XXXXXX PREMIER INCOME TRUST, AS OF JANUARY 31, 2017, SEMI ANNUAL
REPORT
XXXXXX FUNDS
SUBMANAGEMENT CONTRACT
This SubManagement Contract is dated as of February 27,
2014 between XXXXXX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC, a Delaware
limited liability company (the Manager) and XXXXXX INVESTMENTS
LIMITED, a company organized under the laws of England and Wales
(the SubManager).
WHEREAS, the Manager is the investment manager of each of
the investment companies registered under the United States
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that are identified
on Schedule A hereto, as it may from time to time be amended by
the Manager (the Funds), and a registered investment adviser
under the United States Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended;
WHEREAS, the SubManager is licensed as an investment
manager by the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom
(the FCA); and
WHEREAS, the Manager desires to engage the SubManager from
time to time to manage a portion of certain of the Funds:
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed as follows:
1. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY SUBMANAGER.
(a) The SubManager, at its expense, will furnish
continuously an investment program for that portion of any Fund
the management of which is allocated from time to time by the
Manager to the SubManager (an Allocated Sleeve). The Manager
shall, in its sole discretion, determine which Funds will have
an Allocated Sleeve and the amount of assets allocated from time
to time to each such Allocated Sleeve; provided that, with
respect to any Fund, the Trustees of such Fund must have
approved the use of the SubManager prior to the creation of an
Allocated Sleeve for such Fund. The SubManager will determine
what investments shall be purchased, held, sold or exchanged by
any Allocated Sleeve and what portion, if any, of the assets of
the Allocated Sleeve shall be held uninvested and shall, on
behalf of the Fund, make changes in the Funds investments held
in such Allocated Sleeve.
(b) The Manager may also, at its discretion, request the
SubManager to provide assistance with purchasing and selling
securities for any Fund, including the placement of orders with
brokerdealers selected in accordance with Section 1(d), even if
the Manager has not established an Allocated Sleeve for such
Fund.
(c) The SubManager at its expense will furnish all
necessary investment and management facilities, including
salaries of personnel, required for it to execute its duties
faithfully.
(d) The SubManager shall place all orders for the purchase
and sale of portfolio investments for any Allocated Sleeve with
brokers or dealers selected by the SubManager. In the selection
of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, the
SubManager shall use its best efforts to obtain for the related
Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to
the extent it may be permitted to pay higher brokerage
commissions for brokerage and research services as described
below. In using its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the most
favorable price and execution available, the SubManager, bearing
in mind the Funds best interests at all times, shall consider
all factors it deems relevant, including by way of illustration,
price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for
the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the
transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the
reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker or
dealer involved and the quality of service rendered by the
broker or dealer in other transactions. Subject to such policies
as the Trustees of the Funds may determine, the SubManager shall
not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any
duty created by this Contract or otherwise solely by reason of
its having caused a Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides
brokerage and research services to the Manager or the SubManager
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 SubManager 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
its overall responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to
other clients of the Manager or the SubManager as to which the
Manager or the SubManager exercises investment discretion. The
SubManager agrees that in connection with purchases or sales of
portfolio investments for any Fund, neither the SubManager nor
any officer, director, employee or agent of the SubManager shall
act as a principal or receive any commission other than as
provided in Section 3.
(e) The SubManager shall not be obligated to pay any
expenses of or for the Manager or any Fund not expressly assumed
by the SubManager pursuant to this Section 1.
(f) In the performance of its duties, the SubManager will
comply with the provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of
Trust and ByLaws of each applicable Fund and such Funds stated
investment objectives, policies and restrictions, and will use
its best efforts to safeguard and promote the welfare of such
Fund and to comply with other policies which the Manager or the
Trustees may from time to time determine and shall exercise the
same care and diligence expected of the Manager.
2. OTHER AGREEMENTS, ETC.
It is understood that any of the shareholders, Trustees,
officers and employees of a Fund may be a shareholder, director,
officer or employee of, or be otherwise interested in, the
SubManager, and in any person controlled by or under common
control with the SubManager, and that the SubManager and any
person controlled by or under common control with the SubManager
may have an interest in such Fund. It is also understood that
the SubManager and any person controlled by or under common
control with the SubManager have and may have advisory,
management, service or other contracts with other organizations
and persons, and may have other interests and business.
