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UNITED
STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Form
10-Q
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or
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Commission
File Number:
001-34589
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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(
844
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383-7289
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Securities
registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Indicate by
check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such
reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Yes
☒ No ☐
Indicate by
check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to
Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to submit such files).
Yes
☒ No ☐
Indicate by
check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller
reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer”, “accelerated
filer”, “smaller reporting company”, and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange
Act.
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If
an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for
complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by
check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). ☐ Yes
☒
No
As of November
3, 2021, Aberdeen Standard Palladium ETF Trust had
Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF outstanding.
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
FORM
10-Q
FOR
THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
INDEX
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.
Financia
l Statements
Statements
of Assets and Liabilities
At September
30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
September 30, 2021 | December 31, 2020 | |||||||
(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except for Share and per Share data) | ||||||||
ASSETS | ||||||||
Investment in palladium (cost: September 30, 2021: $ 315,649 ; December 31, 2020: $ 224,166 ) | $ | 327,537 | $ | 356,424 | ||||
Total assets | 327,537 | 356,424 | ||||||
LIABILITIES | ||||||||
Fees payable to Sponsor | 165 | 186 | ||||||
Total liabilities | 165 | 186 | ||||||
| $ | 327,372 | $ | 356,238 | ||||
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See
Notes to the Financial Statements
1
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Schedules
of Investments
At
September 30, 2021 (Unaudited) and December 31, 2020
September 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||
Description | oz | Cost | Fair Value | % of Net Assets | ||||||||||||
Investment in palladium (in 000's of US$, except for oz and percentage data) | ||||||||||||||||
Palladium | 172,478.7 | $ | 315,649 | $ | 327,537 | 100.05 | % | |||||||||
Total investment in palladium | 172,478.7 | $ | 315,649 | $ | 327,537 | 100.05 | % | |||||||||
Less liabilities | ( 165 | ) | ( 0.05 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net Assets | $ | 327,372 | 100.00 | % | ||||||||||||
December 31, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||
Description | oz | Cost | Fair Value | % of Net Assets | ||||||||||||
Investment in palladium (in 000's of US$, except for oz and percentage data) | ||||||||||||||||
Palladium | 152,187.5 | $ | 224,166 | $ | 356,424 | 100.05 | % | |||||||||
Total investment in palladium | 152,187.5 | $ | 224,166 | $ | 356,424 | 100.05 | % | |||||||||
Less liabilities | ( 186 | ) | ( 0.05 | )% | ||||||||||||
Net Assets | $ | 356,238 | 100.00 | % | ||||||||||||
See
Notes to the Financial Statements
2
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Statements
of Operations (Unaudited)
For
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
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(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except for Share and per Share data) | ||||||||||||||||
EXPENSES | ||||||||||||||||
Sponsor’s Fee | $ | 649 | $ | 530 | $ | 1,890 | $ | 1,454 | ||||||||
Total expenses | 649 | 530 | 1,890 | 1,454 | ||||||||||||
Net investment loss | ( 649 | ) | ( 530 | ) | ( 1,890 | ) | ( 1,454 | ) | ||||||||
REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAINS / (LOSSES) | ||||||||||||||||
Realized gain on palladium transferred to pay expenses | 236 | 145 | 704 | 563 | ||||||||||||
Realized gain on palladium distributed for the redemption of Shares | 24,682 | 5,940 | 37,389 | 49,825 | ||||||||||||
Change in unrealized (loss) / gain on investment in palladium | ( 163,964 | ) | 60,054 | ( 120,370 | ) | 10,899 | ||||||||||
Change in unrealized (loss) on unsettled creations or redemptions | ( 159 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Total (loss)/gain on investment in palladium | ( 139,205 | ) | 66,139 | ( 82,277 | ) | 61,287 | ||||||||||
Change in net assets from operations | $ | ( 139,854 | ) | $ | 65,609 | $ | ( 84,167 | ) | $ | 59,833 | ||||||
