Exhibit 24(b)(5)
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of February, 1996, by and between
XXXXXXXXXXX DISCOVERY FUND (the "Fund"), and OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
("OFI").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end, diversified management investment
company registered as such with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the
"Investment Company Act"), and OFI is a registered investment adviser;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants
hereinafter set forth, it is agreed by and between the parties, as
follows:
1. General Provision.
The Fund hereby employs OFI and OFI hereby undertakes to act as the
investment adviser of the Fund and to perform for the Fund such other
duties and functions as are hereinafter set forth. OFI shall, in all
matters, give to the Fund and its Board of Trustees the benefit of its
best judgment, effort, advice and recommendations and shall, at all times
conform to, and use its best efforts to enable the Fund to conform to (i)
the provisions of the Investment Company Act and any rules or regulations
thereunder; (ii) any other applicable provisions of state or federal law;
(iii) the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Fund
as amended from time to time; (iv) policies and determinations of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund; (v) the fundamental policies and investment
restrictions of the Fund as reflected in its registration statement under
the Investment Company Act or as such policies may, from time to time, be
amended by the Fund's shareholders; and (vi) the Prospectus and Statement
of Additional Information of the Fund in effect from time to time. The
appropriate officers and employees of OFI shall be available upon
reasonable notice for consultation with any of the Trustees and officers
of the Fund with respect to any matters dealing with the business and
affairs of the Fund including the valuation of any of the Fund's portfolio
securities which are either not registered for public sale or not being
traded on any securities market.
2. Investment Management.
(a) OFI shall, subject to the direction and control by the Fund's
Board of Trustees, (i) regularly provide investment advice and
recommendations to the Fund with respect to its investments, investment
policies and the purchase and sale of securities; (ii) supervise
continuously the investment program of the Fund and the composition of its
portfolio and determine what securities shall be purchased or sold by the
Fund; and (iii) arrange, subject to the provisions of paragraph "7"
hereof, for the purchase of securities and other investments for the Fund
and the sale of securities and other investments held in the portfolio of
the Fund.
(b) Provided that the Fund shall not be required to pay any
compensation other than as provided by the terms of this Agreement and
subject to the provisions of paragraph "7" hereof, OFI may obtain
investment information, research or assistance from any other person, firm
or corporation to supplement, update or otherwise improve its investment
management services.
(c) Provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to protect OFI from
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of
its duties, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the
Agreement, OFI shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of
good faith errors or omissions in connection with any matters to which
this Agreement relates.
(d) Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent OFI or any officer
thereof from acting as investment adviser for any other person, firm or
corporation and shall not in any way limit or restrict OFI or any of its
directors, officers or employees from buying, selling or trading any
securities for its own account or for the account of others for whom it
or they may be acting, provided that such activities will not adversely
affect or otherwise impair the performance by OFI of its duties and
obligations under this Agreement and under the Investment Advisers Act of
1940.
3. Other Duties of OFI.
OFI shall, at its own expense, provide and supervise the activities
of all administrative and clerical personnel as shall be required to
provide effective corporate administration for the Fund, including the
compilation and maintenance of such records with respect to its operations
as may reasonably be required; the preparation and filing of such reports
with respect thereto as shall be required by the Commission; composition
of periodic reports with respect to its operations for the shareholders
of the Fund; composition of proxy materials for meetings of the Fund's
shareholders and the composition of such registration statements as may
be required by federal securities laws for continuous public sale of
shares of the Fund. OFI shall, at its own cost and expense, also provide
the Fund with adequate office space, facilities and equipment.
4. Allocation of Expenses.
All other costs and expenses not expressly assumed by OFI under this
Agreement, or to be paid by the General Distributor of the shares of the
Fund, shall be paid by the Fund, including, but not limited to (i)
interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions; (iii) premiums for
fidelity and other insurance coverage requisite to its operations; (iv)
the fees and expenses of its Trustees; (v) legal and audit expenses; (vi)
custodian and transfer agent fees and expenses; (vii) expenses incident
to the redemption of its shares; (viii) expenses incident to the issuance
of its shares against payment therefor by or on behalf of the subscribers
thereto; (ix) fees and expenses, other than as hereinabove provided,
incident to the registration under federal securities laws of shares of
the Fund for public sale; (x) expenses of printing and mailing reports,
notices and proxy materials to shareholders of the Fund; (xi) except as
noted above, all other expenses incidental to holding meetings of the
Fund's shareholders; and (xii) such extraordinary non-recurring expenses
as may arise, including litigation affecting the Fund and any obligation
which the Fund may have to indemnify its officers and Trustees with
respect thereto. Any officers or employees of OFI or any entity
controlling, controlled by or under common control with OFI, who may also
serve as officers, Trustees or employees of the Fund shall not receive any
compensation from the Fund for their services.
5. Compensation of OFI.
The Fund agrees to pay OFI and OFI agrees to accept as full
compensation for the performance of all functions and duties on its part
to be performed pursuant to the provisions hereof, a fee computed on the
aggregate net assets of the Fund as of the close of each business day and
payable monthly at the following annual rates:
.75% of the first $200 million of aggregate net assets;
.72% of the next $200 million;
.69% of the next $200 million;
.66% of the next $200 million;
.60% of the next $700 million;and
.58% of aggregate net assets in excess of $1.5 billion.
