Unified Series Trust N-CSRSCertified semi-annual shareholder report (management investment company)

united states
securities and exchange commission
washington, d.c. 20549

form n-csr

certified shareholder report of registered management
investment companies

Investment Company Act file number 811-21237

Unified Series Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 450

Cincinnati, OH 45246

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip code)

Zachary P. Richmond

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

225 Pictoria Drive. Suite 450

Cincinnati, OH 45246

(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: 513-587-3400

Date of fiscal year end: 9/30

Date of reporting period: 3/31/2024

Form N-CSR is to be used by management investment companies to file reports with the Commission not later than 10 days after the transmission to stockholders of any report that is required to be transmitted to stockholders under Rule 30e-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30e-1). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-CSR in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection and policymaking roles.

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-CSR, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-CSR unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget ("OMB") control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507.

Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

Semi-Annual Report

March 31, 2024

Fund Adviser:

Pekin Hardy Strauss, Inc.
227 West Monroe Street, Suite 3625
Chicago, IL 60606

Toll Free (800) 470-1029

www.appleseedfund.com

April 30, 2024

Dear Appleseed Shareholder:

“Although gold and silver are not by nature money,
money is by nature gold and silver.”

– Karl Marx

The author of The Communist Manifesto was not just a philosopher and political theorist; he was also an economist. In the 19th century, which is when Karl Marx was thinking and writing about politics, money was indeed gold and silver – or at least explicitly backed by gold and silver. One could walk into a bank and redeem U.S. dollars, British pounds, or any other common currency for physical gold. His profound statement underscores a fundamental truth that lost some relevance after the United States left the gold exchange standard in 1971 but has gained renewed significance in today’s economic landscape. Increasingly, investors and central banks have a renewed recognition that gold is a form of money with enduring value.

The last time we discussed the topic of gold in any amount of depth was after Q2 2020, at the end of a 12-month period when the gold price had just risen by 27%. At the time, not only did we discuss the investment case for gold, but we pointed out the attractive light environmental footprint of owning physical gold in a vault. We remained long-term bullish

on gold then, as we remain long-term bullish now. With that said, the pathway for the price of gold has been choppy, although generally positive, and we expect the future path for gold to rhyme with the past. After our Q2 2020 letter was written, the gold price stagnated for the next 2.5 years before the bull market in gold resumed at the end of 2022.

Rather than rehash the arguments that we put forth in our Q2 2020 letter, most of which remain compelling reasons to own a core position in gold during the 2020s, we are going to discuss what has changed since then that

might be causing the price of gold to rise of late. Over the last six months, the price of gold has risen 20% to reach new all-time highs, during a period where the U.S. dollar has strengthened relative to other currencies.¹

We have been asking ourselves, given the strength of the U.S. dollar, why would the price of gold be rising? In summary, we would answer that the price of gold has increased due to increasing monetary debasement (reducing the value of a currency), private demand in China and in other emerging market countries, and central bank policy-related demand. Importantly, we see no near-term catalyst to reverse these bullish trends.

Monetary Debasement

Since June 2020, as we expected, monetary debasement of the U.S. dollar has not just continued; it has accelerated. The money supply, as measured by M2, increased from $18.1 trillion to $20.9 trillion as of March 31, 2024. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased by 21% cumulatively, which means the price of a basket of goods in the United States is now 21% higher today than it was in June 2020. Moreover, it appears that monetary debasement is set to accelerate, with the United States continuing to post very large Federal deficits and the Federal Reserve signaling that they may reduce interest rates, despite the fact that inflation remains well above its 2% long-term goal.

Moreover, with debt increasing and interest rates increasing since June 2020, interest payments on U.S. Government debt are skyrocketing. Current spending on debt service is now above $1.2 trillion and exceeds the annual spending of the Department of Defense. In addition, interest expenses are accelerating as old debt matures and is refinanced with new debt at higher interest rates. In our view, we are getting closer to the point where the Federal Reserve may have to start funding the U.S.

Government’s growing deficits by buying U.S. Treasuries and capping interest rates at a low level, a process also known as yield curve control or debt monetization.

Emerging Market Investor Demand

While investors across emerging markets in Asia are participating in the growing demand for gold, Chinese investors in particular have emerged in driving substantial demand for gold. With a weak domestic real estate market and a falling stock market, Chinese investors are looking for more stable stores of value for their growing wealth. Because of capital controls, Chinese investors have limited investment options, and it appears that gold may be receiving capital flows that may have previously gone into stocks or real estate.

Interestingly, U.S. investors appear to be selling gold, reflected by the recent declines in the assets under management of U.S. gold ETFs, even in the face of a rising gold price. As gold keeps reaching new highs, gold headlines are sparse, and the excitement level about the rising gold price is muted among investors. Should U.S. investors choose to move more of their capital into gold, that would be another tailwind for the gold price. However, for now, waning U.S. investor demand represents a headwind for higher gold prices.

