FUND SHARES 3.1 The Contracts funded through the Separate Account will provide for the investment of certain amounts in Shares of each Participating Fund.
3.2 Each Participating Fund agrees to make its Shares available for purchase at the then applicable net asset value per Share by Insurance Company and the Separate Account on each Business Day pursuant to rules of the Commission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Participating Fund may refuse to sell its Shares to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of its Shares, if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of its Board, acting in good faith and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary and in the best interests of the Participating Fund's shareholders.
3.3 Each Participating Fund agrees that shares of the Participating Fund will be sold only to (a) Participating Companies and their separate accounts or (b) "qualified pension or retirement plans" as determined under Section 817(h)(4) of the Code. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 3.3, no shares of any Participating Fund will be sold to the general public.
3.4 Each Participating Fund shall use its best efforts to provide closing net asset value, dividend and capital gain information on a per Share basis to Insurance Company by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on each Business Day. Any material errors in the calculation of net asset value, dividend and capital gain information shall be reported immediately upon discovery to Insurance Company. Non-material errors will be corrected in the next Business Day's net asset value per Share.
3.5 At the end of each Business Day, Insurance Company will use the information described in Sections 3.2 and 3.4 to calculate the unit values of the Separate Account for the day. Using this unit value, Insurance Company will process the day's Separate Account transactions received by it by the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) to determine the net dollar amount of the Shares of each Participating Fund that will be purchased or redeemed at that day's closing net asset value per Share. The net purchase or redemption orders will be transmitted to each Participating Fund by Insurance Company by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on the Business Day next following Insurance Company's receipt of that information. Subject to Sections 3.6 and 3.8, all purchase and redemption orders for Insurance Company's General Accounts shall be effected at the net asset value per Share of each Participating Fund next calculated after receipt of the order by the Participating Fund or its Transfer Agent.
3.6 Each Participating Fund appoints Insurance Company as its agent for the limited purpose of accepting orders for the purchase and redemption of Shares of the Participating Fund for the Separate Account. Each Participating Fund will execute orders at the applicable net asset value per Share determined as of the close of trading on the day of receipt of such orders by Insurance Company acting as agent ("effective trade date"), provided that the Participating Fund receives notice of such orders by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on the next following Business Day and, if such orders request the purchase of Shares of the Participating Fund, the conditions specified in Section 3.8, as applicable, are satisfied. A redemption or purchase request that does not satisfy the conditions specified above and in Section 3.8, as applicable, will be effected at the net asset value per Share computed on the Business Day immediately preceding the next following Business Day upon which such conditions have been satisfied in accordance with the requirements of this Section and Section 3.8. Insurance Company represents and warrants that all orders submitted by the Insurance Company for execution on the effective trade date shall represent purchase or redemption orders received from Contractholders prior to the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the effective trade date.
3.7 Insurance Company will make its best efforts to notify each applicable Participating Fund in advance of any unusually large purchase or redemption orders.
3.8 If Insurance Company's order requests the purchase of Shares of a Participating Fund, Insurance Company will pay for such purchases by wiring Federal Funds to the Participating Fund or its designated custodial account on the day the order is transmitted. Insurance Company shall make all reasonable efforts to transmit to the applicable Participating Fund payment in Federal Funds by 12:00 noon Eastern time on the Business Day the Participating Fund receives the notice of the order pursuant to Section 3.5. Each applicable Participating Fund will execute such orders at the applicable net asset value per Share determined as of the close of trading on the effective trade date if the Participating Fund receives payment in Federal Funds by 12:00 midnight Eastern time on the Business Day the Participating Fund receives the notice of the order pursuant to Section 3.5. If payment in Federal Funds for any purchase is not received or is received by a Participating Fund after 12:00 noon Eastern time on such Business Day, Insurance Company shall promptly, upon each applicable Participating Fund's request, reimburse the respective Participating Fund for any reasonable charges, costs, fees, interest or other expenses incurred by the Participating Fund in connection with any advances to, or borrowings or overdrafts by, the Participating Fund, or any similar expenses incurred by the Participating Fund, as a result of portfolio transactions effected by the Participating Fund based upon such purchase request. If Insurance Company's order requests the redemption of any Shares of a Participating Fund valued at or greater than $1 million dollars, the Participating Fund will wire such amount to Insurance Company within seven days of the order.
3.9 Each Participating Fund has the obligation to ensure that its Shares are registered with applicable federal agencies at all times.
3.10 Each Participating Fund will confirm each purchase or redemption order made by Insurance Company. Transfers of Shares of a Participating Fund will be by book entry only. No share certificates will be issued to Insurance Company. Insurance Company will record Shares ordered from a Participating Fund in an appropriate title for the corresponding account.
