Item 1. Financial Statements
Item 1. Financial Statements.
Index to Financial Statements
Documents
Page
TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
Combined Statements of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
4
Combined Schedule of Investments at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
5
Combined Statements of Operations (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
7
Combined Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
8
Combined Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
9
Notes to Combined Financial Statements
10
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
Statements of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
24
Schedule of Investments at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
25
Statements of Operations (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
27
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
28
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
29
Notes to Financial Statements
30
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
Statements of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
42
Schedule of Investments at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
43
Statements of Operations (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
45
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
46
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
47
Notes to Financial Statements
48
TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
Statements of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
60
Schedule of Investments at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
61
Statements of Operations (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
63
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
64
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
65
Notes to Financial Statements
66
TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
Statements of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
77
Schedule of Investments at September 30,, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
78
Statements of Operations (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
80
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
81
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
82
Notes to Financial Statements
83
TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
Statements of Assets and Liabilities at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
95
Schedule of Investments at September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
96
Statements of Operations (Unaudited) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
98
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
99
Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
100
Notes to Financial Statements
101
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TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
COMBINED STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
September 30,
2021
December 31 ,
2020
(Unaudited)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 254,300,174
$ 309,378,295
Interest receivable
18,584
16,982
Other assets
30
38
Capital shares receivable
-
307,830
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
9,819,105
42,424,697
Due from broker
10,577,745
-
Total equity in trading accounts
20,396,850
42,424,697
Total assets
$ 274,715,638
$ 352,127,842
Liabilities
Management fee payable to Sponsor
225,510
264,709
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
4,997,510
9,995,298
Other liabilities
296,068
71,568
Payable for shares redeemed
-
4,404,915
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
1,805,135
-
Due to broker
346,666
27,278,158
Total equity in trading accounts
2,151,801
27,278,158
Total liabilities
7,670,889
42,014,648
Net Assets
$ 267,044,749
$ 310,113,194
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
COMBINED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $22,060,622)
$ 22,060,622
8.26 %
22,060,622
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Government Fund - Institutional Class (cost: $3,550,336)
3,550,336
1.33
3,550,336
Total money market funds (cost $25,610,958)
$ 25,610,958
9.59 %
Principal
Amount
Commercial Paper
Brookfield Infrastructure Holdings (Canada) Inc. 0.178% (cost: $12,496,844 due: 11/03/2021)
$ 12,497,958
4.68 %
12,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $4,998,166 due: 10/04/2021)
4,999,938
1.87
5,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.172% (cost: $9,996,980 due: 11/04/2021)
9,998,395
3.74
10,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $4,998,630 due: 11/10/2021)
4,999,056
1.87
5,000,000
Glencore Funding LLC 0.150% (cost: $4,998,210 due: 10/06/2021)
4,999,896
1.87
5,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $8,997,300 due: 10/14/2021)
8,999,512
3.37
9,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.160% (cost: $7,497,033 due: 11/03/2021)
7,498,900
2.81
7,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,333 due: 11/19/2021)
2,499,489
0.94
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.262% (cost: $14,995,751 due: 10/19/2021)
14,998,038
5.62
15,000,000
Jabil Inc. 0.260% (cost: $4,998,340 due: 10/29/2021)
4,998,990
1.87
5,000,000
National Fuel Gas Company 0.200% (cost: $9,998,832 due: 10/08/2021)
9,999,612
3.74
10,000,000
Viatris Inc. 0.274% (cost: $9,993,151 due: 10/18/2021)
9,998,705
3.74
10,000,000
Viatris Inc. 0.220% (cost: $4,997,434 due: 10/18/2021)
4,999,481
1.87
5,000,000
Viatris Inc. 0.230% (cost: $4,997,510 due: 12/21/2021)
4,997,510
1.87
5,000,000
Total Commercial Paper (cost: $106,463,514)
$ 106,485,480
39.86 %
Total Cash Equivalents
$ 132,096,438
49.45 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States corn futures contracts
CBOT corn futures MAY22 (1,312 contracts)
$ 1,420,596
0.53 %
$ 36,014,400
CBOT corn futures DEC22 (1,624 contracts)
559,705
0.21
42,447,300
United States soybean futures contracts
CBOT soybean futures NOV22 (268 contracts)
1,045,744
0.39
16,666,250
United States sugar futures contracts
ICE sugar futures MAY22 (414 contracts)
909,895
0.34
9,162,317
ICE sugar futures JUL22 (368 contracts)
183,614
0.07
7,859,891
ICE sugar futures MAR23 (439 contracts)
1,161,145
0.43
9,066,579
United States wheat futures contracts
CBOT wheat futures MAR22 (695 contracts)
2,691,398
1.01
25,593,375
CBOT wheat futures MAY22 (593 contracts)
1,097,519
0.41
21,926,175
CBOT wheat futures DEC22 (708 contracts)
749,489
0.28
25,788,900
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 9,819,105
3.67 %
$ 194,525,187
Percentage of
Notional Amount
Description: Liabilities
Fair Value
Net Assets
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States corn futures contracts
CBOT corn futures MAR22 (1,544 contracts)
$ 89,136
0.03 %
$ 42,035,400
United States soybean futures contracts
CBOT soybean futures JAN22 (261 contracts)
1,423,625
0.53
16,514,775
CBOT soybean futures MAR22 (222 contracts)
292,374
0.11
14,119,200
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 1,805,135
0.67 %
$ 72,669,375
Exchange-traded funds*
Shares
Teucrium Corn Fund
$ 2,191,357
0.82 %
108,297
Teucrium Soybean Fund
2,070,600
0.78
94,149
Teucrium Sugar Fund
2,095,400
0.78
219,042
Teucrium Wheat Fund
2,183,748
0.82
309,107
Total exchange-traded funds (cost $7,335,496)
$ 8,541,105
3.20 %
_____________
*The Trust eliminates the shares owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund from its combined statements of assets and liabilities due to the fact that these represent holdings of the other four Funds (“Underlying Funds”) owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund, which are included as shares outstanding of the Underlying Funds.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
COMBINED SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2020
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X 0.04% (cost $56,055,737)
$ 56,055,737
18.08 %
56,055,737
Blackrock Liquidity FedFund - Institutional Class 0.005% (cost $5,065,941)
5,065,941
1.63
5,065,941
Total money market funds (cost: $61,121,678)
$ 61,121,678
19.71 %
Principal
Amount
Commercial Paper
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $7,496,667 due 01/29/2021)
$ 7,497,084
2.42 %
7,500,000
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.421% (cost: $4,997,725 due 01/29/2021)
4,998,366
1.61
5,000,000
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $7,496,771 due 02/05/2021)
7,496,771
2.42
7,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.400% (cost: $4,995,890 due 01/04/2021)
4,999,834
1.61
5,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.411% (cost: $4,996,356 due 01/08/2021)
4,999,602
1.61
5,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.471% (cost: $7,491,612 due 01/20/2021)
7,498,140
2.42
7,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.471% (cost: $2,497,062 due 01/25/2021)
2,499,217
0.81
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.310% (cost: $7,994,903 due 01/05/2021)
7,999,725
2.58
8,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.250% (cost: $9,993,749 due 01/11/2021)
9,999,305
3.22
10,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.270% (cost: $1,999,025 due 01/20/2021)
1,999,715
0.64
2,000,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $7,497,595 due 02/01/2021)
7,499,031
2.42
7,500,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $9,996,980 due 02/03/2021)
9,998,443
3.22
10,000,000
Jabil Inc. 0.430% (cost: $9,994,507 due 01/29/2021)
9,996,656
3.22
10,000,000
Jabil Inc. 0.501% (cost: $7,491,459 due 02/24/2021)
7,494,375
2.42
7,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.401% (cost: $2,498,528 due 02/26/2021)
2,498,528
0.81
2,500,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.350% (cost: $7,496,063 due 02/01/2021)
7,497,739
2.42
7,500,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.381% (cost: $12,490,368 due 02/26/2021)
12,492,610
4.03
12,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.372% (cost: $9,994,117 due 02/26/2021)
9,994,220
3.22
10,000,000
Viatris Inc. 0.451% (cost: $4,994,438 due 03/22/2021)
4,995,000
1.61
5,000,000
WGL Holdings, Inc. 0.200% (cost: $2,499,528 due 01/26/2021)
2,499,653
0.81
2,500,000
WGL Holdings, Inc. 0.200% (cost: $2,499,417 due 01/27/2021)
2,499,639
0.81
2,500,000
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. 0.246% (cost: $14,993,143 due 03/05/2021)
14,993,553
4.83
15,000,000
Total commercial paper (total cost: $152,405,903)
$ 152,447,206
49.16 %
Total cash equivalents
$ 213,568,884
68.87 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
CBOT corn futures MAY21 (2,004 contracts)
$ 9,160,307
2.95 %
$ 48,421,650
CBOT corn futures JUL21 (1,727 contracts)
4,516,403
1.46
41,469,588
CBOT corn futures DEC21 (2,226 contracts)
6,477,896
2.09
48,387,675
United States soybean futures contracts
CBOT soybean futures MAR21 (479 contracts)
7,011,407
2.26
31,398,450
CBOT soybean futures MAY21 (411 contracts)
3,404,313
1.10
26,853,712
CBOT soybean futures NOV21 (557 contracts)
4,708,506
1.52
30,962,238
United States sugar futures contracts
ICE sugar futures MAY21 (272 contracts)
550,868
0.18
4,472,115
ICE sugar futures JUL21 (241 contracts)
345,612
0.11
3,830,165
ICE sugar futures MAR22 (279 contracts)
511,223
0.16
4,459,090
United States wheat futures contracts
CBOT wheat futures MAY21 (765 contracts)
2,297,658
0.74
24,460,875
CBOT wheat futures JUL21 (668 contracts)
687,506
0.22
20,983,550
CBOT wheat futures DEC21 (767 contracts)
2,752,998
0.89
24,419,363
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 42,424,697
13.68 %
$ 310,118,471
Exchange-traded funds*
Shares
Teucrium Corn Fund
$ 401,787
0.13 %
25,858
Teucrium Soybean Fund
401,177
0.13
20,581
Teucrium Sugar Fund
383,816
0.12
57,124
Teucrium Wheat Fund
395,482
0.13
64,237
Total exchange-traded funds (cost $1,586,899)
$ 1,582,262
0.51 %
________________
*The Trust eliminates the shares owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund from its combined statements of assets and liabilities due to the fact that these represent holdings of the Underlying Funds owned by the Teucrium Agricultural Fund, which are included as shares outstanding of the Underlying Funds.
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Income
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures contracts:
Realized gain (loss) on commodity futures contracts
$ 15,419,113
$ 5,135,178
$ 109,828,706
$ ( 4,142,159 )
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on commodity futures contracts
( 23,501,922 )
25,250,892
( 34,410,727 )
14,297,584
Interest income
113,104
189,590
430,283
1,178,703
Total income (loss)
( 7,969,705 )
30,575,660
75,848,262
11,334,128
Expenses
Management fees
749,229
629,881
2,549,948
1,370,646
Professional fees
219,475
203,202
928,149
961,686
Distribution and marketing fees
920,861
768,315
2,509,136
2,047,260
Custodian fees and expenses
99,410
114,154
280,651
298,189
Business permits and licenses fees
11,051
73,705
107,406
182,649
General and administrative expenses
58,673
57,443
263,366
233,715
Other expenses
17
2,734
17
2,759
Total expenses
2,058,716
1,849,434
6,638,673
5,096,904
Expenses waived by the Sponsor
( 684,792 )
( 401,702 )
( 1,650,854 )
( 818,719 )
Total expenses, net
1,373,924
1,447,732
4,987,819
4,278,185
Net (loss) income
$ ( 9,343,629 )
$ 29,127,928
$ 70,860,443
$ 7,055,943
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Operations
Net income
$ 70,860,443
$ 7,055,943
Capital transactions
Issuance of Shares
134,705,493
279,799,802
Redemption of Shares
( 242,902,007 )
( 98,585,169 )
Net change in the cost of the Underlying Funds
( 5,732,374 )
211,896
Total capital transactions
( 113,928,888 )
181,426,529
Net change in net assets
( 43,068,445 )
188,482,472
Net assets, beginning of period
310,113,194
167,906,597
Net assets, end of period
$ 267,044,749
$ 356,389,069
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM COMMODITY TRUST
COMBINED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 70,860,443
$ 7,055,943
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities:
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on commodity futures contracts
34,410,727
( 14,297,584 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Due from broker
( 10,577,745 )
( 4,127,995 )
Interest receivable
( 1,602 )
( 18,128 )
Other assets
8
( 10,018 )
Due to broker
( 26,931,492 )
( 4,387,950 )
Management fee payable to Sponsor
( 39,199 )
112,348
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
( 4,997,788 )
9,999,526
Other liabilities
224,500
193,088
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities
62,947,852
( 4,823,380 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of Shares
135,013,323
279,799,802
Redemption of Shares
( 247,306,922 )
( 97,927,779 )
Net change in cost of the Underlying Funds
( 5,732,374 )
211,896
Net cash (used in)/provided by financing activities
( 118,025,973 )
181,426,529
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
( 55,078,121 )
176,603,149
Cash and cash equivalents beginning of period
309,378,295
166,081,885
Cash and cash equivalents end of period
$ 254,300,174
$ 342,685,034
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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NOTES TO COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Note 1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust organized on September 11, 2009, is a series trust consisting of five series: Teucrium Corn Fund (“CORN”), Teucrium Sugar Fund (“CANE”), Teucrium Soybean Fund (“SOYB”), Teucrium Wheat Fund (“WEAT”), and Teucrium Agricultural Fund (“TAGS”) . All of these series of the Trust are collectively referred to as the “Funds” and singularly as the “Fund.” Each Fund is a commodity pool that is a series of the Trust. The Funds issue common units, called the “Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in a Fund. Effective as of April 29, 2019, the Trust and the Funds operate pursuant to the Trust’s Fifth Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”).
On June 7, 2010, the initial Form S-1 for CORN was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). On June 8, 2010, four Creation Baskets for CORN were issued representing 200,000 shares and $ 5,000,000 . CORN began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca on June 9, 2010. The current registration statement for CORN was declared effective by the SEC on October 2, 2020. The registration statement for CORN registered an additional 20,000,000 shares.
On June 13, 2011, the initial Forms S-1 for CANE, SOYB, and WEAT were declared effective by the SEC. On September 16, 2011, two Creation Baskets were issued for each Fund, representing 100,000 shares and $ 2,500,000 , for CANE, SOYB, and WEAT. On September 19, 2011, CANE, SOYB, and WEAT started trading on the NYSE Arca. The current registration statements for CANE was declared effective on October 2, 2020 and the current registration statement for SOYB was declared effective by the SEC on August 24, 2020. The registration statements for SOYB and CANE registered an additional 15,000,000 shares each. The current registration statement for WEAT was declared effective on April 29, 2019. This registration statement for WEAT registered an additional 30,000,000 shares.
On February 10, 2012, the Form S-1 for TAGS was declared effective by the SEC. On March 27, 2012, six Creation Baskets for TAGS were issued representing 300,000 shares and $ 15,000,000 . TAGS began trading on the NYSE Arca on March 28, 2012. The current registration statement for TAGS was declared effective by the SEC on April 30, 2021.
Teucrium Trading, LLC is the sponsor (“Sponsor”) of the Trust. The Sponsor is a member of the National Futures Association (the "NFA") and became a commodity pool operator ("CPO") registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC") effective November 10, 2009. The Sponsor registered as a Commodity Trading Advisor ("CTA") with the CFTC effective September 8, 2017.
The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Trust’s financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2021.
Subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC in its capacity as the Sponsor of the Trust may terminate a Fund at any time, regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a Fund.
Note 2 – Principal Contracts and Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund Services"), for Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services. The principal address for Global Fund Services is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
For custody services, the Funds will pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1 billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion, annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds will pay to Global Fund Services 0.05% of average gross assets on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million, 0.03% on the next $2 billion and 0.02% on the balance over $3 billion annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $47,000 for custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is assessed per Fund. These services are recorded as custodian fees and expenses on the combined statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
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The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee of 0.01% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and an aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Funds, along with certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA, Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and $1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the combined statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution Consulting Agreement with the Sponsor.
E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. (“E D & F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services. E D & F Man is registered as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the NFA. E D & F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. ED & F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts E D & F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn . Prior to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage commissions on the combined statements of operations. Beginning on August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the combined statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on the combined statements of operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an annual fee of $ 3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in business permits and licenses fees on the combined statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital Partners LLC (“Thales”) for distribution and solicitation-related services. Thales is registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Thales receives a quarterly fee of the higher of $18,750 or 0.10% of new assets raised in referred accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services. This fee based on new assets raised is determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below:
Three month ended
Three month ended
Nine month ended
Nine month ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Amount Recognized for Custody Services
$ 99,410
$ 114,155
$ 280,651
$ 298,189
Amount of Custody Services Waived
$ 53,146
$ 18,742
$ 79,955
$ 34,084
Amount Recognized for Distribution Services
$ 41,306
$ 38,382
$ 132,621
$ 117,804
Amount of Distribution Services Waived
$ 36,153
$ 15,640
$ 60,354
$ 18,115
Amount Recognized for Wilmington Trust
$ 3,300
$ -
$ 3,300
$ -
Amount of Wilmington Trust Waived
$ 991
$ -
$ 991
$ -
Amount Recognized for Thales
$ 92,386
$ 22,500
$ 253,154
$ 67,500
Amount of Thales Waived
$ 92,386
$ 6,977
$ 134,064
$ 8,754
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Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on a combined basis in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification and include the accounts of the Trust, CORN, CANE, SOYB, WEAT and TAGS. Refer to the accompanying separate financial statements for each Fund for more detailed information. The periods represented by the financial statements herein contain the results of CORN, SOYB, CANE, WEAT, and TAGS for the months during which each Fund was in operation, except for eliminations for TAGS as explained below.
Given the investment objective of TAGS as described in Note 1 above, TAGS will buy, sell and hold, as part of its normal operations, shares of the four Underlying Funds. The Trust eliminates the shares of the other series of the Trust owned by TAGS from its combined statements of assets and liabilities. The Trust eliminates the net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on securities owned by TAGS from its combined statements of operations. The combined statements of changes in net assets and cash flows present a net presentation of the purchases and sales of the Underlying Funds by TAGS.
