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Night Owl Capital Management, LLC
FORM ADV PART 2A – DISCLOSURE BROCHURE
102 Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
Phone: 203-302-3870
Fax: 203-674-1696
www.nightowlcapital.com
March 12, 2025
This disclosure brochure provides clients with information about the qualifications and business practices
of Night Owl Capital Management, LLC, an independent investment advisory firm registered with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). It also describes the services Night Owl Capital
Management, LLC provides as well as background information on those individuals who provide investment
advisory services on behalf of Night Owl Capital Management, LLC. Please contact Eileen Ohnell, President
and Chief Compliance Officer of Night Owl Capital Management, LLC, at 203-302-3870 if you have any
questions about the contents of this disclosure brochure.
The information in this disclosure brochure has not been approved or verified by the SEC or by any state
securities authority. Registration with the SEC does not imply that Night Owl Capital Management, LLC or
any individual providing investment advisory services on behalf of Night Owl Capital Management, LLC
possess a certain level of skill or training. Additional information about Night Owl Capital Management,
LLC is available on the Internet at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov. You can search this site by a unique identifying
number, known as a CRD number. The CRD number for Night Owl Capital Management, LLC is 106030.
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Item 2 – Material Changes
This item discusses specific material changes to the Night Owl Capital Management, LLC
disclosure brochure.
Pursuant to current SEC Rules, Night Owl Capital Management, LLC will ensure that clients
receive a summary of any material changes to this and subsequent brochures within 120 days of
the close of the firm’s fiscal year which occurs at the end of the calendar year. Night Owl Capital
Management, LLC may further provide other ongoing disclosure information about material
changes as necessary. Night Owl Capital Management, LLC also provides clients with a new
brochure as necessary based on changes or new information, at any time, without charge.
Night Owl Capital Management, LLC has updated its institutional account thresholds since
the date of its last annual filing on March 19, 2024. Please see Item 5 for more information.
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Item 3 – Table of Contents
Item 2 – Material Changes ........................................................................................................................................... i
Item 3 – Table of Contents ..........................................................................................................................................ii
Item 4 – Advisory Business ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation............................................................................................................................... 3
Item 6 – Performance-Based Fees and Side -by-Side Management ................................................................. 5
Item 7 – Types of Clients ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss ......................................................... 6
Item 9 – Disciplinary History ...................................................................................................................................14
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations ......................................................................14
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and Personal Trading ......15
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices .................................................................................................................................16
Item 13 – Review of Accounts ..................................................................................................................................20
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation ........................................................................................20
Item 15 – Custody ........................................................................................................................................................21
Item 16 – Investment Discretion ..............................................................................................................................21
Item 17 – Voti ng Client Securities...........................................................................................................................22
Item 18 – Financial Information..............................................................................................................................23
Item 19 – Additional Information ...........................................................................................................................23
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Item 4 – Advisory Business
Structure, History and Ownership
Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, Night Owl Capital Management, LLC (“Night Owl Capital” or
“we”), is an independent, privately-held Delaware limited liability company that has been an
SEC-registered investment advisor since 1993. Night Owl Capital changed its name from
Southfield Investment Management, LLC in October of 2011.
The principal owners of the Night Owl Capital are John Kim (the “Portfolio Manager”) and
Eileen Ohnell.
Types of Advisory Services
We provide investment management services to separately managed accounts, private investment
funds (e.g., hedge funds), and pooled investment funds.
Separately Managed Accounts
We provide investment management services for high net worth individuals and institutions,
using our specific investment philosophy and strategy to manage a portion of a client’s assets on a
separate account basis. Our investment philosophy and strategy, which are based upon making
concentrated, long-term public equity investments in growing companies, are described in Item 8
below (Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss). While most client
portfolios will match our “model” portfolio, some portfolios may differ depending on the
individual circumstances of a client. For example, some clients may request a fixed income
allocation as part of their portfolios.
We will also at times manage investment accounts on a non-discretionary basis.
We do not provide general wealth management or financial planning services to clients. We
provide our investment advisory services to such portion of a client’s assets as the client
determines to allocate to our investment strategy.
Private Investment Funds
Night Owl Capital is also the investment manager of Night Owl Partners, LP (the “Fund”).
Please see Item 8 below for additional information regarding the investment objectives, types of
investments and risk exposures of the Fund.
The Fund has a similar investment strategy as the separately managed accounts (see Item 8
below), but may at times employ strategies and pursue investment opportunities that we deem
unsuitable for the separately managed accounts. These strategies may include, but are not limited
to, higher portfolio concentration, illiquid securities, short positions, leverage, “special situations”
and derivatives.
Important Note: Private investment funds advised by Night Owl Capital are not offered or sold to
the public. They are accessible only to investors who are “Accredited Investors” as defined in
Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”), who receive a confidential
private placement memorandum issued by the Fund and who ultimately become parties to the
limited partnership agreement governing the operation of the Fund.
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Pooled Investment Funds
Night Owl Capital also serves as a sub-advisor with respect to a portion of the assets of a pooled
investment vehicle not organized by Night Owl Capital.
Investment Team
The Night Owl Capital investment team consists of the following professionals:
John S. Kim
Portfolio Manager
Mr. Kim graduated from Yale University magna cum laude with a BA in Ethics, Politics and
Economics in 1995. Mr. Kim also received his J.D. from Yale Law School in 2000. Mr. Kim has
served as Managing Director of Night Owl Capital since 2003. Prior to that, Mr. Kim was an
Associate in the Mergers & Acquisitions Department of Morgan Stanley from 2000 to 2003. He
also served as an Equity Analyst at J. Bush & Co. from 1999 to 2000 and as a consultant at
Mercer Management Consulting from 1995 to 1997. Mr. Kim is married to Eileen Ohnell.
Andrew Sherlock
Senior Analyst
Mr. Sherlock graduated from Yale University with a B.S. in Mathematics and Economics. Mr.
Sherlock has been an Analyst at Night Owl Capital since 2017. Prior to joining the firm, Mr.
Sherlock was a Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in their options research group and
Rockefeller & Co. in their global healthcare strategies group.
Akshat Piprottar
Analyst
Mr. Piprottar graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Hotel Administration and a
concentration in Finance, Accounting, and Real Estate, cum laude. Mr. Piprottar has been an
Analyst at Night Owl Capital since 2022. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Piprottar was a Summer
Analyst at Bank of America in their Real Estate Investment Trust group.
Eileen Ohnell
President and Chief Compliance Officer
Ms. Ohnell graduated from Princeton University in 1995 with an A.B. in history, cum laude, and
is a CFA charterholder. Ms. Ohnell has served as President and Chief Compliance Officer of
Night Owl Capital since 2019. Immediately prior to joining the firm, Ms. Ohnell was the
Director of Research and a Managing Director at Ionic Capital Management, which she joined at
launch in 2006. From 2000-2005, Ms. Ohnell was a Vice President and senior analyst at
Highbridge Capital Management working with the team that started Ionic. Ms. Ohnell’s previous
experience includes working as an equity analyst at Night Owl Capital (when it was called
Southfield), writing research for Renaissance Capital and as a consultant at Mercer Management
Consulting (now Oliver Wyman). Ms. Ohnell is married to John Kim.
Client Tailored Services and Client Imposed Restrictions
Separately Managed Accounts
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Clients may request adjustments to our primary investment strategy to reflect the particular needs
of the client, subject to our agreement in our sole discretion. For example, some clients may
request a fixed income allocation as part of their portfolios. Since we do not provide general
wealth management or financial planning services, while we may accommodate variations from
our investment strategy that are requested by a client, we do not make client-specific
recommendations based upon an analysis of a client’s financial situation.
