UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(X) QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2020

OR ( ) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)

OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from             to             

Commission File Number 0-50271

CERES ORION L.P.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

c/o Ceres Managed Futures LLC

522 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10036

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(855) 672-4468

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None.

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 X 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 X 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.

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 X

As of July 31, 2020, 145,048.3168 Limited Partnership Class A Redeemable Units were outstanding and 4,053.0082 Limited Partnership Class Z Redeemable Units were outstanding.

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1. Financial Statements.

Ceres Orion L.P.

Statements of Financial Condition

⁽¹⁾ Defined in Note 1.

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

1

Ceres Orion L.P.

Condensed Schedule of Investments

June 30, 2020

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

2

Ceres Orion L.P.

Condensed Schedule of Investments

December 31, 2019

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

3

Ceres Orion L.P.

Statements of Income and Expenses

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

4

Ceres Orion L.P.

Statements of Changes in Partners’ Capital

For the Three and Six Months Ended June 30, 2020 and 2019

(Unaudited)

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

5

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Ceres Orion L.P. (the “Partnership”) is a limited partnership organized on March 22, 1999, under the partnership laws of the State of New York, to engage, directly or indirectly, in the speculative trading of a diversified portfolio of commodity interests, including futures, option, swap and forward contracts. The sectors traded include currencies, energy, grains, livestock, indices, United States (“U.S.”) and non-U.S. interest rates, softs and metals. The commodity interests that are traded by the Partnership, directly and indirectly through its investment in the Funds (as defined below), are volatile and involve a high degree of market risk. The Partnership commenced trading on June 10, 1999. The Partnership privately and continuously offers redeemable units of limited partnership interest (“Redeemable Units”) to qualified investors. There is no maximum number of Redeemable Units that may be sold by the Partnership. The General Partner (as defined below) may also determine to invest up to all of the Partnership’s assets (directly or indirectly through its investment in the Funds) in U.S. Treasury bills and/or money market mutual funds, including money market mutual funds managed by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates.

Ceres Managed Futures LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, acts as the general partner (the “General Partner”) and commodity pool operator of the Partnership, the general partner of Winton Master (as defined below) and is the trading manager (the “Trading Manager”) of Transtrend Master (as defined below), FORT Contrarian Master (as defined below) and NL Master (as defined below). The General Partner is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley Domestic Holdings, Inc. (“MSD Holdings”). MSD Holdings is ultimately owned by Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is a publicly held company whose shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Morgan Stanley is engaged in various financial services and other businesses.

As of June 30, 2020, all trading decisions were made for the Partnership by Winton Capital Management Limited (“Winton”), Transtrend B.V. (“Transtrend”), FORT L.P. (“FORT”), John Street Capital Limited (“JSCL”), Northlander Commodity Advisors LLP (“Northlander”) and Pan Capital Management L.P. (“Pan”) (each an “Advisor” and, collectively, the “Advisors”), each of which is a registered commodity trading advisor. On January 31, 2019, the Partnership fully redeemed its investment in CMF Willowbridge Master Fund L.P. (“Willowbridge Master”). Also effective January 31, 2019, Willowbridge Associates Inc. (“Willowbridge”) ceased to act as a commodity trading advisor to the Partnership. References herein to the “Advisors” may include, as relevant, John Street (as defined below) and Willowbridge. Each Advisor is allocated a portion of the Partnership’s assets to manage. The Partnership invests the portion of its assets allocated to each of the Advisors either directly, through a managed account in the Partnership’s name, or indirectly, through its investment in the Funds. In addition, the General Partner may allocate the Partnership’s assets to additional non-major trading advisors (i.e., commodity trading advisors intended to be allocated less than 10% of the Partnership’s assets). Information about advisors allocated less than 10% of the Partnership’s assets may not be disclosed.

Effective on February 1, 2020, Pan directly trades the Partnership’s assets allocated to it through a managed account in the name of the Partnership pursuant to Pan’s Energy Trading Program.

From February 1, 2019 until December 12, 2019, John Street Capital LLP (“John Street”) directly traded the Partnership’s assets allocated to it through a managed account in the name of the Partnership pursuant to John Street’s Systematic Strategy Program. On December 13, 2019, the Partnership, the General Partner, John Street, and JSCL entered into a deed of novation (the “JSCL Novation Agreement”) transferring all rights and obligations of John Street to JSCL. JSCL directly trades the Partnership’s assets allocated to it through a managed account in the name of the Partnership pursuant to the Systematic Strategy Program.

