John Hancock Investment Management Services, LLC 601 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Investment Management Services, LLC 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000 |
January 8, 2010
To the Trustees of:
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds III
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds III
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Re: | Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement and Voluntary Expense Limitation Notice |
With reference to the Advisory Agreement dated July 1, 2009, as amended, entered into by and
between Xxxx Xxxxxxx Investment Management Services, LLC (the “Adviser”) and Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds III
(the “Trust”), on behalf of each series of the Trust (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the
“Funds”), we hereby notify you as follows:
1. The Adviser agrees to contractually waive its management fee for each Fund and, to the extent
necessary, bear other expenses, as set forth in Appendices A and B hereto.
2. The Adviser has voluntarily agreed to waive its management fee as set forth in Appendices C, D
and E.
3. We understand and intend that you will rely on this undertaking in overseeing the preparation
and filing of Post-effective Amendments to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A for the Trust
and the Funds with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in accruing each Fund’s expenses for
purposes of calculating its net and gross asset value per share, and for other purposes permitted
under Form N-1A and/or the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and we expressly permit you
so to rely.
Very truly yours,
XXXX XXXXXXX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | |||
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx | ||||
Chief Financial Officer | ||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | |||
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx | ||||
Senior Vice President |
APPENDIX A
Total Fund Operating Expense Limitations
For purposes of this Appendix:
“Expenses” means all the expenses of a class of shares of a Fund (including those expenses of the
Fund attributable to such class) but excluding: (i) taxes; (ii) portfolio brokerage commissions;
(iii) interest; (iv) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not
incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business; (v) acquired fees; (vi) short dividend
expense and (vii) fees under any agreements or plans of the Fund dealing with services for
shareholders and others with beneficial interests in shares of the Trust.
“Expense Limit” means the percentage of average annual net assets (on an annualized basis)
attributable to a class of shares of the Funds set forth below.
The Adviser agrees to make payment to a specific class of shares of the Fund (up to the amount of
the expenses relating solely to such class of shares), in an amount equal to the amount by which
the Expenses of such class of shares exceed the Expense Limit for such class set forth in the table
below.
The Expense Limit for the classes of shares of the Funds indicated below for the purposes of this
Appendix shall be as follows:
Fund/Class | A | B | C | R1 | R3 | R4 | R5 | I | I2 | T | ADV | 1 | NAV | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
U.S. Core** |
1.35 | % | 2.05 | % | 2.05 | % | 1.75 | % | 1.65 | % | 1.35 | % | 1.05 | % | 0.87 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Int’l Core** |
1.60 | % | 2.30 | % | 2.30 | % | 2.00 | % | 1.90 | % | 1.60 | % | 1.30 | % | 1.12 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.10 | % | 1.05 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Int’l Growth** |
1.70 | % | 2.40 | % | 2.40 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.22 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.20 | % | 1.15 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Value Opp’s** |
1.39 | % | 2.09 | % | 2.09 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.91 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Growth Opp’s** |
1.50 | % | 2.20 | % | 2.20 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.02 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Global SH Yield** |
1.55 | % | 2.25 | % | 2.25 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.07 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.00 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CV Mega Cap** |
1.37 | % | 2.12 | % | 2.12 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.94 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leveraged Comp* |
1.35 | % | 2.05 | % | 2.05 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.05 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Small Cap Opp’s** |
1.65 | % | 2.35 | % | 2.35 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.10 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Disciplined Value |
1.30 | %*** | 2.05 | %*** | 2.05 | %*** | 1.50 | %* | 1.40 | %* | 1.10 | %* | 0.80 | %* | 0.90 | %*** | 0.85 | %*** | N/A | 1.00 | %*** | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rainier Growth* |
1.35 | % | 2.10 | % | 2.10 | % | 1.80 | % | 1.65 | % | 1.35 | % | 1.05 | % | 0.92 | % | N/A | 1.98 | % | 1.14 | % | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Core High Yield* |
1.25 | % | 1.95 | % | 1.95 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0.85 | % | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Small Company |
1.34 | %**** | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1.11 | %***** | N/A | N/A | 1.34 | %***** | N/A | N/A |
A-1
* | This expense reimbursement shall continue in effect until July 31, 2010 and thereafter until terminated by the Adviser. | |
** | This expense reimbursement shall continue in effect until June 30, 2010 and thereafter until terminated by the Adviser. | |
*** | This expense reimbursement shall continue in effect until June 30, 2011 and thereafter until terminated by the Adviser. | |
**** | This expense reimbursement shall continue in effect until December 11, 2010 and thereafter until terminated by the Adviser. | |
***** | This expense reimbursement shall continue in effect until December 11, 2011 and thereafter until terminated by the Adviser. |
A-2
APPENDIX B
Total Operating Expense Limitations
For purposes of this Appendix:
“Expenses” means all the expenses of a class of shares of a Fund (including those expenses of the
Fund attributable to such class) but excluding: (i) taxes; (ii) portfolio brokerage commissions;
(iii) interest; (iv) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary expenses not
incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business; (v) acquired fees and (vi) fees under any
agreements or plans of the Fund dealing with services for shareholders and others with beneficial
interests in shares of the Trust.