Generally, we will seek to accommodate reasonable restrictions imposed by clients on investing
in certain securities or types of securities in their advisory accounts, provided, however, that some
restrictions may not be accommodated when utilizing exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) or mutual
funds. In addition, a restriction request may not be honored if it is fundamentally inconsistent
with our investment philosophy, runs counter to the client’s stated investment objectives, or
would prevent us from properly servicing client accounts. Whether clients will be able to place
reasonable restrictions on the types of investments to be made on the client's behalf is at our sole
discretion.
Private Investment Fund
Because of the “pooled” nature of private investment funds, clients may not impose restrictions
on investments in certain securities or types of securities by the Fund.
Assets Under Management
As of December 31, 2024, the total amount of client assets managed by Night Owl Capital is
approximately $865,800,000 all on a discretionary basis.
Item 5 – Fees and Compensation
Advisory Fees
Separately Managed Accounts
The annual fee for Night Owl Capital’s separately managed account services is charged as a
percentage of assets under management. Client accounts are charged a fee based on an
annualized rate of 1.25% for the first $25 million of assets and 1.0% on assets over $25 million.
The fee schedule for institutional accounts larger than $100 million is an annualized rate of .80%
and .70% for accounts larger than $200 million. We have had fee schedules and account
minimums that differ from those currently in place and we continue to manage certain accounts
under those arrangements. For new accounts that do not meet our current $10 million minimum,
fee schedules may vary. As a result, some clients may have fee arrangements that differ from the
fee schedule described above.
Generally, fees are paid quarterly in advance and are calculated and assessed after the end of each
calendar quarter based on the market value of an account on the last business day of the preceding
quarter. The market value is as reflected in the custodian’s statement as of the end of the quarter
plus any accrued interest on fixed income securities. In the event the account custodian cannot
provide a market value for an asset, we will determine the fair market value. Fees will be
adjusted if there are additions or withdrawals during the first sixty days of the quarter of assets
equal to 15% or more of the total value of the account on the date of the addition or withdrawal.
Such fees will be calculated based on the annualized rate according to the fee schedule agreed to
in the investment management agreement, the number of days remaining in the quarter on the
date of the addition or withdrawal and the amount of the assets added or withdrawn, and will be
assessed or credited, as applicable, in the quarter following the quarter in which the addition or
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withdrawal was made. We have one account, which we manage on a sub-advisory basis, which
pays fees in arrears according to the sub-advisory agreement.
Private Investment Fund
Night Owl Capital acts as investment advisor for the Fund, a private investment fund organized as
a pooled investment vehicle and charges an asset-based management fee of 1.0% per year on
assets under management. Additionally, an affiliate of Night Owl Capital serves as general
partner of the Fund. The management fee is generally payable on a quarterly basis in advance.
Night Owl Capital in our capacity as investment advisor (or our affiliate in its capacity as general
partner) for an investment vehicle, is reimbursed for allocable legal, accounting and
administrative expenses that are directly related to the Fund or the Fund’s investments. Each
investor in the Fund indirectly bears a portion of those expenses.
An investor in the Fund must be an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D under the
Securities Act.
The terms and conditions for participation in the Fund, including fees, expenses, conflicts of
interest and risk factors, are set forth in the Fund’s offering documents, which each prospective
investor will receive. A prospective investor in the Fund is required to complete and submit
certain portions of the Fund’s subscription documents to Night Owl Capital in order to
demonstrate qualification for a Fund investment.
General
We are compensated solely by fees paid by our clients and we do not accept commissions or
compensation from any other source (i.e., mutual funds, insurance products or any other
investment product).
We retain the right to modify fees, including minimum account sizes, in our sole and absolute
discretion, on a client-by-client basis based on the size, complexity and nature of the advisory
services provided.
All fees paid to us for investment advisory services are separate and distinct from the fees and
expenses charged by mutual funds to their shareholders. These fees and expenses are described
in each mutual fund's prospectus. These fees will generally include a management fee, other fund
expenses, and in some cases a distribution fee. If the mutual fund also imposes sales charges, a
client may pay an initial or deferred sales charge. A client could invest in a mutual fund directly,
without the services of Night Owl Capital. In that case, the client would not receive the services
we provide which are designed, among other things, to assist the client in determining which
mutual fund or funds are most appropriate to implement our investment strategy. To the extent
that client assets are invested in money market funds or cash positions, the fees for monitoring
those assets are in addition to the fees included in the internal expenses of those funds paid to
their own investment managers, which are fully disclosed in each such mutual fund’s prospectus.
Accordingly, the client should review both the fees charged by the funds and the fees charged by
Night Owl Capital to fully understand the total amount of fees to be paid by the client and to
thereby evaluate the advisory services being provided.
All fees paid to us for investment advisory services are also separate and distinct from transaction
fees charged by broker dealers associated with the purchase and sale of equity securities and
options. In addition, fees do not include the services of any co-fiduciaries, accountants, broker
dealers or attorneys. Please see the section of this disclosure document entitled “Brokerage
Practices” for additional information on brokerage and other transaction costs.
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Payment Methods
The Fund pays fees directly to Night Owl Capital.
For Separately Managed Accounts, fees are typically deducted directly from the client’s account;
provided, however, that Night Owl Capital will bill the client separately at the client’s request.
Each month, a client will receive a statement directly from the qualified custodian showing all
transactions, positions and credits/debits into or from the client’s account.
In order for Night Owl Capital’s advisory fees to be directly debited from a client’s account, the
client provides written authorization (in Night Owl Capital’s investment management agreement)
permitting us to bill the custodian. In addition, the account must be held by a qualified custodian
and the qualified custodian must agree to send to the client an account statement on at least a
quarterly basis. The account statement must indicate all amounts disbursed from the account,
including the amount of advisory fees paid directly to Night Owl Capital. Clients are informed
that it is their responsibility to verify the accuracy of the fee calculation and that the account
custodian will not determine whether the fee is calculated correctly.
Termination and Refunds
The investment advisory contract may be terminated by either party upon seven days prior written
notice. Night Owl may waive the seven day notice period at its discretion. Upon termination, the
prorated amount of any pre-paid fees for the remainder of the quarter following termination will
be refunded. We will either credit the fee directly to the client account or send a check to the
client for the amount of the refund.
Item 6 – Performance-Based Fees and Side-by-Side Management
Night Owl Capital does not charge performance-based fees (e.g., fees based on a share of capital
gains on, or capital appreciated of, the assets in a client’s account).
Item 7 – Types of Clients
Types of Clients
Night Owl Capital provides investment advisory services to individuals (including high net worth
individuals), trusts, estates, charitable organizations, corporations, other types of business entities,
private investment funds organized as pooled investment vehicles and pooled investment funds.
Engaging the Services of Night Owl Capital
Separately Managed Accounts
All clients wishing to engage Night Owl Capital for investment advisory services must sign an
investment advisory agreement that governs the relationship with Night Owl Capital. The
investment advisory agreement describes our services and our responsibilities to the client. It
also outlines our fee in detail.
In addition to entering into the investment advisory agreement, clients must complete certain
broker-dealer/custodial documentation. Upon completion of these documents, Night Owl Capital
will be considered engaged by the client. A client has an ongoing responsibility to inform us in a
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timely manner of changes in the client’s investment objectives and /or restrictions on our
investment strategy.
Private Investment Fund
Investors in the Fund will be required to complete a subscription agreement (including an investor
questionnaire to determine their eligibility for investment in the Fund) and become a party to the
limited partnership agreement that governs the operation of the Fund.
Conditions for Managing Accounts
Separately Managed Accounts
Night Owl Capital requires new clients to have a minimum account of $10,000,000, although we
retain the right to reduce or waive this minimum account size.