Central Bank Purchases

Central banks worldwide have significantly increased their gold purchases, marking a notable shift in reserve asset allocations. For the second consecutive year, central banks purchased more than 1,000 metric tons (tonnes) of gold, which is far higher than normal and more than triple the amount of gold that is mined out of the ground each year. The rationale behind this surge in central bank buying is multifaceted.

First, central banks view gold as a hedge against currency risks and a means to diversify their foreign currency reserves. Gold’s intrinsic value and historical role as a store of wealth make it an attractive asset for central banks seeking stability amid economic uncertainty.

Second, the evolving geopolitical landscape has influenced central bank behavior regarding gold acquisitions. The imposition of sanctions and geopolitical tensions by the United States and Europe, such as those applied to Russia after the Ukraine invasion, have raised concerns about the confiscation risk of

owning traditional reserve currencies and sovereign debt. As a result, central banks have bolstered their gold reserves significantly ever since the sanctions against Russia were announced.

Third, the evolution of alternative monetary systems, notably exemplified by initiatives driven by the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), has reshaped perceptions of gold as a settlement reserve asset. A growing consortium of countries have embarked on a path to establish a parallel monetary framework that reduces dependency on traditional reserve currencies. Instead of conducting trade in U.S. dollars, Euros, or Japanese Yen, these countries are trading with each other in their respective local currencies, with gold serving as a neutral settlement asset to address any imbalances. This approach promotes financial autonomy and resilience, reducing vulnerabilities associated with reliance on the U.S. dollar. Central to this alternative system is the recognition of gold as a stable and universally accepted medium of exchange, particularly in cross-border transactions.

Shift in Physical Gold Flow

Due to many of the trends described already, the dynamics of physical gold flow have undergone a noticeable transformation, reflecting changing market sentiments and geopolitical shifts. Traditional gold hubs in the West, such as London and Switzerland, have experienced a decline in gold inventories and trading activity. This shift is attributed to several factors, including subdued investor interest in Western markets, declining ETF inventories, and waning COMEX open interest.

As a result, physical gold appears to be flowing from West to East, with emerging economies in Asia, particularly China, emerging as a key driver of gold demand. The rise of private investors in these regions, coupled with

a cultural affinity for gold as a store of wealth, has also contributed to the eastward migration of gold flows. The net result of this shift in physical flows is that the price is increasingly being determined in Asia rather than in the West.

To conclude, we believe the surge in gold prices over the past six months reflects monetary debasement, emerging market investor demand and especially Chinese investor demand, central bank purchases, and important shifts in physical gold flow. Just looking at central bank demand for gold by itself being more than triple the annual mining supply, it would be hard to understand the gold price not rising as it has lately.

As geopolitical uncertainties persist and traditional financial paradigms evolve, we think gold is likely to increase in relevance from here as a strategic asset that transcends borders and economic cycles, with a higher commensurate with its increased relevance and, conversely, with the U.S. dollar’s depreciating value.

We have said this before, but we would reiterate that we think gold is poised to outperform the S&P 500® Index over the next decade, as it has over the past several years. As a result, the Fund is bullishly positioned in gold and is likely to remain so until the strong fundamentals that are driving higher gold prices change.

Performance and Portfolio Changes

Over the 6 months ended March 31, 2024, Appleseed Fund Institutional Class has generated an absolute return of 17.36%, slightly underperforming the Morningstar Global Small/Midcap Index, which generated a total return of 18.46%. Throughout most of the past year, Appleseed Fund was positioned for an inflationary, slow growth economy. With inflation levels falling, causing a ripping stock market since the end of 2022, Appleseed Fund’s cautious positioning held back investment returns. Plus, with the Magnificent Seven representing a huge portion of global stock returns, Appleseed’s lack of exposure to these large cap tech stocks limited returns.

Appleseed Fund added three new names to the portfolio in the past six months: Humana Inc. (HUM), AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC), and Cameco Corporation (CCJ). Humana is one of several U.S. large managed care organizations and is primarily focused on government health insurance.

Humana’s share price has fallen over 40.0% from post-COVID highs due to the recent emergence of elevated medical loss ratios. In our view, Humana’s stock has been severely punished and the stock was quite attractive at the time when Appleseed Fund took a position.

AGNC is an internally managed REIT focused on the agency RMBS sector. As the best of breed RMBS REIT, AGNC trades at a discount to tangible book value and offers a mid-teens dividend yield. With MBS spreads at a 3+ standard deviation from the mean, investors in AGNC will benefit from a normalization of mortgage credit spreads. While we wait for agency mortgage spreads to normalize, Appleseed Fund clips a ~1.3% dividend each month.

