Open Market Transactions We agree to abide by Regulation M under the Exchange Act and we agree not to bid for, purchase, attempt to purchase, or sell, directly or indirectly, any Securities, any other Reference Securities (as defined in Regulation M) of the issuer, or any other securities of such issuer as you may designate, except as brokers pursuant to unsolicited orders and as otherwise provided in this Agreement. If the Securities are common stock or securities convertible into common stock, we agree not to effect, or attempt to induce others to effect, directly or indirectly, any transactions in or relating to any stock of such issuer, except to the extent permitted by Rule 101 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act.
Secondary Market Transactions Each Purchaser shall have the right at any time and from time to time to securitize its Subordinated Notes or any portion thereof in a single asset securitization or a pooled loan securitization of rated single or multi-class securities secured by or evidencing ownership interests in the Subordinated Notes (each such securitization is referred to herein as a “Secondary Market Transaction”). In connection with any such Secondary Market Transaction, Company shall, at Company’s expense, cooperate with Purchasers and otherwise reasonably assist Purchasers in satisfying the market standards to which Purchasers customarily adhere or which may be reasonably required in the marketplace or by applicable rating agencies in connection with any such Secondary Market Transaction. Subject to any written confidentiality obligation, all information regarding Company may be furnished, without liability except in the case of gross negligence or willful misconduct, to any Purchaser and to any Person reasonably deemed necessary by Purchaser in connection with participation in such Secondary Market Transaction. All documents, financial statements, appraisals and other data relevant to Company or the Subordinated Notes may be retained by any such Person.
Portfolio Transactions The Manager is authorized to select the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchases and sales of portfolio securities for the Portfolio and is directed to use its best efforts to obtain the best available prices and most favorable executions, except as prescribed herein. It is understood that the Manager will not be deemed to have acted unlawfully, or to have breached a fiduciary duty to the Fund or to the Portfolio, or be in breach of any obligation owing to the Fund or to the Portfolio under this Agreement, or otherwise, solely by reason of its having caused the Portfolio to pay a member of a securities exchange, a broker, or a dealer a commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Portfolio in excess of the amount of commission another member of an exchange, broker, or dealer would have charged if the Manager determines in good faith that the commission paid was reasonable in relation to the brokerage or research services provided by such member, broker, or dealer, viewed in terms of that particular transaction or the Manager’s overall responsibilities with respect to its accounts, including the Fund, as to which it exercises investment discretion. The Manager will promptly communicate to the officers and directors of the Fund such information relating to transactions for the Portfolio as they may reasonably request.
Fund/SERV Transactions If the parties choose to use the National Securities Clearing Corporation’s Mutual Fund Settlement, Entry and Registration Verification (“Fund/SERV”) or any other NSCC service, the following provisions shall apply: The Company and the Fund or its designee will each be bound by the rules of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and the terms of any NSCC agreement filed by it or its designee with the NSCC. Without limiting the generality of the following provisions of this section, the Company and the Fund or its designee will each perform any and all duties, functions, procedures and responsibilities assigned to it and as otherwise established by the NSCC applicable to Fund/SERV, the Mutual Fund Profile Service, the Networking Matrix Level utilized and any other relevant NSCC service or system (collectively, the “NSCC Systems”). Any information transmitted through the NSCC Systems by any party or its designee to the other or its designee and pursuant to this Agreement will be accurate, complete, and in the format prescribed by the NSCC. Each party or its designee will adopt, implement and maintain procedures reasonably designed to ensure the accuracy of all transmissions through the NSCC Systems and to limit the access to, and the inputting of data into, the NSCC Systems to persons specifically authorized by such party. On each day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the SEC (“Business Day”), the Company shall aggregate and calculate the net purchase and redemption orders for each Account received by the Company by the close of the New York Stock Exchange (generally, 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) (the “Close of Trading”) on the Business Day. The Company shall communicate to the Fund or its designee for that Business Day, by Fund/SERV, the net aggregate purchase or redemption orders (if any) for each Account received by the Close of Trading on such Business Day (the “Trade Date”) no later than 7:00 a.m. Eastern Time (or such other time as may be agreed by the parties from time to time) (the “Fund/SERV Transactions Deadline”) on the Business Day following the Trade Date. All such aggregated orders communicated to the Fund or its designee by the Fund/SERV Transactions Deadline on the Business Day following the Trade Date shall be treated by the Fund or its designee as if received prior to the Close of Trading on the Trade Date. All orders received by the Company after the Close of Trading on a Business Day shall not be aggregated with Orders received by the Company prior to the Close of Trading on such Business Day and shall be communicated to BRIL or its designee as part of an aggregated order no sooner than after the FUND/SERV Transactions Deadline or such other time as may be agreed by the parties from time to time) the following Business Day. Cash settlement shall be transmitted pursuant to the normal NSCC settlement process. In the case of delayed settlement, the Fund or its designee shall make arrangements for the settlement of redemptions by wire no later than the time permitted for settlement of redemption orders by the 1940 Act. Unless otherwise informed in writing, such redemption wires should be sent to an account specified by the Company and agreed to by Fund Parties.
