IXP

About IXP

The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the S&P Global 1200 Communication Services 4.5/22.5/45 Capped IndexTM (the “Underlying Index”), which is designed to measure the performance of global equities in the communication services sector (as determined by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (the “Index Provider” or “SPDJI”)). The Underlying Index uses a capping methodology to limit the weight of the securities of any single issuer (as determined by SPDJI) to a maximum of 25% of the Underlying Index. Additionally, the capping methodology limits the sum of the weights of the securities of all issuers that individually constitute more than 5% of the weight of the Underlying Index to a maximum of 50% of the weight of the Underlying Index in the aggregate. In order to implement this capping methodology, the Underlying Index constrains at quarterly rebalance: (i) the weight of any single issuer to a maximum of 22.5%, and (ii) the aggregate weight of all issuers that individually exceed 4.5% of the index weight to maximum of 45%. In implementing this capping methodology, SPDJI may consider two or more companies as belonging to the same issuer where there is reasonable evidence of common control. The Underlying Index is a subset of the S&P Global 1200TM. The Underlying Index includes large-capitalization companies and may change over time. As of March 31, 2024, a significant portion of the Underlying Index is represented by securities of companies in the communication services industry or sector. The components of the Underlying Index are likely to change over time. As of March 31, 2024, the Underlying Index was composed of securities of companies in the following countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom (the “U.K.”) and the U.S. BFA uses an indexing approach to try to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Unlike many investment companies, the Fund does not try to “beat” the index it tracks and does not seek temporary defensive positions when markets decline or appear overvalued. Indexing may eliminate the chance that the Fund will substantially outperform the Underlying Index but also may reduce some of the risks of active management, such as poor security selection. Indexing seeks to achieve lower costs and better after-tax performance by aiming to keep portfolio turnover low in comparison to actively managed investment companies. BFA uses a representative sampling indexing strategy to manage the Fund. “Representative sampling” is an indexing strategy that involves investing in a representative sample of securities that collectively has an investment profile similar to that of an applicable underlying index. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market capitalization and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of an applicable underlying index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its Underlying Index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its Underlying Index (i.e., depositary receipts representing securities of the Underlying Index) and may invest up to 20% of its assets in certain futures, options and swap contracts, cash and cash equivalents, including shares of money market funds advised by BFA or its affiliates, as well as in securities not included in the Underlying Index, but which BFA believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Cash and cash equivalent investments associated with a derivative position will be treated as part of that position for the purposes of calculating the percentage of investments included in the Underlying Index. The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Underlying Index before fees and expenses of the Fund. The Fund may lend securities representing up to one-third of the value of the Fund's total assets (including the value of any collateral received). The Underlying Index is a product of SPDJI, which is independent of the Fund and BFA. The Index Provider determines the composition and relative weightings of the securities in the Underlying Index and publishes information regarding the market value of the Underlying Index. Industry Concentration Policy. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e., hold 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent that the Underlying Index is concentrated. For purposes of this limitation, securities of the U.S. government (including its agencies and instrumentalities) and repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. government securities are not considered to be issued by members of any industry.