In terms of portfolio sales, Appleseed Fund liquidated its holdings in Evercore (EVR) and Genco Shipping & Holding (GNK). Both securities reached our estimates for intrinsic value, and we took the capital and invested it elsewhere. Within the equity portion of the portfolio, the biggest contributors to the Appleseed Fund’s performance over the past 12 months were Dollar General (DG), Sprouts Farmers Markets (SFM), AerCap (AER), Wesco International (WCC) and Ardelyx (ARDX). The most significant detractors from performance over the past 12 months have been Mosaic (MOS), VF Corporation (VFC), Humana (HUM), Roche (RHHBY), and Herbalife (HLF).

Currently, Appleseed Fund is positioned defensively in light of our bearish outlook on the economy. With regards to equities, we are favoring companies in the consumer staples, healthcare, and agriculture sectors as well as inexpensive, out-of-favor value stocks. We do not believe that inflation is under control, as most of the long-term drivers of inflation are secular, not cyclical, and remain in place. As an example, the Federal Reserve may make incremental progress on reported inflation, but falling U.S. Treasury receipts without a decline in unemployment is a highly problematic signal. The U.S. fiscal situation needs the U.S. dollar down and inflation back up to avoid significant fiscal problems in the near-term. Beyond equities, Appleseed Fund is overweight U.S. Treasuries and physical gold trusts. Appleseed Fund owns U.S. Treasuries because, as previously mentioned, short-term U.S. Treasuries have become attractive for the first time in many years.

We thank Appleseed Fund shareholders for their continued support of us in the management of their investable assets.

Sincerely,

Adam Strauss, CFA
William Pekin, CFA
Joseph Plevelich, CFA
Shaun Roach, CFA
Joshua Strauss, CFA

Appleseed Fund Portfolio Managers

The Fund’s Top Ten Holdings can be found at: www.appleseedfund.com.

Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against loss.

Investments in commodities such as gold may be affected by overall market movements, changes in interest rates, and other factors such as embargoes and international economic and political developments. Commodities are assets that have tangible properties, such as oil, metals, and agricultural products. These instruments may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities.

The views and opinions expressed in this material are those of the authors. While we believe we have a reasonable basis for our appraisals and we have confidence in our opinions, actual results may differ materially from those we anticipate. These opinions are current as of the date of this letter but are subject to change. There is no guarantee that any forecasts or opinions in this material will be realized. Information should not be construed as investment advice nor be considered a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular security.

The performance quoted represents past performance, which does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Appleseed Fund (the “Fund”) distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. The Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling (800) 470-1029.

expenses on securities sold short); acquired fund fees and expenses; fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); any amounts payable pursuant to a distribution or service plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; any administrative and/or shareholder servicing fees payable pursuant to a plan adopted by the Board of Trustees; expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization; extraordinary expenses (such as litigation expenses, indemnification of Trust officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers); and other expenses that the Trustees agree have not been incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) do not exceed 0.95% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Each waiver/expense payment by the Adviser is subject to recoupment by the Adviser from the Fund in the three years following the date the particular waiver/expense payment occurred, but only if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the annual expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver/expense payment and any expense limitation in effect at the time of the recoupment. This expense cap may not be terminated prior to this date except by the Board of Trustees upon 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser. Additional information pertaining to the Fund’s expense ratios as of March 31, 2024 can be found in the financial highlights, which do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.

You should consider the Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The Fund’s prospectus contains important information about the Fund’s investment objective, potential risks, management fees, charges and expenses, and other information and should be read carefully before investing. You may obtain a current copy of the Fund’s prospectus or performance data current to the most recent month-end by calling (800) 470-1029.

The Fund is distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

The Fund invests primarily in a portfolio of equity securities of companies that are undervalued in the opinion of the Adviser. The investment objective of the Fund is long-term capital appreciation.

Availability of Portfolio Schedule (Unaudited)

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and on the Fund’s website at www.appleseedfund.com.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

ADR — American Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION

Appleseed Fund (the “Fund”) is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a non-diversified series of Unified Series Trust (the “Trust”) on September 11, 2006. The Trust is an open-end investment company established under the laws of Ohio by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated October 14, 2002, as amended (the “Trust Agreement”). The Trust Agreement permits the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest of separate series. The Fund is one of a series of funds currently authorized by the Board. The Fund’s investment adviser is Pekin Hardy Strauss, Inc. (the “Adviser”). The investment objective of the Fund is to provide long-term capital appreciation.

The Fund currently offers two classes of shares, Investor Class and Institutional Class. Investor Class shares were first offered to the public on December 8, 2006; and Institutional Class shares were first offered to the public on January 31, 2011. Each share represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets and liabilities belonging to the applicable class and is entitled to such dividends and distributions out of income belonging to the applicable class as are declared by the Board. The primary difference between the two classes is attributable to the administrative service fee arrangements for the Investor Class. On matters that affect the Fund as a whole, each class has the same voting and other rights and preferences as any other class. On matters that affect only one class, only shareholders of that class may vote. Each class votes separately on matters affecting only that class, or on matters expressly required to be voted on separately by state or federal law. Shares of each class of a series have the same voting and other rights and preferences as the other classes and series of the Trust for matters that affect the Trust as a whole. The Fund may offer additional classes of shares in the future.