Revenue Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are reflected in the combined statements of operations as the difference between the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the combined statements of operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Funds earn interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial institutions at prevailing market rates for such investments.
The Sponsor invests a portion of cash in commercial paper, which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration of contracts as described in the notes to the combined financial statements and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the combined statements of assets and liabilities and on the combined statements of cash flows. Accretion on these investments is recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the combined statements of operations.
The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts. Accretion on these investments is recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the combined statements of operations.
Brokerage Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis. The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of operations as total brokerage commissions paid inclusive of unrealized loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
CORN
SOYB
CANE
WEAT
TAGS
TRUST
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 43,677
$ 4,833
$ 6,613
$ 17,330
$ -
$ 72,452
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 73,503
$ 15,066
$ 5,311
$ 14,900
$ -
$ 108,780
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 118,868
$ 26,568
$ 19,047
$ 39,852
$ -
$ 204,334
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 113,925
$ 25,211
$ 13,554
$ 29,059
$ 1
$ 181,749
Income Taxes
The Trust is organized and will be operated as a Delaware statutory trust. For federal income tax purposes, each Fund will be treated as a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to commodities. Each Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. Therefore, the Funds do not record a provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their share of a Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the Funds’ transactions without adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
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The Funds are required to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Funds file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and may file income tax returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all tax years 2018 to 2020, the Funds remain subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously recognized results in the Funds recording a tax liability that reduces net assets. Based on their analysis, the Funds have determined that they have not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. However, the Funds’ conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Funds recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed. No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Funds may be subject to potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax laws.
Creations and Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase Creation Baskets from each Fund. The amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) time on the day the order to create the basket is received in good order.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem shares from each Fund only in blocks of shares called “Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to redeem the basket is received in good order.
Each Fund receives or pays the proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the statements of assets and liabilities as capital shares receivable. Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are reflected in the statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares redeemed.
There are a minimum number of baskets and associated Shares specified for each Fund in the Fund’s respective prospectus, as amended from time to time. If a Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser. These minimum levels are as follows:
CORN: 50,000 shares representing 2 baskets
SOYB: 50,000 shares representing 2 baskets
CANE: 50,000 shares representing 2 baskets
WEAT: 50,000 shares representing 2 baskets
TAGS: 50,000 shares representing 4 baskets
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Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with original maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired. The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the combined statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial institutions. The Trust holds a balance in money market funds that is included in cash and cash equivalents on the combined statements of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings accounts, which are classified as cash and not as cash equivalents. Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor may invest a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured.
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
Money Market Funds
$ 25,610,958
$ 61,121,678
Demand Deposit Savings Accounts
122,203,736
95,809,411
Commercial Paper
106,485,480
152,447,206
Total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the combined Statements of Assets and Liabilities
$ 254,300,174
$ 309,378,295
Payable for Purchases of Commercial Paper
The amount recorded by the Trust for commercial paper transactions awaiting settlement represents the amount payable for contracts purchased but not yet settled as of the reporting date. The value of the contract is included in cash and cash equivalents, and the payable amount is included as a liability.
Due from/to Broker
The amount recorded by the Trust for the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on the clearing broker’s records, and amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater than customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Funds’ clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over the counter trading generally involves the extension of credit between counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit exposure.
When a trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect to the Funds’ trading, the Funds (and not their shareholders personally) are subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated, and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined positions.
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Payable/Receivable for Securities Purchased/Sold
Due from/to broker for investments in securities are securities transactions pending settlement. The Trust and the Funds are subject to credit risk to the extent any broker with whom it conducts business is unable to fulfill contractual obligations on its behalf. The management of the Trust and the Funds monitors the financial condition of such brokers and does not anticipate any losses from these counterparties. From inception through September 11, 2019, the principal broker through which the Trust and TAGS can execute securities transaction for TAGS was the Bank of New York Mellon Capital Markets. Effective September 11, 2019, the principal broker through which the Trust and TAGS can execute securities transactions for TAGS is U.S. Bank N.A.
Sponsor Fee, Allocation of Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Funds in accordance with the objectives and policies of each Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor has elected not to outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities, which the Sponsor performs itself. In addition, the Funds, except for TAGS which has no such fee, are contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00% per annum.
The Funds pay for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA or any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares, after its initial registration, and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. The Funds also pay the fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective Fund based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under management and creation order activity. These aggregate common expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the combined statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the Trust and the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities that are directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds. Such expenses are primarily included as distribution and marketing fees in the financial statements of each Fund.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Recognized Related Party Transactions
$ 518,894
$ 478,615
$ 1,702,621
$ 1,550,852
Waived Related Party Transactions
$ 284,739
$ 253,990
$ 735,581
$ 438,897
The Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there will be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future period.
CORN
SOYB
CANE
WEAT
TAGS
TRUST
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 347,523
$ 173,635
$ 29,699
$ 104,989
$ 28,946
$ 684,792
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 190,244
$ 159,329
$ 32,961
$ 16,384
$ 2,784
$ 401,702
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 789,304
$ 479,631
$ 87,738
$ 229,640
$ 64,541
$ 1,650,854
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 385,819
$ 236,376
$ 146,853
$ 16,384
$ 33,287
$ 818,719
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
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Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Trust uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Trust. Unobservable inputs reflect the Trust’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 futures contracts held by CORN, SOYB, CANE and WEAT, the securities of the Underlying Funds held by TAGS, and any other securities held by any Fund, together referenced throughout this filing as “financial instruments.” Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these securities does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Trust’s own assumptions are set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Trust uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair value hierarchy. For instance, when Corn Futures Contracts on the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”) are not actively trading due to a “limit-up” or ‘limit-down” condition, meaning that the daily change in the Corn Futures Contracts has exceeded the limits established, the Trust and the Fund will revert to alternative verifiable sources of valuation of its assets. When such a situation exists on a quarter close, the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the Level 1 valuation but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in its applicable financial statements and reports.
On September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, in the opinion of the Trust, the reported value at the close of the market for each commodity contract fairly reflected the value of the futures and no alternative valuations were required.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Sep21 CBOT corn futures and the Dec21 CBOT corn futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust, CORN and TAGS classified these as level 2 assets. The financial statements of CORN including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustment for the Underlying CORN holdings, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment resulted in an increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values of $ 711,275 for CORN. The Corn futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2021.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Jul21 CBOT corn futures, Sep21 CBOT corn futures, Dec21 CBOT corn futures, Jul21 CBOT soybean futures, and the Nov21 CBOT soybean futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust, CORN, and SOYB classified these as Level 2 assets. The financial statements of these funds including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustment for each of these Underlying Funds, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment resulted in an increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values of $ 3,371,513 for CORN and $ 279,750 for SOYB. The Soybean futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended June 30, 2021, and the Sep21 and Dec21 corn futures contracts remained a Level 2 asset as described above.
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For the quarter ended June 30, 2020, the Dec21 CBOT Wheat Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT did not, in the opinion of the Trust and WEAT, trade in an actively traded futures market as defined in the policy of the Trust and WEAT for the entire period during which they were held. Accordingly, the Trust and WEAT classified these as a Level 2 asset for the period ended June 30, 2020 due to the quarterly average daily volume for the contract. These Wheat contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2020.
The Funds and the Trust record their derivative activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices. Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market, are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts), which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Investments in the securities of the Underlying Funds are freely traded and listed on the NYSE Arca. These investments are valued at the NAV of the Underlying Fund as of the valuation date as calculated by the administrator based on the exchange-quoted prices of the commodity futures contracts held by the Underlying Fund.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the accrual method of accounting.
New Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05: “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the amended guidance, a lessor should classify and account for a lease with variable lease payments that don’t depend on an index or a rate as an operating lease if the lease would’ve been classified as a sales-type lease or a direct financing lease in accordance with the lease classification guidance in Topic 842 and the lessor would’ve otherwise recognized a day-one loss. The amendment was adopted early for the quarter ended September 30, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-10: “Codification Improvements.” The amendment improves the disclosure guidance in appropriate Disclosure Sections, without resulting in changes to current GAAP. The amendment was adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-02: “Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting. The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing guidance. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13: “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
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Table of Contents
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No. 2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a public business entity except for a requirement to include or the inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Funds.
Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements
The Trust’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy as described in the Trust’s significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents information about the Trust’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
September 30, 2021
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
September 30,
2021
Cash Equivalents
$ 132,096,438
$ -
$ -
$ 132,096,438
Commodity Futures Contracts
Corn futures contracts
1,980,301
-
-
1,980,301
Soybean futures contracts
1,045,744
-
-
1,045,744
Sugar futures contracts
2,254,654
-
-
2,254,654
Wheat futures contracts
4,538,406
-
-
4,538,391
Total
$ 141,915,543
$ -
$ -
$ 141,915,543
Liabilities
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
September 30,
2021
Commodity Futures Contracts
Corn futures contracts
$ 89,136
$ -
$ -
$ 89,136
Soybean futures contracts
1,715,999
-
-
1,715,999
Total
$ 1,805,135
$ -
$ -
$ 1,805,135
December 31, 2020
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of December 31,
2020
Cash Equivalents
$ 213,568,884
$ -
$ -
$ 213,568,884
Commodity Futures Contracts
Corn futures contracts
20,154,606
-
-
$ 20,154,606
Soybean futures contracts
15,124,226
-
-
$ 15,124,226
Sugar futures contracts
1,407,703
-
-
$ 1,407,703
Wheat futures contracts
5,738,162
-
-
$ 5,738,162
Total
$ 255,993,581
$ -
$ -
$ 255,993,581
For the period ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Funds did not have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value hierarchy. The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant exchange for the periods being reported.
18
Table of Contents
For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Sep21 CBOT corn futures and the Dec21 CBOT corn futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust, CORN and TAGS classified these as level 2 assets. The financial statements of CORN including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustment for the Underlying CORN holdings, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment resulted in an increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values of $ 711,275 for CORN. The Corn futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2021.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Jul21 CBOT corn futures, Sep21 CBOT corn futures, Dec21 CBOT corn futures, Jul21 CBOT soybean futures, and the Nov21 CBOT soybean futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust, CORN, and SOYB classified these as Level 2 assets. The financial statements of these funds including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustment for each of these Underlying Funds, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment resulted in an increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values of $ 3,371,513 for CORN and $ 279,750 for SOYB. The Soybean futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended June 30, 2021, and the Sep21 and Dec21 corn futures contracts remained a Level 2 asset as described above.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2020, the Dec21 CBOT Wheat Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT did not, in the opinion of the Trust and WEAT, trade in an actively traded futures market as defined in the policy of the Trust and WEAT for the entire period during which they were held. Accordingly, the Trust and WEAT classified these as a Level 2 asset for the period ended June 30, 2020 due to the quarterly average daily volume for the contract. These Wheat contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2020.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 – Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
In the normal course of business, the Funds utilize derivative contracts in connection with its proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or part of an investment. The Funds’ derivative activities and exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price, and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying risks, the Funds are also subject to additional counterparty risk due to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Funds invested only in commodity futures contracts specifically related to each Fund.
Futures Contracts
The Funds are subject to commodity price risk in the normal course of pursuing their investment objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by each Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by each Fund. Futures contracts may reduce the Funds’ exposure to counterparty risk since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery may be limited to each Fund’s pro rata share of segregated customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount could be less than the total of cash and other equity deposited.
The following table discloses information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in the combined statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.”
19
Table of Contents
The following table also identifies the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the combined statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts, categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM, E D & F Man as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. *The amount of collateral presented in Collateral, Due from Broker, is limited to the liability for the futures contracts and accordingly does not include the excess collateral pledged.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of September 30, 2021
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 1,980,301
$ -
$ 1,980,301
$ 89,136
$ -
$ 1,891,165
Soybean futures contracts
$ 1,045,744
$ -
$ 1,045,744
$ 1,045,744
$ -
$ -
Sugar futures contracts
$ 2,254,654
$ -
$ 2,254,654
$ -
$ 346,666
$ 1,907,988
Wheat futures contracts
$ 4,538,406
$ -
$ 4,538,406
$ -
$ -
$ 4,538,406
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and Derivative Liabilities as of September 30, 2021
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due from Broker*
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 89,136
$ -
$ 89,136
$ 89,136
$ -
$ -
Soybean futures contracts
$ 1,715,999
$ -
$ 1,715,999
$ 1,045,744
$ 670,255
$ -
20
Table of Contents
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of December 31, 2020
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 20,154,606
$ -
$ 20,154,606
$ -
$ 12,973,828
$ 7,180,778
Soybean futures contracts
$ 15,124,226
$ -
$ 15,124,226
$ -
$ 11,257,566
$ 3,866,660
Sugar futures contracts
$ 1,407,703
$ -
$ 1,407,703
$ -
$ 475,661
$ 932,042
Wheat futures contracts
$ 5,738,162
$ -
$ 5,738,162
$ -
$ 2,571,103
$ 3,167,059
The following is a summary of realized and unrealized gains (losses) of the derivative instruments utilized by the Trust:
Three months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized (Depreciation) Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 6,039,005
$ ( 16,642,507 )
Soybean futures contracts
3,421,173
( 7,754,543 )
Sugar futures contracts
2,536,459
289,834
Wheat futures contracts
3,422,476
605,294
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 15,419,113
$ ( 23,501,922 )
Three months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 400,170
$ 10,737,739
Soybean futures contracts
2,919,491
8,101,755
Sugar futures contracts
184,149
484,253
Wheat futures contracts
1,631,368
5,927,145
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 5,135,178
$ 25,250,892
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Nine months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized (Depreciation) Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 61,285,136
$ ( 18,263,441 )
Soybean futures contracts
29,238,888
( 15,794,481 )
Sugar futures contracts
5,802,090
846,951
Wheat futures contracts
13,502,592
( 1,199,756 )
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 109,828,706
$ ( 34,410,727 )
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Realized (Loss) Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ ( 6,379,024 )
$ 7,945,108
Soybean futures contracts
( 1,201,373 )
7,292,203
Sugar futures contracts
( 763,390 )
17,344
Wheat futures contracts
1,798,882
( 957,071 )
Total commodity futures contracts
$ ( 4,142,159 )
$ 14,297,584
Volume of Derivative Activities
The average notional market value categorized by primary underlying risk for the futures contracts held was $ 281.7 million and $ 334.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, and $ 277.2 million and $ 193.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively.
Note 6 - Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of the Trust and the initial offering of the shares of the Funds, including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by the Sponsor for the Funds and will be borne directly by the Sponsor for any series of the Trust which is not yet operating or will be issued in the future. The Trust will not be obligated to reimburse the Sponsor.
Note 7 – Detail of the net assets and shares outstanding of the Funds that are a series of the Trust
The following are the net assets and shares outstanding of each Fund that is a series of the Trust and, thus, in total, comprise the combined net assets of the Trust:
September 30, 2021
Outstanding
Shares
Net Assets
Teucrium Corn Fund
5,950,004
$ 120,396,395
Teucrium Soybean Fund
2,150,004
47,284,707
Teucrium Sugar Fund
2,725,004
26,068,010
Teucrium Wheat Fund
10,375,004
73,296,079
Teucrium Agricultural Fund:
Net assets including the investment in the Underlying Funds
325,502
8,540,663
Less: Investment in the Underlying Funds
( 8,541,105 )
Net for the Fund in the combined net assets of the Trust
( 442 )
Total
$ 267,044,749
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Table of Contents
December 31, 2020
Outstanding
Shares
Net Assets
Teucrium Corn Fund
8,900,004
$ 138,289,537
Teucrium Soybean Fund
4,575,004
89,178,862
Teucrium Sugar Fund
1,900,004
12,766,091
Teucrium Wheat Fund
11,350,004
69,876,578
Teucrium Agricultural Fund:
Net assets including the investment in the Underlying Funds
75,002
1,584,388
Less: Investment in the Underlying Funds
( 1,582,262 )
Net for the Fund in the combined net assets of the Trust
2,126
Total
$ 310,113,194
The detailed information for the subscriptions and redemptions, and other financial information for each Fund that is a series of the Trust are included in the accompanying financial statements of each Fund.
Note 8 – Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended September 30, 2021 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no material events requiring either recognition through the date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Trust and Funds other than those noted below:
The continued uncertainty of COVID-19 may continue to be highly disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the Trust and the Funds is described in more detail in Part II of this 10-Q.
