619
|
24,960
|
Brokerage
commissions
|
-
|
13,466
|
Other
expenses
|
-
|
2,802
|
Total
expenses
|
695,144
|
510,238
|
|
|
|
Expenses
waived by the Sponsor
|
(87,107)
|
(5,639)
|
|
|
|
Total expenses, net
|
608,037
|
504,599
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
$(8,914,161)
|
$(3,146,381)
|
|
|
|
Net
loss per share
|
$(1.87)
|
$(0.89)
|
Net
loss per weighted average share
|
$(1.84)
|
$(0.89)
|
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
4,834,619
|
3,542,782
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
21
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Operations
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(8,914,161)
|
$(3,146,381)
|
Capital transactions
|
|
|
Issuance
of Shares
|
3,574,235
|
2,373,645
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(11,298,960)
|
(809,525)
|
Total
capital transactions
|
(7,724,725)
|
1,564,120
|
Net
change in net assets
|
(16,638,886)
|
(1,582,261)
|
|
|
|
Net assets, beginning of period
|
$75,220,190
|
$56,379,057
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period
|
$58,581,304
|
$54,796,796
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
|
$14.82
|
$16.11
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at end of period
|
$12.95
|
$15.22
|
|
|
|
Creation
of Shares
|
250,000
|
150,000
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
800,000
|
50,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
22
TEUCRIUM CORN
FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Cash flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(8,914,161)
|
$(3,146,381)
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
activities:
|
|
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
7,016,479
|
2,115,000
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
Due
from broker
|
(6,699,959)
|
2,175,156
|
Interest
receivable
|
(2,659)
|
7
|
Other
assets
|
(112,168)
|
(126,378)
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
(11,594)
|
(4,078)
|
Payable
for purchases of commercial paper
|
-
|
(4,981,957)
|
Other
liabilities
|
(22,338)
|
(485)
|
Net
cash used in operating activities
|
(8,746,400)
|
(3,969,116)
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities:
|
|
|
Proceeds
from sale of Shares
|
3,574,235
|
2,373,645
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(11,298,960)
|
(809,525)
|
Net
cash (used in)/provided by financing activities
|
(7,724,725)
|
1,564,120
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
|
(16,471,125)
|
(2,404,996)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
74,521,123
|
58,910,133
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
$58,049,998
|
$56,505,137
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
23
NOTES TO
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
Note 1 –
Organization and Operation
Teucrium Corn Fund (referred to
herein as “CORN,” or the “Fund”) is a
commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust
(“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on
September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the
“Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial
interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation
Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through
Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund
(the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such
Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “CORN,” to
the public at per-Share offering prices that reflect, among other
factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV
of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the
Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares
to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of
sale, and the liquidity of the markets for corn interests. The
Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca
at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per
Share.
The investment
objective of CORN is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the
Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the corn market
for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The
Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices
for three futures contracts for corn (“Corn Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”):
CORN
Benchmark
CBOT Corn
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to
expire
|
35%
|
Third to
expire
|
30%
|
December following the third
to expire
|
35%
|
The Fund commenced investment
operations on June 9, 2010 and has a fiscal year ending on December
31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the
“Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the
management of the Fund. The Sponsor is
registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a
commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of
the National Futures Association
(“NFA”).
On June 7, 2010, the initial Form
S-1 for CORN was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (“SEC”). On June 8, 2010,
four Creation Baskets for CORN were issued representing 200,000
shares and $5,000,000. CORN began trading on the New York Stock
Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca on June 9, 2010.
The current registration statement
for CORN was declared effective by the SEC on May 1, 2020. The
registration statement for CORN registered an additional 10,000,000
shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not
include all information and footnote disclosures required under
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America (“GAAP”). The financial information included
herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects
all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary
for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements
for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim
financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as
applicable. The operating results for the three months ended March
31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full year ending December 31,
2020.
Subject to the terms of the Trust
Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor
(“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time,
regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for
instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net
assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued
operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level
of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a
Fund.
Note 2 –
Principal Contracts and
Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bank N.A.
as the Custodian for the Funds. The principal business address for
U.S. Bank N.A is 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bank N.A. is a Wisconsin state
chartered bank subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System and the Wisconsin State Banking
Department. The principal address for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund
Services") is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. In
addition, effective on the Conversion Date, Global Fund Services, a
wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, commenced serving as
administrator for each Fund, performing certain administrative and
accounting services and preparing certain SEC reports on behalf of
the Funds, and also became the registrar and transfer agent for
each Fund’s Shares. For such services, U.S. Bank and Global
Fund Services will receive an asset based fee, subject to a minimum
annual fee.
For custody services, the Funds will
pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1
billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion,
annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer
Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are
based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds
will pay to Global Fund Services 0.06% of average gross assets on
the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million, 0.04% on
the next $500 million and 0.03% on the balance over $1 billion
annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for
custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is
assessed per Fund. These
services are recorded in custodian fees and expenses on the
statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the
“Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The
Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the
Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in
connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation
Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all
Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor
and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and
Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain
employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered
representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee
of 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets and an
aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Teucrium Funds, along with
certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA,
Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and
$1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded in
distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A
summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a
Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC,
performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's
Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain
distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution
Consulting Agreement with the Trust's
Sponsor.
24
ED&F Man Capital Markets, Inc.
(“ED&F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’
clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’
futures and provide other brokerage-related services. ED&F Man
is registered as a FCM with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the
NFA. ED&F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the
FINRA. ED&F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc.,
Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York
Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity
exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts
ED&F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn. Prior
to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage
commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August
21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The
half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of
operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change
in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on
the statements of operations when a contract is sold.
A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The
Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the
State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an
annual fee of $3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in
business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations.
A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital
Partners LLC (TCP) as the Marketing Agent. TCP is registered as a
Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. TCP receives an annual fee
of $90,000 and an additional 0.0015% of average daily net assets in
referred accounts for
distribution and solicitation-related services. This additional fee is determined by an
agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract.
These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on
the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is
included below:
|
Three months
ended
March 31,
2020
|
Three months
ended
March 31,
2019
|
Amount
Recognized for Custody Services
|
$37,328
|
$26,623
|
Amount
of Custody Services Waived
|
$10,000
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Distribution Services
|
$22,315
|
$13,737
|
Amount
of Distribution Services Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Brokerage Commissions
|
$-
|
$13,466
|
Amount
of Brokerage Commissions Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Wilmington Trust
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Wilmington Trust Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for TCP
|
$11,384
|
$-
|
Amount
of TCP Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
Note 3 –
Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting
Standards Board’s Accounting Standards
Codification.
Revenue
Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are
recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on
the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized
appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are
reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between
the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the
last business day of the year or as of the last date of the
financial statements. Beginning on August 21, 2019,
brokerage commission expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis.
The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements
of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the
change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized
loss on the statements of operations when a contract is
sold. Changes in the appreciation or
depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of
operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial
institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Funds earn
interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial
institutions at prevailing market rates for such
investments.
Beginning in October 2017, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of cash in commercial paper,
which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration
of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements
and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of
assets and liabilities and statements of cash flows. Accretion on
these investments are recognized using the effective interest
method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the
statements of operations.
Beginning in February of 2019, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of the cash held by the broker in
short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the combined statements of operations.
The Sponsor adopted ASC 606, Revenue
from Contracts With Customers, for the year ended December 31,
2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements of the Trust or the Funds.
Brokerage
Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began
recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures
contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the
change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures
contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of
operations as unrealized losses attributed to brokerage commissions
as of March 31, 2020.
|
CORN
|
Unrealized
Loss Attributed to Brokerage Commissions
|
$10,661
|
Total
Brokerage Commissions paid including unrealized loss
|
$15,154
|
Income
Taxes
For federal income
tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded
partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as
a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of
the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each
taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as
defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in
pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business),
dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets
held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a
partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling
of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards
and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also
includes income and gains from commodities and from futures,
forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the
partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets,
swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to
commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s
gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying
income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes. The
Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the
shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss
on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the
Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for
income tax purposes.
25
The Fund is required to determine
whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon
examination by the applicable taxing authority, including
resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on
the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax
return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax
returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all
tax years 2017 to 2019, the Fund remains subject to income tax
examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit
recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a
greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously
recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that
reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined
that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax
benefits as of March 31, 2020 and for the years ended December 31,
2019, 2018, and 2017. However, the Fund’s conclusions
regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a
later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing
analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and
interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued
related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed.
No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Fund may be subject to potential
examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional
authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential
examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of
deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions,
and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax
laws.
Creations and
Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase
Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from CORN. The amount
of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be
equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as
of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is
properly received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem
shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called
“Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption
proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the
shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on
the day the order to redeem the basket is properly
received.
The Fund receives or pays the
proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days
after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due
from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s
statements of assets and liabilities as receivable for shares sold.
Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are
reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities
as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form
S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the
Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced
redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to
decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding,
until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the
purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions
by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of
Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among
the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares
each shareholder holds as of the close of each
month.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid
investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired.
The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets
and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that
approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and
short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has
the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial
institutions. The Trust holds a balance in money market funds that
is included in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of
assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the
available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings
accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents.
Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally
insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash
for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations
of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is
not FDIC insured. The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by
the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open
futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is
not FDIC insured.
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
Money
Market Funds
|
$24,860,496
|
$102
|
Demand
Deposit Savings Accounts
|
218,836
|
36,303,603
|
Commercial
Paper
|
29,948,110
|
34,953,236
|
Treasury
Bills
|
3,022,556
|
3,264,182
|
Total
cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets
and Liabilities
|
$58,049,998
|
$74,521,123
|
Payable for
Purchases of Commercial
Paper
The amount recorded by the Fund for
commercial paper transactions awaiting settlement, which represents
the amount payable for contracts purchased but not yet settled as
of the reporting date. The value of the contract is included in
cash and cash equivalents, and the payable amount is included as a
liability.
Due from/to
Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for
the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not
limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the
clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for
commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on
the clearing broker’s records and
amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized
losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of
funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with
the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position
in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the
trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or
sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial
margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate
purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin
requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets
may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount
invested, are greater than are customary in other forms of
investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price
changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements
that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of
margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is
set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is
traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during
the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s
clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity
interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a
matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over-the-counter
trading generally involves the extension of credit between
counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the
posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit
exposure.
26
When a trader purchases an option,
there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be
paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he
or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the
margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in
addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for
the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of
options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that
out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be
higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets
directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and
conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader
acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the
underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance”
margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s
clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures
contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not
satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by
the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time,
the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect
to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders
personally) is subject to margin calls. Finally, many major U.S. exchanges
have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving
procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held
in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated
and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis,
measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
Calculation of
Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated
by:
|
●
|
Taking the current
market value of its total assets and
|
|
●
|
Subtracting any
liabilities.
|
The administrator, Global Fund
Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It
calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or
4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released
after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Corn
Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the CBOT closing price.
The administrator determines the value of all other Fund
investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m.
(EST). The value of over-the-counter corn interests is determined
based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying
such corn interest, except that a fair value may be determined if
the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit
risk relating to the counterparty to such corn interest. For
purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will
recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair
value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes
at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury
securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using
values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer
quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open corn
interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but
unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee,
Allocation of Expenses and Related Party
Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for
investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives
and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one
or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial,
accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the
Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to
outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds
such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and
trading activities. In addition, the Fund is contractually
obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on
average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per
annum.
The Fund generally pays for all
brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees
for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees
paid to the SEC, FINRA, formerly the National Association of
Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency in connection
with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial
registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses
associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees
and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and
reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all
Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the
respective funds based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate
by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to
relative assets under management and creation order
activity.
27
These aggregate common expenses
include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and
financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance,
trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to
the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and
financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities
that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are
primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the
statement of operations. All asset-based fees and expenses for the
Funds are calculated on the prior day’s net
assets.
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Recognized
Related Party Transactions
|
$301,642
|
$249,583
|
Waived
Related Party Transactions
|
$77,107
|
$4,500
|
The Sponsor has the ability to elect
to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the
management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor,
at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees
waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived
expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor
has determined that there would be no recovery sought for the
amounts below in any future period:
|
CORN
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2020
|
$87,107
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2019
|
$5,639
|
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts
of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair
value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an
asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit
price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants
at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund
uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with GAAP, a fair
value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that
maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of
unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be
used when available. Observable inputs are those that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund.
Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the
inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or
liability developed based on the best information available in the
circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation
adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1
financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices
that are readily and regularly available in an active market,
valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a
significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted
prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant
inputs are observable, either directly or
indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement.
28
The availability of valuation
techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument
to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of
factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the
financial instrument is new and not yet established in the
marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the
transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or
inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the
determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated
values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be
ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances
that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent
uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially
higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a
ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly,
the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair
value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall
into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases,
for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy,
within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is
determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to
the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure
considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than
an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions
are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set
to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the
asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices
and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including
during periods of market dislocation. In periods of market
dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced
for many securities. This condition could cause a financial
instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair
value hierarchy. For instance, when Corn Futures Contracts on the
CBOT are not actively trading due to a “limit-up” or
limit-down” condition, meaning that the change in the Corn
Futures Contracts has exceeded the limits established, the Trust
and the Fund will revert to alternative verifiable sources of
valuation of its assets. When such a situation exists on a quarter
close, the Sponsor will calculate the Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) on a particular day using the Level 1
valuation, but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted Fund
based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative verifiable
sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in its
applicable financial statements and reports.
On March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value
of the Corn Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT fairly reflected
the value of the Corn Futures Contracts held by the Fund, and no
adjustments were necessary. The determination is made as of the
settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for
the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or
Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the
specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant
exchange for the periods being reported.
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and for the year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not
have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the
fair value hierarchy.
The Fund records its derivative
activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative
contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative
contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices.
Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such
as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market,
are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts)
which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant
inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2
or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the
accrual method of accounting.
Net Income
(Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the
difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period
and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units
outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income
(loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are
equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period,
adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the
amount of time the units were outstanding during such
period.
New Accounting
Pronouncements
The Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting
Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-02: “Financial
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842):
Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date
Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic
842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2020-01: Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321),
Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and
Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Clarifying the
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The
amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a
company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.
The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31,
2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued
2019-07: “Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to
SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532,
Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and
33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and
Miscellaneous Updates.” The amendments improve, update, and
simplify the SEC’s regulations on financial reporting and
disclosure. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended
September 30, 2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2019-04: “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial
Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and
hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments.” The
amendments clarify and improve areas of guidance related to the
recently issued standards on credit losses, hedging, and
recognition and measurement, specifically relating to ASU 2017-12.
The amendments were early adopted for the quarter ended June 30,
2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases
(Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the
guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are
not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing
guidance. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts but the
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13:
“Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework
– Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value
Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company
fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were
removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of
the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the
effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial
statements. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts, specifically,
the removal, modification and addition to the fair value
disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-05,
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs
Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118." These
amendments add guidance to the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act). The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2018; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13,
“Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and
Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the
Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission
of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The
amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain
companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No.
2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public
business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a
public business entity except for a requirement to include or the
inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in
another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim
periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. This
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-12,
“Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements
to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. These amendments
refine and expand hedge accounting for both financial (e.g.,
interest rate) and commodity risks. Its provisions create more
transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the
face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. It also
makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of
hedge accounting guidance. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2016-02,
“Leases (Topic 842).” The amendments in this update
increase transparency and comparability among organizations by
recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet
and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.
The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
Note 4 –
Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and
liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon
a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant
accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents
information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured
at fair value as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019:
29
March 31, 2020
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$57,831,162
|
$-
|
$-
|
$57,831,162
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Corn
Futures Contracts
|
$6,232,998
|
$-
|
$-
|
$6,232,998
|
December 31, 2019
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$38,217,520
|
$-
|
$-
|
$38,217,520
|
Corn
Futures Contracts
|
1,365,055
|
-
|
-
|
1,365,055
|
Total
|
$39,582,575
|
$-
|
$-
|
$39,582,575
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Corn
Futures Contracts
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$-
|
$581,574
|
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into
and out of each level of the fair value
hierarchy.
Note 5 –
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities
In the normal course of business,
the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its
proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts
are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or
part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and
exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following
primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price,
and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying
risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due
to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their
contracts. For three months ended March 31, 2020 and year ended
December 31, 2019, the Fund invested only in commodity futures
contracts.
Futures
Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity
price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment
objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the
future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a
specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures
contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments
(variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day,
depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract,
and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures
contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk
since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the
exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all
exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against
default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires
an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the
FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and
other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with
all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation
requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery
may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated
customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount
could be less than the total of cash and other equity
deposited.
The following table discloses
information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in
the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these
financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of
netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These
recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in FASB
ASU No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about
Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified
in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying
the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and
Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies
the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the
statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts,
categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM,
ED&F Man as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019.
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and
Derivative Liabilities as of March 31,
2020
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii)=(i)-(ii)
|
(iv)
|
|
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
|
Gross Amount offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due from Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$6,232,998
|
$-
|
$6,232,998
|
$-
|
$6,232,998
|
$ -
|
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of December 31, 2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn futures
contracts
|
$1,365,055
|
$-
|
$1,365,055
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$783,481
|
30
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and
Derivative Liabilities as of December 31,
2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due from Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corn futures
contracts
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$581,574
|
$581,574
|
$-
|
$-
|
The following tables identify the
net gain and loss amounts included in the statements of operations
as realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading of commodity
futures contracts categorized by primary underlying
risk:
Three months ended March 31,
2020
|
Realized Loss on Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$(1,579,104)
|
$(7,016,479)
|
31
Three months ended March 31,
2019
|
Realized Loss on Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Corn
futures contracts
|
$(905,724)
|
$(2,115,000)
|
Volume of Derivative
Activities
The average notional market value
categorized by primary underlying risk for the futures contracts
held was $65.3 million and $55.6 million, respectively, for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31,
2019.
Note 6 –
Financial Highlights
The following tables present per
unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. This information has
been derived from information presented in the financial statements
and is presented with total expenses gross of expenses waived by
the Sponsor and with total expenses net of expenses waived by the
Sponsor, as appropriate.
|
Three months ended
March
31, 2020 |
Three months ended
March
31, 2019 |
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
|
Net
asset value at beginning of period
|
$14.82
|
$16.11
|
Income
(loss) from investment operations:
|
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.06
|
0.10
|
Net
realized and unrealized loss on commodity futures
contracts
|
(1.80)
|
(0.85)
|
Total
expenses, net
|
(0.13)
|
(0.14)
|
Net
decrease in net asset value
|
(1.87)
|
(0.89)
|
Net
asset value at end of period
|
$12.95
|
$15.22
|
Total Return
|
(12.65)%
|
(5.52)%
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
4.07%
|
3.64%
|
Total
expenses, net
|
3.56%
|
3.60%
|
Net
investment loss
|
(1.87)%
|
(0.90)%
|
The financial highlights per share
data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to
calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 –
Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of
the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund,
including applicable SEC registration fees were borne directly by
the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the
Sponsor.
Note 8 –
Subsequent Events
Management has
evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended March 31,
2020 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and
noted no material events requiring either recognition through the
date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than
those noted below:
The impact of
COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the
Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this
10-Q.
On May 1, 2020 the
SEC declared effective a new registration statement for CORN. This
registration statement registered an additional 10,000,000 shares
of the Fund.
32
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN
FUND
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$21,822,371
|
$27,874,691
|
Interest
receivable
|
1,317
|
42
|
Other
assets
|
52,234
|
4,370
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
-
|
931,896
|
Due
from broker
|
1,558,755
|
-
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
1,558,755
|
931,896
|
Total
assets
|
23,434,677
|
28,810,999
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
19,853
|
23,139
|
Other
liabilities
|
1,050
|
8,921
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
1,361,869
|
-
|
Due
to broker
|
-
|
643,808
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
1,361,869
|
643,808
|
Total
liabilities
|
1,382,772
|
675,868
|
|
|
|
Net assets
|
$22,051,905
|
$28,135,131
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
1,575,004
|
1,775,004
|
|
|
|
Shares authorized
|
9,625,000
|
9,700,000
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share
|
$14.00
|
$15.85
|
|
|
|
Market value per share
|
$14.05
|
$15.83
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
33
SCHEDULE OF
INVESTMENTS
March 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 0.28% (cost
$10,926,585)
|
$10,926,585
|
49.55%
|
10,926,585
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.01% (cost: $699,432 due 4/07/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$699,897
|
3.17%
|
700,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
FMC
Techologies 1.85% (cost: $2,488,883 due 5/01/2020)
|
$2,496,167
|
11.32%
|
2,500,000
|
PVH
Corp 1.61% (cost: $4,992,445 due 4/13/2020)
|
4,997,333
|
22.66
|
5,000,000
|
PVH
Corp 1.86% (cost: $2,489,594 due 5/19/2020)
|
2,493,833
|
11.31
|
2,500,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (cost: $9,970,922)
|
$9,987,333
|
45.29%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$21,613,815
|
98.01%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
|
Notional Amount
|
Description: Liabilities
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
(Long Exposure)
|
|
|
|
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States soybean futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
soybean futures JUL20 (174 contracs)
|
$533,646
|
2.42%
|
$7,738,650
|
CBOT
soybean futures NOV20 (152 contracts)
|
451,546
|
2.05
|
6,669,000
|
CBOT
soybean futures NOV21 (181 contracts)
|
376,677
|
1.71
|
7,649,513
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$1,361,869
|
6.18%
|
$22,057,163
|
(a) Discount yield at
the time of purchase inclusive of collateral
fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
34
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN
FUND
SCHEDULE OF
INVESTMENTS
December 31,
2019
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio (cost
$103)
|
$103
|
0.00%
|
103
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.53% (cost: $714,992 due 01/30/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$715,165
|
2.54%
|
716,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.15% (cost: $2,487,131 due
01/06/2020)
|
$2,499,260
|
8.88%
|
2,500,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 1.93% (cost: $2,488,133 due
02/04/2020)
|
2,495,467
|
8.87
|
2,500,000
|
CNH
Industrial Capital LLC 1.86% (cost: $2,493,962 due
01/06/2020)
|
2,499,358
|
8.89
|
2,500,000
|
Jabil
Inc. 2.03% (cost: $2,488,637 due 02/28/2020)
|
2,491,864
|
8.86
|
2,500,000
|
Energy
Transfer Operating, L.P. 1.99% (cost: $2,493,813 due
01/31/2020)
|
2,495,875
|
8.87
|
2,500,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (cost: $12,451,676)
|
$12,481,824
|
44.37%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$13,197,092
|
46.91%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States soybean futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
soybean futures MAR20 (207 contracts)
|
$345,319
|
1.23%
|
$9,889,425
|
CBOT
soybean futures MAY20 (175 contracts)
|
247,987
|
0.88
|
8,476,563
|
CBOT
soybean futures NOV20 (200 contracts)
|
338,590
|
1.20
|
9,787,500
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$931,896
|
3.31%
|
$28,153,488
|
(a) Discount yield at
the time of purchase inclusive of collateral
fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
35
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN
FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Income
|
|
|
Realized
and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures
contracts:
|
|
|
Realized
(loss) gain on commodity futures contracts
|
$(856,215)
|
$33,638
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
(2,293,765)
|
(504,875)
|
Interest
income
|
105,227
|
167,991
|
Total
loss
|
(3,044,753)
|
(303,246)
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Management
fees
|
63,221
|
62,763
|
Professional
fees
|
58,565
|
60,706
|
Distribution
and marketing fees
|
92,158
|
120,196
|
Custodian
fees and expenses
|
10,747
|
26,636
|
Business
permits and licenses fees
|
3,793
|
4,393
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
5,690
|
10,670
|
Brokerage
commissions
|
-
|
2,116
|
Other
expenses
|
-
|
1,358
|
Total
expenses
|
234,174
|
288,838
|
|
|
|
Expenses
waived by the Sponsor
|
(29,971)
|
(62,912)
|
|
|
|
Total expenses, net
|
204,203
|
225,926
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
$(3,248,956)
|
$(529,172)
|
|
|
|
Net
loss per share
|
$(1.85)
|
$(0.41)
|
Net
loss per weighted average share
|
$(1.89)
|
$(0.34)
|
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
1,718,960
|
1,555,560
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
36
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN
FUND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET
ASSETS
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Operations
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(3,248,956)
|
$(529,172)
|
Capital transactions
|
|
|
Issuance
of Shares
|
1,109,288
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(3,943,558)
|
(4,117,450)
|
Total
capital transactions
|
(2,834,270)
|
(4,117,450)
|
Net
change in net assets
|
(6,083,226)
|
(4,646,622)
|
|
|
|
Net assets, beginning of period
|
$28,135,131
|
$27,942,017
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period
|
$22,051,905
|
$23,295,395
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
|
$15.85
|
$16.20
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at end of period
|
$14.00
|
$15.79
|
|
|
|
Creation
of Shares
|
75,000
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
275,000
|
250,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
37
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN
FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Cash flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(3,248,956)
|
$(529,172)
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash (used in)/provided by
operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
2,293,765
|
504,875
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
Due
from broker
|
(1,558,755)
|
618,790
|
Interest
receivable
|
(1,275)
|
4
|
Other
assets
|
(47,864)
|
(68,474)
|
Due
to broker
|
(643,808)
|
-
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
(3,286)
|
(4,787)
|
Other
liabilities
|
(7,871)
|
(120)
|
Net
cash (used in)/provided by operating activities
|
(3,218,050)
|
521,116
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities:
|
|
|
Proceeds
from sale of Shares
|
1,109,288
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(3,943,558)
|
(4,117,450)
|
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(2,834,270)
|
(4,117,450)
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
|
(6,052,320)
|
(3,596,334)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
27,874,691
|
26,774,939
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
$21,822,371
|
$23,178,605
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
38
NOTES TO FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
Note 1 –
Organization and Operation
Teucrium Soybean Fund (referred to
herein as “SOYB” or the “Fund”) is a
commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust
(“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on
September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the
“Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial
interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation
Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through
Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund
(the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such
Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “SOYB,” to
the public at per Share offering prices that reflect, among other
factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV
of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the
Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares
to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of
sale, and the liquidity of the markets for soybean interests. The
Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca
at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per
Share.
The investment
objective of SOYB is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the
Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the soybean market
for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is
a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three
futures contracts for soybeans (“Soybean Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”):
SOYB
Benchmark
CBOT
Soybeans Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to expire (excluding
August & September)
|
35%
|
Third to expire (excluding
August & September)
|
30%
|
Expiring in the November
following the expiration of the third-to-expire
contract
|
35%
|
The fund commenced investment
operations on September 19, 2011 and has a fiscal year ending
December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the
“Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the
management of the Fund. The Sponsor is
registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a
commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of
the National Futures Association
(“NFA”).
On June 13, 2011, the initial Form
S-1 for SOYB was declared effective by the SEC. On September 16,
2011, two Creation Baskets were issued representing 100,000 shares
and $2,500,000. On September 19, 2011, SOYB started trading on the
NYSE Arca. The current registration statement for SOYB was declared
effective by the SEC on April 30, 2018. The registration statement
for SOYB registered an additional 5,000,000
shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not
include all information and footnote disclosures required under
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America (“GAAP”). The financial information included
herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects
all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary
for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements
for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim
financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as
applicable. The operating results for the three months ended March
31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full year ending December 31,
2020.
Subject to the terms of the Trust
Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor
(“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time,
regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for
instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net
assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued
operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level
of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a
Fund.
Note 2 –
Principal Contracts and
Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bank N.A.
as the Custodian for the Funds. The principal business address for
U.S. Bank N.A is 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bank N.A. is a Wisconsin state
chartered bank subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System and the Wisconsin State Banking
Department. The principal address for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund
Services") is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. In
addition, effective on the Conversion Date, Global Fund Services, a
wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, commenced serving as
administrator for each Fund, performing certain administrative and
accounting services and preparing certain SEC reports on behalf of
the Funds, and also became the registrar and transfer agent for
each Fund’s Shares. For such services, U.S. Bank and Global
Fund Services will receive an asset based fee, subject to a minimum
annual fee.
For custody services, the Funds will
pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1
billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion,
annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer
Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are
based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds
will pay to Global Fund Services 0.06% of average gross assets on
the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million, 0.04% on
the next $500 million and 0.03% on the balance over $1 billion
annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for
custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is
assessed per Fund. These
services are recorded in custodian fees and expenses on the
statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the
“Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The
Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the
Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in
connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation
Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all
Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor
and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and
Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain
employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered
representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee
of 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets and an
aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Teucrium Funds, along with
certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA,
Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and
$1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded in
distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A
summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a
Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC,
performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's
Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain
distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution
Consulting Agreement with the Trust's
Sponsor.
ED&F Man Capital Markets, Inc.
(“ED&F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’
clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’
futures and provide other brokerage-related services. ED&F Man
is registered as a FCM with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the
NFA. ED&F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the
FINRA. ED&F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc.,
Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York
Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity
exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts
ED&F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn. Prior
to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage
commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August
21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The
half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of
operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change
in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on
the statements of operations when a contract is sold.
A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The
Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the
State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an
annual fee of $3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in
business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations.
A summary of these expenses is included below.
39
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital
Partners LLC (TCP) as the Marketing Agent. TCP is registered as a
Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. TCP receives an annual fee
of $90,000 and an additional 0.0015% of average daily net assets in
referred accounts for
distribution and solicitation-related services. This additional fee is determined by an
agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract.
These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on
the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is
included below:
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Amount
Recognized for Custody Services
|
$10,747
|
$26,636
|
Amount
of Custody Services Waived
|
$-
|
$12,828
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Distribution Services
|
$6,883
|
$7,916
|
Amount
of Distribution Services Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Brokerage Commissions
|
$-
|
$2,116
|
Amount
of Brokerage Commissions Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Wilmington Trust
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Wilmington Trust Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for TCP
|
$3,501
|
$-
|
Amount
of TCP Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
Note 3 –
Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting
Standards Board’s Accounting Standards
Codification.
Revenue
Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are
recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on
the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized
appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are
reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between
the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the
last business day of the year or as of the last date of the
financial statements. Beginning on August 21, 2019,
brokerage commission expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis.
The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements
of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the
change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized
loss on the statements of operations when a contract is
sold. Changes in the appreciation or
depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of
operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial
institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Funds earn
interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial
institutions at prevailing market rates for such
investments.
Beginning in February 2018, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of cash in commercial paper,
which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration
of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements
and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of
assets and liabilities and on the statements of cash flows.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the statements of operations.
Beginning in February of 2019, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of the cash held by the broker in
short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the combined statements of operations.
The Sponsor adopted ASC 606, Revenue
from Contracts With Customers, for the year ended December 31,
2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements of the Trust or the Funds.
Brokerage
Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began
recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures
contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the
change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures
contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of
operations as unrealized losses attributed to brokerage commissions
as of March 31, 2020.
|
SOYB
|
Unrealized
Loss Attributed to Brokerage Commissions
|
$1,656
|
Total
Brokerage Commissions paid including unrealized loss
|
$4,454
|
Income
Taxes
For federal income
tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded
partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as
a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of
the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each
taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as
defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in
pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business),
dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets
held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a
partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling
of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards
and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also
includes income and gains from commodities and from futures,
forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the
partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets,
swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to
commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s
gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying
income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes. The
Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the
shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss
on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the
Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for
income tax purposes.
The Fund is required to determine
whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon
examination by the applicable taxing authority, including
resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on
the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax
return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax
returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all
tax years 2017 to 2019, the Fund remains subject to income tax
examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit
recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a
greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously
recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that
reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined
that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax
benefits as of March 31, 2020 and for the years ended December 31,
2019, 2018, and 2017. However, the Fund’s conclusions
regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a
later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing
analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and
interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued
related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed.
No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Fund may be subject to potential
examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional
authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential
examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of
deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions,
and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax
laws.
Creations and
Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase
Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from the Fund. The
amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will
be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined
as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is
properly received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem
shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called
“Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption
proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the
shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on
the day the order to redeem the basket is properly
received.
40
The Fund receives or pays the
proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days
after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due
from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s
statements of assets and liabilities as receivable for shares sold.
Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are
reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities
as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form
S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the
Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced
redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to
decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding,
until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the
purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions
by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of
Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among
the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares
each shareholder holds as of the close of each
month.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents
Cash
equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturity dates of 90
days or less when acquired. The Trust reported its cash equivalents
in the statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at
carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their
highly liquid nature and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a
series of the Trust has the balance of its cash equivalents on
deposit with financial institutions. The Trust holds a balance in
money market funds that is included in cash and cash equivalents on
the statements of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a
portion of the available cash for the Funds in alternative demand
deposit savings accounts, which is classified as cash and not as
cash equivalents. Assets deposited with the bank may, at times,
exceed federally insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of
the available cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial
paper with durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a
cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor invests a
portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills
as collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a
cash equivalent and is not FDIC
insured.
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
Money
Market Funds
|
$10,926,585
|
$103
|
Demand
Deposit Savings Accounts
|
208,556
|
14,677,599
|
Commercial
Paper
|
9,987,333
|
12,481,824
|
Treasury
Bills
|
699,897
|
715,165
|
Total
cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets
and Liabilities
|
$21,822,371
|
$27,874,691
|
Due from/to
Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for
the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not
limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the
clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for
commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on
the clearing broker’s records and
amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized
losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of
funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with
the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position
in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the
trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or
sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial
margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate
purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin
requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets
may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount
invested, are greater than are customary in other forms of
investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price
changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements
that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of
margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is
set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is
traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during
the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s
clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity
interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a
matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over-the-counter
trading generally involves the extension of credit between
counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the
posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit
exposure.
When a trader purchases an option,
there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be
paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he
or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the
margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in
addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for
the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of
options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that
out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be
higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets
directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and
conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader
acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the
underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance”
margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s
clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures
contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not
satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by
the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time,
the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect
to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders
personally) is subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges
have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving
procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held
in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated
and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis,
measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
Calculation of
Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated
by:
|
●
|
Taking the current market
value of its total assets and
|
|
●
|
Subtracting any
liabilities.
|
The administrator, Global Fund
Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It
calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or
4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released
after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Soybean
Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the CBOT closing price.
The administrator determines the value of all other Fund
investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m.
(EST). The value of over-the-counter soybean interests is
determined based on the value of the commodity or futures contract
underlying such soybean interest, except that a fair value may be
determined if the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to
significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such
soybean interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports,
the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the
“fair value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures
Contract closes at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short
term Treasury securities held by the Fund are valued by the
administrator using values received from recognized third-party
vendors and dealer quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or
loss on open soybean interests and any other income or expense
accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the
Fund.
Sponsor Fee,
Allocation of Expenses and Related Party
Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for
investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives
and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one
or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial,
accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the
Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to
outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds
such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and
trading activities. In addition, the Fund is contractually
obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on
average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per
annum.
41
The Fund generally pays for all
brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees
for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees
paid to the SEC, FINRA, formerly the National Association of
Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency in connection
with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial
registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses
associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees
and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and
reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all
Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the
respective funds based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate
by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to
relative assets under management and creation order
activity.
These aggregate common expenses
include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and
financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance,
trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to
the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and
financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities
that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are
primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the
statement of operations. All asset-based fees and expenses for the
Funds are calculated on the prior day’s net
assets.
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Recognized
Related Party Transactions
|
$92,650
|
$143,242
|
Waived
Related Party Transactions
|
$9,971
|
$15,706
|
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the
Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if
applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of
operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there
would be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future
period:
|
SOYB
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2020
|
$29,971
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2019
|
$62,912
|
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts
of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair
value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an
asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit
price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants
at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund
uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a
fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value
that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use
of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs
be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund.
Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the
inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or
liability developed based on the best information available in the
circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation
adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1
financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices
that are readily and regularly available in an active market,
valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a
significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted
prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant
inputs are observable, either directly or
indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement.
The availability of valuation
techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument
to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of
factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the
financial instrument is new and not yet established in the
marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the
transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or
inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the
determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated
values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be
ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances
that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent
uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially
higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a
ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly,
the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair
value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall
into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases,
for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy,
within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is
determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to
the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure
considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than
an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions
are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set
to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the
asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices
and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including
periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation,
the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many
financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial
instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair
value hierarchy. When such a situation exists on a quarter close,
the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the
Level 1 valuation, but will later recalculate the NAV for the
impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these
alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report
such NAV in its applicable financial statements and
reports.
On March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value
of the Soybean Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT fairly
reflected the value of the Soybean Futures Contracts held by the
Fund, with no adjustments necessary. The determination is made as
of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of
trading for the reporting period. In making the determination of a
Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume
of the specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant
exchange for the periods being reported.
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and for the year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not
have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the
fair value hierarchy.
The Fund records its derivative
activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative
contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative
contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices.
Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such
as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market,
are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts)
which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant
inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2
or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the
accrual method of accounting.
Net Income (Loss) per
Share
Net income (loss) per Share is the
difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period
and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of
Shares outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net
income (loss) per weighted average Share. The weighted average
Shares are equal to the number of Shares outstanding at the end of
the period, adjusted proportionately for Shares created or redeemed
based on the amount of time the Shares were outstanding during such
period.
New Accounting
Pronouncements
The Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting
Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-02: “Financial
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842):
Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date
Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic
842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2020-01: Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321),
Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and
Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Clarifying the
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The
amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a
company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.
The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31,
2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
42
The FASB issued
2019-07: “Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to
SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532,
Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and
33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and
Miscellaneous Updates.” The amendments improve, update, and
simplify the SEC’s regulations on financial reporting and
disclosure. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended
September 30, 2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2019-04: “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial
Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and
hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments.” The
amendments clarify and improve areas of guidance related to the
recently issued standards on credit losses, hedging, and
recognition and measurement, specifically relating to ASU 2017-12.
The amendments were early adopted for the quarter ended June 30,
2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases
(Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the
guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are
not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing
guidance. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts but the
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13:
“Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework
– Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value
Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company
fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were
removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of
the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the
effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial
statements. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts, specifically,
the removal, modification and addition to the fair value
disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-05,
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs
Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118." These
amendments add guidance to the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act). The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2018; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13,
“Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and
Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the
Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission
of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The
amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain
companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No.
2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public
business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a
public business entity except for a requirement to include or the
inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in
another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim
periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. This
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-12,
“Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements
to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. These amendments
refine and expand hedge accounting for both financial (e.g.,
interest rate) and commodity risks. Its provisions create more
transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the
face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. It also
makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of
hedge accounting guidance. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2016-02,
“Leases (Topic 842).” The amendments in this update
increase transparency and comparability among organizations by
recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet
and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.
The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
Note 4 –
Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and
liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon
a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant
accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents
information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured
at fair value as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019:
March 31, 2020
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$21,613,815
|
$-
|
$-
|
$21,613,815
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
$-
|
$1,361,869
|
December 31, 2019
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$13,197,092
|
$-
|
$-
|
$13,197,092
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
931,896
|
-
|
$-
|
931,896
|
Total
|
$14,128,988
|
$-
|
$-
|
$14,128,988
|
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into
and out of each level of the fair value
hierarchy.
43
Note 5 –
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities
In the normal course of business,
the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its
proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts
are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or
part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and
exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following
primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price,
and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying
risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due
to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their
contracts. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and year ended
December 31, 2019, the Fund invested only in commodity futures
contracts.
Futures
Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity
price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment
objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the
future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a
specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures
contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments
(variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day,
depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract,
and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures
contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk
since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the
exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all
exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against
default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires
an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the
FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and
other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with
all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation
requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery
may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated
customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount
could be less than the total of cash and other equity
deposited.