Related Party Transactions There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
Material Transactions Prior to the Closing, no Party will (other than (i) as contemplated by the terms of this Agreement and the Related Agreements, (ii) with respect to transactions for which there is a binding commitment existing prior to the date hereof disclosed in the Disclosure Schedules, and (iii) transactions described on Schedule 7.3 which do not vary materially from the terms set forth on such Schedule 7.3, or in the Ordinary Course of Business without first obtaining the written consent of the other Parties):
(a) declare or pay any dividend or make any other distribution to shareholders, whether in cash, stock or other property;
(b) amend its Governing Documents or enter into any agreement to merge or consolidate with, or sell a significant portion of its assets to, any other Person;
(c) except pursuant to options, warrants, conversion rights or other contractual rights, issue any shares of its capital stock or any options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase such common or other capital stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for any such common or other capital stock;
(d) directly redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any of its common or other capital stock;
(e) effect a reclassification, recapitalization, split-up, exchange of shares, readjustment or other similar change in or to any capital stock or otherwise reorganize or recapitalize;
(f) enter into any employment contract which is not terminable upon notice of ninety (90) days or less, at will, and without penalty except as provided herein or grant any increase (other than ordinary and normal increases consistent with past practices) in the compensation payable or to become payable to officers or salaried employees, grant any stock options or, except as required by law, adopt or make any change in any bonus, insurance, pension or other Employee Benefit Plan, agreement, payment or agreement under, to, for or with any of such officers or employees;
(g) make any payment or distribution to the trustee under any bonus, pension, profit sharing or retirement plan or incur any obligation to make any such payment or contribution which is not in accordance with such Party’s usual past practice, or make any payment or contributions or incur any obligation pursuant to or in respect of any other plan or contract or arrangement providing for bonuses, options, executive incentive compensation, pensions, deferred compensation, retirement payments, profit sharing or the like, establish or enter into any such plan, contract or arrangement, or terminate or modify any plan;
(h) prepay any debt in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000), borrow or agree to borrow any amount of funds except in the Ordinary Course of Business or, directly or indirectly, guarantee or agree to guarantee obligations of others, or fail to pay any monetary obligation in a timely manner prior to delinquency;
(i) enter into any agreement, contract or commitment having a term in excess of three (3) months or involving payments or obligations in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) in the aggregate, except in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(j) amend or modify any material Contract;
(k) agree to increase the compensation or benefits of any employee (except for normal annual salary increases in accordance with past practices);
(l) place on any of its assets or properties any pledge, charge or other Encumbrance, except as otherwise authorized hereunder, or enter into any transaction or make any contract or commitment relating to its properties, assets and business, other than in the Ordinary Course of Business or as otherwise disclosed herein;
(m) guarantee the obligation of any person, firm or corporation, except in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(n) make any loan or advance in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) or cancel or accelerate any material indebtedness owing to it or any claims which it may possess or waive any material rights of substantial value;
(o) sell or otherwise dispose of any Real Property or any material amount of any tangible or intangible personal property other than leasehold interests in closed facilities, except in the Ordinary Course of Business;
(p) commit any act or fail to do any act which will cause a Breach of any Contract and which will have a Material Adverse Effect on its business, financial condition or earnings;
(q) violate any Applicable Law which violation might have a Material Adverse Effect on such Party;
(r) purchase any real or personal property or make any other capital expenditure where the amount paid or committed is in excess of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000) per expenditure;
(s) except in the Ordinary Course of Business, enter into any agreement or transaction with any of such Party’s Affiliates; or
(t) engage in any transaction or take any action that would render untrue in any material respect any of the representations and warranties of such Party contained in this Agreement, as if such representations and warranties were given as of the date of such transaction or action.
Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage (a) The Manager is authorized, in arranging the purchase and sale of the Fund’s publicly-traded portfolio securities, to employ or deal with such members of securities exchanges, brokers or dealers (hereinafter “broker-dealers”), including broker-dealers that are affiliated persons of the Fund or the Manager, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, as may, in its best judgment, implement the policy of the Fund to obtain the best execution of the Fund’s portfolio transactions.
(b) The Manager may effect the purchase and sale of securities in private transactions on such terms and conditions as are customary in such transactions, may use a broker to effect said transactions, and may enter into a contract in which the broker acts either as principal or as agent.
(c) The Manager shall select broker-dealers to effect the Fund’s portfolio transactions on the basis of its estimate of their ability to obtain best execution of particular and related portfolio transactions. The abilities of a broker-dealer to obtain best execution of particular portfolio transaction(s) will be judged by the Manager on the basis of all relevant factors and considerations including, insofar as feasible, the execution capabilities required by the transaction or transactions; the ability and willingness of the broker-dealer to facilitate the Fund’s portfolio transactions by participating therein for its own account; the importance to the Fund of speed, efficiency, or confidentiality; the broker-dealer’s apparent familiarity with sources from or to whom particular securities might be purchased or sold; as well as any other matters relevant to the selection of a broker-dealer for particular and related transactions of the Fund. Subject to such policies as the Trustees may determine, the Manager shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Management Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides brokerage and research services to the Manager an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Manager determines in good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Manager’s overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other clients of the Manager as to which the Manager exercises investment discretion.
(d) In any case where a Subadviser has been retained in respect of some or all of the assets of the Fund as contemplated by Section 9 below, the Manager shall report periodically to the Board of Trustees as to the brokerage activities of the Subadviser in respect of the Fund, at such times and in such format as the Board of Trustees may reasonably specify.
Non-Arm’s Length Transactions To the knowledge of the Company, after due inquiry, except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters or in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectuses, neither the Company nor any subsidiary is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any officer, director, employee or any other person not dealing at arm’s length with the Company or any subsidiary which is required to be disclosed by applicable Canadian Securities Laws.
Arm’s Length Transactions During the term of this Agreement, all transactions and dealings between the Trust Depositor and its Affiliates will be conducted on an arm’s-length basis.
Excluded Transactions The Company shall not be obligated to effect any registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 2.1 incidental to the registration of any of its Securities in connection with:
(i) the IPO;
(ii) a registration statement filed to cover issuances under employee benefits plans or dividend reinvestment plans; or
(iii) any registration statement relating solely to the acquisition or merger after the date hereof by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of or with any other businesses.