Net increase / (decrease) in net assets per Share | $ | ( 73.38 | ) | $ | 38.35 | $ | ( 47.33 | ) | $ | 37.60 | ||||||
Weighted average number of Shares | 1,905,978 | 1,710,870 | 1,778,297 | 1,591,150 | ||||||||||||
See
Notes to the Financial Statements
3
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Statements
of Changes in Net Assets (Unaudited)
For
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
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(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except for Share data) | Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||
Opening balance | 2,000,000 | $ | 505,269 | 1,475,000 | $ | 263,816 | ||||||||||
Net investment loss | ( 649 | ) | ( 530 | ) | ||||||||||||
Realized gain on investment in palladium | 24,918 | 6,085 | ||||||||||||||
Change in unrealized (loss)/gain on investment in palladium | ( 163,964 | ) | 60,054 | |||||||||||||
Change in unrealized (loss) on unsettled creations or redemptions | ( 159 | ) | — | |||||||||||||
Creations | 200,000 | 45,144 | 350,000 | 69,945 | ||||||||||||
Redemptions | ( 350,000 | ) | ( 83,187 | ) | ( 75,000 | ) | ( 16,297 | ) | ||||||||
Closing balance | 1,850,000 | $ | 327,372 | 1,750,000 | $ | 383,073 | ||||||||||
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(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except for Share data) | Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | ||||||||||||
Opening balance | 1,625,000 | $ | 356,238 | 1,675,000 | $ | 300,485 | ||||||||||
Net investment loss | ( 1,890 | ) | ( 1,454 | ) | ||||||||||||
Realized gain on investment in palladium | 38,093 | 50,388 | ||||||||||||||
Change in unrealized (loss)/gain on investment in palladium | ( 120,370 | ) | 10,899 | |||||||||||||
Creations | 700,000 | 169,308 | 750,000 | 150,950 | ||||||||||||
Redemptions | ( 475,000 | ) | ( 114,007 | ) | ( 675,000 | ) | ( 128,195 | ) | ||||||||
Closing balance | 1,850,000 | $ | 327,372 | 1,750,000 | $ | 383,073 | ||||||||||
See
Notes to the Financial Statements
4
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Financial
Highlights (Unaudited)
For
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 | Three Months Ended September 30, 2020 |
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Per Share Performance (for a Share outstanding throughout the entire period) | ||||||||||||||||
Net asset value per Share at beginning of period | $ | 252.63 | $ | 178.86 | $ | 219.22 | $ | 179.39 | ||||||||
Income from investment operations: | ||||||||||||||||
Net investment loss | ( 0.34 | ) | ( 0.31 | ) | ( 1.06 | ) | ( 0.91 | ) | ||||||||
Total realized and unrealized gains or losses on investment in palladium | ( 75.33 | ) | 40.35 | ( 41.20 | ) | 40.42 | ||||||||||
Change in net assets from operations | ( 75.67 | ) | 40.04 | ( 42.26 | ) | 39.51 | ||||||||||
Net asset value per Share at end of period | $ | 176.96 | $ | 218.90 | $ | 176.96 | $ | 218.90 | ||||||||
Weighted average number of Shares | 1,905,978 | 1,710,870 | 1,778,297 | 1,591,150 | ||||||||||||
Expense ratio (1) | 0.60 | % | 0.60 | % | 0.60 | % | 0.60 | % | ||||||||
Net investment loss ratio (1) | ( 0.60 | )% | ( 0.60 | )% | ( 0.60 | )% | ( 0.60 | )% | ||||||||
Total return, net asset value (2) | ( 29.95 | )% | 22.39 | % | ( 19.28 | )% | 22.02 | % | ||||||||
(1) | Annualized for periods less than one year. |
(2) | Total return is not annualized. |
See
Notes to the Financial Statements
5
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
1.
Organization
The Aberdeen
Standard Palladium ETF Trust (the “Trust”) is a common law trust formed on December 30, 2009 under New York
law pursuant to a depositary trust agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) executed by Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs
Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) and The Bank of New York Mellon as Trustee (the “Trustee”). The Trust holds
palladium bullion and issues Aberdeen Standard Physical Palladium Shares ETF (“Shares”) in minimum blocks
of
Shares (also referred to as “Baskets”) in exchange for deposits of palladium and distributes palladium
in connection with the redemption of Baskets. Shares represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership
of the Trust which are issued by the Trust. The Sponsor is a Delaware limited liability company and a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc. (“ASII”). ASII is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of abrdn (formerly known
as Standard Life Aberdeen) plc. The Trust is governed by the Trust Agreement.
Effective
June 25, 2021, Christopher Demetriou resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sponsor. Mr. Demetriou had served
as Principal Executive Officer of the Registrant. Effective June 25, 2021, Steven Dunn was appointed President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Sponsor. Mr. Dunn will serve as Principal Executive Officer of the Registrant.