CORN: Nothing to report
SOYB: Nothing to report
CANE: Nothing to report
WEAT: Nothing to report
TAGS: Nothing to report
23
Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 115,048,530
$ 138,181,061
Interest receivable
8,853
7,343
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
1,980,301
20,154,606
Due from broker
6,206,315
-
Total equity in trading accounts
8,186,616
20,154,606
Total assets
123,243,999
158,343,010
Liabilities
Management fee payable to Sponsor
98,490
117,864
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
2,498,755
4,997,847
Other liabilities
161,223
21,659
Payable for shares redeemed
-
1,942,275
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
89,136
-
Due to broker
-
12,973,828
Total equity in trading accounts
89,136
12,973,828
Total liabilities
2,847,604
20,053,473
Net assets
$ 120,396,395
$ 138,289,537
Shares outstanding
5,950,004
8,900,004
Shares Authorized
23,675,000
27,450,000
Net asset value per share
$ 20.23
$ 15.54
Market value per share
$ 20.17
$ 15.58
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
24
Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Governemnt Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $8,952,627)
$ 8,952,627
7.44 %
8,952,627
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Government Fund - Institutional Class (cost: $8,936)
8,936
0.01
8,936
Total money market funds (cost: $8,961,563)
$ 8,961,563
7.45 %
Commercial Paper
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,083 due 10/04/2021)
$ 2,499,969
2.08 %
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.172% (cost: $3,498,943 due 11/04/2021)
3,499,438
2.91
3,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $2,499,315 due 11/10/2021)
2,499,528
2.07
2,500,000
Glencore Funding LLC 0.150% (cost: $2,499,105 due 10/06/2021)
2,499,948
2.08
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,250 due 10/14/2021)
2,499,865
2.08
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.160% (cost: $4,998,022 due 11/03/2021)
4,999,267
4.15
5,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,333 due 11/19/2021)
2,499,489
2.07
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.262% (cost: $7,497,875 due 10/19/2021)
7,499,019
6.23
7,500,000
National Fuel Gas Company 0.200% (cost: $2,499,708 due 10/08/2021)
2,499,903
2.08
2,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.274% (cost: $7,494,863 due 10/18/2021)
7,499,029
6.23
7,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.220% (cost: $4,997,434 due 10/18/2021)
4,999,481
4.15
5,000,000
Viatris Inc. 0.230% (cost: $2,498,755 due 12/21/2021)
2,498,755
2.07
2,500,000
Total Commercial Paper (cost: $45,981,686)
$ 45,993,691
38.20 %
Total Cash Equivalents
$ 54,955,254
45.65 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States corn futures contracts
CBOT corn futures MAY22 (1,312 contracts)
$ 1,420,596
1.18 %
$ 36,014,400
CBOT corn futures DEC22 (1,624 contracts)
559,705
0.46
42,447,300
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 1,980,301
1.64 %
$ 78,461,700
Percentage of
Notional Amount
Description: Liabilities
Fair Value
Net Assets
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States corn futures contracts
CBOT corn futures MAR22 (1,544 contracts)
$ 89,136
0.07 %
$ 42,035,400
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
25
Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2020
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X 0.04% (cost $27,477,241)
$
27,477,241
19.87
%
27,477,241
Blackrock Liquidity FedFund - Institutional Class 0.005% (cost $19,076)
19,076
0.01
19,076
Total money market funds (cost: $27,496,317)
$
27,496,317
19.88
%
Principal
Amount
Commercial Paper
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $2,498,889 due 01/29/2021)
$
2,499,028
1.81
%
2,500,000
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $4,997,847 due 02/05/2021)
4,997,847
3.61
5,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.411% (cost: $2,498,178 due 01/08/2021)
2,499,801
1.81
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.471% (cost: $4,994,386 due 01/20/2021)
4,998,760
3.61
5,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.471% (cost: $2,497,226 due 01/20/2021)
2,499,380
1.81
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.471% (cost: $2,497,062 due 01/25/2021)
2,499,217
1.81
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.310% (cost: $5,496,496 due 01/05/2021)
5,499,811
3.98
5,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.250% (cost: $2,498,437 due 01/11/2021)
2,499,826
1.81
2,500,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $4,998,397 due 02/01/2021)
4,999,354
3.62
5,000,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $4,998,490 due 02/03/2021)
4,999,221
3.61
5,000,000
Jabil Inc. 0.430% (cost: $4,997,253 due 01/29/2021)
4,998,328
3.61
5,000,000
Jabil Inc. 0.501% (cost: $4,994,306 due 02/24/2021)
4,996,250
3.61
5,000,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.381% (cost: $4,996,147 due 02/26/2021)
4,997,044
3.61
5,000,000
Viatris Inc. 0.372% (cost: $7,495,588 due 02/26/2021)
7,495,665
5.42
7,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.451% (cost: $2,497,219 due 03/22/2021)
2,497,500
1.81
2,500,000
WGL Holdings, Inc. 0.200% (cost: $2,499,528 due 01/26/2021)
2,499,653
1.81
2,500,000
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. 0.246% (cost: $4,997,715 due 03/05/2021)
4,997,851
3.61
5,000,000
Total commercial paper (cost: $70,453,164)
$
70,474,536
50.96
%
Total cash equivalents
$
97,970,853
70.84
%
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States corn futures contracts
CBOT corn futures MAY21 (2,004 contracts)
$
9,160,307
6.62
%
$
48,421,650
CBOT corn futures JUL21 (1,727 contracts)
4,516,403
3.27
41,469,588
CBOT corn futures DEC21 (2,226 contracts)
6,477,896
4.68
48,387,675
Total commodity futures contracts
$
20,154,606
14.57
%
$
138,278,913
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
26
Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Income
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures contracts:
Realized gain (loss) on commodity futures contracts
$ 6,039,005
$ 400,170
$ 61,285,136
$ ( 6,379,024 )
Net change in unrealized (depreciation)/appreciation on commodity futures contracts
( 16,642,507 )
10,737,739
( 18,263,441 )
7,945,108
Interest income
55,229
82,500
206,168
526,097
Total (loss) income
( 10,548,273 )
11,220,409
43,227,863
2,092,181
Expenses
Management fees
342,207
273,445
1,187,734
592,009
Professional fees
117,055
81,710
447,879
421,378
Distribution and marketing fees
444,526
388,178
1,191,750
1,008,276
Custodian fees and expenses
48,716
50,213
132,904
142,069
Business permits and licenses fees
3,685
29,583
27,959
62,552
General and administrative expenses
28,376
16,094
117,321
99,051
Other expenses
-
2,734
-
2,734
Total expenses
984,565
841,957
3,105,547
2,328,069
Expenses waived by the Sponsor
( 347,523 )
( 190,244 )
( 789,304 )
( 385,819 )
Total expenses, net
637,042
651,713
2,316,243
1,942,250
Net (loss) income
$ ( 11,185,315 )
$ 10,568,696
$ 40,911,620
$ 149,931
Net (loss) income per share
$ ( 1.12 )
$ 0.75
$ 4.69
$ ( 1.67 )
Net (loss) income per weighted average share
$ ( 1.67 )
$ 1.20
$ 4.87
$ 0.02
Weighted average shares outstanding
6,704,352
8,795,384
8,402,293
6,183,033
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Operations
Net income
$ 40,911,620
$ 149,931
Capital transactions
Issuance of Shares
69,950,418
144,765,321
Redemption of Shares
( 128,755,180 )
( 67,292,493 )
Total capital transactions
( 58,804,762 )
77,472,828
Net change in net assets
( 17,893,142 )
77,622,759
Net assets, beginning of period
$ 138,289,537
$ 75,220,190
Net assets, end of period
$ 120,396,395
$ 152,842,949
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
$ 15.54
$ 14.82
Net asset value per share at end of period
$ 20.23
$ 13.15
Creation of Shares
3,775,000
11,900,000
Redemption of Shares
6,725,000
5,350,000
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM CORN FUND
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 40,911,620
$ 149,931
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net change in unrealized depreciation/(appreciation) on commodity futures contracts
18,263,441
( 7,945,108 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Due from broker
( 6,206,315 )
( 2,721,436 )
Interest receivable
( 1,510 )
( 7,428 )
Other assets
-
( 10,422 )
Due to broker
( 12,973,828 )
-
Management fee payable to Sponsor
( 19,374 )
40,836
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
( 2,499,092 )
4,999,763
Other liabilities
139,564
88,350
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
37,614,506
( 5,405,514 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of Shares
69,950,418
144,765,321
Redemption of Shares
( 130,697,455 )
( 66,635,103 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
( 60,747,037 )
78,130,218
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
( 23,132,531 )
72,724,704
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
138,181,061
74,521,123
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$ 115,048,530
$ 147,245,827
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Note 1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Corn Fund (referred to herein as “CORN,” or the “Fund”) is a commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the “Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value (“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund (the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “CORN,” to the public at per-Share offering prices that reflect, among other factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of sale, and the liquidity of the markets for corn interests. The Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per Share.
The investment objective of CORN is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the corn market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three futures contracts for corn (“Corn Futures Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”):
CORN Benchmark
CBOT Corn Futures Contract
Weighting
Second to expire
35 %
Third to expire
30 %
December following the third to expire
35 %
The Fund commenced investment operations on June 9, 2010 and has a fiscal year ending on December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the management of the Fund. The Sponsor is registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”).
On June 7, 2010, the initial Form S-1 for CORN was declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). On June 8, 2010, four Creation Baskets for CORN were issued representing 200,000 shares and $ 5,000,000 . CORN began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca on June 9, 2010. The current registration statement for CORN was declared effective by the SEC on October 2, 2020. This registration statement for CORN registered an additional 20,000,000 shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2021.
Subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor (“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time, regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a Fund.
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Note 2 – Principal Contracts and Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund Services"), for Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services. The principal address for Global Fund Services is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
For custody services, the Funds will pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1 billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion, annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds will pay to Global Fund Services 0.05% of average gross assets on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million, 0.03% on the next $2 billion and 0.02% on the balance over $3 billion annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $47,000 for custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is assessed per Fund. These services are recorded as custodian fees and expenses on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee of 0.01% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and an aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Funds, along with certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA, Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and $1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution Consulting Agreement with the Sponsor.
E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. (“E D & F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services. E D & F Man is registered as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the NFA. E D & F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. E D & F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts E D & F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn . Prior to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on the statements of operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an annual fee of $ 3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital Partners LLC (“Thales”) for distribution and solicitation-related services. Thales is registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Thales receives a quarterly fee of the higher of $18,750 or 0.10% of new assets raised in referred accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services. This fee based on new assets raised is determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below:
Three month
ended
Three month
ended
Nine month
ended
Nine month
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Amount Recognized for Custody Services
$ 48,716
$ 50,213
$ 132,904
$ 142,069
Amount of Custody Services Waived
$ 28,184
$ 14,262
$ 43,116
$ 24,262
Amount Recognized for Distribution Services
$ 19,543
$ 18,062
$ 62,120
$ 57,732
Amount of Distribution Services Waived
$ 19,543
$ 1,490
$ 19,543
$ 1,490
Amount Recognized for Wilmington Trust
$ 1,520
$ -
$ 1,520
$ -
Amount of Wilmington Trust Waived
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
Amount Recognized for Thales
$ 43,254
$ 10,912
$ 117,331
$ 33,671
Amount of Thales Waived
$ 43,254
$ -
$ 73,274
$ -
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Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification.
Revenue Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of operations. The Fund seeks to earn interest on its assets denominated in U.S. dollars on deposits with the Futures Commission Merchant. In addition, the Fund earns interest on funds held at the custodian and at other financial institutions at prevailing market rates for such investments.
The Sponsor invests a portion of cash in commercial paper, which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities and statements of cash flows. Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts. Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
Brokerage Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis. The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of operations as total brokerage commissions paid inclusive of unrealized loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.
CORN
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 43,677
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 73,503
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 118,868
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 113,925
Income Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
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The Fund is required to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and may file income tax returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all tax years 2018 to 2020, the Fund remains subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. However, the Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed. No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Fund may be subject to potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax laws.
Creations and Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from CORN. The amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is received in good order.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called “Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to redeem the basket is received in good order.
The Fund receives or pays the proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as capital shares receivable. Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares each shareholder holds as of the close of each month.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired. The Fund reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial institutions. The Fund holds a balance in money market funds that is included in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents. Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor may invest a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured.
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
Money Market Funds
$ 8,961,563
$ 27,496,317
Demand Deposit Savings Accounts
60,093,276
40,210,208
Commercial Paper
45,993,691
70,474,536
Total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
$ 115,048,530
$ 138,181,061
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Table of Contents
Payable for Purchases of Commercial Paper
The amount recorded by the Fund for commercial paper transactions awaiting settlement, represents the amount payable for contracts purchased but not yet settled as of the reporting date. The value of the contract is included in cash and cash equivalents, and the payable amount is included as a liability.
Due from/to Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on the clearing broker’s records and amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater than customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over the counter trading generally involves the extension of credit between counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit exposure.
When a trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders personally) is subject to margin calls. Finally, many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined positions.
Calculation of Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated by:
•
Taking the current market value of its total assets and
•
Subtracting any liabilities.
The administrator, Global Fund Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
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Table of Contents
In determining the value of Corn Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the CBOT closing price. The administrator determines the value of all other Fund investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The value of over the counter corn interests is determined based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying such corn interest, except that a fair value may be determined if the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such corn interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open corn interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee, Allocation of Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor has elected not to outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities, which the Sponsor performs itself. In addition, the Fund is contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00 % per annum.
The Fund generally pays for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective Fund based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under management and creation order activity. These aggregate common expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees in the financial statements of each Fund.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Recognized Related Party Transactions
$ 242,913
$ 220,939
$ 797,998
$ 755,875
Waived Related Party Transactions
$ 151,170
$ 132,094
$ 370,338
$ 259,201
The Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there will be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future period:
CORN
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 347,523
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 190,244
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 789,304
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 385,819
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
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Table of Contents
Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund. Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including during periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many securities. This condition could cause a financial instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair value hierarchy. For instance, when Corn Futures Contracts on the CBOT are not actively trading due to a “limit-up” or limit-down” condition, meaning that the daily change in the Corn Futures Contracts has exceeded the limits established, the Trust and the Fund will revert to alternative verifiable sources of valuation of its assets. When such a situation exists on a quarter close, the Sponsor will calculate the Net Asset Value (“NAV”) on a particular day using the Level 1 valuation but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in its applicable financial statements and reports.
On September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value at the close of the market for each commodity contract fairly reflected the value of the futures and no alternative valuations were required. The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant exchange for the periods being reported.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Sep21 CBOT corn futures and the Dec21 CBOT corn futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust and CORN classified these as level 2 assets. The financial statements of CORN were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment resulted in an increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values of $711,275 for CORN. The Corn futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2021.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Jul21 CBOT corn futures, Sep21 CBOT corn futures, and Dec21 CBOT corn futures settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust and CORN classified these as Level 2 assets. The financial statements of CORN were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment resulted in an increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values of $3,371,513. The Jul21 corn futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset, and the Sep21 and Dec21 corn futures contracts remained a Level 2 asset as described above for the period ended June 30, 2021.
The Fund records its derivative activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices. Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market, are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts) which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
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Table of Contents
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the accrual method of accounting.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income (loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period, adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the amount of time the units were outstanding during such period.
New Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05: “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the amended guidance, a lessor should classify and account for a lease with variable lease payments that don’t depend on an index or a rate as an operating lease if the lease would’ve been classified as a sales-type lease or a direct financing lease in accordance with the lease classification guidance in Topic 842 and the lessor would’ve otherwise recognized a day-one loss. The amendment was adopted early for the quarter ended September 30, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-10: “Codification Improvements.” The amendment improves the disclosure guidance in appropriate Disclosure Sections, without resulting in changes to current GAAP. The amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendment was adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued 2020-02: “Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting. The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing guidance. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13: “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No. 2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a public business entity except for a requirement to include or the inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
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Table of Contents
Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
September 30, 2021
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
September 30,
2021
Cash Equivalents
$ 54,955,254
$ -
$ -
$ 54,955,254
Commodity Futures Contracts
Corn futures contracts
1,980,301
-
-
1,980,301
Total
$ 56,935,555
$ -
$ -
$ 56,935,555
Liabilities
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
September 30,
2021
Commodity Futures Contracts
Corn futures contracts
$ 89,136
$ -
$ -
$ 89,136
December 31, 2020
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
December 31,
2020
Cash Equivalents
$ 97,970,853
$ -
$ -
$ 97,970,853
Commodity Futures Contracts
Corn futures contracts
20,154,606
-
-
20,154,606
Total
$ 118,125,459
$ -
$ -
$ 118,125,459
For the period ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund did not have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value hierarchy. The: Sep21 and Dec21 CBOT corn futures contracts were reflected as a Level 2 investment for the period ended June 30, 2021 due to a “limit up” condition; the Jul21 CBOT corn futures, Sep21 CBOT corn futures, and Dec21 CBOT corn futures, were reflected as a Level 2 investment for the period ended March 31, 2021 due to a “limit up” condition. The Jul21 corn futures transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended June 30, 2021, and the Sep21 and Dec21 corn futures contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2021.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 – Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
In the normal course of business, the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price, and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. For three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund invested only in commodity futures contracts.
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Futures Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount could be less than the total of cash and other equity deposited.
The following table discloses information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in FASB ASU No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the combined statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts, categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM, E D & F Man as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. *The amount of collateral presented in Collateral, Due from Broker, is limited to the liability for the futures contracts and accordingly does not include the excess collateral pledged.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of September 30, 2021
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 1,980,301
$ -
$ 1,980,301
$ 89,136
$ -
$ 1,891,165
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Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and Derivative Liabilities as of September 30, 2021
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due from Broker*
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 89,136
$ -
$ 89,136
$ 89,136
$ -
$ -
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of December 31, 2020
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 20,154,606
$ -
$ 20,154,606
$ -
$ 12,973,828
$ 7,180,778
The following tables identify the net gain and loss amounts included in the statements of operations as realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading of commodity futures contracts categorized by primary underlying risk:
Three months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 6,039,005
$ ( 16,642,507 )
Three months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 400,170
$ 10,737,739
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Nine months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ 61,285,136
$ ( 18,263,441 )
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Loss on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Corn futures contracts
$ ( 6,379,024 )
$ ( 7,945,108 )
Volume of Derivative Activities
The average notional market value categorized by primary underlying risk for the futures contracts held was $ 126.7 million and $ 154.1 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, and $ 117.8 million and $ 83.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively.
Note 6 – Financial Highlights
The following tables present per unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. This information has been derived from information presented in the financial statements and is presented with total expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as appropriate.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Per Share Operation Performance
Net asset value at beginning of period
$ 21.44
$ 12.40
$ 15.54
$ 14.82
Income from investment operations:
Investment income
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.08
Net realized and unrealized (loss) gain on commodity futures contracts
( 1.12 )
0.81
4.94
( 1.44 )
Total expenses, net
( 0.10 )
( 0.07 )
( 0.27 )
( 0.31 )
Net (decrease) increase in net asset value
( 1.21 )
0.75
4.69
( 1.67 )
Net asset value at end of period
$ 20.23
$ 13.15
$ 20.23
$ 13.15
Total Return
( 5.62 )%
6.00 %
30.23 %
( 11.29 )%
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
Total expenses
2.88 %
3.08 %
2.61 %
3.93 %
Total expenses, net
1.86 %
2.38 %
1.95 %
3.28 %
Net investment loss
( 1.70 )%
( 2.08 )%
( 1.78 )%
( 2.39 )%
The financial highlights per share data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 – Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund, including applicable SEC registration fees were borne directly by the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the Sponsor.
Note 8 – Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended September 30, 2021 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no material events requiring either recognition through the date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted below:
The continued uncertainty of COVID-19 may continue to be highly disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this 10-Q.
