PRUDENTIAL WORLD FUND, INC.
Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement
Agreement made as of November 18 1999, between Prudential World
Fund, Inc. (the Fund), and Prudential Investment Management Services LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company (the Distributor).
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act), as an open-end, management
investment company and it is in the interest of the Fund to offer its shares for
sale continuously;
WHEREAS, the shares of the Fund are currently divided into classes
and series (all such shares being referred to herein as Shares) and the Fund
currently is authorized to offer Class A, Class B, Class C and Class Z Shares;
WHEREAS, the Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is engaged in the business of
selling shares of registered investment companies either directly or through
other broker-dealers;
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Distributor wish to enter into an
agreement with each other, with respect to the continuous offering of the Fund's
Shares from and after the date hereof in order to promote the growth of the Fund
and facilitate the distribution of its Shares; and
WHEREAS, the Fund has adopted plans of distribution pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the Investment Company Act with respect to certain of its classes
and/or series of Shares (the Plans) authorizing payments by the Fund to the
Distributor with respect to the distribution of such classes and/or series of
Shares and the maintenance of related shareholder accounts.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
Section 1. Appointment of the Distributor
The Fund hereby appoints the Distributor as the principal
underwriter and distributor of the Shares of the Fund to sell Shares to the
public on behalf of the Fund, and the Distributor hereby accepts such
appointment and agrees to act hereunder. The Fund hereby agrees during the term
of this Agreement to sell Shares of the Fund through the Distributor on the
terms and conditions set forth below.
Section 2. Exclusive Nature of Duties
The Distributor shall be the exclusive representative of the Fund to
act as principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund's Shares, except that:
2.1 The exclusive rights granted to the Distributor to sell Shares
of the Fund shall not apply to Shares of the Fund issued in connection with the
merger or consolidation of any other investment company or personal holding
company with the Fund or the acquisition by purchase or otherwise of all (or
substantially all) the assets or the outstanding shares of any such company by
the Fund.
2.2 Such exclusive rights shall not apply to Shares issued by the
Fund pursuant to reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions or
through the exercise of any conversion feature or exchange privilege.
2.3 Such exclusive rights shall not apply to Shares issued by the
Fund pursuant to the reinstatement privilege afforded redeeming shareholders.
2.4 Such exclusive rights shall not apply to purchases made through
the Fund's transfer and dividend disbursing agent in the manner set forth in the
currently effective Prospectus. The term "Prospectus" shall mean the Prospectus
and Statement of Additional Information of the applicable series that is
included as part of the Fund's Registration Statement, as such Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, and the term "Registration Statement" shall mean the Registration
Statement filed by the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission and
effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and the
Investment Company Act, as such Registration Statement is amended from time to
time.
Section 3. Purchase of Shares from the Fund
3.1 The Distributor shall have the right to buy from the Fund on
behalf of investors the Shares needed, but not more than the Shares needed
(except for clerical errors in transmission) to fill unconditional orders for
Shares placed with the Distributor by investors or registered and qualified
securities dealers and other financial institutions (selected dealers).
3.2 The Shares shall be sold by the Distributor on behalf of the
Fund and delivered by the Distributor or selected dealers, as described in
Section 6.4 hereof, to investors at the offering price as set forth in the
Prospectus.
3.3 The Fund shall have the right to suspend the sale of any or all
classes and/or series of its Shares at times when redemption is suspended
pursuant to
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the conditions in Section 4.3 hereof or at such other times as may be determined
by the Board. The Fund shall also have the right to suspend the sale of any or
all classes and/or series of its Shares if a banking moratorium shall have been
declared by federal or New Jersey authorities.
3.4 The Fund, or any agent of the Fund designated in writing by the
Fund, shall be promptly advised of all purchase orders for Shares received by
the Distributor. Any order may be rejected by the Fund; provided, however, that
the Fund will not arbitrarily or without reasonable cause refuse to accept or
confirm orders for the purchase of Shares. The Fund (or its agent) will confirm
orders upon their receipt, will make appropriate book entries and upon receipt
by the Fund (or its agent) of payment therefor, will deliver deposit receipts
for such Shares pursuant to the instructions of the Distributor. Payment shall
be made to the Fund in New York Clearing House funds or federal funds. The
Distributor agrees to cause such payment and such instructions to be delivered
promptly to the Fund (or its agent).