The
investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of palladium, less the Trust’s
expenses and liabilities. The Trust is designed to provide an individual owner of beneficial interests in the Shares (a “Shareholder”)
an opportunity to participate in the palladium market through an investment in securities. The fiscal year end for the Trust
is December 31.
The
accompanying financial statements were prepared in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions for Form 10-Q. In the
opinion of the Trust’s management, all adjustments (which consist of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present
fairly the financial position and results of operations as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2021
and for all periods presented have been made.
These
financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2020. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 are not necessarily
indicative of the operating results for the full year.
2.
Significant
Accounting Policies
The
preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires those responsible for preparing financial statements
to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Trust.
2.1.
Basis
of Accounting
The
Sponsor has determined that the Trust falls within the scope of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting
Standards Codification (“ASC”) 946,
Financial Services—Investment Companies
, and has concluded that for
reporting purposes, the Trust is classified as an Investment Company. The Trust is not registered as an investment company under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 and is not required to register under such act.
6
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
2.2.
Valuation
of Palladium
The
Trust follows the provisions of ASC 820,
Fair Value Measurement
(“ASC 820”). ASC 820 provides guidance for
determining fair value and requires increased disclosure regarding the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value.
ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly
transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
The
Trust’s palladium is held by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”), on behalf of the Trust, at its London,
England vaulting premises. The Trust’s palladium may also be held by UBS AG, or any other firm selected by the Custodian to hold
the Trust’s palladium in the Trust’s allocated account in the firm’s vault premises on a segregated basis
and whose appointment has been approved by the Sponsor. At September 30, 2021, approximately
49.32
% of the Trust’s
palladium was held by one or more sub-custodians.
The
Trust’s palladium is recorded at fair value. The cost of palladium is determined according to the average cost method and the
fair value is based on the afternoon session of the twice daily fix of an ounce of palladium administered by the London Metal
Exchange (“LME”) (the “LME PM Fix”). Realized gains and losses on transfers of palladium, or palladium
distributed for the redemption of Shares, are calculated on a trade date basis as the difference between the fair value and average cost
of palladium transferred.
The
LME is responsible for the administration of the electronic palladium price fixing system (“LMEbullion”) that
replicates electronically the manual London palladium fix processes previously employed by the London Platinum and Palladium Fixing
Company Ltd (“LPPFCL”), as well as providing electronic market clearing processes for palladium bullion transactions
at the fixed prices established by the LME pricing mechanism. LMEbullion, like the previous London palladium fix processes, establishes
and publishes fixed prices for troy ounces of palladium twice each London trading day during fixing sessions beginning at 9:45
a.m. London time (the” LME AM Fix”) and 2:00 p.m. London time (the “LME PM Fix”).
Once
the value of palladium has been determined, the net asset value (the “NAV”) is computed by the Trustee by deducting
all accrued fees, expenses and other liabilities of the Trust, including the remuneration due to the Sponsor (the “Sponsor’s
Fee”), from the fair value of the palladium and all other assets held by the Trust.
The
Trust recognizes changes in fair value of the investment in palladium as changes in unrealized gains or losses on investment
in palladium through the Statement of Operations.
The
per Share amount of palladium exchanged for a purchase or redemption is calculated daily by the Trustee using the LME PM
Fix to calculate the palladium amount in respect of any liabilities for which covering palladium sales have not yet
been made, and represents the per Share amount of palladium held by the Trust, after giving effect to its liabilities, to
cover expenses and liabilities and any losses that may have occurred.
Fair
Value Hierarchy
ASC
820 establishes a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The three levels of inputs
are as follows:
– Level
1. Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access.
– Level
2. Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability either directly
or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on
an inactive market, prices for similar instruments and similar data.
7
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
– Level
3. Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability to the extent that relevant observable inputs are not available, representing
the Trust’s own assumptions about the assumptions that a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability,
and that would be based on the best information available.
To
the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination
of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for
instruments categorized in level 3.
The
inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes,
the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety is determined based on the
lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
The
Trust’s investment in palladium is classified as a level 1 asset, as its value is calculated using unadjusted
quoted prices from primary market sources.
The
categorization of the Trust’s assets is as shown below:
(Amounts in 000’s of US$) |
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Level 1 | ||||||||
Investment in palladium | $ | 327,537 | $ | 356,424 | ||||
There
were no transfers between levels during the nine months ended September 30, 2021.
2.3.