6. Use of Name "Xxxxxxxxxxx."
OFI hereby grants to the Fund a royalty-free, non-exclusive license
to use the name "Xxxxxxxxxxx" in the name of the Fund for the duration of
this Agreement and any extensions or renewals thereof. Such license may,
upon termination of this Agreement, be terminated by OFI, in which event
the Fund shall promptly take whatever action may be necessary to change
its name and discontinue any further use of the name "Xxxxxxxxxxx" in the
name of the Fund or otherwise. The name "Xxxxxxxxxxx" may be used or
licensed by OFI in connection with any of its activities or licensed by
OFI to any other party.
7. Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage.
(a) OFI is authorized, in arranging the Fund's portfolio
transactions, to employ or deal with such members of securities or
commodities exchanges, brokers or dealers, including "affiliated" broker
dealers (as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act)
(hereinafter "broker-dealers"), as may, in its best judgment, implement
the policy of the Fund to obtain, at reasonable expense, the "best
execution" (prompt and reliable execution at the most favorable security
price obtainable) of the Fund's portfolio transactions as well as to
obtain, consistent with the provisions of subparagraph "(c)" of this
paragraph "7," the benefit of such investment information or research as
may be of significant assistance to the performance by OFI of its
investment management functions.
(b) OFI shall select broker-dealers to effect the Fund's portfolio
transactions on the basis of its estimate of their ability to obtain best
execution of particular and related portfolio transactions. The
abilities of a broker-dealer to obtain best execution of particular
portfolio transaction(s) will be judged by OFI on the basis of all
relevant factors and considerations including, insofar as feasible, the
execution capabilities required by the transaction or transactions; the
ability and willingness of the broker-dealer to facilitate the Fund's
portfolio transactions by participating therein for its own account; the
importance to the Fund of speed, efficiency or confidentiality; the
broker-dealer's apparent familiarity with sources from or to whom
particular securities might be purchased or sold; as well as any other
matters relevant to the selection of a broker-dealer for particular and
related transactions of the Fund.
(c) OFI shall have discretion, in the interests of the Fund, to
allocate brokerage on the Fund's portfolio transactions to broker-dealers
other than affiliated broker-dealers, qualified to obtain best execution
of such transactions who provide brokerage and/or research services (as
such services are defined in Section 23(e)(3) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934) for the Fund and/or other accounts for which OFI and its
affiliates exercise "investment discretion" (as that term is defined in
Section 3(a)(35) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and to cause the
Fund to pay such broker-dealers a commission for effecting a portfolio
transaction for the Fund that is in excess of the amount of commission
another broker-dealer adequately qualified to effect such transaction
would have charged for effecting that transaction, if OFI determines, in
good faith, that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value
of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer,
viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall
responsibilities of OFI and its investment advisory affiliates with
respect to the accounts as to which they exercise investment discretion.
In reaching such determination, OFI will not be required to place or
attempt to place a specific dollar value on the brokerage and/or research
services provided or being provided by such broker-dealer. In
demonstrating that such determinations were made in good faith, OFI shall
be prepared to show that all commissions were allocated for the purposes
contemplated by this Agreement and that the total commissions paid by the
Fund over a representative period selected by the Fund's trustees were
reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund.
(d) OFI shall have no duty or obligation to seek advance competitive
bidding for the most favorable commission rate applicable to any
particular portfolio transactions or to select any broker-dealer on the
basis of its purported or "posted" commission rate but will, to the best
of its ability, endeavor to be aware of the current level of the charges
of eligible broker-dealers and to minimize the expense incurred by the
Fund for effecting its portfolio transactions to the extent consistent
with the interests and policies of the Fund as established by the
determinations of its Board of Trustees and the provisions of this
paragraph "7."
(e) The Fund recognizes that an affiliated broker-dealer (i) may act
as one of the Fund's regular brokers so long as it is lawful for it so to
act; (ii) may be a major recipient of brokerage commissions paid by the
Fund; and (iii) may effect portfolio transactions for the Fund only if the
commissions, fees or other remuneration received or to be received by it
are determined in accordance with procedures contemplated by any rule,
regulation or order adopted under the Investment Company Act for
determining the permissible level of such commissions.
(f) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this paragraph "7", OFI
may also consider sales of Fund shares and shares of other investment
companies managed by OFI or its affiliates as a factor in the selection
of broker-dealers for the Fund's portfolio transactions.
8. Duration.
This Agreement will take effect on the date first set forth above and
will continue in effect until December 31, 1992, and thereafter, from year
to year, so long as such continuance shall be approved at least annually
in the manner contemplated by Section 15 of the Investment Company Act.
9. Termination.
This Agreement may be terminated (i) by OFI at any time without
penalty upon giving the Fund sixty days' written notice (which notice may
be waived by the Fund); or (ii) by the Fund at any time without penalty
upon sixty days' written notice to OFI (which notice may be waived by OFI)
provided that such termination by the Fund shall be directed or approved
by the vote of a majority of all of the Trustees of the Fund then in
office or by the vote of the holders of a "majority" (as defined in the
Investment Company Act) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.
10. Assignment or Amendment.
This Agreement may not be amended without the affirmative vote or
written consent of the holders of a "majority" of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund, and shall automatically and immediately terminate
in the event of its "assignment," as defined in the Investment Company
Act.
11. Disclaimer of Shareholder Liability.
OFI understands that the obligations of the Fund under this Agreement
are not binding upon any Trustee or shareholder of the Fund personally,
but bind only the Fund and the Fund's property. OFI represents that it has
notice of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund
disclaiming shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Fund.
12. Definitions.
The terms and provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted and
defined in a manner consistent with the provisions and definitions of the
Investment Company Act.
XXXXXXXXXXX DISCOVERY FUND
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Secretary
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
Senior Vice President
