Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund (the ‘‘Fund’’) was organized as a non-diversified series of Investment Managers Series Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) which is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund seeks to achieve current income and long-term growth of capital. The Fund commenced investment operations on December 31, 2013, with three classes of shares, Class A, Class C and Institutional Class. The Fund did not earn any income or incur any expenses during the period ended December 31, 2013.
The shares of each class represent an interest in the same portfolio of investments of the Fund and have equal rights as to voting, redemptions, dividends, liquidation, income and expenses, except class specific expenses, subject to the approval of the Trustees. Shareholders of a class that bears distribution and service expenses under the terms of a distribution plan have exclusive voting rights to that distribution plan.
Note 2 – Accounting Policies
The following is a summary of the significant accounting policies consistently followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
(a) Valuation of Investments
The Fund values equity securities at the last reported sale price on the principal exchange or in the principal over the counter (“OTC”) market in which such securities are traded, as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the day the securities are being valued or, if there are no sales, at the mean between the last available bid and asked prices on that day. Securities traded on the NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). Debt securities are valued at the mean between the last available bid and asked prices for such securities, or if such prices are not available, at fair value considering prices for securities of comparable maturity, quality and type. All other types of securities, including restricted securities and securities for which market quotations are not readily available, are valued at fair value as determined in accordance with procedures established in good faith by the Board of Trustees. Short-term securities with remaining maturities of sixty days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.
A Fund’s assets are valued at their fair market value. If a market quotation is not readily available for a portfolio security, the security will be valued at fair value (the amount which the Fund might reasonably expect to receive for the security upon its current sale) as determined in good faith by the Fund’s advisor, subject to review and approval by the Valuation Committee, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. The actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed by the Board at its next regularly scheduled board meeting. The Valuation Committee meets as needed. The Valuation Committee is comprised of all the Trustees but action may be taken by any one of the Trustees.
Trading in securities on many foreign securities exchanges and OTC markets is normally completed before the close of business on each U.S. business day. In addition, securities trading in a particular country or countries may not take place on all U.S. business days or may take place on days which are not U.S. business days. Changes in valuations on certain securities may occur at times or on days on which the Fund’s net asset values (“NAV”) are not calculated and on which the Fund does not affect sales and redemptions of its shares.
Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued
(b) Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses
Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses on investments are determined on the identified cost basis. Dividend income is recorded net of applicable withholding taxes on the ex-dividend date and interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Discounts or premiums on debt securities are accreted or amortized to interest income over the lives of the respective securities using the effective interest method. Income and expenses of the Fund are allocated on a pro rata basis to each class of shares, except for distribution fees which are unique to each class of shares. Expenses incurred by the Trust with respect to more than one fund are allocated in proportion to the net assets of each fund except where allocation of direct expenses to each Fund or an alternative allocation method can be more appropriately made.
(c) Federal Income Taxes
The Fund intends to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to regulated investment companies and to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and any net realized gains to its shareholders. Therefore, no provision is made for federal income or excise taxes. Due to the timing of dividend distributions and the differences in accounting for income and realized gains and losses for financial statement and federal income tax purposes, the fiscal year in which amounts are distributed may differ from the year in which the income and realized gains and losses are recorded by the Fund.
Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes
(the “Income Tax Statement”) requires an evaluation of tax positions taken (or expected to be taken) in the course of preparing a Fund’s tax returns to determine whether these positions meet a “more-likely-than-not” standard that, based on the technical merits, have a more than fifty percent likelihood of being sustained by a taxing authority upon examination. A tax position that meets the “more-likely-than-not” recognition threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The Fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations.
The Income Tax Statement requires management of the Fund to analyze tax positions taken in the prior three open tax years, if any, and tax positions expected to be taken in the Fund’s current tax year, as defined by the IRS statute of limitations for all major jurisdictions, including federal tax authorities and certain state tax authorities. For the period ended December 31, 2013, the Fund did not have a liability for any unrecognized tax benefits. The Fund has no examination in progress and is not aware of any tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits will significantly change in the next twelve months.
(d) Distributions to Shareholders
The Fund will make distributions of net investment income quarterly and capital gains, if any, at least annually. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The amount and timing of distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP.
The character of distributions made during the year from net investment income or net realized gains may differ from the characterization for federal income tax purposes due to differences in the recognition of income expense and gain (loss) items for financial statement and tax purposes. Where appropriate, reclassifications between net asset accounts are made for such differences that are permanent in nature.
Note 3 – Investment Advisory and Other Agreements
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Liberty Street Advisors, Inc. (the “Advisor”). Under the terms of the Agreement, the Fund pays a monthly investment advisory fee to the Advisor at the annual rate of 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Advisor engages Chilton Capital Management LLC (the “Sub‐Advisor”) to manage the Fund and pays the Sub‐Advisor from its advisory fees.
Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued
Effective December 31, 2013, the Advisor has contractually agreed to waive its fee and, if necessary, to waive other operating expenses in order to limit total annual operating expenses (excluding taxes, interest, portfolio transaction expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses as determined in accordance with Form N-1A, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or acquisition and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses) to 1.50%, 2.25% and 1.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for Class A, Class C and Institutional Class shares, respectively, until April 30, 2015.
Foreside Fund Services, LLC, (“Foreside”) serves as the Fund’s distributor; UMB Fund Services, Inc. (“UMBFS”) serves as the Fund’s fund accountant, transfer agent and co-administrator; and Mutual Fund Administration Corporation (“MFAC”) serves as the Fund’s other co-administrator. UMB Bank, n.a., an affiliate of UMBFS, serves as the Fund’s custodian.
Certain trustees and officers of the Trust are employees of UMBFS or MFAC. The Fund does not compensate trustees and officers affiliated with the Fund’s co-administrators.
Cipperman & Co. provides Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) services to the Trust.
Note 4 – Distribution Plan
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act that allows the Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale and distribution of its shares. With respect to Class A Shares, the maximum annual fee payable to the Distributor for such distribution and/or administrative services is 0.25% of the average daily net assets of such shares. For Class C Shares, the maximum annual fees payable to the Distributor for distribution services and administrative services are 0.75% and 0.25%, respectively, of the average daily net assets of such shares. The Institutional Class does not pay any distribution fees.
The Advisor’s affiliated broker‐dealer, HRC Fund Associates, LLC (“HRC”), Member FINRA/SIPC, markets the Fund shares to financial intermediaries pursuant to a marketing agreement with the Advisor. In addition, HRC may receive sales charges from the Fund’s Distributor for activities relating to the marketing of Fund shares pursuant to a wholesaling agreement with the Fund’s Distributor. For the period ended December 31, 2013, HRC Fund Associates, LLC did not receive any distribution fees or sales commissions.
Note 5 – Shareholder Servicing Plan
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has adopted a Shareholder Servicing Plan to pay a fee at an annual rate of up to 0.15% of average daily net assets of shares serviced by shareholder servicing agents who provide administrative and support services to their customers.
Note 6 – Indemnifications
In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations which provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet occurred. However, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.
Note 7 – Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure
Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures
defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with GAAP, and expands disclosure about fair value measurements. It also provides guidance on determining when there has been a significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for an asset or liability, when a transaction is not orderly, and how that information must be incorporated into a fair value measurement.
Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Continued
Under
Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures
, various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments. These inputs are summarized into three broad Levels as described below:
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Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access.
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Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.
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Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available, representing the Fund’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, and would be based on the best information available.
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The availability of observable inputs can vary from security to security and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of security, whether the security is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the security. 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. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.
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 falls in its entirety, is determined based on the lowest Level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. The Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2013, and held no investments at period end.
Note 8 – Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities
Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities
requires an entity to disclose information about offsetting and related arrangements to enable users of its financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on its financial position. The guidance requires retrospective application for all comparative periods presented. Management has evaluated the impact on the financial statement disclosures and determined that there is no effect.
Note 9 – Events Subsequent to the Fiscal Period End
The Fund has adopted financial reporting rules regarding subsequent events which require an entity to recognize in the financial statements the effects of all subsequent events that provide additional evidence about conditions that existed at the date of the balance sheet. Management has evaluated the Fund’s related events and transactions that occurred through the date of issuance of the Fund’s financial statements. There were no events or transactions that occurred during this period that materially impacted the amounts or disclosures in the Fund’s financial statements.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Trustees of Investment Managers Series Trust and
Shareholders of Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund
We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of the Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund (the “Fund”), a series of Investment Managers Series Trust as of December 31, 2013, and the related statement of changes for the one day in the period ended December 31, 2013. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund as of December 31, 2013, and the changes in its net assets for the one day in the period ended December 31, 2013, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 28, 2014
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Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund
a series of the Investment Managers Series Trust
Investment Advisor
Liberty Street Advisors, Inc.
125 Maiden Lane, 6
th
Floor
New York, New York 10038
Sub-Advisor
Chilton Capital Management LLC
1177 West Loop South, Suite 1310
Houston, Texas 77027
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Tait, Weller & Baker LLP
1818 Market Street, Suite 2400
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Custodian
UMB Bank, n.a.
928 Grand Boulevard, 5
th
Floor
Kansas City, Missouri 64106
Fund Co-Administrator
Mutual Fund Administration Corporation
2220 E. Route 66, Suite 226
Glendora, California 91740
Fund Co-Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant
UMB Fund Services, Inc.
803 West Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233-2301
Distributor
Foreside Fund Services, LLC
Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100
Portland, Maine 04101
www.foreside.com