The following table discloses
information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in
the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these
financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of
netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These
recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in FASB
ASU No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about
Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified
in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying
the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and
Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies
the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the
statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts,
categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM,
ED&F Man as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019.
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and
Derivative Liabilities as of March 31,
2020
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii)=(i)-(ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
|
Gross Amount offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soybean
futures contracts
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
$1,361,869
|
$-
|
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of December 31, 2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Soybeans futures
contracts
|
$931,896
|
$-
|
$931,896
|
$-
|
$643,808
|
$288,088
|
The following is a summary of
realized and unrealized gains and losses of the derivative
instruments utilized by the Fund:
Three months ended March 31,
2020
|
Realized Loss on Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
$(856,215)
|
$(2,293,765)
|
Three months ended March 31,
2019
|
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Soybeans
futures contracts
|
$33,638
|
$(504,875)
|
44
Volume of
Derivative Activities
The average notional market value
categorized by primary underlying risk for all futures contracts
held was $24.1 million and $24.2 million, respectively for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31,
2019.
Note 6
– Financial
Highlights
The following tables present per
unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. This information has
been derived from information presented in the financial
statements. This information has been derived from information
presented in the financial statements and is presented with total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as
appropriate.
|
Three months ended
March
31, 2020 |
Three months ended
March
31, 2019 |
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
|
Net
asset value at beginning of period
|
$15.85
|
$16.20
|
Income
(loss) from investment operations:
|
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.06
|
0.11
|
Net
realized and unrealized loss on commodity futures
contracts
|
(1.79)
|
(0.37)
|
Total
expenses, net
|
(0.12)
|
(0.15)
|
Net
decrease in net asset value
|
(1.85)
|
(0.41)
|
Net
asset value at end of period
|
$14.00
|
$15.79
|
Total Return
|
(11.67)%
|
(2.53)%
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
3.70%
|
4.60%
|
Total
expenses, net
|
3.23%
|
3.60%
|
Net
investment loss
|
(1.57)%
|
(0.92)%
|
The financial highlights per share
data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to
calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 –
Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of
the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund,
including applicable SEC registration fees were borne directly by
the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the
Sponsor.
Note 8 –
Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the
financial statements for the quarter-ended March 31, 2020 for
subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no
material events requiring either recognition through the date of
the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted
below:
The impact of
COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the
Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this
10-Q.
The total net
assets for the fund increased by $5,957,653, or 27%, for the period
March 31, 2020 through May 7, 2020. This was driven by a 32%
increase in the shares outstanding and partially offset by a 4%
decrease in the net asset value per share.
45
TEUCRIUM
SUGAR FUND
|
March 31,
2020
|
December 31,
2019
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$6,902,073
|
$12,215,795
|
Interest
receivable
|
585
|
28
|
Other
assets
|
18,230
|
1,140
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
-
|
347,429
|
Due
from broker
|
1,764,665
|
-
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
1,764,665
|
347,429
|
Total
assets
|
8,685,553
|
12,564,392
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
6,825
|
10,609
|
Other
liabilities
|
2,178
|
2,695
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
1,808,516
|
-
|
Due
to broker
|
-
|
237,908
|
Total
equity in trading accounts
|
1,808,516
|
237,908
|
Total
liabilities
|
1,817,519
|
251,212
|
|
|
|
Net assets
|
$6,868,034
|
$12,313,180
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
1,250,004
|
1,750,004
|
|
|
|
Shares authorized
|
9,650,000
|
9,725,000
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share
|
$5.49
|
$7.04
|
|
|
|
Market value per share
|
$5.46
|
$7.02
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
46
TEUCRIUM
SUGAR FUND
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 0.28% (cost
$3,668,401)
|
$3,668,401
|
53.41%
|
3,668,401
|
Blackrock
FedFund - Institutional Class 0.36% (cost: $8,444)
|
8,444
|
0.12
|
8,444
|
Total
money market funds (cost: $3,676,845)
|
$3,676,845
|
53.53%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.01% (cost: $529,582 due 4/07/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$529,924
|
7.72%
|
530,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
HP
Inc. 3.23% (cost: $2,491,556 due 5/08/2020)
|
$2,491,778
|
36.28%
|
2,500,000
|
Total
cash equivalents
|
$6,698,547
|
97.53%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percentage of
|
Notional Amount
|
Description: Liabilities
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
(Long Exposure)
|
|
|
|
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States sugar futures contracts
|
|
|
|
ICE
sugar futures JUL20 (203 contracts)
|
$563,378
|
8.20%
|
$2,387,280
|
ICE
sugar futures OCT20 (171 contracts)
|
667,517
|
9.72
|
2,060,755
|
ICE
sugar futures MAR21 (190 contracts)
|
577,621
|
8.41
|
2,425,920
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$1,808,516
|
26.33%
|
$6,873,955
|
(a) Discount yield at the time of
purchase inclusive of collateral fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
47
TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
SCHEDULE OF
INVESTMENTS
December 31,
2019
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio (cost
$103)
|
$103
|
0.00%
|
103
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.53% (cost: $683,030 due 01/30/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$683,196
|
5.55%
|
684,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
FMC
Technologies 1.86% (cost: $2,494,476 due 01/02/2020)
|
$ 2,499,872
|
20.30%
|
2,500,000
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$3,183,171
|
25.85%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States sugar futures contracts
|
|
|
|
ICE
sugar futures MAY20 (284 contracts)
|
$88,865
|
0.72%
|
$4,306,803
|
ICE
sugar futures JUL20 (241 contracts)
|
223,677
|
1.82
|
3,687,107
|
ICE
sugar futures MAR21 (268 contracts)
|
34,887
|
0.28
|
4,316,301
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$347,429
|
2.82%
|
$12,310,211
|
(a) Discount yield at the time of
purchase inclusive of collateral fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
48
TEUCRIUM
SUGAR FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Income
|
|
|
Realized
and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures
contracts:
|
|
|
Realized
gain on commodity futures contracts
|
$292,057
|
$361,368
|
Net
change in unrealized (depreciation) appreciation on commodity
futures contracts
|
(2,155,945)
|
60,032
|
Interest
income
|
42,971
|
66,622
|
Total
(loss) income
|
$(1,820,917)
|
488,022
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Management
fees
|
26,501
|
26,133
|
Professional
fees
|
23,160
|
46,448
|
Distribution
and marketing fees
|
45,334
|
45,591
|
Custodian
fees and expenses
|
6,971
|
5,226
|
Business
permits and licenses fees
|
18,590
|
4,442
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
3,176
|
4,304
|
Brokerage
commissions
|
-
|
1,943
|
Other
expenses
|
15
|
950
|
Total
expenses
|
123,747
|
135,037
|
|
|
|
Expenses
waived by the Sponsor
|
(37,353)
|
(41,482)
|
|
|
|
Total expenses, net
|
86,394
|
93,555
|
|
|
|
Net (loss) income
|
$(1,907,311)
|
$394,467
|
|
|
|
Net
(loss) income per share
|
$(1.55)
|
$0.23
|
Net
(loss) income per weighted average share
|
$(1.25)
|
$0.28
|
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
1,525,279
|
1,427,782
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
49
TEUCRIUM
SUGAR FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Operations
|
|
|
Net
(loss) income
|
$(1,907,311)
|
$394,467
|
Capital
transactions
|
|
|
Issuance
of Shares
|
422,640
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(3,960,475)
|
(1,324,400)
|
Total
capital transactions
|
(3,537,835)
|
(1,324,400)
|
Net
change in net assets
|
(5,445,146)
|
(929,933)
|
|
|
|
Net assets, beginning of period
|
$12,313,180
|
$10,778,739
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period
|
$6,868,034
|
$9,848,806
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
|
$7.04
|
$7.07
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at end of period
|
$5.49
|
$7.30
|
|
|
|
Creation
of Shares
|
75,000
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
575,000
|
175,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
50
TEUCRIUM
SUGAR FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Cash flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
(loss) income
|
$(1,907,311)
|
$394,467
|
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used
in)/provided by operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation (appreciation) on commodity
futures contracts
|
2,155,945
|
(60,032)
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
Due
from broker
|
(1,764,665)
|
351,972
|
Interest
receivable
|
(557)
|
90
|
Other
assets
|
(17,090)
|
(78,642)
|
Due
to broker
|
(237,908)
|
77,840
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
(3,784)
|
(1,238)
|
Other
liabilities
|
(517)
|
(10,820)
|
Net
cash (used in)/provided by operating activities
|
(1,775,887)
|
673,637
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities:
|
|
|
Proceeds
from sale of Shares
|
422,640
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(3,960,475)
|
(1,324,400)
|
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(3,537,835)
|
(1,324,400)
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
|
(5,313,722)
|
(650,763)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
12,215,795
|
10,261,941
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
$6,902,073
|
$9,611,178
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
51
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
Note 1 –
Organization and Operation
Teucrium Sugar Fund (referred to
herein as “CANE” or the “Fund”) is a
commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust
(“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on
September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the
“Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial
interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation
Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through
Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund
(the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such
Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “CANE,” to
the public at per-Share offering prices that reflect, among other
factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV
of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the
Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares
to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of
sale, and the liquidity of the markets for sugar interests. The
Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca
at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per
Share.
The investment
objective of CANE is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the
Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the sugar market
for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is
a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three
futures contracts for No. 11 sugar (“Sugar Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the ICE Futures US
(“ICE”):
CANE
Benchmark
ICE Sugar
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to
expire
|
35%
|
Third to
expire
|
30%
|
Expiring in the March
following the expiration of the third-to-expire
contract
|
35%
|
The Fund commenced investment
operations on September 19, 2011 and has a fiscal year ending
December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the
“Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the
management of the Fund. The Sponsor is
registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a
commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of
the National Futures Association
(“NFA”).
On June 13, 2011, the initial Form
S-1 for CANE was declared effective by the SEC. On September 16,
2011, two Creation Baskets were issued representing 100,000 shares
and $2,500,000. On September 19, 2011, CANE started trading on the
NYSE Arca. The current registration statement for CANE was declared
effective by the SEC on April 30, 2018. The registration statement
for CANE registered an additional 5,000,000
shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not
include all information and footnote disclosures required under
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America (“GAAP”). The financial information included
herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects
all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary
for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements
for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim
financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as
applicable. The operating results for the three months ended March
31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full year ending December 31,
2020.
Subject to the terms of the Trust
Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor
(“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time,
regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for
instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net
assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued
operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level
of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a
Fund.
Note 2 –
Principal Contracts and
Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bank N.A.
as the Custodian for the Funds. The principal business address for
U.S. Bank N.A is 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bank N.A. is a Wisconsin state
chartered bank subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System and the Wisconsin State Banking
Department. The principal address for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund
Services") is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. In
addition, effective on the Conversion Date, Global Fund Services, a
wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, commenced serving as
administrator for each Fund, performing certain administrative and
accounting services and preparing certain SEC reports on behalf of
the Funds, and also became the registrar and transfer agent for
each Fund’s Shares. For such services, U.S. Bank and Global
Fund Services will receive an asset based fee, subject to a minimum
annual fee.
For custody services, the Funds will
pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1
billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion,
annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer
Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are
based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds
will pay to Global Fund Services 0.06% of average gross assets on
the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million, 0.04% on
the next $500 million and 0.03% on the balance over $1 billion
annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for
custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is
assessed per Fund. These
services are recorded in custodian fees and expenses on the
statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the
“Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The
Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the
Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in
connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation
Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all
Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor
and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and
Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain
employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered
representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee
of 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets and an
aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Teucrium Funds, along with
certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA,
Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and
$1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded in
distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A
summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a
Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC,
performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's
Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain
distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution
Consulting Agreement with the Trust's
Sponsor.
ED&F Man Capital Markets, Inc.
(“ED&F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’
clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’
futures and provide other brokerage-related services. ED&F Man
is registered as a FCM with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the
NFA. ED&F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the
FINRA. ED&F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc.,
Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York
Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity
exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts
ED&F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn. Prior
to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage
commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August
21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The
half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of
operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change
in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on
the statements of operations when a contract is sold.
A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The
Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the
State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an
annual fee of $3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in
business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations.
A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs
Thales Capital Partners LLC (TCP) as the Marketing Agent. TCP is
registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. TCP
receives an annual fee of $90,000 and an additional 0.0015% of
average daily net assets in referred
accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services.
This additional fee is
determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing
the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and
marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these
expenses is included below:
|
Three
months ended
March
31, 2020
|
Three
months ended
March
31, 2019
|
Amount
Recognized for Custody Services
|
$6,971
|
$5,226
|
Amount
of Custody Services Waived
|
$2,201
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Distribution Services
|
$3,027
|
$4,556
|
Amount
of Distribution Services Waived
|
$1,213
|
$1,365
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Brokerage Commissions
|
$-
|
$1,943
|
Amount
of Brokerage Commissions Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Wilmington Trust
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Wilmington Trust Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for TCP
|
$1,594
|
$-
|
Amount
of TCP Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
52
Note 3 –
Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting
Standards Board’s Accounting Standards
Codification.
Revenue
Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are
recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on
the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized
appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are
reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between
the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the
last business day of the year or as of the last date of the
financial statements. Beginning on August 21, 2019,
brokerage commission expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis.
The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements
of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the
change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized
loss on the statements of operations when a contract is
sold. Changes in the appreciation or
depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of
operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial
institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Funds earn
interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial
institutions at prevailing market rates for such
investments.
Beginning in February 2018, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of cash in commercial paper,
which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration
of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements
and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of
assets and liabilities and on the statements of cash flows.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the statements of operations.
Beginning in February of 2019, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of the cash held by the broker in
short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the combined statements of operations.
The Sponsor adopted ASC 606, Revenue
from Contracts With Customers, for the year ended December 31,
2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements of the Trust or the Funds.
Brokerage
Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began
recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures
contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the
change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures
contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of
operations as unrealized losses attributed to brokerage commissions
as of March 31, 2020.
|
CANE
|
Unrealized
Loss Attributed to Brokerage Commissions
|
$2,057
|
Total
Brokerage Commissions paid including unrealized loss
|
$3,075
|
Income
Taxes
For federal income
tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded
partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as
a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of
the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each
taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as
defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in
pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business),
dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets
held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a
partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling
of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards
and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also
includes income and gains from commodities and from futures,
forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the
partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets,
swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to
commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s
gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying
income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes. The
Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the
shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss
on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the
Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for
income tax purposes.
The Fund is required to determine
whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon
examination by the applicable taxing authority, including
resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on
the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax
return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax
returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all
tax years 2017 to 2019, the Fund remains subject to income tax
examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit
recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a
greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously
recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that
reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined
that it has not incurred any liability for tax benefits as of March
31, 2020 and for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.
However, the Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be
subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors
including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to
tax laws, regulations, and interpretations
thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued
related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed.
No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Fund may be subject to potential
examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional
authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential
examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of
deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions,
and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax
laws.
Creations and
Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase
Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from the Fund. The
amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will
be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined
as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is
properly received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem
shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called
“Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption
proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the
shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on
the day the order to redeem the basket is properly
received.
The Fund receives or pays the
proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days
after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due
from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s
statements of assets and liabilities as receivable for shares sold.
Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are
reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities
as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form
S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the
Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced
redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to
decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding,
until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the
purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions
by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of
Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among
the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares
each shareholder holds as of the close of each
month.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents
53
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
Money
Market Funds
|
$3,676,845
|
$103
|
Demand
Deposit Savings Accounts
|
203,526
|
9,032,624
|
Commercial
Paper
|
2,491,778
|
2,499,872
|
Treasury
Bills
|
529,924
|
683,196
|
Total
cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets
and Liabilities
|
$6,902,073
|
$12,215,795
|
Due from/to
Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for
the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not
limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the
clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for
commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on
the clearing broker’s records, and
amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized
losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of
funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with
the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position
in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the
trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or
sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial
margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate
purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin
requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets
may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount
invested, are greater than are customary in other forms of
investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price
changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements
that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of
margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is
set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is
traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during
the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s
clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity
interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a
matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over-the-counter
trading generally involves the extension of credit between
counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the
posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit
exposure.
When a trader purchases an option,
there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be
paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he
or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the
margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in
addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for
the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of
options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that
out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be
higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets
directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and
conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader
acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the
underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance”
margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s
clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures
contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not
satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by
the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time,
the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect
to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders
personally) is subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges
have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving
procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held
in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated
and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis,
measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
Calculation of
Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated
by:
|
●
|
Taking the current market
value of its total assets and
|
|
●
|
Subtracting any
liabilities.
|
The administrator, Global Fund
Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It
calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or
4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released
after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Sugar
Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the ICE closing price.
The administrator determines the value of all other Fund
investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m.
(EST). The value of over-the-counter sugar interests is determined
based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying
such sugar interest, except that a fair value may be determined if
the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit
risk relating to the counterparty to such sugar interest. For
purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will
recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair
value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes
at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury
securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using
values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer
quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open sugar
interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but
unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee,
Allocation of Expenses and Related Party
Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for
investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives
and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one
or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial,
accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the
Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to
outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds
such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and
trading activities. In addition, the Fund is contractually
obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on
average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per
annum.
The Fund generally pays for all
brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees
for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees
paid to the SEC, FINRA, formerly the National Association of
Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency in connection
with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial
registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses
associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees
and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and
reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all
Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the
respective funds based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate
by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to
relative assets under management and creation order
activity.
These aggregate common expenses
include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and
financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance,
trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to
the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and
financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities
that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are
primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the
statement of operations. All asset-based fees and expenses for the
Funds are calculated on the prior day’s net
assets.
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Recognized
Related Party Transactions
|
$41,198
|
$83,422
|
Waived
Related Party Transactions
|
$10,139
|
$9,168
|
The Sponsor has the ability to elect
to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the
management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor,
at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees
waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived
expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor
has determined that there would be no recovery sought for the
amounts below in any future period:
|
CANE
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2020
|
$37,353
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2019
|
$41,482
|
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts
of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
54
Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair
value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an
asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit
price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants
at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund
uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a
fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value
that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use
of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs
be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund.
Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the
inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or
liability developed based on the best information available in the
circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation
adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1
financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices
that are readily and regularly available in an active market,
valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a
significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted
prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant
inputs are observable, either directly or
indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and
observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial
instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including,
the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument
is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other
characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that
valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or
unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value
requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily
represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the
occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably
determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those
estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values
that would have been used had a ready market for the financial
instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised
by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial
instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs
used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the
fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the
level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value
measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the
lowest level input that is significant to the fair value
measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure
considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than
an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions
are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set
to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the
asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices
and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including
periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation,
the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many
financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial
instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair
value hierarchy. When such a situation exists on a quarter close,
the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the
Level 1 valuation, but will later recalculate the NAV for the
impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these
alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report
such NAV in its applicable financial statements and
reports.
On March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value
of the Sugar Futures Contracts traded on the ICE fairly reflected
the value of the Sugar Futures Contracts held by the Fund, and no
adjustments were necessary. The determination is made as of the
settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for
the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or
Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the
specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant
exchange for the periods being reported.
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
The Fund records its derivative
activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative
contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative
contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices.
Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such
as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market,
are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts)
which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant
inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2
or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Net Income
(Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the
difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period
and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units
outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income
(loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are
equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period,
adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the
amount of time the units were outstanding during such
period.
55
New Accounting
Pronouncements
The Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting
Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-02: “Financial
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842):
Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date
Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic
842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2020-01: Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321),
Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and
Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Clarifying the
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The
amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a
company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.
The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31,
2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued
2019-07: “Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to
SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532,
Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and
33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and
Miscellaneous Updates.” The amendments improve, update, and
simplify the SEC’s regulations on financial reporting and
disclosure. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended
September 30, 2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2019-04: “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial
Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and
hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments.” The
amendments clarify and improve areas of guidance related to the
recently issued standards on credit losses, hedging, and
recognition and measurement, specifically relating to ASU 2017-12.
The amendments were early adopted for the quarter ended June 30,
2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases
(Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the
guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are
not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing
guidance. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts but the
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13:
“Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework
– Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value
Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company
fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were
removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of
the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the
effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial
statements. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts, specifically,
the removal, modification and addition to the fair value
disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-05,
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs
Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118." These
amendments add guidance to the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act). The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2018; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13,
“Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and
Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the
Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission
of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The
amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain
companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No.
2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public
business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a
public business entity except for a requirement to include or the
inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in
another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim
periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. This
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-12,
“Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements
to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. These amendments
refine and expand hedge accounting for both financial (e.g.,
interest rate) and commodity risks. Its provisions create more
transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the
face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. It also
makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of
hedge accounting guidance. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2016-02,
“Leases (Topic 842).” The amendments in this update
increase transparency and comparability among organizations by
recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet
and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.
The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
Note 4 –
Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and
liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon
a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant
accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents
information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured
at fair value as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019:
March 31, 2020
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$6,698,547
|
$-
|
$-
|
$6,698,547
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Sugar
Futures Contracts
|
$1,808,516
|
$-
|
$-
|
$1,808,516
|
December 31, 2019
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$3,183,171
|
$-
|
$-
|
$3,183,171
|
Sugar
Futures Contracts
|
347,429
|
-
|
-
|
347,429
|
Total
|
$3,530,600
|
$-
|
$-
|
$3,530,600
|
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
See the Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for
an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the
fair value hierarchy.
56
Note 5 –
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities
In the normal course of business,
the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its
proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts
are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or
part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and
exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following
primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price,
and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying
risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due
to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their
contracts. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and year ended
December 31, 2019, the Fund invested only in commodity futures
contracts.
Futures
Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity
price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment
objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the
future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a
specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures
contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments
(variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day,
depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract,
and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures
contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk
since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the
exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all
exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against
default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires
an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the
FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and
other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with
all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation
requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery
may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated
customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount
could be less than the total of cash and other equity
deposited.
The following table discloses
information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in
the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these
financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of
netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These
recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in FASB
ASU No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about
Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified
in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying
the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and
Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies
the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the
statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts,
categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM,
ED&F Man as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019.
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and
Derivative Liabilities as of March 31,
2020
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii)=(i)-(ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
|
Gross Amount offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due from Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
$1,808,516
|
$-
|
$1,808,516
|
$-
|
$1,764,665
|
$43,851
|
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of December 31, 2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sugar futures
contracts
|
$347,429
|
$-
|
$347,429
|
$-
|
$237,908
|
$109,521
|
The following tables identify the
net gain and loss amounts included in the statements of operations
as realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading of commodity
futures contracts categorized by primary underlying
risk:
57
Three months ended March 31,
2020
|
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
$292,057
|
$(2,155,945)
|
Three months ended March 31,
2019
|
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Sugar
futures contracts
|
$361,368
|
$60,032
|
Volume of
Derivative Activities
The
average notional market value categorized by primary underlying
risk for all futures contracts held were $9.7 million and $10.3
million, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2020
and March 31, 2019.
Note 6
– Financial
Highlights
The following table presents per
unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. This information has
been derived from information presented in the financial
statements. This information has been derived from information
presented in the financial statements and is presented with total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as
appropriate.
|
Three months ended
March
31, 2020 |
Three months ended
March
31, 2019 |
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
|
Net
asset value at beginning of period
|
$7.04
|
$7.07
|
Income
(loss) from investment operations:
|
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.03
|
0.05
|
Net
realized and unrealized (loss) gain on commodity futures
contracts
|
(1.52)
|
0.25
|
Total
expenses, net
|
(0.06)
|
(0.07)
|
Net
(decrease) increase in net asset value
|
(1.55)
|
0.23
|
Net
asset value at end of period
|
$5.49
|
$7.30
|
Total Return
|
(21.91)%
|
3.25%
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
4.67%
|
5.17%
|
Total
expenses, net
|
3.26%
|
3.58%
|
Net
investment loss
|
(1.64)%
|
(1.03)%
|
The financial highlights per share
data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to
calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 –
Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of
the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund,
including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by
the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the
Sponsor.
Note 8 –
Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the
financial statements for the quarter-ended March 31, 2020 for
subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no
material events requiring either recognition through the date of
the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted
below:
The impact of
COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the
Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this
10-Q.
58
TEUCRIUM
WHEAT FUND
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Cash
and cash equivalents
|
$47,780,802
|
$51,467,643
|
Interest
receivable
|
2,929
|
71
|
Other
assets
|
34,218
|
4,209
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Commodity
futures contracts
|
4,069,150
|
5,068,476
|
Total
assets
|
51,887,099
|
56,540,399
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
39,621
|
42,917
|
Other
liabilities
|
723
|
2,876
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Due
to broker
|
2,789,534
|
4,258,410
|
Total
liabilities
|
2,829,878
|
4,304,203
|
|
|
|
Net assets
|
$49,057,221
|
$52,236,196
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
8,500,004
|
8,950,004
|
|
|
|
Shares authorized
|
42,700,000
|
43,000,000
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share
|
$5.77
|
$5.84
|
|
|
|
Market value per share
|
$5.80
|
$5.85
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
59
TEUCRIUM
WHEAT FUND
(Unaudited)
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 0.28% (cost
$25,699,204)
|
$25,699,204
|
52.39%
|
25,699,204
|
Blackrock
RedFund - Institutional Class 0.36% (cost: $16,889)
|
16,889
|
0.03
|
16,889
|
Total
money market funds (cost: $25,716,093)
|
$25,716,093
|
52.42%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.01% (cost: $1,885,473 due 4/07/2020)
|
$1,886,722
|
3.85%
|
1,887,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
Energy
Transfer Partners 1.56% (cost: $9,978,383 due
04/29/2020)
|
$9,987,895
|
20.36%
|
10,000,000
|
FMC
Technologies 1.85% (cost: $4,977,767 due 05/01/2020)
|
4,992,333
|
10.17
|
5,000,000
|
HP
Inc 3.23% (cost: $4,983,111 due 05/08/2020)
|
4,983,556
|
10.16
|
5,000,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (Total cost: $19,939,261)
|
$19,963,784
|
40.69%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$47,566,599
|
96.96%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States wheat futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
wheat futures JUL20 (611 contracts)
|
$1,006,000
|
2.05%
|
$17,184,375
|
CBOT
wheat futures SEP20 (522 contracts)
|
1,343,901
|
2.74
|
14,753,025
|
CBOT
wheat futures DEC20 (599 contracts)
|
1,719,249
|
3.50
|
17,153,863
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$4,069,150
|
8.29%
|
$49,091,263
|
(a) Discount yield at the time of
purchase inclusive of collateral fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
60
TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2019
December 31, 2019
|
|
Percentage of
|
|
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Net Assets
|
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio (cost
$119)
|
$119
|
0.00%
|
119
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal Amount
|
U.S.
Treasury Obligations
|
|
|
|
U.S.
Treasury Bills 1.53% (cost: $1,948,259 due 01/30/2020)
(a)(b)
|
$1,948,728
|
3.73%
|
1,951,000
|
|
|
|
|
Commercial
Paper
|
|
|
|
CNH
Industrial Capital LLC 1.86% (cost: $2,493,962 due
01/06/2020)
|
$2,499,358
|
4.79%
|
2,500,000
|
Energy
Transfer Operating, L.P. 1.99% (cost: $2,493,813 due
01/31/2020)
|
2,495,875
|
4.78
|
2,500,000
|
FMC
Technologies, Inc. 1.93% (cost: $4,976,266 due
02/04/2020)
|
4,990,933
|
9.56
|
5,000,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.15% (cost: $2,487,131 due
01/06/2020)
|
2,499,261
|
4.78
|
2,500,000
|
General
Motors Financial Company, Inc. 2.16% (cost: $4,973,547 due
01/15/2020)
|
4,995,839
|
9.56
|
5,000,000
|
Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd. 2.12% (cost: $2,487,750 due
01/09/2020)
|
2,498,833
|
4.78
|
2,500,000
|
Total
Commercial Paper (cost: $19,912,469)
|
$19,980,099
|
38.25%
|
|
Total
Cash Equivalents
|
$21,928,946
|
41.98%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notional Amount
|
|
|
|
(Long Exposure)
|
Commodity futures contracts
|
|
|
|
United
States wheat futures contracts
|
|
|
|
CBOT
wheat futures MAY20 (650 contracts)
|
$2,113,350
|
4.04%
|
$18,256,875
|
CBOT
wheat futures JUL20 (556 contracts)
|
892,498
|
1.71
|
15,665,300
|
CBOT
wheat futures DEC20 (634 contracts)
|
2,062,628
|
3.95
|
18,314,675
|
Total
commodity futures contracts
|
$5,068,476
|
9.70%
|
$52,236,850
|
(a) Discount yield at the time of
purchase inclusive of collateral fees.
(b) All of the
security is held by the broker as collateral for open futures
contracts.
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
61
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Income
|
|
|
Realized
and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures
contracts:
|
|
|
Realized
gain (loss) on commodity futures contracts
|
$453,307
|
$(4,095,363)
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
(999,326)
|
(2,116,888)
|
Interest
income
|
202,866
|
372,469
|
Total
loss
|
(343,153)
|
(5,839,782)
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Management
fees
|
123,845
|
137,644
|
Professional
fees
|
76,784
|
93,678
|
Distribution
and marketing fees
|
183,577
|
196,907
|
Custodian
fees and expenses
|
22,292
|
24,776
|
Business
permits and licenses fees
|
4,954
|
5,506
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
16,100
|
23,399
|
Brokerage
commissions
|
-
|
10,603
|
Other
expenses
|
-
|
2,753
|
Total
expenses
|
427,552
|
495,266
|
|
|
|
Expenses
waived by the Sponsor
|
-
|
(2,500)
|
|
|
|
Total expenses, net
|
427,552
|
492,766
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
$(770,705)
|
$(6,332,548)
|
|
|
|
Net
loss per share
|
$(0.07)
|
$(0.65)
|
Net
loss per weighted average share
|
$(0.09)
|
$(0.65)
|
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
8,777,477
|
9,752,782
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
62
TEUCRIUM
WHEAT FUND
|
Three months
ended
|
Three months
ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Operations
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(770,705)
|
$(6,332,548)
|
Capital transactions
|
|
|
Issuance
of Shares
|
1,751,133
|
7,724,975
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(4,159,403)
|
(543,240)
|
Total
capital transactions
|
(2,408,270)
|
7,181,735
|
Net
change in net assets
|
(3,178,975)
|
849,187
|
|
|
|
Net assets, beginning of period
|
$52,236,196
|
$55,149,873
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period
|
$49,057,221
|
$55,999,060
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
|
$5.84
|
$5.95
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at end of period
|
$5.77
|
$5.30
|
|
|
|
Creation
of Shares
|
300,000
|
1,400,000
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
750,000
|
100,000
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
63
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Cash flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(770,705)
|
$(6,332,548)
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating
activities:
|
|
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures
contracts
|
999,326
|
2,116,888
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
Due
from broker
|
-
|
(118,335)
|
Interest
receivable
|
(2,858)
|
(10)
|
Other
assets
|
(30,009)
|
(74,552)
|
Due
to broker
|
(1,468,876)
|
-
|
Payable
for purchases of commercial paper
|
-
|
(9,969,591)
|
Management
fee payable to Sponsor
|
(3,296)
|
(2,095)
|
Other
liabilities
|
(2,153)
|
24,946
|
Net
cash used in operating activities
|
(1,278,571)
|
(14,355,297)
|
|
|
|
Cash flows from financing activities:
|
|
|
Proceeds
from sale of Shares
|
1,751,133
|
7,724,975
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
(4,159,403)
|
(543,240)
|
Net
cash (used in)/provided by financing activities
|
(2,408,270)
|
7,181,735
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
|
(3,686,841)
|
(7,173,562)
|
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
51,467,643
|
63,300,447
|
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
|
$47,780,802
|
$56,126,885
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
64
NOTES TO
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
(Unaudited)
Note 1 –
Organization and Operation
Teucrium Wheat Fund (referred to
herein as “WEAT” or the “Fund”) is a
commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust
(“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on
September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the
“Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial
interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation
Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through
Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund
(the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such
Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange
(“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “WEAT,” to
the public at per-Share offering prices that reflect, among other
factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV
of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the
Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares
to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of
sale, and the liquidity of the markets for wheat interests. The
Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca
at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per
Share.
The investment
objective of WEAT is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the
Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the wheat market
for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is
a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three
futures contracts for wheat (“Wheat Futures Contracts”)
that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”):
WEAT
Benchmark
CBOT Wheat
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to
expire
|
35%
|
Third to
expire
|
30%
|
December following the
third-to-expire
|
35%
|
The Fund commenced investment
operations on September 19, 2011 and has a fiscal year ending
December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the
“Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the
management of the Fund. The Sponsor is
registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a
commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of
the National Futures Association
(“NFA”).
On June 13, 2011, the Fund’s
initial registration of 10,000,000 shares on Form S1 was declared
effective by the SEC. On September 19, 2011, the Fund listed its
shares on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “WEAT.”
On the business day prior to that, the Fund issued 100,000 shares
in exchange for $2,500,000 at the Fund’s initial NAV of $25
per share. The Fund also commenced investment operations on
September 19, 2011 by purchasing commodity futures contracts traded
on the CBOT. On December 31, 2010, the Fund had four shares
outstanding, which were owned by the Sponsor. The current
registration statement for WEAT was declared effective on April 29,
2019. This registration statement for WEAT registered an additional
30,000,000
shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not
include all information and footnote disclosures required under
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America (“GAAP”). The financial information included
herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects
all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary
for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements
for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim
financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as
applicable. The operating results for the three months ended March
31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full year ending December 31,
2020.
Subject to the terms of the Trust
Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor
(“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time,
regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for
instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net
assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued
operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level
of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a
Fund.
Note 2 –
Principal Contracts and
Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bank N.A.
as the Custodian for the Funds. The principal business address for
U.S. Bank N.A is 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bank N.A. is a Wisconsin state
chartered bank subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System and the Wisconsin State Banking
Department. The principal address for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund
Services") is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. In
addition, effective on the Conversion Date, Global Fund Services, a
wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, commenced serving as
administrator for each Fund, performing certain administrative and
accounting services and preparing certain SEC reports on behalf of
the Funds, and also became the registrar and transfer agent for
each Fund’s Shares. For such services, U.S. Bank and Global
Fund Services will receive an asset based fee, subject to a minimum
annual fee.
For custody services, the Funds will
pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1
billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion,
annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer
Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are
based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds
will pay to Global Fund Services 0.06% of average gross assets on
the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million, 0.04% on
the next $500 million and 0.03% on the balance over $1 billion
annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for
custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is
assessed per Fund.These
services are recorded in custodian fees and expenses on the
statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the
“Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The
Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the
Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in
connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation
Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all
Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor
and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and
Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain
employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered
representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee
of 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets and an
aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Teucrium Funds, along with
certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA,
Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and
$1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded in
distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A
summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a
Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC,
performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's
Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain
distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution
Consulting Agreement with the Trust's
Sponsor.
ED&F Man Capital Markets, Inc.
(“ED&F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’
clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’
futures and provide other brokerage-related services. ED&F Man
is registered as a FCM with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the
NFA. ED&F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the
FINRA. ED&F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc.,
Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York
Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity
exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts
ED&F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn. Prior
to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage
commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August
21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The
half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of
operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change
in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on
the statements of operations when a contract is sold.
A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The
Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the
State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an
annual fee of $3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in
business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations.
A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital
Partners LLC (TCP) as the Marketing Agent. TCP is registered as a
Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. TCP receives an annual fee
of $90,000 and an additional 0.0015% of average daily net assets in
referred accounts for
distribution and solicitation-related services. This additional fee is determined by an
agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract.
These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on
the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is
included below:
65
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Amount
Recognized for Custody Services
|
$22,292
|
$24,776
|
Amount
of Custody Services Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Distribution Services
|
$11,222
|
$11,365
|
Amount
of Distribution Services Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Brokerage Commissions
|
$-
|
$10,603
|
Amount
of Brokerage Commissions Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Wilmington Trust
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Wilmington Trust Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for TCP
|
$5,890
|
$-
|
Amount
of TCP Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
Note 3 –
Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting
Standards Board’s Accounting Standards
Codification.
Revenue
Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are
recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on
the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized
appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are
reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between
the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the
last business day of the year or as of the last date of the
financial statements. Beginning on August 21, 2019,
brokerage commission expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis.
The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements
of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the
change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized
loss on the statements of operations when a contract is
sold. Changes in the appreciation or
depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of
operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial
institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Funds earn
interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial
institutions at prevailing market rates for such
investments.
Beginning in October 2017, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of cash in commercial paper,
which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration
of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements
and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of
assets and liabilities and on the statements of cash flows.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the statements of operations.
Beginning in February of 2019, the
Sponsor began investing a portion of the cash held by the broker in
short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts.
Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective
interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on
the combined statements of operations.
The Sponsor adopted ASC 606, Revenue
from Contracts With Customers, for the year ended December 31,
2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements of the Trust or the Funds.
Brokerage
Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began
recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures
contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the
change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures
contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of
operations as unrealized losses attributed to brokerage commissions
as of March 31, 2020.
|
WEAT
|
Unrealized
Loss Attributed to Brokerage Commissions
|
$5,400
|
Total
Brokerage Commissions paid including unrealized loss
|
$6,802
|
Income
Taxes
For federal income
tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded
partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as
a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of
the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each
taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as
defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in
pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business),
dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets
held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a
partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling
of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards
and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also
includes income and gains from commodities and from futures,
forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the
partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets,
swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to
commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s
gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying
income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes. The
Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the
shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss
on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the
Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for
income tax purposes.
The Fund is required to determine
whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon
examination by the applicable taxing authority, including
resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on
the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax
return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax
returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all
tax years 2017 to 2019, the Fund remains subject to income tax
examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit
recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a
greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously
recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that
reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined
that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax
benefits as of March 31, 2020 and for the years ended December 31,
2019, 2018 and 2017. However, the Fund’s conclusions
regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a
later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing
analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and
interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued
related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed.
No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Fund may be subject to potential
examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional
authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential
examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of
deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions,
and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax
laws.
Creations and
Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase
Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from the Fund.. The
amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will
be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined
as of 4:00 p.m.(EST) on the day the order to create the basket is
properly received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem
shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called
“Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption
proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the
shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on
the day the order to redeem the basket is properly
received.
The Fund receives or pays the
proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days
after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due
from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s
statements of assets and liabilities as receivable for shares sold.
Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are
reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities
as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form
S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the
Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced
redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to
decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding,
until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the
purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions
by an Authorized Purchaser.
66
Allocation of
Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among
the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares
each shareholder holds as of the close of each
month.
Cash and Cash
Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid
investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired.
The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets
and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that
approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and
short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has
the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial
institutions. The Trust holds a balance in money market funds that
is included in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of
assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the
available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings
accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents.
Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally
insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash
for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations
of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is
not FDIC insured. The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by
the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open
futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is
not FDIC insured.
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
Money
Market Funds
|
$25,716,093
|
$119
|
Demand
Deposit Savings Accounts
|
214,203
|
29,538,697
|
Commercial
Paper
|
19,963,784
|
19,980,099
|
Treasury
Bills
|
1,886,722
|
1,948,728
|
Total
cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets
and Liabilities
|
$47,780,802
|
$51,467,643
|
Due from/to
Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for
the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not
limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the
clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for
commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on
the clearing broker’s records and
amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized
losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of
funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with
the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position
in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the
trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or
sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial
margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate
purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin
requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets
may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount
invested, are greater than are customary in other forms of
investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price
changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements
that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of
margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is
set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is
traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during
the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s
clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity
interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a
matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over-the-counter
trading generally involves the extension of credit between
counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the
posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit
exposure.
