NEW YORK, March 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC, a provider of alternative investment strategies, today announced that the firm’s Catalyst/SMH High Income Fund (HIIIX) has been awarded a 2026 Lipper Fund Award for its performance in the High Yield Funds Category (based on 3-year risk-adjusted performance, out of 94 funds). HIIIX also received a Lipper Award in the High Yield Funds Category for its 10-year risk-adjusted performance (out of 84 funds for the period ending November 30, 2025).

HIIIX prides itself on its thorough, bottom-up investment research program that starts with a high yield bond universe of 2,000+ securities and, through a rigorous three-step, value-seeking process, constructs a concentrated portfolio, typically between 20–60 securities.

“We are honored to receive the 2026 Lipper Award and are excited to work toward building on this momentum for our clients,” said Dwayne Moyers, Portfolio Manager, SMH Capital Advisors, LLC. “We’re proud that Lipper has recognized the performance of HIIIX, and we look forward to working hard to pursue compelling results for investors.”

“This recognition reflects the strength of the Catalyst platform and our commitment to delivering differentiated income strategies through disciplined risk management and fundamental research,” said David Miller, Chief Investment Officer of Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC. “Awards like this underscore the consistency of our process and reinforce our mission to provide investors with thoughtfully constructed strategies designed to perform across market cycles.”

The Fund seeks high current income, with capital appreciation as a secondary objective, through a disciplined, bottom-up approach based on fundamental credit research.

Catalyst Funds offers 19 distinctive funds that provide various strategies with the goal of producing positive income- and equity-oriented returns, while seeking to mitigate risk and volatility.

For media inquiries regarding this announcement, please contact Deborah Kostroun of Zito Partners at 201-403-8185.

NOTICE

Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Catalyst Funds. This and other important information about the Fund is contained in the prospectus, which can be obtained by calling 866-447-4228 or at www.CatalystMF.com. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing. The Catalyst Funds are distributed by Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Neither Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC nor SMH Capital Advisors, LLC are affiliated with Northern Lights Distributors, LLC..

Risk Considerations
Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

Investing in the Fund carries certain risks. The value of the Fund may decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual security in the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund is non-diversified and may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issue and may own fewer securities than other mutual funds. The Fund may be subject to substantial short-term changes. These factors may affect the value of your investment. The Fund invests in lower-quality, non-investment grade bonds, asset backed securities and convertible securities. Non-investment grade corporate bonds are those rated Baa or lower by Moody’s or BBB or lower by S&P (also known as “junk” bonds). Asset-backed securities are securities issued by trusts and special purpose entities that are backed by pools of assets, such as automobile and credit-card receivables and home equity loans, which pass through the payments on the underlying obligations to the security holders. Convertible securities are bonds or preferred stocks which are convertible into, or exchangeable for, common stocks. Lower-quality debt securities involve greater risk of default or price changes due to changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Asset Backed securities are subject to the risk that, if the issuer fails to pay interest or repay principal, the assets backing these securities may not be sufficient to support payments on the securities.

LSEG Lipper Fund Awards, ©2026. All rights reserved. Used under license. The Catalyst/SMH High Income Fund, Institutional Share Class (HIIIX), received an LSEG Lipper Fund Award for the best fund among 94 funds in the High Yield Funds Category based on a risk adjusted performance for the three year period ending November 30, 2025. HIIIX also received an LSEG Lipper Fund Award for the best fund among 84 funds in the High Yield Funds Category based on risk-adjusted performance for the 10-year period ending November 30, 2025. The LSEG Lipper Fund Awards, granted annually, highlight funds and fund companies that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The LSEG Lipper Fund Awards are based on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating, which is a risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60, and 120 months. The fund with the highest Lipper Leader for Consistent Return (Effective Return) value in each eligible classification wins the LSEG Lipper Fund Award.

Large fund family groups with at least five equity, five bond or three mixed-asset portfolios in the respective asset classes are eligible for a group award. Small fund family groups will need to have at least three distinct portfolios in one of the asset classes – equity, bond or mixed-asset. The lowest average decile rank of the three years’ Consistent Return measure of the eligible funds per asset class and group will determine the asset class group award winner over the three-year period. In cases of identical results, the lower average percentile rank will determine the winner.

The Catalyst Funds are distributed by Northern Lights Distributors, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC, SMH Capital Advisors, and Zito Partners are not affiliated with Northern Lights Distributors, LLC.

Alternative Investments: Financial assets that do not fall into one of the conventional investment categories such as stocks, bonds, or cash.