International Equity Strategy (AADR) and Multi-Sector Income Strategy (MINC) from AdvisorShares Actively Managed ETF Suite Earn Five-Star Morningstar Ratings(TM)

BETHESDA, Md., April 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AdvisorShares, a leading sponsor of actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs), announced today that the AdvisorShares WCM/BNY Mellon Focused Growth ADR ETF (NYSE Arca: AADR) and the AdvisorShares Newfleet Multi-Sector Income ETF (NYSE Arca: MINC) have both received a Five-Star Morningstar Rating™. AADR earned its five-star rating for its three-year, five-year and overall risk-adjusted performances in Morningstar's Foreign Large Growth category.¹ MINC earned its five-star rating for both its three-year and overall risk adjusted performances in Morningstar's Short-Term Bond category.²

MINC is sub-advised by Newfleet Asset Management, an affiliated manager of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. that has an established track record of delivering widely acclaimed fixed income strategies for their clients.

In pursuing its investment strategy, MINC seeks to provide current income consistent with preservation of capital, while limiting fluctuations in net asset value (NAV) due to changes in interest rates. Newfleet's experienced portfolio management team utilizes a three-step process that focuses on sector analysis and allocation, security selection and portfolio construction.  Utilizing an opportunistic, value-driven approach to active management by overweighting and underweighting 14 different bond sectors, the portfolio manager aims to build a diversified and tactical portfolio with limited duration that focuses on total return. In doing so, MINC's risk-adjusted performance has ranked within the top 10% of all funds—including both mutual funds and ETFs—in Morningstar's Short-Term Bond category since its inception.³

AADR is sub-advised by WCM Investment Management, an institutional money manager that possesses an established track record of beating international benchmarks for their clients. BNY Mellon, the world's largest depositary for American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) provides their expertise to the portfolio management team and to all other market intermediaries.

In pursuing its investment strategy, AADR seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing in domestically traded ADRs of high quality, international large cap companies. With valuation playing an essential component, AADR maintains a concentrated portfolio of approximately 30 holdings that focuses on conventional growth sectors such as technology, healthcare, and both discretionary and consumer staples. From these primary areas, the fund looks to select international businesses that benefit from long-lasting secular trends (tailwinds), a growing competitive advantage (a widening economic moat) and superior corporate culture (great people). AADR's active management allows maneuverability to identify such characteristics within a developing global marketplace, as well as exploit international benchmark inefficiencies to deliver alpha for shareholders. AADR's risk-adjusted performance has ranked within the top 10% of all funds—including both mutual funds and ETFs—in Morningstar's Foreign Large Growth category since its inception.

"The track records of WCM for their institutional clients and Newfleet for their actively managed mutual fund family are both well established," said Noah Hamman, chief executive officer of AdvisorShares. "For any advisor or investor conducting due diligence on international equity and fixed income managers, I believe you will discover few managers with the pedigree, cumulative experience and track record that both WCM and Newfleet possess. While it may be difficult for active managers to produce alpha, it's not difficult to find these managers who generate alpha. These rating recognitions further validate that active management combined with the features of an ETF structure—full transparency, intraday liquidity, and enhanced operational and cost efficiency—can work across different asset classes and ultimately benefit investors."

AADR and MINC join the AdvisorShares TrimTabs Float Shrink ETF (NYSE Arca: TTFS), which is a domestic equity strategy, as actively managed offerings from AdvisorShares afforded with a five-star Morningstar rating.⁴

Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than original cost. Returns less than one year are not annualized. For the Fund's most recent month end performance, please visit www.advisorshares.com. MINC's total annual operating expenses are 0.82%. The Advisor has contractually agreed to keep net expenses from exceeding 0.75% of MINC's daily net assets for at least a year from the date of the prospectus and for successive one-year periods thereafter unless the agreement is terminated. AADR's total annual operating expenses are 1.63%. The Advisor has contractually agreed to keep net expenses from exceeding 1.25% of AADR's daily net assets for at least a year from the date of the prospectus and for successive one-year periods thereafter unless the agreement is terminated.

For financial professionals and investors requesting more information, please visit www.advisorshares.com or call an AdvisorShares Investment Consultant at 1-877-THE-ETF1 (1-877-843-3831).

About AdvisorShares

A leading provider in the actively managed ETF marketplace, AdvisorShares offers 21 active ETFs with $1.1 billion of assets under management (as of March 31, 2016). Visit www.advisorshares.com to register for free weekly economic commentary. For educational insight into the active ETF marketplace, visit www.alphabaskets.com, follow @AdvisorShares on Twitter and 'Like' us on Facebook.

Before investing you should carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other information is in the prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained by visiting the Fund's website at www.AdvisorShares.com. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest.

Foreside Fund Services, LLC, distributor.

An investment in ETFs is subject to risk, including the possible loss of principal amount invested. The risks associated with each Fund include the risks associated with the underlying ETFs, which can result in higher volatility, and are detailed in each Fund's prospectus and on each Fund's webpage. The Funds may not be suitable for all investors.

Shares are bought and sold at market price (closing price) not net asset value (NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Market price returns are based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4:00 pm Eastern Time (when NAV is normally determined) and do not represent the return you would receive if you traded at other times.

¹ AADR earned its five-star rating for its three-year, five-year and overall risk-adjusted performances from inception through March 31, 2016, out of 325 funds in Morningstar's Foreign Large Growth category over a three-year period, and out of 292 funds over a five-year period.

² MINC earned its five-star rating for both its three-year and overall risk adjusted performances from inception through March 31, 2016 out of 491 funds in Morningstar's Short-Term Bond category.

³ The Morningstar Rating™ is provided for those exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") with at least a three-year history. Ratings are based on the ETF's Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure which accounts for variation in monthly performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. An ETF's risk-adjusted return includes a brokerage commission estimate. This estimate is intended to reflect what an average investor would pay when buying or selling an ETF. PLEASE NOTE, this estimate is subject to change and the actual brokerage commission an investor pays may be higher or lower than this estimate. Morningstar compares each ETF's risk-adjusted return to the open-end mutual fund rating breakpoints for that category. Consistent with the open-end mutual fund ratings, the top 10% of ETFs in each category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The overall rating for an ETF is based on a weighted average of the time-period ratings (e.g., the ETF's 3, 5, and 10 year rating). The determination of an ETF's rating does not affect the retail open end mutual fund data published by Morningstar. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

⁴ TTFS earned it five-star rating for both its three-year and overall risk adjusted performances from inception through March 31, 2016 out of 407 funds in Morningstar's Mid-Cap Blend category.

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