Private Investment Funds
The minimum capital contribution by a limited partner to the Fund is $1,000,000, subject to the
discretion of the Fund’s general partner (an affiliate of Night Owl Capital) to accept lesser
amounts.
Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss
Methods of Analysis and Investment Strategies
We make concentrated, long-term public equity investments in growing companies. Our strategy
is focused on finding world-class businesses whose earnings power our investment team believes
it can forecast with confidence for multiple years into the future. The strategy invests primarily
in mid-cap and large-cap companies across geographies, although the majority of portfolio
companies are in the U.S.
Throughout our history, we have followed the same investment principles:
Invest in High Quality Companies
The investment team focuses on seeking to identify companies with superior long-term earnings
growth potential. When evaluating companies, we spend our time forecasting earnings power 3-5
years into the future instead of predicting earnings for the next quarter or year. We take this long-
term view because we believe that the value of a stock depends far more on a company’s future
cash flows than on its current performance.
The investment team hones in on industries and companies that are experiencing secular tailwinds
or transformations that allow us to develop a high level of confidence in our ability to forecast
their futures. We often find companies that meet this threshold when there is a systemic change
in a business or industry with clear beneficiaries.
The investment team searches for superior businesses with proven business models that have
unique, enduring franchises with sustainable competitive advantages. These businesses must
have attractive growth opportunities – companies capable of growing their intrinsic value for a
number of years. Finally, we want our portfolio companies to have disciplined management
teams that allocate capital wisely.
Wait for an Attractive Valuation
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Once the investment team identifies a business that warrants additional research, we estimate the
company's intrinsic value based on a discounted free cash flow analysis. We then wait for the
market to provide us an opportunity to buy shares below this intrinsic value. We are willing to be
patient. We believe that valuation discipline will result in superior results over the long term and
better downside protection for our investors.
Use Concentrated Portfolios
Given our stringent requirements, only a limited number of companies meet our strategy’s
investment criteria. As a result, our portfolio tends to be concentrated, typically holding 15-25
companies at one time, but with fewer or more names at the Portfolio Manager’s discretion. The
strategy does not have a standard position size. Instead, the Portfolio Manager sizes positions
based on our estimate of the dispersion of possible outcomes and not based on expected return.
The largest portfolio positions can exceed 10% of the portfolio, but the average position is about
3-5% of the portfolio.
Invest for the Long Term
We are long-term investors. Given our selective investment criteria, once we find a company we
like, we tend to hold it for a long time. We believe that the best way to build wealth is to find
great businesses and hold them while they grow and prosper. This long-term investment horizon
results in low portfolio turnover. Notwithstanding the strategy’s long-term investment horizon,
we will sell a position if we foresee a deterioration in the company's fundamentals and/or its
valuation is far above our view of its intrinsic value.
Security Analysis
The security analysis method we typically employ is fundamental analysis. Fundamental analysis
is a method of evaluating securities by attempting to measure the intrinsic value of a s ecurity.
Fundamental analysis may include the study of the overall economy and industry conditions, the
financial condition of a company, details regarding the company’s product line, and the
experience and expertise of the company’s management. The resulting data is used to measure the
value of the company’s stock.
Sources of Information
In conducting security analysis, we may utilize the following sources of information: financial
newspapers and magazines, research materials prepared by others, inspection of corporate
activities, corporate rating services, annual reports, prospectuses, filings with the SEC and
company press releases.
Types of Investments
We may at times invest in a range of securities including, domestic and foreign equity securities,
warrants, corporate debt securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, municipal and
United States government securities, mutual funds and options.
Risks Associated with Investment Strategies and Methods of Analysis
Investing in securities involves risk of loss that each client should be prepared to bear. The value
of a client’s investment may be affected by one or more of the risks described below, any of
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which could cause a client’s portfolio return, the price of the portfolio’s shares or the portfolio’s
yield to fluctuate.
• Methods of Analysis. The analysis of securities requires subjective assessments and
decision-making by experienced investment professionals, however, there is always the
risk of an error in judgment. Our methods of securities analysis rely on the assumption
that the companies whose securities the firm purchases and sells, the rating agencies that
review these securities, and other publicly-available sources of information about these
securities, are providing accurate and unbiased data. While we are alert to indications
that data may be incorrect, there is always the risk that the firm’s analysis may be
compromised by inaccurate or misleading information.
• Limited Diversification. A client’s account will have limited diversification. There are
no percentage limitations imposed by law or otherwise on the percentage of a client’s
assets that may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. To the extent that the
client’s account is concentrated in a few key industries, the risk of loss is greater than if
the portfolio were invested in a more diversified manner among various sectors. In
addition, although the diversification of the client’s investments in a variety of securities
is intended to reduce the client’s exposure to adverse events associated with specific
issuers, the number of client investments will be limited. As a consequence, the client’s
returns as a whole may be adversely affected by the unfavorable performance of even a
single investment.
• Economic and Market Risk. The success of the investments we make for client accounts
may be affected by general economic and market conditions, such as economic cycles,
poor equity markets, interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic
uncertainty, changes in laws, and national and international political
circumstances. These factors may affect the level and volatility of securities prices and
the liquidity of the investments. Unexpected volatility or illiquidity could impair the
investment’s profitability or result in losses.
• Fundamental Analysis. Fundamental analysis, when used in isolation, has a number of
risks:
o
Information obtained may be incorrect and the analysis may not provide an
accurate estimate of earnings, which may be the basis for a stock’s value. If
securities prices adjust rapidly to new information, utilizing fundamental analysis
may not result in favorable performance.
o The data used may be out of date.
o
It ignores the influence of random events such as oil spills, product defects being
exposed, acts of God and so on.
o
It assumes that there is no monopolistic power over markets.
o The market may fail to reach expectations of perceived value.
• Long-Term Purchases. Using a long-term purchase strategy generally assumes the
financial markets will go up in the long-term which may not be the case. There is also
the risk that the segment of the market that you are invested in or your particular
investments will decrease in value even if the overall financial markets advance.
Purchasing investments long-term may create an opportunity cost (e.g., “locking-up”
assets that may be better utilized in the short-term in other investments).
• Allocation Risk. The allocation of investments among different asset classes may have a
significant effect on portfolio value when one of these asset classes is performing more
poorly than the others. As investments will be periodically reallocated, there will be
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transaction costs which may be, over time, significant. In addition, there is a risk that
certain asset allocation decisions may not achieve the desired results and, as a result, a
client’s portfolio may incur significant losses.
• Foreign (Non-U.S.) Risk. A portfolio’s investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers may
involve more risk than those of U.S. issuers. These securities may fluctuate more widely
in price and may be less liquid due to adverse market, economic, political, regulatory or
other factors.
• Emerging Markets Risk. Securities of companies in emerging markets may be more
volatile than those of companies in developed markets. By definition, markets, economies
and government institutions are generally less developed in emerging market countries.
Investment in securities of companies in emerging markets may entail special risks
relating to the potential for social instability and the risks of expropriation,
nationalization or confiscation. Investors may also face the imposition of restrictions on
foreign investment or the repatriation of capital and a lack of hedging instruments.
• Currency Risk. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may negatively affect the value
of a portfolio’s investments or reduce its returns.
• Derivatives Risk. Certain strategies involve the use of derivatives to create market
exposure. Derivatives may be illiquid, difficult to price and leveraged so that small
changes may produce disproportionate losses for a client’s portfolio and may be subject
to counterparty risk to a greater degree than more traditional investments. Because of
their complex nature, some derivatives may not perform as intended. As a result, a
portfolio may not realize the anticipated benefits from a derivative it holds o r it may
realize losses. Derivative transactions may create investment leverage, which may
increase a portfolio’s volatility and may require the portfolio to liquidate portfolio
securities when it may not be advantageous to do so.
