INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made the 11th day of December, 1996, by and between KEYSTONE FUND
OF THE AMERICAS, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Fund"), and KEYSTONE
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Adviser wish to enter into an Agreement setting
forth the terms on which the Adviser will perform certain services for the Fund.
THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual agreements
hereinafter contained, the Fund and the Adviser agree as follows:
1. The Fund hereby employs the Adviser to manage and administer the
operation of the Fund, to supervise the provision of services to the Fund by
others, and to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund
in conformity with the Fund's investment objectives and restrictions as may be
set forth from time to time in the Fund's then current prospectus and statement
of additional information, if any, and other governing documents, all subject to
the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, for the period and on the
terms set forth in this Agreement. The Adviser hereby accepts such employment
and agrees during such period, at its own expense, to render the services and to
assume the obligations set forth herein, for the compensation provided herein.
The Adviser shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent
contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no
authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an
agent of the Fund.
2. The Adviser shall place all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio
securities for the account of the Fund with broker-dealers selected by the
Adviser. In executing portfolio transactions and selecting broker-dealers, the
Adviser will use its best efforts to seek best execution on behalf of the Fund.
In assessing the best execution available for any transaction, the Adviser shall
consider all factors it deems relevant, including the breadth of the market in
the security, the price of the security, the financial condition and execution
capability of the broker-dealer, and the reasonableness of the commission, if
any (all for the specific transaction and on a continuing basis). In evaluating
the best execution available, and in selecting the broker-dealer to execute a
particular transaction, the Adviser may also consider the brokerage and research
services (as those terms are used in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the "1934 Act") provided to the Fund and/or other accounts over
which the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser exercises investment
discretion. The Adviser is authorized to pay a broker-dealer who provides such
brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio
transaction for the Fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another
broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if, but only if,
the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission was reasonable in
relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such
broker-dealer viewed in terms of that particular transaction or in terms of all
of the accounts over which investment discretion is so exercised.
3. The Adviser, at its own expense, shall furnish to the Fund office space
in the offices of the Adviser or in such other place as may be agreed upon by
the parties from time to time, all necessary office facilities, equipment and
personnel in connection with its services hereunder, and shall arrange, if
desired by the Fund, for members of the Adviser's organization to serve without
salaries from the Fund as officers or, as may be agreed from time to time, as
agents of the Fund. The Adviser assumes and shall pay or reimburse the Fund for:
(1) the compensation (if any) of the Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated
with the Adviser or with its affiliates, or with any adviser retained by the
Adviser, and of all officers of the Fund as such, and (2) all expenses of the
Adviser incurred in connection with its services hereunder. The Fund assumes and
shall pay all other expenses of the Fund, including, without limitation: (1) all
charges and expenses of any custodian or depository appointed by the Fund for
the safekeeping of its cash, securities and other property; (2) all charges and
expenses for bookkeeping and auditors; (3) all charges and expenses of any
transfer agents and registrars appointed by the Fund; (4) all fees of all
Trustees of the Fund who are not affiliated with the Adviser or any of its
affiliates, or with any adviser retained by the Adviser; (5) all brokers' fees,
expenses and commissions and issue and transfer taxes chargeable to the Fund in
connection with transactions involving securities and other property to which
the Fund is a party; (6) all costs and expenses of distribution of its shares
incurred pursuant to a Plan of Distribution adopted under Rule 12b-1 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"); (7) all taxes and trust fees
payable by the Fund to Federal, state or other governmental agencies; (8) all
costs of certificates representing shares of the Fund; (9) all fees and expenses
involved in registering and maintaining registrations of the Fund and of its
shares with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and
registering or qualifying its shares under state or other securities laws,
including, without limitation, the preparation and printing of registration
statements, prospectuses and statements of additional information for filing
with the Commission and other authorities; (10) expenses of preparing, printing
and mailing prospectuses and statements of additional information to
shareholders of the Fund; (11) all expenses of shareholders' and Trustees'
meetings and of preparing, printing and mailing notices, reports and proxy
materials to shareholders of the Fund; (12) all charges and expenses of legal
counsel for the Fund and for Trustees of the Fund in connection with legal
matters relating to the Fund, including, without limitation, legal services
rendered in connection with the Fund's existence, trust and financial structure
and relations with its shareholders, registrations and qualifications of
securities under Federal, state and other laws, issues of securities, expenses
which the Fund has herein assumed, whether customary or not, and extraordinary
matters, including, without limitation, any litigation involving the Fund, its
Trustees, officers, employees or agents; (13) all charges and expenses of filing
annual and other reports with the Commission and other authorities; and (14) all
extraordinary expenses and charges of the Fund. In the event that the Adviser
provides any of these services or pays any of these expenses, the Fund will
promptly reimburse the Adviser therefor.
The services of the Adviser to the Fund hereunder are not to be deemed
exclusive, and the Adviser shall be free to render similar services to others.