Palladium
Receivable and Payable
Palladium receivable
or payable represents the quantity of palladium covered by contractually binding orders for the creation or redemption of
Shares respectively, where the palladium has not yet been transferred to or from the Trust’s account. Generally, ownership
of palladium is transferred within two business days of the trade date. At September 30, 2021, the Trust had
no
palladium receivable
or payable for the creation or redemption of Shares. At December 31, 2020, the Trust had
no
palladium receivable
or payable for the creation or redemption of Shares.
The
Trust expects to create and redeem Shares from time to time, but only in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of
Shares).
The Trust issues Shares in Baskets to Authorized Participants on an ongoing basis. Individual investors cannot purchase or redeem
Shares in direct transactions with the Trust. An Authorized Participant is a person who (1) is a registered broker-dealer or other
securities market participant such as a bank or other financial institution which is not required to register as a broker-dealer
to engage in securities transactions; (2) is a participant in The Depository Trust Company; (3) has entered into an Authorized
Participant Agreement with the Trustee and the Sponsor; and (4) has established an Authorized Participant Unallocated Account
with the Trust’s Custodian or other palladium bullion clearing bank. An Authorized Participant Agreement is an agreement
entered into by each Authorized Participant, the Sponsor and the Trustee which provides the procedures for the creation and redemption
of Baskets and for the delivery of the palladium required for such creations and redemptions. An Authorized Participant
Unallocated Account is an unallocated palladium account, either loco London or loco Zurich, established with the Custodian
or a palladium bullion clearing bank by an Authorized Participant.
8
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
The
creation and redemption of Baskets is only made in exchange for the delivery to the Trust or the distribution by the Trust of
the amount of palladium represented by the Baskets being created or redeemed, the amount of which is based on the combined
NAV of the number of Shares included in the Baskets being created or redeemed determined on the day the order to create or redeem
Baskets is properly received.
Authorized
Participants may, on any business day, place an order with the Trustee to create or redeem one or more Baskets. The typical settlement
period for Shares is two business days. In the event of a trade date at period end, where a settlement is pending, a respective
account receivable and/or payable will be recorded. When palladium is exchanged in settlement of a redemption, it is considered
a sale of palladium for financial statement purposes.
The
amount of palladium represented by the Baskets created or redeemed can only be settled to the nearest 1/1000th of an ounce.
As a result, the value attributed to the creation or redemption of Shares may differ from the value of palladium to
be delivered or distributed by the Trust. In order to ensure that the correct amount of palladium is available at all times
to back the Shares, the Sponsor accepts an adjustment to its management fees in the event of any shortfall or excess on each transaction.
For each transaction, this amount is not more than 1/1000th of an ounce of palladium.
As
the Shares of the Trust are subject to redemption at the option of Authorized Participants, the Trust has classified the outstanding
Shares as Net Assets. Changes in the number of Shares outstanding are presented in the Statement of Changes in Net Assets.
2.5.
Income
Taxes
The
Trust is classified as a “grantor trust” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Trust itself will
not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Instead, the Trust’s income and expenses will “flow through” to the
Shareholders, and the Trustee will report the Trust’s proceeds, income, deductions, gains, and losses to the Internal Revenue
Service on that basis.
The
Sponsor has evaluated whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined
that
no
reserves for uncertain tax positions are required as of September 30, 2021 or December 31, 2020.
2.6.
Investment
in Palladium
Changes
in ounces of palladium and their respective values for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020
are set out below:
9
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
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(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except for ounces data) | ||||||||
Ounces of palladium | ||||||||
Opening balance | 182,072.1 | 138,553.8 | ||||||
Creations | 23,312.9 | 32,845.0 | ||||||
Redemptions | ( 32,637.3 | ) | ( 2,344.2 | ) | ||||
Transfers of palladium to pay expenses | ( 269.0 | ) | ( 226.4 | ) | ||||
Closing balance | 172,478.7 | 168,828.2 | ||||||
Investment in palladium | ||||||||
Opening balance | $ | 492,870 | $ | 263,945 | ||||
Creations | 57,616 | 69,945 | ||||||
Redemptions | ( 83,187 | ) | ( 5,352 | ) | ||||
Realized gain on palladium distributed for the redemption of Shares | 24,682 | 5,940 | ||||||
Transfers of palladium to pay expenses | ( 716 | ) | ( 463 | ) | ||||
Realized gain on palladium transferred to pay expenses | 236 | 145 | ||||||
Change in unrealized (loss) / gain on investment in palladium | ( 163,964 | ) | 60,054 | |||||
Closing balance | $ | 327,537 | $ | 394,214 | ||||
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(Amounts in 000’s of US$, except for ounces data) | ||||||||
Ounces of palladium | ||||||||
Opening balance | 152,187.5 | 157,815.0 | ||||||
Creations | 65,351.4 | 70,459.7 | ||||||
Redemptions | ( 44,320.8 | ) | ( 58,777.0 | ) | ||||
Transfers of palladium to pay expenses | ( 739.4 | ) | ( 669.5 | ) | ||||
Closing balance | 172,478.7 | 168,828.2 | ||||||
Investment in palladium | ||||||||
Opening balance | $ | 356,424 | $ | 300,638 | ||||
Creations | 169,308 | 150,950 | ||||||
Redemptions | ( 114,007 | ) | ( 117,250 | ) | ||||
Realized gain on palladium distributed for the redemption of Shares | 37,389 | 49,825 | ||||||
Transfers of palladium to pay expenses | ( 1,911 | ) | ( 1,411 | ) | ||||
Realized gain on palladium transferred to pay expenses | 704 | 563 | ||||||
Change in unrealized (loss) / gain on investment in palladium | ( 120,370 | ) | 10,899 | |||||
Closing balance | $ | 327,537 | $ | 394,214 | ||||
2.7.
