Middlefield Announces Intention to Revise Names and Reduce ESG Limitations for Two ETFs
28 Novembro 2024 - 7:10PM
Middlefield Limited (the “Manager”), the manager of Middlefield
Sustainable Global Dividend ETF (TSX:MDIV) and Middlefield
Sustainable Infrastructure Dividend ETF (TSX:MINF) (collectively,
the “Funds”), is announcing its intention to de-emphasize the
environmental, sustainability, and governance (“ESG”) factors
associated with MINF and MDIV by revising the names, investment
objectives and strategies of the Funds. There will be no change to
the ticker symbols of the Funds. While the Funds will continue to
consider ESG criteria when selecting issuers for their portfolios,
they will no longer prioritize these factors over others such as
valuation, growth projections, and the quality and track record of
the management team. The Manager believes these changes will
broaden the investment universe of the Funds, potentially leading
to better returns for investors.
Ticker Symbol |
Current Name |
Revised Name |
MDIV |
Middlefield Sustainable Global Dividend ETF |
Middlefield Global Dividend Growers ETF |
MINF |
Middlefield Sustainable Infrastructure Dividend ETF |
Middlefield Global Infrastructure Dividend ETF |
|
|
|
The Manager notes that similar efforts to
de-emphasize ESG factors have been undertaken by many asset
management companies, including BlackRock, State Street, JPMorgan,
and Pimco. Recent research from Morningstar has shown that more
funds are removing rather than adding ESG mandates from their
investment practices. On March 7, 2024, the Canadian Securities
Administrators introduced three categories of ESG-Related Funds:
ESG Objective Funds, ESG Strategy Funds, and ESG Limited
Consideration Funds. Each category has distinct expectations
regarding the emphasis on ESG factors in investment decisions. The
Manager believes that the proposed changes will result in the Funds
moving from the ESG Objective Funds category to the ESG Limited
Consideration category.
Special meetings of unitholders of the Funds
will be held on or about January 30, 2025, at which unitholders of
record as at December 23, 2024 will be asked to approve the
revisions. Further details of the meeting, including the proposed
changes to the investment objectives and strategies, will be
provided in an information circular to be distributed to
unitholders of the Funds in advance of the special meeting. If
approved, changes will be reflected in the Prospectus renewal
filing of the Funds, which is expected to occur in late March
2025.
About Middlefield
Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist
equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and
London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to
select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors
and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused
strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation,
infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these
solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual
Funds, Split-Share Funds, Closed-End Funds and Flow-through
LPs.
For further information, please visit our
website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy
Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.
This press release contains forward-looking
information.. Any statements that express or involve discussions
with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans,
intentions, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events
or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such
as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "plans", "estimates" or
"intends" (or negative or grammatical variations thereof), or
stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could",
"would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not
statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking
statements. Statements which may constitute forward-looking
statements relate to: the proposed timing of the name, objectives
and strategies changes and completion thereof; the potential
benefits of such changes; and the holding of the unitholder
meeting. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of
risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results
to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements
including as a result of changes in the general economic and
political environment, changes in applicable legislation, and the
performance of each fund. Additional risks, uncertainties and other
factors that could influence actual results are described under
“Risk Factors” in the ETFs’ prospectus and other documents filed by
the ETFs with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The
forward-looking information contained in this press release
constitutes the ETFs’ current estimate, as of the date of this
press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby.
Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking
statement contained in this press release represents the ETFs’
estimate as of any date other than the date of this press
release.
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