• Capitalization Risk. Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies may be
more volatile than investments in large-capitalization companies. Investments in small-
capitalization companies may have additional risks because these companies have limited
product lines, markets or financial resources.
• Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase
or sell, possibly preventing an investment manager from selling out of such illiquid
securities at an advantageous price. Derivatives and securities involving substantial
market and credit risk also tend to involve greater liquidity risk.
•
Issuer Specific Risk. The value of an equity security or debt obligation may decline in
response to developments affecting the specific issuer of the security or obligation, even
if the overall industry or economy is unaffected. These developments may comprise a
variety of factors, including, but not limited to, management issues or other corporate
disruption, political factors adversely affecting governmental issuers, a decline in
revenues or profitability, an increase in costs, or an adverse effect on the issuer’s
competitive position.
• Reinvestment Risk. This is the risk that future proceeds from investments may have to be
reinvested at a potentially lower rate of return (i.e. interest rate). This primarily relates to
fixed income securities.
• Legal or Legislative Risk. Legislative changes or court rulings may impact the value of
investments or the securities’ claim on the issuer’s assets and finances.
•
Socially Responsible Investing. Investments may focus on “low carbon” or other areas of
socially responsible investing. This investment category represents a relatively new area
of investment with a relatively limited performance track record. Due to the
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consideration of non-monetary factors in investment decisions, these investments may
experience a lower rate of return. There may be a relatively limited number of
investments to consider in this investment category, and available investments may be
subject to increased competition.
• Large Investment Risks. Clients may collectively account for a large portion of the assets
in certain investments. A decision by many investors to buy or sell some or all of a
particular investment where clients hold a significant portion of that investment may
negatively impact the value of that investment.
• Cybersecurity Risk. The information and technology systems of Night Owl Capital and
its affiliates, as well as of key service providers, including third-party vendors, central
agents, exchanges, clearing houses, and other financial institutions (including the
custodian), are vulnerable to risks associated with a breach in cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is a generic term used to describe the technology, processes and practices
designed to protect networks, systems, computers, programs and data from cyber-attacks
and hacking by other computer users, and to avoid the resulting damage and disruption of
hardware and software systems, loss or corruption of data, and/or misappropriation of
confidential information. In general, cyber-attacks are deliberate, but unintentional
events may have similar effects. Cyber-attacks may cause losses to clients by interfering
with the processing of transactions, affecting the ability to calculate net asset value or
impeding or sabotaging trading. Clients may also incur substantial costs as the result of a
cybersecurity breach, including those associated with forensic analysis of the origin and
scope of the breach, increased and upgraded cybersecurity, identity theft, unauthorized
use of proprietary information, litigation, and the dissemination of confidential and
proprietary information. Any such breach could expose Night Owl Capital to civil
liability as well as regulatory inquiry and/or action. In addition, clients could be exposed
to additional losses as a result of unauthorized use of their personal information. While
Night Owl Capital has established business continuity plans, incident response plans and
systems designed to prevent cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans
and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Similar
types of cybersecurity risks also are present for issuers of securities in which Night Owl
Capital invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and
may cause a client’s investment in such securities to lose value.
• Public Health Emergency and Other Catastrophic Risks. Night Owl Capital may be
subject to the risk of loss arising from direct or indirect exposure to a number of types of
other catastrophic events, including without limitation (i) public health crises, including
any outbreak of COVID 19, SARS, H1N1/09 influenza, avian influenza, other
coronavirus, Ebola or other existing or new epidemic diseases, or the threat thereof; or
(ii) other major events or disruptions, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires,
flooding and other natural disasters; acts of war or terrorism, including cyberterrorism; or
major or prolonged power outages or network interruptions. The extent of the impact of
any such catastrophe or other emergency on our operational and financial performance
will depend on many factors, including the duration and scope of such emergency, the
extent of any related travel advisories and restrictions, the impact on overall supply and
demand, goods and services, investor liquidity, consumer confidence and levels of
economic activity, and the extent of its disruption to important global, regional and local
supply chains and economic markets, all of which are highly uncertain and cannot be
predicted. In particular, to the extent that any such event occurs and has a material effect
on global financial markets or specific markets in which we participate (or has a material
effect on any locations in which we operate or on any personnel) the risks of loss could
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be substantial and could have a material adverse effect on our ability to fulfill our
investment objectives.
• Options. We typically do not buy or sell options for the separately managed accounts,
but we may at times do so at the request of a client. The use of options involves a high
degree of embedded leverage, which can involve greater market risk, especially when not
used to hedge an underlying security. Accordingly, special risks are associated with the
use of options. In addition to directional risks of the underlying securities, options are
subject to fluctuations in the volatility of the underlying security and fluctuations in
prevailing interest rates to a lesser extent. For options used in hedging, there can be no
guarantee of a correlation between price movements in the option and in the portfolio
securities being hedged. A lack of correlation could result in a loss on both the hedged
securities and the hedging vehicle so that the return might have been better had hedging
not been attempted. In addition, a decision as to whether, when and how to use options
involves the exercise of skill and judgment which are different from those needed to
select portfolio securities, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to
some degree because of market behavior, currency fluctuations or interest rate trends. If
we are incorrect in our forecasts regarding market values, currency fluctuations, interest
rate trends, or other relevant factors, the client may be in a worse position than if we had
not engaged in options transactions. Although we are experienced in the use of options
as an investment technique, this experience does not completely mitigate the risk that the
potential loss incurred by the client in writing options is unlimited.
There also can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when we seek to
close out an option position. Lack of a liquid market for any reason may prevent us from
liquidating an unfavorable position.
• Leverage and Margin Transactions. We typically do not buy securities on margin for the
separately managed accounts. We may at times do so at the request of a client. A client
may use margin borrowing so long as, immediately after incurring such debt, the
aggregate debt in the client’s account does not exceed 50% of the market value of the
client’s total assets at that time. The use of margin borrowing is a speculative technique
that involves special risk considerations. Interest costs on borrowings may fluctuate with
changing market rates of interest and may partially offset or exceed the return earned on
borrowed funds. To the extent a client’s account is leveraged, the value of its assets will
tend to increase more when its portfolio securities increase in value, and to decrease more
when its portfolio securities decrease in value, than if its assets were not leveraged. In
addition, use of leverage by a client will increase the exposure of the client’s investments
to adverse economic factors such as rising interest rates, an economic downturn or
deterioration in the value of such investments. As a result of an economic downturn or
dislocations in the credit markets, as have occurred in recent years, a client may be
unable to obtain the desired amount of leverage or may be required to liquidate
investments if existing leverage facilities are withdrawn or reduced, either of which could
have an adverse impact on the client’s returns. While the margin borrowing limit is 50%
of total assets, determined at the time of incurring the debt, that test is only applied at the
time of a borrowing by the client. A client is not required to maintain on an ongoing
basis aggregate debt at or below 50% of its total assets, so it is possible that, after the
client incurs debt, the client’s assets may deteriorate in value, in which case the client’s
aggregate debt may significantly exceed 50% of its total assets.
•
Initial Public Offerings. We may purchase securities of companies in initial public
offerings or shortly thereafter. Special risks associated with these securities may include
a limited number of shares available for trading, illiquidity, lack of investor knowledge of
the issuer, and limited operating history. These factors may contribute to substantial
price volatility for the shares of these companies. The limited number of shares available
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for trading in some initial public offerings may make it more difficult for us to buy or sell
significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices.
In addition, some companies in initial public offerings are involved in relatively new
industries or lines of business, which may not be widely understood by investors. Some
of these companies may be undercapitalized or regarded as developmental stage
companies, without revenues or operating income, or the near–term prospect of achieving
them.