When a trader purchases an option,
there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be
paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he
or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the
margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in
addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for
the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of
options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that
out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be
higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets
directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and
conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader
acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the
underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance”
margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s
clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures
contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not
satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by
the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time,
the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect
to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders
personally) is subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges
have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving
procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held
in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated
and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis,
measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
Calculation of
Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated
by:
|
●
|
Taking the current market
value of its total assets and
|
|
●
|
Subtracting any
liabilities.
|
The administrator, Global Fund
Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It
calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or
4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released
after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Wheat
Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the CBOT closing price.
The administrator determines the value of all other Fund
investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m.
(EST). The value of over-the-counter wheat interests is determined
based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying
such wheat interest, except that a fair value may be determined if
the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit
risk relating to the counterparty to such wheat interest. For
purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will
recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair
value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes
at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury
securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using
values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer
quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open wheat
interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but
unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee,
Allocation of Expenses and Related Party
Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for
investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives
and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one
or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial,
accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the
Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to
outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds
such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and
trading activities. In addition, the Fund is contractually
obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on
average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per
annum.
The Fund generally pays for all
brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees
for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees
paid to the SEC, FINRA, formerly the National Association of
Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency in connection
with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial
registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses
associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees
and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and
reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all
Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the
respective funds based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate
by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to
relative assets under management and creation order
activity.
These aggregate common expenses
include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and
financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance,
trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to
the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and
financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities
that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are
primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the
statement of operations. All asset-based fees and expenses for the
Funds are calculated on the prior day’s net
assets.
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Recognized
Related Party Transactions
|
$152,169
|
$208,528
|
Waived
Related Party Transactions
|
$-
|
$2,500
|
The Sponsor has the ability to elect
to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the
management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor,
at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees
waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived
expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor
has determined that there would be no recovery sought for the
amounts below in any future period:
|
WEAT
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2020
|
$-
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2019
|
$2,500
|
67
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets
and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities
at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts
of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair
value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an
asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit
price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants
at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund
uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a
fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value
that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use
of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs
be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund.
Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the
inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or
liability developed based on the best information available in the
circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation
adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1
financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices
that are readily and regularly available in an active market,
valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a
significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted
prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant
inputs are observable, either directly or
indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement.
The availability of valuation
techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument
to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of
factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the
financial instrument is new and not yet established in the
marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the
transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or
inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the
determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated
values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be
ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances
that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent
uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially
higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a
ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly,
the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair
value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall
into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases,
for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy,
within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is
determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to
the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure
considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than
an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions
are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set
to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the
asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices
and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including
periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation,
the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many
financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial
instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair
value hierarchy. When such a situation exists on a quarter close,
the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the
Level 1 valuation, but will later recalculate the NAV for the
impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these
alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report
such NAV in its applicable financial statements and
reports.
The determination is made as of the
settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for
the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or
Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the
specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant
exchange for the three months being reported.
On March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value
of the Wheat Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT fairly reflected
the value of the Wheat Futures Contracts held by the Fund, and no
adjustments were necessary. The determination is made as of the
settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for
the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or
Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the
specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant
exchange for the periods being reported.
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
The Fund records its derivative
activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative
contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative
contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices.
Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such
as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market,
are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.
OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts)
which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant
inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2
or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the
accrual method of accounting.
Net Income
(Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the
difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period
and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units
outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income
(loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are
equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period,
adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the
amount of time the units were outstanding during such
period.
New
Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting
Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-02: “Financial
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842):
Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date
Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic
842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2020-01: Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321),
Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and
Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Clarifying the
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The
amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a
company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.
The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31,
2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued
2019-07: “Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to
SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532,
Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and
33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and
Miscellaneous Updates.” The amendments improve, update, and
simplify the SEC’s regulations on financial reporting and
disclosure. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended
September 30, 2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2019-04: “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial
Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and
hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments.” The
amendments clarify and improve areas of guidance related to the
recently issued standards on credit losses, hedging, and
recognition and measurement, specifically relating to ASU 2017-12.
The amendments were early adopted for the quarter ended June 30,
2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases
(Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the
guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are
not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing
guidance. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts but the
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13:
“Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework
– Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value
Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company
fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were
removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of
the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the
effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial
statements. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts, specifically,
the removal, modification and addition to the fair value
disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-05,
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs
Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118." These
amendments add guidance to the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act). The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2018; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
68
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13,
“Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and
Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the
Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission
of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The
amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain
companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No.
2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public
business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a
public business entity except for a requirement to include or the
inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in
another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim
periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. This
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-12,
“Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements
to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. These amendments
refine and expand hedge accounting for both financial (e.g.,
interest rate) and commodity risks. Its provisions create more
transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the
face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. It also
makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of
hedge accounting guidance. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2016-02,
“Leases (Topic 842).” The amendments in this update
increase transparency and comparability among organizations by
recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet
and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.
The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
Note 4 –
Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and
liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon
a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant
accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents
information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured
at fair value as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019:
March 31, 2020
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$47,566,599
|
$-
|
$-
|
$47,566,599
|
Wheat
Futures contracts
|
4,069,150
|
-
|
-
|
4,069,150
|
Total
|
$51,635,749
|
$-
|
$-
|
$51,635,749
|
December 31, 2019
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
$21,928,946
|
$-
|
$-
|
$21,928,946
|
Wheat
Futures contracts
|
5,068,476
|
-
|
-
|
5,068,476
|
Total
|
$26,997,422
|
$-
|
$-
|
$26,997,422
|
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value
hierarchy.
See the Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for
an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the
fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 –
Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities
In the normal course of business,
the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its
proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts
are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or
part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and
exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following
primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price,
and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying
risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due
to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their
contracts. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and for the
year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund invested only in commodity
futures contracts.
Futures
Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity
price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment
objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the
future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a
specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures
contracts requires margin deposits with a Futures Commission
Merchant (“FCM”). Subsequent payments (variation
margin) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the
daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded
as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures contracts may
reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk since futures
contracts are exchange-traded; and the exchange’s
clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures,
guarantees the futures against default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires
an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the
FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and
other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with
all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation
requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery
may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated
customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount
could be less than the total of cash and other equity
deposited.
The following table discloses
information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in
the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these
financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of
netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These
recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in the
Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”)
Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-11
“Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting
Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB
ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope
of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and
Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies
the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the
statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts,
categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM,
ED&F Man as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of March 31, 2020
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii)=(i)-(ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
|
Gross Amount offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
|
Collateral, Due to Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
$4,069,150
|
$-
|
$4,069,150
|
$-
|
$2,789,534
|
$1,279,616
|
69
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative
Assets as of December 31, 2019
|
(i)
|
(ii)
|
(iii) = (i-ii)
|
(iv)
|
(v) = (iii)-(iv)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
|
|
Description
|
Gross Amount of Recognized
Assets
|
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and
Liabilities
|
Futures Contracts Available for
Offset
|
Collateral, Due from
Broker
|
Net Amount
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wheat futures
contracts
|
$5,068,476
|
$-
|
$5,068,476
|
$-
|
$4,258,410
|
$810,066
|
The following tables identify the
net gain and loss amounts included in the statements of operations
as realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading of commodity
futures contracts categorized by primary underlying
risk:
Three months ended March 31,
2020
|
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
$453,307
|
$(999,326)
|
Three months ended March 31,
2019
|
Realized Loss on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures
Contracts
|
Commodity
Price
|
|
|
Wheat
futures contracts
|
$(4,095,363)
|
$(2,116,888)
|
Volume of
Derivative Activities
The average notional market value
categorized by primary underlying risk for all futures contracts
held was $49.2 million and $55.5 million, respectively, for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31,
2019.
Note 6
– Financial
Highlights
The following tables present per
unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. This information has
been derived from information presented in the financial
statements. This information has been derived from information
presented in the financial statements and is presented with total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as
appropriate.
|
Three months ended
March
31, 2020 |
Three months ended
March
31, 2019 |
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
|
Net
asset value at beginning of period
|
$5.84
|
$5.95
|
Income
(loss) from investment operations:
|
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.02
|
0.04
|
Net
realized and unrealized loss on commodity futures
contracts
|
(0.04)
|
(0.64)
|
Total
expenses, net
|
(0.05)
|
(0.05)
|
Net
decrease in net asset value
|
(0.07)
|
(0.65)
|
Net
asset value at end of period
|
$5.77
|
$5.30
|
Total Return
|
(1.11)%
|
(10.92)%
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
3.45%
|
3.60%
|
Total
expenses, net
|
3.45%
|
3.58%
|
Net
investment loss
|
(1.81)%
|
(0.87)%
|
The financial highlights per share
data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to
calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 –
Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of
the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund,
including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by
the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the
Sponsor.
Note 8 –
Subsequent Events
Management has
evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended March 31,
2020 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and
noted no material events requiring either recognition through the
date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than
those noted below:
The impact of
COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the
Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this
10-Q.
70
TEUCRIUM
AGRICULTURAL FUND
|
March 31, 2020
|
December 31, 2019
|
|
(Unaudited)
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
Cash
equivalents
|
$3,878
|
$2,633
|
Interest
receivable
|
2
|
3
|
Equity
in trading accounts:
|
|
|
Investments
in securities, at fair value (cost $1,835,997 and $1,908,649 as of
March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively)
|
1,299,944
|
1,476,880
|
Total
assets
|
1,303,824
|
1,479,516
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
Other
liabilities
|
1,407
|
736
|
|
|
|
Net assets
|
$1,302,417
|
$1,478,780
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
|
|
|
Shares authorized
|
4,625,000
|
4,625,000
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share
|
$17.37
|
$19.72
|
|
|
|
Market value per share
|
$16.97
|
$19.60
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
71
TEUCRIUM
AGRICULTURAL FUND
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Percentage of
Net
Assets |
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange-traded funds
|
|
|
|
Teucrium
Corn Fund
|
$314,694
|
24.16%
|
24,308
|
Teucrium
Soybean Fund
|
325,962
|
25.03
|
23,281
|
Teucrium
Sugar Fund
|
312,214
|
23.97
|
56,824
|
Teucrium
Wheat Fund
|
347,074
|
26.65
|
60,137
|
Total
exchange-traded funds (cost $1,835,997)
|
$1,299,944
|
99.81%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 0.28% (cost
$3,878)
|
$3,878
|
0.30%
|
3,878
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
72
TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL
FUND
SCHEDULE OF
INVESTMENTS
December 31,
2019
Description: Assets
|
Fair Value
|
Percentage of
Net
Assets |
Shares
|
|
|
|
|
Exchange-traded funds
|
|
|
|
Teucrium
Corn Fund
|
$360,286
|
24.36%
|
24,308
|
Teucrium
Soybean Fund
|
371,397
|
25.11
|
23,431
|
Teucrium
Sugar Fund
|
373,786
|
25.28
|
53,124
|
Teucrium
Wheat Fund
|
371,411
|
25.12
|
63,637
|
Total
exchange-traded funds (cost: $1,908,649)
|
$1,476,880
|
99.87%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
|
|
Money
market funds
|
|
|
|
Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds - Government Portfolio 1.50% (cost
$2,633)
|
$2,633
|
0.18%
|
2,633
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
73
TEUCRIUM
AGRICULTURAL FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Income
|
|
|
Realized
and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of securities:
|
|
|
Realized
loss on securities
|
$(71,417)
|
$(7,537)
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on securities
|
(104,284)
|
(53,036)
|
Interest
income
|
10
|
17
|
Total
loss
|
(175,691)
|
(60,556)
|
|
|
|
Expenses
|
|
|
Professional
fees
|
2,574
|
3,003
|
Distribution
and marketing fees
|
4,933
|
6,088
|
Custodian
fees and expenses
|
534
|
788
|
Business
permits and licenses fees
|
11,125
|
12,000
|
General
and administrative expenses
|
324
|
386
|
Other
expenses
|
4
|
36
|
Total
expenses
|
19,494
|
22,301
|
|
|
|
Expenses
waived by the Sponsor
|
(18,822)
|
(21,584)
|
|
|
|
Total expenses, net
|
672
|
717
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
$(176,363)
|
$(61,273)
|
|
|
|
Net
(loss) income per share
|
$(2.35)
|
$(0.82)
|
Net
(loss) income per weighted average share
|
$(2.35)
|
$(0.82)
|
Weighted
average shares outstanding
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
74
TEUCRIUM
AGRICULTURAL FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Operations
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(176,363)
|
$(61,273)
|
Net
change in net assets
|
(176,363)
|
(61,273)
|
|
|
|
Net assets, beginning of period
|
$1,478,780
|
$1,524,760
|
|
|
|
Net assets, end of period
|
$1,302,417
|
$1,463,487
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
|
$19.72
|
$20.33
|
|
|
|
Net asset value per share at end of period
|
$17.37
|
$19.51
|
|
|
|
Creation
of Shares
|
-
|
-
|
Redemption
of Shares
|
-
|
-
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
75
TEUCRIUM
AGRICULTURAL FUND
(Unaudited)
|
Three months ended
|
Three months ended
|
|
March 31, 2020
|
March 31, 2019
|
Cash flows from operating activities:
|
|
|
Net
loss
|
$(176,363)
|
$(61,273)
|
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating
activities:
|
|
|
Net
change in unrealized depreciation on securities
|
104,284
|
53,036
|
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
|
|
|
Net
sale of investments in securities
|
72,652
|
9,091
|
Interest
receivable
|
1
|
(1)
|
Other
assets
|
-
|
(375)
|
Other
liabilities
|
671
|
(401)
|
Net
cash provided by operating activities
|
1,245
|
77
|
|
|
|
Net change in cash equivalents
|
1,245
|
77
|
Cash equivalents, beginning of period
|
2,633
|
2,862
|
Cash equivalents, end of period
|
$3,878
|
$2,939
|
The
accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial
statements.
76
March 31, 2020
(Unaudited)
Note
1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Agricultural Fund (referred
to herein as “TAGS” or the “Fund”) is a
series of Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a
Delaware statutory trust organized on September 11, 2009. The Fund
operates pursuant to the Trust’s Fifth Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement (the “Trust
Agreement”). The Fund was formed on March 29, 2011 and is
managed and controlled by Teucrium Trading, LLC (the
“Sponsor”). The Sponsor is a limited liability company
formed in Delaware on July 28, 2009. The Sponsor is
registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a
commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of
the National Futures Association
(“NFA”).
On April 22, 2011, a
registration statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”). On February 10, 2012, the
Fund’s initial registration of 5,000,000 shares on Form S-1
was declared effective by the SEC. On March 28, 2012, the Fund
listed its shares on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol
“TAGS.” On the business day prior to that, the Fund
issued 300,000 shares in exchange for $15,000,000 at the
Fund’s initial NAV of $50 per share. The Fund also commenced
investment operations on March 28, 2012 by purchasing shares of the
Underlying Funds. On December 31, 2011, the Fund had two shares
outstanding, which were owned by the Sponsor. On April 30, 2018, a
subsequent registration statement for TAGS was declared effective
by the SEC.
The investment objective of the TAGS
is to have the daily changes in percentage terms of the NAV of its
Shares reflect the daily changes in percentage terms of a weighted
average (the “Underlying Fund Average”) of the NAVs per
share of four other commodity pools that are series of the Trust
and are sponsored by the Sponsor: the Teucrium Corn Fund, the
Teucrium Wheat Fund, the Teucrium Soybean Fund and the Teucrium
Sugar Fund (collectively, the “Underlying Funds”). The
Underlying Fund Average will have a weighting of 25% to each
Underlying Fund, and the Fund’s assets will be rebalanced,
generally on a daily basis, to maintain the approximate 25%
allocation to each Underlying Fund:
TAGS
Benchmark
Underlying
Fund
|
Weighting
|
CORN
|
25%
|
SOYB
|
25%
|
CANE
|
25%
|
WEAT
|
25%
|
The Fund seeks to
provide daily investment results that reflect the combined daily
performance of the Underlying Funds.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve
its investment objective generally by investing equally in shares
of each Underlying Fund and, to a lesser extent, cash equivalents.
The Fund’s investments in shares of Underlying Funds is
rebalanced, generally on a daily basis, in order to maintain
approximately a 25% allocation of the Fund’s assets to each
Underlying Fund. (This weighted average is referred to
herein as the Underlying Fund’s “Benchmark,” the
Futures Contracts that at any given time make up an Underlying
Fund’s Benchmark are referred to herein as the Underlying
Fund’s “Benchmark Component Futures Contracts,”
and the commodity specified in the Underlying Fund’s name is
referred to herein as its “Specified Commodity.”)
Specifically, the Teucrium Corn Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the
second-to-expire Futures Contract for corn traded on the Chicago
Board of Trade (“CBOT”), weighted 35%, (2) the third to
expire CBOT corn Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT
corn Futures Contract expiring in the December following the
expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35%. The
Teucrium Wheat Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to-expire
CBOT wheat Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire
CBOT wheat Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT wheat
Futures Contract expiring in the December following the expiration
month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35%. The Teucrium
Soybean Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second-to-expire CBOT
soybean Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire
CBOT soybean Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT
soybean Futures Contract expiring in the November following the
expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35%,
except that CBOT soybean Futures Contracts expiring in August and
September will not be part of the Teucrium Soybean Fund’s
Benchmark because of the less liquid market for these Futures
Contracts. The Teucrium Sugar Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the
second-to-expire Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract traded on ICE
Futures US (“ICE Futures”), weighted 35%, (2) the third
to expire ICE Futures Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract, weighted 30%,
and (3) the ICE Futures Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract expiring in
the March following the expiration month of the third to expire
contract, weighted 35%.
While the Fund expects to maintain
substantially all of its assets in shares of the Underlying Funds
at all times, the Fund may hold some residual amount of assets in
obligations of the United States government (“Treasury
Securities”) or cash equivalents, and/or merely hold such
assets in cash (generally in interest-bearing accounts). The
Underlying Funds invest in Commodity Interests to the fullest
extent possible without being leveraged or unable to satisfy their
expected current or potential margin or collateral obligations with
respect to their investments in Commodity Interests. After
fulfilling such margin and collateral requirements, the Underlying
Funds will invest the remainder of the proceeds from the sale of
baskets in short term Treasury Securities or cash equivalents,
and/or merely hold such assets in cash. Therefore, the focus of the
Sponsor in managing the Underlying Funds is investing in Commodity
Interests and in cash and/or cash equivalents. The Fund and
Underlying Funds will earn interest income from the short term
Treasury Securities and/or cash equivalents that it purchases and
on the cash, it holds through the Fund’s
custodian.
The accompanying unaudited financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of
Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not
include all information and footnote disclosures required under
accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America (“GAAP”). The financial information included
herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects
all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary
for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements
for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim
financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as
applicable. The operating results for the three months ended March
31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be
expected for the full year ending December 31,
2020.
Subject to the terms of the Trust
Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor
(“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time,
regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for
instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net
assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued
operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level
of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a
Fund.
Note 2 –
Principal Contracts and
Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bank N.A.
as the Custodian for the Funds. The principal business address for
U.S. Bank N.A is 1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bank N.A. is a Wisconsin state
chartered bank subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System and the Wisconsin State Banking
Department. The principal address for U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund
Services") is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. In
addition, effective on the Conversion Date, Global Fund Services, a
wholly owned subsidiary of U.S. Bank, commenced serving as
administrator for each Fund, performing certain administrative and
accounting services and preparing certain SEC reports on behalf of
the Funds, and also became the registrar and transfer agent for
each Fund’s Shares. For such services, U.S. Bank and Global
Fund Services will receive an asset based fee, subject to a minimum
annual fee.
For custody services, the Funds will
pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1
billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion,
annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer
Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are
based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds
will pay to Global Fund Services 0.06% of average gross assets on
the first $250 million, 0.05% on the next $250 million, 0.04% on
the next $500 million and 0.03% on the balance over $1 billion
annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for
custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is
assessed per Fund. These
services are recorded in custodian fees and expenses on the
statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund
Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the
“Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The
Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the
Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in
connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation
Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all
Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor
and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and
Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain
employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered
representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”)
rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee
of 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets and an
aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Teucrium Funds, along with
certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA,
Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and
$1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded in
distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A
summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a
Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC,
performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's
Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain
distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution
Consulting Agreement with the Trust's Sponsor.
77
ED&F Man Capital Markets, Inc.
(“ED&F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’
clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’
futures and provide other brokerage-related services. ED&F Man
is registered as a FCM with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the
NFA. ED&F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a member of the
FINRA. ED&F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc.,
Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York
Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity
exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts
ED&F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn. Prior
to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage
commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August
21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The
half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of
operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change
in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on
the statements of operations when a contract is sold.
A summary of these expenses is included
below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is
Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The
Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the
State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware
Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an
annual fee of $3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in
business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations.
A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital
Partners LLC (TCP) as the Marketing Agent. TCP is registered as a
Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. TCP receives an annual fee
of $90,000 and an additional 0.0015% of average daily net assets in
referred accounts for
distribution and solicitation-related services. This additional fee is determined by an
agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract.
These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on
the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is
included below:
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Amount
Recognized for Custody Services
|
$534
|
$788
|
Amount
of Custody Services Waived
|
$534
|
$788
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Distribution Services
|
$257
|
$332
|
Amount
of Distribution Services Waived
|
$257
|
$241
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Brokerage Commissions
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Brokerage Commissions Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for Wilmington Trust
|
$-
|
$-
|
Amount
of Wilmington Trust Waived
|
$-
|
$-
|
|
|
|
Amount
Recognized for TCP
|
$130
|
$-
|
Amount
of TCP Waived
|
$130
|
$-
|
Note 3 –
Summary of Significant Accounting
Policies
Basis of
Presentation
The accompanying financial
statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States of America
(“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting
Standards Board’s Accounting Standards
Codification.
Revenue
Recognition
Investment
transactions are accounted for on a trade-date basis. All such
transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked
to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on
investments are reflected in the statements of assets and
liabilities as the difference between the original amount and the
fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of
the last date of the financial statements. Beginning on August 21, 2019,
brokerage commission expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis.
The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements
of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the
change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized
loss on the statements of operations when a contract is
sold. Changes in the appreciation or
depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of
operations.
The Sponsor adopted
ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts With Customers, for the year ended
December 31, 2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements of the Trust or the Fund.
Brokerage
Commissions
Brokerage commissions are accrued on
the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
Income
Taxes
For federal income
tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded
partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as
a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of
the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each
taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as
defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in
pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business),
dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets
held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a
partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling
of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards
and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also
includes income and gains from commodities and from futures,
forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the
partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets,
swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to
commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s
gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying
income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal
income tax purposes. The
Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the
shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss
on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the
Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for
income tax purposes.
The Fund is required to determine
whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon
examination by the applicable taxing authority, including
resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on
the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax
return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax
returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all
tax years 2017 to 2019, the Fund remains subject to income tax
examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit
recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a
greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon
ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously
recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that
reduces net assets. This policy has been applied to all existing
tax positions upon the Fund’s initial adoption. Based on its
analysis, the Fund has determined that it has not incurred any
liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of March 31, 2020 and
for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. However, the
Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to
review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including,
but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws,
regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued
related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to
unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed.
No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for
the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.
The Fund may be subject to potential
examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional
authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential
examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of
deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions,
and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax
laws.
Creations and
Redemptions
Effective August 28, 2018, the
Sponsor filed a prospectus supplement updating the Creation and
Redemption Basket size to 12,500 shares. Prior to this prospectus
supplement, the basket size for Creations and Redemptions was
25,000 shares.
Authorized Purchasers may purchase
Creation Baskets consisting of 12,500 shares from the Fund. The
amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will
be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined
as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is
properly received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem
shares from the Fund only in blocks of 12,500 shares called
“Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption
proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the
shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on
the day the order to redeem the basket is properly
received.
78
The Fund will receive the proceeds
from shares sold or will pay for redeemed shares within three
business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption,
respectively. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers will be
reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities
as receivable for shares sold. Amounts payable to Authorized
Purchasers upon redemption will be reflected in the Fund’s
statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares
redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form
S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents four Redemption Baskets for
the Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced
redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to
decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding,
until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the
purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions
by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of
Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among
the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares
each shareholder holds as of the close of each
month.
Cash
Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly-liquid
investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired.
The Fund reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets
and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that
approximate fair value, because of their highly-liquid nature and
short-term maturities. The Fund has these balances of its assets on
deposit with banks. Assets deposited with a financial institution
may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. TAGS had a balance
of $3,878 and $2,633 in money market funds at March 31, 2020 and
December 31, 2019, respectively; these balances are included in
cash equivalents on the statements of assets and
liabilities.
Payable/Receivable for Securities
Purchased/Sold
Due from/to broker for investments
in securities are securities transactions pending settlement. The
Fund is subject to credit risk to the extent any broker with whom
it conducts business is unable to fulfill contractual obligations
on its behalf. The management of the Funds monitors the financial
condition of such brokers and does not anticipate any losses from
these counterparties.
Calculation of
Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated
by:
●
|
Taking the current market
value of its total assets and
|
●
|
Subtracting any
liabilities.
|
The administrator, Global Fund
Services, will calculate the NAV of the Fund once each trading day.
It will calculate the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the New
York Stock Exchange or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular
trading day will be released after 4:15 p.m.
(EST).
For purposes of the determining the
Fund’s NAV, the Fund’s investments in the Underlying
Funds will be valued based on the Underlying Funds’ NAVs. In
turn, in determining the value of the Futures Contracts held by the
Underlying Funds, the Administrator will use the closing price on
the exchange on which they are traded. The Administrator will
determine the value of all other Fund and Underlying Fund
investments as of the earlier of the close of the New York Stock
Exchange or 4:00 p.m. (EST), in accordance with the current
Services Agreement between the Administrator and the Trust. The
value of over-the-counter Commodity Interests will be determined
based on the value of the commodity or Futures Contract underlying
such Commodity Interest, except that a fair value may be determined
if the Sponsor believes that the Underlying Fund is subject to
significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such
Commodity Interest. For purposes of financial statements and
reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV of an Underlying Fund
where necessary to reflect the “fair value” of a
Futures Contract held by an Underlying Fund when a Futures Contract
held by an Underlying Fund closes at its price fluctuation limit
for the day. Short term Treasury Securities held by the Fund or
Underlying Funds will be valued by the Administrator using values
received from recognized third-party vendors (such as Reuters) and
dealer quotes. NAV will include any unrealized profit or loss on
open Commodity Interests and any other credit or debit accruing to
the Fund but unpaid or not received by the
Fund.
Sponsor Fee
Allocation of Expenses and Related Party
Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for
investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives
and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one
or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial,
accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the
Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to
outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds
such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and
trading activities. In addition, the Fund is contractually
obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on
average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per
annum.
The Fund generally pays for all
brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees
for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees
paid to the SEC, FINRA, formerly the National Association of
Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency in connection
with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial
registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses
associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees
and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and
reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all
Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the
respective funds based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate
by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to
relative assets under management and creation order
activity.
These aggregate common expenses
include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and
financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance,
trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to
the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and
financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities
that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are
primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the
statement of operations. All asset-based fees and expenses for the
Funds are calculated on the prior day’s net
assets.
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2020
|
Three months ended
March 31, 2019
|
Recognized
Related Party Transactions
|
$3,465
|
$6,033
|
Waived
Related Party Transactions
|
$3,465
|
$4,806
|
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the
Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if
applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of
operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there
would be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future
period:
|
TAGS
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2020
|
$18,822
|
Three
months ended March 31, 2019
|
$21,584
|
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the
accrual method of accounting.
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America requires management to
make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of
assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the
reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting
period. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
New Accounting
Pronouncements
The Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting
Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-02: “Financial
Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842):
Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting
Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date
Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic
842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund
79
The FASB issued ASU
2020-01: Investments—Equity Securities (Topic 321),
Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and
Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)—Clarifying the
Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The
amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a
company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting.
The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31,
2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued
2019-07: “Codification Updates to SEC Sections: Amendments to
SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532,
Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and
33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization, and
Miscellaneous Updates.” The amendments improve, update, and
simplify the SEC’s regulations on financial reporting and
disclosure. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended
September 30, 2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on
the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU
2019-04: “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial
Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and
hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments.” The
amendments clarify and improve areas of guidance related to the
recently issued standards on credit losses, hedging, and
recognition and measurement, specifically relating to ASU 2017-12.
The amendments were early adopted for the quarter ended June 30,
2019; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial
statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases
(Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the
guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are
not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing
guidance. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts but the
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13:
“Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework
– Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value
Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company
fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were
removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of
the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the
effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial
statements. The amendments will be effective for fiscal years and
interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and may be
adopted early. The Sponsor is evaluating the impacts, specifically,
the removal, modification and addition to the fair value
disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-05,
“Income Taxes (Topic 740): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs
Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118." These
amendments add guidance to the FASB Accounting Standards
Codification regarding the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Act). The
amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2018; the
adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements
and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13,
“Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and
Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the
Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission
of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The
amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain
companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No.
2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public
business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a
public business entity except for a requirement to include or the
inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in
another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842
for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim
periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. This
amendment is not expected to have a material impact on the
financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the
Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-12,
“Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements
to Accounting for Hedging Activities”. These amendments
refine and expand hedge accounting for both financial (e.g.,
interest rate) and commodity risks. Its provisions create more
transparency around how economic results are presented, both on the
face of the financial statements and in the footnotes. It also
makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of
hedge accounting guidance. The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2016-02,
“Leases (Topic 842).” The amendments in this update
increase transparency and comparability among organizations by
recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet
and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.
The amendments were adopted for the
quarter ended March 31, 2019; the adoption did not have a material
impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or
the Fund.
Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with GAAP, fair value
is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or
paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”)
in an orderly transaction between market participants at the
measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund
uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with GAAP, a fair
value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that
maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of
unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be
used when available. Observable inputs are those that market
participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on
market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund.
Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the
inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or
liability developed based on the best information available in the
circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three
levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on
unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation
adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1
financial instruments of the Underlying Funds and securities of the
Fund, together the “financial instruments”. Since
valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and
regularly available in an active market, valuation of these
financial instruments does not entail a significant degree of
judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted
prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant
inputs are observable, either directly or
indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement.
The availability of valuation
techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument
to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of
factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the
financial instrument is new and not yet established in the
marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the
transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or
inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the
determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated
values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be
ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances
that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent
uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially
higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a
ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly,
the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair
value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall
into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases,
for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy,
within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is
determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to
the fair value measurement.
Net Income
(Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the
difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period
and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units
outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income
(loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are
equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period,
adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the
amount of time the units were outstanding during such
period.
80
Note 4 –
Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and
liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon
a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant
accounting policies in Note 2. The following table presents
information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured
at fair value as of March 31, 2020 and December 31,
2019:
March 31, 2020
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
March 31, 2020
|
Exchange
Traded Funds
|
$1,299,944
|
$-
|
$-
|
$1,299,944
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
3,878
|
-
|
-
|
3,878
|
Total
|
$1,303,822
|
$-
|
$-
|
$1,303,822
|
December 31, 2019
Assets:
|
Level 1
|
Level 2
|
Level 3
|
Balance as of
December 31, 2019
|
Exchange
Traded Funds
|
$1,476,880
|
$-
|
$-
|
$1,476,880
|
Cash
Equivalents
|
2,633
|
-
|
-
|
2,633
|
Total
|
$1,479,513
|
$-
|
$-
|
$1,479,513
|
For the three months ended March 31,
2020 and year ended December 31, 2019, the Fund did not have any
transfers between any of the level of the fair value
hierarchy.
See the Fair Value -
Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for
an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the
fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 –
Financial Highlights
The following table presents per
unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the
three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. This information has
been derived from information presented in the financial
statements. This information has been derived from information
presented in the financial statements and is presented with total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as
appropriate.
|
Three months ended
March
31, 2020 |
Three months ended
March
31, 2019 |
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
|
Net
asset value at beginning of period
|
$19.72
|
$20.33
|
Loss
from investment operations:
|
|
|
Net
realized and unrealized loss on investment
transactions
|
(2.34)
|
(0.81)
|
Total
expenses, net
|
(0.01)
|
(0.01)
|
Net
decrease in net asset value
|
(2.35)
|
(0.82)
|
Net
asset value at end of period
|
$17.37
|
$19.51
|
Total Return
|
(11.93)%
|
(4.03)%
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
|
Total
expenses
|
5.51%
|
5.90%
|
Total
expenses, net
|
0.19%
|
0.19%
|
Net
investment loss
|
(0.19)%
|
(0.19)%
|
The financial highlights per share
data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to
calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 6 –
Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of
the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund,
including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by
the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the
Sponsor.
Note 7 –
Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the
financial statements for the quarter-ended March 31, 2020 for
subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no
material events requiring either recognition through the date of
the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted
below:
The impact of
COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the
Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this
10-Q.
81
Item 2. Management’s Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations.
This information should be read in conjunction with the financial
statements and notes included in Item 1 of Part I of this Quarterly
Report (the “Report”). The discussion and analysis
which follows may contain trend analysis and other forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 which reflect our current views with respect
to future events and financial results. Words such as
“anticipate,” “expect,”
“intend,” “plan,” “believe,”
“seek,” “outlook” and
“estimate,” as well as similar words and phrases,
signify forward-looking statements. Teucrium Commodity
Trust’s (the “Trust’s”) forward-looking
statements are not a guarantee of future results and conditions,
and important factors, risks and uncertainties may cause our actual
results to differ materially from those expressed in our
forward-looking statements.
You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking
statements. Except as expressly required by the Federal securities
laws, Teucrium Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”) undertakes
no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements or the risks, uncertainties or other factors described
in this Report, as a result of new information, future events or
changed circumstances or for any other reason after the date of
this Report.
Overview/Introduction
Teucrium
Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust
organized on September 11, 2009, is a series trust consisting of
five series: Teucrium Corn Fund (“CORN”), Teucrium
Sugar Fund (“CANE”), Teucrium Soybean Fund
(“SOYB”), Teucrium Wheat Fund (“WEAT”), and
Teucrium Agricultural Fund (“TAGS”). All of the series
of the Trust are collectively referred to as the
“Funds” and singularly as the “Fund.” Each
Fund is a commodity pool that is a series of the Trust. The Funds
issue common units, called the “Shares,” representing
fractional undivided beneficial interests in a Fund. Effective as
of April 26, 2019, the Trust and the Funds operate pursuant to the
Trust’s Fifth Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and
Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”).
On June
7, 2010, the initial Form S-1 for CORN was declared effective by
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). On
June 8, 2010, four Creation Baskets for CORN were issued
representing 200,000 shares and $5,000,000. CORN began trading on
the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca on June 9,
2010. The current registration statement for CORN was declared
effective by the SEC on May 1, 2020. This registration statement
for CORN registered an additional 10,000,000 shares.
On June
13, 2011, the initial Forms S-1 for CANE, SOYB, and WEAT were
declared effective by the SEC. On September 16, 2011, two Creation
Baskets were issued for each Fund, representing 100,000 shares and
$2,500,000, for CANE, SOYB, and WEAT. On September 19, 2011, CANE,
SOYB, and WEAT started trading on the NYSE Arca. The current
registration statements for CANE and SOYB were declared effective
by the SEC on April 30, 2018. The registration statements for SOYB
and CANE registered an additional 5,000,000 shares each. The
current registration statement for WEAT was declared effective on
April 29, 2019. This registration statement for WEAT registered an
additional 30,000,000 shares.
On
February 10, 2012, the Form S-1 for TAGS was declared effective by
the SEC. On March 27, 2012, six Creation Baskets for TAGS were
issued representing 300,000 shares and $15,000,000. TAGS began
trading on the NYSE Arca on March 28, 2012. The current
registration statement for TAGS was declared effective by the SEC
on April 30, 2018.
The investment objective of each Underlying Fund is to have the
daily changes in the NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the
daily changes in a weighted average of the closing settlement
prices for certain futures contracts for the commodity specified in
the Underlying Fund’s name. (This weighted average is
referred to herein as the Underlying Fund’s
“Benchmark,” the Futures Contracts that at any given
time make up an Underlying Fund’s Benchmark are referred to
herein as the Underlying Fund’s “Benchmark Component
Futures Contracts,” and the commodity specified in the
Underlying Fund’s name is referred to herein as its
“Specified Commodity.”) In the case of TAGS, the fund
seeks to provide daily investment results that reflect the combined
daily performance of the Underlying Funds. Each Fund pursues
its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of exchange
traded futures contracts (each, a “Futures Contract”)
that expire in a specific month and trade on a specific exchange in
the designated commodity comprising the Benchmark as defined below,
or shares of the Underlying Funds in the case of TAGS. Under normal
market conditions, the Underlying Funds invest in futures contracts
and cash and cash equivalents, and TAGS seeks to achieve its
investment objective generally by investing equally in shares of
each Underlying Fund.
A
climate of uncertainty and panic, including the contagion of the
COVID-19 virus and other infectious viruses or diseases, may
adversely affect global, regional, and local economies and reduce
the availability of potential investment opportunities, and
increases the difficulty of performing due diligence and modeling
market conditions, potentially reducing the accuracy of financial
projections. Under these circumstances, the Funds may have
difficulty achieving their investment objectives which may
adversely impact performance. Further, such events can be highly
disruptive to economies and markets, significantly disrupt the
operations of individual companies (including, but not limited to,
the Funds’ Sponsor and third party service providers),
sectors, industries, markets, securities and commodity exchanges,
currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor
sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the
Funds’ investments. These factors could cause substantial
market volatility, exchange trading suspensions and closures that
could impact the ability of the Funds to complete redemptions and
otherwise affect Fund performance and Fund trading in the secondary
market. A widespread crisis may also affect the global economy in
ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the current time. How
long such events will last and whether they will continue or recur
cannot be predicted. Impacts from these events could have
significant impact on a Fund’s performance, resulting in
losses to your investment. The global economic shocks being
experienced as of the date hereof may cause the underlying
assumptions and expectations of the Funds to become outdated
quickly or inaccurate, resulting in significant
losses.
The Investment Objective of the Funds
The
investment objective of CORN is to have the daily changes in the
NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the
corn market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The
Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices
for three futures contracts for corn (“Corn Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”):
CORN Benchmark
CBOT Corn
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to
expire
|
35%
|
Third to expire
|
30%
|
December following the third to
expire
|
35%
|
The
investment objective of SOYB is to have the daily changes in the
NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the
soybean market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark.
The Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement
prices for three futures contracts for soybeans (“Soybean
Futures Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of
Trade (“CBOT”):
SOYB Benchmark
CBOT Soybeans
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to expire (excluding August
& September)
|
35%
|
Third to expire (excluding August
& September)
|
30%
|
Expiring in the November following
the expiration of the third to expire contract
|
35%
|
The
investment objective of CANE is to have the daily changes in the
NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the
sugar market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The
Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices
for three futures contracts for No. 11 sugar (“Sugar Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the ICE Futures US
(“ICE”):
CANE Benchmark
ICE Sugar
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to
expire
|
35%
|
Third to expire
|
30%
|
Expiring in the March following the
expiration of the third to expire contract
|
35%
|
The
investment objective of WEAT is to have the daily changes in the
NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the
wheat market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The
Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices
for three futures contracts for wheat (“Wheat Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”):
82
WEAT Benchmark
CBOT Wheat
Futures Contract
|
Weighting
|
Second to
expire
|
35%
|
Third to expire
|
30%
|
December following the third to
expire
|
35%
|
The investment objective of TAGS is to provide daily investment
results that reflect the combined daily performance of four other
commodity pools, specifically CORN, SOYB, CANE and WEAT (the
“Underlying Funds”).
Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve
its investment objective generally by investing equally in shares
of each Underlying Fund and, to a lesser extent, cash equivalents.
The Fund’s investments in shares of Underlying Funds is
rebalanced, generally on a daily basis, in order to maintain
approximately a 25% allocation of the Fund’s assets to each
Underlying Fund:
TAGS Benchmark
Underlying
Fund
|
Weighting
|
CORN
|
25%
|
SOYB
|
25%
|
CANE
|
25%
|
WEAT
|
25%
|
The
notional amount of each Benchmark Component Futures Contract
included in each Benchmark is intended to reflect the changes in
market value of each such Benchmark Component Futures Contract
within the Benchmark. The closing level of each Benchmark is
calculated on each business day by U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
(”Global Fund Services”) based on the closing price of
the futures contracts for each of the underlying Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts and the notional amounts of such
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts.