“Expense Limit” means the percentage of average annual net assets (on an annualized basis)
attributable to a class of shares of the Funds set forth below.
The Adviser agrees to make payment to a specific class of shares of the Fund (up to the amount of
the expenses relating solely to such class of shares), in an amount equal to the amount by which
the Expenses of such class of shares exceed the Expense Limit for such class set forth in the table
below.
The Expense Limit for each class of the Fund for the purposes of this Appendix shall be as follows:
Fund/Class | A | B | C | I | ||||||||||||
International Allocation |
0.68 | % | 1.38 | % | 1.38 | % | 0.20 | % |
This Expense Limit shall continue in effect until June 30, 2010 and thereafter until terminated by
the Adviser.
B-1
APPENDIX C
Advisor Fee Voluntary Waiver
Fund Level
Xxxx Xxxxxxx Investment Management Services (the “Adviser”), as the investment adviser for the Xxxx
Xxxxxxx International Allocation Portfolio (the “Fund”), receives a fee of 0.05% on assets invested
in funds of Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds II and Xxxx Xxxxxxx Funds III and 0.50% on all other investments.
The Fund invests in other mutual funds, of which some or all of the investments are mutual funds
managed by the Adviser who receives an advisory fee for such services. The voluntary adviser fee
waiver shall apply as follows:
The Adviser has voluntarily agreed to waive its advisory fees for the Fund so that the amount
retained by the Adviser after payment of subadvisory fees, including Adviser fees collected on the
underlying investments after payment of subadvisory fees, does not exceed 0.50% of the Fund’s
average annual net assets.
This advisory fee waiver is voluntary and can be terminated at any time by the Adviser on notice to
the Trust.
C-1
APPENDIX D
Fund Level Voluntary Limit on Total Operating Expenses
For purposes of this Appendix:
“Expenses” means all the expenses of a Fund excluding: (i) taxes; (ii) portfolio brokerage
commissions; (iii) interest; (iv) litigation and indemnification expenses and other extraordinary
expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business; (v) underlying fund expenses;
(vi) Rule 12b-1 fees; (vii) transfer agency fees; (viii) printing, postage and blue sky
registration fees; and (viiii) fees under any agreements or plans of the Fund dealing with services
for shareholders and others with beneficial interests in shares of the Trust.
“Expense Limit” means the percentage of a Fund’s average annual net assets (on an annualized basis)
set forth below.
The Adviser agrees to waive advisory fees and, to the extent necessary, reimburse other expenses of
the Fund, in an amount equal to the amount by which the Expenses of such Fund exceed the Expense
Limit for such Fund set forth in the table below.
The Expense Limit for each of the Funds indicated below for the purposes of this Appendix shall be
as follows:
Fund | Expense Limit* | |||
Core High Yield |
0.19 | % | ||
Small Cap Opportunities |
0.14 | % | ||
Disciplined Value |
0.75 | % |
* | Fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements are voluntary and may be amended or terminated at any time by the Adviser on notice to the Trust. |
D-1
APPENDIX E
Class Specific Voluntary Limit on Total Operating Expenses
For purposes of this Appendix:
“Expenses” means all class specific expenses of a class of shares of a Fund, excluding taxes,
brokerage commissions, interest, short dividend and extraordinary expenses.
“Expense Limit” means the percentage of average annual net assets (on an annualized basis)
attributable to a class of shares of the Funds set forth below.
The Adviser agrees to make payment to a specific class of shares of the Fund (up to the amount of
the expenses relating solely to such class of shares), in an amount equal to the amount by which
the Expenses of such class of shares exceed the Expense Limit for such class set forth in the table
below.
The Expense Limit for each class of the Fund for the purposes of this Appendix shall be as follows:
Fund/Class | I2* | |||
Disciplined Value |
0.75 | % |
* | Fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements are voluntary and may be amended or terminated at any time by the Adviser on notice to the Trust. |
E-1