• Limitations of Disclosure. The foregoing list of risks does not purport to be a complete
enumeration or explanation of the risks involved in investing in securities and other
investments. As investment strategies develop and change over time, clients may be
subject to additional and different risk factors. No assurance can be made that profits will
be achieved or that substantial losses will not be incurred.
Risks Associated with Specific Securities Utilized
• Common Stocks. The major risks associated with investing in common stocks relate to
the issuer’s capitalization, quality of the issuer’s management, quality and cost of the
issuer’s services, the issuer’s ability to manage costs, efficiencies in the manufacturing or
service delivery process, management of litigation risk and the issuer’s ability to create
shareholder value (i.e., increase the value of the company’s stock price).
• Fixed-Income Securities. Different forms of fixed-income instruments, such as bonds,
money market funds, and certificates of deposit may be affected by various forms of risk,
including:
o
Interest Rate Risk. The risk that the value of the fixed-income holding will
decrease because of an increase in interest rates.
o Liquidity Risk. The inability to readily buy or sell an investment for a price close
to the true underlying value of the asset due to a lack of buyers or sellers. While
certain types of fixed-income securities are generally liquid (e.g., corporate
bonds), there are risks which may occur such as when an issue trading in any
given period does not readily support buys and sells at an efficient price.
Conversely, when trading volume is high, there is also the risk of not being able
to purchase a particular issue at the desired price.
o Credit Risk. The potential risk that an issuer would be unable to pay scheduled
interest or repay principal at maturity, sometimes referred to as “default risk.”
Credit risk may also occur when an issuer’s ability to make payments of principal
and interest when due is interrupted. This may result in a negative impact on all
forms of debt instruments.
o Reinvestment Risk. With declining interest rates, investors may have to reinvest
income or principal at a lower rate.
o Duration Risk. Duration is a measure of a bond’s volatility, expressed in years to
be repaid by its internal cash flow (interest payments). Bonds with longer
durations carry more risk and have higher price volatility than bonds with shorter
durations.
• Municipal Bonds. In addition to the risks set forth under “Fixed-Income Securities”
above, municipal bonds are susceptible to events in the municipality that issued the bond
or the security posted for the bond. These events may include economic or political
policy changes, changes in law, tax base erosion, state constitutional limits on tax
increases, budget deficits or other financial difficulties and changes in the credit rating
assigned to municipal issues.
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• Commercial Paper and Certificates of Deposit. Commercial Paper and Certificates of
Deposit are generally considered safe instruments, although they are subject to the level
of general interest rates, the credit quality of the issuing bank and the length of maturity.
With respect to certificates of deposit, depending on the length of maturity, there can be
prepayment penalties if the client needs to convert the certificate of deposit to cash prior
to maturity.
• Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). An ETF holds a portfolio of securities designed to track
a particular market segment or index. Shares of ETFs are listed on securities exchanges
and transacted at negotiated prices in the secondary market. Generally, ETF shares trade
at or near their most recent NAV, which is generally calculated at least once daily for
indexed-based ETFs and more frequently for actively managed ETFs. However, certain
inefficiencies may cause the shares to trade at a premium or discount to their pro rata
NAV.
ETFs are subject to risks similar to those of stocks. Investment returns will fluctuate and
are subject to market volatility, so that when shares are sold they may be worth more or
less than their original cost. ETF shares are bought and sold at market price (not Net
Asset Value) and are not individually redeemed from the fund. There is also the risk that
a manager may deviate from the stated investment mandate or strategy of the ETF which
could make the holdings less suitable for a client’s portfolio. ETFs may also carry
additional expenses based on their share of operating expenses and certain brokerage
fees, which may result in the potential duplication of certain fees. In addition, while
many ETFs are known for their potential tax efficiency and higher “qualified dividend
income” (QDI) percentages, there are assets classes within these ETFs or holding periods
that may not benefit. Shorter holding periods, as well as commodities and currencies that
may be part of an ETF’s portfolio, may be considered “non-qualified” under certain tax
code provisions.
There is also no guarantee that an active secondary market for such shares will develop or
continue to exist. Generally, an ETF only redeems shares when aggregated as creation
units (usually 50,000 shares or more). Therefore, if a liquid secondary market ceases to
exist for shares of a particular ETF, a shareholder may have no way to dispose of such
shares.
• Mutual Funds - Equity Funds. The major risks associated with investing in equity mutual
funds is similar to the risks associated with investing directly in equity securities,
including market risk, which is the risk that investment returns will fluctuate and are
subject to market volatility, so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed or sold, may be
worth more or less than their original cost. Other risks include the quality and experience
of the portfolio management team and its ability to create fund v alue by investing in
securities that have positive growth, the amount of individual company diversification,
the type and amount of industry diversification and the type and amount of sector
diversification within specific industries.
In addition, there is the risk that a manager may deviate from the stated investment
mandate or strategy of the mutual fund which could make the holdings less suitable for a
client’s portfolio. Also, mutual funds tend to be tax inefficient and therefore in vestors
may pay capital gains taxes on fund investments while not having yet sold their shares in
the fund. Mutual funds may also carry additional expenses based on their share of
operating expenses and certain brokerage fees, which may result in the pote ntial
duplication of certain fees.
• Mutual Funds - Fixed-Income Funds. In addition to the risks associated with investing in
equity mutual funds, fixed-income mutual funds also have the same risks as set forth
under “Fixed-Income Securities” listed above.
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• Mutual Funds - Index Funds. Index Funds have the potential to be affected by “tracking
error risk” which means a deviation from a stated benchmark index. Since the core of a
portfolio may attempt to closely replicate a benchmark, the source of the tracking error
(deviation) may come from a “sample index” that may not closely align the benchmark.
In addition, while many index mutual funds are known for their potential tax efficiency
and higher “qualified dividend income” (QDI) percentages, there are assets classes within
these funds or holding periods that may not benefit. Shorter holding periods, as well as
commodities and currencies that may be part of a fund’s portfolio, may be considered
“non-qualified” under certain tax code provisions.
Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Investing in securities and other
investments involve a risk of loss that each client should understand and be willing to bear.
Clients are encouraged to discuss these risks with Night Owl Capital’s investment advisor
representatives.
Cash Management
We do not set target percentages for cash in a client’s account. The amount of cash in a client’s
account is a function of our ability to find suitable investments for the account. Typically, cash is
held in a core money market fund, or swept into a money market fund when applicable. We may,
on occasion, use certificates of deposit, fixed income securities, including treasury bills, and other
cash alternatives.
Item 9 – Disciplinary History
Neither Night Owl Capital nor any of its supervised persons have any reportable disciplinary
history.
Item 10 – Other Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations
An affiliate of Night Owl Capital Management, LLC, Night Owl Capital, LLC (the “Fund
General Partner”), serves as the general partner to the Fund. The Fund General Partner has
delegated the investment management of the Fund to Night Owl Capital Management, LLC and
administration of the Fund to Citco Fund Administration (Cayman Islands) Limited, subject to
the ultimate discretion and control of the Fund General Partner.
We have implemented various policies and procedures to mitigate real or potential conflicts of
interest arising from our management of separately managed accounts and a private fund.
Currently, the assets of some of our separately managed account clients and the Fund are
custodied at different brokerage firms or custodians. Consequently, we may use different brokers
for the separately managed accounts and the Fund, respectively, to execute a transaction that
involves the same security. In addition, we will execute transactions in illiquid securities in a
serial manner in order to prevent the brokers from competing with one another for order flow, and
in such cases will alternate the order of execution to ensure that no client receives favorable
treatment in execution.
In the event that we are buying or selling highly liquid securities (e.g., large cap stocks) for client
accounts, we may determine that the simultaneous execution of transactions by different brokers
representing different clients will not adversely impact the execution price for our various clients.