Each
Benchmark is rebalanced periodically to ensure that each of the
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts is weighted in the same
proportion as in the investment objective for each Fund. The
following tables reflect the March 31, 2020, Benchmark Component
Futures Contracts weights for each of the Funds, the contract held
is identified by the generally accepted nomenclature of contract
month and year, which may differ from the month in which the
contract expires:
CORN Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts
|
Notional
Value
|
Weight
(%)
|
|
|
|
CBOT Corn Futures
(1,195 contracts, JUL20)
|
$20,673,500
|
35%
|
CBOT Corn Futures
(1,004 contracts, SEP20)
|
17,557,450
|
30
|
CBOT Corn Futures
(1,141 contracts, DEC20)
|
20,395,375
|
35
|
|
|
|
Total at March 31,
2020
|
$58,626,325
|
100%
|
SOYB Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts
|
Notional
Value
|
Weight
(%)
|
|
|
|
CBOT Soybean
Futures (174 contracts, JUL20)
|
$7,738,650
|
35%
|
CBOT Soybean
Futures (152 contracts, NOV20)
|
6,669,000
|
30
|
CBOT Soybean
Futures (181 contracts, NOV21)
|
7,649,513
|
35
|
|
|
|
Total at March 31,
2020
|
$22,057,163
|
100%
|
CANE Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts
|
Notional Value
|
Weight
(%)
|
|
|
|
ICE Sugar Futures
(203 contracts, JUL20)
|
$2,387,280
|
35%
|
ICE Sugar Futures
(171 contracts, OCT20)
|
2,060,755
|
30
|
ICE Sugar Futures
(190 contracts, MAR21)
|
2,425,920
|
35
|
|
|
|
Total at March 31,
2020
|
$6,873,955
|
100%
|
WEAT Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts
|
Notional Value
|
Weight
(%)
|
|
|
|
CBOT Wheat Futures
(611 contracts, JUL20)
|
$17,184,375
|
35%
|
CBOT Wheat Futures
(522 contracts, SEP20)
|
14,753,025
|
30
|
CBOT Wheat Futures
(599 contracts, DEC20)
|
17,153,863
|
35
|
|
|
|
Total at March 31,
2020
|
$49,091,263
|
100%
|
TAGS Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts
|
Fair
Value
|
Weight
(%)
|
Shares of Teucrium
Corn Fund (24,308 shares)
|
$314,694
|
24%
|
Shares of Teucrium
Soybean Fund (23,281 shares)
|
325,962
|
25
|
Shares of Teucrium
Wheat Fund (60,137 shares)
|
347,074
|
27
|
Shares of Teucrium
Sugar Fund (56,824 shares)
|
312,214
|
24
|
|
|
|
Total at March 31,
2020
|
$1,299,944
|
100%
|
The
price relationship between the near month Futures Contract to
expire and the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts will vary and
may impact both the total return of each Fund over time and the
degree to which such total return tracks the total return of the
price indices related to the commodity of each Fund. In cases in
which the near month contract’s price is lower than later
expiring contracts’ prices (a situation known as
“contango” in the futures markets), then absent the
impact of the overall movement in commodity prices the value of the
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts would tend to decline as they
approach expiration. In cases in which the near month
contract’s price is higher than later expiring
contracts’ prices (a situation known as
“backwardation” in the futures markets), then absent
the impact of the overall movement in a Fund’s prices the
value of the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts would tend to
rise as they approach expiration, all other things being
equal.
The
total portfolio composition for each Fund is disclosed each
business day that the NYSE Arca is open for trading on the
Sponsor’s website. The website for the Funds and the Sponsor is
www.teucrium.com. The website is accessible at no charge. The
website disclosure of portfolio holdings is made daily and
includes, as applicable, the name and value of each Futures
Contract, other commodity interests and the amount of cash and cash
equivalents held in the Fund’s portfolio. The specific types
of other commodity interests held (if any, which may include
options on futures contracts and derivative contracts such as
swaps) collectively, “Other Commodity Interests,” and
together with Futures Contracts, “Commodity Interests”
or “Interests” in addition to futures contracts,
options on futures contracts and derivative contracts that are tied
to various commodities are entered into outside of public
exchanges. These “over the counter” contracts are
entered into between two parties in private contracts, or on a
recently formed swap execution facility (“SEF”) for
standardized swaps. For example, unlike Futures Contracts, which
are guaranteed by a clearing organization, each party to an over
the counter derivative contract bears the credit risk of the other
party (unless such over the counter swap is cleared through a
derivatives clearing organization (“DCO”), i.e., the
risk that the other party will not be able to perform its
obligations under its contract, and characteristics of such Other
Commodity Interests.
83
Consistent
with achieving a Fund’s investment objective of closely
tracking the Benchmark, the Sponsor may for certain reasons cause a
Fund to enter into or hold Futures Contracts other than the
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts and/or Other Commodity
Interests. Other Commodity Interests that do not have standardized
terms and are not exchange traded, referred to as “over the
counter” Commodity Interests, can generally be structured as
the parties to the Commodity Interest contract desire. Therefore,
each Fund might enter into multiple and/or over the counter
Interests intended to replicate the performance of each of the
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts for a Fund, or a single over
the counter Interest designed to replicate the performance of the
Benchmark as a whole. Assuming that there is no default by a
counterparty to an over the counter Interest, the performance of
the Interest will necessarily correlate with the performance of the
Benchmark or the applicable Benchmark Component Futures Contract.
Each Fund might also enter into or hold Interests other than
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts to facilitate effective
trading, consistent with the discussion of the Fund’s
“roll” strategy. In addition, each Fund might enter
into or hold Interests that would be expected to alleviate overall
deviation between the Fund’s performance and that of the
Benchmark that may result from certain market and trading
inefficiencies or other reasons. By utilizing certain or all of the
investments described above, the Sponsor will endeavor to cause the
Fund’s performance to closely track that of the Benchmark of
each Fund.
An
“exchange for related position” (“EFRP”)
can be used by each Fund as a technique to facilitate the
exchanging of a futures hedge position against a creation or
redemption order, and thus each Fund may use an EFRP transaction in
connection with the creation and redemption of shares. The market
specialist/market maker that is the ultimate purchaseror seller of
shares in connection with the creation or redemption basket,
respectively, agrees to sell or purchase a corresponding offsetting
futures position which is then settled on the same business day as
a cleared futures transaction by the FCMs. TheFund will become
subject to the credit risk of the market specialist/market maker
until the EFRP is settled within the business day, which is
typically 7 hours or less. Each Fund reports all activity related
to EFRP transactions under the procedures and guidelines of the
CFTC and the exchanges on which the futures are
traded.
The
Funds earn interest and other income (“interest
income”) from cash equivalents that it purchases and, on the
cash it holds through the Custodian or other financial
institutions. The Sponsor anticipates that the interest income will
increase the NAV of each Fund. The Funds apply the interest income
to the acquisition of additional investments or use it to pay its
expenses. If the Fund reinvests the earned interest income, it
makesinvestments that are consistent with its investment objectives
as disclosed. Any cash equivalent invested by a Fund will have
original maturity dates of three months or less at inception. Any
cash equivalent invested by a Fund will be deemed by the Sponsor to
be of investment grade quality. As of March 31, 2020, available
cash balances in each of the Funds were invested in the Fidelity
Institutional Money Market Funds – Government Portfolio,
Morgan Stanley Blackrock Fed Fund – Institutional Class, in
demand deposits at Mechanics Bank, and in commercial paper with
maturities of ninety days or less. Additionally, the CORN, SOYB,
CANE and WEAT Funds invest a portion of the amount of funds
required to be deposited with the FCM as initial margin in U.S.
Treasury obligations with time to maturity of 90 days or less. The
obligations are purchased and held in the respective Fund accounts
through the FCM.
In
managing the assets of the Funds, the Sponsor does not use a
technical trading system that automatically issues buy and sell
orders. Instead, the Sponsor will purchase or sell the specific
underlying Commodity Interests with an aggregate market value that
approximates the amount of cash received or paid upon the purchase
or redemption of Shares.
The
Sponsor anticipates managing the fund in a way that tracks the
stated benchmark. The fund benchmark does not hold spot futures and
therefore does not anticipate letting the commodity Futures
Contracts of any Fund expire, thus avoiding delivery of the
underlying commodity. Instead, the Sponsor will close out existing
positions, for instance, in response to ordinary scheduled changes
in the Benchmark or, if at the Sponsor’s sole discretion, it
otherwise determines it would be appropriate to do so, will
reinvest the proceeds in new Commodity Interests. Positions may
also be closed out to meet redemption orders, in which case the
proceeds from closing the positions are not
reinvested.
The
Sponsor employs a “neutral” investment strategy
intended to track the changes in the Benchmark of each Fund
regardless of whether the Benchmark goes up or goes down. The
Fund’s “neutral” investment strategy is designed
to permit investors generally to purchase and sell the Fund’s
Shares for the purpose of investing indirectly in the commodity
specific market in a cost-effective manner. Such investors may
include participants in the specific industry and other industries
seeking to hedge the risk of losses in their commodity specific
related transactions, as well as investors seeking exposure to that
commodity market. Accordingly, depending on the investment
objective of an individual investor, the risks generally associated
with investing in the commodity specific market and/or the risks
involved in hedging may exist. In addition, an investment in a Fund
involves the risk that the changes in the price of the Fund’s
Shares will not accurately track the changes in the Benchmark, and
that changes in the Benchmark will not closely correlate with
changes in the price of the commodity on the spot market. The
Sponsor does not intend to operate each Fund in a fashion such that
its per share NAV equals, in dollar terms, the spot price of the
commodity or the price of any particular commodity specific Futures
Contract.
The Sponsor
Teucrium
Trading, LLC is the sponsor of the Trust and each of the series of
the Trust. The Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company,
formed on July 28, 2009. The principal office is located at Three
Main Street, Suite 215, Burlington, Vermont 05401. The Sponsor is
registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a
commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of
the National Futures Association (“NFA”).
Under
the Trust Agreement, the Sponsor is solely responsible for
management and conducts or directs the conduct of the business of
the Trust, the Fund, and any series of the Trust that may from time
to time be established and designated by the Sponsor. The Sponsor
is required to oversee the purchase and sale of Shares by
Authorized Purchasers and to manage the Fund’s investments,
including to evaluate the credit risk of FCMs and swap
counterparties and to review daily positions and margin/collateral
requirements. The Sponsor has the power to enter into agreements as
may be necessary or appropriate for the offer and sale of the
Fund’s Shares and the oversight of the Trust’s
activities. Accordingly, the Sponsor is responsible for selecting
the Trustee, Administrator, Distributor, the independent registered
public accounting firm of the Trust, and any legal counsel employed
by the Trust. The Sponsor is also responsible for preparing and
filing periodic reports on behalf of the Trust with the SEC and
will provide any required certification for such reports. No person
other than the Sponsor and its principals was involved in the
organization of the Trust or the Fund.
Teucrium
Trading, LLC designs the Funds to offer liquidity, transparency,
and capacity in single-commodity investing for a variety of
investors, including institutions and individuals, in an
exchange-traded product format. The Funds have also been designed
to mitigate the impacts of contango and backwardation, situations
that can occur in the course of commodity trading which can affect
the potential returns to investors. Backwardation is defined as a
market condition in which a futures price of a commodity is lower
in the distant delivery months than in the near delivery months,
while contango, the opposite of backwardation, is defined as a
condition in which distant delivery prices for futures exceed spot
prices, often due to the costs of storing and insuring the
underlying commodity.
The
Sponsor has a patent on certain business methods and procedures
used with respect to the Funds.
84
Performance Summary
This
report covers the periods from January 1 to March 31, 2020 for each
Fund. Total expenses are presented both gross and net of any
expenses waived or paid by the Sponsor that would have been
incurred by the Funds (“expenses waived by the
Sponsor”).
CORN
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
Net asset value at
beginning of period
|
$14.82
|
Income from
investment operations:
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.06
|
Net realized and
unrealized loss on commodity futures contracts
|
(1.80)
|
Total
expenses
|
(0.13)
|
Net decrease in net
asset value
|
(1.87)
|
Net asset value end
of period
|
$12.95
|
Total
Return
|
(12.65)%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
Total
expenses
|
4.07%
|
Total expenses,
net
|
3.56%
|
Net investment
loss
|
(1.87)%
|
|
|
SOYB
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
Net asset value at
beginning of period
|
$15.85
|
Loss from
investment operations:
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.06
|
Net realized and
unrealized loss on commodity futures contracts
|
(1.79)
|
Total
expenses
|
(0.12)
|
Net decrease in net
asset value
|
(1.85)
|
Net asset value at
end of period
|
$14.00
|
Total
Return
|
(11.67)%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
Total
expenses
|
3.70%
|
Total expenses,
net
|
3.23%
|
Net investment
loss
|
(1.57)%
|
CANE
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
Net asset value at
beginning of period
|
$7.04
|
Income from
investment operations:
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.03
|
Net realized and
unrealized loss on commodity futures contracts
|
(1.52)
|
Total
expenses
|
(0.06)
|
Net decrease in net
asset value
|
(1.55)
|
Net asset value at
end of period
|
$5.49
|
Total
Return
|
(21.91)%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
Total
expenses
|
4.67%
|
Total expenses,
net
|
3.26%
|
Net investment
loss
|
(1.64)%
|
|
|
WEAT
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
Net asset value at
beginning of period
|
$5.84
|
Loss from
investment operations:
|
|
Investment
income
|
0.02
|
Net realized and
unrealized loss on commodity futures contracts
|
(0.04)
|
Total
expenses
|
(0.05)
|
Net decrease in net
asset value
|
(0.07)
|
Net asset value at
end of period
|
$5.77
|
Total
Return
|
(1.11)%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
Total
expenses
|
3.45%
|
Total expenses,
net
|
3.45%
|
Net investment
loss
|
(1.81)%
|
TAGS
Per Share Operation Performance
|
|
Net asset value at
beginning of period
|
$19.72
|
Loss from
investment operations:
|
|
Net realized and
unrealized loss on investment transactions
|
(2.34)
|
Total
expenses
|
(0.01)
|
Net decrease in net
asset value
|
(2.35)
|
Net asset value at
end of period
|
$17.37
|
Total
Return
|
(11.93)%
|
Ratios
to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
|
|
Total
expenses
|
5.51%
|
Total expenses,
net
|
0.19%
|
Net investment
loss
|
(0.19)%
|
Past
performance of a Fund is not necessarily indicative of future
performance.
85
Results of Operations
The
following includes a section for each Fund of the
Trust.
The
discussion below addresses the material changes in the results of
operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to
the same period in 2019. The following includes a section for each
Fund of the Trust for the periods in which each Fund was in
operation. CORN, SOYB, WEAT, CANE and TAGS each operated for the
entirety of all periods.
Total
expenses for the current and comparative periods are presented both
gross and net of any expenses waived or paid by the Sponsor that
would have been incurred by the Funds (“expenses waived by
the Sponsor”). For all expenses waived in 2019 and 2020, the
Sponsor has determined that no reimbursement will be sought in
future periods. “Total expenses, net” is after the
impact of any expenses waived by the Sponsor, are presented in the
same manner as previously reported. There is, therefore, no impact
to or change in the Net gain or Net loss in any period for the
Trust and each Fund as a result of this change in
presentation.
The
Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in
accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. In
addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to
provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency,
compliance and other necessary services to the Fund, including
services directly attributable to the Fund such as accounting,
financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities.
In some cases, at its discretion, the Sponsor may elect not to
outsource certain of these expenses. In addition, the Funds, except
for TAGS which has no such fee, are contractually obligated to pay
a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net
assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per annum.
The
Funds generally pay for all brokerage fees, taxes and other
expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual
property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), or any other
regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of
subsequent Shares after its initial registration and all legal,
accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. Each
Fund also pays its portion of the fees and expenses associated with
the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements.
Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are
allocated by the Sponsor to the respective funds based on activity
drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses,
including but not limited to relative assets under management and
creation order activity. These aggregate common expenses include,
but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial
reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading
activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the
Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the
statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to services provided by the Sponsor or related
parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services
to the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting
and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading
activities that are directly attributable to the Funds and are,
primarily, included as distribution and marketing fees on the
statements of operations. These amounts, for the Trust and for each
Fund, are detailed in the notes to the financial statements
included in Part II of this filing.
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the
Sponsor and management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if
applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of
operations for each Fund.
Teucrium Corn Fund
The
Teucrium Corn Fund commenced investment operations on June 9, 2010.
The investment objective of the Corn Fund is to have the daily
changes in percentage terms of the Shares’ NAV reflect the
daily changes in percentage terms of a weighted average of the
closing settlement prices for three futures contracts for corn
(“Corn Futures Contracts”) that are traded on the
Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”), specifically (1) the
second to expire CBOT Corn Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the
third to expire CBOT Corn Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3)
the CBOT Corn Futures Contract expiring in the December following
the expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted
35%.
On
March 31, 2020, the Fund had 4,525,004 shares outstanding and net
assets of $58,581,304. This is in comparison to 3,600,004 shares
outstanding and net assets of $54,796,796 on March 31, 2019 and
5,075,004 shares outstanding with net assets of $75,220,190 on
December 31, 2019. Shares outstanding increased by 925,000 or 26%
for the period ended March 31, 2020 when compared to March 31, 2019
and decreased by 550,000 or 11% for the period ended March 31, 2020
when compared to December 31, 2019. This increase year over year,
in the opinion of management, was due to the continued low price of
corn relative to historical levels and concerns over the U.S.
weather as planting commences.
Total
net assets for the Fund were $58,581,304 on March 31, 2020 compared
to $54,796,796 on March 31, 2019 and $75,220,190 on December 31,
2019. The Net Asset Values (“NAV”) per share related to
these balances were $12.95, $15.22 and $14.82, respectively. This
represents an increase in total net assets year over year of 7%,
driven by a combination of an increase in total shares outstanding
of 26% and a decrease in the NAV per share of ($2.27) or 15%. When
comparing March 31, 2020 with December 31, 2019, there was a
decrease in total net assets of 22%, driven by a combination of a
decrease in the NAV per share of ($1.88) or 13% and a decrease in
total shares outstanding of 11%. The closing prices per share for
March 31, 2020 and 2019 and December 31, 2019, as reported by the
NYSE Arca, were $12.96, $15.23 and $14.80, respectively. The change
from March 31, 2020 over the same period last year was a 15%
decrease, and an 12% decrease from December 31, 2019.
The
graph below shows the actual shares outstanding, total net assets
(or AUM) and net asset value per share (NAV per share) for the Fund
from inception to March 31, 2020 and serves to illustrate the
relative changes of these components.
The
total loss for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020 was
($8,306,124) resulting primarily from the net change in realized
loss on commodity futures contracts totaling ($1,579,104), and by a
net change in unrealized depreciation of commodity futures
contracts of ($7,016,479). Total loss was ($2,641,782) in the same
period of 2019. Realized gain or loss on trading of commodity
futures contracts is a function of: 1) the change in the price of
the particular contracts sold as part of a “roll” in
contracts as the nearest to expire contracts are exchanged for the
appropriate contract given the investment objective of the fund, 2)
the change in the price of particular contracts sold in relation to
redemption of shares, 3) the gain or loss associated with
rebalancing trades which are made to ensure conformance to the
benchmark, 4) the number of contracts held and then sold for either
circumstance aforementioned. Beginning on August 21, 2019, the
Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for
futures contract trades on a per trade basis. Prior to the change,
brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were
accrued on thetrade date on a full-turn basis. Unrealized gain or
loss on trading of commodity futures contracts is a function of the
change in the price of contracts held on the final date of the
period versus the purchase price for each contract and the number
of contracts held in each contract month. The Sponsor has a static
benchmark as described above and trades futures contracts to adhere
to that benchmark and to adjust for the creation or redemption of
shares.
Interest
income and other income for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019, respectively, was $289,459 and $378,942. This
decrease year over year was due to the economic uncertainty of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the significant decrease in interest rates.
The Fund earns interest and other income in investment grade,
short-duration instruments or deposits associated with the
pool’s buy-and-hold cash management strategy that may be used
to offset expenses. These investments may include, but are not
limited to, short-term Treasury Securities, demand deposits, money
market funds and investments in commercial paper.
86
Total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and reimbursement
to the Sponsor for previously waived expenses (“Total
expenses”) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020
were $695,144 and for the same period in 2019 were $510,238. This
represents a $184,906 or 36% increase for 2020 over 2019. The
increase for 2020 was driven by increases in: 1) a $170,797 or 22%
increase in management fee paid to the Sponsor as a result of
higher average net assets; 2) a $31,561 or a 32% increase in
professional fees related to auditing, legal and tax preparation
fees; 3) a $129,763 or 65% increase in distribution and marketing
expenses; and 4) a $10,705 or 40% increase in custodian fees and
expenses; 5) a $659 or 3% increase in general and administrative
expenses. These increases were partially offset by 1) a ($2,189) or
39% decrease in business permits and licenses and 2) a ($2,802) or
100% decrease in other expenses. There was a ($13,466) or 100%
decrease in brokerage commissions due to a change in accounting
policy, see Critical Accounting
Policies for a discussion of this change and Part II for a
breakdown of brokerage commissions paid during the period. The
increases were due, in general, to the increase in the average
assets under management relative to the other Funds. The total
expense ratio gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor for the
three-month periods were 4.10% in 2020 and 3.64% in 2019. The
management fee is calculated at an annual rate of 1% of the
Fund’s daily average net assets.
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Fund or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. For the three-month
period ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Sponsor waived fees of
$87,107 and $5,639, respectively. The Sponsor has determined that
no reimbursement will be sought in future periods for those
expenses which have been waived for the period.
Total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor (“Total
expenses, net”) for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019 were $608,037 and $504,599, respectively. The total
expense ratio net of expenses waived by the Sponsor was 3.56% in
2020 and 3.60% in 2019. Net investment loss, which includes the
impact of expenses and interest income, was 1.87% in 2019 and 0.90%
in 2019.
Other
than the management fee to the Sponsor and the brokerage
commissions, most of the expenses incurred by the Fund are
associated with the day-to-day operation of the Fund and the
necessary functions related to regulatory compliance. These are
generally based on contracts, which extend for some period of time
and up to one year, or commitments regardless of the level of
assets under management. The structure of the Fund and the nature
of the expenses are such that as total net assets grow, there is a
scalability of expenses that may allow the total expense ratio to
be reduced. However, if total net assets for the Fund fall, the
total expense ratio of the Fund will increase unless additional
reductions are made by the Sponsor to the daily expense accruals.
The Sponsor can elect to adjust the daily expense accruals at its
discretion based on market conditions and other Fund
considerations.
The
seasonality patterns for corn futures prices are impacted by a
variety of factors. These include, but are not limited to, the
harvest in the fall, the planting conditions in the spring, and the
weather throughout the critical germination and growing periods.
Prices for corn futures are affected by the availability and demand
for substitute agricultural commodities, including soybeans and
wheat, and the demand for corn as an additive for fuel, through the
production of ethanol. The price of corn futures contracts is also
influenced by global economic conditions, including the demand for
exports to other countries. Such factors will impact the
performance of the Fund and the results of operations on an ongoing
basis. The Sponsor cannot predict the impact of such
factors.
Teucrium Soybean Fund
The
Teucrium Soybean Fund commenced investment operations on September
19, 2011. The investment objective of the Fund is to have the daily
changes in percentage terms of the Shares’ Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) reflect the daily changes in percentage terms
of a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three
futures contracts for soybeans (“Soybean Futures
Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”). The three Soybean Futures Contracts,
excluding August and September, will be: (1) second to expire CBOT
Soybean Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire
CBOT Soybean Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT
Soybean Futures Contract expiring in the November following the
expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted
35%.
On
March 31, 2020, the Fund had 1,575,004 shares outstanding and net
assets of $22,051,905. This is in comparison to 1,475,004 shares
outstanding and net assets of $23,295,395 on March 31, 2019 and
1,775,004 shares outstanding with net assets of $28,135,131 on
December 31, 2019. Shares outstanding increased by 100,000 or 7%
for the period ended March 31, 2020 when compared to March 31, 2019
and decreased by 200,000 or 11% for the period ended March 31, 2020
when compared to December 31, 2019. This decrease year over year,
in the opinion of management, was due to concerns over economic
uncertainty and market volatility due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Total
net assets for the Fund were $22,051,905 on March 31, 2020 compared
to $23,295,395 on March 31, 2019 and $28,135,131 on December 31,
2019. The Net Asset Values (“NAV”) per share related to
these balances were $14.00, $15.79 and $15.85, respectively. This
represents a decrease in total net assets for the year over year of
5%, driven by a combination of an increase in total shares
outstanding of 7% and a decrease in the NAV per share of ($1.79) or
11%. When comparing March 31, 2020 with December 31, 2019, there
was a decrease in total net assets of 22%, driven by a combination
of a decrease in total shares outstanding of 11% and a decrease in
the NAV per share of ($1.85) or 12%. The closing prices per share
for March 31, 2020 and 2019 and December 31, 2019, as reported by
the NYSE Arca, were $14.05, $15.75 and $15.83, respectively. The
change from March 31, 2020 over the same period last year was a 11%
decrease, and a 11% decrease from December 31, 2019.
The
graph below shows the actual shares outstanding, total net assets
(or AUM) and net asset value per share (NAV per share) for the Fund
from inception to March 31, 2020 and serves to illustrate the
relative changes of these components.
87
The
total loss for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020 was
($3,044,753) resulting primarily from the net change in realized
loss on commodity futures contracts totaling ($856,215) and by a
net change in unrealized depreciation of commodity futures
contracts of ($2,293,765). Total loss was ($303,246) in the same
period of 2019. Realized gain or loss on trading of commodity
futures contracts is a function of: 1) the change in the price of
the particular contracts sold as part of a “roll” in
contracts as the nearest to expire contracts are exchanged for the
appropriate contract given the investment objective of the fund, 2)
the change in the price of particular contracts sold in relation to
redemption of shares, 3) the gain or loss associated with
rebalancing trades which are made to ensure conformance to the
benchmark, 4) the number of contracts held and then sold for either
circumstance aforementioned. Beginning on August 21, 2019, the
Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for
futures contract trades on a per trade basis. Prior to the change,
brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were
accrued on the trade date on a full-turn basis. Unrealized gain or
loss on trading of commodity futures contracts is a function of the
change in the price of contracts held on the final date of the
period versus the purchase price for each contract and the number
of contracts held in each contract month. The Sponsor has a static
benchmark as described above and trades futures contracts to adhere
to that benchmark and to adjust for the creation or redemption of
shares.
Interest
income and other income for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019, respectively, was $105,227 and $167,991. This
decrease year over year was due to the economic uncertainty of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the significant decrease in interest rates.
The Fund earns interest and other income in investment grade,
short-duration instruments or deposits associated with the
pool’s buy-and-hold cash management strategy that may be used
to offset expenses. These investments may include, but are not
limited to, short-term Treasury Securities, demand deposits, money
market funds and investments in commercial paper.
Total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and reimbursement
to the Sponsor for previously waived expenses (“Total
expenses”) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020
were $234,174 and for the same period in 2019 were $288,838. This
represents a ($54,664) or 19% decrease for 2020 over 2019. The
decrease year over year was driven by decreases in: 1) a ($2,141)
or 4% decrease in professional fees related to auditing, legal and
tax preparation fees; 2) a ($28,038) or 23% decrease in
distribution and marketing expenses; 3) a ($15,889) or 60% decrease
in custodian fees and expenses; 4) a ($600) or 14% decrease in
business permits and licenses; 5) a ($4,980) or 47% decrease in
general and administrative expenses; 6) a ($1,358) or 100% decrease
in other expenses. There was a ($2,116) or 100% decrease in
brokerage commissions due to a change in accounting policy, see
Critical Accounting
Policies for a discussion of this change and Part II for a
breakdown of brokerage commissions paid during the period. These
decreases were partially offset by a $458 or a 1% increase in
management fees payable to the Sponsor as a result of higher
average net assets. The decrease in expenses is primarily due to
actions taken by management to reduce overall expenses and due
lower average net assets in 2020 compared to the other Funds. The
total expense ratio gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor for
these periods was 3.70% in 2020 and 4.60% in 2019. The management
fee is calculated at an annual rate of 1% of the Fund’s daily
average net assets.
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Fund or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. For the three-month
period ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Sponsor waived fees of
$29,971 and $62,912. The Sponsor has determined that no
reimbursement will be sought in future periods for those expenses
which have been waived for the period.
Total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor (“Total
expenses, net”) for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019 were $204,203 and $225,926, respectively. The total
expense ratio net of expenses waived by the Sponsor periods was
3.23% in 2020 and 3.60% in 2019. Net investment loss, which
includes the impact of expenses and interest income, was 1.57% in
2020 and 0.92% in 2019.
Other
than the management fee to the Sponsor and the brokerage
commissions, most of the expenses incurred by the Fund are
associated with the day-to-day operation of the Fund and the
necessary functions related to regulatory compliance. These are
generally based on contracts, which extend for some period of time
and up to one year, or commitments regardless of the level of
assets under management. The structure of the Fund and the nature
of the expenses are such that as total net assets grow, there is a
scalability of expenses that may allow the total expense ratio to
be reduced. However, if total net assets for the Fund fall, the
total expense ratio of the Fund will increase unless additional
reductions are made by the Sponsor to the daily expense accruals.
The Sponsor can elect to adjust the daily expense accruals at its
discretion based on market conditions and other Fund
considerations.
The
seasonality patterns for soybean futures prices are impacted by a
variety of factors. These include, but are not limited to, the
harvest in the fall, the planting conditions in the spring, and the
weather throughout the critical germination and growing periods.
Prices for soybean futures are affected by the availability and
demand for substitute agricultural commodities, including corn and
wheat. The price of soybean futures contracts is also influenced by
global economic conditions, including the demand for exports to
other countries. Such factors will impact the performance of the
Fund and the results of operations on an ongoing basis. The Sponsor
cannot predict the impact of such factors.
Teucrium Sugar Fund
The
Teucrium Sugar Fund commenced investment operations on September
19, 2011. The investment objective of the Fund is to have the daily
changes in percentage terms of the Shares’ Net Asset Value
(“NAV”) reflect the daily changes in percentage terms
of a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three
futures contracts for sugar (“Sugar Futures Contracts”)
that are traded on ICE Futures US (“ICE Futures”),
specifically: (1) the second to expire Sugar No. 11 Futures
Contract (a “Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract”), weighted
35%, (2) the third to expire Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract,
weighted 30%, and (3) the Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract expiring in
the March following the expiration month of the third to expire
contract, weighted 35%.
On
March 31, 2020, the Fund had 1,250,004 shares outstanding and net
assets of $6,868,034. This is in comparison to 1,350,004 shares
outstanding and net assets of $9,848,806 on March 31, 2019 and
1,750,004 shares outstanding with net assets of $12,313,180 on
December 31, 2019. Shares outstanding decreased by 100,000 or 7%
for the period ended March 31, 2020 when compared to March 31, 2019
and decreased by 500,000 or 29% for the period ended March 31, 2020
when compared to December 31, 2019. This decrease year over year,
in the opinion of management, was due to concerns over economic
uncertainty and market volatility due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Total
net assets for the Fund were $6,868,034 on March 31, 2020 compared
to $9,848,806 on March 31, 2019 and $12,313,180 on December 31,
2019. The Net Asset Values (“NAV”) per share related to
these balances were $5.49, $7.30 and $7.04, respectively. This
represents a decrease in total net assets for the year over year of
30%, driven by a combination of a decrease in total shares
outstanding of 7% and a decrease in the NAV per share of ($1.81) or
25%. When comparing March 31, 2020 with December 31, 2019, there
was a decrease in total net assets of 44%, driven by a combination
of a decrease in total shares outstanding of 29% and a decrease in
the NAV per share of ($1.54) or 22%. The closing prices per share
for March 31, 2020 and 2019 and December 31, 2019, as reported by
the NYSE Arca, were $5.46, $7.28 and $7.02, respectively. The
change from March 31, 2020 over the same period last year was a 25%
decrease, and a 22% decrease from December 31, 2019.
The
graph below shows the actual shares outstanding, total net assets
(or AUM) and net asset value per share (NAV per share) for the Fund
from inception to March 31, 2020 and serves to illustrate the
relative changes of these components.
88
The
total loss for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020 was
($1,820,917) resulting primarily from the net change in realized
gain on commodity futures contracts totaling ($292,057) and by a
net change in unrealized depreciation of commodity futures
contracts of ($2,155,945). Total income was $488,022 in the same
period of 2019. Realized gain or loss on trading of commodity
futures contracts is a function of: 1) the change in the price of
the particular contracts sold as part of a “roll” in
contracts as the nearest to expire contracts are exchanged for the
appropriate contract given the investment objective of the fund, 2)
the change in the price of particular contracts sold in relation to
redemption of shares, 3) the gain or loss associated with
rebalancing trades which are made to ensure conformance to the
benchmark, 4) the number of contracts held and then sold for either
circumstance aforementioned. Beginning on August 21, 2019, the
Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for
futures contract trades on a per trade basis. Prior to the change,
brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were
accrued on the trade date on a full-turn basis. Unrealized gain or
loss on trading of commodity futures contracts is a function of the
change in the price of contracts held on the final date of the
period versus the purchase price for each contract and the number
of contracts held in each contract month. The Sponsor has a static
benchmark as described above and trades futures contracts to adhere
to that benchmark and to adjust for the creation or redemption of
shares.
Interest
income and other income for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019, respectively, was $42,971 and $66,622. This decrease
year over year was due to the economic uncertainty of the COVID-19
pandemic and the significant decrease in interest rates. The Fund
earns interest and other income in investment grade, short-duration
instruments or deposits associated with the pool’s
buy-and-hold cash management strategy that may be used to offset
expenses. These investments may include, but are not limited to,
short-term Treasury Securities, demand deposits, money market funds
and investments in commercial paper.
Total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and reimbursement
to the Sponsor for previously waived expenses (“Total
expenses”) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020
were $123,747 and for the same period in 2019 were $135,037. This
represents a ($11,290) or 8% decrease for 2020 over 2019. The
decrease for 2020 was driven by decreases in: 1) a ($23,288) or 50%
decrease in professional fees related to auditing, legal and tax
preparation fees; 2) a ($257) or 1% decrease in distribution and
marketing fees; 3) a ($1,128) or 26% decrease in general and
administrative expenses; 4) a ($935) or 98% decrease in other
expenses. There was a ($1,943) or 100% decrease in brokerage
commissions due to a change in accounting policy, see Critical Accounting Policies for a
discussion of this change and Part II for a breakdown of brokerage
commissions paid during the period. These decreases were partially
offset by 1) a $368 or a 1% increase in management fees payable to
the Sponsor as a result of higher average net assets; 2) a $1,745
or 33% increase in custodian fees and expenses; and 3) a $14,148 or
319% increase in business permits and licenses. The decrease over
the prior year are generally due to lower average net assets
relative to the other Funds. The total expense ratio gross of
expenses waived by the Sponsor for these periods was 4.67% in 2020
and 5.17% in 2019. The management fee is calculated at an annual
rate of 1% of the Fund’s daily average net
assets.
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Fund or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. For the three-month
period ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Sponsor waived fees of
$37,535 and $41,482, respectively. The Sponsor has determined that
no reimbursement will be sought in future periods for those
expenses which have been waived for the period.
Total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor (“Total
expenses, net”) for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019 were $86,394 and $93,555, respectively. The total
expense ratio net of expenses waived by the Sponsor for the
three-month periods was 3.26% in 2020 and 3.58% in 2019. Net
investment loss, which includes the impact of expenses and interest
income, was 1.64% in 2020 and 1.03% in 2019.
Other
than the management fee to the Sponsor and the brokerage
commissions, most of the expenses incurred by the Fund are
associated with the day-to-day operation of the Fund and the
necessary functions related to regulatory compliance. These are
generally based on contracts, which extend for some period of time
and up to one year, or commitments regardless of the level of
assets under management. The structure of the Fund and the nature
of the expenses are such that as total net assets grow, there is a
scalability of expenses that may allow the total expense ratio to
be reduced. However, if total net assets for the Fund fall, the
total expense ratio of the Fund will increase unless additional
reductions are made by the Sponsor to the daily expense accruals.
The Sponsor can elect to adjust the daily expense accruals at its
discretion based on market conditions and other Fund
considerations.
Teucrium Wheat Fund
The
Teucrium Wheat Fund commenced investment operations on September
19, 2011. The investment objective of the Fund is to have the daily
changes in percentage terms of the Shares’ Net Asset Value
reflect the daily changes in percentage terms of a weighted average
of the closing settlement prices for three futures contracts for
wheat (“Wheat Futures Contracts”) that are traded on
the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”), specifically: (1)
the second to expire CBOT Wheat Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2)
the third to expire CBOT Wheat Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and
(3) the CBOT Wheat Futures Contract expiring in the December
following the expiration month of the third to expire contract,
weighted 35%.
On
March 31, 2020, the Fund had 8,500,004 shares outstanding and net
assets of $49,057,221. This is in comparison to 10,575,004 shares
outstanding and net assets of $55,999,060 on March 31, 2019 and
8,950,004 shares outstanding with net assets of $52,236,196 on
December 31, 2019. Shares outstanding decreased by 2,075,000 or 20%
for the period ended March 31, 2020 when compared to March 31, 2019
and decreased by 450,000 or 5% for the period ended March 31, 2020
when compared to December 31, 2019. This decrease year over year,
in the opinion of management, was due to concerns over economic
uncertainty and market volatility due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Total
net assets for the Fund were $49,057,221 on March 31, 2020 compared
to $55,999,060 on March 31, 2019 and $52,236,16 on December 31,
2019. The Net Asset Values (“NAV”) per share related to
these balances were $5.77, $5.30 and $5.84, respectively. This
represents a decrease in total net assets for the year over year of
12% which was driven by a combination of a decrease in total shares
outstanding of 20% and a change in the NAV per share which
increased by $0.47 or 9%. When comparing March 31, 2020 with
December 31, 2019, there was a decrease in total net assets of 6%,
driven by a combination of a decrease in total shares outstanding
of 5% and a change in the NAV per share which decreased by ($0.07)
or 1%. The closing prices per share for March 31, 2020 and 2019 and
December 31, 2019, as reported by the NYSE Arca, were $5.80, $5.29
and $5.85, respectively. The change from March 31, 2020 over the
same period last year was an 10% increase, and an 1% decrease from
December 31, 2019.
The
graph below shows the actual shares outstanding, total net assets
(or AUM) and net asset value per share (NAV per share) for the Fund
from inception to March 31, 2020 and serves to illustrate the
relative changes of these components.
89
The
total loss for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020 was
($343,153) resulting primarily from the net change in realized gain
on commodity futures contracts totaling $453,307 and by a net
change in unrealized depreciation of commodity futures contracts of
($999,326). Total loss was ($5,839,782) in the same period of 2019.
Realized gain or loss on trading of commodity futures contracts is
a function of: 1) the change in the price of the particular
contracts sold as part of a “roll” in contracts as the
nearest to expire contracts are exchanged for the appropriate
contract given the investment objective of the fund, 2) the change
in the price of particular contracts sold in relation to redemption
of shares, 3) the gain or loss associated with rebalancing trades
which are made to ensure conformance to the benchmark, 4) the
number of contracts held and then sold for either circumstance
aforementioned. Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began
recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures
contract trades on a per trade basis. Prior to the change,
brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were
accrued on the trade date on a full-turn basis. Unrealized gain or
loss on trading of commodity futures contracts is a function of the
change in the price of contracts held on the final date of the
period versus the purchase price for each contract and the number
of contracts held in each contract month. The Sponsor has a static
benchmark as described above and trades futures contracts to adhere
to that benchmark and to adjust for the creation or redemption of
shares.
Interest
income and other income for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019, respectively, was $202,866 and $372,469. This
decrease year over year was due to the economic uncertainty of the
COVID-19 pandemic and the significant decrease in interest rates.
The Fund earns interest and other income in investment grade,
short-duration instruments or deposits associated with the
pool’s buy-and-hold cash management strategy that may be used
to offset expenses. These investments may include, but are not
limited to, short-term Treasury Securities, demand deposits, money
market funds and investments in commercial paper.
