Schmidt-rank contraction under product operators ($\mathrm{rank}(AM{B}^{\mathsf{T}})\le \mathrm{rank}M$)

The coefficient matrix of a bipartite pure state has rank equal to its Schmidt rank, by singular value decomposition. A local product operation $A\otimes B$ sends it to $AM{B}^{\mathsf{T}}$, whose rank cannot increase. A complete classical transcript of an LOCC protocol still selects one product Kraus operator, so every nonzero branch obeys the bound. Discarding the transcript gives a mixed output with Schmidt number at most the initial rank.