Non-Diversification Risk – As a non-diversified fund, the Fund’s portfolio may focus on a limited number of companies. Because the Fund may hold the securities of fewer issuers than a diversified fund, the poor performance of an individual security in the Fund’s portfolio may have a greater negative impact on the Fund’s performance than if the Fund’s asset were diversified among a larger number of portfolio securities.

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, “Financial Services-Investment Companies”. The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. These policies are in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Regulatory Update – Tailored Shareholder Reports for Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) – Effective January 24, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted rule and form amendments to require mutual funds and ETFs to transmit concise and visually engaging streamlined annual and semiannual reports to shareholders that highlight key information. Other information, including financial statements, will no longer appear in a streamlined shareholder report but must be available online, delivered free of charge upon request, and filed on a semiannual basis on Form N-CSR. The rule and form amendments have a compliance date of July 24, 2024. At this time, management is evaluating the impact of these amendments on the shareholder reports for the Fund.

Estimates – The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Translation – The accounting records of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Foreign currency amounts are translated into U.S. dollars at the current rate of exchange each business day to determine the value of investments, and other assets and liabilities. Purchases and sales of foreign securities, and income and expenses, are translated at the prevailing rate of exchange on the respective date of these transactions. The Fund does not isolate that portion of the results of operations resulting from changes in foreign exchange rates on investments from fluctuations arising from changes in market prices of securities held. These fluctuations are included with the realized and unrealized gain or loss from investments. Net realized gain (loss) on

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES — continued

foreign currency translations on the Statement of Operations represents currency gains (losses) realized between the trade and settlement dates on securities transactions, and the difference between the amount of investment income and foreign withholding taxes recorded on the Fund’s books and the U.S. dollar equivalent amounts actually received or paid. The change in unrealized currency gains (losses) on foreign currency translations for the period is reflected in the Statement of Operations.

Short Sales – The Fund may make short sales as part of its overall portfolio management strategies or to offset a potential decline in value of a security. The Fund may engage in short sales with respect to various types of securities, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and futures. A short sale involves the sale of a security that is borrowed from a broker or other institution to complete the sale. The Fund may engage in short sales with respect to securities it owns, as well as securities that it does not own. Short sales expose the Fund to the risk that it will be required to acquire, convert, or exchange securities to replace the borrowed securities (also known as “covering” the short position) at a time when the securities sold short have appreciated in value, thus resulting in a loss to the Fund. The Fund’s investment performance may also suffer if the Fund is required to close out a short position earlier than it had intended. The Fund will be required to pledge its liquid assets to the broker in order to secure its performance on short sales. As a result, the assets pledged may not be available to meet the Fund’s needs for immediate cash or other liquidity. In addition, the Fund may be subject to expenses related to short sales that are not typically associated with investing in securities directly, such as costs of borrowing and margin account maintenance costs associated with the Fund’s open short positions. These types of short sales expenses are sometimes referred to as the “negative cost of carry,” and will tend to cause the Fund to lose money on a short sale even in instances where the price of the underlying security sold short does not change over the duration of the short sale. Dividend expenses on securities sold short and borrowing costs are not covered under the Adviser’s expense limitation agreement with the Fund and, therefore, these expenses will be borne by the shareholders of the Fund. The Fund’s ESG investment screens are not applied to short sales.

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES — continued

Federal Income Taxes – The Fund makes no provision for federal income or excise tax. The Fund has qualified and intends to qualify each year as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, by complying with the requirements applicable to RICs and by distributing substantially all of its taxable income. The Fund also intends to distribute sufficient net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, so that it will not be subject to excise tax on undistributed income and gains. If the required amount of net investment income or gains is not distributed, the Fund could incur a tax expense.

As of and during the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Fund did not have any liabilities for any unrecognized tax benefits. The Fund recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense in the Statement of Operations when incurred. During the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Fund did not incur any interest or penalties. Management of the Fund has reviewed tax positions taken in tax years that remain subject to examination by all major tax jurisdictions, including federal (i.e., the previous three years tax year ends and the interim tax period since then, as applicable) and has concluded that no provision for unrecognized tax benefits or expenses is required in these financial statements and does not expect this to change over the next twelve months.

Expenses – Expenses incurred by the Trust that do not relate to a specific fund of the Trust are allocated to the individual funds based on each fund’s relative net assets or another appropriate basis (as determined by the Board). Expenses specifically attributable to any class are borne by that class. Income, realized gains and losses, unrealized appreciation and depreciation, and fund-wide expenses not allocated to a particular class shall be allocated to each class based on the net assets of that class in relation to the net assets of the entire fund.