Total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and reimbursement
to the Sponsor for previously waived expenses (“Total
expenses”) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020
were $427,552 and for the same period in 2019 were $495,266. This
represents a ($67,714) or 14% decrease year over year. The decrease
for 2020 over 2019 was driven by decreases in all expense
categories. These decreases were: 1) a ($13,799) or 10% decrease in
management fee paid to the Sponsor due to lower average net assets;
2) a ($16,894) or 18% decrease in professional fees related to
auditing, legal and tax preparation fees; 3) a ($13,330) or 7%
decrease in distribution and marketing fees; 4) a ($552) or 10%
decrease in business permits and licenses; 5) a ($2,484) or 10%
decrease in custodian fees and expenses; 6) a ($7,299) or 31%
decrease general and administrative expenses; and 7) a ($2,753) or
100% decrease in other expenses. There was a ($10,603) or 100%
decrease in brokerage commissions due to a change in accounting
policy, see Critical Accounting
Policies for a discussion of this change and Part II for a
breakdown of brokerage commissions paid during the period. The
decrease over the prior year are generally due to lower average net
assets relative to the other Funds. The total expense ratio gross
of expenses waived by the Sponsor for these periods was 3.45% in
2020 and 3.60% in 2019. The management fee is calculated at an
annual rate of 1% of the Fund’s daily average net
assets.
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Fund or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. For the three-month
periods ending March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Sponsor waived fees of
$0 and $2,500, respectively. The Sponsor has determined that no
reimbursement will be sought in future periods for those expenses
which have been waived for the period.
Total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor (“Total
expenses, net”) for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019 were $427,552 and $492,766, respectively. The total
expense ratio net of expenses waived by the Sponsor periods was
3.45% in 2020 and 3.58% in 2019. Net investment loss, which
includes the impact of expenses and interest income, was 1.81% in
2020 and 0.87% in 2019.
Other
than the management fee to the Sponsor and the brokerage
commissions, most of the expenses incurred by the Fund are
associated with the day-to-day operation of the Fund and the
necessary functions related to regulatory compliance. These are
generally based on contracts, which extend for some period of time
and up to one year, or commitments regardless of the level of
assets under management. The structure of the Fund and the nature
of the expenses are such that as total net assets grow, there is a
scalability of expenses that may allow the total expense ratio to
be reduced. However, if total net assets for the Fund fall, the
total expense ratio of the Fund will increase unless additional
reductions are made by the Sponsor to the daily expense accruals.
The Sponsor can elect to adjust the daily expense accruals at its
discretion based on market conditions and other Fund
considerations.
The
seasonality patterns for wheat futures prices are impacted by a
variety of factors. These include, but are not limited to, the
harvest in summer and fall, the planting conditions, and the
weather throughout the critical germination and growing periods.
Prices for wheat futures are affected by the availability and
demand for substitute agricultural commodities, including corn and
other feed grains. The price of wheat futures contracts is also
influenced by global economic conditions, including the demand for
exports to other countries. Such factors will impact the
performance of the Fund and the results of operations on an ongoing
basis. The Sponsor cannot predict the impact of such
factors.
Teucrium Agricultural Fund
The
Teucrium Agricultural Fund commenced operation on March 28, 2012.
The investment objective of the Fund is to have the daily changes
in percentage terms of the Net Asset Value (“NAV”) of
its common units (“Shares”) reflect the daily changes
in percentage terms of a weighted average (the “Underlying
Fund Average”) of the NAVs per share of four other commodity
pools that are series of the Trust and are sponsored by the
Sponsor: the Teucrium Corn Fund (“CORN”), the Teucrium
Wheat Fund (“WEAT”), the Teucrium Soybean Fund
(“SOYB”) and the Teucrium Sugar Fund
(“CANE”) (collectively, the “Underlying
Funds”). The Underlying Fund Average will have a weighting of
25% to each Underlying Fund, and the Fund’s assets will be
rebalanced, generally on a daily basis, to maintain the approximate
25% allocation to each Underlying Fund. The Fund does not intend to
invest directly in futures contracts (“Futures
Contracts”), although it reserves the right to do so in the
future, including if an Underlying Fund ceases
operation.
The
investment objective of each Underlying Fund is to have the daily
changes in percentage terms of its shares’ NAV reflect the
daily changes in percentage terms of a weighted average of the
closing settlement prices for certain Futures Contracts for the
commodity specified in the Underlying Fund’s name. (This
weighted average is referred to herein as the Underlying
Fund’s “Benchmark,” the Futures Contracts that at
any given time make up an Underlying Fund’s Benchmark are
referred to herein as the Underlying Fund’s “Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts,” and the commodity specified in
the Underlying Fund’s name is referred to herein as its
“Specified Commodity.”) Specifically, the Teucrium Corn
Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second-to-expire Futures
Contract for corn traded on the Chicago Board of Trade
(“CBOT”), weighted 35%, (2) the third-to-expire CBOT
corn Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT corn Futures
Contract expiring in the December following the expiration month of
the third to expire contract, weighted 35%. The Teucrium Wheat
Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire CBOT wheat
Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire CBOT wheat
Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT wheat Futures
Contract expiring in the December following the expiration month of
the third to expire contract, weighted 35%. The Teucrium Soybean
Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire CBOT soybean
Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire CBOT
soybean Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT soybean
Futures Contract expiring in the November following the expiration
month of the third-to-expire contract, weighted 35%, except that
CBOT soybean Futures Contracts expiring in August and September
will not be part of the Teucrium Soybean Fund’s Benchmark
because of the less liquid market for these Futures Contracts. The
Teucrium Sugar Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire
Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract traded on ICE Futures US (“ICE
Futures”), weighted 35%, (2) the third-to-expire ICE Futures
Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the ICE
Futures Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract expiring in the March
following the expiration month of the third to expire contract,
weighted 35%.
On
March 31, 2020, the Fund had 75,002 shares outstanding and net
assets of $1,302,417. This is in comparison to 75,002 shares
outstanding and net assets of $1,463,487 on March 31, 2019 and
75,002 shares outstanding with net assets of $1,478,780 on December
31, 2019. The Net Asset Values (“NAV”) per share
related to these balances were $17.37, $19.51, and $19.72,
respectively. This represents a decrease in total net assets for
the year over year of 11% which was driven by a decrease in the NAV
per share of ($2.14) or 11%. When comparing March 31, 2020 with
December 31, 2019, there was a decrease in total net assets of 12%,
which was driven by a decrease in the NAV per share of ($2.35) or
12%. The closing prices per share for March 31, 2020 and 2019 and
December 31, 2019, as reported by the NYSE Arca, were $16.97,
$19.39, and $19.60, respectively. The change from March 31, 2020
over the same period last year was an 12% decrease, and a 13%
decrease from December 31, 2019.
The
graph below shows the actual shares outstanding, total net assets
(or AUM) and net asset value per share (NAV per share) for the Fund
from inception to March 31, 2020 and serves to illustrate the
relative changes of these components.
90
Total
loss for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020 was ($175,691)
resulting from the realized loss on the securities of the
Underlying Funds totaling ($71,417) and a loss generated by the
unrealized depreciation on the securities of the Underlying Funds
of ($104,284). Total loss for the same period in 2019 was
($60,556). Realized gain or loss on the securities of the
Underlying Funds is a function of 1) the change in the price of
particular contracts sold in relation to redemption of shares, 2)
the gain or loss associated with rebalancing trades which are made
to ensure conformance to the benchmark and 3) the full-turn
brokerage commission fee recognized on a per trade basis.
Unrealized gain or loss on the securities of the Underlying Funds
is a function of the change in the price of shares held on the
final date of the period versus the purchase price for each and the
number held. The Sponsor has a static benchmark as described above
and trades futures contracts to adhere to that benchmark and to
adjust for the creation or redemption of shares.
Total
expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and reimbursement
to the Sponsor for previously waived expenses (“Total
expenses”) for the three-month period ended March 31, 2020
were $19,494 and for the same period in 2019 were $22,301. This
represents a ($2,807) or 13% decrease for 2020 over 2019. The
decrease for 2020 was driven by decreases in all expense
categories, specifically; 1) a ($429) or 14% decrease in
professional fees related to auditing, legal and tax preparation
fees; 2) a ($1,155) or 19% decrease in distribution and marketing
fees; 3) a ($254) or 32% decrease in custodian fees and expenses;
4) a ($875) or 7% decrease in business permits and licenses fees;
5) a ($62) or 16% decrease in general and administrative and
expenses; and 6) a ($32) or 89% decrease in other expenses. The
total expense ratio gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor were
5.51% in 2020 and 5.90% in 2019.
The
Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf
of the Fund or waive the management fee. This election is subject
to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. For the three-month
period ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Sponsor waived fees of
$18,822 and $21,584, respectively. The Sponsor has determined that
no reimbursement will be sought in future periods for those
expenses which have been waived for the period.
Total
expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor (“Total
expenses, net”) for the three-month period ended March 31,
2020 and 2019 were $672 and $717, respectively. The total expense
ratio net of expenses waived by the Sponsor periods was 0.19% in
2020 and 0.19% in 2019. Net investment loss, which includes the
impact of expenses and interest income, was 0.19% in 2020 and 0.19%
in 2019.
Market Outlook
The Corn Market
Corn is
currently the most widely produced livestock feed grain in the
United States. The two largest demands for the United States’
corn crop are livestock feed and ethanol production. Corn is also
processed into food and industrial products, including starch,
sweeteners, corn oil, beverages and industrial alcohol. The United
States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) publishes
weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual updates for U.S. domestic and
worldwide corn production and consumption, and for other grains
such as soybeans and wheat which can be used in some cases as a
substitute for corn. These reports are available on the
USDA’s website, www.usda.gov, at no charge. The outlook
provided below is from the April 9, 2020 USDA report.
The
United States is the world’s leading producer and exporter of
corn. For the Crop Year 2019-20, the United States Department of
Agriculture (“USDA”) estimates that the U.S. will
produce approximately 31% of all the corn globally, of which about
13% will be exported. For 2019-2020, based on the April 9, 2020
USDA report, global consumption of 1,131 Million Metric Tons (MMT)
is expected to be slightly higher than global production of 1,113
MMT. If the global supply of corn exceeds global demand, this may
have an adverse impact on the price of corn. Besides the United
States, other principal world corn exporters include Argentina,
Brazil and the former Soviet Union nations known as the FSU-12
which includes the Ukraine. Major importer nations include Mexico,
Japan, the European Union (EU), South Korea, Egypt and parts of
Southeast Asia. China’s production at 261 MMT is
approximately 7% less than its domestic usage.
According
to the USDA, global corn consumption has increased by 584% from
crop year 1960/1961 to 2019/2020 as demonstrated by the graph below
and is projected to continue to grow in upcoming years. Consumption
growth is the result of a combination of many factors including: 1)
global population growth, which, according to the U.S. Census
Department, is estimated to increase by approximately 81 million
people per year and reach 9.7 billion by 2050; 2) a growing global
middle class which is increasing the demand for protein and
meat-based products globally and most significantly in developing
countries; and 3) global use of bio-fuels which is generally driven
by government policy. Based on USDA estimates as of April 9, 2020,
for each person added to the population, there needs to be an
additional 5.7 bushels of corn, 1.6 bushels of soybeans and 3.5
bushels of wheat produced.
While
global consumption of corn has increased over the
1960/1961-2019/2020 period, so has production, driven by increases
in acres planted and yield per acre. However, according to the USDA
and United Nations, future growth in planted acres and yield may be
inhibited by lower-productive land, and lack of infrastructure and
transportation. In addition, agricultural crops such as corn are
highly weather-dependent for yield and therefore susceptible to
changing weather patterns. In addition, given the current
production/consumption patterns, nearly 100% of all corn produced
globally is consumed which leaves minimal excess inventory if
production issues arise.
The
price per bushel of corn in the United States is primarily a
function of both U.S. and global production, as well as U.S. and
global demand. The graph below shows the USDA published price per
bushel by month for the period January 2007 to February
2020.
91
On
April 9, 2020, the USDA released its monthly World Agricultural
Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for the Crop Year 2019-20. The
exhibit below provides a summary of historical and current
information for United States corn production.
Standard
Corn Futures Contracts trade on the CBOT in units of 5,000 bushels.
Three grades of corn are deliverable under CBOT Corn Futures
Contracts: Number 1 yellow, which may be delivered at 1.5 cents
over the contract price; Number 2 yellow, which may be delivered at
the contract price; and Number 3 yellow, between a 2 and 4 cents
per bushel under contract price depending on broken corn and
foreign material and damage grade factors. There are five months
each year in which CBOT Corn Futures Contracts expire: March, May,
July, September and December.
If the
futures market is in a state of backwardation (i.e., when the price
of corn in the future is expected to be less than the current
price), the Fund will buy later to expire contracts for a lower
price than the sooner to expire contracts that it sells.
Hypothetically, and assuming no changes to either prevailing corn
prices or the price relationship between immediate delivery, soon
to expire contracts and later to expire contracts, the value of a
contract will rise as it approaches expiration. Over time, if
backwardation remained constant, the differences would continue to
increase. If the futures market is in contango, the Fund will buy
later to expire contracts for a higher price than the sooner to
expire contracts that it sells. Hypothetically, and assuming no
other changes to either prevailing corn prices or the price
relationship between the spot price, soon to expire contracts and
later to expire contracts, the value of a contract will fall as it
approaches expiration. Over time, if contango remained constant,
the difference would continue to increase. Historically, the corn
futures markets have experienced periods of both contango and
backwardation. Frequently, whether contango or backwardation exists
is a function, among other factors, of the seasonality of the corn
market and the corn harvest cycle. All other things being equal, a
situation involving prolonged periods of contango may adversely
impact the returns of the Fund; conversely a situation involving
prolonged periods of backwardation may positively impact the
returns of the Fund.
Futures
contracts may be either bought or sold long or short. The U.S
Commodity Futures Trading Commission weekly releases the
“Commitment of Traders” (COT) report, which depicts the
open interest as well as long and short positions in the market.
Market participants may use this report to gauge market
sentiment.
The Soybean Market
Global
soybean production is concentrated in the U.S., Brazil, Argentina
and China. The United States Department of Agriculture
(“USDA”) has estimated that, for the Crop Year 2019-20,
the United States will produce approximately 97 MMT of soybeans or
approximately 29% of estimated world production, with Brazil
production at 125 MMT. Argentina is projected to produce about 52
MMT. For 2019-20, based on the April 9, 2020 USDA report, global
consumption of 348 MMT is estimated slightly higher than global
production of 338 MMT. If the global supply of soybeans exceeds
global demand, this may have an adverse impact on the price of
soybeans. The USDA publishes weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual
updates for U.S. domestic and worldwide soybean production and
consumption. These reports are available on the USDA’s
website, www.usda.gov, at no charge. The outlook provided below is
from the April 9, 2020 USDA report.
The
soybean processing industry converts soybeans into soybean meal,
soybean hulls, and soybean oil. Soybean meal and soybean hulls are
processed into soy flour or soy protein, which are used, along with
other commodities, by livestock producers and the fish farming
industry as feed. Soybean oil is sold in multiple grades and is
used by the food, petroleum and chemical industries. The food
industry uses soybean oil in cooking and salad dressings, baking
and frying fats, and butter substitutes, among other uses. In
addition, the soybean industry continues to introduce soy-based
products as substitutes to various petroleum-based products
including lubricants, plastics, ink, crayons and candles. Soybean
oil is also converted to biodiesel for use as fuel.
Standard
Soybean Futures Contracts trade on the CBOT in units of 5,000
bushels. Three grades of soybean are deliverable under CBOT Soybean
Futures Contracts: Number 1 yellow, which may be delivered at 6
cents per bushel over the contract price; Number 2 yellow, which
may be delivered at the contract price; and Number 3 yellow, which
may be delivered at 6 cents per bushel under the contract price.
There are seven months each year in which CBOT Soybean Futures
Contracts expire: January, March, May, July, August, September and
November.
If the
futures market is in a state of backwardation (i.e., when the price
of soybeans in the future is expected to be less than the current
price), the Fund will buy later to expire contracts for a lower
price than the sooner to expire contracts that it sells.
Hypothetically, and assuming no changes to either prevailing
soybean prices or the price relationship between immediate
delivery, soon to expire contracts and later to expire contracts,
the value of a contract will rise as it approaches expiration. If
the futures market is in contango, the Fund will buy later to
expire contracts for a higher price than the sooner to expire
contracts that it sells. Hypothetically, and assuming no other
changes to either prevailing soybean prices or the price
relationship between the spot price, soon to expire contracts and
later to expire contracts, the value of a contract will fall as it
approaches expiration. Historically, the soybeans futures markets
have experienced periods of both contango and backwardation.
Frequently, whether contango or backwardation exists is a function,
among other factors, of the seasonality of the soybean market and
the soybean harvest cycle. All other things being equal, a
situation involving prolonged periods of contango may adversely
impact the returns of the Fund; conversely a situation involving
prolonged periods of backwardation may positively impact the
returns of the Fund.
Futures
contracts may be either bought or sold long or short. The U.S
Commodity Futures Trading Commission weekly releases the
“Commitment of Traders” (COT) report, which depicts the
open interest as well as long and short positions in the market.
Market participants may use this report to gauge market
sentiment.
The
price per bushel of soybeans in the United States is primarily a
function of both U.S. and global production, as well as U.S. and
global demand. The graph below shows the USDA published price per
bushel by month for the period January 2007 to February
2020.
92
On
April 9, 2020, the USDA released its monthly World Agricultural
Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for the Crop Year 2019-20. The
exhibit below provides a summary of historical and current
information for United States soybean production.
The Sugar Market
Sugarcane
accounts for about 80% of the world’s sugar production, while
sugar beets account for the remainder of the world’s sugar
production. Sugar manufacturers use sugar beets and sugarcane as
the raw material from which refined sugar (sucrose) for industrial
and consumer use is produced. Sugar is produced in various forms,
including granulated, powdered, liquid, brown, and molasses. The
food industry (in particular, producers of baked goods, beverages,
cereal, confections, and dairy products) uses sugar and sugarcane
molasses to make sugar containing food products. Sugar beet pulp
and molasses products are used as animal feed ingredients. Ethanol
is an important by-product of sugarcane processing. Additionally,
the material that is left over after sugarcane is processed is used
to manufacture paper, cardboard, and “environmentally
friendly” eating utensils.
The
Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract is the world benchmark contract for
raw sugar trading. This contract prices the physical delivery of
raw cane sugar, delivered to the receiver’s vessel at a
specified port within the country of origin of the sugar. Sugar No.
11 Futures Contracts trade on ICE Futures US and the NYMEX in units
of 112,000 pounds.
The
United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”)
publishes two major reports annually on U.S. domestic and worldwide
sugar production and consumption. These are usually released in
November and May. In addition, the USDA publishes periodic, but not
as comprehensive, reports on sugar monthly. These reports are
available on the USDA’s website, www.usda.gov, at no charge.
The USDA’s November 2019 report forecasts for 2019/20 a
decline in global production of 174 Million due to a 5 million ton
drop in India resulting from reported lower area and expected
yields. Brazil and India are essentially tied as top producers.
Brazil’s production is estimated slightly down due to more
sugarcane being diverted towards ethanol production and less to
sugar. Consumption is projected to continue to rise due to record
use in India and exports are estimated to be flat while global
stocks are projected to be down due to lower stocks in China,
India, and Pakistan.
93
If the
futures market is in a state of backwardation (i.e., when the price
of sugar in the future is expected to be less than the current
price), the Fund will buy later to expire contracts for a lower
price than the sooner to expire contracts that it sells.
Hypothetically, and assuming no changes to either prevailing sugar
prices or the price relationship between immediate delivery, soon
to expire contracts and later to expire contracts, the value of a
contract will rise as it approaches expiration. If the futures
market is in contango, the Fund will buy later to expire contracts
for a higher price than the sooner to expire contracts that it
sells. Hypothetically, and assuming no other changes to either
prevailing sugar prices or the price relationship between the spot
price, soon to expire contracts and later to expire contracts, the
value of a contract will fall as it approaches expiration.
Historically, the sugar futures markets have experienced periods of
both contango and backwardation. Frequently, whether contango or
backwardation exists is a function, among other factors, of the
seasonality of the sugar market and the sugar harvest cycle. All
other things being equal, a situation involving prolonged periods
of contango may adversely impact the returns of the Funds;
conversely a situation involving prolonged periods of backwardation
may positively impact the returns of the Funds.
Futures
contracts may be either bought or sold long or short. The U.S
Commodity Futures Trading Commission weekly releases the
“Commitment of Traders” (COT) report, which depicts the
open interest as well as long and short positions in the market.
Market participants may use this report to gauge market
sentiment.
The Wheat Market
Wheat
is used to produce flour, the key ingredient for breads, pasta,
crackers and many other food products, as well as several
industrial products such as starches and adhesives. Wheat
by-products are used in livestock feeds. Wheat is the principal
food grain produced in the United States, and the United
States’ output of wheat is typically exceeded only by that of
China, the European Union, the former Soviet nations, known as the
FSU-12, including the Ukraine, and India. The United States
Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) estimates that for
2019-20, the principal global producers of wheat will be the EU,
Russia, Ukraine, China, India, the United States, Australia and
Canada. The U.S. generates approximately 7% of the global
production, with approximately 51% of that being exported. For
2019-20, based on the April 9, 2020 USDA report, global consumption
of 750 MMT is estimated to be slightly lower than production of764
MMT. If the global supply of wheat exceeds global demand, this may
have an adverse impact on the price of wheat. The USDA publishes
weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual updates for U.S. domestic and
worldwide wheat production and consumption. These reports are
available on the USDA’s website, www.usda.gov, at no
charge.
There
are several types of wheat grown in the U.S., which are classified
in terms of color, hardness, and growing season. CBOT Wheat Futures
Contracts call for delivery of #2 soft red winter wheat, which is
generally grown in the eastern third of the United States, but
other types and grades of wheat may also be delivered (Grade #1
soft red winter wheat, Hard Red Winter, Dark Northern Spring and
Northern Spring wheat may be delivered at 3 cents premium per
bushel over the contract price and #2 soft red winter wheat, Hard
Red Winter, Dark Northern Spring and Northern Spring wheat may be
delivered at the contract price.) Winter wheat is planted in the
fall and is harvested in the late spring or early summer of the
following year, while spring wheat is planted in the spring and
harvested in late summer or fall of the same year. Standard Wheat
Futures Contracts trade on the CBOT in units of 5,000 bushels.
There are five months each year in which CBOT Wheat Futures
Contracts expire: March, May, July, September and
December.
If the
futures market is in a state of backwardation (i.e., when the price
of wheat in the future is expected to be less than the current
price), the Fund will buy later to expire contracts for a lower
price than the sooner to expire contracts that it sells.
Hypothetically, and assuming no changes to either prevailing wheat
prices or the price relationship between immediate delivery, soon
to expire contracts and later to expire contracts, the value of a
contract will rise as it approaches expiration. If the futures
market is in contango, the Fund will buy later to expire contracts
for a higher price than the sooner to expire contracts that it
sells. Hypothetically, and assuming no other changes to either
prevailing wheat prices or the price relationship between the spot
price, soon to expire contracts and later to expire contracts, the
value of a contract will fall as it approaches expiration.
Historically, the wheat futures markets have experienced periods of
both contango and backwardation. Frequently, whether contango or
backwardation exists is a function, among other factors, of the
seasonality of the wheat market and the wheat harvest cycle. All
other things being equal, a situation involving prolonged periods
of contango may adversely impact the returns of the Fund;
conversely a situation involving prolonged periods of backwardation
may positively impact the returns of the Fund.
Futures
contracts may be either bought or sold long or short. The U.S
Commodity Futures Trading Commission weekly releases the
“Commitment of Traders” (COT) report, which depicts the
open interest as well as long and short positions in the market.
Market participants may use this report to gauge market
sentiment.
The
price per bushel of wheat in the United States is primarily a
function of both U.S. and global production, as well as U.S. and
global demand. The graph below shows the USDA published price per
bushel by month for the period January 2007 to February
2020.
94
On
April 9, 2020, the USDA released its monthly World Agricultural
Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) for the Crop Year 2019-20. The
exhibit below provides a summary of historical and current
information for United States wheat production.
Calculating the Net Asset Value
The NAV
of each Fund is calculated by:
●
taking the current
market value of its total assets, and
●
subtracting any
liabilities.
The
Administrator calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day.
It calculates NAV as of the earlier of the close of the New York
Stock Exchange or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading
day is released after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In
determining the value of the Futures Contracts for each Fund, the
Administrator uses the closing price on the exchange on which the
commodity is traded, commonly referred to as the settlement price.
The time of settlement for each exchange is determined by that
exchange and may change from time to time. The current settlement
time for each exchange can be found at the respective website for
the CBOT or ICE, as the case may be, as follows:
1) for
the CBOT (CORN, SOYB and WEAT)
http://www.cmegroup.com/trading_hours/commodities-hours.html;
2) for
ICE (CANE)
http://www.theice.com/productguide/Search.shtml?tradingHours=.
The
Administrator determines the value of all other investments for
each Fund as of the earlier of the close of the New York Stock
Exchange or 4:00 p.m., (EST), in accordance with the current
Services Agreement between the Administrator and the
Trust.
The
value of over the counter Commodity Interests will be determined
based on the value of the commodity or Futures Contract underlying
such Commodity Interest, except that a fair value may be determined
if the Sponsor believes that a Fund is subject to significant
credit risk relating to the counterparty to such Commodity
Interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports, the
Sponsor will recalculate the NAV of a specific Fund where necessary
to reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract when
the Futures Contract of such Fund closes at its price fluctuation
limit for the day. Treasury Securities held by the Fund are valued
by the Administrator using values received from recognized
third-party vendors (such as Reuters) and dealer quotes. The NAV
includes any unrealized profit or loss on open Commodity Interests
and any other credit or debit accruing to each Fund but unpaid or
not received by the Fund.
In
addition, in order to provide updated information relating to the
Funds for use by investors and market professionals, ICE Data
Indices, LLC calculates and disseminates throughout the trading day
an updated indicative fund value for each Fund. The indicative fund
value is calculated by using the prior day’s closing NAV per
share of the Fund as a base and updating that value throughout the
trading day to reflect changes in the value of the Fund’s
Commodity Interests during the trading day. Changes in the value of
short-term Treasury Securities and cash equivalents will not be
included in the calculation of indicative value throughout the day.
For this and other reasons, the indicative fund value disseminated
during NYSE Arca trading hours should not be viewed as an actual
real time update of the NAV for each Fund. The NAV is calculated
only once at the end of each trading day.
The
indicative fund value is disseminated on a per Share basis every 15
seconds during regular NYSE Arca trading hours of 9:30 a.m., (EST),
to 4:00 p.m., (EST). The CBOT and the ICE are generally open for
trading only during specified hours which vary by exchange and may
be adjusted by the exchange. However, the futures markets on these
exchanges do not currently operate twenty-four hours per day. In
addition, there may be some trading hours which may be limited to
electronic trading only. This means that there is a gap in time at
the beginning and the end of each day during which the Fund’s
Shares are traded on the NYSE Arca, when, for example, real-time
CBOT trading prices for Corn Futures Contracts traded on such
Exchange are not available. As a result, during those gaps there
will be no update to the indicative fund values. The most current
trading hours for each exchange may be found on the website of that
exchange as listed above.
ICE
Data Indices, LLC disseminates the indicative fund value through
the facilities of CTA/CQ High Speed Lines. In addition, the
indicative fund value is published on the NYSE Arca’s website
and is available through on-line information services such as
Bloomberg and Reuters.
Dissemination
of the indicative fund value provides additional information that
is not otherwise available to the public and is useful to investors
and market professionals in connection with the trading of Fund
Shares on the NYSE Arca. Investors and market professionals are
able throughout the trading day to compare the market price of the
Fund and the indicative fund value. If the market price of Fund
Shares diverges significantly from the indicative fund value,
market professionals may have an incentive to execute arbitrage
trades. For example, if the Fund appears to be trading at a
discount compared to the indicative fund value, a market
professional could buy Fund Shares on the NYSE Arca, aggregate them
into Redemption Baskets, and receive the NAV of such Shares by
redeeming them to the Trust, provided that there is not a minimum
number of shares outstanding for the Fund. Such arbitrage trades
can tighten the tracking between the market price of the Fund and
the indicative fund value.
95
Critical Accounting Policies
The
Trust’s critical accounting policies for all the Funds are as
follows:
1.
|
Preparation
of the financial statements and related disclosures in conformity
with U.S. generally-accepted accounting principles
(“GAAP”) requires the application of appropriate
accounting rules and guidance, as well as the use of estimates, and
requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenue and expense
and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities during
the reporting period of the combined financial statements and
accompanying notes. The Trust’s application of these policies
involves judgments and actual results may differ from the estimates
used.
|
2.
|
The
Sponsor has determined that the valuation of commodity interests
that are not traded on a U.S. or internationally recognized futures
exchange (such as swaps and other over the counter contracts)
involves a critical accounting policy. The values which are used by
the Funds for futures contracts will be provided by the commodity
broker who will use market prices when available, while over the
counter contracts will be valued based on the present value of
estimated future cash flows that would be received from or paid to
a third party in settlement of these derivative contracts prior to
their delivery date. Values will be determined on a daily
basis.
|
3.
|
Commodity
futures contracts held by the Funds are recorded on the trade date.
All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and
marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on
commodity futures contracts are reflected in the statement of
operations as the difference between the original contract amount
and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year
or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the
appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the
statement of operations. Interest on cash equivalents and deposits
are recognized on the accrual basis. The Funds earn interest on
funds held at the custodian or other financial institutions at
prevailing market rates for such investments.
|
4.
|
Cash
and cash equivalents are cash held at financial institutions in
demand-deposit accounts or highly liquid investments with original
maturity dates of three months or less at inception. The Funds
report cash equivalents in the statements of assets and liabilities
at market value,or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value,
because of their highly liquid nature and short-term maturities.
The Funds have a substantial portion of assets on deposit with
banks. Assets deposited with financial institutions may, at times,
exceed federally insured limits.
|
5.
|
The use
of fair value to measure financial instruments, with related
unrealized gains or losses recognized in earnings in each period is
fundamental to the Trust’s financial statements. In
accordance with GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would
be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e.,
the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between
market participants at the measurement date.
In
determining fair value, the Trust uses various valuation
approaches. In accordance with GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for
inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of
observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by
requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available.
Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in
pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from
sources independent of the Trust. Unobservable inputs reflect the
Trust’s assumptions about the inputs market participants
would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the
best information available in the circumstances. The fair value
hierarchy is categorized into three levels: a) Level 1 - Valuations
based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical
assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access.
Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level
1 securities and financial instruments. Since valuations are based
on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an
active market, valuation of these securities and financial
instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment, b)
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not
active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either
directly or indirectly, and c) Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs
that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value
measurement. See the notes within the financial statements for
further information.
The
Funds and the Trust record their derivative activities at fair
value. Gains and losses from derivative contracts are included in
the statement of operations. Derivative contracts include futures
contracts related to commodity prices. Futures, which are listed on
a national securities exchange, such as the CBOT or ICE, or
reported on another national market, are generally categorized in
Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts
(such as forward and swap contracts) which may be valued using
models, depending on whether significant inputs are observable or
unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value
hierarchy.
|
6.
|
Effective
August 21, 2019, the Funds began recognizing brokerage commissions
on a per-trade basis. Prior to this date, brokerage commissions on
all open commodity futures contracts were accrued on a full-turn
basis.
|
7.
|
Margin
is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a
commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to
initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A
margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the
futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are
customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a
very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of
the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price
fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits
and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater
than are customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As
discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may
result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial
margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection
with a particular futures contract may be modified from time to
time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Brokerage
firms, such as the Funds’ clearing brokers, carrying accounts
for traders in commodity interest contracts generally require
higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to further protect
themselves. Over the counter trading generally involves the
extension of credit between counterparties, so the counterparties
may agree to require the posting of collateral by one or both
parties to address credit exposure.
When a
trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement;
however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader
sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to
deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements
established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount
substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The
margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although
adjusted to reflect the probability that out of the money options
will not be exercised, can in fact be higher than those imposed in
dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin
requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex
trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options
positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing
or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each
day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a
particular open futures contract changes to a point where the
margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements,
a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met
within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the
trader’s position. With respect to the Funds’ trading,
the Funds (and not its shareholders personally) are subject to
margin calls.
Finally,
many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining
arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and
options positions held in an account would, in the case of some
accounts, be aggregated, and margin requirements would be assessed
on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
|
8.
|
Due
from/to broker for investments in financial instruments are
securities transactions pending settlement. The Trust and TAGS are
subject to credit risk to the extent any broker with whom it
conducts business is unable to fulfill contractual obligations on
its behalf. The management of the Trust and the Funds monitors the
financial condition of such brokers and does not anticipate any
losses from these counterparties. From inception through September
11, 2019 the principal broker through which the Trust and TAGS can
execute securities transaction for TAGS was the Bank of New York
Mellon Capital Markets. Effective September 11, 2019 the principal
broker through which the Trust and TAGS has the ability to clear
securities transactions for TAGS is U.S. Bank N.A.
|
9.
|
The
Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in
accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. The Fund
pays for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including
licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration
or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA, formally the National
Association of Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency
in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after
its initial registration and all legal, accounting, printing and
other expenses associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion
of the fees and expenses for services directly attributable to the
Fund such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance
and trading activities, which the Sponsor elected not to outsource.
Certain aggregate expenses common to all Teucrium Funds within the
Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective Funds based on
activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such
expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under
management and creation order activity. These aggregate common
expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing,
accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory
compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as
fees paid to the Distributor. A portion of these aggregate common
expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of
principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the
Teucrium Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing certain
accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and
trading activities that are directly attributable to the Fund and
are included, primarily, in distribution and marketing fees. In
addition, the Funds, except for TAGS which has no such fee, are
contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the
Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to
1.00% per annum.
|
96
10.
|
The
investment objective of TAGS is to have the daily changes in
percentage terms of the Net Asset Value (“NAV”) of its
common units (“Shares”) reflect the daily changes in
percentage terms of a weighted average (the “Underlying Fund
Average”) of the NAVs per share of four other commodity pools
that are series of the Trust and are sponsored by the Sponsor: the
Teucrium Corn Fund, the Teucrium Wheat Fund, the Teucrium Soybean
Fund and the Teucrium Sugar Fund (collectively, the
“Underlying Funds”). The Underlying Fund Average will
have a weighting of 25% to each Underlying Fund, and the
Fund’s assets will be rebalanced, generally on a daily basis,
to maintain the approximate 25% allocation to each Underlying Fund.
As such, TAGS will buy, sell and hold as part of its normal
operations shares of the four Underlying Funds. The Trust excludes
the shares of the other series of the Trust owned by the Teucrium
Agricultural Fund from its statements of assets and liabilities.
The Trust excludes the net change in unrealized appreciation or
depreciation on securities owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund
from its statements of operations. Upon the sale of the Underlying
Funds by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund, the Trust includes any
realized gain or loss in its statements of changes in net
assets.
|
11.
|
For
U.S. federal tax purposes, the Funds will be treated as
partnerships. Therefore, the Funds do not record a provision for
income taxes because the partners report their share of a
Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The
financial statements reflect the Funds’ transactions without
adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
|
12.
|
For
commercial paper, the Funds use the effective interest method for
calculating the actual interest rate in a period based on the
amount of a financial instrument's book value at the beginning of
the accounting period. Accretion on these investments are
recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and
recognized in cash equivalents. All discounts on purchase prices of
debt securities are accreted over the life of the respective
security.
|
Credit Risk
When
any of the Funds enter into Commodity Interests, it will be exposed
to the credit risk that the counterparty will not be able to meet
its obligations. For purposes of credit risk, the counterparty for
the Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT and ICE is the
clearinghouse associated with those exchanges. In general,
clearinghouses are backed by their members who may be required to
share in the financial burden resulting from the nonperformance of
one of their members, which should significantly reduce credit
risk. Some foreign exchanges are not backed by their clearinghouse
members but may be backed by a consortium of banks or other
financial institutions. Unlike in the case of exchange traded
futures contracts, the counterparty to an over the counter
Commodity Interest contract is generally asingle bank or other
financial institution. As a result, there will be greater
counterparty credit risk in over the counter transactions. There
can be no assurance that any counterparty, clearinghouse, or their
financial backers will satisfy their obligations to any of the
Funds.
The
Funds may engage in off exchange transactions broadly called an
“exchange for risk” transaction, also referred to as an
“exchange for swap.” For purposes of the Dodd-Frank Act
and related CFTC rules, an “exchange for risk”
transaction is treated as a “swap.” An “exchange
for risk” transaction, sometimes referred to as an
“exchange for swap” or “exchange of futures for
risk,” is a privately negotiated and simultaneous exchange of
a futures contract position for a swap or other over the counter
instrument on the corresponding commodity. An exchange for risk
transaction can be used by the Funds as a technique to avoid taking
physical delivery of a commodity futures contract, corn for
example, in that a counterparty will take the Fund’s position
in a Corn Futures Contract into its own account in exchange for a
swap that does not by its terms call for physical delivery. The
Funds will become subject to the credit risk of a counterparty when
it acquires an over the counter position in an exchange for risk
transaction. The Fund may use an “exchange for risk”
transaction in connection with the creation and redemption of
shares. These transactions must be carried out only in accordance
with the rules of the applicable exchange where the futures
contracts trade.
The
Sponsor will attempt to manage the credit risk of each Fund by
following certain trading limitations and policies. In particular,
each Fund intends to post margin and collateral and/or hold liquid
assets that will be equal to approximately the face amount of the
Interests it holds. The Sponsor will implement procedures that will
include, but will not be limited to, executing and clearing trades
and entering into over the counter transactions only with parties
it deems creditworthy and/or requiring the posting of collateral by
such parties for the benefit of each Fund to limit its credit
exposure.
The CEA
requires all FCMs, such as the Teucrium Funds’ clearing
brokers, to meet and maintain specified fitness and financial
requirements, to segregate customer funds from proprietary funds
and account separately for all customers’ funds and
positions, and to maintain specified books and records open to
inspection by the staff of the CFTC. The CFTC has similar authority
over introducing brokers, or persons who solicit or accept orders
for commodity interest trades but who do not accept margin deposits
for the execution of trades. The CEA authorizes the CFTC to
regulate trading by FCMs and by their officers and directors,
permits the CFTC to require action by exchanges in the event of
market emergencies, and establishes an administrative procedure
under which customers may institute complaints for damages arising
from alleged violations of the CEA. The CEA also gives the states
powers to enforce its provisions and the regulations of the
CFTC.
On
November 14, 2013, the CFTC published final regulations that
require enhanced customer protections, risk management programs,
internal monitoring and controls, capital and liquidity standards,
customer disclosures and auditing and examination programs for
FCMs. The rules are intended to afford greater assurances to market
participants that customer segregated funds and secured amounts are
protected, customers are provided with appropriate notice of the
risks of futures trading and of the FCMs with which they may choose
to do business, FCMs are monitoring and managing risks in a robust
manner, the capital and liquidity of FCMs are strengthened to
safeguard the continued operations and the auditing and examination
programs of the CFTC and the SROs are monitoring the activities of
FCMs in a thorough manner.
ED&F
Man Capital Markets Inc. (“ED&F Man”) is the
Funds’ FCM and the clearing broker to execute and clear the
Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related
services.
The
Funds, other than TAGS, will generally retain cash positions of
approximately 95% of total net assets; this balance represents the
total net assets less the initial margin requirements held by the
FCM. These cash assets are either: 1) deposited by the Sponsor in
demand deposit accounts of financial institutions which are deemed
by the Sponsor to be of investment level quality, 2) held in a
money-market fund which is deemed to be a cash equivalent under the
most recent SEC definition, or 3) held in a cash equivalent with a
maturity of 90 days or less that is deemed by the Sponsor to be of
investment level quality.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The
Funds do not anticipate making use of borrowings or other lines of
credit to meet their obligations. The Funds meet their liquidity
needs in the normal course of business from the proceeds of the
sale of their investments from the cash and cash equivalents that
they intend to hold, and/or from the fee waivers provided by the
Sponsor. The Funds’ liquidity needs include redeeming their
shares, providing margin deposits for existing Futures Contracts or
the purchase of additional Futures Contracts, posting collateral
for over the counter Commodity Interests, and paying
expenses.