Expenses
/ Realized Gains / Losses
The primary expense of the Trust is the Sponsor’s Fee, which is paid by the Trust through in-kind transfers of palladium
to the Sponsor.
10
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
The
Trust will transfer palladium to the Sponsor to pay the Sponsor’s Fee that accrues daily at an annualized rate equal
to
0.60
% of the adjusted daily net asset value (“ANAV”) of the Trust, paid monthly in arrears.
The
Sponsor has agreed to assume administrative and marketing expenses incurred by the Trust, including the Trustee’s monthly
fee and out of pocket expenses, the Custodian’s fee and the reimbursement of the Custodian’s expenses, exchange listing
fees, United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) registration fees, printing and mailing costs,
audit fees and up to $
100,000
per annum in legal expenses.
For
the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Sponsor’s Fee was $
648,684
and $
530,099
,
respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, the Sponsor’s Fee was $
1,889,843
and $
1,453,874
, respectively.
At September
30, 2021 and at December 31, 2020, the fees payable to the Sponsor were $
164,835
and $
185,515
, respectively.
With
respect to expenses not otherwise assumed by the Sponsor, the Trustee will, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion,
sell the Trust’s palladium as necessary to pay these expenses. When selling palladium to pay expenses, the Trustee
will endeavor to sell the smallest amounts of palladium needed to pay these expenses in order to minimize the Trust’s
holdings of assets other than palladium. Other than the Sponsor’s Fee, the Trust had
no
expenses during the three and nine
months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020.
Unless
otherwise directed by the Sponsor, when selling palladium the Trustee will endeavor to sell at the price established by the
LME PM Fix. The Trustee will place orders with dealers (which may include the Custodian) through which the Trustee expects to
receive the most favorable price and execution of orders. The Custodian may be the purchaser of such palladium only if the
sale transaction is made at the next LME PM Fix or such other publicly available price that the Sponsor deems fair, in each case
as set following the sale order. A gain or loss is recognized based on the difference between the selling price and the average
cost of the palladium sold. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor is liable for depreciation or loss incurred by reason of
any sale.
Realized
gains and losses result from the transfer of palladium for Share redemptions and / or to pay expenses and are recognized
on a trade date basis as the difference between the fair value and average cost of palladium transferred.
2.8.
Subsequent
Events
In
accordance with the provisions set forth in FASB ASC 855-10,
Subsequent Events
, the Trust’s management has evaluated
the possibility of subsequent events impacting the Trust’s financial statements through the filing date. During this period,
no material subsequent events requiring adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements were identified.
3.
Related
Parties
The
Sponsor and the Trustee are considered to be related parties to the Trust. The Trustee and the Custodian and their affiliates
may from time to time act as Authorized Participants and purchase or sell Shares for their own account, as agent for their customers
and for accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. In addition, the Trustee and the Custodian and their affiliates
may from time to time purchase or sell palladium directly, for their own account, as agent for their customers and for accounts
over which they exercise investment discretion. The Trustee’s and Custodian’s fees are paid by the Sponsor and are
not separate expenses of the Trust.
11
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Notes
to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
4.