Section 4. Repurchase or Redemption of Shares by the Fund
4.1 Any of the outstanding Shares may be tendered for redemption at
any time, and the Fund agrees to repurchase or redeem the Shares so tendered in
accordance with its Articles of Incorporation as amended from time to time, and
in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Prospectus. The price to be
paid to redeem or repurchase the Shares shall be equal to the net asset value
determined as set forth in the Prospectus. All payments by the Fund hereunder
shall be made in the manner set forth in Section 4.2 below.
4.2 The Fund shall pay the total amount of the redemption price as
defined in the above paragraph pursuant to the instructions of the Distributor
on or before the seventh day subsequent to its having received the notice of
redemption in proper form. The proceeds of any redemption of Shares shall be
paid by the Fund as follows: (i) in the case of Shares subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge, any applicable contingent deferred sales charge shall be
paid to the Distributor, and the balance shall be paid to or for the account of
the redeeming shareholder, in each case in accordance with applicable provisions
of the Prospectus; and (ii) in the case of all other Shares, proceeds shall be
paid to or for the account of the redeeming shareholder, in each case in
accordance with applicable provisions of the Prospectus.
4.3 Redemption of any class and/or series of Shares or payment may
be suspended at times when the New York Stock Exchange is closed for other than
customary weekends and holidays, when trading on said Exchange is restricted,
when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities
owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable
for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or during any
other period when the Securities
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and Exchange Commission, by order, so permits.
Section 5. Duties of the Fund
5.1 Subject to the possible suspension of the sale of Shares as
provided herein, the Fund agrees to sell its Shares so long as it has Shares of
the respective class and/or series available.
5.2 The Fund shall furnish the Distributor copies of all
information, financial statements and other papers which the Distributor may
reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares, and
this shall include one certified copy, upon request by the Distributor, of all
financial statements prepared for the Fund by independent public accountants.
The Fund shall make available to the Distributor such number of copies of its
Prospectus and annual and interim reports as the Distributor shall reasonably
request.
5.3 The Fund shall take, from time to time, but subject to the
necessary approval of the Board, all necessary action to fix the number of
authorized Shares to register Shares under the Securities Act, to the end that
there will be available for sale such number of Shares as the Distributor
reasonably may expect to sell. The Fund agrees to file from time to time such
amendments, reports and other documents as may be necessary in order that there
will be no untrue statement of a material fact in the Registration Statement, or
necessary in order that there will be no omission to state a material fact in
the Registration Statement which omission would make the statements therein
misleading.
5.4 The Fund shall use its best efforts to notify such states as the
Distributor and the Fund may approve of its intention to sell any appropriate
number of its Shares; provided that the Fund shall not be required to amend its
Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws to comply with the laws of any state, to
maintain an office in any state, to change the terms of the offering of its
Shares in any state from the terms set forth in its Registration Statement, to
qualify as a foreign corporation in any state or to consent to service of
process in any state other than with respect to claims arising out of the
offering of its Shares. Any such notification may be withheld, terminated or
withdrawn by the Fund at any time in its discretion. As provided in Section 9
hereof, the expense of notification and maintenance of notification shall be
borne by the Fund. The Distributor shall furnish such information and other
material relating to its affairs and activities as may be required by the Fund
in connection with such notifications.
Section 6. Duties of the Distributor
6.1 The Distributor shall devote reasonable time and effort to
effect sales of Shares, but shall not be obligated to sell any specific number
of Shares. Sales of the
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Shares shall be on the terms described in the Prospectus. The Distributor may
enter into like arrangements with other investment companies. The Distributor
shall compensate the selected dealers as set forth in the Prospectus.
