INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 31st day of May, 1997, and amended as of April 30,
1998 and May 1, 2001, by and between Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Liquid Asset
Fund Inc., a Maryland corporation (hereinafter called the "Fund"), and Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Advisors Inc., a Delaware corporation (hereinafter called
the "Investment Manager"):
WHEREAS, The Fund is engaged in business as an open-end management
investment company and is registered as such under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "Act"); and
WHEREAS, The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and engages in the business of acting as
investment adviser; and
WHEREAS, The Fund desires to retain the Investment Manager to render
management and investment advisory services in the manner and on the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, The Investment Manager desires to be retained to perform services
on said terms and conditions:
Now, Therefore, this Agreement
W I T N E S S E T H:
that in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants hereinafter
contained, the Fund and the Investment Manager agree as follows:
1.
The Fund hereby retains the Investment Manager to act as investment
manager of the Fund and, subject to the supervision of the Directors, to
supervise the investment activities of the Fund as hereinafter set forth.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Investment Manager shall
obtain and evaluate such information and advice relating to the economy,
securities markets and securities as it deems necessary or useful to discharge
its duties hereunder; shall continuously manage the assets of the Fund in a
manner consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund; shall
determine the securities to be purchased, sold or otherwise disposed of by the
Fund and the timing of such purchases, sales and dispositions; and shall take
such further action, including the placing of purchase and sale orders on behalf
of the Fund, as the Investment Manager shall deem necessary or appropriate. The
Investment Manager shall also furnish to or place at the disposal of the Fund
such of the information, evaluations, analyses and opinions formulated or
obtained by the Investment Manager in the discharge of its duties as the Fund
may, from time to time, reasonably request.
2.
The Investment Manager shall, at its own expense, maintain such staff and
employ or retain such personnel and consult with such other persons as it
shall from time to time determine to be necessary or useful to the performance
of its obligations under this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the staff and personnel of the Investment Manager shall be deemed to
include persons employed or otherwise retained by the Investment Manager to
furnish statistical and other factual data, advice regarding economic factors
and trends, information with respect to technical and scientific developments,
and such other information, advice and assistance as the Investment Manager may
desire. The Investment Manager shall, as agent for the Fund, maintain the Fund's
records and books of account (other than those maintained by the Fund's transfer
agent, registrar, custodian and other agents). All such books and records so
maintained shall be the property of the Fund and, upon request therefor, the
Investment Manager shall surrender to the Fund such of the books and records so
requested.
3.
The Fund will, from time to time, furnish or otherwise make available to
the Investment Manager such financial reports, proxy statements and other
information relating to the business and affairs of the Fund as the Investment
Manager may reasonably require in order to discharge its duties and obligations
hereunder.
4.
The Investment Manager shall bear the cost of rendering the investment
management and supervisory services to be performed by it under this
Agreement, and shall, at its own expense, pay the compensation of the officers
and employees, if any, of the Fund who are also directors, officers or employees
of the Investment Manager, and provide such office space and equipment and such
clerical and bookkeeping
services as the Fund shall reasonably require in the conduct of its business,
including the pricing of Fund shares, and preparation of prospectuses, proxy
statements and reports required to be filed with Federal and state securities
commissions (except insofar as the participation or assistance of independent
accountants and attorneys is, in the opinion of the Investment Manager,
necessary or desirable). The Investment Manager shall also bear the cost of
telephone service, heat, light, power and other utilities provided to the Fund,
and the cost of printing (in excess of costs borne by the Fund) and distributing
prospectuses and supplements thereto of the Fund used for sales purposes.
5.