Security Transactions and Related Income – The Fund follows industry practice and records security transactions on the trade date for financial reporting purposes. The specific identification method is used for determining gains or losses for financial statements and income tax purposes. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date and

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES — continued

interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Dividend income from Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) and distributions from Limited Partnerships are recognized on the ex-date. The calendar year end classification of distributions received from REITs during the fiscal year are reported subsequent to year end; accordingly, the Fund estimates the character of REIT distributions based on the most recent information available. Income or loss from Limited Partnerships is reclassified in the components of net assets upon receipt of K-1’s. Discounts and premiums on securities purchased are amortized or accreted using the effective interest method. Withholding taxes on foreign dividends have been provided for in accordance with the Fund’s understanding of the applicable country’s tax rules and rates. The ability of issuers of debt securities held by the Fund to meet their obligations may be affected by economic and political developments in a specific country or region.

Redemption Fees – The Fund charges a 2.00% redemption fee, applicable to each share class, for shares redeemed within 90 calendar days of purchase. These fees are deducted from the redemption proceeds otherwise payable to the shareholder. The Fund will retain the fee charged as an increase in paid-in capital and such fees become part of the Fund’s daily net asset value (“NAV”) calculation.

Dividends and Distributions – The Fund intends to distribute its net investment income and net realized long-term and short-term capital gains, if any, at least annually. Dividends and distributions to shareholders, which are determined in accordance with income tax regulations, are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The treatment for financial reporting purposes of distributions made to shareholders during the period from net investment income or net realized capital gains may differ from their ultimate treatment for federal income tax purposes. These differences are caused primarily by differences in the timing of the recognition of certain components of income, expense or realized capital gain for federal income tax purposes. Where such differences are permanent in nature, they are reclassified among the components of net assets based on their ultimate characterization for federal income tax purposes. Any such reclassifications will have no effect on net assets, results of operations or NAV per share of the Fund.

NOTE 3. SECURITIES VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Fund values its portfolio securities at fair value as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each business day the NYSE is open for business. Fair value is defined as the price that the Fund would receive upon selling an investment in a timely transaction to an independent buyer in the principal or most advantageous market of the investment. GAAP establishes a three-tier hierarchy to maximize the use of observable market data and minimize the use of unobservable inputs and to establish classification of fair value measurements for disclosure purposes.

Inputs refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk (the risk inherent in a particular valuation technique used to measure fair value including a pricing model and/or the risk inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique). Inputs may be observable or unobservable. Observable inputs are inputs that reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on market data obtained and available from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances.

Various inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments.

These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below.

NOTE 3. SECURITIES VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — continued

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 which is reported is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.

Equity securities that are traded on any stock exchange are generally valued at the last quoted sale price on the security’s primary exchange. Lacking a last sale price, an exchange-traded security is generally valued at its last bid price. Securities traded in the Nasdaq over-the-counter market are generally valued at the Nasdaq Official Closing Price. When using market quotations and when the market is considered active, the security is classified as a Level 1 security. In the event that market quotations are not readily available or are considered unreliable due to market or other events, securities are valued in good faith by the Adviser, as Valuation Designee, under the oversight of the Board’s Pricing & Liquidity Committee. The Adviser has adopted written policies and procedures for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available. In the event that market quotes are not readily available, and the security or asset cannot be valued pursuant to one of the valuation methods, the value of the security or asset will be determined in good faith by the Valuation Designee pursuant to its policies and procedures. To assist the Valuation Designee in carrying out the responsibility to determine the fair value of any securities or other assets for which market quotations are not readily available, the Trust has created a fair valuation pricing committee (the “Fair Value Committee”). The Fair Value Committee consists of the following standing members: (a) the Trust’s Treasurer or designee, (b) a representative of Ultimus and (c) on an ad hoc basis at a particular valuation time for which a fair valuation method is being determined for a Fund, a representative of the Adviser, which is the Valuation Designee. The Fair Value Committee will review any fair value provided by the Valuation Designee, subject to the ultimate review of the pricing methodology by the Pricing & Liquidity Committee

NOTE 3. SECURITIES VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — continued

of the Board on a quarterly basis. Under these policies, the securities will be classified as Level 2 or 3 within the fair value hierarchy, depending on the inputs used.

Investments in mutual funds, including money market mutual funds, are generally priced at the ending NAV provided by the service agent of the mutual funds. These securities are categorized as Level 1 securities.