On June 1, 2011, the Partnership began offering “Class A” Redeemable Units and “Class Z” Redeemable Units pursuant to the offering memorandum. All Redeemable Units issued prior to June 1, 2011 were deemed Class A Redeemable Units. The rights, powers, duties and obligations associated with investment in Class A Redeemable Units were not changed. Class A Redeemable Units are available to taxable U.S. individuals and institutions, U.S. tax exempt individuals and institutions and non-U.S. investors. Class Z Redeemable Units were first issued on August 1, 2011. Class Z Redeemable Units are offered to limited partners who receive advisory services from Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (doing business as Morgan Stanley Wealth Management) (“Morgan Stanley Wealth Management”) and certain employees of Morgan Stanley and/or its subsidiaries (and their family members). Class A Redeemable Units and Class Z Redeemable Units will each be referred to as a “Class” and collectively referred to as the “Classes.” The Class of Redeemable Units that a limited partner receives upon a subscription will generally depend upon the status of the limited partner, although the General Partner may determine to offer a particular Class of Redeemable Units to investors at its discretion.

During the reporting periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Partnership’s/Funds’ commodity broker was Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“MS&Co.”), a registered futures commission merchant. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPMorgan”) was also a foreign exchange forward contract counterparty for certain Funds.

6

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

The Partnership, CMF Winton Master L.P. (“Winton Master”) and CMF TT II, LLC (“Transtrend Master”) have, and prior to its termination, Willowbridge Master had, entered into futures brokerage account agreements and foreign exchange brokerage account agreements with MS&Co. CMF FORT Contrarian Master Fund LLC (“FORT Contrarian Master”) and CMF NL Master Fund LLC (“NL Master”) have entered into futures brokerage account agreements with MS&Co. Winton Master, Transtrend Master, FORT Contrarian Master and NL Master are collectively referred to as the “Funds.” References herein to “Funds” may also include, as relevant, Willowbridge Master.

Effective July 12, 2017, Winton Master, Transtrend Master and until its termination, Willowbridge Master, each entered into certain agreements with JPMorgan in connection with trading in forward foreign currency contracts on behalf of the referenced Funds and indirectly, the Partnership. These agreements include a foreign exchange and bullion authorization agreement (“FX Agreement”), an International Swap Dealers Association, Inc. master agreement (“Master Agreement”), a schedule to the Master Agreement, a 2016 credit support annex for variation margin to the schedule and an institutional account agreement. In addition to Willowbridge Master, Willowbridge was party to the FX Agreement for Willowbridge Master. Under each FX Agreement, JPMorgan charges a fee on the aggregate foreign currency transactions entered into on behalf of the respective Fund during a month.

The Partnership has entered into a selling agent agreement with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (as amended, the “Selling Agreement”). Pursuant to the Selling Agreement, the Partnership pays Morgan Stanley Wealth Management a monthly ongoing selling agent fee. During the period covered by this report, the ongoing selling agent fee was $15.00 each for futures transactions and up to an equivalent amount for swaps and $7.50 each per side for options transactions, with respect to Class A Redeemable Units. The ongoing selling agent fee for Class A Redeemable Units did not exceed 2.00% of adjusted month-end net assets per year, calculated monthly. Class Z Redeemable Units are not subject to an ongoing selling agent fee. The ongoing selling agent fee amount was reduced by applicable floor brokerage fees. The Partnership may pay an ongoing selling agent fee to other properly licensed and/or registered selling agents who sell Class A Redeemable Units, and such additional selling agents may share all or a substantial portion of such fees with their properly registered or exempted financial advisors who have sold Class A Redeemable Units.