The Fund assumes and shall pay or cause to be paid all other expenses of
the Fund, including without limitation: the charges and expenses of any
registrar, any custodian or depository appointed by the Fund for the safekeeping
of its cash, portfolio securities and other property, and any stock transfer or
dividend agent or agents appointed by the Fund; brokers' commissions chargeable
to the Fund in connection with portfolio securities transactions to which the
Fund is a party; all taxes, including securities issuance and transfer taxes,
and fees payable by the Fund to Federal, State or other governmental agencies;
the cost and expense of engraving or printing stock certificates representing
shares of the Fund; all costs and expenses in connection with the registration
and maintenance of registration of the Fund and its shares with the Securities
and Exchange Commission and various states and other jurisdictions (including
filing fees and legal fees and disbursements of counsel); the cost and expense
of printing (including typesetting) and distributing prospectuses of the Fund
and supplements thereto to the Fund's shareholders; all expenses of
shareholders' and Directors' meetings and of preparing, printing and mailing
proxy statements and reports to shareholders and prospective shareholders; fees
and travel expenses of Directors or members of any advisory board or committee
who are not employees of the Investment Manager or any corporate affiliate of
the Investment Manager; all expenses incident to the payment of any dividend,
distribution, withdrawal or redemption, whether in shares or in cash; charges
and expenses of legal counsel and independent auditors in connection with any
matter relating to the Fund (not including compensation or expenses of attorneys
employed by the Investment Manager); membership dues of the Investment Company
Institute; interest payable on Fund borrowings; postage; insurance premiums on
property or personnel (including officers and Directors) of the Fund which inure
to its benefit; extraordinary expenses (including but not limited to legal
claims and liabilities and litigation costs and any indemnification related
thereto); and all other charges and costs of the Fund's operation unless
otherwise explicitly provided herein.
6.
For the services to be rendered, the facilities furnished, and the
expenses assumed by the Investment Manager, the Fund shall pay to the
Investment Manager monthly compensation determined by applying the following
annual rates to the Fund's daily net assets: 0.50% of the portion of the daily
net assets not exceeding $500 million; 0.425% of the portion of the daily net
assets exceeding $500 million but not exceeding $750 million; 0.375% of the
portion of the daily net assets exceeding $750 million but not exceeding
$1 billion; 0.350% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $1 billion
but not exceeding $1.35 billion; 0.325% of the portion of the daily net assets
exceeding $1.35 billion but not exceeding $1.75 billion; 0.30% of the portion of
the daily net assets exceeding $1.75 billion but not exceeding $2.15 billion;
0.275% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding $2.15 billion but not
exceeding $2.5 billion; 0.250% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding
$2.5 billion but not exceeding $15 billion; 0.249% of the portion of the daily
net assets exceeding $15 billion but not exceeding $17.5 billion; 0.248% of the
portion of the daily net assets exceeding $17.5 billion but not exceeding
$25 billion; and 0.247% of the portion of the daily net assets exceeding
$25 billion. Except as hereinafter set forth, compensation under this Agreement
shall be calculated and accrued daily and the amounts of the daily accruals
shall be paid monthly. Such calculations shall be made by applying 1/365ths of
the annual rates to the Fund's net assets each day determined as of the close of
business on that day or the last previous business day. If this Agreement
becomes effective subsequent to the first day of a month or shall terminate
before the last day of a month, compensation for that part of the month this
Agreement is in effect shall be prorated in a manner consistent with the
calculation of the fees as set forth above. Subject to the provisions of
paragraph 7 hereof, payment of the Investment Manager's compensation for the
preceding month shall be made as promptly as possible after completion of the
computation contemplated by paragraph 7 hereof.
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7.
In the event the operating expenses of the Fund, including amounts
payable to the Investment Manager pursuant to paragraph 6 hereof, for any
fiscal year ending on a date on which this Agreement is in effect, exceed the
expense limitations applicable to the Fund imposed by state securities laws or
regulations thereunder, as such limitations may be raised or lowered from time
to time, the Investment Manager shall reduce its management fee to the extent of
such excess and, if required, pursuant to any such laws or regulations, will
reimburse the Fund for annual operating expenses in excess of any expense
limitation that may be applicable; provided, however, there shall be excluded
from such expenses the amount of any interest, taxes, brokerage commissions and
extraordinary expenses (to the extent permitted by state securities laws or
regulations thereunder) paid or payable by the Fund. Such reduction, if any,
shall be computed and accrued daily, shall be settled on a monthly basis, and
shall be based upon the expense limitation applicable to the Fund as at the end
of the last business day of the month. Should two or more such expense
limitations be applicable as at the end of the last business day of the month,
that expense limitation which results in the largest reduction in the Investment
Manager's fee shall be applicable.
For purposes of this provision, should any applicable expense limitation be
based upon the gross income of the Fund, such gross income shall include, but
not be limited to, interest on debt of fixed income securities in the Fund's
portfolio accrued to and including the last day of the Fund's fiscal year, and
dividends declared but not paid on any equity securities in the Fund's
portfolio, the record dates for which fall on or prior to the last day of such
fiscal year, but shall not include gains from the sales of securities.