The
Funds generate cash primarily from (i) the sale of Creation Baskets
and (ii) interest earned on cash and cash equivalents. Generally,
all of the net assets of the Funds are allocated to trading in
Commodity Interests. Most of the assets of the Funds are held in
cash and/or cash equivalents. The percentage that such assets bear
to the total net assets will vary from period to period as the
market values of the Commodity Interests change. Interest earned on
interest-bearing assets of a Fund are paid to that Fund. Due to the
economic uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sponsor has
experienced a significant decrease in interest rates, and as such
the Funds are experiencing a higher breakeven year over
year.
The
investments of a Fund in Commodity Interests are subject to periods
of illiquidity because of market conditions, regulatory
considerations, and other reasons. For example, U.S. futures
exchanges limit the fluctuations in the prices of certain Futures
Contracts during a single day by regulations referred to as
“daily limits.” During a single day, no trades may be
executed at prices beyond the daily limit. Once the price of such a
Futures Contract has increased or decreased by an amount equal to
the daily limit, positions in the contracts can neither be taken
nor liquidated unless the traders are willing to effect trades at
or within the limit. Such market conditions could prevent the Fund
from promptly liquidating a position in Futures
Contracts.
The
impact of COVID-19 is evolving rapidly and such events can be
highly disruptive to economies and markets, significantly disrupt
the operations of individual companies (including, but not limited
to, the Funds’ Sponsor and third party service providers),
sectors, industries, markets, securities and commodity exchanges,
currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor
sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the
Funds’ investments. These factors could cause substantial
market volatility, exchange trading suspensions and closures that
could impact the ability of the Funds to complete redemptions and
otherwise affect Fund performance and Fund trading in the secondary
market. A widespread crisis may also affect the global economy in
ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the current time. How
long such events will last and whether they will continue or recur
cannot be predicted. Impacts from these events could have
significant impact on a Fund’s performance, resulting in
losses to your investment. The global economic shocks being
experienced as of the date hereof may cause the underlying
assumptions and expectations of the Funds to become outdated
quickly or inaccurate, resulting in significant
losses.
Market Risk
Trading
in Commodity Interests such as Futures Contracts will involve the
Funds entering into contractual commitments to purchase or sell
specific amounts of commodities at a specified date in the future.
The gross or face amount of the contracts is expected to
significantly exceed the future cash requirements of each Fund as
each Fund intends to close out any open positions prior to the
contractual expiration date. As a result, each Fund’s market
risk is the risk of loss arising from the decline in value of the
contracts, not from the need to make delivery under the contracts.
The Funds consider the “fair value” of derivative
instruments to be the unrealized gain or loss on the contracts. The
market risk associated with the commitment by the Funds to purchase
a specific commodity will be limited to the aggregate face amount
of the contacts held.
The
exposure of the Funds to market risk will depend on a number of
factors including the markets for the specific commodity, the
volatility of interest rates and foreign exchange rates, the
liquidity of the Commodity Specific Interests markets and the
relationships among the contracts held by each Fund.
97
Regulatory Considerations
The
regulation of futures markets, futures contracts, and futures
exchanges has historically been comprehensive. The CFTC and the
exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event
of a market emergency including, for example, the retroactive
implementation of speculative position limits, increased margin
requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the
suspension of trading on an exchange or trading
facility.
Pursuant
to authority in the CEA, the NFA has been formed and registered
with the CFTC as a registered futures association. At the present
time, the NFA is the only SRO for commodity interest professionals,
other than futures exchanges. The CFTC has delegated to the NFA
responsibility for the registration of CPOs and FCMs and their
respective associated persons. The Sponsor and the Fund’s
clearing broker are members of the NFA. As such, they will be
subject to NFA standards relating to fair trade practices,
financial condition and consumer protection. The NFA also
arbitrates disputes between members and their customers and
conducts registration and fitness screening of applicants for
membership and audits of its existing members. Neither the Trust
nor the Teucrium Funds are required to become a member of the NFA.
The regulation of commodity interest transactions in the United
States is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to ongoing
modification by governmental and judicial action. Considerable
regulatory attention has been focused on non-traditional investment
pools that are publicly distributed in the United States. There is
a possibility of future regulatory changes within the United States
altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment
in the Fund, or the ability of a Fund to continue to implement its
investment strategy. In addition, various national governments
outside of the United States have expressed concern regarding the
disruptive effects of speculative trading in the commodities
markets and the need to regulate the derivatives markets in
general. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Teucrium
Funds is impossible to predict but could be substantial and
adverse.
The
CFTC possesses exclusive jurisdiction to regulate the activities of
commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors with
respect to "commodity interests," such as futures and swaps and
options, and has adopted regulations with respect to the activities
of those persons and/or entities. Under the Commodity Exchange Act
(“CEA”), a registered commodity pool operator, such as
the Sponsor, is required to make annual filings with the CFTC and
the NFA describing its organization, capital structure, management
and controlling persons. In addition, the CEA authorizes the CFTC
to require and review books and records of, and documents prepared
by, registered commodity pool operators. Pursuant to this
authority, the CFTC requires commodity pool operators to keep
accurate, current and orderly records for each pool that they
operate. The CFTC may suspend the registration of a commodity pool
operator (1) if the CFTC finds that the operator’s trading
practices tend to disrupt orderly market conditions, (2) if any
controlling person of the operator is subject to an order of the
CFTC denying such person trading privileges on any exchange, and
(3) in certain other circumstances. Suspension, restriction or
termination of the Sponsor’s registration as a commodity pool
operator would prevent it, until that registration were to be
reinstated, from managing the Fund, and might result in the
termination of the Fund if a successor sponsor is not elected
pursuant to the Trust Agreement. Neither the Trust nor the Fund is
required to be registered with the CFTC in any
capacity.
The
Fund’s investors are afforded prescribed rights for
reparations under the CEA. Investors may also be able to maintain a
private right of action for violations of the CEA. The CFTC has
adopted rules implementing the reparation provisions of the CEA,
which provide that any person may file a complaint for a
reparations award with the CFTC for violation of the CEA against a
floor broker or an FCM, introducing broker, commodity trading
advisor, CPO, and their respective associated persons.
The
regulations of the CFTC and the NFA prohibit any representation by
a person registered with the CFTC or by any member of the NFA, that
registration with the CFTC, or membership in the NFA, in any
respect indicates that the CFTC or the NFA has approved or endorsed
that person or that person’s trading program or objectives.
The registrations and memberships of the parties described in this
summary must not be considered as constituting any such approval or
endorsement. Likewise, no futures exchange has given or will give
any similar approval or endorsement.
Trading
venues in the United States are subject to varying degrees of
regulation under the CEA depending on whether such exchange is a
designated contract market (i.e. a futures exchange) or a swap
execution facility. Clearing organizations are also subject to the
CEA and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder as
administered by the CFTC. The CFTC’s function is to implement
the CEA’s objectives of preventing price manipulation and
excessive speculation and promoting orderly and efficient commodity
interest markets. In addition, the various exchanges and clearing
organizations themselves as SROs exercise regulatory and
supervisory authority over their member firms.
The
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the
“Dodd-Frank Act”) was enacted in response to the
economic crisis of 2008 and 2009 and it significantly altered the
regulatory regime to which the securities and commodities markets
are subject. To date, the CFTC has issued proposed or final
versions of almost all of the rules it is required to promulgate
under the Dodd-Frank Act, and it continues to issue proposed
versions of additional rules that it has authority to promulgate.
Provisions of the new law include the requirement that position
limits be established on a wide range of commodity interests,
including agricultural, energy, and metal-based commodity futures
contracts, options on such futures contracts and uncleared swaps
that are economically equivalent to such futures contracts and
options (“Reference Contracts”); new registration and
recordkeeping requirements for swap market participants; capital
and margin requirements for “swap dealers” and
“major swap participants,” as determined by the new law
and applicable regulations; reporting of all swap transactions to
swap data repositories; and the mandatory use of clearinghouse
mechanisms for sufficiently standardized swap transactions that
were historically entered into in the over the counter market, but
are now designated as subject to the clearing requirement; and
margin requirements for over the counter swaps that are not subject
to the clearing requirements.
In
addition, considerable regulatory attention has recently been
focused on non-traditional publicly distributed investment pools
such as the Fund. Furthermore, various national governments have
expressed concern regarding the disruptive effects of speculative
trading in certain commodity markets and the need to regulate the
derivatives markets in general. The effect of any future regulatory
change on the Teucrium Funds is impossible to predict but could be
substantial and adverse.
The
Dodd-Frank Act was intended to reduce systemic risks that may have
contributed to the 2008/2009 financial crisis. Since the first
draft of what became the Dodd-Frank Act, supporters and opponents
have debated the scope of the legislation. As the Administrations
of the U.S. change, the interpretation and implementation will
change along with them. Nevertheless, regulatory reform of any kind
may have a significant impact on U.S. regulated
entities.
Position Limits, Aggregation Limits, Price Fluctuation
Limits
The
CFTC and US futures exchanges impose limits on the maximum net long
or net short speculative positions that any person may hold or
control in any particular futures or options contracts traded on US
futures exchanges. For example, the CFTC currently imposes
speculative position limits on a number of agricultural commodities
(e.g., corn, oats, wheat, soybeans and cotton) and US futures
exchanges currently impose speculative position limits on many
other commodities. A Fund could be required to liquidate positions
it holds in order to comply with position limits or may not be able
to fully implement trading instructions generated by its trading
models, in order to comply with position limits. Any such
liquidation or limited implementation could result in substantial
costs to a Fund.
The
Dodd-Frank Act significantly expanded the CFTC’s authority to
impose position limits with respect to futures contracts and
options on futures contracts, swaps that are economically
equivalent to futures or options on futures, and swaps that are
traded on a regulated exchange and certain swaps that perform a
significant price discovery function. On December 16, 2016, the
CFTC issued a final rule to amend part 150 of the CFTC’s
regulations with respect to the policy for aggregation under the
CFTC’s position limits regime for futures and option
contracts on nine agricultural commodities (“the Aggregation
Requirements”). This final rule addressed the circumstances
under which market participants would be required to aggregate all
their positions, for purposes of the position limits, of all
positions in Reference Contracts of the 9 agricultural commodities
held by a single entity and its affiliates, regardless of whether
such positions exist on US futures exchanges, non-US futures
exchanges, or in over the counter swaps. An affiliate of a market
participant is defined as two or more persons acting pursuant to an
express or implied agreement or understanding. The Aggregation
Requirements became effective on February 14, 2017. On August 10,
2017, the CFTC issued a No-Action Relief Letter No. 17-37 to
clarify several provisions under Regulation 150.4, regarding
position aggregation filing requirements of market participants.
The Sponsor does not anticipate that this order will have an impact
on the ability of a Fund to meet its respective investment
objectives.
The
aggregate position limits currently in place under the current
position limits and the Aggregation Requirements are as follows for
each of the commodities traded by the Funds:
Commodity Future
|
Spot Month Position Limit
|
All Month Aggregate Position Limit
|
corn
|
600
contracts
|
33,000
contracts
|
soybeans
|
600
contracts
|
15,000
contracts
|
sugar
|
5,000
contracts
|
Only
Accountability Limits
|
wheat
|
600
contracts
|
12,000
contracts
|
98
The
CFTC has attempted to exercise authority to enact additional and
more restricted speculative position limits with respect to futures
and options on futures on so-called “exempt
commodities” (which includes most energy and metals
contracts) and with respect to agricultural commodities, but those
proposed limits were vacated by a United States District Court. The
CFTC has once again attempted to enact additional and more
restrictive limits. On January 30, 2020, the CFTC proposed a rule
which is intended to replace the CFTC’s current rules on
position limits. The proposed rules would establish position limits
with respect to 25 “core referenced futures contracts,”
identified as the most liquid, physically settled exchange-traded
futures contracts. The 25 contracts include the nine
“legacy” agricultural futures contracts that are
currently subject to CFTC position limits, seven additional
agricultural futures contracts, five metals futures contracts and
four energy futures contracts. With certain exceptions,
cash-settled futures contracts that are directly or indirectly
linked to the to the price of the physically settled contract or
the underlying commodity and economically equivalent swaps, as
defined, also would be subject to the proposed position limits. The
proposed rule, if adopted, could impact the Underlying Funds. For a
discussion generally regarding the risks that position limits may
pose for the Fund, see the risk factor in “Item 1A - Risk
Factors” regarding position limits, accountability levels and
daily price fluctuation limits.
With
the exception of the nine legacy agricultural contracts, the
CFTC’s position limits would apply only in the spot month.
These limits would generally be set at 25 percent of the
deliverable supply, but may be higher or lower for certain
contracts. With respect to the non-legacy contracts, the rule would
require the relevant exchange on which the contracts are traded to
adopt either position limits or position accountability
levels.
The
proposed rules also would expand the current list of enumerated
bona fide hedges to include, for example, hedges of anticipated
merchandizing. To provide market participants with greater
flexibility on managing their business risks, the proposal also
provides guidance on whether and when market participants are
permitted to measure risk on a gross basis rather than a net basis.
However, firms will be required to measure risk on a consistent
basis. Enumerated hedges are self-effectuating. That is, no prior
approval would be required from the CFTC, although a market
participant would be required to obtain approval from the relevant
exchange. Self-effectuating hedge exemptions also would be
available for other transactions such as spreads and pass-through
swaps as approved by exchanges. With respect to non-enumerated
hedge exemptions, a market participant would be required to file a
request to exceed the position limit with the relevant exchange. If
the exchange grants the request for a non-enumerated hedge
exemption, the exchange will forward its decision to the CFTC for
review. The exemption will be deemed granted provided the CFTC does
not intervene during a 10-day review period. The market participant
would not be permitted to exceed the applicable position limit
until the 10-day review period lapses. Importantly, the CFTC may
act solely through its commissioners and not through staff. In
terms of process changes, the CFTC is proposing to eliminate Form
204 cash positions report and the cash information reported under
Form 304. Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted no later
than 90 days after approval of the proposal by the CFTC (i.e.,
April 29, 2020). The CFTC does not intend to extend the comment
period
It is
unknown at this time the effect that such passage, adoption or
modification will have, positively or negatively, on our industry
or on a Fund. The size or duration of positions available to a Fund
may be severely limited. Pursuant to the CFTC’s and the
exchanges’ aggregation requirements, all accounts owned or
managed by the Sponsor are likely to be combined for speculative
position limits purposes. The Funds could be required to liquidate
positions it holds in order to comply with such limits or may not
be able to fully implement trading instructions generated by its
trading models, in order to comply with such limits. Any such
liquidation or limited implementation could result in substantial
costs to a Fund.
These
new regulations and the resulting increased costs and regulatory
oversight requirements may result in market participants being
required or deciding to limit their trading activities, which could
lead to decreased market liquidity and increased market volatility.
In addition, transaction costs incurred by market participants are
likely to be higher due to the increased costs of compliance with
the new regulations. These consequences could adversely affect a
Fund’s returns.
Off Balance Sheet Financing
As of
March 31, 2020, neither the Trust nor any of the Funds has any loan
guarantees, credit support or other off-balance sheet arrangements
of any kind other than agreements entered into in the normal course
of business, which may include indemnification provisions relating
to certain risks service providers undertake in performing services
which are in the best interests of the Funds. While the exposure of
each Fund under these indemnification provisions cannot be
estimated, they are not expected to have a material impact on the
financial positions of each Fund.
Redemption Basket Obligation
Other
than as necessary to meet the investment objective of the Funds and
pay the contractual obligations described below, the Funds will
require liquidity to redeem Redemption Baskets. Each Fund intends
to satisfy this obligation through the transfer of cash of the Fund
(generated, if necessary, through the sale of short-term Treasury
Securities or other cash equivalents) in an amount proportionate to
the number of units being redeemed.
Contractual Obligations
The
primary contractual obligations of each Fund will be with the
Sponsor and certain other service providers. Except for TAGS, which
has no management fee, the Sponsor, in return for its services,
will be entitled to a management fee calculated as a fixed
percentage of each Fund’s NAV, currently 1.00% of its average
net assets. Each Fund will also be responsible for all ongoing
fees, costs and expenses of its operation, including (i) brokerage
and other fees and commissions incurred in connection with the
trading activities of the Fund; (ii) expenses incurred in
connection with registering additional Shares of the Fund or
offering Shares of the Fund; (iii) the routine expenses associated
with the preparation and, if required, the printing and mailing of
monthly, quarterly, annual and other reports required by applicable
U.S. federal and state regulatory authorities, Trust meetings and
preparing, printing and mailing proxy statements to Shareholders;
(iv) the payment of any distributions related to redemption of
Shares; (v) payment for routine services of the Trustee, legal
counsel and independent accountants; (vi) payment for routine
accounting, bookkeeping, compliance, distribution and
solicitation-related services, custodial and transfer agency
services, whether performed by an outside service provider or by
affiliates of the Sponsor; (vii) postage and insurance; (viii)
costs and expenses associated with client relations and services;
(ix) costs of preparation of all federal, state, local and foreign
tax returns and any taxes payable on the income, assets or
operations of the Fund; and (xi) extraordinary expenses (including,
but not limited to, legal claims and liabilities and litigation
costs and any indemnification related thereto).
While
the Sponsor paid the initial registration fees to the SEC, FINRA
and any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and
sale of the Shares offered through each Fund’s prospectus,
the legal, printing, accounting and other expenses associated with
such registrations, and the initial fee of $5,000 for listing the
Shares on the NYSE Arca, each Fund will be responsible for any
registration fees and related expenses incurred in connection with
any future offer and sale of Shares of the Fund in excess of those
offered through its prospectus.
99
Any
general expenses of the Trust will be allocated among the Funds and
any other series of the Trust as determined by the Sponsor in its
sole and absolute discretion. The Trust is also responsible for
extraordinary expenses, including, but not limited to, legal claims
and liabilities and litigation costs and any indemnification
related thereto. The Trust and/or the Sponsor may be required to
indemnify the Trustee, Distributor or Administrator under certain
circumstances.
The
parties cannot anticipate the amount of payments that will be
required under these arrangements for future periods as the NAV and
trading levels to meet investment objectives for each Fund will not
be known until a future date. These agreements are effective for a
specific term agreed upon by the parties with an option to renew,
or, in some cases, are in effect for the duration of each
Fund’s existence. The parties may terminate these agreements
earlier for certain reasons listed in the agreements.
Benchmark Performance
Investing
in Commodity Interests subjects the Funds to the risks of the
underlying commodity market, and this could result in substantial
fluctuations in the price of each Fund’s Shares. Unlike
mutual funds, the Funds currently are not expected to distribute
dividends to Shareholders. Although this could change if interest
rates continue to rise and the assets of the Funds increase.
Investors may choose to use the Funds as a means of investing
indirectly in the underlying commodity, and there are risks
involved in such investments. Investors may choose to use the Funds
as vehicles to hedge against the risk of loss, and there are risks
involved in hedging activities.
During
the period from January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 the average
daily change in the NAV of each Fund was within plus/minus 10
percent of the average daily change in the Benchmark of each Fund,
as stated in the applicable prospectus for each Fund.
Frequency
Distribution of Premiums and Discounts: NAV versus the 4pm Bid/Ask
Midpoint on the NYSE Arca.
The
performance data above for the Teucrium Corn Fund represents past
performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Investment return and value of the Fund’s Shares will
fluctuate so that an investor’s Shares, when sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost. Performance may be
lower or higher than performance data quoted.
The
performance data above for the Teucrium Soybean Fund represents
past performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future
results. Investment return and value of the Fund’s Shares
will fluctuate so that an investor’s Shares, when sold, may
be worth more or less than their original cost. Performance may be
lower or higher than performance data quoted.
100
The
performance data above for the Teucrium Sugar Fund represents past
performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Investment return and value of the Fund’s Shares will
fluctuate so that an investor’s Shares, when sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost. Performance may be
lower or higher than performance data quoted.
The
performance data above for the Teucrium Wheat Fund represents past
performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
Investment return and value of the Fund’s Shares will
fluctuate so that an investor’s Shares, when sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost. Performance may be
lower or higher than performance data quoted.
The
performance data above for the Teucrium Agricultural Fund
represents past performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of
future results. Investment return and value of the Fund’s
Shares will fluctuate so that an investor’s Shares, when
sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
Performance may be lower or higher than performance data
quoted.
For the
period from August 2, 2012 through April 10, 2018, TAGS had 50,002
shares outstanding; this represents the minimum number of shares
and, thus, no shares could be redeemed until additional shares have
been created. This has generated a situation, at times, in which
the spread between the bid/ask midpoint at 4pm and the NAV falls
outside of the “1 to 49” or “-1 to -49”
range. The situation does not affect the actual NAV of the
Fund.
Description
The
above frequency distribution charts present information about the
difference between the daily market price for Shares of each Fund
and the Fund’s reported Net Asset Value per share. The amount
that a Fund’s market price is above the reported NAV is
called the premium. The amount that a Fund’s market price is
below the reported NAV is called the discount. The market price is
determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the
lowest offer on the listing exchange, as of the time that a
Fund’s NAV is calculated (usually 4:00 p.m., (EST)). Each
value in the tables represents the number of trading days in which
a Fund traded within the premium/discount range indicated. The
premium or discount is expressed in basis points.
*A unit
that is equal to 1/100th of 1% and is used to denote the change in
a financial instrument.
NEITHER THE PAST PERFORMANCE OF A FUND NOR THE PRIOR INDEX LEVELS
AND CHANGES, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, SHOULD BE TAKEN AS AN INDICATION
OF THE FUND’S FUTURE PERFORMANCE.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative
Disclosures About Market Risk
Market Risk
The discussion and analysis which follows may contain trend
analysis and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 which reflect
our current views with respect to future events and financial
results. Words such as “anticipate,”
“expect,” “intend,” “plan,”
“believe,” “seek,” “outlook”
and “estimate,” as well as similar words and phrases,
signify forward-looking statements. The Trust’s
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and
conditions, and important factors, risks and uncertainties may
cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed
in our forward-looking statements.
You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking
statements. Except as expressly required by the Federal securities
laws, the Sponsor undertakes no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statements or the risks, uncertainties
or other factors described in this Report, as a result of new
information, future events or changed circumstances or for any
other reason after the date of this Report.
Trading
in Commodity Interests such as Futures Contracts will involve the
Funds entering into contractual commitments to purchase or sell
specific amounts of commodities at a specified date in the future.
The gross or face amount of the contracts is expected to
significantly exceed the future cash requirements of each Fund as
each Fund intends to close out any open positions prior to the
contractual expiration date. As a result, each Fund’s market
risk is the risk of loss arising from the decline in value of the
contracts, not from the need to make delivery under the contracts.
The Funds consider the “fair value” of derivative
instruments to be the unrealized gain or loss on the contracts. The
market risk associated with the commitment by the Funds to purchase
a specific commodity will be limited to the aggregate face amount
of the contacts held.
The
exposure of the Funds to market risk will depend primarily on the
market price of the specific commodities held by the Fund. The
market price of the commodities depends in part on the volatility
of interest rates and foreign exchange rates and the liquidity of
the commodity specific markets. TAGS is subject to the risks of the
commodity specific futures contracts of the Underlying Funds as the
fair value of its holdings is based on the NAV of each of the
Underlying Funds, each of which is directly impacted by the factors
discussed above.
The
tables below present a quantitative analysis of hypothetical impact
of price decreases and increases in each of the commodity futures
contracts held by each of the Funds, or the Underlying Funds in the
case of TAGS, on the actual holdings and NAV per share as of March
31, 2020. For purposes of this analysis, all futures contracts held
by the Funds and the Underlying Funds are assumed to change by the
same percentage. In addition, the cash held by the Funds and any
management fees paid to the Sponsor are assumed to remain constant
and not impact the NAV per share. There may be very slight and
immaterial differences, due to rounding, in the tables presented
below.
101
CORN:
|
March
31, 2020 as Reported
|
|
10%
Decrease
|
15%
Decrease
|
20%
Decrease
|
10%
Increase
|
15%
Increase
|
20%
Increase
|
|
Holdings as of March 31, 2020
|
Number of Contracts Held
|
Closing Price
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
CBOT Corn Futures JUL20
|
1,195
|
$3.4600
|
$20,673,500
|
$18,606,150
|
$17,572,475
|
$16,538,800
|
$22,740,850
|
$23,774,525
|
$24,808,200
|
CBOT Corn Futures SEP20
|
1,004
|
$3.4975
|
$17,557,450
|
$15,801,705
|
$14,923,833
|
$14,045,960
|
$19,313,195
|
$20,191,068
|
$21,068,940
|
CBOT Corn Futures DEC20
|
1,141
|
$3.5750
|
$20,395,375
|
$18,355,838
|
$17,336,069
|
$16,316,300
|
$22,434,913
|
$23,454,681
|
$24,474,450
|
Total CBOT Corn Futures
|
|
|
$58,626,325
|
$52,763,693
|
$49,832,377
|
$46,901,060
|
$64,488,958
|
$67,420,274
|
$70,351,590
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
|
|
4,525,004
|
4,525,004
|
4,525,004
|
4,525,004
|
4,525,004
|
4,525,004
|
4,525,004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per Share attributable directly to CBOT Corn
Futures
|
|
|
$12.96
|
$11.66
|
$11.01
|
$10.36
|
$14.25
|
$14.90
|
$15.55
|
Total Net Asset Value per Share as reported
|
|
|
$12.95
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
$(1.30)
|
$(1.94)
|
$(2.59)
|
$1.30
|
$1.94
|
$2.59
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
-10.01%
|
-15.01%
|
-20.02%
|
10.01%
|
15.01%
|
20.02%
|
SOYB:
|
March 31, 2020 as Reported
|
|
10% Decrease
|
15% Decrease
|
20% Decrease
|
10% Increase
|
15% Increase
|
20% Increase
|
|
Holdings as of March 31, 2020
|
Number of Contracts Held
|
Closing Price
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
CBOT Soybean Futures JUL20
|
174
|
$8.8950
|
$7,738,650
|
$6,964,785
|
$6,577,853
|
$6,190,920
|
$8,512,515
|
$8,899,448
|
$9,286,380
|
CBOT Soybean Futures NOV20
|
152
|
$8.7750
|
$6,669,000
|
$6,002,100
|
$5,668,650
|
$5,335,200
|
$7,335,900
|
$7,669,350
|
$8,002,800
|
CBOT Soybean Futures NOV21
|
181
|
$8.4525
|
$7,649,513
|
$6,884,561
|
$6,502,086
|
$6,119,610
|
$8,414,464
|
$8,796,939
|
$9,179,415
|
Total CBOT Soybean
Futures
|
|
|
$22,057,163
|
$19,851,446
|
$18,748,589
|
$17,645,730
|
$24,262,879
|
$25,365,737
|
$26,468,595
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
|
|
1,575,004
|
1,575,004
|
1,575,004
|
1,575,004
|
1,575,004
|
1,575,004
|
1,575,004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per Share attributable directly to CBOT Soybean
Futures
|
|
|
$14.00
|
$12.60
|
$11.90
|
$11.20
|
$15.40
|
$16.11
|
$16.81
|
Total Net Asset Value per Share as reported
|
|
|
$14.00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
$(1.40)
|
$(2.10)
|
$(2.80)
|
$1.40
|
$2.10
|
$2.80
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
-10.00%
|
-15.00%
|
-20.00%
|
10.00%
|
15.00%
|
20.00%
|
CANE:
|
March 31, 2020 as Reported
|
|
10% Decrease
|
15% Decrease
|
20% Decrease
|
10% Increase
|
15% Increase
|
20% Increase
|
|
Holdings as of March 31, 2020
|
Number of Contracts Held
|
Closing Price
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
ICE #11 Sugar Futures JUL20
|
203
|
$0.1050
|
$2,387,280
|
$2,148,552
|
$2,029,188
|
$1,909,824
|
$2,626,008
|
$2,745,372
|
$2,864,736
|
ICE #11 Sugar Futures OCT20
|
171
|
$0.1076
|
$2,060,755
|
$1,854,680
|
$1,751,642
|
$1,648,604
|
$2,266,831
|
$2,369,868
|
$2,472,906
|
ICE #11 Sugar Futures MAR21
|
190
|
$0.1140
|
$2,425,920
|
$2,183,328
|
$2,062,032
|
$1,940,736
|
$2,668,512
|
$2,789,808
|
$2,911,104
|
Total ICE #11 Sugar
Futures
|
|
|
$6,873,955
|
$6,186,560
|
$5,842,862
|
$5,499,164
|
$7,561,351
|
$7,905,048
|
$8,248,746
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
|
|
1,250,004
|
1,250,004
|
1,250,004
|
1,250,004
|
1,250,004
|
1,250,004
|
1,250,004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per Share attributable directly to ICE #11 Sugar
Futures
|
|
|
$5.50
|
$4.95
|
$4.67
|
$4.40
|
$6.05
|
$6.32
|
$6.60
|
Total Net Asset Value per Share as reported
|
|
|
$5.49
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
$(0.55)
|
$(0.82)
|
$(1.10)
|
$0.55
|
$0.82
|
$1.10
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
-10.01%
|
-15.01%
|
-20.02%
|
10.01%
|
15.01%
|
20.02%
|
102
WEAT:
|
March 31, 2020 as Reported
|
|
10% Decrease
|
15% Decrease
|
20% Decrease
|
10% Increase
|
15% Increase
|
20% Increase
|
|
Holdings as of March 31, 2020
|
Number of Contracts Held
|
Closing Price
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
Notional Amount
|
CBOT Wheat Futures JUL20
|
611
|
$5.6250
|
$17,184,375
|
$15,465,938
|
$14,606,719
|
$13,747,500
|
$18,902,813
|
$19,762,031
|
$20,621,250
|
CBOT Wheat Futures SEP20
|
522
|
$5.6525
|
$14,753,025
|
$13,277,723
|
$12,540,071
|
$11,802,420
|
$16,228,328
|
$16,965,979
|
$17,703,630
|
CBOT Wheat Futures DEC20
|
599
|
$5.7275
|
$17,153,863
|
$15,438,476
|
$14,580,783
|
$13,723,090
|
$18,869,249
|
$19,726,942
|
$20,584,635
|
Total CBOT Wheat Futures
|
|
|
$49,091,263
|
$44,182,137
|
$41,727,573
|
$39,273,010
|
$54,000,390
|
$56,454,952
|
$58,909,515
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
|
|
8,500,004
|
8,500,004
|
8,500,004
|
8,500,004
|
8,500,004
|
8,500,004
|
8,500,004
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per Share attributable directly to CBOT Wheat
Futures
|
|
|
$5.78
|
$5.20
|
$4.91
|
$4.62
|
$6.35
|
$6.64
|
$6.93
|
Total Net Asset Value per Share as reported
|
|
|
$5.77
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
$(0.58)
|
$(0.87)
|
$(1.16)
|
$0.58
|
$0.87
|
$1.16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
-10.01%
|
-15.01%
|
-20.02%
|
10.01%
|
15.01%
|
20.02%
|
TAGS:
|
March 31, 2020 as Reported
|
10% Decrease
|
15% Decrease
|
20% Decrease
|
10% Increase
|
15% Increase
|
20% Increase
|
||
Holdings as of March 31, 2020
|
Number of Shares Held
|
Closing NAV
|
Fair Value
|
Fair Value
|
Fair Value
|
Fair Value
|
Fair Value
|
Fair Value
|
Fair Value
|
Teucrium Corn Fund
|
24,308
|
$12.9461
|
$314,694
|
$283,225
|
$267,490
|
$251,755
|
$346,163
|
$361,898
|
$377,633
|
Teucrium Soybean Fund
|
23,281
|
$14.0012
|
$325,962
|
$293,366
|
$277,068
|
$260,770
|
$358,558
|
$374,856
|
$391,154
|
Teucrium Sugar Fund
|
56,824
|
$5.4944
|
$312,214
|
$280,993
|
$265,382
|
$249,771
|
$343,435
|
$359,046
|
$374,657
|
Teucrium Wheat Fund
|
60,137
|
$5.7714
|
$347,074
|
$312,367
|
$295,013
|
$277,659
|
$381,781
|
$399,135
|
$416,489
|
Total value of shares of the
Underlying Funds
|
|
|
$1,299,944
|
$1,169,951
|
$1,104,953
|
$1,039,955
|
$1,429,937
|
$1,494,935
|
$1,559,933
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares outstanding
|
|
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
75,002
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Asset Value per Share attributable directly to shares of the
Underlying Funds
|
|
|
$17.33
|
$15.60
|
$14.73
|
$13.87
|
$19.07
|
$19.93
|
$20.80
|
Total Net Asset Value per Share as reported
|
|
|
$17.37
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
$(1.73)
|
$(2.60)
|
$(3.47)
|
$1.73
|
$2.60
|
$3.47
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent Change in the Net Asset Value per Share
|
|
|
|
-9.98%
|
-14.97%
|
-19.96%
|
9.98%
|
14.97%
|
19.96%
|
103
Margin
is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a
commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to
initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A
margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the
futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are
customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a
very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of
the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price
fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits
and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater
than are customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As
discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may
result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial
margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection
with a particular futures contract is set from time to time by the
exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified from
time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract.
Brokerage firms, such as the Funds’ clearing brokers,
carrying accounts for traders in commodity interest contracts
generally require higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to
further protect themselves. Over the counter trading generally
involves the extension of credit between counterparties, so the
counterparties may agree to require the posting of collateral by
one or both parties to address credit exposure.
When a
trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement;
however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader
sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to
deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements
established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount
substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The
margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although
adjusted to reflect the probability that out-of-the-money options
will not be exercised,can in fact be higher than those imposed in
dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin
requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex
trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options
positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing
or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each
day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a
particular open futures contract changes to a point where the
margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements,
a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met
within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the
trader’s position. With respect to the Funds’ trading,
the Funds (and not their shareholders personally) are subject to
margin calls.
Finally,
many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining
arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and
options positions held in an account would, in the case of some
accounts, be aggregated, and margin requirements would be assessed
on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined
positions.
The
Dodd-Frank Act requires the CFTC, the SEC and the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Farm
Credit System and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (collectively,
the “Prudential Regulators”) to establish “both
initial and variation margin requirements on all swaps that are not
cleared by a registered clearing organization” (i.e.,
uncleared or over the counter swaps). The proposed rules would
require swap dealers and major swap participants to collect both
variation and initial margin from counterparties known as
“financial end-users” such as the Funds or Underlying
Funds and in certain circumstances require these swap dealers or
major swap participants to post variation margin or initial margin
to the Funds or Underlying Funds. The CFTC and the Prudential
Regulators finalized these rules in 2016 and compliance became
necessary in September 2016.
An
“exchange for related position” (“EFRP”)
can be used by the Fund as a technique to facilitate the exchanging
of a futures hedge position against a creation or redemption order,
and thus the Fund may use an EFRP transaction in connection with
the creation and redemption of shares. The market specialist/market
maker that is the ultimate purchaser or seller of shares in
connection with the creation or redemption basket, respectively,
agreesto sell or purchase a corresponding offsetting futures
position which is then settled on the same business day as a
cleared futures transaction by the FCMs. The Fund will become
subject to the credit risk of the market specialist/market maker
until the EFRP is settled within the business day, which is
typically 7 hours or less. The Fund reports all activity related to
EFRP transactions under the procedures and guidelines of the CFTC
and the exchanges on which the futures are traded.
The
Funds, other than TAGS, will generally retain cash positions of
approximately 95% of total net assets; this balance represents the
total net assets less the initial margin requirements held by the
FCM. These cash assets are either: 1) deposited by the Sponsor in
demand deposit accounts of financial institutions which are deemed
by the Sponsor to be of investment level quality, 2) held in a
money-market fund which is deemed to be a cash equivalent under the
most recent SEC definition, or 3) held in a cash equivalent with a
maturity of 90 days or less that is deemed by the Sponsor to be of
investment level quality.
Item 4. Controls and
Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The
Trust and each Fund maintains disclosure controls and procedures
that are designed to ensure that information required to be
disclosed in the Trust’s periodic reports filed or submitted
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules
and forms for the Trust and each Fund thereof.
Management
of the Sponsor of the Funds (“Management”), including
Sal Gilbertie, the Sponsor’s Principal Executive Officer and
Cory Mullen-Rusin, the Sponsor’s Principal Financial Officer,
who perform functions equivalent to those of a principal executive
officer and principal financial officer of the Trust if the Trust
had any officers, have evaluated the effectiveness of the design
and operation of the Trust’s and each Fund’s disclosure
controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) or 15d-15(e)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
“Exchange Act”)) as of the end of the period covered by
this report, and, based upon that evaluation, concluded that the
Trust’s and each Fund’s disclosure controls and
procedures were effective as of the end of such period, to ensure
that information the Trust is required to disclose in the reports
that it files or submits with the SEC under the Exchange Act is
recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time
periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and to ensure
that information required to be disclosed by the Trust in the
reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is
accumulated and communicated to management of the Sponsor, as
appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required
disclosure. The scope of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the
design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures
covers the Trust, as well as separately for each Fund that is a
series of the Trust.
The
certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer are applicable to each Fund individually as well as the
Trust as a whole.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There
has been no change in the Trust’s or the Funds’
internal controls over the financial reporting (as defined in the
Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that occurred
during the Trust’s last fiscal quarter that has materially
affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
Trust’s or the Funds’ internal control over financial
reporting.
PART II. OTHER
INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings.
Although
each of the Funds may, from time to time, be involved in litigation
arising out of its operations in the normal course of business or
otherwise, none of the Funds is currently a party to any pending
material legal proceedings.
Item 1A. Risk Factors
The
Sponsor has enhanced specific risk disclosure to address the recent
pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19,
disclosed below. Other than this update, there are no other
material changes to those previously disclosed in the Trust’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2019, filed on March 11, 2020.
The occurrence of a severe weather event, natural disaster,
terrorist attack, outbreak or public health emergency as declared
by the World Health Organization, the continuation or expansion of
war or other hostilities, or a prolonged government shutdown may
have significant adverse effects on the Funds and their investments
and alter current assumptions and expectations.
104
Risks Applicable to all Funds
There are Risks Related to Fund Structure and Operations of the
Funds
Unlike
mutual funds, commodity pools and other investment pools that
manage their investments so as to realize income and gains for
distribution to their investors, the Funds generally do not
distribute dividends to holders of the Funds' Shares
“Shareholders”. You should not invest in a Fund if you
will need cash distributions from the Fund to pay taxes on your
share of income and gains of the Fund, if any, or for other
purposes.
The
Sponsor has consulted with legal counsel, accountants and other
advisers regarding the formation and operation of the Trust and the
Funds. No counsel has been appointed to represent you in connection
with the offering of Shares. Accordingly, you should consult with
your own legal, tax and financial advisers regarding the
desirability of an investment in the Shares.
The
Sponsor intends to re-invest any income and realized gains of the
Funds in additional Benchmark Component Futures Contracts or cash
and cash equivalents rather than distributing cash to Shareholders.
Therefore, unlike mutual funds, commodity pools or other investment
pools that generally distribute income and gains to their
investors, the Funds generally will not distribute cash to
Shareholders. You should not invest in the Funds if you will need
cash distributions from the Funds to pay taxes on your share of
income and gains of the Funds, if any, or for any other reason.
Although the Funds do not intend to make cash distributions, they
reserve the right to do so in the Sponsor’s sole discretion,
in certain situations, including for example, if the income earned
from its investments held directly or posted as margin may reach
levels that merit distribution, e.g., at levels where such income
is not necessary to support its underlying investments in Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts and investors adversely react to being
taxed on such income without receiving distributions that could be
used to pay such tax. Cash distributions may be made in these and
similar instances.
A Fund
must pay for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses,
including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property,
registration or other fees paid to the SEC, the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), or any other regulatory
agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares,
after its initial registration, and all legal, accounting, printing
and other expenses associated therewith. Each Fund also pays the
fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting
and reporting requirements. Each Fund, excluding TAGS, is also
contractually obligated to pay a management fee to the Sponsor.
Such fees may be waived by the Sponsor at its
discretion.
The
Funds may terminate at any time, regardless of whether the Funds
have incurred losses, subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement.