In such a case, we may instruct brokers representing our different clients to execute the
transactions at the same time.
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In cases in which we use a single broker to buy or sell the same security for both the separately
managed accounts and the Fund, we will typically allocate between the separately managed
accounts and the Fund on a pro rata basis. In certain instances where it would not be prudent to
allocate on a pro rata basis, an alternate methodology may be employed.
Please see the section entitled “Brokerage Practices” for additional information on our brokerage
practices.
Item 11 – Code of Ethics, Participation or Interest in Client Transactions and
Personal Trading
Code of Ethics
Night Owl Capital has adopted a Code of Ethics to prevent violations of federal securities laws.
The Code of Ethics is predicated on the principle that we and our employees owe a fiduciary duty
to our clients. Accordingly, we expect all employees to act with honesty, integrity, and
professionalism and to adhere to federal securities laws. We and our employees are required to
adhere to the Code of Ethics. At all times, we and our employees must (i) place client interests
ahead of our own when making investment recommendations; (ii) engage in personal investing
that is in full compliance with our Code of Ethics; and (iii) avoid taking advantage of their
positions. Clients and prospective clients may request a copy of our Code of Ethics by contacting
Night Owl Capital at 203-302-3870.
Material Financial Interests
Night Owl Capital may purchase or sell securities or investment products for its client portfolios
in which Night Owl Capital or its related personnel have a material financial interest.
As noted above, an affiliate of Night Owl Capital acts as general partner of the Fund. As the
general partner, the affiliate maintains a capital account in the Fund and therefore receives
allocations of net profit (or losses) of the Fund. The Fund General Partner, Portfolio Manager and
employees of Night Owl Capital have invested in the Fund. In order to create a strong congruity
of interest between our management and the Fund’s investors, all of our senior investment
professionals are encouraged to invest in the Fund. This may create an incentive for us to favor
the Fund over our other clients.
Investing in Same Securities as Clients and Engaging in Transactions at the Same Time as
Clients
Night Owl Capital or individuals associated with Night Owl Capital may (i) buy, sell, or hold in
their personal accounts the same securities that Night Owl Capital recommends to its clients
and/or (ii) engage in transactions at the same time as clients.
To seek to minimize conflicts of interest, and to reflect the fiduciary duty we owe to our clients,
we have established the following policies and procedures:
• Employee accounts for those employees that are also clients of Night Owl Capital will be
under the discretion of Night Owl Capital and traded pari passu with non-employee
client accounts managed pursuant to the same strategy.
• Employees who maintain accounts outside of Night Owl Capital’s discretionary
management may not purchase securities currently included in any Night Owl Capital
strategy or under consideration for inclusion in any strategy (“Restricted List”) with the
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exclusion of broad-market/index ETFs; provided, however, that such employees are
permitted to own securities on the Restricted List if such securities were (i) owned by the
employee prior to their employment with Night Owl Capital or (ii) in the employee’s
account prior to being placed on the Restricted List. In addition, employees are not
permitted to sell any security on the Restricted List if such security is currently being
purchased for, or sold on behalf of, any non-employee client. If Night Owl Capital is
selling a position in its entirety, employees may request to completely sell their holding
of the position.
• Ownership of covered securities, exclusive of broad-market/index ETFs, is subject to
minimum holding periods and ownership percentages which may be waived in unusual
circumstances.
All transactions in a covered security (as defined in the code of ethics) must be pre-approved by
our Chief Compliance Officer. We also maintain quarterly reports on all personal securities
transactions, except transactions in investment company securities and/or other exempt
transactions.
Additional Information
At times, Night Owl Capital or its related persons may purchase securities that it deems
appropriate only for its or their own account. Based on our experience or that of our related
persons holding the securities and on further research and due diligence, we may at a later time
purchase such securities for client accounts at prices which might be higher or lower than those
we or our related persons originally paid.
Prohibition on Use of Insider Information
We have also adopted policies and procedures to prevent the misuse of “insider” information .
Our insider trading policies and procedures are included in our Code of Ethics and available to
any client or prospective client upon request. For a copy of our Code of Ethics, please contact
Night Owl Capital at 203-302-3870.
Item 12 – Brokerage Practices
Broker Selection
For most accounts Night Owl Capital is authorized by the client to select the broker or dealer to
be used and to determine the commission rate paid. Please see the disclosures in the “Best
Execution” and “Broker Analysis” sections below for additional information on the criteria we
use to select client brokerage.
A minority of our clients access Night Owl Capital’s services through custodial platforms that
require, or effectively require, that trading be executed through a specific broker-dealer not of our
selection.
Best Execution
Best execution has been defined by the SEC as the “execution of securities transactions for clients
in such a manner that the client’s total cost or proceeds in each transaction is the most favorable
under the circumstances.” The best execution responsibility applies to the circumstances of each
particular transaction and an investment advisor must consider the full range and quality of a
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broker-dealer’s services, including, among other things, execution capability, commission rates,
the value of any research, financial responsibility and responsiveness.
When placing portfolio transactions for client accounts, our primary objective is to obtain the best
price and best execution, taking into account the costs, promptness of execution and other
qualitative considerations.
Broker Analysis
We evaluate a wide range of criteria in seeking the most favorable price and market for the
execution of transactions. These include the broker-dealer’s trading costs, efficiency of execution
and error resolution, financial strength and stability, capability, positioning and distribution
capabilities, information in regard to the availability of securities, trading pattern s, statistical or
factual information, opinion pertaining to trading and prior performance in serving Night Owl
Capital.
Also in consideration is such broker-dealers’ provision or payment of the costs of research and
other investment management-related services (the provisional payment of such costs by brokers
are referred to as payment made by “soft dollars”, as further discussed in the “Research/Soft
Dollars Benefits” section below). Accordingly, if we determine in good faith that the amount of
trading costs charged by a broker-dealer is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and
research or investment management-related services provided by such broker, the client may pay
trading costs to such broker in an amount greater than the amount another broker might charge.
If a client requires the use of certain custodial platforms, Night Owl Capital may believe that it is
effectively required to use a specific broker for execution of trades due to Night Owl Capital’s
lack of confidence in the ability of the broker to properly and efficiently settle trades executed
away from such broker. In such cases this effective requirement to use a particular broker may
affect our ability to achieve best execution for a client. The client, however, may be getting other
services from the broker that justify executing trades with that broker. Night Owl Capital will not
negotiate the commission rate for these accounts.
Some accounts, including accounts for which Night Owl Capital is effectively required to use a
broker not of Night Owl Capital’s choice, will generally not pay commissions to firms that
provide Night Owl Capital with research and other soft dollar benefits. It is possible that this
difference could create a conflict of interest for Night Owl Capital. Our Chief Compliance
Officer is responsible for continuously monitoring and evaluating the performance and execution
capabilities of brokers that transact orders for client accounts to ensure consistent quality
executions. In addition, we periodically review transaction costs in light of current market
circumstances and other relevant information.
Brokerage Classification
Night Owl Capital utilizes custodial and other services of Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services
Group (“Fidelity”) sponsored by Fidelity Brokerage Services, Inc. and Schwab Advisor Services
sponsored by Charles Schwab & Co. (“Schwab”). For accounts custodied on these platforms, we
classify client accounts in two ways – prime and non-prime. Prime accounts have assets greater
than $100,000 and have a signed Prime Broker agreement in place with their custodian . Non-
prime accounts are those that have less than $100,000 in assets and are not authorized to trade
with brokers other than their custodian.
Non-Prime Brokerage Accounts
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For non-prime accounts, we place trades with Fidelity and with Schwab. We generally execute
these trades electronically through the Fidelity and Schwab electronic trading platforms, as
applicable. When we believe it makes sense to do so, we aggregate for execution the trades with
each broker.
