EXHIBIT NO. 99.5
FORM OF
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT, as of this ____ day of _______, 2001, by and
between MFS/SUN LIFE SERIES TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"),
on behalf of each series from time to time of the Trust (referred to
individually as a "Fund" and collectively as the "Funds") and MFS FUND
DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Distributor");
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and undertakings
herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. The Trust grants to the Distributor the right, as agent of the Trust,
to sell Shares of Beneficial Interest, without par value, of the Funds (the
"Shares") upon the terms herein below set forth during the term of this
Agreement. While this Agreement is in force, the Distributor agrees to use its
best efforts to find purchasers for Shares.
The Distributor shall have the right, as agent of the Trust, to order from
the Trust the Shares needed, but not more than the Shares needed (except for
clerical errors and errors of transmission) to fill unconditional orders for
Shares placed with the Distributor by investors as set forth in the current
prospectus and statement of additional information (collectively, the
"Prospectus") relating to the Shares. The price which shall be paid to the Trust
for the Shares so purchased shall be the net asset value on which such orders
were based. The Distributor shall notify the Custodian of the Trust, at the end
of each business day, or as soon thereafter as the orders placed with it have
been compiled, of the number of Shares and the prices thereof which have been
ordered through the Distributor since the end of the previous day.
The right granted to the Distributor to place orders for Shares with the
Trust shall be exclusive, except that said exclusive right shall not apply to
Shares issued in the event that an investment company (whether a regulated or
private investment company or a personal holding company) is merged or
consolidated with the Trust (or a Fund) or in the event that the Trust (or a
Fund) acquires by purchase or otherwise, all (or substantially all) the assets
or the outstanding shares of any such company; nor shall it apply to Shares
issued by the Trust (or a Fund) as a stock dividend or a stock split. The
exclusive right to place orders for Shares granted to the Distributor may be
waived by the Distributor by notice to the Trust in writing, either
unconditionally or subject to such conditions and limitations as may be set
forth in the notice to the Trust. The Trust hereby acknowledges that the
Distributor may render distribution and other services to other parties,
including other investment companies.
2. The Shares may be sold through the Distributor to investors upon
the following terms and conditions:
The Distributor may place orders for Shares at the net asset value for
such Shares (as established pursuant to paragraph l above) on behalf of such
purchasers and under such circumstances as the Prospectus describes, provided
that such sales comply with Rule 22d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940
or any exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
Distributor may also place orders for Shares at net asset value on behalf of
persons reinvesting the proceeds of the redemption or resale of Shares or shares
of other investment companies for which the Distributor acts as Distributor or
as otherwise provided in the current Prospectus.
The net asset value of Shares shall be determined by the Trust or by an
agent of the Trust, as of the close of regular trading of the New York Stock
Exchange on each business day on which said Exchange is open, in accordance with
the method set forth in the governing instruments (as hereinafter defined) of
the Trust. The Trust may also cause the net asset value to be determined in
substantially the same manner or estimated in such manner and as of such other
hour or hours as may from time to time be agreed upon in writing by the Trust
and Distributor. The Trust shall have the right to suspend the sale of Shares
if, because of some extraordinary condition, the New York Stock Exchange shall
be closed, or if conditions obtaining during the hours when the Exchange is open
render such action advisable, or for any other reasons deemed adequate by the
Trust.
3. The Trust agrees that it will, from time to time, take all necessary
action to register the offering and sale of Shares under the Securities Act of
l933, as amended (the "Act"), and applicable state securities laws.
The Distributor shall be an independent contractor and neither the
Distributor nor any of its directors, officers or employees as such, is or shall
be an employee of the Trust. It is understood that Trustees, officers and
shareholders of the Trust are or may become interested in the Distributor, as
Directors, officers and employees, or otherwise and that Directors, officers and
employees of the Distributor are or may become similarly interested in the Trust
and that the Distributor may be or become interested in the Trust as a
shareholder or otherwise. The Distributor is responsible for its own conduct and
the employment, control and conduct of its agents and employees and for injury
to such agents or employees or to others through its agents or employees. The
Distributor assumes full responsibility for its agents and employees under
applicable statutes and agrees to pay all employer taxes thereunder.
