U.S. GLOBAL INVESTORS FUNDS
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT effective as of the 3rd day of September 1998 between U.S. Global
Investors Funds, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"), having its
principal place of business in San Antonio, Texas, and U.S. Global Brokerage,
Inc. a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Texas (the
"Distributor"), having its principal place of business in San Antonio, Texas.
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end management investment company and is
authorized (i) to issue shares of beneficial interest in separate series, with
the shares of each such series representing the interests in a separate
portfolio of securities and other assets, and (ii) to divide such shares of
beneficial interest of each such series into two or more classes; and
WHEREAS, the Trust wishes to employ the services of the Distributor with
respect to the distribution of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust
("Shares") and classes thereof representing interests in each portfolio series
thereof identified from time to time on Schedule A hereto (each such portfolio
series being referred to herein as a "Fund"); and
WHEREAS, the Distributor wishes to provide distribution services to the
Trust with respect to the Shares.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and undertakings
herein contained, the parties agree as follows:
1. SALE OF SHARES BY THE DISTRIBUTOR. The Trust grants to the Distributor
the right to sell Shares during the term of this Agreement and subject to the
registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"), under the following terms and conditions: (i) the Distributor, as agent
for the Trust, shall sell Shares authorized for issue and registered under the
1933 Act; and (ii) the Distributor shall sell such Shares only in compliance
with the terms set forth in the Trust's currently effective registration
statement, as may be in effect from time to time, and any further limitations
the Trustees of the Trust may impose. The Distributor may enter into selling
agreements with selected dealers and others for the sale of Shares and will act
only on its behalf as principal in entering into such selling agreements.
2. SALE OF SHARES BY THE TRUST. The Trust reserves the right to issue
Shares in connection with (i) the merger or consolidation of the assets of, or
acquisition by the Trust through purchase or otherwise, with any other
investment company, trust or personal holding company; (ii) a pro rata
distribution directly to the holders of Shares in the nature of a stock dividend
or split-up; and (iii) as otherwise may be provided in the then current
registration statement of the Trust.
3. SHARES COVERED BY THIS AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall apply to issued
Shares, Shares held in its treasury in the event that in the discretion of the
Trust treasury Shares shall be sold, and Shares repurchased for resale.
4. PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE. Except as otherwise noted in the Trust's
prospectus for any Fund (the "Prospectus") or Statement of Additional
Information for any Fund (the "SAI"), as amended or supplemented from time to
time, all Shares sold by the Distributor or the Trust will be sold at the public
offering price plus any applicable sales charge described therein. The public
offering price for all accepted subscriptions will be the net asset value per
share, determined in the manner described in the Trust's then current Prospectus
and SAI with respect to the applicable Fund. The Trust shall in all cases
receive the net asset value per Share on all sales and the Distributor shall be
entitled to retain the applicable sales charges, if any, subject to any
reallowance obligations of the Distributor as set forth in any selling
agreements with selected dealers and others for the sale of Shares and/or as set
forth in the Prospectus and/or SAI of the Trust with respect to Shares.
5. SUSPENSION OF SALES. If and whenever the determination of net asset
value is suspended and until such suspension is terminated, no further orders
for Shares shall be processed by the Distributor, except such unconditional
orders placed with the Distributor before it had knowledge of the suspension. In
addition, the Trust reserves the right to suspend sales of Shares and the
Distributor's authority to sell Shares if, in the judgment of the Trust, it is
in the best interest of the Trust to do so. Suspension will continue for such
period as may be determined by the Trust. In addition, the Trust and Distributor
reserve the right to reject any purchase order.
6. SOLICITATION OF SALES. In consideration of these rights granted to the
Distributor, the Distributor agrees to use all reasonable efforts, consistent
with its other business, to secure purchasers for Shares of the Trust. This
shall not prevent the Distributor from entering into like arrangements
(including arrangements involving the payment of underwriting commissions) with
other issuers. Distributor agrees to use all reasonable efforts to ensure that
taxpayer identification numbers provided for holders of Shares of the Trust are
correct. In addition, Distributor (in coordination with investment advisers
retained by the Trust) will be responsible for the production of marketing and
advertising materials for the sale of Shares of the Trust and the review thereof
for compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, entering into other
agreements with broker-dealers, if any, to sell Shares of the Trust and
monitoring their financial strength and contractual compliance.
7. AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIONS. The Distributor is not authorized by the
Trust to give any information or to make any representations other than those
contained in the appropriate registration statements, Prospectuses or SAIs filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1933 Act (as those
registration statements, Prospectuses and SAIs may be amended from time to
time), or contained in shareholder reports or other material that may be
prepared by or on behalf of the Trust for the Distributor's use. This shall not
be construed to prevent the Distributor from preparing and distributing, in
compliance with applicable laws and regulations, sales literature or other
material as it may deem appropriate. Distributor will furnish or cause to be
furnished copies of such sales literature or other material to the Trust.