4. As compensation for the Adviser's services to the Fund during the period
of this Agreement, the Fund will pay to the Adviser a fee at the annual rate of:
AGGREGATE NET ASSET VALUE
MANAGEMENT FEE OF THE SHARES OF THE FUND
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0.75% of the first $200,000,000, plus
0.65% of the next $200,000,000, plus
0.55% of the next $200,000,000, plus
0.45% of amounts over $600,000,000
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computed as of the close of business on each business day.
A pro rata portion of the Fund's fee shall be payable in arrears at the end
of each day or calendar month as the Adviser may from time to time specify to
the Fund. If and when this Agreement terminates, any compensation payable
hereunder for the period ending with the date of such termination shall be
payable upon such termination. Amounts payable hereunder shall be promptly paid
when due.
5. The Adviser may enter into an agreement to retain, at its own expense, a
firm or firms ("SubAdviser") to provide the Fund all of the services to be
provided by the Adviser hereunder, if such agreement is approved as required by
law. Such agreement may delegate to such SubAdviser all of Adviser's rights,
obligations and duties hereunder.
6. The Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of
law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of
this Agreement, except a loss resulting from the Adviser's willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations
and duties under this Agreement. Any person, even though also an officer,
Director, partner, employee, or agent of the Adviser, who may be or become an
officer, Trustee, employee or agent of the Fund, shall be deemed, when rendering
services to the Fund or acting on any business of the Fund (other than services
or business in connection with the Adviser's duties hereunder), to be rendering
such services to or acting solely for the Fund and not as an officer, Director,
partner, employee, or agent or one under the control or direction of the Adviser
even though paid by it. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold the Adviser
harmless from all taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims and liabilities
(including, without limitation, liabilities arising under the Securities Act of
1933, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, and any state and foreign securities and blue
sky laws, as amended from time to time) and expenses, including (without
limitation) attorneys' fees and disbursements, arising directly or indirectly
from any action or thing which the Adviser takes or does or omits to take or do
hereunder provided that the Adviser shall not be indemnified against any
liability to the Fund or to its shareholders (or any expenses incident to such
liability) arising out of a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt
of compensation for services, willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from
reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
7. The Fund shall cause its books and accounts to be audited at least once
each year by a reputable independent public accountant or organization of public
accountants who shall render a report to the Fund.
8. Subject to and in accordance with the Declaration of Trust of the Fund,
the Articles of Incorporation of the Adviser and the governing documents of any
SubAdviser, it is understood that Trustees, Directors, officers, agents and
shareholders of the Fund or any Adviser are or may be interested in the Adviser
(or any successor thereof) as Directors and officers of the Adviser or its
affiliates, as stockholders of Keystone Investments, Inc. or otherwise; that
Directors, officers and agents of the Adviser and its affiliates or stockholders
of Keystone Investments, Inc. are or may be interested in the Fund or any
Adviser as Trustees, Directors, officers, shareholders or otherwise; that the
Adviser (or any such successor) is or may be interested in the Fund or any
SubAdviser as shareholder, or otherwise; and that the effect of any such adverse
interests shall be governed by said Declaration of Trust of the Fund, Articles
of Incorporation of the Adviser and governing documents of any SubAdviser.
9. This Agreement shall continue in effect after December 10, 1998, only so
long as (1) such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the
Board of Trustees of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund, and (2) such renewal has been approved by the
vote of a majority of Trustees of the Fund who are not interested persons, as
that term is defined in the 1940 Act, of the Adviser or of the Fund, cast in
person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.
10. On sixty days' written notice to the Adviser, this Agreement may be
terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty by the Board of
Trustees of the Fund or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund; and on sixty days' written notice to the Fund,
this Agreement may be terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty
by the Adviser. This Agreement shall automatically terminate upon its assignment
(as that term is defined in the 1940 Act). Any notice under this Agreement shall
be given in writing, addressed and delivered, or mailed postage prepaid, to the
other party at the main office of such party.
11. This Agreement may be amended at any time by an instrument in writing
executed by both parties hereto or their respective successors, provided that
with regard to amendments of substance such execution by the Fund shall have
been first approved by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund and by the vote of a majority of Trustees of the
Fund who are not interested persons (as that term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of
the Adviser, any predecessor of the Adviser, or of the Fund, cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. A "majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund" shall have, for all purposes of this
Agreement, the meaning provided therefor in the 1940 Act.
12. Any compensation payable to the Adviser hereunder for any period other
than a full year shall be proportionately adjusted.
13. The provisions of this Agreement shall be governed, construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement on
the day and year first above written.
KEYSTONE FUND OF THE AMERICAS
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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Name: XXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
Title: Chairman of the Board
KEYSTONE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Van Antwerp
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Name: XXXXXXXX X. VAN ANTWERP
Title: Senior Vice President