Debt securities are valued by using the mean between the closing bid and ask prices provided by a pricing service. If the closing bid and ask prices are not readily available, the pricing service may provide a price determined by a matrix pricing method. Matrix pricing is a mathematical technique used to value fixed income securities without relying exclusively on quoted prices. Matrix pricing takes into consideration recent transactions, yield, liquidity, risk, credit quality, coupon, maturity, type of issue and any other factors or market data the pricing service deems relevant for the actual security being priced and for other securities with similar characteristics. These securities will generally be categorized as Level 2 securities. If the Board or the Adviser decides that a price provided by the pricing service does not accurately reflect the fair value of the securities or when prices are not readily available from a pricing service, securities are valued at fair value as determined by the Valuation Designee, in conformity with guidelines adopted by and subject to review of the Board through its Pricing & Liquidity Committee. These securities will generally be categorized as Level 3 securities.

Certificates of deposit are priced at their original cost, which approximates their fair value, through maturity date. These securities will be classified as Level 2 securities.

Option contracts are generally traded on an exchange and are generally valued at the last trade price, as provided by a pricing service. If there is no such reported sale on the valuation date, long positions are valued at the most recent bid price, and short positions are valued at the most recent ask price. The option contracts will generally be categorized as Level 1 securities unless the market is considered inactive or the absence of a last bid or ask price, in which case, they will be categorized as Level 2 securities.

NOTE 3. SECURITIES VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — continued

In accordance with the Trust’s valuation policies and fair value determinations pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act, the Valuation Designee is required to consider all appropriate factors relevant to the value of securities for which it has determined other pricing sources are not available or reliable as described above. No single method exists for determining fair value because fair value depends upon the circumstances of each individual case. As a general principle, the current fair value of a security being valued by the Valuation Designee would be the amount that the Fund might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale. Methods that are in accordance with this principle may, for example, be based on (i) a multiple of earnings; (ii) a discount from market prices of a similar freely traded security (including a derivative security or a basket of securities traded on other markets, exchanges or among dealers); or (iii) yield to maturity with respect to debt issues, or a combination of these and other methods. Fair-value pricing is permitted if, in the Valuation Designee’s opinion, the validity of market quotations appears to be questionable based on factors such as evidence of a thin market in the security based on a small number of quotations, a significant event occurs after the close of a market but before the Fund’s NAV calculation that may affect a security’s value, or the Valuation Designee is aware of any other data that calls into question the reliability of market quotations. The Valuation Designee may obtain assistance from others in fulfilling its duties. For example, it may seek assistance from pricing services, fund administrators, sub-advisers, accountants, or counsel; it may also consult the Trust’s Fair Value Committee. The Valuation Designee, however, remains responsible for the final fair value determination any may not designate or assign that responsibility to any third party.

NOTE 3. SECURITIES VALUATION AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — continued

The following is a summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments as of March 31, 2024:

A reconciliation of Level 3 investments and disclosures of significant unobservable inputs are presented when the Fund has a significant amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the period in relation to Net Assets. Management has concluded that Level 3 investments are not material in relation to Net Assets.

For the six months ended March 31, 2024, there were no significant changes into/out of Level 3.

NOTE 4. DERIVATIVE TRANSACTIONS

The Fund may engage in options and futures transactions, which are sometimes referred to as derivative transactions. The Fund uses derivative instruments for any purpose consistent with its investment objective, such as for hedging or obtaining interest rate exposure. The Fund also may use derivative instruments to obtain market exposure (that is, for speculative purposes rather than hedging). The Adviser may establish a position in the derivatives market as a substitute for buying,

NOTE 4. DERIVATIVE TRANSACTIONS — continued

selling, or holding certain securities. The use of derivative instruments may provide a less expensive, more expedient or more specifically focused way to invest than traditional securities would.

Written Options Contracts – The Fund may write options contracts for which premiums received are recorded as liabilities and are subsequently adjusted to the current value of the options written. Premiums received from writing options which expire are treated as realized gains. Premiums received from writing options which are either exercised or closed are offset against the proceeds received or the amount paid on the transaction to determine realized gains or losses. Investing in written options contracts exposes a Fund to equity price risk.

The following table identifies the effect of derivative instruments on the Statement of Operations for the six months ended March 31, 2024.

For the six months ended March 31, 2024:

The following table summarizes the average ending monthly fair value of derivatives outstanding during the six months ended March 31, 2024:

The Fund did not hold any derivatives at March 31, 2024.

NOTE 5. FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES

The Adviser, under the terms of the management agreement with the Trust with respect to the Fund (the “Agreement”), manages the Fund’s investments. As compensation for its management services, the Fund is obligated to pay the Adviser a management fee computed and accrued

NOTE 5. FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES — continued

daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.85% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, before the waiver described below, the Adviser earned a fee of $304,336 from the Fund. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through January 31, 2025 so that total annual operating expenses (excluding portfolio transaction and other investment-related costs (including brokerage fees and commissions); taxes; borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short); acquired fund fees and expenses; fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); any amounts payable pursuant to a distribution or service plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act; any administrative and/or shareholder servicing fees payable pursuant to a plan adopted by the Board; expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization; extraordinary expenses (such as litigation expenses, indemnification of Trust officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers); and other expenses that the Trustees agree have not been incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) do not exceed 0.95% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Adviser waived management fees of $140,450. At March 31, 2024, the Adviser was owed $29,321 from the Fund for management services.