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TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 44,597,145
$ 90,398,391
Interest receivable
3,235
5,478
Other assets
-
37
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
1,045,744
15,124,226
Due from broker
3,451,445
-
Total equity in trading accounts
4,497,189
15,124,226
Total assets
49,097,569
105,528,132
Liabilities
Management fee payable to Sponsor
45,421
75,651
Payable for purchase of commercial paper
-
4,997,451
Other liabilities
51,442
18,602
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
1,715,999
-
Due to broker
-
11,257,566
Total equity in trading accounts
1,715,999
11,257,566
Total liabilities
1,812,862
16,349,270
Net assets
$ 47,284,707
$ 89,178,862
Shares outstanding
2,150,004
4,575,004
Shares authorized
16,050,000
17,100,000
Net asset value per share
$ 21.99
$ 19.49
Market value per share
$ 22.02
$ 19.47
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Funds - Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $2,548,576)
$ 2,548,576
5.39 %
2,548,576
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Government Fund - Institutional Class (cost: $1,107)
1,107
0.00
1,107
Total money market funds (cost: $2,549,683)
$ 2,549,683
5.39 %
Principal
Amount
Commercial Paper
Brookfield Infrastructure Holdings (Canada) Inc. 0.178% (cost: $4,998,737 due 11/03/2021)
$ 4,999,183
10.57 %
5,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.172% (cost: $3,998,792 due 11/04/2021)
3,999,358
8.46
4,000,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $2,499,315 due 11/10/2021)
2,499,528
5.28
2,500,000
Glencore Funding LLC 0.150% (cost: $2,499,105 due 10/06/2021)
2,499,948
5.29
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,250 due 10/14/2021)
2,499,864
5.29
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.262% (cost: $2,499,292 due 10/19/2021)
2,499,673
5.29
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.260% (cost: $2,499,170 due 10/29/2021)
2,499,495
5.28
2,500,000
National Fuel Gas Company 0.200% (cost: $2,499,708 due 10/08/2021)
2,499,903
5.29
2,500,000
Total Commercial Paper (cost: $23,993,369)
$ 23,996,952
50.75 %
Total Cash Equivalents
$ 26,546,635
56.14 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States soybean futures contracts
CBOT soybean futures NOV22 (268 contracts)
$ 1,045,744
2.21 %
$ 16,666,250
Percentage of
Notional Amount
Description: Liabilities
Fair Value
Net Assets
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States soybean futures contracts
CBOT soybean futures JAN22 (261 contracts)
$ 1,423,625
3.01 %
$ 16,514,775
CBOT soybean futures MAR22 (222 contracts)
292,374
0.62
14,119,200
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 1,715,999
3.63 %
$ 30,633,975
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2020
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X 0.04% (cost $8,227,242)
$ 8,227,242
9.23 %
8,227,242
Blackrock Liquidity FedFund - Institutional Class 0.005% (cost $5,014,767)
5,014,767
5.62
5,014,767
Total money market funds (cost: $13,242,009)
$ 13,242,009
14.85 %
Principal
Amount
Commercial Paper
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.421% (cost: $2,498,862 due 01/29/2021)
$ 2,499,183
2.80 %
2,500,000
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $2,498,924 due 02/05/2021)
2,498,924
2.80
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.400% (cost: $2,497,945 due 01/04/2021)
2,499,917
2.81
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.310% (cost: $2,498,407 due 01/05/2021)
2,499,914
2.81
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.250% (cost: $4,996,875 due 01/11/2021)
4,999,653
5.61
5,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.270% (cost: $1,999,025 due 01/20/2021)
1,999,715
2.24
2,000,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,198 due 02/01/2021)
2,499,677
2.80
2,500,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $2,499,245 due 02/03/2021)
2,499,611
2.80
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.430% (cost: $2,498,627 due 01/29/2021)
2,499,164
2.80
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.401% (cost: $2,498,528 due 02/26/2021)
2,498,528
2.80
2,500,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.350% (cost: $2,498,688 due 02/01/2021)
2,499,246
2.80
2,500,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.381% (cost: $2,498,074 due 02/26/2021)
2,498,522
2.80
2,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.372% (cost: $2,498,529 due 02/26/2021)
2,498,555
2.80
2,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.451% (cost: $2,497,219 due 03/22/2021)
2,497,500
2.80
2,500,000
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. 0.246% (cost: $7,496,571 due 03/05/2021)
7,496,776
8.41
7,500,000
Total commercial paper (cost: $44,474,717)
$ 44,484,885
49.88 %
Total cash equivalents
$ 57,726,894
64.73 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States soybean futures contracts
CBOT soybean futures MAR21 (479 contracts)
$ 7,011,407
7.86 %
$ 31,398,450
CBOT soybean futures MAY21 (411 contracts)
3,404,313
3.82
26,853,712
CBOT soybean futures NOV21 (557 contracts)
4,708,506
5.28
30,962,238
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 15,124,226
16.96 %
$ 89,214,400
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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Table of Contents
TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Income
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures contracts:
Realized gain on commodity futures contracts
$ 3,421,173
$ 2,919,491
$ 29,238,888
$ 1,201,373
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on commodity futures contracts
( 7,754,543 )
8,101,755
( 15,794,481 )
7,292,203
Interest income
20,624
50,232
105,253
210,650
Total (loss) income
( 4,312,746 )
11,071,478
13,549,660
8,704,226
Expenses
Management fees
149,464
190,671
610,715
326,182
Professional fees
34,456
88,308
241,217
248,156
Distribution and marketing fees
212,480
175,799
672,427
403,563
Custodian fees and expenses
24,956
36,796
77,396
67,262
Business permits and licenses fees
631
37,954
20,995
50,422
General and administrative expenses
12,111
24,006
72,161
54,769
Total expenses
434,098
553,534
1,694,911
1,150,354
Expenses waived by the Sponsor
( 173,635 )
( 159,329 )
( 479,631 )
( 236,376 )
Total expenses, net
260,463
394,205
1,215,280
913,978
Net (loss) income
$ ( 4,573,209 )
$ 10,677,273
$ 12,334,380
$ 7,790,248
Net (loss) income per share
$ ( 1.80 )
$ 1.89
$ 2.50
$ 0.02
Net (loss) income per weighted average share
$ ( 1.77 )
$ 2.09
$ 3.31
$ 2.60
Weighted average shares outstanding
2,590,221
5,113,591
3,724,546
2,990,515
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Operations
Net income
$ 12,334,380
$ 7,790,248
Capital transactions
Issuance of Shares
22,195,355
110,771,840
Redemption of Shares
( 76,423,890 )
( 18,187,858 )
Total capital transactions
( 54,228,535 )
92,583,982
Net change in net assets
( 41,894,155 )
100,374,230
Net assets, beginning of period
$ 89,178,862
$ 28,135,131
Net assets, end of period
$ 47,284,707
$ 128,509,361
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
$ 19.49
$ 15.85
Net asset value per share at end of period
$ 21.99
$ 15.87
Creation of Shares
1,050,000
7,600,000
Redemption of Shares
3,475,000
1,275,000
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SOYBEAN FUND
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 12,334,380
$ 7,790,248
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net change in unrealized depreciation (appreciation) on commodity futures contracts
15,794,481
( 7,292,203 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Due from broker
( 3,451,445 )
-
Interest receivable
2,243
( 5,883 )
Other assets
37
4,370
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
( 4,997,451 )
4,999,763
Due to broker
( 11,257,566 )
108,368
Management fee payable to Sponsor
( 30,230 )
64,236
Other liabilities
32,840
27,879
Net cash provided by operating activities
8,427,289
5,696,778
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of Shares
22,195,355
110,771,840
Redemption of Shares
( 76,423,890 )
( 18,187,858 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
( 54,228,535 )
92,583,982
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
( 45,801,246 )
98,280,760
Cash and cash equivalents beginning of period
90,398,391
27,874,691
Cash and cash equivalents end of period
$ 44,597,145
$ 126,155,451
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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Table of Contents
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Note 1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Soybean Fund (referred to herein as “SOYB” or the “Fund”) is a commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the “Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value (“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund (the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “SOYB,” to the public at per Share offering prices that reflect, among other factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of sale, and the liquidity of the markets for soybean interests. The Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per Share.
The investment objective of SOYB is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the soybean market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three futures contracts for soybeans (“Soybean Futures Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”):
SOYB Benchmark
CBOT Soybean Futures Contract
Weighting
Second to expire (excluding August & September)
35 %
Third to expire (excluding August & September)
30 %
Expiring in the November following the expiration of the third to expire contract
35 %
The Fund commenced investment operations on September 19, 2011 and has a fiscal year ending December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the management of the Fund. The Sponsor is registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”).
On June 13, 2011, the initial Form S-1 for SOYB was declared effective by the SEC. On September 16, 2011, two Creation Baskets were issued representing 100,000 shares and $ 2,500,000 . On September 19, 2011, SOYB started trading on the NYSE Arca. The current registration statement for SOYB was declared effective by the SEC on August 24, 2020. This registration statement for SOYB registered an additional 15,000,000 shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2021.
Subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor (“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time, regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a Fund.
Note 2 – Principal Contracts and Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund Services"), for Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services. The principal address for Global Fund Services is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
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For custody services, the Funds will pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1 billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion, annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds will pay to Global Fund Services 0.05% of average gross assets on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million, 0.03% on the next $2 billion and 0.02% on the balance over $3 billion annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $47,000 for custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is assessed per Fund. These services are recorded as custodian fees and expenses on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee of 0.01% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and an aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Funds, along with certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA, Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and $1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution Consulting Agreement with the Sponsor.
E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. (“E D & F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services. E D & F Man is registered as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the NFA. E D & F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. E D & F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts E D & F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn . Prior to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on the statements of operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an annual fee of $ 3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital Partners LLC (“Thales”) for distribution and solicitation-related services. Thales is registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Thales receives a quarterly fee of the higher of $18,750 or 0.10% of new assets raised in referred accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services. This fee based on new assets raised is determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below:
Three month
ended
Three month
ended
Nine month
ended
Nine month
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Amount Recognized for Custody Services
$ 24,956
$ 36,797
$ 77,396
$ 67,262
Amount of Custody Services Waived
$ 14,494
$ 667
$ 22,311
$ 667
Amount Recognized for Distribution Services
$ 9,804
$ 10,790
$ 36,491
$ 24,151
Amount of Distribution Services Waived
$ 6,268
$ 10,198
$ 20,164
$ 10,198
Amount Recognized for Wilmington Trust
$ 631
$ -
$ 631
$ -
Amount of Wilmington Trust Waived
$ 631
$ -
$ 631
$ -
Amount Recognized for Thales
$ 22,937
$ 5,701
$ 70,896
$ 12,802
Amount of Thales Waived
$ 22,937
$ 5,701
$ 28,236
$ 5,701
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Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification.
Revenue Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of operations. The Fund seeks to earn interest on its assets denominated in U.S. dollars on deposits with the Futures Commission Merchant. In addition, the Fund seeks to earn interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial institutions at prevailing market rates for such investments.
The Sponsor invests a portion of cash in commercial paper, which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities and on the statements of cash flows. Accretion on these investments is recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts. Accretion on these investments is recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
Brokerage Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis. The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of operations as total brokerage commissions paid inclusive of unrealized loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
SOYB
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 4,833
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 15,066
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 26,568
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 25,211
Income Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, each Fund will be treated as a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
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The Fund is required to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and may file income tax returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all tax years 2018 to 2020, the Fund remains subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. However, the Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed. No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Fund may be subject to potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax laws.
Creations and Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from the Fund. The amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is received in good order.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called “Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to redeem the basket is received in good order.
The Fund receives or pays the proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as capital shares receivable. Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares each shareholder holds as of the close of each month.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired. The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial institutions. The Fund holds a balance in money market funds that is included in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents. Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor may invest a portion of the cash held by the FCM in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured.
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
Money Market Funds
$ 2,549,683
$ 13,242,009
Demand Deposit Savings Accounts
18,050,510
32,671,497
Commercial Paper
23,996,952
44,484,885
Total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
$ 44,597,145
$ 90,398,391
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Payable for Purchases of Commercial Paper
The amount recorded by the Fund for commercial paper transactions awaiting settlement, represents the amount payable for contracts purchased but not yet settled as of the reporting date. The value of the contract is included in cash and cash equivalents, and the payable amount is included as a liability.
Due from/to Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on the clearing broker’s records and amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater than customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over the counter trading generally involves the extension of credit between counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit exposure.
When a trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders personally) is subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined positions.
Calculation of Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated by:
•
Taking the current market value of its total assets and
•
Subtracting any liabilities.
The administrator, Global Fund Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Soybean Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the CBOT closing price. The administrator determines the value of all other Fund investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The value of over the counter soybean interests is determined based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying such soybean interest, except that a fair value may be determined if the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such soybean interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open soybean interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the Fund.
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Sponsor Fee, Allocation of Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor has elected not to outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities, which the Sponsor performs itself. In addition, the Fund is contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00 % per annum.
The Fund pays for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective Fund based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under management and creation order activity. These aggregate common expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees in the financial statements of each Fund.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Recognized Related Party Transactions
$ 122,021
$ 136,556
$ 461,318
$ 323,385
Waived Related Party Transactions
$ 93,643
$ 90,565
$ 231,207
$ 122,612
The Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there will be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future period:
SOYB
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 173,635
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 159,329
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 479,631
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 236,376
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
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Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund. Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair value hierarchy. When such a situation exists on a quarter close, the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the Level 1 valuation but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in its applicable financial statements and reports.
On September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value at the close of the market for each commodity contract fairly reflected the value of the futures and no alternative valuations were required. The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant exchange for the periods being reported.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Soybean Futures Contracts for Jul21 CBOT soybean futures, and the Nov21 CBOT soybean futures settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust and SOYB classified these as Level 2 assets. The adjustment in SOYB resulted in a $279,750 increase in the unrealized change in commodity futures contracts in excess of reported CBOT values. These contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the quarter ended June 30, 2021.
The Fund records its derivative activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices. Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market, are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts) which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the accrual method of accounting.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per Share is the difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of Shares outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income (loss) per weighted average Share. The weighted average Shares are equal to the number of Shares outstanding at the end of the period, adjusted proportionately for Shares created or redeemed based on the amount of time the Shares were outstanding during such period.
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New Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05: “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the amended guidance, a lessor should classify and account for a lease with variable lease payments that don’t depend on an index or a rate as an operating lease if the lease would’ve been classified as a sales-type lease or a direct financing lease in accordance with the lease classification guidance in Topic 842 and the lessor would’ve otherwise recognized a day-one loss. The amendment was adopted early for the quarter ended September 30, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-10: “Codification Improvements.” The amendment improves the disclosure guidance in appropriate Disclosure Sections, without resulting in changes to current GAAP. The amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendment was adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued 2020-02: “Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting. The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing guidance. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13: “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No. 2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a public business entity except for a requirement to include or the inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
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Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
September 30, 2021
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of September 30,
2021
Cash Equivalents
$ 26,546,635
$ -
$ -
$ 26,546,635
Commodity Futures Contracts
Soybean futures contracts
1,045,744
-
-
1,045,744
Total
$ 27,592,379
$ -
$ -
$ 27,592,379
Liabilities:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of September 30,
2021
Commodity Futures Contracts
Soybean futures contracts
$ 1,715,999
$
-
$
-
$
1,715,999
December 31, 2020
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of December 31,
2020
Cash Equivalents
$ 57,726,894
$ -
$ -
$ 57,726,894
Commodity Futures Contracts
Soybean futures contracts
15,124,226
-
-
15,124,226
Total
$ 72,851,120
$ -
$ -
$ 72,851,120
For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund did not have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value hierarchy, except for the Jul21 CBOT soybean futures, and the Nov21 CBOT soybean futures, were reflected as a Level 2 asset for the period ended March 31, 2021 due to a “limit up” condition. These Soybean contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended June 30, 2021.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 – Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
In the normal course of business, the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price, and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund invested only in commodity futures contracts.
Futures Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount could be less than the total of cash and other equity deposited.
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The following table discloses information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in FASB ASU No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the combined statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts, categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM, E D & F Man as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. *The amount of collateral presented in Collateral, Due from Broker, is limited to the liability for the futures contracts and accordingly does not include the excess collateral pledged.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of September 30, 2021
Assets
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 1,045,744
$ -
$ 1,045,744
$ 1,045,744
$ -
$ -
Offsetting of Financial Liabilities and Derivative Liabilities as of September 30, 2021
Liabilities
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Liabilities
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due from Broker*
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 1,715,999
$ -
$ 1,715,999
$ 1,045,744
$ 670,255
$ -
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Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of December 31, 2020
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 15,124,226
$ -
$ 15,124,226
$ -
$ 11,257,566
$ 3,866,660
The following is a summary of realized and unrealized gains and losses of the derivative instruments utilized by the Fund:
Three months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 3,421,173
$ ( 7,754,543 )
Three months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 2,919,491
$ 8,101,755
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 29,238,888
$ ( 15,794,481 )
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Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Soybean futures contracts
$ 1,201,373
$ 7,292,203
Volume of Derivative Activities
The average notional market value categorized by primary underlying risk for all futures contracts held was $ 54.6 million and $ 80.7 million, respectively for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and, and $ 89.2 million and $ 48.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively.
Note 6 – Financial Highlights
The following tables present per unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. This information has been derived from information presented in the financial statements and is presented with total expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as appropriate.
Three months ended
Three months ended
Nine months ended
Nine months ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Per Share Operation Performance
Net asset value at beginning of period
$ 23.79
$ 13.98
$ 19.49
$ 15.85
Income from investment operations:
Investment income
0.01
0.01
0.03
0.07
Net realized and unrealized (loss) gain on commodity futures contracts
( 1.71 )
1.96
2.80
0.26
Total expenses, net
( 0.10 )
( 0.08 )
( 0.33 )
( 0.31 )
Net (decrease) increase in net asset value
( 1.80 )
1.89
2.50
0.02
Net asset value at end of period
$ 21.99
$ 15.87
$ 21.99
$ 15.87
Total Return
( 7.56 )%
13.45 %
12.83 %
0.09 %
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
Total expenses
2.90 %
2.90 %
2.78 %
3.53 %
Total expenses, net
1.74 %
2.07 %
1.99 %
2.80 %
Net investment loss
( 1.60 )%
( 1.81 )%
( 1.82 )%
( 2.15 )%
The financial highlights per share data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 – Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund, including applicable SEC registration fees were borne directly by the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the Sponsor.