Concentration
of Risk
The
Trust’s sole business activity is the investment in palladium, and substantially all the Trust’s assets are holdings
of palladium, which creates a concentration of risk associated with fluctuations in the price of palladium. Several factors
could affect the price of palladium, including: (i) global palladium supply and demand, which is influenced by factors such as
production and cost levels in major palladium-producing countries, recycling, autocatalyst demand, industrial demand, jewelry
demand, investment demand, and sales of existing stockpiles of palladium, which have been a key source of supply and are likely
to be exhausted soon, placing a higher burden on new mine supply; (ii) investors’ expectations with respect to the rate
of inflation; (iii) currency exchange rates; (iv) interest rates; (v) investment and trading activities of hedge funds and commodity
funds; and (vi) global or regional political, economic or financial events and situations. In addition, there is no assurance
that palladium will maintain its long-term value in terms of purchasing power in the future. In the event that the price
of palladium declines, the Sponsor expects the value of an investment in the Shares to decline proportionately. Each of these
events could have a material effect on the Trust’s financial position and results of operations.
5.
Indemnification
Under
the Trust’s organizational documents, the Trustee (and its directors, employees and agents) and the Sponsor (and its members,
managers, directors, officers, employees and affiliates) are indemnified by the Trust against any liability, cost or expense it
incurs without gross negligence, bad faith, willful misconduct or willful malfeasance on its part and without reckless disregard
on its part of its obligations and duties under the Trust’s organizational documents. The Trust’s maximum exposure
under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Trust that have not yet occurred.
12
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
Item
2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
This
information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes to the financial statements included in Item
1 of Part 1 of this Form 10-Q. The discussion and analysis that follows may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
and within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These forward-looking statements may relate to the
Trust’s financial condition, operations, future performance and business. These statements can be identified by the use
of the words “may”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”,
“estimate”, “predict”, “potential” or similar words and phrases. These statements are based
upon certain assumptions and analyses the Sponsor has made based on its perception of historical trends, current conditions and
expected future developments. Neither the Trust nor the Sponsor is under a duty to update any of the forward-looking statements,
to conform such statements to actual results or to reflect a change in management’s expectations or predictions.
Introduction
The
Trust is a common law trust, formed under the laws of the state of New York on December 30, 2009. The Trust is not managed
like a corporation or an active investment vehicle. It does not have any officers, directors, or employees and is administered
by the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement. The Trust is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 and is not required to register under such act. It does not hold or trade in commodity futures contracts, nor is it
a commodity pool, or subject to regulation as a commodity pool operator or a commodity trading adviser in connection with issuing
Shares.
The
Trust holds palladium and is expected to issue Baskets in exchange for deposits of palladium and to distribute palladium
in connection with redemptions of Baskets. Shares issued by the Trust represent units of undivided beneficial interest in and
ownership of the Trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of palladium,
less the Trust’s expenses. The Sponsor believes that, for many investors, the Shares will represent a cost effective
investment relative to traditional means of investing in palladium.
The
Trust issues and redeems Shares only with Authorized Participants in exchange for palladium and only in aggregations of 25,000
Shares or integral multiples thereof. A list of current Authorized Participants is available from the Sponsor or the Trustee.
Shares
of the Trust trade on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) Arca under the symbol “PALL”.
Valuation
of Palladium and Computation of Net Asset Value
On
each day that the NYSE Arca is open for regular trading, as promptly as practicable after 4:00 p.m. New York time on such day
(the “Evaluation Time”), the Trustee evaluates the palladium held by the Trust and determines the NAV of the
Trust.
At
the Evaluation Time, the Trustee values the Trust’s palladium on the basis of that day’s LME PM Fix or, if no LME
PM Fix is made on such day, the next most recent LME PM Fix determined prior to the Evaluation Time will be used, unless the Sponsor
determines that such price is inappropriate as a basis for evaluation. In the event the Sponsor determines that the LME PM Fix
or such other publicly available price as the Sponsor may deem fairly represents the commercial value of the Trust’s palladium
is not an appropriate basis for evaluation of the Trust’s palladium, it shall identify an alternative basis for such evaluation
to be employed by the Trustee. Neither the Trustee nor the Sponsor shall be liable to any person for the determination that the
LME PM Fix or such other publicly available price is not appropriate as a basis for evaluation of the Trust’s palladium
or for any determination as to the alternative basis for such evaluation provided that such determination is made in good faith.