4. The Distributor covenants and agrees that, in selling Shares, it will
use its best efforts in all respects duly to conform with the requirements of
all state and federal laws and the Rules of Fair Practice of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") relating to the sale of
Shares, and will indemnify and hold harmless the Trust and each of its Trustees
and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Trust within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Act, against any loss, liability, damages, claim or expense
(including the reasonable cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
liability, damages, claim or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in
connection therewith), arising by reason of any person's acquiring any Shares,
which may be based upon the Act or any other statute or common law, on account
of any wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its employees (including any
failure to conform with any requirement of any state or federal law or the Rules
of Fair Practice of the NASD relating to the sale of Shares) or on the ground
that the registration statement or Prospectus or Statement of Additional
Information, as from time to time amended and supplemented, includes an untrue
statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not
misleading, unless any such act, statement or omission was made in reliance upon
information furnished to the Distributor by or on behalf of the Trust, provided,
however, that in no case (i) is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of any
person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or any such person against
any liability to which the Trust or any such person would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of its or his duties or by reason of its or his reckless disregard
of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is the Distributor
to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with
respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person indemnified unless the
Trust or such person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Distributor in
writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process
giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the
Trust or upon such person (or after the Trust or such person shall have received
notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the
Distributor of any such claim shall not relieve it from any liability which it
may have to the Trust or any person against whom such action is brought
otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this
paragraph. The Distributor shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense,
in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought
to enforce any such liability, but, if the Distributor elects to assume the
defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and
satisfactory to the Trust, or to its officers or Trustees, or to any controlling
person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event that the
Distributor elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such
counsel, the Trust or such officers or Trustees or controlling person or
persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses
of any additional counsel retained by them, but, in case the Distributor does
not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, it shall reimburse the Trust
and such officers and Trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants in such suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by them. The Distributor agrees promptly to notify the Trust of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it in connection with the
issue and sale of any Shares.
Neither the Distributor nor any other person is authorized to give any
information or to make any representation on behalf of the Trust, other than
those contained in the registration statement or Prospectus filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Act (as said registration statement
or Prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time), covering the
Shares or other than those contained in periodic reports to shareholders of the
Trust.
5. The Trust will pay, or cause to be paid -
(i) all costs and expenses of the Trust, including fees and
disbursements of its counsel, in connection with the preparation and filing of
any required registration statement or Prospectus under the Act covering Shares
and all amendments and supplements thereto and any notices regarding the
registration of shares, and preparing and mailing to shareholders Prospectuses,
statements and confirmations and periodic reports (including the expense of
setting up in type any such registration statement, Prospectus or periodic
report);
(ii) the expenses (including auditing expenses) of qualification of
the Shares for sale, and, if necessary or advisable in connection therewith, of
qualifying the Trust as a dealer or broker, in such states as shall be selected
by the Distributor and the fees payable to each such state with respect to
shares sold and for continuing the qualification therein until the Distributor
notifies the Trust that it does not wish such qualification continued;
(iii) the cost of preparing temporary or permanent certificates for
Shares;
(iv) all fees and disbursements of the transfer agent of the Trust;
(v) the cost and expenses of delivering to the Distributor at its
office in Boston, Massachusetts, all Shares purchased through it as agent
hereunder; and
(vi) all the federal and state issue and/or transfer taxes payable
upon the issue by or (in the case of treasury Shares) transfer from the Trust of
any and all Shares purchased through the Distributor hereunder.
The Distributor agrees that, after the Prospectus and periodic reports
have been set up in type, it will bear the expense (other than the cost of
mailing to shareholders of the Trust) of printing and distributing any copies
thereof which are to be used in connection with the offering of Shares to
investors. The Distributor further agrees that it will bear the expenses of
preparing, printing and distributing any other literature used by the
Distributor for use in connection with the offering of the Shares for sale to
investors and any expenses of advertising in connection with such offering.
Nothing in this paragraph 5 shall be deemed to prohibit or conflict with any
payment by the Trust or any Fund to the Distributor pursuant to any Distribution
Plan adopted and in effect pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940.