Please see the disclosures in the “Research/Soft Dollar Benefits” section below for additional
information on benefits we receive for directing client transactions to Fidelity.
Prime Brokerage Accounts
For prime accounts, we execute transactions with those executing brokers who we believe are able
to both effect the best execution of a given order and may supply research services used in our
investment decision-making process. We believe that these brokerage firms, which may include
outsourced trading broker(s), often are able to provide superior execution since they may make a
market and/or are familiar with the trading patterns of those securities. Successfully managing the
prime-brokerage relationships is instrumental in achieving overall lower execution costs. We and
our clients benefit from these strong relationships in different ways.
Please see the disclosures in the “Research/Soft Dollar Benefits” section below for additional
information on benefits we receive for directing client transactions to these brokers.
Research/Soft Dollar Benefits
Custodial Brokers
Some clients come to Night Owl with pre-existing custodial relationships, Night Owl may decide
to work with a given client’s custodian based on a number of factors. Many Night Owl Capital
clients have opened accounts with custodians recommended by Night Owl. For these accounts,
Night Owl Capital utilizes custodial and other services of Fidelity and Schwab. While there is no
direct linkage between the investment advice given to clients and our selection of these
custodians, we receive economic benefits which would not be received if we did not give
investment advice to clients. These benefits include: a dedicated trading desk that services
advisors exclusively, a dedicated service group and an account services manager dedicated to our
accounts, access to a real-time order matching system, ability to 'block' client trades, electronic
download of trades, balances and positions, access, for a fee, to an electronic interface with the
custodian's software, duplicate and batched client statements, confirmations and year-end
summaries, and the ability to have advisory fees directly debited from client accounts (in
accordance with federal and state requirements).
These custodians may also make available to us other products and services that benefit us but
may not benefit our clients’ accounts. Some of these other products and services assist us in
managing and administering clients’ accounts. These include software and other technology that
provide access to client account data (such as trade confirmations and account statements),
facilitate trade execution (and allocation of aggregated trade orders for multiple client accounts),
provide research, pricing information and other market data, facilitate payment of our fees from
our clients’ accounts, and assist with back-office support, record keeping and client reporting.
Many of these services generally may be used to service all or a substantial number of our
accounts, including accounts not maintained at the specific custodian that is offering this
particular service.
While as a fiduciary we endeavor to act in our clients’ best interest, our recommendation that
clients maintain their assets in accounts with Fidelity or Schwab may be based in part on the
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benefit to us of the availability of some of the foregoing products and services and not solely on
the nature, cost or quality of custody and brokerage services provided by these broker-dealers,
which creates a conflict of interest.
Other Brokers
We seek to execute transactions through brokers who can provide the best execution of a given
order and supply research services used in the investment decision making process . The only
commission premiums paid are for proprietary research and research conferences provided by a
select number of brokers. In addition, we may at times allocate commissions between an
execution broker or outsourced trading broker and a broker providing research in order to ensure
both best execution and to compensate brokers for helpful research.
Trade Aggregation, Allocation, and Rotation
It is the objective of Night Owl Capital to provide a means of allocating trading and investment
opportunities between advisory clients on a fair and equitable basis and in compliance with all
applicable state and federal guidelines. With respect to clients’ accounts with substantially similar
investment objectives and policies, we may often seek to purchase or sell a particular security in
each account. We will aggregate orders for execution by our selected broker(s) only when we
believe such aggregation is consistent with our duty to seek best execution and is consistent with
the investment objective of each client. Some custodial relationships effectively do not allow
Night Owl Capital to execute trades in this manner. Prices of securities that are purchased or sold
on an aggregated basis are averaged and allocated proportionately among all accounts for which
such securities are appropriate. Executed trades are typically allocated on a pro rata basis. In
certain instances where it would not be prudent to allocate on a pro rata basis, an alternate
methodology may be employed.
For less liquid securities, Night Owl Capital will execute such transactions in a serial manner in
order to prevent the multiple brokers from competing with one another for order flow. Night Owl
Capital will alternate the order of execution to ensure that no Night Owl Capital client receives
favorable treatment in execution. If aggregated trades with Night Owl Capital’s selected
broker(s) are utilized for a specific trade, they will usually be traded ahead of accounts which
effectively cannot be executed on an aggregated basis with our selected broker(s). As a result,
priority in the rotation order is given to accounts where Night Owl Capital has a greater ability to
direct trade execution.
In the event that Night Owl Capital is buying or selling highly liquid securities (e.g., large cap
stocks), Night Owl Capital may determine that the simultaneous execution of transactions by
different brokers representing different Night Owl Capital clients will not adversely impact the
execution price for Night Owl Capital’s various clients. In such a case, Night Owl Capital may
instruct brokers representing Night Owl Capital’s different clients to execute the transactions at
the same time.
When executing trades of liquid securities with a price limit, Night Owl Capital may decide to
partially execute the trade across different brokers before “putting out” the entire trade at any one
broker (e.g. Night Owl Capital may execute half of the desired trade amount with each broker
before instructing any broker to complete the remaining shares).
Trade Errors
If a trading error is detected, we will attempt to break the erroneous trade. If the error is detected
after settlement, we will buy or sell as necessary the amount of shares to offset the error. Clients
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are reimbursed for any losses occurring in their accounts as a result of trading errors . In such
cases, we will deposit the amount of any loss caused by the trading error directly into the client’s
account. If the trading error is detected prior to settlement but is unable to be broken, the trade
will be rebooked to our error account. In this case, we will absorb any loss due to the error and
any gains will be donated to charity.
Item 13 – Review of Accounts
Periodic Reviews
While the underlying securities in client accounts are continuously monitored, each account is
reviewed at least monthly by Night Owl Capital’s investment professionals to ensure that
investment objectives are being met and to determine appropriate levels of cash balances,
industry concentrations and diversification.
Other Reviews
Reviews may be triggered by material market, economic or political events, cash inflow or
outflow to/from the portfolio, or by request of the client.
Reports
Separately Managed Accounts
Separately managed account clients receive a monthly statement of transactions and positions in
their account directly from their custodian. These clients also receive trade confirmations each
time a transaction takes place in their accounts (although some clients elect to receive quarterly
confirmations). At the end of each quarter, most clients also receive detailed written evaluations
of their portfolios from Night Owl Capital showing costs of securities and current market values.
The current market value of the portfolio of the clients are as reflected in the custodian’s
statements as of the end of the quarter plus any accrued interest on fixed income securities . In
addition, a performance report showing results year-to-date and since inception of the account is
distributed quarterly to separately managed account clients. Clients are urged to compare the
account statement provided by the broker-dealer/custodian with those we provide.
Private Investment Funds
Investors in private investment funds managed by Night Owl Capital will receive monthly reports
showing performance and market values. Investors will also receive an annual report with
audited financial statements including valuations of the investors’ capital accounts or shares, as
applicable. The general partner of the Fund, an affiliate of Night Owl Capital, will be responsible
for overseeing the preparation of the annual Schedule K-1 for the limited partners of the Fund.
Item 14 – Client Referrals and Other Compensation
Client Referrals
From time to time, Night Owl Capital may retain solicitors to refer clients to us. If a client is
introduced to us by either an unaffiliated or an affiliated solicitor, we may pay that solicitor a
referral fee in accordance with all of the requirements of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended, and any corresponding state securities law requirements. Any such referral fee will be
paid solely from our advisory fee and will not result in any additional charge to the client.
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If a client is introduced to us by an unaffiliated solicitor, the solicitor must, at the time of the
solicitation:
1. Disclose the nature of their solicitor relationship;
2. Provide each prospective client with a copy of our Brochure;
3. Provide each prospective client a copy of the solicitor’s written disclosure statement that
discloses the terms of the solicitation arrangement between Night Owl Capital and the
solicitor, including the compensation to be received by the solicitor.
