Common use of IMST and the Aristotle Clause in Contracts

IMST and the Aristotle. Funds Trust shall have received an opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP with respect to each Reorganization, dated on the Closing Date (which opinion will be subject to certain qualifications) satisfactory to both parties substantially to the effect that, on the basis of the existing provisions of the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, current administrative rules, and court decisions, generally for federal income tax purposes, and provided the transactions contemplated hereby are carried out in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, the terms of this Agreement and in accordance with customary representations provided by IMST and the Aristotle Funds Trust in certificates delivered to Ropes & Gray LLP, as to the Corresponding Acquired Fund and the Corresponding Acquiring Fund: (a) The Reorganization will constitute a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, and the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund each will be “a party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code. (b) Under Sections 361 and 357(a) of the Code, the Acquired Fund will not recognize gain or loss upon the transfer of its Assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all Obligations of the Acquired Fund (except that the Acquired Fund may be required to recognize (A) gain or loss with respect to (1) contracts described in Section 1256(b) of the Code or (2) stock in a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code), (B) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized (1) as a result of the closing of the tax year of Acquired Fund, (2) upon the termination of a position or (3) upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a nontaxable transaction under the Code. (c) Under Section 1032 of the Code, the Acquiring Fund will not recognize gain or loss upon the receipt of the Assets of the Acquired Fund solely in exchange for the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the Obligations of the Acquired Fund and issuance of the Acquiring Fund Shares. (d) Under Section 362(b) of the Code, the Acquiring Fund’s tax basis in each Asset of the Acquired Fund transferred to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as Acquired Fund’s tax basis in such Asset immediately prior to the transfer, increased by any gain or decreased by any loss required to be recognized as in (b) above. (e) Under Section 1223(2) of the Code, the Acquiring Fund’s holding period of each Asset of the Acquired Fund transferred to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than certain assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized as described in (b) above, will include the period during which such Asset was held by the Acquired Fund (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating a holding period with respect to an Asset). (f) Under Section 354 of the Code, shareholders of the Acquired Fund will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of their shares of the Acquired Fund solely for Acquiring Fund Shares in the Reorganization. (g) Under Section 358 of the Code, the Acquired Fund shareholder’s aggregate tax basis in the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will be the same as the shareholder’s aggregate tax basis in the shares of the Acquired Fund exchanged therefor. (h) Under Section 1223(1) of the Code, the Acquired Fund shareholder’s holding period for the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will include the shareholder’s holding period for the shares of the Acquired Fund exchanged therefor, provided that the shareholder held those Acquired Fund shares as capital assets at the time of the Reorganization. (i) Pursuant to Section 381 of the Code, the Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the items of the Acquired Fund described in Section 381(c) of the Code (including capital loss carryovers), subject to the provisions and limitations specified in Sections 381, 382, 383, and 384 of the Code and the United States Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder. The opinion will be based on certain factual certifications made by officers of the Aristotle Funds Trust and IMST and will also be based on customary assumptions. The opinion is not a guarantee that the tax consequences of the Reorganization will be as described above. There is no assurance that the IRS or a court would agree with the opinion.

IMST and the Aristotle. Funds Trust shall have received an opinion of Ropes & Gray LLP with respect to each ReorganizationLLP, dated on the Closing Date (which opinion will be subject to certain qualifications) satisfactory to both parties substantially to the effect that, on the basis of the existing provisions of the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, current administrative rules, and court decisions, generally for federal income tax purposes, and provided the transactions contemplated hereby are carried out in accordance with the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, the terms of this Agreement and in accordance with customary representations provided by IMST and the Aristotle Funds Trust in certificates delivered to Ropes & Gray LLP, as to the Corresponding Acquired Fund and the Corresponding Acquiring Fund: (a) The applicable Reorganization will constitute a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, and the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund each will be “a party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code. (b) Under Sections 361 and 357(a) of the Code, the Acquired Fund will not recognize gain or loss upon the transfer of its Assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange for the Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all Obligations of the Acquired Fund (except that the Acquired Fund may be required to recognize (A) gain or loss with respect to (1) contracts described in Section 1256(b) of the Code or (2) stock in a passive foreign investment company, as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code), (B) any other gain or loss that may be required to be recognized (1) as a result upon the distribution of the closing of Acquiring Fund Shares by the tax year of Acquired Fund, (2) upon the termination of a position or (3) upon the transfer of an asset regardless of whether such transfer would otherwise be a nontaxable transaction under the CodeFund to its shareholders in liquidation. (c) Under Section 1032 of the Code, the Acquiring Fund will not recognize gain or loss upon the receipt of the Assets of the Acquired Fund solely in exchange for the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the Obligations of the Acquired Fund and issuance of the Acquiring Fund Shares. (d) Under Section 362(b) of the Code, the Acquiring Fund’s tax basis in each Asset of the Acquired Fund transferred to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization will be the same as Acquired Fund’s tax basis in such Asset immediately prior to the transfer, increased by any gain or decreased by any loss required to be recognized as in (b) above. (e) Under Section 1223(2) of the Code, the Acquiring Fund’s holding period of each Asset of the Acquired Fund transferred to the Acquiring Fund in the Reorganization, other than certain assets with respect to which gain or loss is required to be recognized as described in (b) above, Reorganization will include the period during which such Asset was held by the Acquired Fund (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating a holding period with respect to an Asset). (f) Under Section 354 of the Code, shareholders of the Acquired Fund will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of their shares of the Acquired Fund solely for Acquiring Fund Shares in the Reorganization. (g) Under Section 358 of the Code, the each Acquired Fund shareholder’s aggregate tax basis in the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will be the same as the shareholder’s aggregate tax basis in the shares of the Acquired Fund exchanged therefor. (h) Under Section 1223(1) of the Code, the each Acquired Fund shareholder’s holding period for the Acquiring Fund Shares received in the Reorganization will include the shareholder’s holding period for the shares of the Acquired Fund exchanged therefor, provided that the shareholder held those Acquired Fund shares as capital assets at the time of the Reorganization. (i) Pursuant to Section 381 of the Code, the Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the items of the Acquired Fund described in Section 381(c) of the Code (including capital loss carryovers), subject to the provisions and limitations specified in Sections 381, 382, 383, and 384 of the Code and the United States Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder. The opinion will be based on certain factual certifications made by officers of the Aristotle Funds Trust and IMST and will also be based on customary assumptions. The opinion is not a guarantee that the tax consequences of the Reorganization will be as described above. There is no assurance that the IRS or a court would agree with the opinion.