Each fee waiver/expense payment by the Adviser is subject to recoupment by the Adviser from the Fund in the three years following the date in which that particular waiver/expense payment occurred, but only if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the annual expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver/expense payment and any expense limitation in effect at the time of the recoupment. As of March

NOTE 5. FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES — continued

31, 2024, the Adviser may seek repayment of management fees waived and expenses reimbursed pursuant to the aforementioned conditions from the Fund no later than the dates stated below:

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC (“Ultimus”) provides administration, fund accounting and transfer agent services to the Fund. The Fund pays Ultimus fees in accordance with the agreements for such services.

Northern Lights Compliance Services, LLC (“NLCS”), an affiliate of Ultimus, provides a Chief Compliance Officer to the Trust, as well as related compliance services, pursuant to a consulting agreement between NLCS and the Trust. Under the terms of such agreement, NLCS receives fees from the Fund, which are approved annually by the Board.

Under the terms of a Distribution Agreement with the Trust, Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter to the Fund. The Distributor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ultimus. The Distributor is compensated by the Adviser (not the Fund) for acting as principal underwriter.

Certain officers of the Trust are also employees of Ultimus and such persons are not paid by the Fund for serving in such capacities. One Trustee is a former employee of Ultimus who is not currently paid by the Fund for serving in such capacity.

The Board supervises the business activities of the Trust. Each Trustee serves as a trustee until termination of the Trust unless the Trustee dies, resigns, retires, or is removed. The Chair of the Board and more than 75% of the Trustees are “Independent Trustees,” which means that they are not “interested persons” as defined in the 1940 Act. The Independent Trustees review and establish compensation at least annually. Each Independent Trustee of the Trust receives annual compensation, which is an established amount paid quarterly per fund in the Trust at the time of the regular

NOTE 5. FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES — continued

quarterly Board meetings. The Chair of the Board receives the highest compensation, commensurate with his additional duties and each Chair of a committee receives additional compensation as well. Independent Trustees also receive additional fees for attending any special meetings. In addition, the Trust reimburses Independent Trustees for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in conjunction with attendance at meetings.

The Fund has adopted an Administrative Services Plan with respect to Investor Class shares, pursuant to which the Fund pays an annual fee of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund’s Investor Class shares to reimburse the Adviser for compensating financial intermediaries who provide administrative services to the Investor Class shareholders. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its receipt of payments under the Administrative Services Plan, to the extent such payments exceed an annual rate of 0.19% of the average daily net assets of Investor Class shares. This contractual waiver is in effect through January 31, 2025. Financial intermediaries eligible to receive payments under the Administrative Services Plan include mutual fund supermarkets and other platforms sponsored by any 401(k) plan, bank, trust company or broker-dealer that have entered into an agreement with the Fund or the Fund’s distributor to sell the Fund’s Investor Class shares. For purposes of the Administrative Services Plan, administrative services include, but are not limited to (i) acting as record holder and nominee of Investor Class shares beneficially owned by the financial intermediary’s customers; (ii) providing sub-accounting services to such customers; (iii) processing and issuing confirmations with respect to orders to purchase, redeem or exchange Investor Class shares; (iv) processing dividend payments; and (v) providing periodic account statements. For the six months ended March 31, 2024, the Investor Class incurred Administrative Services fees of $31,577 ($23,999 after the waiver described above). At March 31, 2024, $4,038 was owed to the Adviser pursuant to the Administrative Services Plan.

The Trust, with respect to the Investor Class shares of the Fund, has adopted a Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act, pursuant to which the Fund is authorized to pay a fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class shares of the Fund to the Adviser or any bank, broker-dealer, investment adviser or other financial intermediary

NOTE 5. FEES AND OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES — continued

that assists the Fund in the sale and distribution of its Investor Class shares or that provides shareholder servicing. The Fund does not currently intend to activate the Plan but may do so upon 60 days’ notice to shareholders. If the Plan is activated, these fees will, over time, increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an on-going basis.

NOTE 6. INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS

For the six months ended March 31, 2024, purchases and sales of investment securities, other than short-term investments, were as follows:

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. government obligations during the six months ended March 31, 2024.

NOTE 7. FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION

At March 31, 2024, the net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of investments, including securities sold short and written options, for tax purposes was as follows:

The tax character of distributions paid for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end, was as follows:

NOTE 7. FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION — continued

At September 30, 2023, the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end, the components of accumulated earnings (deficit) on a tax basis were as follows:

At September 30, 2023, the difference between book basis and tax basis unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is attributable to the tax deferral of losses on wash sales and basis adjustments for investments in passive foreign investment companies.