3.11 Each Participating Fund shall credit Insurance Company with the appropriate number of Shares.
3.12 On each ex-dividend date of a Participating Fund or, if not a Business Day, on the first Business Day thereafter, each Participating Fund shall communicate to Insurance Company the amount of dividend and capital gain, if any, per Share. All dividends and capital gains shall be automatically reinvested in additional Shares of the applicable Participating Fund at the net asset value per Share on the ex-dividend date. Each Participating Fund shall, on the day after the ex-dividend date or, if not a Business Day, on the first Business Day thereafter, notify Insurance Company of the number of Shares so issued.
Class B Shares (i) In consideration of the Underwriter's services as principal underwriter of each Fund's Class B shares pursuant to this Agreement and in accordance with the provisions of the Trust's Amended and Restated Distribution and Service Plan (the "Class B Plan") in respect of such shares each Fund agrees:
(I) to pay to the Underwriter or, at the Underwriter's direction, to a third party, monthly in arrears on or prior to the 5th business day of the following calendar month (A) a service fee (the "Service Fee") equal to 0.25 of 1% per annum of the average daily net asset value of the Class B shares of the Fund outstanding from time to time, and (B) the Underwriter's "Allocable Portion" (as hereinafter defined) of a fee (the "Distribution Fee") equal to 0.75% of 1% per annum of the average daily net asset value of the Class B shares of the Fund outstanding from time to time, and (II) to withhold from redemption proceeds in respect of Class B shares of the Fund the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of the Contingent Deferred Sales Charges ("CDSCs") payable in respect of such redemption as provided in the Prospectus of the Fund and to pay the same over to the Underwriter or, at the Underwriter's direction, to a third party, at the time the redemption proceeds in respect of such redemption are payable to the holder of the Class B shares redeemed.
(ii) The Underwriter will be deemed to have performed all services required to be performed in order to be entitled to receive its Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fee payable in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund upon the settlement date of each sale of a "Commission Share" (as defined in the Allocation Schedule attached hereto as Schedule A) of the Fund taken into account in determining the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of such Distribution Fees.
(iii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement of (to the extent waiver thereof is permitted thereby) applicable law, the Fund's obligation to pay the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees payable in respect to the Class B shares of the Fund shall not be terminated or modified for any reason (including a termination of this Agreement) except to the extent required by a change in the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder or the Conduct Rules of the NASD, in each case enacted or promulgated after December 29, 1997, or in connection with a "Complete Termination" (as hereinafter defined) of the Class B Plan.
(iv) The Fund will not take any action to waive or change any CDSC in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund, except as provided in the Fund's Prospectus or statement of additional information as in effect as of the date hereof, without the consent of the Underwriter and the permitted assigns of all or any portion of its rights to its Allocable Portion of the CDSCs.
(v) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither the termination of the Underwriter's role as principal distributor of the Class B shares of any fund, nor the termination of this Agreement nor the termination of the Class B Plan will terminate the Underwriter's right to its Allocable Portion of the CDSCs in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund.
(vi) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Underwriter may assign, sell or pledge (collectively, "Transfer") its rights to the Service Fees and its Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees and CDSCs (but not its obligations to the Fund under this Agreement) to raise funds to make the expenditures related to the distribution of Class B shares of the Fund and in connection therewith, upon receipt of notice of such Transfer, the Fund shall pay, or cause to be paid, to the assignee, purchaser or pledgee (collectively with their subsequent transferees, "Transferees") such portion of the Underwriter's Service Fees, Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees and CDSCs in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund so Transferred. Except as provided in (iii) above and notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth elsewhere in this Agreement, to the extent the Underwriter has Transferred its rights thereto to raise funds as aforesaid, the Fund's obligation to pay the Underwriter's Allocable Portion of the Distribution Fees and CDSCs payable in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be subject to dispute, offset, counterclaim or any defense whatsoever, at law or equity, including, without limitation, any of the foregoing based on the insolvency or bankruptcy of the Underwriter's right to the Distribution Fees and CDSCs in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund, which have been so transferred in connection with such Transfer). The Fund agrees that each such Transferee is a third party beneficiary of the provisions of this clause (vi) but only insofar as those provisions relate to Distribution Fees and CDSCs transferred to such Transferee.
(vii) For purposes of the Agreement, the term "Allocable Portion" of Distribution Fees and CDSCs payable in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund shall mean the portion of such Distribution Fees and CDSCs allocated to the Underwriter in accordance with the Allocation Schedule attached hereto as Schedule A.
