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Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies

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.



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.

Palladium is held by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”), on behalf of the Trust, at its London, England vaulting premises. 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 Zurich, Switzerland vault premises on a segregated basis and whose appointment has been approved by the Sponsor (the “Zurich Sub-Custodian”). At March 31, 2019, approximately 76% of the Trust’s palladium was held by the Zurich Sub-Custodian.

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 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.



 

2.2. Valuation of Palladium (continued)

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.

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 investment in palladium is classified as a level 2 asset, as the Trust’s investment in palladium is calculated using primary market pricing sources supported by observable, verifiable inputs.

The categorization of the Trust’s assets is as shown below:





 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

(Amounts in 000's of US$)

 

March 31, 2019

 

December 31, 2018



 

 

 

 

 

 

Level 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment in palladium

 

$

236,804 

 

$

185,555 

There were no transfers between levels during the three months ended March 31, 2019,  or the year ended December 31, 2018.



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 March 31, 2019, the Trust had no palladium receivable for the creation of Shares and $6,574,904 payable for the redemption of Shares.  At December 31, 2018, the Trust had no palladium receivable or payable for the creation or redemption of Shares

2.4. Creations and Redemptions 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 50,000 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 and any cash 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. 

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 March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.  

2.6. Investment in Palladium

Changes in ounces of palladium and their respective values for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018 are set out below:







 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 



Three Months

 

Three Months



Ended

 

Ended

(Amounts in 000's of US$, except for ounces data)

March 31, 2019

 

March 31, 2018

Ounces of palladium

 

 

 

 

 

Opening balance

 

146,915.9 

 

 

228,863.1 

Creations

 

33,134.3 

 

 

14,288.0 

Redemptions

 

(9,464.5)

 

 

(4,763.0)

Transfers of palladium to pay expenses

 

(222.9)

 

 

(343.4)

Closing balance

 

170,362.8 

 

 

238,044.7 



 

 

 

 

 

Investment in palladium

 

 

 

 

 

Opening balance

$

185,555 

 

$

241,679 

Creations

 

48,313 

 

 

14,926 

Redemptions

 

(13,500)

 

 

(4,949)

Realized gain on palladium distributed for the redemption of Shares

 

5,408 

 

 

1,674 

Transfers of palladium to pay expenses

 

(300)

 

 

(363)

Realized gain on palladium transferred to pay expenses

 

118 

 

 

127 

Change in unrealized gain / (loss) on investment in palladium

 

11,210 

 

 

(22,191)

Closing balance

$

236,804 

 

$

230,903 



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.

The Trust will transfer palladium to the Sponsor to pay the Sponsor’s Fee that will accrue daily at an annualized rate equal to 0.60% of the adjusted 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 certain legal expenses.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, the Sponsor’s Fee was  $329,045 and $357,192, respectively.    

At March 31, 2019 and at December 31, 2018, the fees payable to the Sponsor were $119,380 and $89,688, 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 months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.

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 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 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.

2.9 Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2018, the SEC posted to the Federal Register their Final Rule Release No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification Rule (the “Rule”) which had an effective date of November 5, 2018. The Sponsor has adopted the changes which align the time period presented for the current and comparative periods in the Statement of Changes in Net Assets and Note 2.6 in the Notes to the Financial Statements in the Trust’s Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2019.