Note 8 – Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended September 30, 2021 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no material events requiring either recognition through the date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted below:
The continued uncertainty of COVID-19 may continue to be highly disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this 10-Q.
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TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 24,201,530
$ 11,849,332
Interest receivable
1,450
904
Other assets
30
-
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
2,254,654
1,407,703
Total assets
26,457,664
13,257,939
Liabilities
Management fee payable to Sponsor
21,374
10,292
Other liabilities
21,614
5,895
Equity in trading accounts:
Due to broker
346,666
475,661
Total liabilities
389,654
491,848
Net assets
$ 26,068,010
$ 12,766,091
Shares outstanding
2,725,004
1,900,004
Shares authorized
21,700,000
23,150,000
Net asset value per share
$ 9.57
$ 6.72
Market value per share
$ 9.55
$ 6.75
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $7,684,840)
$ 7,684,840
29.48 %
7,684,840
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Government Fund - Institutional Class (cost $5,161)
5,161
0.02
5,161
Total money market funds (cost: $7,690,001)
$ 7,690,001
29.50 %
Principal Amount
Commercial Paper
Jabil Inc. 0.262% (cost: $4,998,584 due 10/19/2021)
$ 4,999,346
19.18 %
5,000,000
National Fuel Gas Company 0.200% (cost: $2,499,708 due 10/08/2021)
2,499,903
9.59
2,500,000
Total Commercial Paper (cost: $7,498,292)
$ 7,499,249
28.77 %
Total Cash Equivalents
$ 15,189,250
58.27 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States sugar futures contracts
ICE sugar futures MAY22 (414 contracts)
$ 909,895
3.49 %
$ 9,162,317
ICE sugar futures JUL22 (368 contracts)
183,614
0.71
7,859,891
ICE sugar futures MAR23 (439 contracts)
1,161,145
4.45
9,066,579
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 2,254,654
8.65 %
$ 26,088,787
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2020
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $4,134,293)
$ 4,134,293
32.38 %
4,134,293
Blackrock Liquidity FedFund - Institutional Class (cost: $18,871)
18,871
0.15
18,871
Total money market funds (cost: $4,153,164)
4,153,164
32.53
Principal Amount
Commercial Paper
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $2,498,889 due 1/29/2021)
2,499,028
19.58
2,500,000
Total cash equivalents
$ 6,652,192
52.11 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States sugar futures contracts
ICE sugar futures MAY21 (272 contracts)
$ 550,868
4.32 %
$ 4,472,115
ICE sugar futures JUL21 (241 contracts)
345,612
2.71
3,830,165
ICE sugar futures MAR22 (279 contracts)
511,223
4.00
4,459,090
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 1,407,703
11.03 %
$ 12,761,370
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Income
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures contracts:
Realized gain (loss) on commodity futures contracts
$ 2,536,459
$ 184,149
$ 5,802,090
$ ( 763,390 )
Net change in unrealized appreciation on commodity futures contracts
289,834
484,253
846,951
17,344
Interest income
7,425
5,633
19,515
63,740
Total income (loss)
2,833,718
674,035
6,668,556
( 682,306 )
Expenses
Management fees
59,875
28,558
142,487
73,687
Professional fees
15,069
10,999
47,381
99,591
Distribution and marketing fees
52,768
46,926
115,107
137,431
Custodian fees and expenses
3,407
7,156
11,673
19,555
Business permits and licenses fees
1,449
2,856
22,646
31,520
General and administrative expenses
3,917
5,618
19,913
19,743
Other expenses
8
-
8
15
Total expenses
136,493
102,113
359,215
381,542
Expenses waived by the Sponsor
( 29,699 )
( 32,961 )
( 87,738 )
( 146,853 )
Total expenses, net
106,794
69,152
271,477
234,689
Net income (loss)
$ 2,726,924
$ 604,883
$ 6,397,079
$ ( 916,995 )
Net income (loss) per share
$ 1.09
$ 0.39
$ 2.85
$ ( 0.93 )
Net income (loss) per weighted average share
$ 1.04
$ 0.32
$ 2.75
$ ( 0.57 )
Weighted average shares outstanding
2,618,482
1,913,319
2,329,583
1,600,916
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Operations
Net income (loss)
$ 6,397,079
$ ( 916,995 )
Capital transactions
Issuance of Shares
12,364,868
7,856,851
Redemption of Shares
( 5,460,028 )
( 7,805,796 )
Total capital transactions
6,904,840
51,055
Net change in net assets
13,301,919
( 865,940 )
Net assets, beginning of period
$ 12,766,091
$ 12,313,180
Net assets, end of period
$ 26,068,010
$ 11,447,240
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
$ 6.72
$ 7.04
Net asset value per share at end of period
$ 9.57
$ 6.11
Creation of Shares
1,450,000
1,350,000
Redemption of Shares
625,000
1,225,000
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM SUGAR FUND
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)
$ 6,397,079
$ ( 916,995 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net change in unrealized appreciation on commodity futures contracts
( 846,951 )
( 17,344 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Due from broker
-
( 517,698 )
Interest receivable
( 546 )
( 1,228 )
Other assets
( 30 )
( 8,003 )
Due to broker
( 128,995 )
( 237,908 )
Management fee payable to Sponsor
11,082
177
Other liabilities
15,719
27,374
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
5,447,358
( 1,671,625 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of Shares
12,364,868
7,856,851
Redemption of Shares
( 5,460,028 )
( 7,805,796 )
Net cash provided by financing activities
6,904,840
51,055
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
12,352,198
( 1,620,570 )
Cash and cash equivalents beginning of period
11,849,332
12,215,795
Cash and cash equivalents end of period
$ 24,201,530
$ 10,595,225
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Note 1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Sugar Fund (referred to herein as “CANE” or the “Fund”) is a commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the “Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value (“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund (the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “CANE,” to the public at per-Share offering prices that reflect, among other factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of sale, and the liquidity of the markets for sugar interests. The Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per Share.
The investment objective of CANE is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the sugar market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three futures contracts for No. 11 sugar (“Sugar Futures Contracts”) that are traded on the ICE Futures US (“ICE”):
CANE Benchmark
ICE Sugar Futures Contract
Weighting
Second to expire
35 %
Third to expire
30 %
Expiring in the March following the expiration of the third to expire contract
35 %
The Fund commenced investment operations on September 19, 2011 and has a fiscal year ending December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the management of the Fund. The Sponsor is registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”).
On June 13, 2011, the initial Form S-1 for CANE was declared effective by the SEC. On September 16, 2011, two Creation Baskets were issued representing 100,000 shares and $ 2,500,000 . On September 19, 2011, CANE started trading on the NYSE Arca. The current registration statement for CANE was declared effective by the SEC on October 2, 2020. This registration statement for CANE registered an additional 15,000,000 shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2021.
Subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor (“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time, regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a Fund.
Note 2 – Principal Contracts and Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Global Fund Services”), for Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services. The principal address for Global Fund Services is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
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For custody services, the Funds will pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1 billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion, annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds will pay to Global Fund Services 0.05% of average gross assets on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million, 0.03% on the next $2 billion and 0.02% on the balance over $3 billion annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $47,000 for custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is assessed per Fund. These services are recorded as custodian fees and expenses on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee of 0.01% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and an aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Funds, along with certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA, Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and $1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust’s Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution Consulting Agreement with the Sponsor.
E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. (“E D & F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services. E D & F Man is registered as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the NFA. E D & F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. E D & F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts E D & F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn . Prior to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on the statements of operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an annual fee of $ 3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital Partners LLC (“Thales”) for distribution and solicitation-related services. Thales is registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Thales receives a quarterly fee of the higher of $18,750 or 0.10% of new assets raised in referred accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services. This fee based on new assets raised is determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below:
Three month ended
Three month ended
Nine month ended
Nine month ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Amount Recognized for Custody Services
$ 3,407
$ 7,156
$ 11,673
$ 19,555
Amount of Custody Services Waived
$ 2,209
$ 3,418
$ 4,544
$ 7,694
Amount Recognized for Distribution Services
$ 2,359
$ 1,916
$ 5,967
$ 7,442
Amount of Distribution Services Waived
$ 742
$ 1,795
$ 1,958
$ 3,806
Amount Recognized for Wilmington Trust
$ 252
$ -
$ 252
$ -
Amount of Wilmington Trust Waived
$ 252
$ -
$ 252
$ -
Amount Recognized for Thales
$ 4,991
$ 1,176
$ 11,299
$ 4,283
Amount of Thales Waived
$ 4,991
$ 1,176
$ 5,859
$ 2,688
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Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification.
Revenue Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Fund seeks to earn interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial institutions at prevailing market rates for such investments.
The Sponsor invests a portion of cash in commercial paper, which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities and on the statements of cash flows. Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts. Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
Brokerage Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis. The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of operations as total brokerage commissions paid inclusive of unrealized loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.
CANE
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 6,613
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 5,311
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 19,047
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 13,554
Income Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
The Fund is required to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and may file income tax returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all tax years 2018 to 2020, the Fund remains subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. However, the Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed. No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Fund may be subject to potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax laws.
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Creations and Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from the Fund. The amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is received in good order.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called “Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to redeem the basket is received in good order.
The Fund receives or pays the proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as capital shares receivable. Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares each shareholder holds as of the close of each month.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired. The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial institutions. The Fund holds a balance in money market funds that is included in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents. Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor may invest a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured.
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
Money Market Funds
$ 7,690,001
$ 4,153,164
Demand Deposit Savings Accounts
9,012,280
5,197,140
Commercial Paper
7,499,249
2,499,028
Total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
$ 24,201,530
$ 11,849,332
Due from/to Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on the clearing broker’s records, and amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater than customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over the counter trading generally involves the extension of credit between counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit exposure.
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When a trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders personally) is subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined positions.
Calculation of Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated by:
•
Taking the current market value of its total assets and
•
Subtracting any liabilities.
The administrator, Global Fund Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Sugar Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the ICE closing price. The administrator determines the value of all other Fund investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The value of over the counter sugar interests is determined based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying such sugar interest, except that a fair value may be determined if the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such sugar interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open sugar interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee, Allocation of Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor has elected not to outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities, which the Sponsor performs itself. In addition, the Fund is contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00 % per annum.
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The Fund generally pays for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective Fund based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under management and creation order activity. These aggregate common expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees in the financial statements of each Fund.
Three months ended
Three months ended
Nine months ended
Nine months ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Recognized Related Party Transactions
$ 30,226
$ 24,803
$ 77,995
$ 97,714
Waived Related Party Transactions
$ 10,632
$ 16,107
$ 29,830
$ 36,080
The Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there will be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future period:
CANE
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 29,699
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 32,961
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 87,738
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 146,853
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value – Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund. Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 – Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 – Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
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Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair value hierarchy. When such a situation exists on a quarter close, the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the Level 1 valuation but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in its applicable financial statements and reports.
On September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value of the Sugar Futures Contracts traded on the ICE fairly reflected the value of the Sugar Futures Contracts held by the Fund, and no adjustments were necessary. The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant exchange for the periods being reported.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund did not have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value hierarchy.
The Fund records its derivative activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices. Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market, are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts) which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the accrual method of accounting.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income (loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period, adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the amount of time the units were outstanding during such period.
New Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05: “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the amended guidance, a lessor should classify and account for a lease with variable lease payments that don’t depend on an index or a rate as an operating lease if the lease would’ve been classified as a sales-type lease or a direct financing lease in accordance with the lease classification guidance in Topic 842 and the lessor would’ve otherwise recognized a day-one loss. The amendment was adopted early for the quarter ended September 30, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-10: “Codification Improvements.” The amendment improves the disclosure guidance in appropriate Disclosure Sections, without resulting in changes to current GAAP. The amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendment was adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued 2020-02: “Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
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The FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting. The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: “Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing guidance. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13: “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No. 2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a public business entity except for a requirement to include or the inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
September 30, 2021
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of September 30,
2021
Cash Equivalents
$ 15,189,250
$ -
$ -
$ 15,189,250
Commodity Futures Contracts
Sugar futures contracts
2,254,654
-
-
2,254,654
Total
$ 17,443,904
$ -
$ -
$ 17,443,904
December 31, 2020
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of December 31,
2020
Cash Equivalents
$ 6,652,192
$ -
$ -
$ 6,652,192
Commodity Futures Contracts
Sugar futures contracts
1,407,703
-
-
1,407,703
Total
$ 8,059,895
$ -
$ -
$ 8,059,895
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For the period September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund did not have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value hierarchy.
See the Fair Value – Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 – Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
In the normal course of business, the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price, and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund invested only in commodity futures contracts.
Futures Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures contracts requires margin deposits with a FCM. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount could be less than the total of cash and other equity deposited.
The following table discloses information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in FASB ASU No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the combined statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts, categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM, E D & F Man as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. *The amount of collateral presented in Collateral, Due from Broker, is limited to the liability for the futures contracts and accordingly does not include the excess collateral pledged.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of September 30, 2021
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Sugar futures contracts
$ 2,254,654
$ -
$ 2,254,654
$ -
$ 346,666
$ 1,907,988
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Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of December 31, 2020
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Sugar futures contracts
$
1,407,703
$
-
$
1,407,703
$
-
$
475,661
$
932,042
The following tables identify the net gain and loss amounts included in the statements of operations as realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading of commodity futures contracts categorized by primary underlying risk:
Three months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Sugar futures contracts
$ 2,536,459
$ 289,834
Three months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Sugar futures contracts
$ 184,149
$ 484,253
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Nine months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Sugar futures contracts
$ 5,802,090
$ 846,951
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Loss on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Sugar futures contracts
$ ( 763,390 )
$ 17,344
Volume of Derivative Activities
The average notional market value categorized by primary underlying risk for all futures contracts held were $ 24.4 million and $ 18.9 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, and $ 11.9 million and $ 10.1 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020.
Note 6 – Financial Highlights
The following table presents per unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. This information has been derived from information presented in the financial statements and is presented with total expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as appropriate.
Three months ended
Three months ended
Nine months ended
Nine months ended
September 30, 2021
September 30, 2020
September 30, 2021
September 30, 2020
Per Share Operation Performance
Net asset value at beginning of period
$ 8.48
$ 5.72
$ 6.72
$ 7.04
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Investment income
-
-
0.01
0.04
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on commodity futures contracts
1.13
0.42
2.96
( 0.82 )
Total expenses, net
( 0.04 )
( 0.03 )
( 0.12 )
( 0.15 )
Net increase (decrease) in net asset value
1.09
0.39
2.85
( 0.93 )
Net asset value at end of period
$ 9.57
$ 6.11
$ 9.57
$ 6.11
Total Return
12.80 %
6.65 %
42.38 %
( 13.23 )%
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
Total expenses
2.28 %
3.58 %
2.52 %
5.18 %
Total expenses, net
1.78 %
2.42 %
1.91 %
3.18 %
Net investment loss
( 1.66 )%
( 2.22 )%
( 1.77 )%
( 2.32 )%
The financial highlights per share data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 – Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund, including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the Sponsor.
Note 8 – Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended September 30, 2021 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no material events requiring either recognition through the date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted below:
The continued uncertainty of COVID-19 may continue to be highly disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this 10-Q.