For example, the dissolution or resignation of the Sponsor would
cause the Trust to terminate unless shareholders holding a majority
of the outstanding shares of the Trust, voting together as a single
class, elect within 90 days of the event to continue the Trust and
appoint a successor Sponsor. In addition, the Sponsor may terminate
a Fund if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets
in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation
of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. As of the date of this
prospectus, each Fund pays the fees, costs, and expenses of its
operations. If the Sponsor and the Funds are unable to raise
sufficient funds so that each Fund’s expenses are reasonable
in relation to its NAV, the Funds may be forced to terminate, and
investors may lose all or part of their investment. Any expenses
related to the operation of the Funds would need to be paid by the
Fund at the time of termination.
To the
extent that investors use a Fund as a means of investing indirectly
in a specific Commodity Interest, there is the risk that the
changes in the price of the Fund’s Shares on the NYSE Arca
will not closely track with the changes in spot price of that
Commodity Interest. This could happen if the price of Shares traded
on the NYSE Arca does not correlate with the Fund’s NAV, if
the changes in the Fund’s NAV do not correlate with changes
in the Benchmark, or if the changes in the Benchmark do not
correlate with changes in the cash or spot price of the specific
Commodity Interest. This is a risk because if these correlations
are not sufficiently close, then investors may not be able to use
the Fund as a cost effective way to invest indirectly in the
specific Commodity Interest, or the underlying specific Commodity
Interest in the case of TAGS, or as a hedge against the risk of
loss in commodity related transactions.
Only an
Authorized Purchaser may engage in creation or redemption
transactions directly with the Funds. The Funds have a limited
number of institutions that act as Authorized Purchasers. To the
extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to
proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the
Funds and no other Authorized Purchaser is able to step forward to
create or redeem Creation Units, a Fund's shares may trade at a
discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.
In addition, a decision by a market maker, lead market maker, or
other large investor, to cease activities for the Funds or a
decision by a secondary market participant to sell a significant
number of the Fund’s Shares could adversely affect liquidity,
the spread between the bid and ask quotes, and potentially the
price of the Shares. The Sponsor can make no guarantees that
participation by Authorized Purchasers or market makers will
continue.
An
investment in the Funds faces numerous risks from its shares being
traded in the secondary market, any of which may lead to the
Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.
Although the Fund’s shares are listed for trading on the NYSE
Arca, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for
such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in the
Fund’s shares may be halted due to market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the NYSE Arca, make trading in shares
inadvisable. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the
NYSE Arca necessary to maintain the listing of the Funds will
continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that the shares will
trade with any volume, or at all. The NAV of the Fund’s
shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of
the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The market prices of shares
will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the
Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the NYSE Arca.
It cannot be predicted whether the Fund’s shares will trade
below, at or above their NAV. Investors buying or selling Fund
shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or
other charges imposed by brokers as determined by that broker.
Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a
significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell
relatively small amounts of shares.
Neither
the Trust, nor any of the Funds, is an investment company subject
to the Investment Company Act of 1940. Accordingly, you do not have
the protections afforded by that statute, which, for example,
requires investment companies to have a board of directors with a
majority of disinterested directors and regulates the relationship
between the investment company and its investment
manager.
The
arrangements between clearing brokers and counterparties on the one
hand, and the Funds on the other, generally are terminable by the
clearing brokers or counterparty upon notice to the Funds. In
addition, the agreements between the Funds and their third-party
service providers, such as the Distributor and the Custodian, are
generally terminable at specified intervals. Upon termination, the
Sponsor may be required to renegotiate or make other arrangements
for obtaining similar services if the Funds intend to continue to
operate. Comparable services from another party may not be
available or may not be available on the terms as favorable as
those of the expired or terminated arrangements.
The
Sponsor does not employ trading advisors for the Funds; however, it
reserves the right to employ them in the future. The only advisor
to the Funds is the Sponsor. A lack of independent trading advisors
may be disadvantageous to the Funds because they will not receive
the benefit of their independent expertise.
The
Sponsor’s trading strategy is quantitative in nature, and it
is possible that the Sponsor will make errors in its
implementation. The execution of the quantitative strategy is
subject to human error, such as incorrect inputs into the
Sponsor’s computer systems and incorrect information provided
to the Funds’ clearing brokers. In addition, it is possible
that a computer or software program may malfunction and cause an
error in computation. Any failure, inaccuracy or delay in executing
the Funds’ transactions could affect its ability to achieve
its investment objective. It could also result in decisions to
undertake transactions based on inaccurate or incomplete
information. This could cause substantial losses on transactions.
The Sponsor is not required to reimburse the Funds for any costs
associated with an error in the placement or execution of a trade
in commodity futures interests or shares of the Underlying
Funds.
The
Funds’ trading activities depend on the integrity and
performance of the computer and communications systems supporting
them. Extraordinary transaction volume, hardware or software
failure, power or telecommunications failure, a natural disaster or
other catastrophe could cause the computer systems to operate at an
unacceptably slow speed or even fail. Any significant degradation
or failure of the systems that the Sponsor uses to gather and
analyze information, enter orders, process data, monitor risk
levels and otherwise engage in trading activities may result in
substantial losses on transactions, liability to other parties,
lost profit opportunities, damages to the Sponsor’s and
Funds’ reputations, increased operational expenses and
diversion of technical resources.
The
development of complex computer and communications systems and new
technologies may render the existing computer and communications
systems supporting the Funds’ trading activities obsolete. In
addition, these computer and communications systems must be
compatible with those of third parties, such as the systems of
exchanges, clearing brokers and the executing brokers. As a result,
if these third parties upgrade their systems, the Sponsor will need
to make corresponding upgrades to effectively continue its trading
activities. The Funds’ future success may depend on the
Funds’ ability to respond to changing technologies on a
timely and cost-effective basis.
The
Funds depend on the proper and timely function of complex computer
and communications systems maintained and operated by the futures
exchanges, brokers and other data providers that the Sponsor uses
to conduct trading activities. Failure or inadequate performance of
any of these systems could adversely affect the Sponsor’s
ability to complete transactions, including its ability to close
out positions, and result in lost profit opportunities and
significant losses on commodity interest transactions. This could
have a material adverse effect on revenues and materially reduce
the Funds’ available capital. For example, unavailability of
price quotations from third parties may make it difficult or
impossible for the Sponsor to conduct trading activities so that
each Fund will closely track its Benchmark. Unavailability of
records from brokerage firms may make it difficult or impossible
for the Sponsor to accurately determine which transactions have
been executed or the details, including price and time, of any
transaction executed. This unavailability of information also may
make it difficult or impossible for the Sponsor to reconcile its
records of transactions with those of another party or to
accomplish settlement of executed transactions.
Failures
or breaches of the electronic systems of the Funds, the Sponsor,
the Custodian or mutual funds or other financial institutions in
which the Funds invest, or the Funds’ other service
providers, market makers, Authorized Purchasers, NYSE Arca,
exchanges on which Futures Contracts or Other Commodity Interests
are traded or cleared, or counterparties have the ability to cause
disruptions and negatively impact the Funds’ business
operations, potentially resulting in financial losses to the Funds
and their shareholders. Such failures or breaches may include
intentional cyber-attacks that may result in an unauthorized party
gaining access to electronic systems in order to misappropriate a
Fund's assets or sensitive information. While the Funds have
established business continuity plans and risk management systems
seeking to address system breaches or failures, there are inherent
limitations in such plans and systems. Furthermore, the Funds
cannot control the cyber security plans and systems of the
Custodian or mutual funds or other financial institutions in which
the Funds invest, or the Funds’ other service providers,
market makers, Authorized Purchasers, NYSE Arca, exchanges on which
Futures Contracts or Other Commodity Interests are traded or
cleared, or counterparties.
105
The
Trust may, in its discretion, suspend the right to redeem Shares of
the Funds or postpone the redemption settlement date: (1) for any
period during which an applicable exchange is closed other than
customary weekend or holiday closing, or trading is suspended or
restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency exists as
a result of which delivery, disposal or evaluation of a
Fund’s assets is not reasonably practicable; (3) for such
other period as the Sponsor determines to be necessary for the
protection of Shareholders; (4) if there is a possibility that any
or all of the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts of a Fund on
the specific exchange where the Fund is traded and from which the
NAV of the Fund is calculated will be priced at a daily price limit
restriction; or (5) if, in the sole discretion of the Sponsor, the
execution of such an order would not be in the best interest of the
Funds or their Shareholders. In addition, the Trust will reject a
redemption order if the order is not in proper form as described in
the agreement with the Authorized Purchaser or if the fulfillment
of the order, in the opinion of its counsel, might be unlawful. Any
such postponement, suspension or rejection could adversely affect a
redeeming Shareholder. For example, the resulting delay may
adversely affect the value of the Shareholder’s redemption
proceeds if the NAV of a Fund declines during the period of delay.
The Trust Agreement provides that the Sponsor and its designees
will not be liable for any loss or damage that may result from any
such suspension or postponement. A minimum number of baskets and
associated Shares are specified for each Fund in its prospectus and
in Part I, Item 1 of this document. Once that minimum number of
Shares outstanding is reached, there can be no further redemptions
until there has been a Creation Basket.
The
Intraday Indicative Value (“IIV”) and the Benchmark for
each Fund are calculated and disseminated by ICE Data Indices, LLC
under an agreement with the Sponsor. Additionally, information may
be calculated and disseminated under similar agreements between the
Sponsor and other third-party entities. Although reasonable efforts
are taken to ensure the accuracy of the information disseminated
under this agreement, there may, from time to time, be
recalculations of previously released information.
Third
parties may assert that the Sponsor has infringed or otherwise
violated their intellectual property rights. Third parties may
independently develop business methods, trademarks or proprietary
software and other technology similar to that of the Sponsor and
claim that the Sponsor has violated their intellectual property
rights, including their copyrights, trademark rights, trade names,
trade secrets and patent rights. As a result, the Sponsor may have
to litigate in the future to determine the validity and scope of
other parties’ proprietary rights or defend itself against
claims that it has infringed or otherwise violated other
parties’ rights. Any litigation of this type, even if the
Sponsor is successful and regardless of the merits, may result in
significant costs, may divert resources from the Funds, or may
require the Sponsor to change its proprietary software and other
technology or enter into royalty or licensing agreements. The
Sponsor has a patent on certain business methods and procedures
used with respect to the Funds. The Sponsor utilizes certain
proprietary software. Any unauthorized use of such proprietary
software, business methods and/or procedures could adversely affect
the competitive advantage of the Sponsor or the Funds and/or cause
the Sponsor to take legal action to protect its
rights.
In
managing and directing the day to day activities and affairs of the
Funds, the Sponsor relies almost entirely on a small number of
individuals, including Mr. Sal Gilbertie, Mr. Steve Kahler and Ms.
Cory Mullen-Rusin. If Mr. Gilbertie, Mr. Kahler or Ms. Mullen-Rusin
were to leave or be unable to carry out their present
responsibilities, it may have an adverse effect on the management
of the Funds. To the extent that the Sponsor establishes additional
commodity pools, even greater demands will be placed on these
individuals.
The
Sponsor was formed for the purpose of managing the Trust, each
Teucrium Fund, and any other series of the Trust that may be formed
in the future, and has been provided with capital primarily by its
principals and a small number of outside investors. If the Sponsor
operates at a loss for an extended period, its capital will be
depleted, and it may be unable to obtain additional financing
necessary to continue its operations. If the Sponsor were unable to
continue to provide services to the Funds, the Funds would be
terminated if a replacement sponsor could not be found. Any
expenses related to the operation of the Funds would need to be
paid by the Funds at the time of termination.
You
cannot be assured that the Sponsor will be willing or able to
continue to service each Fund for any length of time. The Sponsor
was formed for the purpose of sponsoring the Funds and other
commodity pools and has limited financial resources and no
significant source of income apart from its management fees from
such commodity pools to support its continued service for each
Fund. If the Sponsor discontinues its activities on behalf of a
Fund, the Funds may be adversely affected. If the Sponsor’s
registrations with the CFTC or memberships in the NFA were revoked
or suspended, the Sponsor would no longer be able to provide
services to the Funds.
The
Funds earn interest on cash balances available for investment. If
actual interest rates were to continue to fall, the net investment
loss of the Funds could be adversely impacted if the Sponsor were
not able to waive expenses sufficient to cover any
deficit.
When
constructing a diversified portfolio, investors often look for
asset classes and individual securities that will enhance the risk
adjusted returns of their portfolios. During the security selection
process investors typically consider the security’s risk
profile as well as its correlation to other portfolio holdings.
Commodities are often included in a diversified portfolio due to
their low correlation to traditional asset classes such as stocks
and bonds. However, it must be noted that portfolio diversification
does not eliminate the risk of loss associated with investing.
Historical returns and correlations are not guaranteed in the
future. It is important to note that past performance is not
indicative of future results and that investments cannot be made
directly into indexes which are often used to display correlation
results.
The Sponsor May Have Conflicts of Interest
The
structure and operation of the Funds may involve conflicts of
interest. For example, a conflict may arise because the Sponsor and
its principals and affiliates may trade for themselves. In
addition, the Sponsor has sole current authority to manage the
investments and operations, and the interests of the Sponsor may
conflict with the Shareholders’ best interests, including the
authority of the Sponsor to allocate expenses to and between the
Funds.
The Performance of Each Fund May Not Correlate with the Applicable
Benchmark
If a
Fund is required to sell short-term Treasury Securities or cash
equivalents at a price lower than the price at which they were
acquired, the Funds will experience a loss. This loss may adversely
impact the price of the Shares and may decrease the correlation
between the price of the Shares, the Benchmark, and the spot price
of the specific commodity interest or the commodity interests of
the Underlying Funds in the case of TAGS. The value of short-term
Treasury Securities and other debt securities generally moves
inversely with movements in interest rates. The prices of longer
maturity securities are subject to greater market fluctuations as a
result of changes in interest rates. While the short-term nature of
a Fund’s investments in short-term Treasury Securities and
cash equivalents should minimize the interest rate risk to which
the Fund is subject, it is possible that the short-term Treasury
Securities and cash equivalents held by the Funds will decline in
value.
The
Sponsor’s trading system is quantitative in nature, and it is
possible that the Sponsor may make errors. In addition, it is
possible that a computer or software program may malfunction and
cause an error in computation.
Increases
in assets under management may affect trading decisions. While all
of the Funds’ assets are currently at manageable levels, the
Sponsor does not intend to limit the amount of any Fund’s
assets. The more assets the Sponsor manages, the more difficult it
may be for it to trade profitably because of the difficulty of
trading larger positions without adversely affecting prices and
performance and of managing risk associated with larger
positions.
Each
Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing under
normal market conditions in Benchmark Component Futures Contracts,
rather than profit from speculative trading of the specific
Commodity Interests, or the commodity interests of the Underlying
Funds in the case of TAGS.
The
Sponsor therefore endeavors to manage each Fund so that the
Fund’s assets are, unlike those of many other commodity
pools, not leveraged (i.e., so that the aggregate amount of the
Fund’s exposure to losses from its investments in specific
Commodity Interests at any time will not exceed the value of the
Fund’s assets). There is no assurance that the Sponsor will
successfully implement this investment strategy. If the Sponsor
permits a Fund to become leveraged, you could lose all or
substantially all of your investment if the Fund’s trading
positions suddenly turns unprofitable. These movements in price may
be the result of factors outside of the Sponsor’s control and
may not be anticipated by the Sponsor.
The
Sponsor cannot predict to what extent the performance of the
commodity interest will or will not correlate to the performance of
other broader asset classes such as stocks and bonds. If the
performance of a specific Fund were to move more directly with the
financial markets, an investment in the Funds may provide you
little or no diversification benefits. Thus, in a declining market,
the Funds may have no gains to offset your losses from other
investments, and you may suffer losses on your investment in the
Funds at the same time you may incur losses with respect to other
asset classes. Variables such as drought, floods, weather,
embargoes, tariffs and other political events may have a larger
impact on commodity and Commodity Interests prices than on
traditional securities and broader financial markets. These
additional variables may create additional investment risks that
subject a Fund’s investments to greater volatility than
investments in traditional securities. Lower correlation should not
be confused with negative correlation, where the performance of two
asset classes would be opposite of each other. There is no historic
evidence that the spot price of a specific commodity, corn, for
example, and prices of other financial assets, such as stocks and
bonds, are negatively correlated. In the absence of negative
correlation, a Fund cannot be expected to be automatically
profitable during unfavorable periods for the stock market, or vice
versa.
Under
the Trust Agreement, the Trustee and the Sponsor are not liable,
and have the right to be indemnified, for any liability or expense
incurred absent gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part
of the Trustee or Sponsor, as the case may be. That means the
Sponsor may require the assets of a Fund to be sold in order to
cover losses or liability suffered by the Sponsor or by the
Trustee. Any sale of that kind would reduce the NAV of the Funds
and the value of their Shares.
The
Shares of a Fund are limited liability investments; Shareholders
may not lose more than the amount that they invest plus any profits
recognized on their investment. However, Shareholders could be
required, as a matter of bankruptcy law, to return to the estate of
the Fund any distribution they received at a time when the Fund was
in fact insolvent or that was made in violation of its Trust
Agreement.
106
The
price relationship between the near month Commodity Futures
Contract to expire and the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts
for each Fund, or the Underlying Funds in the case of TAGS, will
vary and may impact both a Fund’s total return over time and
the degree to which such total return tracks the total return of
the specific commodity price indices. In cases in which the near
month contract’s price is lower than later expiring
contracts’ prices (a situation known as
“contango” in the futures markets), then absent the
impact of the overall movement in the commodity specific prices the
value of the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts would tend to
decline as they approach expiration which could cause the Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts, and therefore the Fund’s total
return, to track lower. In cases in which the near month
contract’s price is higher than later expiring
contracts’ prices (a situation known as
“backwardation” in the futures markets), then absent
the impact of the overall movement in commodity specific prices,
the value of the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts would tend
to rise as they approach expiration.
While
it is expected that the trading prices of the Shares will fluctuate
in accordance with the changes in a Fund’s NAV, the prices of
Shares may also be influenced by various market factors, including
but not limited to, the number of shares of the Funds outstanding
and the liquidity of the underlying Commodity Interests. There is
no guarantee that the Shares will not trade at appreciable
discounts from, and/or premiums to, the Fund’s NAV. This
could cause the changes in the price of the Shares to substantially
vary from the changes in the spot price of the underlying
commodity, even if a Fund’s NAV was closely tracking
movements in the spot price of that commodity. If this occurs, you
may incur a partial or complete loss of your
investment.
In
addition to certain fees paid to each Fund's service providers,
each Fund pays the Sponsor a fee of 1.00% of assets under
management per annum, regardless of Fund Performance. Over time, a
Fund's assets could be depleted if investment performance does not
exceed such fees.
Investors,
including those who directly participate in the specific commodity
market, may choose to use a Fund as a vehicle to hedge against the
risk of loss, and there are risks involved in hedging activities.
While hedging can provide protection against an adverse movement in
market prices, it can also preclude a hedger’s opportunity to
benefit from a favorable market movement.
While
it is not the current intention of the Funds to take physical
delivery of any Commodity under its Commodity Interests, Commodity
Futures Contracts are traditionally physically deliverable
contracts, and, unless a position was traded out of, it is possible
to take or make delivery under these and some Other Commodity
Interests. Storage costs associated with purchasing the specific
commodity could result in costs and other liabilities that could
impact the value of the Commodity Futures Contracts or certain
Other Commodity Interests. Storage costs include the time value of
money invested in the physical commodity plus the actual costs of
storing the commodity less any benefits from ownership that are not
obtained by the holder of a futures contract. In general, Commodity
Futures Contracts have a one-month delay for contract delivery and
the pricing of back month contracts (the back month is any future
delivery month other than the spot month) include storage costs. To
the extent that these storage costs change for the commodity while
a Fund holds the Commodity Interests, the value of the Commodity
Interests, and therefore the Fund’s NAV, may change as
well.
The
Funds are not actively managed and are designed to track a
benchmark, regardless of whether the price of the Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts is flat, declining, or
rising.
The
design of each Fund’s Benchmark is such that the Benchmark
Component Futures Contracts change throughout the year, and the
Fund’s investments must be rolled periodically to reflect the
changing composition of the Benchmark. For example, when the second
to expire Commodity Futures Contract becomes the first to expire
contract, such contract will no longer be a Benchmark Component
Futures Contract and the Fund’s position in it will no longer
be consistent with tracking the Benchmark. In the event of a
commodity futures market where near to expire contracts trade at a
higher price than longer to expire contracts, a situation referred
to as “backwardation,” then absent the impact of the
overall movement in the specific commodity prices of the Funds, the
value of the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts would tend to
rise as they approach expiration. As a result, a Fund may benefit
because it would be selling more expensive contracts and buying
less expensive ones on an ongoing basis. Conversely, using corn as
an example, in the event of a corn futures market where near to
expire contracts trade at a lower price than longer to expire
contracts, a situation referred to as “contango,” then
absent the impact of the overall movement in corn prices the value
of the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts would tend to decline
as they approach expiration. As a result, the Fund’s total
return may be lower than might otherwise be the case because it
would be selling less expensive contracts and buying more expensive
ones. The impact of backwardation and contango may lead the total
return of a Fund to vary significantly from the total return of
other price references, such as the spot price of the specific
commodity. In the event of a prolonged period of contango, and
absent the impact of rising or falling specific commodity prices,
this could have a significant negative impact on a Fund’s NAV
and total return.
Position
limits and daily price fluctuation limits set by the CFTC and the
exchanges have the potential to cause tracking error, which could
cause the price of Shares of the Funds to substantially vary from
the Benchmark and prevent you from being able to effectively use
the Funds as a way to hedge against underlying commodity related
losses or as a way to indirectly invest in the underlying
commodity.
The Trust Structure and the Trust Agreement Provide Limited
Shareholder Rights
You
will have no rights to participate in the management of any of the
Funds and will have to rely on the duties and judgment of the
Sponsor to manage the Funds.
As
interests in separate series of a Delaware statutory trust, the
Shares do not involve the rights normally associated with the
ownership of shares of a corporation (including, for example, the
right to bring shareholder oppression and derivative actions). In
addition, the Shares have limited voting and distribution rights
(for example, Shareholders do not have the right to elect
directors, as the Trust does not have a board of directors, and
generally will not receiveregular distributions of the net income
and capital gains earned by the Funds). The Funds are also not
subject to certain investor protection provisions of the Sarbanes
Oxley Act of 2002 and the NYSE Arca governance rules (for example,
audit committee requirements).
Each
Fund is a series of a Delaware statutory trust and not itself a
legal entity separate from the other Funds. The Delaware Statutory
Trust Act provides that if certain provisions are included in the
formation and governing documents of a statutory trust organized in
series and if separate and distinct records are maintained for any
series and the assets associated with that series are held in
separate and distinct records and are accounted for in such
separate and distinct records separately from the other assets of
the statutory trust, or any series thereof, then the debts,
liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred by a particular
series are enforceable against the assets of such series only, and
not against the assets of the statutory trust generally or any
other series thereof. Conversely, none of the debts, liabilities,
obligations and expenses incurred with respect to any other series
thereof is enforceable against the assets of such series. The
Sponsor is not aware of any court case that has interpreted this
inter-series limitation on liability or provided any guidance as to
what is required for compliance. The Sponsor intends to maintain
separate and distinct records for each Fund and account for each
Fund separately from any other Trust series, but it is possible a
court could conclude that the methods used do not satisfy the
Delaware Statutory Trust Act, which would potentially expose assets
in any Fund to the liabilities of one or more of the Funds and/or
any other Trust series created in the future.
Neither
the Sponsor nor the Trustee is obligated to, although each may, in
its respective discretion, prosecute any action, suit or other
proceeding in respect of any Fund property. The Trust Agreement
does not confer upon Shareholders the right to prosecute any such
action, suit or other proceeding.
Rapidly Changing Regulation May Adversely Affect the Ability of the
Funds to Meet Their Investment Objectives
The
regulation of futures markets, futures contracts and futures
exchanges has historically been comprehensive. The CFTC and the
exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event
of a market emergency including, for example, the retroactive
implementation of speculative position limits, increased margin
requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the
suspension of trading on an exchange or trading
facility.
The
regulation of commodity interest transactions in the United States
is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to ongoing
modification by governmental and judicial action. Congress enacted
the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the
“Dodd-Frank Act”) in 2010. As the Dodd-Frank Act
continues to be implemented by the CFTC and the SEC, there is a
possibility of future regulatory changes within the United States
altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment
in the Funds, or the ability for the Funds to continue to implement
its investment strategy. In addition, various national governments
outside of the United States have expressed concern regarding the
disruptive effects of speculative trading in the commodities
markets and the need to regulate the derivatives markets in
general. The effect of any future regulatory change on the Funds is
impossible to predict but could be substantial and
adverse.
107
There Is No Assurance that There Will Be a Liquid Market for the
Shares of the Funds or the Funds’ Underlying Investments,
which May Mean that Shareholders May Not be Able to Sell Their
Shares at a Market Price Relatively Close to the NAV
If a
substantial number of requests for redemption of Redemption Baskets
are received by the Funds during a relatively short period of time,
the Funds may not be able to satisfy the requests from the
Fund’s assets not committed to trading. As a consequence, it
could be necessary to liquidate the Fund’s trading positions
before the time that its trading strategies would otherwise call
for liquidation, which may result in losses.
A
portion of a Fund’s investments could be illiquid, which
could cause large losses to investors at any time or from time to
time.
A Fund
may not always be able to liquidate its positions in its
investments at the desired price. As to futures contracts, it may
be difficult to execute a trade at a specific price when there is a
relatively small volume of buy and sell orders in a market. Limits
imposed by futures exchanges or other regulatory organizations,
such as accountability levels, position limits and price
fluctuation limits,may contribute to a lack of liquidity with
respect to some exchange traded commodity Interests. In addition,
over the counter contracts may be illiquid because they are
contracts between two parties and generally may not be transferred
by one party to a third party without the counterparty’s
consent. Conversely, a counterparty may give its consent, but the
Funds still may not be able to transfer an over the counter
Commodity Interest to a third party due to concerns regarding the
counterparty’s credit risk.
The
exchanges set daily price fluctuation limits on futures contracts.
The daily price fluctuation limit establishes the maximum amount
that the price of futures contracts may vary either up or down from
the previous day’s settlement price. Once the daily price
fluctuation limit has been reached in a particular futures
contract, no trades may be made at a price beyond that
limit.
On
December 16, 2016, as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFTC
adopted a final rule that aggregate all positions, for purposes of
position limits; such positions include futures contracts,
futures-equivalent positions, over the counter swaps and options
(i.e., contracts that are not traded on exchanges). These
aggregation requirements became effective on February 14, 2017 and
could limit the Fund’s ability to establish positions in
commodity over the counter instruments if the assets of the Funds
were to grow substantially.
On
January 30, 2020, the CFTC re-proposed regulations that would
establish revised specific limits on speculative positions in
futures contracts, option contracts and swaps on 25 agricultural,
energy and metals commodities (the “Proposed Position Limit
Rules”). In general, the Proposed Position Limit Rules do not
appear to have a substantial or adverse effect on the Funds.
However, if the total net assets of the Funds were to increase
significantly from current levels, the Position Limit Rules as
proposed could negatively impact the ability of the Funds to meet
its respective investment objectives through limits that may
inhibit the Sponsor’s ability to sell additional Creation
Baskets of the Funds. However, it is not expected that the Funds
will reach asset levels that would cause these position limits to
be reached in the near future.
A Fund
may invest in other commodity interests. To the extent that these
other commodity interests are contracts individually negotiated
between their parties, they may not be as liquid as Benchmark
Component Commodity Futures Contracts and will expose the Funds to
credit risk that its counterparty may not be able to satisfy its
obligations to the Funds.
The
changing nature of the participants in the commodity specific
market will influence whether futures prices are above or below the
expected future spot price. Producers of the specific commodity
will typically seek to hedge against falling commodity prices by
selling Commodity Futures Contracts. Therefore, if commodity
producers become the predominant hedgers in the futures market,
prices of Commodity Futures Contracts will typicallybe below
expected future spot prices. Conversely, if the predominant hedgers
in the futures market are the purchasers of the commodity, who
purchase Commodity Futures Contracts to hedge against a rise in
prices, prices of the Commodity Futures Contracts will likely be
higher than expected future spot prices. This can have significant
implications for a Fund when it is time to sell a Commodity Futures
Contract that is no longer a Benchmark Component Futures Contract
and purchase a new Commodity Futures Contract or to sell a
Commodity Futures Contract to meet redemption requests. A Fund may
invest in Other Commodity Interests. To the extent that these Other
Commodity Interests are contracts individually negotiated between
their parties, they may not be as liquid as Commodity Futures
Contracts and will expose the Fund to credit risk that its
counterparty may not be able to satisfy its obligations to the
Fund.
108
A
Fund’s NAV includes, in part, any unrealized profits or
losses on open swap agreements, futures or forward contracts. Under
normal circumstances, the NAV reflects the quoted exchange
settlement price of open futures contracts on the date when the NAV
is being calculated. In instances when the quoted settlement price
of a futures contract traded on an exchange may not be reflective
of fair value based on market condition, generally due to the
operation of daily limits or other rules of the exchange or
otherwise, the NAV may not reflect the fair value of open future
contracts on such date. For purposes of financial statements and
reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV where necessary to
reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract when the
Futures Contract closes at its price fluctuation limit for the
day.
In the
event that one or more Authorized Purchasers that are actively
involved in purchasing and selling Shares cease to be so involved,
the liquidity of the Shares will likely decrease, which could
adversely affect the market price of the Shares and result in your
incurring a loss on your investment. In addition, a decision by a
market maker or lead market maker to cease activities for the Funds
could adversely affect liquidity, the spread between the bid and
ask quotes, and potentially the price of the Shares. The Sponsor
can make no guarantees that participation by Authorized Purchasers
or market makers will continue.
If a
minimum number of Shares is outstanding for a Fund, market makers
may be less willing to purchase Shares of that Fund in the
secondary market which may limit your ability to sell Shares. There
are a minimum number of baskets and associated Shares specified for
each Fund. Once the minimum number of baskets is reached, there can
be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser of that Fund
until there has been a Creation Basket. In such case, market makers
may be less willing to purchase Shares of that Fund from investors
in the secondary market, which may in turn limit the ability of
Shareholders of that Fund to sell their Shares in the secondary
market.
Trading
in Shares of a Fund may be halted due to market conditions or, in
light of NYSE Arca rules and procedures, for reasons that, in the
view of the NYSE Arca, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In
addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by
extraordinary market volatility pursuant to “circuit
breaker” rules that require trading to be halted for a
specified period based on a specified market decline. There can be
no assurance that the requirements necessary to maintain the
listing of the Shares will continue to be met or will remain
unchanged. A Fund will be terminated if its Shares are
delisted.
There is Credit Risk Associated with the Operation of the Funds,
Service Providers and Counterparties Which May Cause an Investment
Loss
For all
of the Funds except for TAGS, the majority of each Fund’s
assets are held in cash and short-term cash equivalents with the
Custodian or with one or more alternate financial institutions
unrelated to the Custodian (each, a “Financial
Institution”). Any cash or cash equivalents invested by a
Fund will be placed by the Sponsor in a Financial Institution
deemed by the Sponsor to be of investment-grade credit quality.
There is a risk that the proceeds from the sale of the cash
equivalents could be less than the purchase price.
The
insolvency of the Custodian, any Financial Institution in which
funds are deposited, or Commercial Paper Issuer could result in a
complete loss of a Fund’s assets held by the Custodian or the
Financial Institution, which, at any given time, would likely
comprise a substantial portion of a Fund’s total assets.
Assets deposited with the Custodian or a Financial Institution will
generally exceed federally insured limits. For TAGS, the vast
majority of the Fund’s assets are held in Shares of the
Underlying Funds. The failure or insolvency of the Custodian or the
Financial Institution could impact the ability to access in a
timely manner TAGS’ assets held by the
Custodian.
Under
CFTC regulations, a clearing broker with respect to a Fund’s
exchange traded Commodity Interests must maintain customers’
assets in a bulk segregated account. If a clearing broker fails to
do so or is unable to satisfy a substantial deficit in a customer
account, its other customers may be subject to risk of a
substantial loss of their funds in the event of that clearing
broker’s bankruptcy. In that event, the clearing
broker’s customers, such as a Fund, are entitled to recover,
even in respect of property specifically traceable to them, only a
proportional share of all property available for distribution to
all of that clearing broker’s customers. A Fund also may be
subject to the risk of the failure of, or delay in performance by,
any exchanges and markets and their clearing organizations, if any,
on which Commodity Interests are traded. From time to time, the
clearing brokers may be subject to legal or regulatory proceedings
in the ordinary course of their business. A clearing broker’s
involvement in costly or time-consuming legal proceedings may
divert financial resources or personnel away from the clearing
broker’s trading operations, which could impair the clearing
broker’s ability to successfully execute and clear a
Fund’s trades. For additional information regarding recent
regulatory developments that may impact the Funds or the Trust,
refer to the section entitled “Regulatory
Considerations” section of this document.
Commodity
pools’ trading positions in futures contracts or other
commodity interests are typically required to be secured by the
deposit of margin funds that represent only a small percentage of a
futures contract’s (or other commodity interest’s)
entire market value. This feature permits commodity pools to
“leverage” their assets by purchasing or selling
futures contracts (or other commodity interests) with an aggregate
notional amount in excess of the commodity pool’s assets.
While this leverage can increase a pool’s profits, relatively
small adverse movements in the price of a pool’s commodity
interests can cause significant losses to the pool. While the
Sponsor does not intend to leverage the Funds’ assets, it is
not prohibited from doing so under the Trust Agreement. If the
Sponsor were to cause or permit a Fund to become leveraged, you
could lose all or substantially all of your investment if the
Fund’s trading positions suddenly turns
unprofitable.
An
“exchange for related position” (“EFRP”)
can be used by the Funds as a technique to facilitate the
exchanging of a futures hedge position against a creation or
redemption order, and thus the Funds may use an EFRP transaction in
connection with the creation and redemption of shares. The market
specialist/market maker that is the ultimate purchaser or seller of
shares in connection with the creation or redemption basket,
respectively, agrees to sell or purchase a corresponding offsetting
futures position which is then settled on the same business day as
a cleared futures transaction by the FCMs. The Funds will become
subject to the credit risk of the market specialist/market maker
until the EFRP is settled or terminated. The Funds report all
activity related to EFRP transactions under the procedures and
guidelines of the CFTC and the exchanges on which the futures are
traded. EFRPs are subject to specific rules of the CME and CFTC
guidance. It is likely that EFRP mechanisms will be subject to
changes in the future which may make it uneconomical or impossible
from the regulatory perspective to utilize this mechanism by the
Funds.
A
portion of the Fund’s assets may be used to trade over the
counter Commodity Interests, such as forward contracts or swaps.
Over the counter contracts are typically traded on a
principal-to-principal cleared and non-cleared basis through dealer
markets that are dominated by major money center and investment
banks and other institutions and that prior to the passage of the
Dodd-Frank Act had been essentially unregulated by the CFTC,
although this is an area of pending, substantial regulatory change.
The markets for over the counter contracts will continue to rely
upon the integrity ofmarket participants in lieu of the additional
regulation imposed by the CFTC on participants in the futures
markets. The forward markets have been largely unregulated, except
for anti-manipulation and anti-fraud prohibitions, forward
contracts have been executed bi-laterally and, in general
historically, forward contracts were not cleared or guaranteed by a
third party. On November 16, 2012, the Secretary of the Treasury
issued a final determination that exempts both foreign exchange
swaps and foreign exchange forwards from the definition of
“swap” and, by extension, additional regulatory
requirements (such as clearing and margin). The final determination
does not extend to other FX derivatives, such as FX options,
certain currency swaps, and non-deliverable forwards. While the
Dodd-Frank Act and certain regulations adopted thereunder are
intended to provide additional protections to participants in the
over the counter market, the lack of regulation in these markets
could expose the Funds in certain circumstances to significant
losses in the event of trading abuses or financial failure by
participants. While increased regulation of over the counter
Commodity Interests is likely to result from changes that are
required to be effectuated by the Dodd-Frank Act, there is no
guarantee that such increased regulation will be effective to
reduce these risks.
Each
Fund faces the risk of non-performance by the counterparties to the
over the counter contracts. Unlike in futures contracts, the
counterparty to these contracts is generally a single bank or other
financial institution, rather than a clearing organization backed
by a group of financial institutions. As a result, there will be
greater counterparty credit risk in these transactions. A
counterparty may not be able to meet its obligations to a Fund, in
which case the Fund could suffer significant losses on these
contracts. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to
perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, a Fund may
experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a
bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. During any such
period, a Fund may have difficulty in determining the value of its
contracts with the counterparty, which in turn could result in the
overstatement or understatement of the Fund’s NAV. A Fund may
eventually obtain only limited recovery or no recovery in such
circumstances.
Over
the counter contracts may have terms that make them less marketable
than Futures Contracts. Over the counter contracts are less
marketable because they are not traded on an exchange, do not have
uniform terms and conditions, and are entered into based upon the
creditworthiness of the parties and the availability of credit
support, such as collateral, and in general, they are not
transferable without the consent of the counterparty. These
conditions make such contracts less liquid than standardized
futures contracts traded on a commodities exchange and diminish the
ability to realize the full value of such contracts. In addition,
even if collateral is used to reduce counterparty credit risk,
sudden changes in the value of over the counter transactions may
leave a party open to financial risk due to a counterparty default
since the collateral held may not cover a party’s exposure on
the transaction in such situations. In general, valuing OTC
derivatives is less certain than valuing actively traded financial
instruments such as exchange traded futures contracts and
securities because the price and terms on which such OTC
derivatives are entered into or can be terminated are individually
negotiated, and those prices and terms may not reflect the best
price or terms available from other sources. In addition, while
market makers and dealers generally quote indicative prices or
terms for entering into or terminating OTC contracts, they
typically are not contractually obligated to do so, particularly if
they are not a party to the transaction. As a result, it may be
difficult to obtain an independent value for an outstanding OTC
derivatives transaction.
In
addition, regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that
are now in effect require certain prudentially regulated entities
and certain of their affiliates and subsidiaries (including swap
dealers) to include in their derivatives contracts and certain
other financial contracts, terms that delay or restrict the rights
of counterparties (such as the Funds) to terminate such contracts,
foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or
restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the
prudentially regulated entity and/or its affiliates are subject to
certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. Similar
regulations and laws have been adopted in non-US jurisdictions that
may apply to a Fund’s counterparties located in those
jurisdictions. It is possible that these new requirements, as well
as potential additional related government regulation, could
adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing
derivatives contracts, exercise default rights or satisfy
obligations owed to it with collateral received under such
contracts.
There are Risks Associated with Trading in International
Markets
A
significant portion of the Futures Contracts entered into by the
Funds are traded on United States exchanges including the CBOT.
However, a portion of the Fund’s trades may take place on
markets or exchanges outside the United States. Some non-U.S.
markets present risks because they are not subject to the same
degree of regulation as their U.S. counterparts. None of the CFTC,
NFA, or any domestic exchange regulates activities of any foreign
boards of trade or exchanges, including the execution, delivery and
clearing of transactions, has the power to compel enforcement of
the rules of a foreign board of trade or exchange or of any
applicable non-U.S. laws. Similarly, the rights of market
participants, such as the Funds, in the event of the insolvency or
bankruptcy of a non-U.S. market or broker are also likely to be
more limited than in the case of U.S. markets or brokers. As a
result, in these markets, the Funds have less legal and regulatory
protection than they do when trading domestically. Currently the
Funds do not place trades on any markets or exchanges outside of
the United States and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable
future.
109
In some
of these non-U.S. markets, the performance on a futures contract is
the responsibility of the counterparty and is not backed by an
exchange or clearing corporation and therefore exposes the Funds to
credit risk. Additionally, trading on non-U.S. exchanges is subject
to the risks presented by exchange controls, expropriation,
increased tax burdens and exposure to local economic declines and
political instability. An adverse development with respect to any
of these variables could reduce the profit or increase the loss
earned on trades in the affected international
markets.
The
price of any non-U.S. Commodity Interest and, therefore, the
potential profit and loss on such investment, may be affected by
any variance in the foreign exchange rate between the time the
order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised.
However, a portion of the trades for a Fund may take place in
markets and on exchanges outside the U. S. Some non-U.S. markets
present risks because they are not subject to the same degree of
regulation as their U.S. counterparts. Some non-U.S. markets
present risks because they are not subject to the same degree of
regulation as their U. S. counterparts. As a result, changes in the
value of the local currency relative to the U. S. dollar may cause
losses to the Funds even if a contract is profitable.
