MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
Management Contract executed as of March 27, 2002 between Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Series Trust, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"), on behalf
of its AXA Xxxxxxxxx U.S. Market Neutral Fund (the "Fund"), and AXA Xxxxxxxxx
Investment Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Manager").
W I T N E S S E T H:
That in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is
agreed as follows:
1. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE MANAGER TO THE TRUST.
(a) Subject always to the control of the Trustees of the Trust and to
such policies as the Trustees may determine, the Manager will, at its expense,
(i) furnish continuously an investment program for the Fund and make investment
decisions on behalf of the Fund and place all orders for the purchase and sale
of its portfolio securities, (ii) furnish office space and equipment, provide
bookkeeping and clerical services (excluding determination of net asset value,
shareholder accounting services and fund accounting services for the Fund being
supplied by BISYS Fund Services Ohio, Inc. or its successors and permitted
assigns), and (iii) pay all salaries, fees and expenses of officers and Trustees
of the Trust who are affiliated with the Manager. In the performance of its
duties, the Manager will comply with the provisions of the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and By-laws of the Trust, each as amended from time to
time, and the Fund's stated investment objective, policies and restrictions.
(b) In placing orders for the portfolio transactions of the Fund, the
Manager will seek the best 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 Manager shall
consider all factors it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the
overall net economic result to the Fund (involving price paid or received and
any commissions and other costs paid), the efficiency with which the transaction
is effected, the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is
involved, the availability of the broker to stand ready to execute possibly
difficult transactions in the future, and the financial strength and stability
of the broker. 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 Contract 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, provided that 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 Trust and to other
clients of the Manager as to which the Manager exercises investment discretion.
(c) Other than as provided in Section 3, the Manager shall not be
obligated under this Contract to pay any expenses of or for the Trust or the
Fund not expressly assumed by the Manager pursuant to this Section 1.
2. OTHER AGREEMENTS, ETC.
It is understood that any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers and
employees of the Trust may be a partner, shareholder, director, officer or
employee of, or be otherwise interested in, the Manager or any person
controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager, and that
the Manager and any person controlling, controlled by or under common control
with the Manager may have an interest in the Trust. It is also understood that
the Manager and persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with
the Manager have and may have advisory, management service, distribution or
other contracts with other organizations and persons, and may have other
interests and businesses.
3. COMPENSATION TO BE PAID BY THE TRUST TO THE MANAGER.
The Fund will pay to the Manager as compensation for the Manager's
services rendered, for the facilities furnished and for the expenses borne by
the Manager pursuant to Section 1, a fee, computed and paid quarterly at the
annual rate of 1.25% of the Fund's average daily net asset value. Such average
daily net asset value of the Fund shall be determined by taking an average of
all of the determinations of such net asset value during such 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 five (5)
business days after the end of such quarter.
In the event that expenses of the Fund (including investment advisory
fees but excluding taxes, portfolio brokerage commissions and any distribution
expenses paid by the Fund pursuant to a distribution plan or otherwise) for any
fiscal year should exceed the expense limitation on investment company expenses
imposed by any statute or regulatory authority of any jurisdiction in which
shares of the Fund are qualified for offer and sale, the compensation due the
Manager for such fiscal year shall be reduced by the amount of such excess by
reduction or refund thereof. In the event that the expenses of the Fund exceed
any expense limitation that the Manager may, by written notice to the Trust,
declare to be effective with respect to the Fund, subject to such terms and
conditions as the Manager may prescribe in such notice, the compensation due the
Manager shall be reduced, and, if necessary, the Manager shall bear the Fund's
expenses to the extent required by such expense limitation.
If the Manager shall serve for less than the whole of a month, the
foregoing compensation shall be prorated.