6.2 In selling the Shares, the Distributor shall use its best
efforts in all respects duly to conform with the requirements of all federal and
state laws relating to the sale of such securities. Neither the Distributor nor
any selected dealer nor any other person is authorized by the Fund to give any
information or to make any representations, other than those contained in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus and any sales literature approved by
appropriate officers of the Fund.
6.3 The Distributor shall adopt and follow procedures for the
confirmation of sales to investors and selected dealers, the collection of
amounts payable by investors and selected dealers on such sales and the
cancellation of unsettled transactions, as may be necessary to comply with the
requirements of Securities Exchange Act Rule 10b-10 and the rules of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD).
6.4 The Distributor shall have the right to enter into selected
dealer agreements with registered and qualified securities dealers and other
financial institutions of its choice for the sale of Shares, provided that the
Fund shall approve the forms of such agreements. Within the United States, the
Distributor shall offer and sell Shares only to such selected dealers as are
members in good standing of the NASD or are institutions exempt from
registration under applicable federal securities laws. Shares sold to selected
dealers shall be for resale by such dealers only at the offering price
determined as set forth in the Prospectus.
Section 7. Payments to the Distributor
7.1 With respect to classes and/or series of Shares which impose a
front-end sales charge, the Distributor shall receive and may retain any portion
of any front-end sales charge which is imposed on such sales and not reallocated
to selected dealers as set forth in the Prospectus, subject to the limitations
of Rule 2830 of the Conduct Rules of the NASD. Payment of these amounts to the
Distributor is not contingent upon the adoption or continuation of any
applicable Plans.
7.2 With respect to classes and/or series of Shares which impose a
contingent deferred sales charge, the Distributor shall receive and may retain
any contingent deferred sales charge which is imposed on such sales as set forth
in the Prospectus, subject to the limitations of Rule 2830 of the Conduct Rules
of the NASD. Payment of these amounts to the Distributor is not contingent upon
the adoption or continuation of any Plan.
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Section 8. Payment of the Distributor under the Plans
8.1 The Fund shall pay to the Distributor as compensation for
services under any Plans adopted by the Fund and this Agreement a distribution
and service fee with respect to the Fund's classes and/or series of Shares as
described in each of the Fund's respective Plans and this Agreement.
8.2 So long as a Plan or any amendment thereto is in effect, the
Distributor shall inform the Board of the commissions and account servicing fees
with respect to the relevant class and/or series of Shares to be paid by the
Distributor to account executives of the Distributor and to broker-dealers,
financial institutions and investment advisers which have dealer agreements with
the Distributor. So long as a Plan (or any amendment thereto) is in effect, at
the request of the Board or any agent or representative of the Fund, the
Distributor shall provide such additional information as may reasonably be
requested concerning the activities of the Distributor hereunder and the costs
incurred in performing such activities with respect to the relevant class and/or
series of Shares.
Section 9. Allocation of Expenses
The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses of the continuous
offering of its Shares (except for those costs and expenses borne by the
Distributor pursuant to a Plan and subject to the requirements of Rule 12b-1
under the Investment Company Act), including fees and disbursements of its
counsel and auditors, in connection with the preparation and filing of any
required Registration Statements and/or Prospectuses under the Investment
Company Act or the Securities Act, and all amendments and supplements thereto,
and preparing and mailing annual and periodic reports and proxy materials to
shareholders (including but not limited to the expense of setting in type any
such Registration Statements, Prospectuses, annual or periodic reports or proxy
materials). The Fund shall also bear the cost or expense of making notice
filings for the Shares for sale, and, if necessary or advisable in connection
therewith, of qualifying the Fund as a broker or dealer, in such states of the
United States or other jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund and the
Distributor pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof and the cost and expense payable to
each such state for continuing notification therein until the Fund decides to
discontinue such notification pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof. As set forth in
Section 8 above, the Fund shall also bear the expenses it assumes pursuant to
any Plan, so long as such Plan is in effect.