Once
the value of the palladium has been determined, the Trustee subtracts all estimated accrued but unpaid fees (other than the
fees accruing for such day on which the valuation takes place that are computed by reference to the value of the Trust or its
assets), expenses and other liabilities of the Trust from the total value of the palladium and all other assets of the Trust
(other than any amounts credited to the Trust’s reserve account, if established). The resulting figure is the adjusted net
asset value (the “ANAV”) of the Trust. The ANAV of the Trust is used to compute the Sponsor’s Fee.
13
All
fees accruing for the day on which the valuation takes place that are computed by reference to the value of the Trust or its assets
are calculated using the ANAV calculated for such day. The Trustee subtracts from the ANAV the amount of accrued fees so computed
for such day and the resulting figure is the NAV of the Trust. The Trustee also determines the NAV per Share by dividing the NAV
of the Trust by the number of the Shares outstanding as of the close of trading on the NYSE Arca (which includes the net number
of any Shares created or redeemed on such evaluation day).
The
Trustee’s estimation of accrued but unpaid fees, expenses and liabilities is conclusive upon all persons interested in the
Trust and no revision or correction in any computation made under the Trust Agreement will be required by reason of any difference
in amounts estimated from those actually paid.
The
NAV of the Trust is obtained by subtracting the Trust’s liabilities on any day from the value of the palladium owned and
receivable by the Trust on that day; the NAV per Share is obtained by dividing the NAV of the Trust on a given day by the number
of Shares outstanding on that day.
The
Quarter Ended September 30, 2021
The
Trust’s NAV decreased from $505,268,860 at June 30, 2021 to $327,372,492 at September 30, 2021, a 35.21% decrease for the
quarter. The decrease in the Trust’s NAV resulted primarily from a decrease in the price per ounce of palladium, which fell
29.85% from $2,707.00 at June 30, 2021 to $1,899.00 at September 30, 2021. There was a decrease in outstanding Shares, which fell from
2,000,000 Shares at June 30, 2021 to 1,850,000 Shares at September 30, 2021, as a result of 200,000 Shares (8 Baskets) being created
and 350,000 Shares (14 Baskets) being redeemed during the quarter.
The
NAV per Share decreased 29.95% from $252.63 at June 30, 2021 to $176.96 at September 30, 2021. The Trust’s NAV per Share
fell slightly more than the price per ounce of palladium on a percentage basis due to the Sponsor’s Fee, which was $648,584
for the quarter, or 0.60% of the Trust’s ANAV on an annualized basis.
The
NAV per Share of $267.73 at July 6, 2021 was the highest during the quarter, compared with a low of $176.77 at September 29, 2021.
The
decrease in net assets from operations for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 was $139,853,099, resulting from a realized gain
of $236,068 on the transfer of palladium to pay expenses and a realized gain of $24,682,293 on palladium distributed for the redemption
of Shares, offset by a change in unrealized loss on investment in palladium of $163,964,218, a change in unrealized loss on unsettled
creations of $158,658 and the Sponsor’s Fee of $648,584. Other than the Sponsor’s Fee, the Trust had no expenses during
the quarter ended September 30, 2021.
The
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021
The
Trust’s NAV decreased from $356,238,300 at December 31, 2020 to $327,372,492 at September 30, 2021, an 8.10% decrease for
the period. The decrease in the Trust’s NAV resulted primarily from a decrease in the price per ounce of palladium, which
fell 18.92% from $2,342.00 at December 31, 2020 to $1,899.00 at September 30, 2021. There was an increase in outstanding Shares,
which rose from 1,625,000 at December 31, 2020 to 1,850,000 at September 30, 2021, as a result of 700,000 Shares (28 Baskets)
being created and 475,000 Shares (19 Baskets) being redeemed during the period.
The
NAV per Share decreased 19.28% from $219.22 at December 31, 2020 to $176.96 at September 30, 2021. The Trust’s NAV per Share
fell slightly more than the price per ounce of palladium on a percentage basis due to the Sponsor’s Fee, which was $1,889,843
for the period, or 0.60% of the Trust’s ANAV on an annualized basis.
14
The
NAV per Share of $280.24 at May 4, 2021 was the highest during the period, compared with a low of $176.77 at September 29, 2021.
The
decrease in net assets from operations for the period ended September 30, 2021 was $84,166,662, resulting from a realized gain
of $703,608 on the transfer of palladium to pay expenses and a realized gain of $37,389,459 on palladium distributed for the redemption
of Shares, offset by a change in unrealized loss on investment in palladium of $120,369,886 and the Sponsor’s Fee of $1,889,843.
Other than the Sponsor’s Fee, the Trust had no expenses during the period ended September 30, 2021.