4. ASSIGNMENT TERMINATES THIS CONTRACT; AMENDMENTS OF THIS CONTRACT.
2
This Contract shall automatically terminate, without the payment of any
penalty, in the event of its assignment; and this Contract shall not be amended
unless such amendment is approved in such manner as may be required by the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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 may at any time terminate this
Contract by not more than sixty days' written notice delivered or
mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the other party, or
(b) If (i) the Trustees of the Trust by majority vote or the
shareholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding
shares of the Fund, and (ii) a majority of the Trustees of the Trust
who are not interested persons of the Trust or 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 first anniversary of its execution, or
upon the expiration of one year from the effective date of the last
such continuance, whichever is later; provided, however, that if the
continuance of this Contract is submitted to the shareholders of the
Fund for their approval and such shareholders fail to approve such
continuance of this Contract as provided herein, the Manager may
continue to serve hereunder in a manner consistent with the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Action by the Trust under paragraph (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 the Fund.
Termination of this Contract pursuant to this Section 5 shall 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 the Fund means the affirmative vote, at a duly
called and held meeting of shareholders, (a) of the holders of 67% or more of
the shares of the 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 the
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 the Fund entitled
to vote at such meeting.
3
For the purposes of this Contract, the terms "control", "interested
person" and "assignment" shall have their respective meanings defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder,
subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission under said Act; and the phrase "specifically approve at
least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder.
7. NONLIABILITY OF MANAGER.
In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on
the part of the Manager, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties
hereunder, the Manager shall not be subject to any liability to the Trust, or to
any shareholder of the Trust, for any act or omission in the course of, or in
connection with, rendering services hereunder.
8. THE NAMES "XXXXXXXXX" AND "XXXX XXXXXXXXX".
The Manager owns the right to use the names "Xxxxxxxxx" and "Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx" in connection with investment-related services or products, and such
names may be used by the Trust only with the consent of the Manager. The Manager
consents to the use by the Trust of the name "Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Series Trust" or
any other name embodying the name "Xxxxxxxxx" or "Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx", in such forms
as the Manager shall in writing approve, but only on the condition that and so
long as (i) this Contract shall remain in full force, and (ii) the Trust shall
fully perform, fulfill and comply with all provisions of this Contract expressed
herein to be performed, fulfilled or complied with by it. No such name shall be
used by the Trust at any time or in any place or for any purposes or under any
conditions except as in this section provided. The foregoing authorization by
the Manager to the Trust to use the names "Xxxxxxxxx" and/or "Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx" as
part of a business or name is not exclusive of the right of the Manager itself
to use, or to authorize others to use, said name; the Trust acknowledges and
agrees that as between the Manager and the Trust, the Manager has the exclusive
right to use, or to authorize others to use, said names; and the Trust agrees,
on behalf of the Fund, to take such action as may reasonably be requested by the
Manager to give full effect to the provisions of this section (including,
without limitation, consenting to such use of said names). Without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the Trust agrees that, upon any termination of this
Contract by either party or upon the violation of any of its provisions by the
Trust, the Trust will, at the request of the Manager made within six months
after the Manager has knowledge of such termination or violation, use its best
efforts to change the name of the Trust so as to eliminate all reference, if
any, to the names "Xxxxxxxxx" and "Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx" and will not thereafter
transact any business in a name containing the name "Xxxxxxxxx" or "Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx" in any form or combination whatsoever, or designate itself as the
same entity as or successor to an entity of such name, or otherwise use the name
"Xxxxxxxxx" or "Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx" or any other reference to the Manager. Such
covenants on the part of the Trust shall be binding upon it, its trustees,
officers, stockholders, creditors and all other persons claiming under or
through it.
9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS.
4
A copy of the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended,
is on file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice
is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of
the Trust as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this
instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or shareholders individually
but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
5
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Xxxx Xxxxxxxxx Series Trust, on behalf of its AXA
Xxxxxxxxx U.S Market Neutral Fund, and AXA Xxxxxxxxx Investment Management LLC
have each caused this instrument to be signed in duplicate on its behalf by its
duly authorized representative, all as of the day and year first above written.
XXXX XXXXXXXXX SERIES TRUST, on behalf of its
AXA Xxxxxxxxx U.S. Market Neutral Fund
By: XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXXX
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: President
AXA XXXXXXXXX INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC
By: XXXXXXX XXXX
-------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Title: A duly authorized signatory
6
