Advisory Research, Inc. (“ARI”), a Delaware corporation, was founded in 1974 and is located in
Chicago, Illinois. ARI is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ostara Inc. Matthew K. Swaim—who is ARI
CEO and also Ostara Inc. CEO—owns in excess of 25% of Ostara Inc. For more information
concerning ARI, please visit
www.advisoryresearch.com. As of March 1, 2024, ARI had
regulatory assets under discretionary management (AUM) and assets under advisement (AUA)
of $752.8 million, consisting of $641.6 million of AUM and $111.2 million of AUA.
As used in this Brochure, the words “we”, “our” and “us” or “ARI” refer to Advisory Research, Inc.
The words “you”, “your” and “client” refer to you as either a client or prospective client of Advisory
Research, Inc.
Advisory Services
We provide discretionary investment management services to institutional and high net worth
clients through separately managed accounts, unregistered pooled investment vehicles, and
model-based accounts. Sub-advisory services are provided to registered mutual funds, wrap
fee programs, and model programs. ARI also provides nondiscretionary management of
advisory accounts pursuant to model UMA agreements.
ARI primarily invests client funds in domestic equity securities (including common stocks of micro,
small, mid, and large capitalization companies) and American depository receipts (ADRs). These
securities may include stocks traded on a U.S. national exchange, over-the-counter, or other
applicable venues. Additionally, we sometimes invest client funds in other securities such as
securities convertible to common stock, preferred stock, real estate investment trusts, exchange-
traded funds, warrants, covered calls, long puts, restricted securities, private placements and
bonds (including corporate, municipal, and government issued). When purchasing or selling a
security on a foreign exchange, the transaction is generally settled in local currency. Therefore,
spot foreign currency transactions will be placed in your account for the purpose of trade
settlement.
ARI seeks to provide advisory services that are tailored to the individual needs of each client. As
a result, such clients may impose restrictions on investing in certain securities or types of
securities by contacting their relationship manager and/or notifying ARI in writing. We manage
such client portfolios in accordance with their investment policies and use reasonably available
resources to comply with investment restrictions, when applicable. We reserve the right to reject
or to terminate an account if we believe the restrictions or constraints imposed are not reasonable
or prohibit effective management of the account. You should understand that the account
restrictions or constraints may affect the performance of your account, either positively or
negatively. Furthermore, accounts with restrictions may result in performance dispersion due to
security holdings and cash levels differing from other accounts in the same investment strategy.
The portfolio manager works to maintain dispersion at a minimum among the accounts; therefore,
accounts with restrictions may receive an allocation of a similar non-restricted security and/or may
contain higher or lower cash levels than other accounts in the same strategy.
Wrap Fee Programs
ARI serves as a manager in various wrap fee programs sponsored by unaffiliated broker-dealers
(program sponsor). The wrap fee sponsor typically is responsible for assisting the client in
selecting managers, investment strategies, and handles most aspects of the client relationship
including identifying individual circumstances of the client. ARI
receives a portion of the wrap
fees paid by clients for its services. Portfolio management advice provided by ARI to clients in
wrap fee programs does not differ materially from that provided to its other separately managed
accounts, however, one area which may differ is that trades in such programs are typically placed
with the program's sponsoring broker-dealer as the wrap-fee arrangement covers brokerage
commissions effected through the program sponsor. Wrap program clients should be aware that
because they effectively direct ARI to execute most trades through the program sponsor or the
broker-dealer designated by the program sponsor through the terms of each program, execution
quality may be adversely affected by various factors associated with client directed brokerage as
noted in Item 12. ARI may direct that trade orders for wrap accounts and other accounts that
direct the use of a particular broker-dealer be executed following the completion of trades for
ARI’s other accounts that do not impose such restrictions. This could have potential adverse
effects or beneficial effects because of changes that may occur in the market price for affected
securities or other changes, particularly in volatile markets.
Model Programs
As part of our services, ARI provides certain unaffiliated third-party investment advisers with
model portfolios and updates to those model portfolios in accordance with a specified investment
style for a fee. In turn, the third-party investment adviser, at its sole discretion, uses the model
portfolios’ recommendations to implement investment strategies to invest certain clients’ assets.
ARI does not manage or have discretion over any of the clients’ assets. ARI does not execute
any security transactions and does not assume any fiduciary duties associated with these tasks.
Investment Manager Services
ARI serves as a sub-advisor to the North Square Advisory Research Small Cap Value Fund ,
which is part of the North Square Investments Trust, and may service other unaffiliated sub-
advised investment companies, all registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940
(collectively “Registered Mutual Funds”). With respect to the Registered Mutual Funds, we
manage the assets of each Registered Mutual Fund based on their specific investment objectives
and restrictions, as outlined in each Registered Mutual Fund’s prospectus and statement of
additional information, rather than on the individual needs and objectives of the individual
shareholders in the Registered Mutual Funds. Prior to investing, shareholders should carefully
review the applicable prospectus to fully understand the investment objectives and risks
pertaining to the Registered Mutual Funds.
ARI also serves as the general partner or managing member to several private funds sponsored
by ARI (“Private Funds”).
ARI operates each of the Private Funds in reliance upon an exclusion from the definition of an
“investment company” described in either Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940. Investors in the Private Funds must be “accredited investors” as defined
in Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and must also be “qualified
purchasers” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(51) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 with
respect to Private Funds relying on Section 3(c)(7) of that Act. Prospective investors are provided
with a confidential Offering Memorandum and other documentation that detail the investment
objectives, risks, fees, and other important information about the selected Private Fund. It is
important that each potential qualified investor fully read the offering materials.