Any affiliated solicitor of Night Owl Capital must disclose the nature of their relationship to
prospective clients at the time of the solicitation and will provide all prospective clients with a
copy of this written disclosure statement.
Night Owl may pay an event organizer a fixed fee to attend hosted seminars or conferences.
These events may provide opportunities for Night Owl to meet privately with prospective clients.
In such situations, the organizer may receive compensation from Night Owl for access to the
prospective clients. The prospective client will be provided with information regarding the
organizer’s compensation and a copy of our Brochure. Any such fee paid to an event organizer
will not result in any additional charge to the client.
Item 15 – Custody
Custody of separately managed account client assets will be maintained with the independent
custodian selected by the client. Clients will be solely responsible for paying all fees or charges
of the custodian. Clients will authorize Night Owl Capital to give the custodian instructions for
the purchase, sale, conversion, redemption, exchange or retention of any security, cash or cash
equivalent or other investment for the client’s account. Generally, we will not have physical
custody of any assets in the client’s account except as permitted for payment of advisory fees.
Night Owl Capital is deemed to have custody over the assets of the Fund. The Fund is subject to
audit at least annually and audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles are distributed to all investors in the Fund within 120 days of the
end of the Fund’s fiscal year. In addition, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, or as
soon thereafter as possible, each investor will be provided the information necessary to complete
federal and state tax or information returns.
Separately managed account clients will receive directly from the custodian at least quarterly a
statement showing all transactions occurring in the client’s account during the period covered by
the account statement, and the funds, securities and other property in the client’s account at the
end of the period. Clients are urged to compare the account statement provided by the broker-
dealer/custodian with any statements provided by Night Owl Capital.
Item 16 – Investment Discretion
Separately Managed Accounts
Night Owl Capital requires that we be provided with written discretionary authority (e.g., limited
power of attorney contained in our investment advisory agreement) to make the following
determinations without obtaining the consent of the client before the transactions are effected: (1)
which securities are bought and sold for the account; (2) the total amount of securities to be
bought and sold; (3) the broker or dealer with whom orders for the purchase or sale of securities
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are placed for execution, unless specifically instructed to the contrary through the investment
advisory agreement; and (4) the prices and commission rates at which securities transactions are
effected. Our authority in making investment-related decisions may be limited by investment
restrictions, as may be agreed between Night Owl Capital and the client and set forth in writing in
the investment advisory agreement.
Private Investment Funds
As investment manager of the Fund, Night Owl Capital is solely responsible for researching,
selecting and monitoring investments and in making decisions on when and how much to invest
with or withdraw from a particular investment. Limited partners in private investment funds
organized as limited partnerships do not have any right to participate in management or in making
investment decisions. In addition, we have authority to select the broker or dealer with whom
orders for the purchase or sale of securities for the Fund are placed for execution. We also have
the authority to determine the prices and commission rates at which securities transactions for the
Fund are effected.
Item 17 – Voting Client Securities
Proxy Voting
Separately Managed Accounts
Night Owl Capital does not vote proxies on behalf of the majority of our separately managed
account clients. For accounts where the Investment Management Agreement specifies that Night
Owl Capital does not vote proxies, although we may provide investment advisory services
relative to client investment assets, it is the client that maintains exclusive responsibility for: (1)
directing the manner in which proxies solicited by issuers of securities beneficially owned by the
client shall be voted and (2) making all elections relative to any mergers, acquisitions, tender
offers, bankruptcy proceeding or other events pertaining to the client’s investment assets . We
and/or the client will correspondingly instruct each custodian of the assets to forward to the client
copies of all proxies and shareholder communications relating to the client’s investment assets.
We will, however, make tender offer elections for the client.
On rare occasions, if an issue is deemed critical, we may contact clients and suggest a particular
vote. Clients can contact Night Owl Capital at 203-302-3870 if they have questions regarding a
particular solicitation.
Private Investment Funds and Some Separately Managed Accounts
The act of managing assets of clients may include the voting of proxies related to such managed
assets. Where the power to vote in person or by proxy has been delegated, directly or indirectly,
to the investment advisor, the investment advisor has the fiduciary responsibility for (a) voting in
a manner that is in the best interests of the client and (b) properly dealing with potential conflicts
of interest arising from proxy proposals being voted upon. Accordingly, we have instituted proxy
voting policies and procedures (“Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures”) that are designed to (i)
ensure that proxies are voted in an appropriate manner and (ii) complement our investment
policies and procedures regarding our general responsibility to monitor the performance and/or
corporate events of companies which are issuers of securities held in managed accounts.
Our general policy is to vote proxy proposals, amendments, consents or resolutions relating to
client securities, including interests in private investment funds, if any (collectively, “proxies”), in
a manner that serves the best interests of the applicable fund or client as we determine in our sole
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discretion, taking into account the following factors: (i) the impact on the value of the securities;
(ii) the costs and benefits associated with the proposal; and (iii) the customary industry and
business practices. Generally, we will not vote a proxy for a security that is no longer held at the
time of the vote or for securities that were not purchased based on the firm’s discretionary
authority. The Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures also address how we will vote proxies with
regard to specific matters, such as the election of Board members, mergers and acquisitions,
compensation, independent auditors and other matters. Investors may obtain a copy of our Proxy
Voting Policies and Procedures and the proxy voting record by contacting Night Owl Capital at
203-302-3870.
Class Action Settlements
Although Night Owl Capital has discretion over client accounts, we will not be responsible for
handling client claims in class action lawsuits or similar settlements involving securities owned
by the client. Clients will receive the paperwork for such claims directly from their account
custodians. Each client should verify with their custodian or other account administrator whether
such claims are being made on the client’s behalf by the custodian or if the client is expected to
file such claims directly.
Item 18 – Financial Information
Night Owl Capital does not have any adverse financial conditions to disclose.
Item 19 – Additional Information
Privacy Notice
Night Owl Capital views protecting our clients' private information as a top priority and we have
instituted policies and procedures to ensure that client information is private and secure . We do
not disclose any nonpublic personal information about our clients or former clients to any
nonaffiliated third parties, except as permitted or required by law. In the course of servicing a
client's account, we may share some information with our service providers, such as transfer
agents, fund administrators, custodians, broker-dealers, accountants, and lawyers, etc. We restrict
internal access to nonpublic personal information about the client to those persons who need
access to that information in order to provide services to the client and to perform administrative
functions for us. As emphasized above, it has always been and will always be our policy never to
sell information about current or former clients or their accounts to anyone. It is also our policy
not to share information unless necessary to process a transaction, at the request of a client, or as
required by law. For the full text of our Privacy Policy, please contact Night Owl Capital at 203-
302-3870.
Anti-Money Laundering
Night Owl Capital has adopted an anti-money laundering policy consistent with the requirements
of the United States PATRIOT Act.
Business Continuity Plan
Night Owl Capital has a written Business Continuity Plan (“BCP”). The BCP attempts to prepare
for business disruptions of varying severity and scope. Although it is impossible to anticipate
every scenario, the plan strives to enable us to resume doing business even after the occurrence of
events that are most likely to affect business operations.
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Our policy is to respond to a significant business disruption by safeguarding employee lives and
firm property, making a financial and operational assessment, quickly recovering and resuming
operations, and protecting all of the firm’s books and records.
Client Complaints
Clients may contact Night Owl Capital at 203-302-3870 to submit a complaint. Written
complaints should be sent to Night Owl Capital Management, LLC, 102 Greenwich Avenue,
Greenwich, CT 06830.
Night Owl Capital Management, LLC
Effective Date: March 12, 2025