3. COMPENSATION.
Except as provided below, the Manager will pay to the
SubManager as compensation for the SubManagers services
rendered, a fee, computed and paid quarterly at the annual rate
of 0.35% per annum of average aggregate net asset value of the
assets in equity and asset allocation Allocated Sleeves and
0.40% per annum of average aggregate net asset value of the
assets in fixed income Allocated Sleeves, except for fixed
income Allocated Sleeves in certain fixed income Funds
enumerated as follows (with the per annum fee provided in
parentheses): Xxxxxx Money Market Liquidity Fund (0.20%), Xxxxxx
Government Money Market Fund (0.20%), Xxxxxx Short Term
Investment Fund (0.20%), Xxxxxx Money Market Fund (0.25%),
Xxxxxx VT Government Money Market Fund (0.25%), Xxxxxx Short
Duration Income Fund (0.25%), Xxxxxx ShortTerm Municipal Income
Fund (0.25%), Xxxxxx American Government Income Fund (0.25%),
Xxxxxx Income Fund (0.25%), Xxxxxx U.S. Government Income Trust
(0.25%), Xxxxxx VT American Government Income Fund (0.25%), and
Xxxxxx VT Income Fund (0.25%).
Such average net asset value shall be determined by taking
an average of all of the determinations of such net asset value
during a quarter at the close of business on each business day
during such quarter while this Contract is in effect. Such fee
shall be payable for each quarter within 30 days after the close
of such quarter. The SubManager shall look only to the Manager
for payment of its fees. No Fund shall have any responsibility
for paying any fees due the SubManager.
With respect to each of Xxxxxx High Income Securities Fund,
Xxxxxx Master Intermediate Income Trust and Xxxxxx Premier
Income Trust, the Manager will pay to the SubManager as
compensation for the SubManagers services rendered, a fee,
computed and paid quarterly at the annual rate of 0.40% of
Average Weekly Assets in Allocated Sleeves. Average Weekly
Assets means the average of the weekly determinations of the
difference between the total assets of the Fund (including any
assets attributable to leverage for investment purposes)
attributable to an Allocated Sleeve and the total liabilities of
the Fund (excluding liabilities incurred in connection with
leverage for investment purposes) attributable to such Allocated
Sleeve, determined at the close of the last business day of each
week, for each week which ends during the quarter. Such fee
shall be payable for each quarter within 30 days after the close
of such quarter. As used in this Section 3, leverage for
investment purposes means any incurrence of indebtedness the
proceeds of which are to be invested in accordance with the
Funds investment objective. For purposes of calculating Average
Weekly Assets, liabilities associated with any instruments or
transactions used to leverage the Funds portfolio for investment
purposes (whether or not such instruments or transactions are
covered within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940
and the rules and regulations thereunder, giving effect to any
interpretations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and
its staff) are not considered liabilities. For purposes of
calculating Average Weekly Assets, the total assets of the Fund
will be deemed to include (a) any proceeds from the sale or
transfer of an asset (the Underlying Asset) of the Fund to a
counterparty in a reverse repurchase or dollar roll transaction
and (b) the value of such Underlying Asset as of the relevant
measuring date.
In the event that the Managers management fee from any of
Xxxxxx High Income Securities Fund, Xxxxxx Master Intermediate
Income Trust or Xxxxxx Premier Income Trust is reduced pursuant
to the investment management contract between such Fund and the
Manager because during any Measurement Period (as defined below)
the amount of interest payments and fees with respect to
indebtedness or other obligation of the Fund incurred for
investment leverage purposes, plus additional expenses
attributable to any such leverage for investment purposes,
exceeds the portion of the Funds net income and net shortterm
capital gains (but not longterm capital gains) accruing during
such Measurement Period as a result of the fact that such
indebtedness or other obligation was outstanding during the
Measurement Period, the fee payable to the SubManager with
respect to such Fund shall be reduced in the same proportion as
the fee paid to the Manager with respect to such Fund is so
reduced. Measurement Period shall be any period for which
payments of interest or fees (whether designated as such or
implied) are payable in connection with any indebtedness or
other obligation of the Fund incurred for investment purposes.
If the SubManager shall serve for less than the whole of a
quarter, the foregoing compensation shall be prorated.
4. ASSIGNMENT TERMINATES THIS CONTRACT; AMENDMENTS OF THIS
CONTRACT.
This Contract shall automatically terminate without the
payment of any penalty, in the event of its assignment; and this
Contract shall not be amended with respect to any Allocated
Sleeve unless such amendment be approved at a meeting by the
vote, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval, of a majority of the Trustees of the
related Fund who are not interested persons of such Fund or of
the Manager.
5. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION OF THIS CONTRACT.
This Contract shall become effective upon its execution,
and shall remain in full force and effect continuously
thereafter (unless terminated automatically as set forth in
Section 4) until terminated as follows:
(a) Either party hereto or, with respect to any Allocated
Sleeve, the related Fund may at any time terminate this Contract
by not more than sixty days nor less than thirty days written
notice delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid,
to the other party, or
(b) With respect to any Allocated Sleeve, if (i) the
Trustees of the related Fund or the shareholders by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of such
Fund, and (ii) a majority of the Trustees of such Fund who are
not interested persons of such Fund or of the Manager, by vote
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such approval, do not specifically approve at least annually the
continuance of this Contract, then this Contract shall
automatically terminate at the close of business on the
anniversary of its execution, or upon the expiration of one year
from the effective date of the last such continuance, whichever
is later, or
(c) With respect to any Allocated Sleeve, automatically
upon termination of the Managers investment management contract
with the related Fund.
Action by a Fund under (a) above may be taken either (i) by
vote of a majority of its Trustees, or (ii) by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of such Fund.
Termination of this Contract pursuant to this Section 5
will be without the payment of any penalty.
6. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Contract, the affirmative vote of
a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund means the
affirmative vote, at a duly called and held meeting of
shareholders of such Fund, (a) of the holders of 67% or more of
the shares of such Fund present (in person or by proxy) and
entitled to vote at such meeting, if the holders of more than
50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund entitled to vote at
such meeting are present in person or by proxy, or (b) of the
holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund
entitled to vote at such meeting, whichever is less.
For the purposes of this Contract, the terms affiliated
person, control, interested person and assignment shall have
their respective meanings defined in the United States
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules and Regulations
thereunder (the 1940 Act), subject, however, to such exemptions
as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission
under said Act; the term specifically approve at least annually
shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act, and
the Rules and Regulations thereunder; and the term brokerage and
research services shall have the meaning given in the United
States Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Rules and
Regulations thereunder.
7. NONLIABILITY OF SUBMANAGER.
In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross
negligence on the part of the SubManager, or reckless disregard
of its obligations and duties hereunder, the SubManager shall
not be subject to any liability to the Manager, any Fund or to
any shareholder of any Fund, for any act or omission in the
course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder.
8. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS.
(a) The SubManager represents that it is regulated by the
FCA in the conduct of its investment business. The SubManager
has in operation a written procedure in accordance with FCA
rules for the effective consideration and proper handling of
complaints from customers. Any complaint by the Manager or any
Fund should be sent to the Compliance Officer of the SubManager.
The Manager and any Fund is also entitled to make any complaints
about the SubManager to the Financial Ombudsman Service
established by the FCA. The Manager and any Fund may also
request a statement describing its rights to compensation in the
event of the SubManagers inability to meet its liabilities.
(b) The Manager represents that it and each Fund are
Professional Customers in the meaning of the FCAs rules.
(c) Although each Fund is not a party hereto and shall
have no responsibility for the Managers or the SubManagers
obligations hereunder, each Fund is named as explicit third
party beneficiary of the parties agreements hereunder.
9. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, XXXXXX INVESTMENTS LIMITED AND XXXXXX
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC HAVE EACH CAUSED THIS INSTRUMENT
TO BE SIGNED IN DUPLICATE ON ITS BEHALF BY AN OFFICER DULY
AUTHORIZED, ALL AS OF THE DAY AND YEAR FIRST ABOVE WRITTEN.