8.
The Investment Manager will use its best efforts in the supervision and
management of the investment activities of the Fund, but in the absence
of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its
obligations hereunder, the Investment Manager shall not be liable to the Fund or
any of its investors for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any act
or omission by the Investment Manager or for any losses sustained by the Fund or
its investors.
9.
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall prevent the Investment Manager
or any affiliated person of the Investment Manager from acting as
investment adviser or manager for any other person, firm or corporation and
shall not in any way bind or restrict the Investment Manager or any such
affiliated person from buying, selling or trading any securities or commodities
for their own accounts or for the account of others for whom they may be acting.
Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the right of any director,
officer or employee of the Investment Manager to engage in any other business or
to devote his or her time and attention in part to the management or other
aspects of any other business whether of a similar or dissimilar nature.
10.
This Agreement shall remain in effect until April 30, 2002 and from year
to year thereafter provided such continuance is approved at least
annually by the vote of holders of a majority (as defined in the Act) of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund or by the Board of Directors of the
Fund; provided that in either event such continuance is also approved annually
by the vote of a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not parties to
this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the Act) of any such
party, which vote must be cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval; provided, however, that (a) the Fund may, at any time
and without the payment of any penalty, terminate this Agreement upon thirty
days' written notice to the Investment Manager, either by majority vote of the
Board of Directors of the Fund or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund; (b) this Agreement shall immediately terminate in
the event of its assignment (within the meaning of the Act) unless such
automatic termination shall be prevented by an exemptive order of the Securities
and Exchange Commission; and (c) the Investment Manager may terminate this
Agreement without payment of penalty on thirty days' written notice to the Fund.
Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing, addressed and
delivered, or mailed post-paid, to the other party at the principal office of
such party.
11.
This Agreement may be amended by the parties without the vote or consent
of shareholders of the Fund to supply any omission, to cure, correct or
supplement any ambiguous, defective or inconsistent provision hereof, or if they
deem it necessary to conform this Agreement to the requirements of applicable
federal laws or regulations, but neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager
shall be liable for failing to do so.
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12.
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the law of the State
of New York and the applicable provisions of the Act. To the extent the
applicable law of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein,
conflicts with the applicable provisions of the Act, the latter shall control.
13.
The Investment Manager and the Fund each agree that the name "Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx," which comprises a component of the Fund's name, is
a property right of Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx & Co. ("MSDW"), the parent of the
Investment Manager. The Fund agrees and consents that (i) it will only use the
name "Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx" as a component of its name and for no other
purpose, (ii) it will not purport to grant to any third party the right to use
the name "Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx" for any purpose, (iii) MSDW, or any
corporate affiliate of MSDW, may use or grant to others the right to use the
name "Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx," or any combination or abbreviation thereof,
as all or a portion of a corporate or business name or for any commercial
purpose, including a grant of such right to any other investment company,
(iv) at the request of MSDW or any corporate affiliate of MSDW, the Fund will
take such action as may be required to provide its consent to the use of the
name "Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx," or any combination or abbreviation thereof,
by MSDW or any corporate affiliate of MSDW, or by any person to whom MSDW or a
corporate affiliate of MSDW shall have granted the right to such use, and (v)
upon the termination of any investment advisory agreement into which a corporate
affiliate of MSDW and the Fund may enter, or upon termination of affiliation of
the Investment Manager with its parent, the Fund shall, upon request of MSDW or
any corporate affiliate of MSDW, cease to use the name "Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx" as a component of its name, and shall not use the name, or any
combination or abbreviation thereof, as part of its name or for any other
commercial purpose, and shall cause its officers, Directors and shareholders to
take any and all actions which MSDW or any corporate affiliate of MSDW may
request to effect the foregoing and to reconvey to MSDW any and all rights to
such name.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Agreement, as amended, on May 1, 2001 in New York, New York.
XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX LIQUID ASSET FUND
INC.
By: /s/ XXXXX XXXX
..............................................
Xxxxx Xxxx
Attest:
/s/ XXXX XXXX
.............................................
Xxxx Xxxx
XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX ADVISORS INC.
By: /s/ XXXXXXXX X. XXXXX
..............................................
Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Attest:
/s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
.............................................
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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