Rochester H. Cahan

Founded in 2002, Empirical Research Partners LLC (ERP) is an independent investment research firm located in New York City. The firm provides services to institutional clients. ERP's research approach is based on empirical evidence. They seek to combine the macro and micro and the short- and long-run evidence into a comprehensive viewpoint. The firm employs inclusive, proprietary databases and sophisticated stock selection models that are based on judgments about human nature. ERP's ongoing research effort attempts to determine how best to translate those judgments into useful decision-making rules. The firm's portfolio strategy is based on microeconomics and seeks to exploit a variety of anomalies to identify stocks that should outperform the market. These anomalies may include misvaluation, overinvestment or retrenchment by management and excessive extrapolation of trends by investors. ERP employs a proprietary, customized database that contains large quantities of company-level data. The firm looks for situations in which the current state of affairs is untenable and the reward for patience is great. ERP's quantitative research seeks to help active portfolio managers make better decisions by exploiting recurring aspects of human nature. Their tools quantify these variables and combine them into screens or formal multifactor models that identify companies with desirable or undesirable traits. The models balance conflicting signals in a dynamic fashion, putting greater emphasis on the factor with the highest expected return at each point in time. The firm's research approach with respect to the developed markets outside of the U.S. is similar, but not identical, to the process they use in researching U.S. companies. ERP's international research considers the economic, legal, accounting, cultural and historical differences within each region and covers the broad range of issues affecting stocks and markets globally. Their stock-selection models combine measures of valuation, capital deployment, earnings quality and market reaction into a single expected return. They compare each stock to its peers within the global sector, within the geographic region and to all stocks across the entire market.

Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. (DBSI) is a SEC-registered broker/dealer headquartered in New York City. The firm was founded in 1971 and is a wholly-owned investment banking and brokerage arm of DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corp., ultimately held by Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB, FRA: DBK) in Germany. DBSI provides securities brokerage and investment advisory services to domestic and international private clients and institutions. They are also a primary dealer in US government securities as designated by the Federal Reserve.

Founded in 2001, Macquarie Capital (USA), Inc. is a registered broker/dealer located in New York City. The firm is a subsidiary of Macquarie Bank Ltd. (ASX: MBL). They provide coverage of the following industries: resources, healthcare, security/defense, transportation, financial services, retail/consumer products, TMET (telecommunications, media, entertainment and technology), oil & gas, diversified manufacturing/distribution and infrastructure/utilities. Macquarie Capital (USA), Inc. is a member of FINRA.

Macquarie Securities (Australia) Ltd. (MSAL) is a brokerage firm headquartered in Sydney, Australia. The firm was founded in 1969 and is a subsidiary of Macquarie Corporate International Holdings Pty Ltd., ultimately held by Macquarie Group Ltd. (ASX: MQG) in Australia. MSAL serves as the brokering entity for the Macquarie Group.

Citigroup Global Markets Australia Pty Ltd. (Citi Australia) is the brokerage arm of Citigroup Global Markets Australia Holdings Pty Ltd., ultimately held by Citigroup, Inc., (NYSE: C) in the US. Headquartered in Sydney with additional office in Melbourne, Citi Australia provides brokerage services to Australian consumers, corporations, institutions and governments. The firm participate in sales and trading across all asset classes including equities, corporate, government and agency bonds, mortgage-backed securities, syndicated loans, structured products, foreign exchange and futures.

Part of Citigroup, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets (New Zealand) Ltd. is a financial company based in Auckland, New Zealand. The New Zealander company warns investors to be cautious of scammers offering NZD investments to retail customers, including term deposits, and emphasizes that they do not offer financial products or services to retail clients. The company was founded in 1974. The CEO is Derek Syme.