LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tortoise today announced that effective June 15, 2018, the Tortoise Water Fund (TBLU), an exchange-traded fund, will shift its investment approach to track the net total return of the Tortoise Global Water ESG IndexSM and will be renamed Tortoise Global Water ESG Fund; the ticker symbol will not change.
These changes will impact the fund by shifting the strategy to focus globally, increasing the strictness of the water revenue requirement for admittance and the addition of an ESG overlay, where every company in the index is ranked on environmental, social and governance standards and must adhere to a numerical threshold to be included.
“We have strong conviction regarding the investment opportunity in the water sector, and we believe a global focus further enhances our strategy,” said Portfolio Manager, Matthew Weglarz. “Investors have also been supportive of making an impact on the water crisis globally and doing so in a socially responsible way.”
Earlier this year, Tortoise launched the Tortoise Global Water ESG IndexSM, an index comprised of companies that we believe represent the current global water landscape, make conscientious efforts to positively impact the world environmentally, socially and with solid governance and appear poised to participate and benefit from growth in the water industry.
“Tortoise’s goal is to make an impact through essential assets and income investing,” said Tortoise’s Chief Strategy Officer, Michelle Kelly. “The enhancements we’ve made to TBLU fit very well into that mission. By implementing the ESG index overlay, we’re helping to make a positive impact on alleviating the global water crisis through our investment in companies with sustainable investment practices.”
This is the first in a suite of sustainable investment products that Tortoise plans to launch.
Tortoise Global Water ESG Fund (TBLU) uses a passive management approach and seeks to track the net total return performance of the Tortoise Global Water ESG IndexSM. TBLU provides access to the water infrastructure, management and treatment companies that appear poised to benefit from the expected and much needed investment in rebuilding existing infrastructure, constructing new infrastructure and better managing this vital, but finite resource.
Tortoise Global Water ESG IndexSM is a proprietary, rules-based, modified capitalization-weighted, float-adjusted index comprised of companies that are materially engaged in the water infrastructure or water management industries. It is comprised of companies that represent the current global water landscape, make conscientious efforts to positively impact the world environmentally, socially, and with solid governance, and appear poised to participate and benefit from growth in the water industry. As such, the methodology requires candidates for this index to achieve a minimum level of ESG score, as determined by Sustainalytics.
About Tortoise
Tortoise invests in assets and services that serve essential needs in society and can also serve essential client needs, such as diversification and income. Tortoise's expertise in sustainable infrastructure focuses on high quality, long-lived renewable and low carbon energy including wind, solar and battery storage assets as well as water infrastructure and treatment facilities. Through a variety of investment vehicles, Tortoise provides access to a wide range of client solutions, focused on their evolving needs. For more information, please visit www.tortoiseadvisors.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains certain statements that may include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are "forward-looking statements." Although the funds and Tortoise believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the funds’ reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Other than as required by law, the funds and Tortoise do not assume a duty to update this forward-looking statement.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the laws of such state or jurisdiction.
Disclosures
Tortoise Index Solutions, LLC is the adviser to the Tortoise Global Water ESG Fund and is a registered investment adviser providing research-driven indices that can be used as a realistic basis for exchange-traded products and thought leadership in the universe of essential assets. Its indices are intended to fill a void in the market and provide benchmarks and investable asset class universes for use by investment professionals, research analysts and industry executives to analyze relative performance as well as to provide a basis for passively managed exchange-traded products.
The fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The summary and statutory prospectus contains this and other important information about the fund and may be obtained by calling 844-TR-INDEX (844-874-6339) or visiting www.tortoiseadvisors.com. Read it carefully before investing.
Shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are not individually redeemable and owners of the shares may acquire those shares from the ETF and tender those shares for redemption to the ETF in Creation Units only, see the ETF prospectus for additional information regarding Creation Units. Investors may purchase or sell ETF shares throughout the day through any brokerage account, which will result in typical brokerage commissions.
Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Investment in the water infrastructure and management industry may significantly affect the value of the shares of the fund. Companies in the water industry are subject to environmental considerations, taxes, government regulation, price and supply fluctuations, competition and water conservation influences. Investments in non-U.S. companies (including Canadian issuers) involve risk not ordinarily associated with investments in securities and instruments of U.S. issuers, including risks related to political, social and economic developments abroad, differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory and accounting requirements, tax risk and market practices, as well as fluctuations in foreign currencies. The fund invests in small and mid-cap companies, which involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility than larger companies.
The fund is not actively managed, and therefore the fund generally will not sell a security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is removed from the index or the selling of the security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the index. There is no guarantee that the fund will achieve a high degree of correlation to the index and therefore achieve its investment objective. The fund has elected to be, and intends to qualify each year for treatment as, a regulated investment company (RIC). To maintain the fund’s qualification for federal income tax treatment as a RIC, the fund must meet certain source of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If for any taxable year the fund fails to qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded to RICs, all of the fund’s taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders) and its income available for distribution will be reduced. Derivatives involve risks different from, and in certain cases, greater than the risks presented by more traditional investments. The fund is non-diversified, meaning it may concentrate its assets in fewer individual holdings than a diversified fund. Therefore, the fund is more exposed to individual stock volatility than a diversified fund.
Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market.
The Tortoise Global Water ESG IndexSM and the Tortoise Water Index® are the exclusive property of Tortoise Index Solutions, LLC, which has contracted with S&P Opco, LLC (a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC) to calculate and maintain the Index. The Index is not sponsored by S&P Dow Jones Indices or its affiliates or its third party licensors (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices will not be liable for any errors or omission in calculating the Index. “Calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices” and its related stylized mark(s) are service marks of S&P Dow Jones Indices and have been licensed for use by Tortoise Index Solutions, LLC and its affiliates. S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“SPFS”), and Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any format or by any means including electronically or mechanically, by photocopying, or by any other form or manner whatsoever, without the prior written consent of Tortoise Index Solutions, LLC. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
Nothing contained in this communication constitutes tax, legal or investment advice. Investors must consult their tax adviser or legal counsel for advice and information concerning their particular situation.
Tortoise Index Solutions, adviser. Quasar Distributors, LLC, distributor
