Smith Capital Investors Wins 2023 Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award

The portfolio is dynamic in nature and can be defensive, neutral, or opportunistic based on the opportunities in the fixed income markets

DENVER, March 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SS&C ALPS Advisors today announced the ALPS | Smith Short Duration Bond Fund Class I won the 2023 Refinitv Lipper Fund Award as the Best Short-Intermediate Investment Grade Debt Fund over three years.

"Smith Capital Investors has integrated an investment philosophy and experienced team to deliver compelling performance during this extraordinarily volatile fixed-income environment," said Laton Spahr*, Portfolio Manager and President of SS&C ALPS Advisors. "The fund offers an actively-managed, dynamic approach aiming to provide strong risk-adjusted returns to investors."

The Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in short- and intermediate-term fixed-income securities including government securities, corporate bonds or notes and agency securities. The Fund seeks to provide potential protection from rising rates, achieve preservation of capital and seek a high and stable rate of current income.

"We believe the strong performance was aided by the fund's active management approach and dynamic portfolio positioning capability allowing allocation flexibility in response to varied market conditions," said Gibson Smith*, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Smith Capital Investors. "Few find fixed income exciting or inspiring, but for this team, it is our calling and our mission."

The Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards, granted annually, highlight funds and fund companies that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The Refinitiv Lipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating, which is an objective, quantitative, risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60 and 120 months. The fund with the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return (Effective Return) value in each eligible classification wins the Refinitiv Lipper Fund Award. For more information, see lipperfundawards.com. Although Refinitiv Lipper makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data used to calculate the awards, their accuracy is not guaranteed.

Important Disclosures

An investor should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus containing this and other information, call 1-866-759-5679 or visit www.alpsfunds.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.

All investments are subject to risks, including the loss of money and the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. Additional information regarding the risks of this investment is available in the prospectus.

A rise in interest rates typically causes bond prices to fall. The longer the duration of the bonds held by a fund, the more sensitive it will likely be to interest rate fluctuations.

The Fund's investments in fixed-income securities and positions in fixed-income derivatives may decline in value because of changes in interest rates. As nominal interest rates rise, the value of fixed-income securities and any long positions in fixed-income derivatives held by the Fund are likely to decrease, whereas the value of its short positions in fixed-income derivatives is likely to increase.

Overall securities market risks may affect the value of individual instruments in which the Fund invests. Factors such as domestic and foreign economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, and political events affect the securities and derivatives markets. When the value of the Fund's investments goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value and you could lose money.

*Laton Spahr and Gibson Smith are Registered Representatives of ALPS Distributors, Inc.

ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund and Smith Capital Investors, LLC is the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. ALPS Advisors, Inc., ALPS Distributors, Inc. and ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc., affiliated entities, are unaffiliated with Smith Capital Investors, LLC.

ALPS Portfolio Solutions Distributor, Inc. is the distributor for the Fund.

Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value

About SS&C Technologies

SS&C is a global provider of services and software for the financial services and healthcare industries. Founded in 1986, SS&C is headquartered in Windsor, Connecticut, and has offices around the world. Some 18,000 financial services and healthcare organizations, from the world's largest companies

to small and mid-market firms, rely on SS&C for expertise, scale and technology. Additional information about SS&C (Nasdaq: SSNC) is available at www.ssctech.com.

About SS&C ALPS Advisors

SS&C ALPS Advisors, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SS&C Technologies, Inc., is a leading provider of investment products for advisors and institutions. Headquartered in Denver, CO with over $19 billion under management as of December 31, 2022, SS&C ALPS Advisors is an open architecture boutique investment manager offering portfolio building blocks, active insight and an unwavering drive to guide clients to investment outcomes across sustainable income, thematic and alternative growth strategies. For more information, visit www.alpsfunds.com.

About Smith Capital Investors

Smith Capital Investors, a Colorado-based investment management firm, is focused on income investing with a keen eye on risk-adjusted returns and preservation of capital. Smith Capital Investors deploys an actively managed, fundamentally driven investment process led by an experienced, investment-centric and proven team of investment professionals. For more information on Smith Capital Investors please visit www.smithcapitalinvestors.com.

SOURCE ALPS Smith