Distributor agrees to take appropriate action to cease using such sales
literature or other material to which the Trust reasonably objects as promptly
as practicable after receipt of the objection. Distributor further agrees that,
in connection with the offer and sale of Shares, Distributor shall comply with
all applicable securities laws of the United States and each state thereof in
which Shares are offered and/or sold (including without limitation, the
maintenance of effective federal and state broker-dealer registrations, as
required).
8. REGISTRATION OF SHARES. The Trust agrees that it will use its best
efforts to register Shares under the 1933 Act (subject to the necessary
approval, if any, of its shareholders) and to qualify and maintain the
registration and qualification of an appropriate number of shares under the 1933
Act so that there will be available for sale the number of Sales the Distributor
may reasonably be expected to sell. Distributor shall furnish such information
and other materials relating to its affairs and activities as shall be required
by the Trust in connection with such registration and qualification. The
Distributor agrees that it will not offer or sell Shares in any jurisdiction
unless the offer or sale of Shares has been so qualified or registered or is
otherwise exempt from such registration or qualification. The Trust shall
furnish to 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 of each series of the Trust.
9. EXPENSES, COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT.
(a) The Trust shall pay all fees and expenses:
(i) in connection with the preparation, setting in type and
filing of any registration statement, Prospectus and SAI under the 1933 Act, and
any amendments thereto, for the issue of its Shares;
(ii) in connection with the registration and qualification of
Shares for sale in states in which the Board of Trustees (the "Trustees") of the
Trust shall determine it advisable to qualify such Shares for sale (including
registering the Trust as a broker or dealer or any officer of the Trust as agent
or salesperson in any such location);
(iii) of preparing, setting in type, printing and mailing any
report or other communication to holders of Shares of the Trust in their
capacity as such; and
(iv) of preparing, setting in type, printing and mailing
Prospectuses, SAIs, and any supplements thereto, sent to existing holders of
Shares.
(b) The Distributor shall pay cost of:
(i) printing and distributing Prospectuses, SAIs and reports
prepared for its use in connection with the offering of the Shares for sale to
the public;
(ii) any other literature used in connection with such offering;
(iii) advertising in connection with such offering including, but
not limited to the following: public relations services, sales presentations,
media charges, preparation, printing and mailing of advertising and sales
literature, data processing necessary to distribution effort, printing and
mailing of prospectuses; and
(iv) any additional out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection
with these costs.
10. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Distributor
and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense (including the reasonable cost of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damage or expense
and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising out of or
based upon: (i) any violation of the Trust's representations or covenants herein
contained; (ii) any wrongful act of the Trust or any of its representatives
(other than the Distributor or any of its employees or representatives
(regardless of the capacity in which such employee or representative is acting)
or any other person for whose acts the Distributor is responsible or is alleged
to be responsible (including any selected dealer or person through whom sales
are made pursuant to an agreement with the Distributor)); (iii) any untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement, Prospectus,
SAI or shareholder report of any Fund or any omission to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements
therein not misleading, except to the extent the statement or omission was made
in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished in writing to
the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor; or (iv) any untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any advertising material of a Fund or any omission to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading, to the extent that such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information
furnished to the Distributor by the Trust. In no case (v) is the indemnity by
the Trust in favor of the Distributor or any person indemnified to be deemed to
protect the Distributor or any person against any liability to the Trust or its
security holders to which the Distributor or such person would otherwise be
subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or ordinary negligence in
the performance of its duties or by reason of its reckless disregard of its
obligations and duties under this agreement, or (y) is the Trust to be liable
under its indemnity agreements contained in the Section 10(a) with respect to
any claim made against the Distributor or any person indemnified unless the
Distributor or person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Trust in
writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon the Distributor or any such person or after the Distributor or
such person shall have received notice of service on any designated agent.
However, except to the extent the Trust is harmed thereby, failure to notify the
Trust of any claim shall not relieve the Trust from any liability which it may
have to the Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought other
than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this Section 10(a). The
Trust 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 claims,
but if the Trust elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the Distributor, or person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event the Trust elects to assume the
defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Distributor, officers or directors
or controlling person(s) or defendant(s) in the suit, shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by, them. If the Trust does not
elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Distributor,
officers or directors or controlling person(s) or defendant(s) in the suit, for
the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. The Trust
agrees to notify the Distributor promptly of the commencement of any litigation
or proceedings against it or any of its officers or Trustees in connection with
the issuance or sale of any of the Shares.