Section 10. Indemnification
10.1 The Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor,
its officers and members and any person who controls the Distributor within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, free and harmless from and against
any and all
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claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of investigating
or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any reasonable counsel fees
incurred in connection therewith) which the Distributor, its officers, members
or any such controlling person may incur under the Securities Act, or under
common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or arising
out of or based upon any alleged omission to state a material fact required to
be stated in either thereof or necessary to make the statements in either
thereof not misleading, except insofar as such claims, demands, liabilities or
expenses arise out of or are based upon any such untrue statement or omission or
alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity
with information furnished by the Distributor to the Fund for use in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus; provided, however, that this indemnity
agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any such officer, member or
controlling person unless a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine in a
final decision on the merits, that the person to be indemnified was not liable
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its
obligations under this Agreement (disabling conduct), or, in the absence of such
a decision, a reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that
the indemnified person was not liable by reason of disabling conduct, by (a) a
vote of a majority of a quorum of directors or directors who are neither
"interested persons" of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the
Investment Company Act nor parties to the proceeding, or (b) an independent
legal counsel in a written opinion. The Fund's agreement to indemnify the
Distributor, its officers and members and any such controlling person as
aforesaid is expressly conditioned upon the Fund's being promptly notified of
any action brought against the Distributor, its officers or members, or any such
controlling person, such notification to be given by letter or telegram
addressed to the Fund at its principal business office. The Fund agrees promptly
to notify the Distributor of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings
against the Fund or any of its officers or directors in connection with the
issue and sale of any Shares.
10.2 The Distributor agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the Fund,
its officers and directors and any person who controls the Fund, if any, within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, free and harmless from and
against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the
cost of investigating or defending against such claims, demands or liabilities
and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which the
Fund, its officers and directors or any such controlling person may incur under
the Securities Act or under common law or otherwise, but only to the extent that
such liability or expense incurred by the Fund, its directors or officers or
such controlling person resulting from such claims or demands shall arise out of
or be based upon any alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
information furnished by the Distributor to the Fund for use in the Registration
Statement or Prospectus or shall arise out of or be based upon any alleged
omission to state a material fact in connection with such information required
to be
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stated in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary to make such
information not misleading. The Distributor's agreement to indemnify the Fund,
its officers and directors and any such controlling person as aforesaid, is
expressly conditioned upon the Distributor's being promptly notified of any
action brought against the Fund, its officers and directors or any such
controlling person, such notification being given to the Distributor at its
principal business office.
Section 11. Duration and Termination of this Agreement
11.1 This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first
above written and shall remain in force only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by (a) the Board of the Fund, or by the
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable class
and/or series of the Fund, and (b) by the vote of a majority of those directors
who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such parties
and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in this Agreement or in
the operation of any of the Fund's Plans or in any agreement related thereto
(Independent directors), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting upon such approval.
11.2 This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the
payment of any penalty, by a majority of the independent directors or by vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable class and/or
series of the Fund, or by the Distributor, on sixty (60) days' written notice to
the other party. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of
its assignment.
11.3 The terms "affiliated person," "assignment," "interested
person" and "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities", when used
in this Agreement, shall have the respective meanings specified in the
Investment Company Act.
Section 12. Amendments to this Agreement
This Agreement may be amended by the parties only if such amendment
is specifically approved by (a) the Board of the Fund, or by the vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable class and/or
series of the Fund, and (b) by the vote of a majority of the independent
directors cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
amendment.
Section 13. Separate Agreement as to Classes and/or Series
The amendment or termination of this Agreement with respect to any
class and/or series shall not result in the amendment or termination of this
Agreement with respect to any other class and/or series unless explicitly so
provided.
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Section 14. Governing Law
The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted
in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey as at the time in effect
and the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that
the applicable law of the State of New Jersey, or any of the provisions herein,
conflict with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the
latter shall control.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement
as of the day and year above written.
Prudential Investment Management Services LLC
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
-------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
President
Prudential World Fund, Inc.
By: /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx
----------------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx
President
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