The
CFTC’s implementation of its regulations under the Dodd-Frank
Act may further affect the Fund’s ability to enter into
foreign exchange contracts and to hedge its exposure to foreign
exchange losses.
Some
non-U.S. exchanges also may be in a more developmental stage so
that prior price histories may not be indicative of current price
dynamics. In addition, the Funds may not have the same access to
certain positions on foreign trading exchanges as do local traders,
and the historical market data on which the Sponsor bases its
strategies may not be as reliable or accessible as it is for U.S.
exchanges.
The Funds are Treated as Partnerships for Tax Purposes which Means
that There May be a Lack of Certainty as to Tax Treatment for an
Investor’s Gains and Losses
Cash or
property will be distributed by the Funds at the sole discretion of
the Sponsor, and the Sponsor currently does not intend to make cash
or other distributions with respect to Shares. You will be required
to pay U.S. federal income tax and, in some cases, state, local, or
foreign income tax, on your allocable share of the Fund’s
taxable income, without regard to whether you receive distributions
or the amount of any distributions. Therefore, the tax liability
resulting from your ownership of Shares may exceed the amount of
cash or value of property (if any) distributed.
Due to
the application of the assumptions and conventions applied by the
Funds in making allocations for U.S. federal income tax purposes
and other factors, your allocable share of the Fund’s income,
gain, deduction or loss may be different than your economic profit
or loss from your Shares for a taxable year. This difference could
be temporary or permanent and, if permanent, could result in your
being taxed on amounts in excess of your economic
income.
The
Funds are treated as a partnership for United States federal income
tax purposes. The U.S. tax rules pertaining to entities taxed as
partnerships are complex and their application to publicly traded
partnerships, such as the Funds, is in many respects uncertain. The
Funds apply certain assumptions and conventions in an attempt to
comply with the intent of the applicable rules and to report
taxable income, gains, deductions, losses and credits in a manner
that properly reflects Shareholders’ economic gains and
losses. These assumptions and conventions may not fully comply with
all aspects of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”), and applicable Treasury Regulations, however,
and it is possible that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the
“IRS”) will successfully challenge our allocation
methods and require us to reallocate items of income, gain,
deduction, loss or credit in a manner that adversely affects you.
If this occurs, you may be required to file an amended tax return
and to pay additional taxes plus deficiency interest.
In
addition, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, the
Funds may be liable for U.S. federal income tax on any
“imputed underpayment” of tax resulting from an
adjustment as a result of an IRS audit. The amount of the imputed
underpayment generally includes increases in allocations of items
of income or gains to any investor and decreases in allocations of
items of deduction, loss, or credit to any investor without any
offset for any corresponding reductions in allocations of items of
income or gain to any investor or increases in allocations of items
of deduction, loss, or credit to any investor. If the Funds are
required to pay any U.S. federal income taxes on any imputed
underpayment, the resulting tax liability would reduce the net
assets of the Funds and would likely have an adverse impact on the
value of the Shares. In such a case, the tax liability would in
effect be borne by Shareholders that own shares at the time of such
assessment, which may be different persons, or persons with
different ownership percentages, then persons owning Shares for the
tax year under audit. Under certain circumstances, the Funds may be
eligible to make an election to cause Shareholders to take into
account the amount of any imputed underpayment, including any
interest and penalties. The ability of a publicly traded
partnership such as the Funds to make this election is uncertain.
If the election is made, the Funds would be required to provide
Shareholders who owned beneficial interests in the Shares in the
year to which the adjusted allocations relate with a statement
setting forth their proportionate shares of the adjustment
(“Adjusted K-1s”). The investors would be required to
take the adjustment into account in the taxable year in which the
Adjusted K-1s are issued. For an additional discussion please see
“U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations – Other Tax
Matters.”
Under
certain circumstances, the Funds may be required to pay withholding
tax with respect to allocations to Non-U.S. Shareholders. Although
the Trust Agreement provides that any such withholding will be
treated as being distributed to the Non-U.S. Shareholder, the Funds
may not be able to cause the economic cost of such withholding to
be borne by the Non-U.S. Shareholder on whose behalf such amounts
were withheld since the Funds do not intend to make any
distributions. Under such circumstances, the economic cost of the
withholding may be borne by all Shareholders, not just the
Shareholders on whose behalf such amounts were withheld. This could
have a material impact on the value of your Shares.
The
Trust has received an opinion of counsel that, under current U.S.
federal income tax laws, the Funds will be treated as a partnership
that is not taxable as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, provided that (i) at least 90 percent of the Fund’s
annual gross income consists of “qualifying income” as
defined in the Code, (ii) the Funds are organized and operated in
accordance with its governing agreements and applicable law, and
(iii) the Funds do not elect to be taxed as a corporation for
federal income tax purposes. Although the Sponsor anticipates that
the Funds have satisfied and will continue to satisfy the
“qualifying income” requirement for all of its taxable
years, that result cannot be assured. The Funds have not requested
and will not request any ruling from the IRS with respect to its
classification as a partnership not taxable as a corporation for
federal income tax purposes. If the IRS were to successfully assert
that the Funds are taxable as a corporation for federal income tax
purposes in any taxable year, rather than passing through its
income, gains, losses and deductions proportionately to
Shareholders, the Funds would be subject to tax on its net income
for the year at corporate tax rates. In addition, although the
Sponsor does not currently intend to make distributions with
respect to Shares, any distributions would be taxable to
Shareholders as dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s
current and accumulated earnings and profits, then treated as a
tax-free return of capital to the extent of the Shareholder’s
basis in the Shares (and will reduce the basis), and, to the extent
it exceeds a Shareholder’s basis in such Shares, as capital
gain for Shareholders who hold their Shares as capital assets.
Taxation of the Funds as a corporation could materially reduce the
after-tax return on an investment in Shares and could substantially
reduce the value of your Shares.
Legislative,
regulatory, or administrative changes could be enacted or
promulgated at any time, either prospectively or with retroactive
effect, and may adversely affect the Funds and their Shareholders.
Please consult a tax advisor regarding the implications of an
investment in Shares of the Teucrium Funds, including without
limitation the federal, state, local and foreign tax
consequences.
Risks Specific to the Teucrium Corn Fund
Investors
may choose to use the Fund as a means of investing indirectly in
corn, and there are risks involved in such investments. The risks
and hazards that are inherent in corn production may cause the
price of corn to fluctuate widely. Price movements for corn are
influenced by, among other things: weather conditions, crop
failure, production decisions, governmental policies, changing
demand, the corn harvest cycle, and various economic and monetary
events. Corn production is also subject to U.S. federal, state and
local regulations that could materially affect
operations.
The
price movements for corn are influenced by, among other things,
weather conditions, crop disease, transportation difficulties,
various planting, growing and harvesting problems, governmental
policies, changing demand, and seasonal fluctuations in supply.
More generally, commodity prices may be influenced by economic and
monetary events such as changes in interest rates, changes in
balances of payments and trade, U.S. and international inflation
rates, currency valuations and devaluations, U.S. and international
economic events, and changes in the philosophies and emotions of
market participants. Because the Fund invests primarily in
interests in a single commodity, it is not a diversified investment
vehicle, and therefore may be subject to greater volatility than a
diversified portfolio of stocks or bonds or a more diversified
commodity pool. Historically, price changes in corn have a low
correlation with the S&P 500. Historical performance is not
indicative of future results and correlations may
change.
The
Fund is subject to the risks and hazards of the corn market because
it invests in Corn Interests. The risks and hazards that are
inherent in the corn market may cause the price of corn to
fluctuate widely. If the changes in percentage terms of the
Fund’s Shares accurately track the percentage changes in the
Benchmark or the spot price of corn, then the price of its Shares
will fluctuate accordingly.
The
price and availability of corn is influenced by economic and
industry conditions, including but not limited to supply and demand
factors such as: crop disease and infestation (including, but not
limited to, Leaf Blight, Ear Rot and Root Rot); transportation
difficulties; various planting, growing, or harvesting problems;
and severe weather conditions (particularly during the spring
planting season and the fall harvest) such as drought, floods, or
frost that are difficult to anticipate and which cannot be
controlled. Demand for corn in the United States to produce ethanol
has also been a significant factor affecting the price of corn. In
turn, demand for ethanol has tended to increase when the price of
gasoline has increased and has been significantly affected by
United States governmental policies designed to encourage the
production of ethanol. Additionally, demand for corn is affected by
changes in consumer tastes, national, regional and local economic
conditions, and demographic trends. Finally, because corn is often
used as an ingredient in livestock feed, demand for corn is subject
to risks associated with the outbreak of livestock
disease.
Corn
production is subject to United States federal, state, and local
policies and regulations that materially affect operations.
Governmental policies affecting the agricultural industry, such as
taxes, tariffs, duties, subsidies, incentives, acreage control, and
import and export restrictions on agricultural commodities and
commodity products, can influence the planting of certain crops,
the location and size of crop production, the volume and types of
imports and exports, the availability and competitiveness of
feedstocks as raw materials, and industry profitability.
Additionally, corn production is affected by laws and regulations
relating to, but not limited to, the sourcing, transporting,
storing, and processing of agricultural raw materials as well as
the transporting, storing and distributing of related agricultural
products. U.S. corn producers also must comply with various
environmental laws and regulations, such as those regulating the
use of certain pesticides, and local laws that regulate the
production of genetically modified crops. In addition,
international trade disputes can adversely affect agricultural
commodity trade flows by limiting or disrupting trade between
countries or regions.
110
Seasonal
fluctuations in the price of corn may cause risk to an investor
because of the possibility that Share prices will be depressed
because of the corn harvest cycle. In the United States, the corn
market is normally at its weakest point, and corn prices are
lowest, shortly before and during the harvest (between September
and November), due to the high supply of corn in the market.
Conversely, corn prices are generally highest during the winter and
spring (between December and May), when farmer-owned corn has
largely been sold and used. Seasonal corn market peaks generally
occur around February or March. These normal market conditions are,
however, often influenced by weather patterns, and domestic and
global economic conditions, among other factors, and any specific
year may not necessarily follow the traditional seasonal
fluctuations described above. In the futures market, these seasonal
fluctuations are typically reflected in contracts expiring in the
relevant season (e.g., contracts expiring during the harvest season
are typically priced lower than contracts expiring in the winter
and spring). Thus, seasonal fluctuations could result in an
investor incurring losses upon the sale of Fund Shares,
particularly if the investor needs to sell Shares when the
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts are, in whole or part, Corn
Futures Contracts expiring in the fall.
Demand
for corn in the United States to produce ethanol has also been a
significant factor affecting the price of corn. In turn, demand for
ethanol has tended to increase when the price of gasoline has
increased and has been significantly affected by United States
governmental policies designed to encourage the production of
ethanol. Additionally, demand for corn is affected by changes in
consumer tastes, national, regional and local economic conditions,
and demographic trends. Finally, because corn is often used as an
ingredient in livestock feed, demand for corn is subject to risks
associated with the outbreak of livestock disease.
The
CFTC and U.S. designated contract markets, such as the CBOT, may
establish position limits on the maximum net long or net short
futures contracts in commodity interests that any person or group
of persons under common trading control (other than as a hedge,
which an investment by the Fund is not) may hold, own or control.
For example, the current position limit for investments at any one
time in the Corn Futures Contracts are 600 spot month contracts,
33,000 contracts expiring in any other single month, and 33,000
total for all months. These position limits are fixed ceilings that
the Fund would not be able to exceed without specific CFTC
authorization.
All of
these limits may potentially cause a tracking error between the
price of the Shares and the Benchmark. This may in turn prevent you
from being able to effectively use the Fund as a way to hedge
against correlated losses or as a way to indirectly invest in
corn.
The
Fund does not intend to limit the size of the offering and will
attempt to expose substantially all of its proceeds to the corn
market utilizing Corn Interests. If the Fund encounters position
limits, accountability levels, or price fluctuation limits for Corn
Futures Contracts on the CBOT, it may then, if permitted under
applicable regulatory requirements, purchase Other Corn Interests
and/or Corn Futures Contracts listed on foreign exchanges. However,
the Corn Futures Contracts available on such foreign exchanges may
have different underlying sizes, deliveries, and prices. In
addition, the Corn FuturesContracts available on these exchanges
may be subject to their own position limits and accountability
levels. In any case, notwithstanding the potential availability of
these instruments in certain circumstances, position limits could
force the Fund to limit the number of Creation Baskets that it
sells.
Risks Specific to the Teucrium Soybean Fund
Investors
may choose to use the Fund as a means of investing indirectly in
soybeans, and there are risks involved in such investments. The
risks and hazards that are inherent in soybean production may cause
the price of soybeans to fluctuate widely. Global price movements
for soybeans are influenced by, among other things: weather
conditions, crop failure, production decisions, governmental
policies, changing demand, the soybean harvest cycle, and various
economic and monetary events. Soybean production is also subject to
domestic and foreign regulations that could materially affect
operations.
As
discussed in more detail below, price movements for soybeans are
influenced by, among other things, weather conditions, crop
disease, transportation difficulties, various planting, growing and
harvesting problems, governmental policies, changing demand, and
seasonal fluctuations in supply. More generally, commodity prices
may be influenced by economic and monetary events such as changes
in interest rates, changes in balances of payments and trade, U.S.
and international inflation rates, currency valuations and
devaluations, U.S. and international economic events, and changes
in the philosophies and emotions of market participants. Because
the Fund invests primarily in interests in a single commodity, it
is not a diversified investment vehicle, and therefore may be
subject to greater volatility than a diversified portfolio of
stocks or bonds or a more diversified commodity pool.
The
Fund is subject to the risks and hazards of the soybean market
because it invests in Soybean Interests. The risks and hazards that
are inherent in the soybean market may cause the price of soybeans
to fluctuate widely. If the changes in percentage terms of the
Fund’s Shares accurately track the percentage changes in the
Benchmark or the spot price of soybeans, then the price of its
Shares will fluctuate accordingly.
The
price and availability of soybeans is influenced by economic and
industry conditions, including but not limited to supply and demand
factors such as: crop disease; weed control; water availability;
various planting, growing, or harvesting problems; severe weather
conditions such as drought, floods, heavy rains, frost, or natural
disasters that are difficult to anticipate and which cannot be
controlled; uncontrolled fires, including arson; challenges in
doing business with foreign companies; legal and regulatory
restrictions; transportation costs; interruptions in energy supply;
currency exchange rate fluctuations; global trade disruption due to
outbreaks; and political and economic instability. Additionally,
demand for soybeans is affected by changes in international,
national, regional and local economic conditions, and demographic
trends. The increased production of soybean crops in South America
and the rising demand for soybeans in emerging nations such as
China and India have increased competition in the soybean
market.
Soybean
production is subject to United States and foreign policies and
regulations that materially affect operations. Governmental
policies affecting the agricultural industry, such as taxes,
tariffs, duties, subsidies, incentives, acreage control, and import
and export restrictions on agricultural commodities and commodity
products, can influence the planting of certain crops, the location
and size of crop production, the volume and types of imports and
exports, and industry profitability. Additionally, soybean
production is affected by laws and regulations relating to, but not
limited to, the sourcing, transporting, storing and processing of
agricultural raw materials as well as the transporting, storing and
distributing of related agricultural products. Soybean producers
also may need to comply with various environmental laws and
regulations, such as those regulating the use of certain
pesticides. In addition, international trade disputes can adversely
affect agricultural commodity trade flows by limiting or disrupting
trade between countries or regions.
Because
processing soybean oil can create trans-fats, the demand for
soybean oil may decrease due to heightened governmental regulation
of trans-fats or trans-fatty acids. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration currently requires food manufacturers to disclose
levels of trans-fats contained in their products, and various local
governments have enacted or are considering restrictions on the use
of trans-fats in restaurants. Several food processors have either
switched or indicated an intention to switch to oil products with
lower levels of trans-fats or trans-fatty acids.
In
recent years, there has been increased global interest in the
production of biofuels as alternatives to traditional fossil fuels
and as a means of promoting energy independence. Soybeans can be
converted into biofuels such as biodiesel. Accordingly, the soybean
market has become increasingly affected by demand for biofuels and
related legislation.
The
costs related to soybean production could increase and soybean
supply could decrease as a result of restrictions on the use of
genetically modified soybeans, including requirements to segregate
genetically modified soybeans and the products generated from them
from other soybean products.
Seasonal
fluctuations in the price of soybeans may cause risk to an investor
because of the possibility that Share prices will be depressed
because of the soybean harvest cycle. In the futures market,
fluctuations are typically reflected in contracts expiring in the
harvest season (i.e., contracts expiring during the fall are
typically priced lower than contracts expiring in the winter and
spring). Thus, seasonal fluctuations could result in an investor
incurring losses upon the sale of Fund Shares, particularly if the
investor needs to sell Shares when the Benchmark Component Futures
Contracts are, in whole or part, Soybean Futures Contracts expiring
in the fall.
The
increased production of soybean crops in South America and the
rising demand for soybeans in emerging nations such as China and
India have increased competition in the soybean market. Like the
conversion of corn into ethanol, soybeans can be converted into
biofuels such as biodiesel. Accordingly, the soybean market has
become increasingly affected by demand for biofuels and related
legislation. The supply of soybeans could be reduced by the spread
of soybean rust, a wind-borne fungal disease. Although soybean rust
can be killed with chemicals, chemical treatment increases
production costs for farmers. Finally, because processing soybean
oil can create trans-fats, the demand for soybean oil may decrease
due to heightened governmental regulation of trans-fats or
trans-fatty acids. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently
requires food manufacturers to disclose levels of trans-fats
contained in their products, and various local governments have
enacted or are considering restrictions on the use of trans-fats in
restaurants. Several food processors have either switched or
indicated an intention to switch to oil products with lower levels
of trans-fats or trans-fatty acids.
111
The
CFTC and U.S. designated contract markets, such as the CBOT, may
establish position limits on the maximum net long or net short
futures contracts in commodity interests that any person or group
of persons under common trading control (other than as a hedge,
which an investment by the Fund is not) may hold, own or control.
For example, the current position limit for investments at any one
time in the Soybean Futures Contracts are 600 spot month contracts,
15,000 contracts expiring in any other single month, and 15,000
total for all months. Soybean Swaps are subject to position limits
that are similar to, but currently measured separately from, the
limits on Soybean Futures Contracts. These position limits are
fixed ceilings that the Fund would not be able to exceed without
specific CFTC authorization.
All of
these limits may potentially cause a tracking error between the
price of the Shares and the Benchmark. This may in turn prevent you
from being able to effectively use the Fund as a way to hedge
against soybean-related losses or as a way to indirectly invest in
soybeans.
If the
Fund encounters position limits or price fluctuation limits for
Soybean Futures Contracts on the CBOT, it may then, if permitted
under applicable regulatory requirements, purchase Other Soybean
Interests and/or Soybean Futures Contracts listed on foreign
exchanges. However, the Soybean Futures Contracts available on such
foreign exchanges may have different underlying sizes, deliveries,
and prices. In addition, the Soybean Futures Contracts available on
these exchanges may be subject to their own position limits or
similar restrictions. In any case, notwithstanding the potential
availability of these instruments in certain circumstances,
position limits could force the Fund to limit the number of
Creation Baskets that it sells.
Risks Specific to the Teucrium Sugar Fund
Investors
may choose to use the Fund as a means of investing indirectly in
sugar, and there are risks involved in such investments. The risks
and hazards that are inherent in sugar production may cause the
price of sugar to fluctuate widely. Global price movements for
sugar are influenced by, among other things: weather conditions,
crop failure, production decisions, governmental policies, changing
demand, the sugar harvest cycle, and various economic and monetary
events. Sugar production is also subject to domestic and foreign
regulations that could materially affect operations.
As
discussed in more detail below price movements for sugar are
influenced by, among other things, weather conditions, crop
disease, transportation difficulties, various planting, growing and
harvesting problems, governmental policies, changing demand, and
seasonal fluctuations in supply. More generally, commodity prices
may be influenced by economic and monetary events such as changes
in interest rates, changes in balances of payments and trade, U.S.
and international inflation rates, currency valuations and
devaluations, U.S. and internationaleconomic events, and changes in
the philosophies and emotions of market participants. Because the
Fund invests primarily in interests in a single commodity, it is
not a diversified investment vehicle, and therefore may be subject
to greater volatility than a diversified portfolio of stocks or
bonds or a more diversified commodity pool.
The
Fund is subject to the risks and hazards of the world sugar market
because it invests in Sugar Interests. The two primary sources for
the production of sugar are sugarcane and sugar beets, both of
which are grown in various countries around the world. The risks
and hazards that are inherent in the world sugar market may cause
the price of sugar to fluctuate widely. If the changes in
percentage terms of the Fund’s Shares accurately track the
percentage changes in the Benchmark or the spot price of sugar,
then the price of its Shares will fluctuate
accordingly.
The
global price and availability of sugar is influenced by economic
and industry conditions, including but not limited to supply and
demand factors such as: crop disease; weed control; water
availability; various planting, growing, or harvesting problems;
severe weather conditions such as drought, floods, or frost that
are difficult to anticipate and which cannot be controlled;
uncontrolled fires, including arson; challenges in doing business
with foreign companies; legal and regulatory restrictions;
fluctuation of shipping rates; currency exchange rate fluctuations;
and political and economic instability. Global demand for
sugar to produce ethanol has also been a significant factor
affecting the price of sugar. Additionally, demand for sugar
is affected by changes in consumer tastes, national, regional and
local economic conditions, and demographic trends. The spread
of consumerism and the rising affluence of emerging nations such as
China and India have created demand for sugar. An influx of
people in developing countries moving from rural to urban areas may
create more disposable income to be spent on sugar products and
might also reduce sugar production in rural areas on account of
worker shortages, all of which would result in upward pressure on
sugar prices. On the other hand, public health concerns
regarding obesity, heart disease and diabetes, particularly in
developed countries, may reduce demand for sugar. In light of
the time it takes to grow sugarcane and sugar beets and the cost of
new facilities for processing these crops, it may not be possible
to increase supply quickly or in a cost-effective manner in
response to an increase in demand for sugar.
Sugar
production is subject to United States and foreign policies and
regulations that materially affect operations. Governmental
policies affecting the agricultural industry, such as taxes,
tariffs, duties, subsidies, incentives, acreage control, and import
and export restrictions on agricultural commodities and commodity
products, can influence the planting of certain crops, the location
and size of crop production, the volume and types of imports and
exports, and industry profitability. Many foreign countries
subsidize sugar production, resulting in lower prices, but this has
led other countries, including the United States, to impose tariffs
and import restrictions on sugar imports. Sugar producers
also may need to comply with various environmental laws and
regulations, such as those regulating the use of certain
pesticides.
Seasonal
fluctuations in the price of sugar may cause risk to an investor
because of the possibility that Share prices will be depressed
because of the sugar harvest cycle. In the futures market,
contracts expiring during the harvest season are typically priced
lower than contracts expiring in the winter and spring. While
the sugar harvest seasons varies from country to country, prices of
Sugar Futures Contracts tend to be lowest in the late spring and
early summer, reflecting the harvest season in Brazil, the
world’s leading producer of sugarcane. Thus, seasonal
fluctuations could result in an investor incurring losses upon the
sale of Fund Shares, particularly if the investor needs to sell
Shares when the Benchmark Component Futures Contracts are, in whole
or part, Sugar Futures Contracts expiring in the late spring or
early summer.
The
spread of consumerism and the rising affluence of emerging nations
such as China and India have created demand for sugar. An influx of
people in developing countries moving from rural to urban areas may
create more disposable income to be spent on sugar products and
might also reduce sugar production in rural areas on account of
worker shortages, all of which could result in upward pressure on
sugar prices. On the other hand, public health concerns regarding
obesity, heart disease and diabetes, particularly in developed
countries, may reduce demand for sugar. In light of the time it
takes to grow sugarcane and sugar beets and the cost of new
facilities for processing these crops, it may not be possible to
increase supply quickly or in a cost-effective manner in response
to an increase in demand.
The CFTC and U.S. designated contract markets, such as the ICE
Futures have established position limits and accountability levels
on the maximum net long or net short Sugar Futures Contracts that
any person or group of persons under common trading control may
hold, own or control. For example, the current ICE Futures
established position limit level for investments in Sugar No. 11
Futures Contracts for the spot month, which is defined as on and
after the second business day following the expiration of the
regular option contract traded on the expiring futures contract, is
5,000, the accountability level for investments in ICE Sugar No. 11
Futures Contracts for any one month is 10,000, and the
accountability level for all combined months is 15,000. While
accountability levels are not fixed ceilings, they are thresholds
above which the exchange may exercise greater scrutiny and control
over an investor, including limiting an investor to holding no more
Sugar No. 11 Futures Contracts than the amount established by the
accountability level. The Fund does not intend to invest in
Sugar Futures Contracts in excess of any applicable accountability
levels.
All of
these limits may potentially cause a tracking error between the
price of the Shares and the Benchmark. This may in turn prevent you
from being able to effectively use the Fund as a way to hedge
against sugar-related losses or as a way to indirectly invest in
sugar.
If the
Fund encounters accountability levels, position limits, or price
fluctuation limits for Sugar Futures Contracts on ICE Futures, it
may then, if permitted under applicable regulatory requirements,
purchase Other Sugar Interests and/or Sugar Futures Contracts
listed on the NYMEX or foreign exchanges. However, the Sugar
Futures Contracts available on such foreign exchanges may have
different underlying sizes, deliveries, and prices. In addition,
the Sugar Futures Contracts available on these exchanges may be
subject to their own position limits and accountability levels. In
any case, notwithstanding the potential availability of these
instruments in certain circumstances, position limits could force
the Fund to limit the number of Creation Baskets that it
sells.
Risks Specific to the Teucrium Wheat Fund
Investors
may choose to use the Fund as a means of investing indirectly in
wheat, and there are risks involved in such investments. The risks
and hazards that are inherent in wheat production may cause the
price of wheat to fluctuate widely. Price movements for wheat are
influenced by, among other things: weather conditions, crop
failure, production decisions, governmental policies, changing
demand, the wheat harvest cycle, and various economic and monetary
events. Wheat production is also subject to U.S. federal, state and
local regulations that could materially affect
operations.
As
discussed in more detail below, price movements for wheat are
influenced by, among other things, weather conditions, crop
disease, transportation difficulties, various planting, growing and
harvesting problems, governmental policies, changing demand, and
seasonal fluctuations in supply. More generally, commodity prices
may be influenced by economic and monetary events such as changes
in interest rates, changes in balances of payments and trade, U.S.
and internationalinflation rates, currency valuations and
devaluations, U.S. and international economic events, and changes
in the philosophies and emotions of market participants. Because
the Fund invests primarily in interests in a single commodity, it
is not a diversified investment vehicle, and therefore may be
subject to greater volatility than a diversified portfolio of
stocks or bonds or a more diversified commodity pool.
112
The
Fund is subject to the risks and hazards of the wheat market
because it invests in Wheat Interests. The risks and hazards that
are inherent in the wheat market may cause the price of wheat to
fluctuate widely. If the changes in percentage terms of the
Fund’s Shares accurately track the percentage changes in the
Benchmark or the spot price of wheat, then the price of its Shares
will fluctuate accordingly.
The
price and availability of wheat is influenced by economic and
industry conditions, including but not limited to supply and demand
factors such as: crop disease, weed control, water availability,
various planting, growing, or harvesting problems, severe weather
conditions such as drought, floods, or frost that are difficult to
anticipate and which cannot be controlled. Demand for food products
made from wheat flour is affected by changes in consumer tastes,
national, regional and local economic conditions, and demographic
trends. More specifically, demand for such food products in the
United States is relatively unaffected by changes in wheat prices
or disposable income but is closely tied to tastes and preferences.
Export demand for wheat fluctuates yearly, based largely on crop
yields in the importing countries.
Wheat
production is subject to United States federal, state and local
policies and regulations that materially affect operations.
Governmental policies affecting the agricultural industry, such as
taxes, tariffs, duties, subsidies, incentives, acreage control, and
import and export restrictions on agricultural commodities and
commodity products, can influence the planting of certain crops,
the location and size of crop production, the volume and types of
imports and exports, the availability and competitiveness of
feedstocks as raw materials, and industry profitability.
Additionally, wheat production is affected by laws and regulations
relating to, but not limited to, the sourcing, transporting,
storing and processing of agricultural raw materials as well as the
transporting, storing and distributing of related agricultural
products. U.S. wheat producers also must comply with various
environmental laws and regulations, such as those regulating the
use of certain pesticides, and local laws that regulate the
production of genetically modified crops. In addition,
international trade disputes can adversely affect agricultural
commodity trade flows by limiting or disrupting trade between
countries or regions.
Seasonal
fluctuations in the price of wheat may cause risk to an investor
because of the possibility that Share prices will be depressed
because of the wheat harvest cycle. In the United States, the
market for winter wheat, the type of wheat upon which CBOT Wheat
Futures Contracts are based, is generally at its lowest point, and
wheat prices are generally lowest, shortly before and during the
harvest (in the spring or early summer), due to the high supply of
wheat in the market. Conversely, winter wheat prices are generally
highest in the fall or early winter, when the wheat harvested that
year has largely been sold and used. In the futures market, these
seasonal fluctuations are typically reflected in contracts expiring
in the relevant season (e.g., contracts expiring during the harvest
season are typically priced lower than contracts expiring in the
fall and early winter). Thus, seasonal fluctuations could result in
an investor incurring losses upon the sale of Fund Shares,
particularly if the investor needs to sell Shares when the
Benchmark Component Futures Contracts are in whole or part, Wheat
Futures Contracts expiring in the spring.
Demand
for food products made from wheat flour is affected by changes in
consumer tastes, national, regional and local economic conditions,
and demographic trends. More specifically, demand for such food
products in the United States is relatively unaffected by changes
in wheat prices or disposable income but is closely tied to tastes
and preferences. For example, in recent years the increase in the
popularity of low-carbohydrate diets caused the consumption of
wheat flour to decrease rapidly before rebounding somewhat after
2005. Export demand for wheat fluctuates yearly, based largely on
crop yields in the importing countries.
Position
limits and daily price fluctuation limits set by the CFTC and the
exchanges have the potential to cause tracking error, which could
cause the price of Shares to substantially vary from the Benchmark
and prevent you from being able to effectively use the Fund as a
way to hedge against wheat-related losses or as a way to indirectly
invest in wheat.
The
CFTC and U.S. designated contract markets, such as the CBOT, may
establish position limits on the maximum net long or net short
futures contracts in commodity interests that any person or group
of persons under common trading control (other than as a hedge,
which an investment by the Fund is not) may hold, own or control.
For example, the current position limit for investments at any one
time in the Wheat Futures Contracts are 600 spot month contracts,
12,000 contracts expiring in any other single month, and 12,000
total for all months. Wheat Swaps are subject to position limits
that are similar to, but currently measured separately from, the
limits on Wheat Futures Contracts. These position limits are fixed
ceilings that the Fund would not be able to exceed without specific
CFTC authorization.
If the
Fund encounters position limits, accountability levels, or price
fluctuation limits for Wheat Futures Contracts on the CBOT, it may
then, if permitted under applicable regulatory requirements,
purchase Other Wheat Interests and/or Wheat Futures Contracts
listed on other U.S. exchanges or on foreign exchanges. However,
the Wheat Futures Contracts available on such foreign exchanges may
have different underlying sizes, deliveries, and prices. In
addition, the Wheat Futures Contracts available on these exchanges
may be subject to their own position limits and accountability
levels. In any case, notwithstanding the potential availability of
these instruments in certain circumstances, position limits could
force the Fund to limit the number of Creation Baskets that it
sells.
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity
Securities and Use of Proceeds
(a)
|
None.
|
(b)
|
On July
31, 2010, for all Funds listed below except the Teucrium
Agricultural Fund for which the contribution was made on April 1,
2011, the Sponsor made the following capital contributions and
received the following shares for that contribution prior to each
Fund’s commencement of operations; such shares were sold in
private offerings exempt from registration under Section 4(2) of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended:
|
1.
|
a $100
capital contribution to the Teucrium Soybean Fund, another series
of the Trust, in exchange for four shares of such
fund;
|
2.
|
a $100
capital contribution to the Teucrium Sugar Fund, another series of
the Trust, in exchange for four shares of such fund;
and
|
3.
|
a $100
capital contribution to the Teucrium Wheat Fund, another series of
the Trust, in exchange for four shares of such fund.
|
4.
|
a $100
capital contribution to the Teucrium Agricultural Fund, another
series of the Trust, in exchange for two shares of such
fund.
|
Teucrium
Corn Fund
Registration Statement on Form S-1
|
File Number
|
Registered Common Units
|
Effective Date
|
1
|
333-162033
|
30,000,000
|
June 7, 2010
|
2
|
333-187463
|
-
|
April 30, 2013
|
3
|
333-210010
|
-
|
April 29, 2016
|
4
|
333-230626
|
-
|
April 29, 2019
|
5
|
333-237234
|
10,000,000
|
May 1,
2020
|
From
June 9, 2010 (the commencement of operations) through March 31,
2020, 20,125,000 Shares of the Fund were sold at an aggregate
offering price of $555,409,027. The Fund paid fees to Foreside Fund
Services, LLC for its services to the Fund from June 9, 2010 (the
commencement of operations) through March 31, 2020 in an amount
equal to $979,547, resulting in net offering proceeds of
$554,429,479. The offering proceeds were invested in corn futures
contracts and cash and cash equivalents in accordance with the
Fund’s investment objective stated in the
prospectus.
Teucrium
Soybean Fund
Registration Statement on Form S-1
|
File Number
|
Registered Common Units
|
Effective Date
|
1
|
333-167590
|
10,000,000
|
June 13, 2011
|
2
|
333-196210
|
-
|
June 30, 2014
|
3
|
333-217247
|
-
|
May 1, 2017
|
4
|
333-223940
|
5,000,000
|
April 30, 2018
|
From
September 19, 2011 (the commencement of the offering) through March
31, 2020, 5,375,000 Shares of the Fund were sold at an aggregate
offering price of $101,138,574. The Fund paid fees to Foreside Fund
Services, LLC for its services to the Fund through March 31, 2020
in an amount equal to $149,574, resulting in net offering proceeds
of $100,989,000. The offering proceeds were invested in soybean
futures contracts and cash and cash equivalents in accordance with
the Fund’s investment objective stated in the
prospectus.
113
Teucrium
Sugar Fund
Registration Statement on Form S-1
|
File Number
|
Registered Common Units
|
Effective Date
|
1
|
333-167585
|
10,000,000
|
June 13, 2011
|
2
|
333-196211
|
-
|
June 30, 2014
|
3
|
333-217248
|
-
|
May 1, 2017
|
4
|
333-223941
|
5,000,000
|
April 30, 2018
|
From
September 19, 2011 (the commencement of the offering) through March
31, 2020, 5,350,000 Shares of the Fund were sold at an aggregate
offering price of $50,918,981. The Fund paid fees to Foreside Fund
Services, LLC for its services to the Fund through March 31, 2020
in an amount equal to $75,593, resulting in net offering proceeds
of $50,843,388. The offering proceeds were invested in sugar
futures contracts and cash and cash equivalents in accordance with
the Fund’s investment objective stated in the
prospectus.
Teucrium
Wheat Fund
Registration Statement on Form S-1
|
File Number
|
Registered Common Units
|
Effective Date
|
1
|
333-167591
|
10,000,000
|
June 13, 2011
|
2
|
333-196209
|
-
|
June 30, 2014
|
3
|
333-212481
|
25,050,000
|
July 15, 2016
|
4
|
333-230623
|
30,000,000
|
April 29, 2019
|
From
September 19, 2011 (the commencement of the offering) through March
31, 2020, 21,350,000 Shares of the Fund were sold at an aggregate
offering price of $182,865,496. The Fund paid fees to Foreside Fund
Services, LLC for its services to the Fund through March 31, 2020
in an amount equal to $332,810, resulting in net offering proceeds
of $182,532,686. The offering proceeds were invested in wheat
futures contracts and cash and cash equivalents in accordance with
the Fund’s investment objective stated in the
prospectus.
Teucrium
Agricultural Fund
Registration Statement on Form S-1
|
File Number
|
Registered Common Units
|
Effective Date
|
1
|
333-173691
|
5,000,000
|
February 10, 2012
|
2
|
333-201953
|
-
|
April 30, 2015
|
3
|
333-223943
|
-
|
April 30, 2018
|
From
March 28, 2012 (the commencement of the offering) through March 31,
2020, 375,000 Shares of the Fund were sold at an aggregate offering
price of $18,285,685. The Fund paid fees to Foreside Fund Services,
LLC for its services to the Fund through March 31, 2020 in an
amount equal to $11,352, resulting in net offering proceeds of
$18,274,333. The offering proceeds were invested in Shares of the
Underlying Funds and cash and cash equivalents in accordance with
the Fund’s investment objective stated in the
prospectus.
114
Issuer Purchases of CORN Shares:
Period
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased
|
Average Price Paid per Share
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced
Plans or Programs
|
Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares that May Yet
Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
|
January
1 to January 31, 2020
|
250,000
|
$14.73
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
February
1 to February 29, 2020
|
200,000
|
$14.04
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
March
1 to March 31, 2020
|
350,000
|
$13.73
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Total
|
800,000
|
$14.12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
1 to March 31, 2020
|
800,000
|
$14.12
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Issuer Purchases of CANE Shares:
Period
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased
|
Average Price Paid per Share
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced
Plans or Programs
|
Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares that May Yet
Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
|
January
1 to January 31, 2020
|
100,000
|
$7.38
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
February
1 to February 29, 2020
|
250,000
|
$7.38
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
March
1 to March 31, 2020
|
225,000
|
$6.12
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Total
|
575,000
|
$6.89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
1 to March 31, 2020
|
575,000
|
$6.89
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Issuer Purchases of WEAT Shares:
Period
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased
|
Average Price Paid per Share
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced
Plans or Programs
|
Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares that May Yet
Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
|
January
1 to January 31, 2020
|
200,000
|
$5.83
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
February
1 to February 29, 2020
|
200,000
|
$5.57
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
March
1 to March 31, 2020
|
350,000
|
$5.37
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Total
|
750,000
|
$5.55
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
1 to March 31, 2020
|
750,000
|
$5.55
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Issuer Purchases of SOYB Shares:
Period
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased
|
Average Price Paid per Share
|
Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced
Plans or Programs
|
Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares that May Yet
Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs
|
January
1 to January 31, 2020
|
50,000
|
$15.46
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
February
1 to February 29, 2020
|
75,000
|
$14.58
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
March
1 to March 31, 2020
|
150,000
|
$13.85
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Total
|
275,000
|
$14.34
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
1 to March 31, 2020
|
275,000
|
$14.34
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
Issuer Purchases of TAGS Shares: Nothing to Report
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item 4. Mine Safety
Disclosures
None.
Item 5. Other
Information
(a)
None.
(b) Not
Applicable.
115
Item 6. Exhibits
The
following exhibits are filed as part of this report as required
under Item 601 of Regulation S-K:
Certification
by the Principal Executive Officer of the Registrant pursuant to
Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of the Exchange Act. (1)
|
|
|
|
Certification
by the Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant pursuant to
Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of the Exchange Act. (1)
|
|
|
|
Certification
by the Principal Executive Officer of the Registrant pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (1)
|
|
|
|
Certification
by the Principal Financial Officer of the Registrant pursuant to 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. (1)
|
|
|
|
101.INS
|
XBRL
Instance Document
|
|
|
101.SCH
|
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Schema
|
|
|
101.CAL
|
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
|
|
|
101.DEF
|
XBRL
Taxonomy Definition Linkbase
|
|
|
101.LAB
|
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
|
|
|
101.PRE
|
XBRL
Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase
|
|
|
(1)
Filed herewith.
116
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Teucrium Commodity Trust (Registrant)
|
|
|
By:
|
Teucrium
Trading, LLC
|
|
|
its Sponsor
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Cory Mullen-Rusin
|
|
Name:
|
Cory Mullen-Rusin
|
|
|
Chief Financial Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date May 8, 2020
|
|
Teucrium Commodity Trust (Registrant)
|
|
|
By:
|
Teucrium
Trading, LLC
|
|
|
its Sponsor
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Sal Gilbertie
|
|
Name:
|
Sal Gilbertie
|
|
|
Chief Executive Officer
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date:
May 8, 2020
|
|
117