Liquidity
& Capital Resources
The
Trust is not aware of any trends, demands, commitments, events or uncertainties that are reasonably likely to result in material
changes to its liquidity needs. In exchange for the Sponsor’s Fee, the Sponsor has agreed to assume most of the expenses
incurred by the Trust. As a result, the only ordinary expense of the Trust during the period covered by this report was the Sponsor’s
Fee.
The
Trustee will, at the direction of the Sponsor or in its own discretion, sell the Trust’s palladium as necessary
to pay the Trust’s expenses not otherwise assumed by the Sponsor. The Trustee will not sell palladium to pay the Sponsor’s
Fee but will pay the Sponsor’s Fee through in-kind transfers of palladium to the Sponsor. At September 30, 2021,
the Trust did not have any cash balances.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
The
Trust has no off-balance sheet arrangements.
Critical
Accounting Policies
The
financial statements and accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States of America. The preparation of these financial statements relies on estimates and assumptions that impact the Trust’s
financial position and results of operations. These estimates and assumptions affect the Trust’s application of accounting
policies. Refer to Note 2 to the Financial Statements for further information on accounting policies.
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Not
applicable.
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
The
Trust maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in its
reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) is recorded, processed, summarized
and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and
communicated to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor, and to the audit committee, as appropriate,
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Under
the supervision and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor, the
Sponsor conducted an evaluation of the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures, as defined under Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e)
and 15d-15(e). Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Sponsor concluded
that, as of September 30, 2021, the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
There
have been no changes in the Trust’s or Sponsor’s internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended September
30, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Trust’s or Sponsor’s internal
control over financial reporting.
15
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1. Legal Proceedings
None.
Item
1A. Risk Factors
Except
for the risk factor set forth below, there have been no material changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in the Trust’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.
Effects
of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to economies and markets around the world, including the markets in which the Trust
invests, and which has and may continue to negatively impact the value of certain of the Trust’s investments. Although vaccines
for COVID-19 and variants thereof are becoming more widely available, the COVID-19 pandemic and impacts thereof may continue for an extended
period of time and may vary from market to market. To the extent the impacts of COVID-19 continue, the Trust may experience negative impacts
to its business that could exacerbate other risks to which the Trust is subject. Policy and legislative changes in countries around the
world are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and governmental and quasi-governmental authorities and regulators throughout
the world have previously responded to serious economic disruptions with a variety of significant fiscal and monetary policy changes.
Item
2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
Item
2(a).
None.
Item
2(b).
Not applicable.
Item
2(c).
For the three months ended September 30, 2021:
8
Baskets were created.
14
Basket were redeemed.
Period |
| Total Shares Redeemed | Average ounces of palladium per Share | ||||||||||
July 2021 | 2 | 50,000 | 0.093 | ||||||||||
August 2021 | 6 | 150,000 | 0.093 | ||||||||||
September 2021 | 6 | 150,000 | 0.093 | ||||||||||
14 | 350,000 | 0.093 | |||||||||||
Item
3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None.
Item
4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not
applicable.
Item
5. Other Information
None.
16
Item
6. Exhibits
31.1 | Chief Executive Officer’s Certificate, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
31.2 | Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
32.1 | Chief Executive Officer’s Certificate, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
32.2 | Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. |
101 | The following financial statements from the Trust’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, formatted in Inline XBRL: (i) Statements of Assets and Liabilities, (ii) Statements of Operations, (iii) Statements of Changes in Net Assets, and (iv) Notes to the Financial Statements. |
101.SCH | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document |
101.CAL | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Document |
101.DEF | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definitions Document |
101.LAB | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Document |
101.PRE | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Document |
104 | The cover page from the Trust’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, formatted in Inline XBRL (included as Exhibit 101). |
17
ABERDEEN
STANDARD PALLADIUM ETF TRUST
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned in the capacities thereunto duly authorized.
ABERDEEN STANDARD INVESTMENTS ETFS SPONSOR LLC | ||||
Date: November 5, 2021 | /s/ Steven Dunn | |||
Steven Dunn * | ||||
President and Chief Executive Officer | ||||
(Principal Executive Officer) | ||||
Date: November 5, 2021 | /s/ Andrea Melia | |||
Andrea Melia * | ||||
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer | ||||
(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | ||||
* | The Registrant is a trust and the persons are signing in their capacities as officers of Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Sponsor LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant. | |||
18
The above information was disclosed in a filing to the SEC. To see the filing, click here.
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