6. The Trust hereby authorizes the Distributor to repurchase, upon the
terms and conditions set forth in written instructions given by the Trust to the
Distributor from time to time, as agent of the Trust and for its account, such
Shares as may be offered for sale to the Trust from time to time.
(a) The Distributor shall notify in writing the Custodian of the
Trust, at the end of each business day, or as soon thereafter as the repurchases
have been compiled, of the number of Shares repurchased for the account of the
Trust since the last previous report, together with the prices at which such
repurchases were made, and upon the request of any Officer or Trustee of the
Trust shall furnish similar information with respect to all repurchases made up
to the time of the request on any day.
(b) The Trust reserves the right to suspend or revoke the foregoing
authorization at any time. Unless otherwise stated, any such suspension or
revocation shall be effective forthwith upon receipt of notice thereof by an
officer of the Distributor, by telegraph or by written notice from the Trust. In
the event that the authorization of the Distributor is, by the terms of such
notice, suspended for more than twenty-four hours or until further notice, the
authorization given by this paragraph 6 shall not be revived except by action of
a majority of the members of the Board of Trustees of the Trust.
(c) The Distributor shall have the right to terminate the operation
of this paragraph 6 upon giving to the Trust thirty days' written notice
thereof.
(d) The Trust agrees to authorize and direct the Custodian to pay,
for the account of the Trust, the purchase price of any Shares so repurchased
against delivery of the certificates, if any, in proper form for transfer to the
Trust or for cancellation by the Trust.
(e) The Distributor shall receive no commission in respect of any
repurchase of Shares under the foregoing authorization and appointment as agent.
(f) The Trust agrees to reimburse the Distributor, from time to time
upon demand, for any reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the
repurchase of Shares pursuant to this paragraph 6.
7. If, at any time during the existence of this Agreement, the Trust shall
deem it necessary or advisable in the best interests of the Trust that any
amendment of this Agreement be made in order to comply with the recommendations
or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other governmental
authority or to obtain any advantage under Massachusetts, any state or federal
tax laws, it shall notify the Distributor of the form of amendment which it
deems necessary or advisable and the reasons therefore. If the Distributor
declines to assent to such amendment, the Trust may terminate this Agreement
forthwith by written notice to the Distributor without payment of any penalty.
If, at any time during the existence of this Agreement, upon request by the
Distributor, the Trust fails (after a reasonable time) to make any changes in
its governing instruments or in its methods of doing business which are
necessary in order to comply with any requirements of federal or state laws or
regulations, laws or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or of
a national securities association of which the Distributor is or may be a
member, relating to the sale of Shares, the Distributor may terminate this
Agreement forthwith by written notice to the Trust without payment of any
penalty.
8. The Distributor agrees that it will not take any long or short
positions in the Shares except as permitted by paragraphs l and 6 hereof.
Whenever used in this Agreement, the term "governing instruments" shall mean the
Declaration of Trust and the By-Laws of the Trust, as from time to time amended.
9. This Agreement shall become effective with respect to each Fund upon
its execution and shall continue in force with respect to a Fund until July 13,
2003 on which date it will terminate with respect to that Fund unless its
continuance after July 13, 2003, is specifically approved at least annually (i)
by the vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust who are not
interested persons of the Trust or of the Distributor at a meeting specifically
called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (ii) by the Board of
Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of that Fund. The aforesaid requirement that continuance of this
Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall be construed in a
manner consistent with the Investment Company Act of l940 and the Rules and
Regulations thereunder.
This Agreement may be terminated as to any Fund at any time by either
party without payment of any penalty on not more than sixty days' or less than
thirty days' written notice to the other party.
l0. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment.
11. The terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities",
"interested person" and "assignment" shall have the respective meanings
specified in the Investment Company Act of l940 and the Rules and Regulations
thereunder, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be granted by the
Securities and Exchange Commission under said Act.
12. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
13. The undersigned officer of the Trust has executed the Agreement not
individually, but as an officer under the Trust's Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust dated May 4, 2001, and the obligations of the Agreement are
not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or shareholders of the Trust
individually, but bind only the Trust estate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the day and year first above.
MFS/SUN LIFE SERIES TRUST
By:
-------------------------------
C. Xxxxx Xxxxxx
President
MFS FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:
-------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
President