As of November 1, 2018, the Partnership entered into an alternative investment placement agent agreement (the “Harbor Selling Agreement”), by and among the Partnership, the General Partner, Morgan Stanley Distribution Inc. (“MSDI”), and Harbor Investment Advisory, LLC, a Maryland limited liability company (“Harbor”), which supersedes and replaces the alternative investment selling agent agreement, dated January 19, 2018, between the Partnership, the General Partner and Harbor. Pursuant to the Harbor Selling Agreement, MSDI and Harbor have been appointed as a non-exclusive selling agent and sub-selling agent, respectively, of the Partnership for the purpose of finding eligible investors for Redeemable Units through offerings that are exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) thereof and Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated thereunder and for Harbor to serve as an investment advisor to its customers investing in one or more of the partnerships party to the Harbor Selling Agreement; provided, that, included within such appointment, Harbor will provide certain services to certain holders of Redeemable Units of the Partnership, who had acquired such Redeemable Units prior to such holders becoming clients of Harbor. The Harbor Selling Agreement continues in effect until September 30, 2020 unless terminated in certain circumstances as set forth in the Harbor Selling Agreement, including by any party on thirty days’ prior written notice, after which the General Partner or the Partnership may, in its sole discretion, renew the Harbor Selling Agreement for additional one-year periods. Pursuant to the Harbor Selling Agreement, during the period covered by this report, the Partnership paid Harbor an ongoing selling agent fee equal to $15.00 per round turn, swaps by up to an equivalent amount and options transactions by $7.50 each per side, with respect to Class A Redeemable Units held by Harbor clients. In each case, the amount was reduced by applicable floor brokerage fees. The ongoing selling agent fee for Class A Redeemable Units did not exceed 2.00% of adjusted month-end net assets per year, calculated monthly.

The General Partner fee, management fees, incentive fees and professional fees of the Partnership are allocated proportionally to each Class based on the net asset value of the Class.

The General Partner has delegated certain administrative functions to SS&C Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation, currently doing business as SS&C GlobeOp (the “Administrator”). Pursuant to a master services agreement, the Administrator furnishes certain administrative, accounting, regulatory reporting, tax and other services as agreed from time to time. In addition, the Administrator maintains certain books and records of the Partnership. The cost of retaining the Administrator is allocated among the pools operated by the General Partner, including the Partnership.

7

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

The accompanying financial statements and accompanying notes are unaudited but, in the opinion of the General Partner, include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the Partnership’s financial condition at June 30, 2020 and the results of its operations and changes in partners’ capital for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019. These financial statements present the results of interim periods and do not include all disclosures normally provided in annual financial statements. These financial statements should be read together with the financial statements and notes included in the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the year ended December 31, 2019. The December 31, 2019 information has been derived from the audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Due to the nature of commodity trading, the results of operations for the interim periods presented should not be considered indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year.

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements and accompanying notes in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires the General Partner to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, income and expenses, and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities in the financial statements and accompanying notes. As a result, actual results could differ from these estimates, and those differences could be material.

Profit Allocation. The General Partner and each limited partner of the Partnership share in the profits and losses of the Partnership in proportion to the amount of Partnership interest owned by each, except that no limited partner is liable for obligations of the Partnership in excess of its capital contribution and profits, if any, net of distributions, redemptions and losses, if any.

Statement of Cash Flows. The Partnership has not provided a Statement of Cash Flows, as permitted by Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 230, “Statement of Cash Flows.” The Statements of Changes in Partners’ Capital is included herein, and as of and for the periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, the Partnership carried no debt and all of the Partnership’s and the Funds’ investments were carried at fair value and classified as Level 1 and Level 2 measurements.

Partnership’s Investment in the Funds. The Partnership carries its investment in Winton Master based on Winton Master’s net asset value per redeemable unit as calculated by Winton Master. The Partnership carries its investment in Transtrend Master, FORT Contrarian Master and NL Master based on the Partnership’s (1) net contributions to Transtrend Master, FORT Contrarian Master and NL Master and (2) its allocated share of the undistributed profits and losses, including realized gains (losses) and net change in unrealized gains (losses), of Transtrend Master, FORT Contrarian Master and NL Master. The Partnership carried its investment in Willowbridge Master based on Willowbridge Master’s net asset value per redeemable unit as calculated by Willowbridge Master.

Partnership’s/Funds’ Derivative Investments. All commodity interests held by the Partnership/Funds, including derivative financial instruments and derivative commodity instruments, are held for trading purposes. The commodity interests are recorded on trade date and open contracts are recorded at fair value (as described in Note 5, “Fair Value Measurements”) at the measurement date. Investments in commodity interests denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates prevailing at the measurement date. Gains or losses are realized when contracts are liquidated and are determined using the first-in, first-out method. Unrealized gains or losses on open contracts are included as a component of equity in trading account in the Partnership’s/Funds’ Statements of Financial Condition. Net realized gains or losses and net change in unrealized gains or losses are included in the Partnership’s/Funds’ Statements of Income and Expenses.

The Partnership and the Funds do not isolate the portion of the results of operations arising from the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates on investments from fluctuations due to changes in market prices of investments held. Such fluctuations are included in total trading results in the Partnership’s/Funds’ Statements of Income and Expenses.