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TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents
$ 70,448,215
$ 68,946,725
Interest receivable
5,046
3,257
Capital shares receivable
-
307,830
Equity in trading accounts:
Commodity futures contracts
4,538,406
5,738,162
Due from broker
919,985
-
Total equity in trading accounts
5,458,391
5,738,162
Total assets
75,911,652
74,995,974
Liabilities
Payable for shares redeemed
-
2,462,640
Management fee payable to Sponsor
60,225
60,902
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
2,498,755
-
Other liabilities
56,593
24,751
Equity in trading accounts:
Due to broker
-
2,571,103
Total liabilities
2,615,573
5,119,396
Net assets
$ 73,296,079
$ 69,876,578
Shares outstanding
10,375,004
11,350,004
Shares authorized
34,150,000
37,650,000
Net asset value per share
$ 7.06
$ 6.16
Market value per share
$ 7.08
$ 6.19
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $2,869,825)
$ 2,869,825
3.92 %
2,869,825
Goldman Sachs Financial Square Government Fund - Institutional Class (cost: $3,535,132)
3,535,132
4.82
3,535,132
Total money market funds (cost: $6,404,957)
$ 6,404,957
8.74 %
Principal Amount
Commercial Paper
Brookfield Infrastructure Holdings (Canada) Inc. 0.178% (cost: $7,498,107 due 11/03/2021)
$ 7,498,775
10.23 %
7,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $2,499,083 due 10/04/2021)
2,499,969
3.41
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.172% (cost: $2,499,245 due 11/04/2021)
2,499,599
3.41
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.150% (cost: $3,998,800 due 10/14/2021)
3,999,783
5.46
4,000,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.160% (cost: $2,499,011 due 11/03/2021)
2,499,633
3.41
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.260% (cost: $2,499,170 due 10/29/2021)
2,499,495
3.41
2,500,000
National Fuel Gas Company 0.200% (cost: $2,499,708 due 10/08/2021)
2,499,903
3.41
2,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.274% (cost: $2,498,288 due 10/18/2021)
2,499,676
3.41
2,500,000
Viatris Inc. 0.230% (cost: $2,498,755 due 12/21/2021)
2,498,755
3.41
2,500,000
Total Commercial Paper (cost: 28,990,167)
$ 28,995,588
39.56 %
Total Cash Equivalents
$ 35,400,545
48.30 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States wheat futures contracts
CBOT wheat futures MAR22 (695 contracts)
$ 2,691,398
3.67 %
$ 25,593,375
CBOT wheat futures MAY22 (593 contracts)
1,097,519
1.50
21,926,175
CBOT wheat futures DEC22 (708 contracts)
749,489
1.02
25,788,900
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 4,538,406
6.19 %
$ 73,308,450
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2020
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $16,214,175)
$ 16,214,175
23.20 %
16,214,175
Blackrock Liquidity FedFund - Institutional Class (cost $13,227)
13,227
0.02
13,227
Total money market funds (cost: $16,227,402)
$ 16,227,402
23.22 %
Principal Amount
Commercial Paper
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.421% (cost: $2,498,863 due 01/29/2021)
$ 2,499,183
3.58 %
2,500,000
Energy Transfer Operating, L.P. 0.501% (cost: $2,498,889 due 01/29/2021)
2,499,028
3.57
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.400% (cost: $2,497,945 due 01/04/2021)
2,499,917
3.58
2,500,000
General Motors Financial Company, Inc. 0.411% (cost: $2,498,178 due 01/08/2021)
2,499,801
3.58
2,500,000
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. 0.250% (cost: $2,498,437 due 01/11/2021)
2,499,826
3.58
2,500,000
Hyundai Capital America, Inc. 0.170% (cost: $2,499,245 due 02/03/2021)
2,499,611
3.58
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.430% (cost: $2,498,627 due 01/29/2021)
2,499,164
3.58
2,500,000
Jabil Inc. 0.501% (cost: $2,497,153 due 02/24/2021)
2,498,125
3.57
2,500,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.350% (cost: $4,997,375 due 02/01/2021)
4,998,493
7.15
5,000,000
Marathon Petroleum Corporation 0.381% (cost: $4,996,147 due 02/26/2021)
4,997,044
7.15
5,000,000
WGL Holdings, Inc. 0.200% (cost: $2,499,417 due 01/27/2021)
2,499,639
3.58
2,500,000
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. 0.246% (cost: $2,498,857 due 03/05/2021)
2,498,926
3.58
2,500,000
Total commercial paper (cost: $34,979,133)
$ 34,988,757
50.08 %
Total cash equivalents
$ 51,216,159
73.30 %
Notional Amount
(Long Exposure)
Commodity futures contracts
United States wheat futures contracts
CBOT wheat futures MAY21 (765 contracts)
$ 2,297,658
3.29 %
$ 24,460,875
CBOT wheat futures JUL21 (668 contracts)
687,506
0.98
20,983,550
CBOT wheat futures DEC21 (767 contracts)
2,752,998
3.94
24,419,363
Total commodity futures contracts
$ 5,738,162
8.21 %
$ 69,863,788
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Income
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of commodity futures contracts:
Realized gain on commodity futures contracts
$ 3,422,476
$ 1,631,368
$ 13,502,592
$ 1,798,882
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on commodity futures contracts
605,294
5,927,145
( 1,199,756 )
( 957,071 )
Interest income
29,826
51,225
99,342
378,205
Total income
4,057,596
7,609,738
12,402,178
1,220,016
Expenses
Management fees
197,683
137,207
609,012
378,768
Professional fees
46,025
21,897
176,099
185,090
Distribution and marketing fees
191,833
154,909
490,513
487,090
Custodian fees and expenses
19,798
19,594
54,420
67,842
Business permits and licenses fees
1,977
3,312
23,578
24,026
General and administrative expenses
13,088
11,570
50,730
58,996
Total expenses
470,404
348,489
1,404,352
1,201,812
Expenses waived by the Sponsor
( 104,989 )
( 16,384 )
( 229,640 )
( 16,384 )
Total expenses, net
365,415
332,105
1,174,712
1,185,428
Net income
$ 3,692,181
$ 7,277,633
$ 11,227,466
$ 34,588
Net income (loss) per share
$ 0.32
$ 0.68
$ 0.91
$ ( 0.12 )
Net income per weighted average share
$ 0.32
$ 0.71
$ 0.91
$ 0.00
Weighted average shares outstanding
11,380,982
10,180,982
12,387,275
9,284,949
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Operations
Net income
$ 11,227,466
$ 34,588
Capital transactions
Issuance of Shares
22,187,673
16,405,790
Redemption of Shares
( 29,995,638 )
( 5,089,221 )
Total capital transactions
( 7,807,965 )
11,316,569
Net change in net assets
3,419,501
11,351,157
Net assets, beginning of period
$ 69,876,578
$ 52,236,196
Net assets, end of period
$ 73,296,079
$ 63,587,353
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
$ 6.16
$ 5.84
Net asset value per share at end of period
$ 7.06
$ 5.72
Creation of Shares
3,500,000
3,100,000
Redemption of Shares
4,475,000
925,000
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM WHEAT FUND
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income
$ 11,227,466
$ 34,588
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net change in unrealized depreciation on commodity futures contracts
1,199,756
957,071
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Due from broker
( 919,985 )
( 888,861 )
Interest receivable
( 1,789 )
( 3,592 )
Other assets
-
4,209
Due to broker
( 2,571,103 )
( 4,258,410 )
Payable for purchases of commercial paper
2,498,755
-
Management fee payable to Sponsor
( 677 )
7,099
Other liabilities
31,842
49,048
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
11,464,265
( 4,098,848 )
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of Shares
22,495,503
16,405,790
Redemption of Shares
( 32,458,278 )
( 5,089,221 )
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
( 9,962,775 )
11,316,569
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
1,501,490
7,217,721
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
68,946,725
51,467,643
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period
$ 70,448,215
$ 58,685,364
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Note 1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Wheat Fund (referred to herein as “WEAT” or the “Fund”) is a commodity pool that is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust formed on September 11, 2009. The Fund issues common units, called the “Shares,” representing fractional undivided beneficial interests in the Fund. The Fund continuously offers Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 Shares at their Net Asset Value (“NAV”) to “Authorized Purchasers” through Foreside Fund Services, LLC, which is the distributor for the Fund (the “Distributor”). Authorized Purchasers sell such Shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “WEAT,” to the public at per-Share offering prices that reflect, among other factors, the trading price of the Shares on the NYSE Arca, the NAV of the Fund at the time the Authorized Purchaser purchased the Creation Baskets and the NAV at the time of the offer of the Shares to the public, the supply of and demand for Shares at the time of sale, and the liquidity of the markets for wheat interests. The Fund’s Shares trade in the secondary market on the NYSE Arca at prices that are lower or higher than their NAV per Share.
The investment objective of WEAT is to have the daily changes in the NAV of the Fund’s Shares reflect the daily changes in the wheat market for future delivery as measured by the Benchmark. The Benchmark is a weighted average of the closing settlement prices for three futures contracts for wheat (“Wheat Futures Contracts”) that are traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”):
WEAT Benchmark
CBOT Wheat Futures Contract
Weighting
Second to expire
35 %
Third to expire
30 %
December following the third to expire
35 %
The Fund commenced investment operations on September 19, 2011 and has a fiscal year ending December 31. The Fund’s sponsor is Teucrium Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is responsible for the management of the Fund. The Sponsor is registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”).
On June 13, 2011, the Fund’s initial registration of 10,000,000 shares on Form S1 was declared effective by the SEC. On September 19, 2011, the Fund listed its shares on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “WEAT.” On the business day prior to that, the Fund issued 100,000 shares in exchange for $ 2,500,000 at the Fund’s initial NAV of $ 25 per share. The Fund also commenced investment operations on September 19, 2011 by purchasing commodity futures contracts traded on the CBOT. On December 31, 2010, the Fund had four shares outstanding, which were owned by the Sponsor. The current registration statement for WEAT was declared effective on April 29, 2019. This registration statement for WEAT registered an additional 30,000,000 shares.
The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2021.
Subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor (“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time, regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a Fund.
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Note 2 – Principal Contracts and Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund Services"), for Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services. The principal address for Global Fund Services is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
For custody services, the Funds will pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1 billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion, annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds will pay to Global Fund Services 0.05% of average gross assets on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million, 0.03% on the next $2 billion and 0.02% on the balance over $3 billion annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $64,500 for custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is assessed per Fund. These services are recorded as custodian fees and expenses on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee of 0.01% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and an aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Funds, along with certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA, Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and $1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution Consulting Agreement with the Sponsor.
E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. (“E D & F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services. E D & F Man is registered as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the NFA. E D & F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. E D & F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts E D & F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn . Prior to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on the statements of operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The sole Trustee of the Trust is Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an annual fee of $ 3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
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The Sponsor employs Thales Capital Partners LLC (“Thales”) for distribution and solicitation-related services. Thales is registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Thales receives a quarterly fee of the higher of $18,750 or 0.10% of new assets raised in referred accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services. This fee based on new assets raised is determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below:
Three month
ended
Three month
ended
Nine month
ended
Nine month
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Amount Recognized for Custody Services
$ 19,798
$ 19,594
$ 54,420
$ 67,842
Amount of Custody Services Waived
$ 5,960
$ -
$ 5,960
$ -
Amount Recognized for Distribution Services
$ 8,584
$ 7,460
$ 26,000
$ 27,860
Amount of Distribution Services Waived
$ 8,584
$ 2,002
$ 16,804
$ 2,002
Amount Recognized for Wilmington Trust
$ 789
$ -
$ 789
$ -
Amount of Wilmington Trust Waived
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
Amount Recognized for Thales
$ 19,008
$ 4,611
$ 49,674
$ 16,380
Amount of Thales Waived
$ 19,008
$ -
$ 22,741
$ -
Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification.
Revenue Recognition
Commodity futures contracts are recorded on the trade date. All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on commodity futures contracts are reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between the original contract amount and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of operations. Interest on cash equivalents with financial institutions are recognized on the accrual basis. The Fund seeks to earn interest on funds held at the custodian and other financial institutions at prevailing market rates for such investments.
The Sponsor invests a portion of cash in commercial paper, which is deemed a cash equivalent based on the rating and duration of contracts as described in the notes to the financial statements and reflected in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities and on the statements of cash flows. Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the statements of operations.
The Sponsor invests a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts. Accretion on these investments are recognized using the effective interest method in U.S. dollars and included in interest income on the combined statements of operations.
Brokerage Commissions
Beginning on August 21, 2019, the Sponsor began recognizing the expense for brokerage commissions for futures contract trades on a per-trade basis. Prior to the change, brokerage commissions on all open commodity futures contracts were accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis. The below table shows the amounts included on the statements of operations as total brokerage commissions paid inclusive of unrealized loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
WEAT
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 17,330
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 14,900
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 39,852
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 29,059
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Income Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
The Fund is required to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and may file income tax returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all tax years 2018 to 2020, the Fund remains subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that reduces net assets. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. However, the Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed. No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Fund may be subject to potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax laws.
Creations and Redemptions
Authorized Purchasers may purchase Creation Baskets consisting of 25,000 shares from the Fund. The amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m.(EST) on the day the order to create the basket is properly received.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem shares from the Fund only in blocks of 25,000 shares called “Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to redeem the basket is properly received.
The Fund receives or pays the proceeds from shares sold or redeemed within three business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as capital shares receivable. Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption are reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents two Redemption Baskets for the Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares each shareholder holds as of the close of each month.
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Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired. The Trust reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their highly liquid nature and short term maturities. Each Fund that is a series of the Trust has the balance of its cash equivalents on deposit with financial institutions. The Fund holds a balance in money market funds that is included in cash and cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in alternative demand deposit savings accounts, which is classified as cash and not as cash equivalents. Assets deposited with the bank may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. The Sponsor invests a portion of the available cash for the Funds in investment grade commercial paper with durations of 90 days or less, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured. The Sponsor may invest a portion of the cash held by the broker in short term Treasury Bills as collateral for open futures contracts, which is classified as a cash equivalent and is not FDIC insured.
September 30,
2021
December 31,
2020
Money Market Funds
$ 6,404,957
$ 16,227,402
Demand Deposit Savings Accounts
35,047,670
17,730,566
Commercial Paper
28,995,588
34,988,757
Total cash and cash equivalents as presented on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
$ 70,448,215
$ 68,946,725
Payable for Purchases of Commercial Paper
The amount recorded by the Fund for commercial paper transactions awaiting settlement, represents the amount payable for contracts purchased but not yet settled as of the reporting date. The value of the contract is included in cash and cash equivalents, and the payable amount is included as a liability.
Due from/to Broker
The amount recorded by the Fund for the amount due from and to the clearing broker includes, but is not limited to, cash held by the broker, amounts payable to the clearing broker related to open transactions, payables for commodities futures accounts liquidating to an equity balance on the clearing broker’s records and amounts of brokerage commissions paid and recognized as unrealized losses.
Margin is the minimum amount of funds that must be deposited by a commodity interest trader with the trader’s broker to initiate and maintain an open position in futures contracts. A margin deposit acts to assure the trader’s performance of the futures contracts purchased or sold. Futures contracts are customarily bought and sold on initial margin that represents a very small percentage of the aggregate purchase or sales price of the contract. Because of such low margin requirements, price fluctuations occurring in the futures markets may create profits and losses that, in relation to the amount invested, are greater than customary in other forms of investment or speculation. As discussed below, adverse price changes in the futures contract may result in margin requirements that greatly exceed the initial margin. In addition, the amount of margin required in connection with a particular futures contract is set from time to time by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract. Brokerage firms, such as the Fund’s clearing brokers, carrying accounts for traders in commodity interest contracts generally require higher amounts of margin as a matter of policy to further protect themselves. Over the counter trading generally involves the extension of credit between counterparties, so the counterparties may agree to require the posting of collateral by one or both parties to address credit exposure.
When a trader purchases an option, there is no margin requirement; however, the option premium must be paid in full. When a trader sells an option, on the other hand, he or she is required to deposit margin in an amount determined by the margin requirements established for the underlying interest and, in addition, an amount substantially equal to the current premium for the option. The margin requirements imposed on the selling of options, although adjusted to reflect the probability that out-of-the-money options will not be exercised, can in fact be higher than those imposed in dealing in the futures markets directly. Complicated margin requirements apply to spreads and conversions, which are complex trading strategies in which a trader acquires a mixture of options positions and positions in the underlying interest.
Ongoing or “maintenance” margin requirements are computed each day by a trader’s clearing broker. When the market value of a particular open futures contract changes to a point where the margin on deposit does not satisfy maintenance margin requirements, a margin call is made by the broker. If the margin call is not met within a reasonable time, the broker may close out the trader’s position. With respect to the Fund’s trading, the Fund (and not its shareholders personally) is subject to margin calls.
Finally, many major U.S. exchanges have passed certain cross margining arrangements involving procedures pursuant to which the futures and options positions held in an account would, in the case of some accounts, be aggregated and margin requirements would be assessed on a portfolio basis, measuring the total risk of the combined positions.
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Calculation of Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated by:
•
Taking the current market value of its total assets and
•
Subtracting any liabilities.
The administrator, Global Fund Services, calculates the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It calculates the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day is released after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
In determining the value of Wheat Futures Contracts, the administrator uses the CBOT closing price. The administrator determines the value of all other Fund investments as of the earlier of the close of the NYSE or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The value of over the counter wheat interests is determined based on the value of the commodity or futures contract underlying such wheat interest, except that a fair value may be determined if the Sponsor believes that the Fund is subject to significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such wheat interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV where necessary to reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract when the Futures Contract closes at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury securities held by the Fund are valued by the administrator using values received from recognized third-party vendors and dealer quotes. NAV includes any unrealized profit or loss on open wheat interests and any other income or expense accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee, Allocation of Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities, which the Sponsor performs itself. In addition, the Fund is contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00 % per annum.
The Fund generally pays for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective Fund based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under management and creation order activity. These aggregate common expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees in the financial statements of each Fund.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Recognized Related Party Transactions
$ 110,381
$ 94,344
$ 336,850
$ 365,704
Waived Related Party Transactions
$ 15,941
$ 13,630
$ 79,800
$ 13,630
The Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there will be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future period:
WEAT
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 104,989
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 16,384
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 229,640
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 16,384
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Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund. Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 financial instruments. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
Fair value is a market-based measure considered from the perspective of a market participant rather than an entity-specific measure. Therefore, even when market assumptions are not readily available, the Fund’s own assumptions are set to reflect those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. The Fund uses prices and inputs that are current as of the measurement date, including periods of market dislocation. In periods of market dislocation, the observability of prices and inputs may be reduced for many financial instruments. This condition could cause a financial instrument to be reclassified to a lower level within the fair value hierarchy. When such a situation exists on a quarter close, the Sponsor will calculate the NAV on a particular day using the Level 1 valuation but will later recalculate the NAV for the impacted Fund based upon the valuation inputs from these alternative verifiable sources (Level 2 or Level 3) and will report such NAV in its applicable financial statements and reports.
On September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, in the opinion of the Trust and the Fund, the reported value of the Wheat Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT fairly reflected the value of the Wheat Futures Contracts held by the Fund, and no adjustments were necessary. The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period. In making the determination of a Level 1 or Level 2 transfer, the Fund considers the average volume of the specific underlying futures contracts traded on the relevant exchange for the periods being reported.
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For the period ended June 30, 2020, the Dec21 CBOT Wheat Futures Contracts traded on the CBOT did not, in the opinion of the Trust and WEAT, trade in an actively traded futures market as defined in the policy of the Trust and WEAT for the entire period during which they were held. Accordingly, the Trust and WEAT classified these as a Level 2 asset for the period ended June 30, 2020 due to the quarterly average daily volume for the contract. These Wheat contracts transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2020.
The Fund records its derivative activities at fair value. Gains and losses from derivative contracts are included in the statements of operations. Derivative contracts include futures contracts related to commodity prices. Futures, which are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the CBOT and the ICE, or reported on another national market, are generally categorized in Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy. OTC derivatives contracts (such as forward and swap contracts) which may be valued using models, depending on whether significant inputs are observable or unobservable, are categorized in Levels 2 or 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the accrual method of accounting.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income (loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period, adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the amount of time the units were outstanding during such period.
New Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05: “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the amended guidance, a lessor should classify and account for a lease with variable lease payments that don’t depend on an index or a rate as an operating lease if the lease would’ve been classified as a sales-type lease or a direct financing lease in accordance with the lease classification guidance in Topic 842 and the lessor would’ve otherwise recognized a day-one loss. The amendment was adopted early for the quarter ended September 30, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-10: “Codification Improvements.” The amendment improves the disclosure guidance in appropriate Disclosure Sections, without resulting in changes to current GAAP. The amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendment was adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued 2020-02: “Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting. The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing guidance. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2018-13: “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
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The FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No. 2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a public business entity except for a requirement to include or the inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
September 30, 2021
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
September 30,
2021
Cash Equivalents
$ 35,400,545
$ -
$ -
$ 35,400,545
Commodity Futures Contracts
Wheat futures contracts
4,538,406
-
-
4,538,406
Total
$ 39,938,951
$ -
$ -
$ 39,938,951
December 31, 2020
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of December 31,
2020
Cash Equivalents
$ 51,216,159
$ -
$ -
$ 51,216,159
Commodity Futures Contracts
Wheat futures contracts
5,738,162
-
-
5,738,162
Total
$ 56,954,321
$ -
$ -
$ 56,954,321
For the period ended September 30, 2021 and year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund did not have any significant transfers between any of the levels of the fair value hierarchy, except for the Dec21 CBOT Wheat contracts held by WEAT, which were reflected as a Level 2 asset for the period ended June 30, 2020 due to the quarterly average daily volume for the contract. These transferred back to a Level 1 asset for the period ended September 30, 2020.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 – Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
In the normal course of business, the Fund utilizes derivative contracts in connection with its proprietary trading activities. Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of all or part of an investment. The Fund’s derivative activities and exposure to derivative contracts are classified by the following primary underlying risks: interest rate, credit, commodity price, and equity price risks. In addition to its primary underlying risks, the Fund is also subject to additional counterparty risk due to inability of its counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and for the year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund invested only in commodity futures contracts.
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Futures Contracts
The Fund is subject to commodity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date.
The purchase and sale of futures contracts requires margin deposits with a Futures Commission Merchant (“FCM”). Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Futures contracts may reduce the Fund’s exposure to counterparty risk since futures contracts are exchange-traded; and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as the counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against default.
The Commodity Exchange Act requires an FCM to segregate all customer transactions and assets from the FCM’s proprietary activities. A customer’s cash and other equity deposited with an FCM are considered commingled with all other customer funds subject to the FCM’s segregation requirements. In the event of an FCM’s insolvency, recovery may be limited to the Fund’s pro rata share of segregated customer funds available. It is possible that the recovery amount could be less than the total of cash and other equity deposited.
The following table discloses information about offsetting assets and liabilities presented in the statements of assets and liabilities to enable users of these financial statements to evaluate the effect or potential effect of netting arrangements for recognized assets and liabilities. These recognized assets and liabilities are presented as defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-11 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities” and subsequently clarified in FASB ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210): Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.”
The following table also identifies the fair value amounts of derivative instruments included in the combined statements of assets and liabilities as derivative contracts, categorized by primary underlying risk and held by the FCM, E D & F Man as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020. *The amount of collateral presented in Collateral, Due from Broker, is limited to the liability for the futures contracts and accordingly does not include the excess collateral pledged.
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of September 30, 2021
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Wheat futures contracts
$ 4,538,406
$ -
$ 4,538,406
$ -
$ -
$ 4,538,406
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Derivative Assets as of December 31, 2020
(i)
(ii)
(iii) = (i)-(ii)
(iv)
(v)=(iii)-(iv)
Gross Amount Not Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Description
Gross Amount of Recognized Assets
Gross Amount Offset in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Net Amount Presented in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Futures Contracts Available for Offset
Collateral, Due to Broker
Net Amount
Commodity Price
Wheat futures contracts
$ 5,738,162
$ -
$ 5,738,162
$ -
$ 2,571,103
$ 3,167,059
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The following tables identify the net gain and loss amounts included in the statements of operations as realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading of commodity futures contracts categorized by primary underlying risk:
Three months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Wheat futures contracts
$ 3,422,476
$ 605,294
Three months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Appreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Wheat futures contracts
$ 1,631,368
$ 5,927,145
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Wheat futures contracts
$ 13,502,592
$ ( 1,199,756 )
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
Realized Gain on Commodity Futures Contracts
Net Change in Unrealized Depreciation on Commodity Futures Contracts
Commodity Price
Wheat futures contracts
$ 1,798,882
$ ( 957,071 )
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Volume of Derivative Activities
The average notional market value categorized by primary underlying risk for all futures contracts held was $ 76.0 million and $ 80.3 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, and $ 58.3 million and $ 51.9 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended and September 30, 2020.
Note 6 – Financial Highlights
The following tables present per unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. This information has been derived from information presented in the financial statements and is presented with total expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as appropriate.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Per Share Operation Performance
Net asset value at beginning of period
$ 6.75
$ 5.04
$ 6.16
$ 5.84
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Investment income
-
0.01
0.01
0.04
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on commodity futures contracts
0.35
0.70
1.00
( 0.03 )
Total expenses, net
( 0.03 )
( 0.03 )
( 0.10 )
( 0.13 )
Net increase (decrease) in net asset value
0.32
0.68
0.91
( 0.12 )
Net asset value at end of period
$ 7.06
$ 5.72
$ 7.06
$ 5.72
Total Return
4.72 %
13.51 %
14.75 %
( 2.07 )%
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
Total expenses
2.38 %
2.54 %
2.31 %
3.17 %
Total expenses, net
1.85 %
2.42 %
1.93 %
3.13 %
Net investment loss
( 1.70 )%
( 2.05 )%
( 1.77 )%
( 2.13 )%
The financial highlights per share data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 7 – Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund, including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the Sponsor.
Note 8 – Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended September 30, 2021 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no material events requiring either recognition through the date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted below:
The continued uncertainty of COVID-19 may continue to be highly disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this 10-Q.
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TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
September 30,
2020
December 31,
2020
(Unaudited)
Assets
Cash equivalents
$ 4,754
$ 2,786
Other assets
-
1
Equity in trading accounts:
Investments in securities, at fair value (cost $ 7,335,496 and $ 1,586,899 as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively)
8,541,105
1,582,262
Total assets
8,545,859
1,585,049
Liabilities
Other liabilities
5,196
661
Net assets
$ 8,540,663
$ 1,584,388
Shares outstanding
325,002
75,002
Shares authorized
4,275,000
4,612,500
Net asset value per share
$ 26.28
$ 21.12
Market value per share
$ 26.32
$ 21.21
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Exchange-traded funds
Teucrium Corn Fund
$ 2,191,357
25.66 %
108,297
Teucrium Soybean Fund
2,070,600
24.24
94,149
Teucrium Sugar Fund
2,095,400
24.53
219,042
Teucrium Wheat Fund
2,183,748
25.57
309,107
Total exchange-traded funds (cost $7,335,496)
$ 8,541,105
100.00 %
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost $4,754)
$ 4,754
0.06 %
4,754
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
December 31, 2020
Percentage of
Description: Assets
Fair Value
Net Assets
Shares
Exchange-traded funds
Teucrium Corn Fund
$ 401,787
25.36 %
25,858
Teucrium Soybean Fund
401,177
25.32
20,581
Teucrium Sugar Fund
383,816
24.23
57,124
Teucrium Wheat Fund
395,482
24.96
64,237
Total exchange-traded funds (cost: $1,586,899)
$ 1,582,262
99.87 %
Cash equivalents
Money market funds
First American Government Obligations Fund - Class X (cost: $2,786)
$ 2,786
0.18 %
2,786
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited)
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Income
Realized and unrealized gain (loss) on trading of securities:
Realized gain (loss) on securities
$ 76,653
$ ( 20,614 )
$ 16,223
$ ( 332,299 )
Net change in unrealized appreciation on securities
69,472
126,299
1,210,246
218,253
Interest income
-
-
5
11
Total income (loss)
146,125
105,685
1,226,474
( 114,035 )
Expenses
Professional fees
6,870
288
15,573
7,471
Distribution and marketing fees
19,254
2,503
39,339
10,900
Custodian fees and expenses
2,533
395
4,258
1,461
Business permits and licenses fees
3,309
-
12,228
14,129
General and administrative expenses
1,181
155
3,241
1,156
Other expenses
9
-
9
10
Total expenses
33,156
3,341
74,648
35,127
Expenses waived by the Sponsor
( 28,946 )
( 2,784 )
( 64,541 )
( 33,287 )
Total expenses, net
4,210
557
10,107
1,840
Net income (loss)
$ 141,915
$ 105,128
$ 1,216,367
$ ( 115,875 )
Net income (loss) per share
$ 0.22
$ 1.68
$ 5.16
$ ( 1.27 )
Net income (loss) per weighted average share
$ 0.40
$ 1.68
$ 4.22
$ ( 1.64 )
Weighted average shares outstanding
356,931
62,638
288,326
70,851
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Operations
Net income (loss)
$ 1,216,367
$ ( 115,875 )
Capital transactions
Issuance of Shares
8,007,179
-
Redemption of Shares
( 2,267,271 )
( 209,801 )
Total capital transactions
5,739,908
( 209,801 )
Net change in net assets
6,956,275
( 325,676 )
Net assets, beginning of period
$ 1,584,388
$ 1,478,780
Net assets, end of period
$ 8,540,663
$ 1,153,104
Net asset value per share at beginning of period
$ 21.12
$ 19.72
Net asset value per share at end of period
$ 26.28
$ 18.45
Creation of Shares
337,500
-
Redemption of Shares
87,500
12,500
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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TEUCRIUM AGRICULTURAL FUND
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited)
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)
$ 1,216,367
$ ( 115,875 )
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net change in unrealized appreciation on securities
( 1,210,246 )
( 218,253 )
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Net (purchase) sale of investments in securities
( 5,748,597 )
544,195
Interest receivable
-
3
Other assets
1
( 172 )
Other liabilities
4,535
437
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
( 5,737,940 )
210,335
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from sale of Shares
8,007,179
-
Redemption of Shares
( 2,267,271 )
( 209,801 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
5,739,908
( 209,801 )
Net change in cash equivalents
1,968
534
Cash equivalents, beginning of period
2,786
2,633
Cash equivalents, end of period
$ 4,754
$ 3,167
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.
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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
September 30, 2021
(Unaudited)
Note 1 – Organization and Operation
Teucrium Agricultural Fund (referred to herein as “TAGS” or the “Fund”) is a series of Teucrium Commodity Trust (“Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust organized on September 11, 2009. The Fund operates pursuant to the Trust’s Fifth Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”). The Fund was formed on March 29, 2011 and is managed and controlled by Teucrium Trading, LLC (the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor is a limited liability company formed in Delaware on July 28, 2009. The Sponsor is registered as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) and a commodity trading adviser (“CTA”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and is a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”).
On April 22, 2011, a registration statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). On February 10, 2012, the Fund’s initial registration of 5,000,000 shares on Form S-1 was declared effective by the SEC. On March 28, 2012, the Fund listed its shares on the NYSE Arca under the ticker symbol “TAGS.” On the business day prior to that, the Fund issued 300,000 shares in exchange for $ 15,000,000 at the Fund’s initial NAV of $ 50 per share. The Fund also commenced investment operations on March 28, 2012 by purchasing shares of the Underlying Funds. On December 31, 2011, the Fund had two shares outstanding, which were owned by the Sponsor. The current registration statement for TAGS was declared effective on April 30, 2021.
The investment objective of the TAGS is to have the daily changes in percentage terms of the NAV of its Shares reflect the daily changes in percentage terms of a weighted average (the “Underlying Fund Average”) of the NAVs per share of four other commodity pools that are series of the Trust and are sponsored by the Sponsor: the Teucrium Corn Fund, the Teucrium Wheat Fund, the Teucrium Soybean Fund and the Teucrium Sugar Fund (collectively, the “Underlying Funds”). The Underlying Fund Average will have a weighting of 25% to each Underlying Fund, and the Fund’s assets will be rebalanced, generally on a daily basis, to maintain the approximate 25% allocation to each Underlying Fund:
TAGS Benchmark
Underlying Fund
Weighting
CORN
25 %
SOYB
25 %
CANE
25 %
WEAT
25 %
The Fund seeks to provide daily investment results that reflect the combined daily performance of the Underlying Funds. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective generally by investing equally in shares of each Underlying Fund and, to a lesser extent, cash equivalents. The Fund’s investments in shares of the Underlying Funds is rebalanced, generally on a daily basis, in order to maintain approximately a 25% allocation of the Fund’s assets to each Underlying Fund. (This weighted average is referred to herein as the Underlying Fund’s “Benchmark,” the Futures Contracts that at any given time make up an Underlying Fund’s Benchmark are referred to herein as the Underlying Fund’s “Benchmark Component Futures Contracts,” and the commodity specified in the Underlying Fund’s name is referred to herein as its “Specified Commodity.”) Specifically, the Teucrium Corn Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire Futures Contract for corn traded on the Chicago Board of Trade (“CBOT”), weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire CBOT corn Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT corn Futures Contract expiring in the December following the expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35%. The Teucrium Wheat Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire CBOT wheat Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire CBOT wheat Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT wheat Futures Contract expiring in the December following the expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35%. The Teucrium Soybean Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire CBOT soybean Futures Contract, weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire CBOT soybean Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the CBOT soybean Futures Contract expiring in the November following the expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35%, except that CBOT soybean Futures Contracts expiring in August and September will not be part of the Teucrium Soybean Fund’s Benchmark because of the less liquid market for these Futures Contracts. The Teucrium Sugar Fund’s Benchmark is: (1) the second to expire Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract traded on ICE Futures US (“ICE Futures”), weighted 35%, (2) the third to expire ICE Futures Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract, weighted 30%, and (3) the ICE Futures Sugar No. 11 Futures Contract expiring in the March following the expiration month of the third to expire contract, weighted 35% .
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While the Fund expects to maintain substantially all of its assets in shares of the Underlying Funds at all times, the Fund may hold some residual amount of assets in obligations of the United States government (“Treasury Securities”) or cash equivalents, and/or merely hold such assets in cash (generally in interest-bearing accounts). The Underlying Funds invest in Commodity Interests to the fullest extent possible without being leveraged or unable to satisfy their expected current or potential margin or collateral obligations with respect to their investments in Commodity Interests. After fulfilling such margin and collateral requirements, the Underlying Funds will invest the remainder of the proceeds from the sale of baskets in short term Treasury Securities or cash equivalents, and/or merely hold such assets in cash. Therefore, the focus of the Sponsor in managing the Underlying Funds is investing in Commodity Interests and in cash and/or cash equivalents. The Fund and Underlying Funds will seek to earn interest income from the short term Treasury Securities and/or cash equivalents that it purchases and on the cash, it holds through the Fund’s custodian.
The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X promulgated by the SEC and, therefore, do not include all information and footnote disclosures required under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the Fund’s financial statements for the interim period. It is suggested that these interim financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, as well as the most recent Form S-1 filing, as applicable. The operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2021.
Subject to the terms of the Trust Agreement, Teucrium Trading, LLC, in its capacity as the Sponsor (“Sponsor”), may terminate a Fund at any time, regardless of whether the Fund has incurred losses, including, for instance, if it determines that the Fund’s aggregate net assets in relation to its operating expenses make the continued operation of the Fund unreasonable or imprudent. However, no level of losses will require the Sponsor to terminate a Fund.
Note 2 – Principal Contracts and Agreements
The Sponsor employs U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services ("Global Fund Services"), for Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services. The principal address for Global Fund Services is 615 E. Michigan Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
For custody services, the Funds will pay to U.S. Bank N.A. 0.0075% of average gross assets up to $1 billion, and .0050% of average gross assets over $1 billion, annually, plus certain per-transaction charges. For Transfer Agency, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services, which are based on the total assets for all the Funds in the Trust, the Funds will pay to Global Fund Services 0.05% of average gross assets on the first $500 million, 0.04% on the next $500 million, 0.03% on the next $2 billion and 0.02% on the balance over $3 billion annually. A combined minimum annual fee of up to $47,000 for custody, transfer agency, accounting and administrative services is assessed per Fund. These services are recorded as custodian fees and expenses on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside” or the “Distributor”) as the Distributor for the Funds. The Distribution Services Agreement among the Distributor and the Sponsor calls for the Distributor to work with the Custodian in connection with the receipt and processing of orders for Creation Baskets and Redemption Baskets and the review and approval of all Fund sales literature and advertising materials. The Distributor and the Sponsor have also entered into a Securities Activities and Service Agreement (the “SASA”) under which certain employees and officers of the Sponsor are licensed as registered representatives or registered principals of the Distributor, under Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules. For its services as the Distributor, Foreside receives a fee of 0.01% of each Fund’s average daily net assets and an aggregate annual fee of $100,000 for all Funds, along with certain expense reimbursements. For its services under the SASA, Foreside receives a fee of $5,000 per registered representative and $1,000 per registered location. These services are recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below. Pursuant to a Consulting Services Agreement, Foreside Consulting Services, LLC, performs certain consulting support services for the Trust's Sponsor. Additionally, Foreside Distributors, LLC performs certain distribution consulting services pursuant to a Distribution Consulting Agreement with the Sponsor.
E D & F Man Capital Markets, Inc. (“E D & F Man”) serves as the Underlying Funds’ clearing broker to execute and clear the Underlying Funds’ futures and provide other brokerage-related services. E D & F Man is registered as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) with the U.S. CFTC and is a member of the NFA. E D & F Man is also registered as a broker/dealer with the SEC and is a member of FNRA. E D & F Man is a clearing member of ICE Futures U.S., Inc., Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, New York Mercantile Exchange, and all other major United States commodity exchanges. For Corn, Soybean, Sugar and Wheat Futures Contracts E D & F Man is paid $9.00 per round turn . Prior to August 21, 2019, these expenses were recorded in brokerage commissions on the statements of operations. Beginning on August 21, 2019, these expenses were recognized on a per-trade basis. The half-turn is recognized as an unrealized loss on the statements of operations for contracts that have been purchased since the change in recognition, and a full turn is recognized as a realized loss on the statements of operations when a contract is sold. A summary of these expenses is included below.
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The sole Trustee of the Trust is Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation. The Trustee will accept service of legal process on the Trust in the State of Delaware and will make certain filings under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. For its services, the Trustee receives an annual fee of $ 3,300 from the Trust. These services are recorded in business permits and licenses fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below.