(viii) For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Complete Termination" of the Plan in respect of the Fund means a termination of the Class B Plan involving the complete cessation of the payment of Distribution Fees in respect of all Class B shares of the Fund, and the termination of the Class B Plan and the complete cessation of the payment of distribution fees pursuant to any other distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act in respect of the Class B shares of the Fund and any successor fund or the Fund acquiring a substantial portion of the assets of the Fund and for every future class of shares which has substantially similar characteristics to the Class B shares of the Fund taking into account the manner of payment and amount of sales charge, CDSC or other similar charges borne directly or indirectly by the holders of such shares.
Sale of Fund Shares 1.1 The Underwriter agrees to sell to the Company those shares of the Designated Portfolios which the Account orders, executing such orders on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of the order for the shares of the Designated Portfolios.
1.2 The Fund agrees to make shares of the Designated Portfolios available for purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company and the Account on those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of the SEC, and the Fund shall use its best efforts to calculate such net asset value on each day which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Fund (hereinafter the "Board") may refuse to sell shares of any Designated Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Designated Portfolio if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction, or is, in the sole discretion of the Board acting in good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary in the best interests of the shareholders of such Designated Portfolio.
1.3 The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the Fund will be sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts. No shares of any Designated Portfolios will be sold to the general public. The Fund and the Underwriter will not sell Fund shares to any insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as Articles I, III and VII of this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
1.4 The Fund agrees to redeem, on the Company's request, any full or fractional shares of the Designated Portfolios held by the Company, executing such requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of the request for redemption, except that the Fund reserves the right to suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment or satisfaction upon redemption consistent with Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act and any sales thereunder, and in accordance with the procedures and policies of the Fund as described in the then current prospectus.
Preferred Shares The Preferred Shares have been duly and validly authorized, and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, such Preferred Shares will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable, will not be issued in violation of any preemptive rights, and will rank pari passu with or senior to all other series or classes of Preferred Stock, whether or not issued or outstanding, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets in the event of any dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Company.
Additional escrow securities If you acquire additional escrow securities, those securities will be added to the securities already in escrow, to increase the number of remaining escrow securities. After that, all of the escrow securities will be released in accordance with the applicable release schedule in the tables above.
Escrowed Shares a. With respect to the Escrowed Shares, upon an event of default as set forth in the Pledge Agreement, the Escrow Agent shall send written notice to the Transfer Agent ("Escrow Notice") to transfer such number of Escrow Shares as set forth in the Escrow Notice to the Buyers. Upon receipt of an Escrow Notice, the Transfer Agent shall promptly transfer such number of Escrow Shares to the Buyers as shall be set forth in the Escrow Notice delivered to the Transfer Agent by the Escrow Agent. Further, the Transfer Agent shall promptly transfer such shares from the Buyers to any subsequent transferee promptly upon receipt of written notice from the Buyers or their counsel. If the Escrow Shares are not registered for sale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, then the certificates for the Escrow Shares shall bear the legend set forth in Section 1b.
b. In the event that counsel to the Company fails or refuses to render an opinion as may be required by the Transfer Agent to affect a transfer of the Escrow Shares (either with or without restrictive legends, as applicable), then the Company irrevocably and expressly authorizes counsel to the Buyers to render such opinion. The Transfer Agent shall accept and be entitles to rely on such opinion for the purpose of transferring the Escrow Shares.
Warrantholder not a Shareholder Except as may be specifically provided herein, nothing in this Indenture or in the holding of a Warrant Certificate, entitlement to a Warrant or otherwise, shall, in itself, confer or be construed as conferring upon a Warrantholder any right or interest whatsoever as a Shareholder, including, but not limited to, the right to vote at, to receive notice of, or to attend, meetings of Shareholders or any other proceedings of the Corporation, or the right to Dividends and other allocations.
Settlement Shares With respect to any Settlement Date other than the Final Date, the number of Shares designated as such by Counterparty in the relevant Settlement Notice or designated by Dealer pursuant to the “Termination Settlement” provisions of Paragraph 7(g) below, as applicable; provided that the Settlement Shares so designated shall (i) not exceed the Number of Shares at that time and (ii) in the case of a designation by Counterparty, be at least equal to the lesser of 100,000 and the Number of Shares at that time, in each case with the Number of Shares determined taking into account pending Settlement Shares; and
Dividends on Escrow Securities You may receive a dividend or other distribution on your escrow securities, and elect the manner of payment from the standard options offered by the Issuer. If the Escrow Agent receives a dividend or other distribution on your escrow securities, other than additional escrow securities, the Escrow Agent will pay the dividend or other distribution to you on receipt.
Parent Shares All outstanding Parent Shares, and all Parent Shares, which may be issued pursuant to this Agreement shall when issued in accordance with this Agreement be, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to preemptive rights.