XXXXXX INVESTMENTS LIMITED
By:
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
XXXXXX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
By:
/s/ Xxxxx. X. Xxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Director of Trustee Relations and
Authorized Person
Schedule A
Effective as of October 27, 2016 unless otherwise noted
Xxxxxx Absolute Return 100 Fund
Xxxxxx Absolute Return 300 Fund
Xxxxxx Absolute Return 500 Fund
Xxxxxx Absolute Return 700 Fund
Xxxxxx American Government Income Fund
Xxxxxx AMTFree Municipal Fund
Xxxxxx Arizona Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Asia Pacific Equity Fund
Xxxxxx California Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Capital Spectrum Fund
Xxxxxx Capital Opportunities Fund
Xxxxxx Convertible Securities Fund
Xxxxxx Diversified Income Trust
Xxxxxx Dynamic Asset Allocation Balanced Fund
Xxxxxx Dynamic Asset Allocation Conservative Fund
Xxxxxx Dynamic Asset Allocation Equity Fund
Xxxxxx Dynamic Asset Allocation Growth Fund
Xxxxxx Dynamic Risk Allocation Fund
Xxxxxx Equity Income Fund
Xxxxxx Emerging Markets Equity Fund
Xxxxxx Emerging Markets Income Fund
Xxxxxx Europe Equity Fund
Xxxxxx Equity Spectrum Fund
Xxxxxx Floating Rate Income Fund
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Balanced Fund
Xxxxxx Global Consumer Fund
Xxxxxx Global Dividend Fund
Xxxxxx Global Energy Fund
Xxxxxx Global Equity Fund
Xxxxxx Global Financials Fund
Xxxxxx Global Health Care Fund
Xxxxxx Global Income Trust
Xxxxxx Global Industrials Fund
Xxxxxx Global Natural Resources Fund
Xxxxxx Global Sector Fund
Xxxxxx Global Technology Fund
Xxxxxx Global Telecommunications Fund
Xxxxxx Global Utilities Fund
Xxxxxx Government Money Market Fund (effective October 16, 2015)
The Xxxxxx Fund for Growth and Income
Xxxxxx Growth Opportunities Fund
Xxxxxx High Income Securities Fund
Xxxxxx High Yield Advantage Fund
Xxxxxx High Yield Trust
Xxxxxx Income Fund
Xxxxxx IntermediateTerm Municipal Income Fund
Xxxxxx International Capital Opportunities Fund
Xxxxxx International Equity Fund
Xxxxxx International Value Fund
Xxxxxx International Growth Fund
Xxxxxx Investors Fund
Xxxxxx Low Volatility Equity Fund
Xxxxxx Managed Municipal Income Trust
Xxxxxx Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Master Intermediate Income Trust
Xxxxxx Michigan Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Money Market Fund
Xxxxxx Mortgage Opportunities Fund
Xxxxxx Mortgage Recovery Fund
Xxxxxx MultiCap Core Fund
Xxxxxx MultiCap Growth Fund
Xxxxxx MultiCap Value Fund
Xxxxxx Municipal Opportunities Trust
Xxxxxx New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx New York Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx Premier Income Trust
Xxxxxx Research Fund
Xxxxxx Retirement Income Fund Lifestyle 1
Xxxxxx Retirement Income Fund Lifestyle 2
Xxxxxx Retirement Income Fund Lifestyle 3
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2060 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2055 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2050 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2045 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2040 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2035 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2030 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2025 Fund
Xxxxxx RetirementReady 2020 Fund
Xxxxxx Short Duration Income Fund (effective March 7, 2014)
Xxxxxx Short Term Investment Fund
Xxxxxx ShortTerm Municipal Income Fund
Xxxxxx Small Cap Growth Fund
Xxxxxx Small Cap Value Fund
Xxxxxx Strategic Volatility Equity Fund
Xxxxxx Tax Exempt Income Fund
Xxxxxx TaxFree High Yield Fund
Xxxxxx U.S. Government Income Trust
Xxxxxx Voyager Fund
Xxxxxx VT Absolute Return 500 Fund
Xxxxxx VT American Government Income Fund
Xxxxxx VT Capital Opportunities Fund
Xxxxxx VT Diversified Income Fund
Xxxxxx VT Equity Income Fund
Xxxxxx VT Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Balanced Fund
Xxxxxx VT Global Asset Allocation Fund
Xxxxxx VT Global Equity Fund
Xxxxxx VT Global Health Care Fund
Xxxxxx VT Global Utilities Fund
Xxxxxx VT Government Money Market Fund
Xxxxxx VT Growth and Income Fund
Xxxxxx VT Growth Opportunities Fund
Xxxxxx VT High Yield Fund
Xxxxxx VT Income Fund
Xxxxxx VT International Equity Fund
Xxxxxx VT International Value Fund
Xxxxxx VT International Growth Fund
Xxxxxx VT Investors Fund
Xxxxxx VT MultiCap Growth Fund
Xxxxxx VT MultiCap Value Fund
Xxxxxx VT Research Fund
Xxxxxx VT Small Cap Value Fund
Xxxxxx VT Voyager Fund
XXXXXX INVESTMENTS LIMITED
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxx
XXXXXX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
By: /s/ Xxxxx X Xxxxxx
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Director of Trustee Relations and
Authorized Person