Currency and qualified late year ordinary losses and specified gains realized after October 31, and net investment losses realized after December 31 of the Fund’s fiscal year may be deferred and treated as occurring on the first business day of the flowing fiscal year for tax purposes. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, the Fund deferred $3,695,829 in late year ordinary losses.

NOTE 8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Trust indemnifies its officers and Trustees for certain liabilities that may arise from their performance of their duties to the Trust or the Fund. Additionally, in the normal course of business, the Trust enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and warranties which provide general indemnifications. The Trust’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust that have not yet occurred.

NOTE 9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

Management of the Fund has evaluated the need for disclosures and/ or adjustments resulting from subsequent events through the date at which these financial statements were issued. Based upon this evaluation, management has determined there were no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosure.

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including redemption fees; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution (12b-1) fees and other Fund expenses. The example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other funds. You may pay brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of exchange-traded fund shares, which are not reflected in the example. The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the period and held for the entire period from October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024.

Actual Expenses

The first line of the table for each class provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in these lines, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.60), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

The second line of the table for each class provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratios and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balances or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

Expenses shown in the table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second line of the table for each class is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

PROXY VOTING

A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities and information regarding how the Fund voted those proxies during the most recent twelve month period ended June 30, are available (1) without charge upon request by calling the Fund at (800) 470-1029 and (2) in Fund documents filed with the SEC on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

This report is intended only for the information of shareholders or those who have received the Fund’s prospectus which contains information about the Fund’s management fee and expenses. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

Distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors, LLC

Member FINRA/SIPC

Appleseed-SAR-24

Ballast Small/Mid Cap ETF (MGMT)

NYSE Arca, Inc.

Semi-Annual Report

March 31, 2024

Fund Adviser:

Ballast Asset Management, LP

2911 Turtle Creek Blvd, Suite 840

Dallas, TX 75219 

1-866-383-6468

Investment Results (Unaudited)

Average Annual Total Return* as of March 31, 2024

Total annual operating expenses, as disclosed in the Ballast Small/Mid Cap ETF’s (the “Fund”) prospectus dated January 28, 2024, were 1.10% of average daily net assets (1.26% before management fee waivers/expense reimbursements by Ballast Asset Management, LP (the “Adviser”)). The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses so that total annual Fund operating expenses, excluding portfolio transaction and other investment-related costs (including brokerage fees and commissions); taxes; borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expenses on securities sold short); acquired fund fees and expenses; fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); any administrative and/or shareholder servicing fees payable pursuant to a plan adopted by the Board of Trustees; expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization; extraordinary expenses (such as litigation expenses, indemnification of Trust officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers); and other expenses that the Trustees agree have not been incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business, do not exceed 1.10% through January 31, 2025. This expense cap may not be terminated prior to this date except by the Board of Trustees upon sixty days’ written notice to the Adviser. Each fee waiver/expense payment by the Adviser is subject to recoupment by the Adviser from the Fund in the three years following the date the particular waiver/expense payment occurred, but only if such recoupment can be achieved without exceeding the annual expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver/expense payment and any expense limitation in effect at the time of the recoupment. Additional information pertaining to the Fund’s expense ratios as of March 31, 2024 can be found in the financial highlights.

The performance quoted represents past performance, which does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on the Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. The Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling (866) 383-6468. The Fund’s per share net asset value (“NAV”) is the value of one share of the Fund as calculated in accordance with the standard formula for valuing shares. The NAV return is based on the NAV of the Fund and the market return is based on the market price per share of the Fund. The price used to calculate market return (“Market Price”) is determined by using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the primary stock exchange on which the shares of the Fund are listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Market Price and NAV returns assume that dividends and capital gain distributions have been reinvested in the Fund at Market Price and NAV, respectively. Since exchange-traded funds are bought and sold at prices set by the market, which can result in a premium or discount to NAV, the returns calculated using Market Price can differ from those calculated using NAV.

Investment Results (Unaudited) (continued)

had not occurred, the quoted performance would have been lower. Total returns for less than one year are not annualized.

The Fund’s investment objective, strategies, risks, charges and expenses should be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information about the Fund and may be obtained by calling (866) 383-6468. Please read it carefully before investing.

The Fund is distributed by Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. 

Fund Holdings (Unaudited)

. 

Ballast Small/Mid Cap ETF Holdings as of March 31, 2024.*

The Fund seeks to generate positive risk adjusted returns as its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings are subject to change.

Availability of Portfolio Schedule (Unaudited)

The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Fund’s Form N-PORT reports are available on the SEC’s website at www. sec.gov or on the Fund’s website at www.etf.mgmtetf.com.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

ETF - Exchange-Traded Fund    

SPDR - Standard & Poor’s Depositary Receipt

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.

See accompanying notes which are an integral part of these financial statements.