Partnership’s Cash. The Partnership’s restricted cash is equal to the cash portion of assets on deposit to meet margin requirements, as determined by the exchange or counterparty, and required by MS&Co. At June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the amount of cash held for margin requirements was $37,028,151 and $44,439,575, respectively. Cash that is not classified as restricted cash is therefore classified as unrestricted cash. The Partnership’s restricted and unrestricted cash includes cash denominated in foreign currencies of $33,175,068 (cost of $32,418,977) and $10,541,351 (cost of $10,423,551) at June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

8

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Income Taxes. Income taxes have not been recorded as each partner is individually liable for the taxes, if any, on its share of the Partnership’s income and expenses. The Partnership follows the guidance of ASC 740, “Income Taxes,” which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing the Partnership’s tax returns to determine whether the tax positions are “more-likely-than-not” of being sustained “when challenged” or “when examined” by the applicable tax authority. Tax positions determined not to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold would be recorded as a tax benefit or liability in the Partnership’s Statements of Financial Condition for the current year. If a tax position does not meet the minimum statutory threshold to avoid the incurring of penalties, an expense for the amount of the statutory penalty and interest, if applicable, shall be recognized in the Partnership’s Statements of Income and Expenses in the years in which the position is claimed or expected to be claimed. The General Partner has concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions that would require recognition in the financial statements. The Partnership files U.S. federal and various state and local tax returns. No income tax returns are currently under examination. The 2016 through 2019 tax years remain subject to examination by U.S. federal and most state tax authorities.

Investment Company Status. The Partnership has been deemed to be an investment company since inception. Accordingly, the Partnership follows the investment company accounting and reporting guidance of Accounting Standards Update 2013-08 “Financial Services—Investment Companies (Topic 946): Amendments to the Scope, Measurement and Disclosure Requirements” and reflects its investments at fair value with unrealized gains and losses resulting from changes in fair value reflected in the Statements of Income and Expenses.

Net Income (Loss) Per Redeemable Unit. Net income (loss) per Redeemable Unit is calculated in accordance with ASC 946, “Financial Services - Investment Companies.” See Note 3, “Financial Highlights.”

There have been no material changes with respect to the Partnership’s critical accounting policies as reported in the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

9

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

Financial highlights for the limited partner Classes as a whole for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

The above ratios and total return may vary for individual investors based on the timing of capital transactions during the period. Additionally, these ratios are calculated for the limited partner Classes using the limited partners’ share of income, expenses and average partners’ capital of the Partnership and include the income and expenses allocated from the Funds.

10

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

The Partnership was formed for the purpose of trading contracts in a variety of commodity interests, including derivative financial instruments and derivative commodity instruments. The results of the Partnership’s trading activities are shown in the Partnership’s Statements of Income and Expenses. The Partnership also invests certain of its assets through a “master/feeder” structure. The Partnership’s pro-rata share of the results of the Funds’ trading activities are shown in the Partnership’s Statements of Income and Expenses.

The foreign exchange brokerage account agreements and/or futures brokerage account agreements with MS&Co. or JPMorgan, as applicable, give the Partnership and the Funds, respectively, the legal right to net unrealized gains and losses on open futures and forward contracts in their respective Statements of Financial Condition. The Partnership and the Funds net, for financial reporting purposes, the unrealized gains and losses on open futures and forward contracts in their respective Statements of Financial Condition, as the criteria under ASC 210-20, “Balance Sheet,” have been met.

All of the commodity interests owned directly by the Partnership are held for trading purposes. All of the commodity interests owned by the Funds are held for trading purposes. The monthly average number of futures contracts traded directly by the Partnership during the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was 68,434 and 88,393, respectively. The monthly average number of futures contracts traded directly by the Partnership during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was 74,777 and 76,278, respectively. The monthly average number of option contracts traded directly by the Partnership during the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was 643 and 0, respectively. The monthly average number of option contracts traded directly by the Partnership during the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019 was 512 and 0, respectively.

Trading and transaction fees are based on the number of trades executed by the Advisors and the Partnership’s percentage ownership of each respective Fund.

All clearing fees paid to MS&Co. for direct trading are borne by the Partnership. In addition, clearing fees are borne by the Funds and are allocated to the limited partners/members, including the Partnership.

11

Ceres Orion L.P.

Notes to Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

The following tables summarize the gross and net amounts recognized relating to assets and liabilities of the Partnership’s derivatives and their offsetting subject to master netting arrangements or similar agreements as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.