The Sponsor employs Thales Capital Partners LLC (“Thales”) for distribution and solicitation-related services. Thales is registered as a Broker-Dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”). Thales receives a quarterly fee of the higher of $18,750 or 0.10% of new assets raised in referred accounts for distribution and solicitation-related services. This fee based on new assets raised is determined by an agreed upon level of assets at the time of signing the contract. These services are recorded in distribution and marketing fees on the statements of operations. A summary of these expenses is included below:
Three month
ended
Three month
ended
Nine month
ended
Nine month
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Amount Recognized for Custody Services
$ 2,533
$ 395
$ 4,258
$ 1,461
Amount of Custody Services Waived
$ 2,299
$ 395
$ 4,024
$ 1,461
Amount Recognized for Distribution Services
$ 1,016
$ 155
$ 2,043
$ 618
Amount of Distribution Services Waived
$ 1,016
$ 155
$ 1,885
$ 618
Amount Recognized for Wilmington Trust
$ 108
$ -
$ 108
$ -
Amount of Wilmington Trust Waived
$ 108
$ -
$ 108
$ -
Amount Recognized for Thales
$ 2,196
$ 101
$ 3,954
$ 365
Amount of Thales Waived
$ 2,196
$ 101
$ 3,954
$ 365
Note 3 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) as detailed in the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification.
Revenue Recognition
Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade-date basis. All such transactions are recorded on the identified cost basis and marked to market daily. Unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments are reflected in the statements of operations as the difference between the original amount and the fair market value as of the last business day of the year or as of the last date of the financial statements. Changes in the appreciation or depreciation between periods are reflected in the statements of operations.
Brokerage Commissions
Brokerage commissions are accrued on the trade date and on a full-turn basis.
Income Taxes
For federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be treated as a publicly traded partnership. A publicly traded partnership is generally treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes unless 90% or more of the publicly traded partnership’s gross income for each taxable year of its existence consists of qualifying income as defined in section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Qualifying income is defined as generally including, in pertinent part, interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, and gains from the sale or disposition of capital assets held for the production of interest or dividends. In the case of a partnership of which a principal activity is the buying and selling of commodities, other than as inventory, or of futures, forwards and options with respect to commodities, qualifying income also includes income and gains from commodities and from futures, forwards, options with respect to commodities and, provided the partnership is a trader or investor with respect to such assets, swaps and other notional principal contracts with respect to commodities. The Fund expects that at least 90% of the Fund’s gross income for each taxable year will consist of qualifying income and that the Fund will be taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes. The Fund does not record a provision for income taxes because the shareholders report their share of the Fund’s income or loss on their income tax returns. The financial statements reflect the Fund’s transactions without adjustment, if any, required for income tax purposes.
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The Fund is required to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund files an income tax return in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and may file income tax returns in various U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions. For all tax years 2018 to 2020, the Fund remains subject to income tax examinations by major taxing authorities. The tax benefit recognized is measured as the largest amount of benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. De-recognition of a tax benefit previously recognized results in the Fund recording a tax liability that reduces net assets. This policy has been applied to all existing tax positions upon the Fund’s initial adoption. Based on its analysis, the Fund has determined that it has not incurred any liability for unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2021 and for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018. However, the Fund’s conclusions regarding this policy may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, ongoing analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations, and interpretations thereof.
The Fund recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax fees payable, if assessed. No interest expense or penalties have been recognized as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
The Fund may be subject to potential examination by U.S. federal, U.S. state, or foreign jurisdictional authorities in the area of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions, and compliance with U.S. federal, U.S. state and foreign tax laws.
Creations and Redemptions
Effective August 28, 2018, the Sponsor filed a prospectus supplement updating the Creation and Redemption Basket size to 12,500 shares. Prior to this prospectus supplement, the basket size for Creations and Redemptions was 25,000 shares.
Authorized Purchasers may purchase Creation Baskets consisting of 12,500 shares from the Fund. The amount of the proceeds required to purchase a Creation Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Creation Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to create the basket is received in good order.
Authorized Purchasers may redeem shares from the Fund only in blocks of 12,500 shares called “Redemption Baskets.” The amount of the redemption proceeds for a Redemption Basket will be equal to the NAV of the shares in the Redemption Basket determined as of 4:00 p.m. (EST) on the day the order to redeem the basket is received in good order.
The Fund will receive the proceeds from shares sold or will pay for redeemed shares within three business days after the trade date of the purchase or redemption, respectively. The amounts due from Authorized Purchasers will be reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as capital shares receivable. Amounts payable to Authorized Purchasers upon redemption will be reflected in the Fund’s statements of assets and liabilities as payable for shares redeemed.
As outlined in the most recent Form S-1 filing, 50,000 shares represents four Redemption Baskets for the Fund and a minimum level of shares. If the Fund experienced redemptions that caused the number of Shares outstanding to decrease to the minimum level of Shares required to be outstanding, until the minimum number of Shares is again exceeded through the purchase of a new Creation Basket, there can be no more redemptions by an Authorized Purchaser.
Allocation of Shareholder Income and Losses
Profit or loss is allocated among the shareholders of the Fund in proportion to the number of shares each shareholder holds as of the close of each month.
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Cash Equivalents
Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less when acquired. The Fund reported its cash equivalents in the statements of assets and liabilities at market value, or at carrying amounts that approximate fair value, because of their highly-liquid nature and short term maturities. The Fund has these balances of its assets on deposit with banks. Assets deposited with a financial institution may, at times, exceed federally insured limits. TAGS had a balance of $ 4,754 and $ 2,786 in money market funds at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively; these balances are included in cash equivalents on the statements of assets and liabilities.
Payable/Receivable for Securities Purchased/Sold
Due from/to broker for investments in securities are securities transactions pending settlement. The Fund is subject to credit risk to the extent any broker with whom it conducts business is unable to fulfill contractual obligations on its behalf. The management of the Fund monitors the financial condition of such brokers and does not anticipate any losses from these counterparties.
Calculation of Net Asset Value
The Fund’s NAV is calculated by:
•
Taking the current market value of its total assets and
•
Subtracting any liabilities.
The administrator, Global Fund Services, will calculate the NAV of the Fund once each trading day. It will calculate the NAV as of the earlier of the close of the New York Stock Exchange or 4:00 p.m. (EST). The NAV for a particular trading day will be released after 4:15 p.m. (EST).
For purposes of determining the Fund’s NAV, the Fund’s investments in the Underlying Funds will be valued based on the Underlying Funds’ NAVs. In turn, in determining the value of the Futures Contracts held by the Underlying Funds, the Administrator will use the closing price on the exchange on which they are traded. The Administrator will determine the value of all other Funds and Underlying Fund investments as of the earlier of the close of the New York Stock Exchange or 4:00 p.m. (EST), in accordance with the current Services Agreement between the Administrator and the Trust. The value of over the counter Commodity Interests will be determined based on the value of the commodity or Futures Contract underlying such Commodity Interest, except that a fair value may be determined if the Sponsor believes that the Underlying Fund is subject to significant credit risk relating to the counterparty to such Commodity Interest. For purposes of financial statements and reports, the Sponsor will recalculate the NAV of an Underlying Fund where necessary to reflect the “fair value” of a Futures Contract held by an Underlying Fund when a Futures Contract held by an Underlying Fund closes at its price fluctuation limit for the day. Short term Treasury Securities held by the Fund or Underlying Funds will be valued by the Administrator using values received from recognized third-party vendors (such as Reuters) and dealer quotes. NAV will include any unrealized profit or loss on open Commodity Interests and any other credit or debit accruing to the Fund but unpaid or not received by the Fund.
Sponsor Fee Allocation of Expenses and Related Party Transactions
The Sponsor is responsible for investing the assets of the Fund in accordance with the objectives and policies of the Fund. In addition, the Sponsor arranges for one or more third parties to provide administrative, custodial, accounting, transfer agency and other necessary services to the Trust and the Funds. In addition, the Sponsor elected not to outsource services directly attributable to the Trust and the Funds such as accounting, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and trading activities. In addition, the Fund is contractually obligated to pay a monthly management fee to the Sponsor, based on average daily net assets, at a rate equal to 1.00 % per annum.
The Fund generally pays for all brokerage fees, taxes and other expenses, including licensing fees for the use of intellectual property, registration or other fees paid to the SEC, FINRA, formerly the National Association of Securities Dealers, or any other regulatory agency in connection with the offer and sale of subsequent Shares after its initial registration and all legal, accounting, printing and other expenses associated therewith. The Fund also pays its portion of the fees and expenses associated with the Trust’s tax accounting and reporting requirements. Certain aggregate expenses common to all Funds within the Trust are allocated by the Sponsor to the respective funds based on activity drivers deemed most appropriate by the Sponsor for such expenses, including but not limited to relative assets under management and creation order activity.
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These aggregate common expenses include, but are not limited to, legal, auditing, accounting and financial reporting, tax-preparation, regulatory compliance, trading activities, and insurance costs, as well as fees paid to the Distributor, which are included in the related line item in the statements of operations. A portion of these aggregate common expenses are related to the Sponsor or related parties of principals of the Sponsor; these are necessary services to the Funds, which are primarily the cost of performing accounting and financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and trading activities that are directly attributable to the Fund. Such expenses are primarily recorded as distribution and marketing fees on the statement of operations. All asset-based fees and expenses for the Funds are calculated on the prior day’s net assets.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Recognized Related Party Transactions
$ 13,353
$ 1,973
$ 28,460
$ 8,174
Waived Related Party Transactions
$ 13,353
$ 1,594
$ 24,406
$ 7,374
The Sponsor has the ability to elect to pay certain expenses on behalf of the Funds or waive the management fee. This election is subject to change by the Sponsor, at its discretion. Expenses paid by the Sponsor and Management fees waived by the Sponsor are, if applicable, presented as waived expenses in the statements of operations for each Fund. The Sponsor has determined that there will be no recovery sought for the amounts below in any future period:
TAGS
Three months ended September 30, 2021
$ 28,946
Three months ended September 30, 2020
$ 2,784
Nine months ended September 30, 2021
$ 64,541
Nine months ended September 30, 2020
$ 33,287
Expenses
Expenses are recorded using the accrual method of accounting.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of the revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
New Accounting Pronouncements
The Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2021-05: “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the amended guidance, a lessor should classify and account for a lease with variable lease payments that don’t depend on an index or a rate as an operating lease if the lease would’ve been classified as a sales-type lease or a direct financing lease in accordance with the lease classification guidance in Topic 842 and the lessor would’ve otherwise recognized a day-one loss. The amendment was adopted early for the quarter ended September 30, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-10: “Codification Improvements.” The amendment improves the disclosure guidance in appropriate Disclosure Sections, without resulting in changes to current GAAP. The amendment is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendment was adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2021; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued 2020-02: “Financial Instruments Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment updates and adds language to ASU 2016-02. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2020-01: Investments Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Clarifying the Interactions between Topic 321, Topic 323, and Topic 815. The amendments clarify the treatment of transactions that require a company to apply or discontinue the equity method of accounting. The amendments were adopted early for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2019-01: "Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements. These amendments align the guidance for fair value of underlying assets by lessors that are not manufacturers or dealers in Topic 842 with that of existing guidance. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
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The FASB issued ASU 2018-13: “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. These amendments modify public and private company fair value disclosure requirements. While some disclosures were removed or modified, others were added. The guidance is a result of the FASB’s test of the principals developed to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended March 31, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
The FASB issued ASU 2017-13, “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments”. The amendment amends the early adoption date option for certain companies related to adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 and ASU No. 2016-02. The SEC staff stated the SEC would not object to a public business entity that otherwise would not meet the definition of a public business entity except for a requirement to include or the inclusion of its financial statements or financial information in another entity’s filing with the SEC adopting ASC Topic 842 for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The amendments were adopted for the quarter ended September 30, 2020; the adoption did not have a material impact on the financial statements and disclosures of the Trust or the Fund.
Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy
In accordance with GAAP, fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
In determining fair value, the Fund uses various valuation approaches. In accordance with GAAP, a fair value hierarchy for inputs is used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Fund. Unobservable inputs reflect the Fund’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy is categorized into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 - Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access. Valuation adjustments and block discounts are not applied to Level 1 financial instruments of the Underlying Funds and securities of the Fund, together the “financial instruments”. Since valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, valuation of these financial instruments does not entail a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 - Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 - Valuations based on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques and observable inputs can vary from financial instrument to financial instrument and is affected by a wide variety of factors including, the type of financial instrument, whether the financial instrument is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Those estimated values do not necessarily represent the amounts that may be ultimately realized due to the occurrence of future circumstances that cannot be reasonably determined. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, those estimated values may be materially higher or lower than the values that would have been used had a ready market for the financial instruments existed. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for financial instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy, within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
On September 30, 2021 and December 32, 2020, the reported value at the close of the market for each commodity contract fairly reflected the value of the futures and no alternative valuations were required.
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For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Sep21 and Dec21 CBOT corn futures contracts, settled in a “limit up” condition on June 30, 2021. Therefore, the Trust and CORN have used alternative verifiable sources to value these contracts on June 30, 2021, and the financial statements of these funds including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustments for the Underlying Fund, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment in CORN resulted in a $ 10,393 increase in the investment in the Underlying Funds which were classified as a Level 2 asset for the period ended June 30, 2021. For the period ended September 30, 2021, the CORN shares were classified as a Level 1 asset.
For the quarter ended March 31, 2021 Corn Futures Contracts for Jul21 CBOT corn futures, Sep21 CBOT corn futures, Dec21 CBOT corn futures, and Soybean Futures Contracts for Jul21 CBOT soybean futures, and the Nov21 CBOT soybean futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust, CORN, and SOYB classified these as Level 2 assets. The financial statements of these funds including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustment for each of these Underlying Funds, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment in CORN and SOYB resulted in a $ 30,191 increase in the investment in the Underlying Funds, which were classified as a Level 2 asset for the period ended March 31, 2021. For the period ended June 30, 2021, the SOYB shares were classified as a Level 1 asset.
Net Income (Loss) per Share
Net income (loss) per share is the difference between the NAV per unit at the beginning of each period and at the end of each period. The weighted average number of units outstanding was computed for purposes of disclosing net income (loss) per weighted average unit. The weighted average units are equal to the number of units outstanding at the end of the period, adjusted proportionately for units created or redeemed based on the amount of time the units were outstanding during such period.
Note 4 – Fair Value Measurements
The Fund’s assets and liabilities recorded at fair value have been categorized based upon a fair value hierarchy as described in the Fund’s significant accounting policies in Note 3. The following table presents information about the Fund’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020:
September 30, 2021
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of
September 30,
2021
Exchange Traded Funds
$ 8,541,105
$ -
$ -
$ 8,541,105
Cash Equivalents
4,754
-
-
4,754
Total
$ 8,545,859
$ -
$ -
$ 8,545,859
December 31, 2020
Assets:
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Balance as of December 31,
2020
Exchange Traded Funds
$ 1,582,262
$ -
$ -
$ 1,582,262
Cash Equivalents
2,786
-
-
2,786
Total
$ 1,585,048
$ -
$ -
$ 1,585,048
On September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the reported value at the close of the market for each commodity contract fairly reflected the value of the futures and no alternative valuations were required., The determination is made as of the settlement of the futures contracts on the last day of trading for the reporting period.
For the quarter ended June 30, 2021, Corn Futures Contracts for the Sep21 and Dec21 CBOT corn futures contracts settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust and CORN classified these as Level 2 assets. The financial statements of these funds including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustments for each of the impacted Underlying Funds were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment in CORN resulted in a $10,383 increase in the investment of the Underlying Funds due to the increase in unrealized gain in the Corn Fund, and classified these Corn Fund shares as a Level 2 asset for the period ended June 30, 2021 . For the period ended September 30, 2021, the CORN shares were classified as a Level 1 asset.
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For the quarter ended March 31, 2021 Corn Futures Contracts for Jul21 CBOT corn futures, Sep21 CBOT corn futures, Dec21 CBOT corn futures, and Soybean Futures Contracts for Jul21 CBOT soybean futures, and the Nov21 CBOT soybean futures, settled in a “limit up” condition. Accordingly, the Trust, CORN, and SOYB classified these as Level 2 assets. The financial statements of these funds including TAGS, due to the NAV adjustment for each of these Underlying Funds, were adjusted accordingly. The adjustment in CORN and SOYB resulted in a $ 30,191 increase in the investment in the Underlying Funds, which were classified as a Level 2 asset for the period ended March 31, 2021. For the period ended June 30, 2021, the SOYB shares were classified as a Level 1 asset. The CORN shares remained a Level 2 asset as described above. For the year ended December 31, 2020, the Fund did not have any transfers between any of the level of the fair value hierarchy.
See the Fair Value - Definition and Hierarchy section in Note 3 above for an explanation of the transfers into and out of each level of the fair value hierarchy.
Note 5 – Financial Highlights
The following table presents per unit performance data and other supplemental financial data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020. This information has been derived from information presented in the financial statements and is presented with total expenses gross of expenses waived by the Sponsor and with total expenses net of expenses waived by the Sponsor, as appropriate.
Three months
ended
Three months
ended
Nine months
ended
Nine months
ended
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
September 30,
2021
September 30,
2020
Per Share Operation Performance
Net asset value at beginning of period
$ 26.06
$ 16.77
$ 21.12
$ 19.72
Income (loss) from investment operations:
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment transactions
0.23
1.69
5.19
( 1.24 )
Total expenses, net
( 0.01 )
( 0.01 )
( 0.03 )
( 0.03 )
Net increase (decrease) in net asset value
0.22
1.68
5.16
( 1.27 )
Net asset value at end of period
$ 26.28
$ 18.45
$ 26.28
$ 18.45
Total Return
0.84 %
10.03 %
24.40 %
( 6.43 )%
Ratios to Average Net Assets (Annualized)
Total expenses
1.42 %
1.22 %
1.39 %
3.74 %
Total expenses, net
0.18 %
0.20 %
0.19 %
0.20 %
Net investment loss
( 0.18 )%
( 0.20 )%
( 0.19 )%
( 0.20 )%
The financial highlights per share data are calculated consistent with the methodology used to calculate asset-based fees and expenses.
Note 6 – Organizational and Offering Costs
Expenses incurred in organizing of the Trust and the initial offering of the Shares of the Fund, including applicable SEC registration fees, were borne directly by the Sponsor. The Fund will not be obligated to reimburse the Sponsor.
Note 7 – Subsequent Events
Management has evaluated the financial statements for the quarter-ended September 30, 2021 for subsequent events through the date of this filing and noted no material events requiring either recognition through the date of the filing or disclosure herein for the Fund other than those noted below:
The continued uncertainty of COVID-19 may continue to be highly disruptive to economies and markets. The impact of COVID-19 to the Fund is described in more detail in Part 2 of this 10-Q.
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Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.