(b) The Distributor agrees to 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 1933 Act, against any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense (including the reasonable cost of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damage or expense
and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising out of or
based upon: (i) any violation of the Distributor's representations or covenants
herein contained; (ii) any wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its
employees or representatives or any other person for whose acts the Distributor
is responsible or is alleged to be responsible (including any selected dealer or
person through whom sales are made pursuant to an agreement with the
Distributor); (iii) any untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
registration statement, Prospectus, SAI or shareholder report of any Fund or any
omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in
order to make the statements therein not misleading, to the extent the statement
or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information
furnished in writing to the Trust by or on behalf of the Distributor; or (iv)
any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any advertising material of
a Fund or any omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, except to the
extent that such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, information furnished to the Distributor by the Trust. In no
case (x) is the indemnity by the Distributor in favor of the Trust or any person
indemnified to be deemed to protect the Trust or any person against any
liability to the Distributor or its security holders to which the Trust or such
person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or
ordinary negligence in the performance of its duties or by reason of its
reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this agreement, or (y) is
the Distributor to be liable under its indemnity agreements contained in the
Section 10(b) with respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person
indemnified unless the Trust or person, as the case may be, shall have notified
the Distributor in writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the
summons or other first written notification giving information of the nature of
the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor or any such person or
after the Distributor or such person shall have received notice of service on
any designated agent. However, except to the extent the Distributor is harmed
thereby, failure to notify the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the
Distributor from any liability which it may have to the Trust or any person
against whom such action is brought other than on account of its indemnity
agreement contained in this Section 10(b). 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 claims, but if the Distributor
elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen
by it and satisfactory to the Trust, or person or persons, defendant or
defendants in the suit. In the event the Distributor elects to assume the
defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Trust, officers or Trustees or
controlling person(s) or defendant(s) in the suit, shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by, them. If the Distributor does
not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Trust,
officers or Trustees or controlling person(s) or defendant(s) in the suit, for
the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. The
Distributor agrees to notify the Trust promptly of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors in
connection with the issuance or sale of any of the Shares.
(c) The indemnification obligations of the parties in this Section 10
shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
11. EFFECTIVENESS, TERMINATION, ETC. This Agreement shall become effective
as follows: (i) with respect to the Shares of each Fund (or class thereof)
identified on Schedule A hereto on the date hereof, as of the date hereof, and
(ii) with respect to the Shares of any Fund (or class thereof) added to Schedule
A hereto, subsequent hereto, as of the date Schedule A is amended to add such
Fund or class of Shares. Unless terminated as provided herein, the Agreement
shall continue in force for two (2) years from the date of its execution and
thereafter from year to year, provided continuance is approved at least annually
by either (i) the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust, or by the
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, and (ii)
the vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Trust who are not interested
persons of the Trust and who are not parties to this Agreement or interested
persons of any party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on the approval. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the
event of its assignment. In addition to termination by failure to approve
continuance or by assignment, this Agreement may at any time be terminated
without the payment of any penalty with respect to any Fund or class of Shares
thereof by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not
interested persons of the Trust, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Trust, on not more than sixty (60) days written notice
by the Trust. This Agreement may be terminated by the Distributor upon not less
than sixty (60) days prior written notice to the Trust. As used in this Section
11, the terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,"
"assignment" and "interested person" shall have the respective meanings
specified in the 1940 Act and the rules enacted thereunder as now in effect or
as hereafter amended.
12. NOTICE. Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing
addressed and hand delivered or sent by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid, to the other party to this Agreement at its principal place of
business.
13. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this
Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
14. GOVERNING LAW. To the extent that state law has not been preempted by
the provisions of any law of the United States heretofore or hereafter enacted,
as the same may be amended from time to time, this Agreement shall be
administered, construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of
Texas.
15. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. The Distributor acknowledges that it has
received notice of and accepts the limitations set forth in the Trust's Amended
and Restated Master Trust Agreement. The Distributor agrees that the Trust's
obligations hereunder shall be limited to the Trust, and that the Distributor
shall have recourse solely against the assets of the Fund with respect to which
the Trust's obligations hereunder relate and shall have no recourse against the
assets of any other Fund or against any shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee
or agent of the Trust.
16. MISCELLANEOUS. Each party agrees to perform such further acts and
execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes
hereof. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference
only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise
affect their construction or effect. This Agreement may be executed in two
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day
and year written below.
U.S. GLOBAL INVESTORS FUNDS U.S. GLOBAL BROKERAGE, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------------- -----------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
President President
Chief Executive Officer
Date: August 30, 1999 Date: August 30, 1999
SCHEDULE A
U.S. Global Investors Funds
Portfolios and Fee Schedule
Portfolios covered by Distribution Agreement:
Gold Shares Fund
World Gold Fund
Global Resources Fund
China Region Opportunity Fund
All American Equity Fund
Income Fund
Real Estate Fund
Tax Free Fund
Near-Term Tax-Free Fund
U.S. Government Securities Savings Fund
U.S. Treasury Securities Cash Fund
Fees for distribution and distribution support services on behalf of the
Portfolios:
Annual Fee: None. Trust has no Distribution Plans.
August 30, 1999
U.S. GLOBAL INVESTORS FUNDS U.S. GLOBAL BROKERAGE, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------------- -----------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
President President
Chief Executive Officer
