AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
Appendix
C
This
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (“Agreement”) is made as of this 11 day of
February, 2008 by and between Firsthand Technology Value Fund (the “Acquiring
Fund”) and Firsthand Global Technology Fund (the “Acquired Fund”), each of which
is a series of Firsthand Funds, a Delaware statutory trust (the
“Trust”).
WHEREAS,
the Trust is an open-end management investment company registered with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);
WHEREAS,
the parties desire that the Fund Assets and Liabilities (as defined below) of
the Acquired Fund be conveyed to and acquired and assumed by the Acquiring Fund
in exchange for shares of equal U.S. dollar value of the Acquiring Fund which
shall thereafter promptly be distributed to the shareholders of the Acquired
Fund in connection with its liquidation as described in this Agreement (such
acquisition and assumption of the Acquired Fund’s Fund Assets and Liabilities by
the Acquiring Fund shall be referred to as the “GTF Reorganization”);
and
WHEREAS,
the parties intend that the GTF Reorganization qualify as a “reorganization,”
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended (the “Code”), and that the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will
each be a “party to a reorganization,” within the meaning of Section 368(b)
of the Code, with respect to the GTF Reorganization.
NOW,
THEREFORE, in accordance with the terms and conditions described herein, the
Acquired Fund and Acquiring Fund shall be consolidated as follows:
1. Conveyance of Fund Assets
and Liabilities of the Acquired Fund.
|
(a)
|
Except
as provided below, at the Effective Time of the Reorganization (as defined
in Section 8) all assets of every kind, and all interests, rights,
privileges and powers of the Acquired Fund (the “Fund Assets”), subject to
all liabilities of the Acquired Fund existing as of the Effective Time of
the Reorganization (the “Liabilities”), shall be transferred by the
Acquired Fund to the Acquiring Fund and shall be accepted and assumed by
the Acquiring Fund, as more particularly set forth in this Agreement, such
that at and after the Effective Time of the Reorganization: (i)
all Fund Assets of the Acquired Fund shall become the assets of the
Acquiring Fund; and (ii) all Liabilities of the Acquired Fund shall attach
to the Acquiring Fund, enforceable against the Acquiring Fund to the same
extent as if originally incurred by the Acquiring
Fund.
|
1
|
(b)
|
It
is understood and agreed that the Fund Assets shall include all property
and assets of any nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all
cash, cash equivalents, securities, claims (whether absolute or
contingent, known or unknown, accrued or unaccrued) and receivables
(including dividend and interest receivables) owned or exercisable by the
Acquired Fund, and any deferred or prepaid expenses shown as an asset on
the Acquired Fund’s books and that the Liabilities of the Acquired Fund
shall include all liabilities, whether known or unknown, accrued or
unaccrued, absolute or contingent, in all cases, existing at the Effective
Time of the Reorganization.
|
|
(c)
|
It
is understood and agreed that the Acquired Fund may sell any of the
securities or other assets it holds prior to the Effective Time of the
Reorganization but will not, without the prior approval of the Acquiring
Fund, acquire any additional securities other than securities that the
Acquiring Fund is permitted to purchase in accordance with its stated
investment objective and policies. At least ten (10) business
days prior to the Closing Date (as defined in Section 8), the Acquiring
Fund will advise the Acquired Fund of any investments held by the Acquired
Fund that the Acquiring Fund would not be permitted to hold, pursuant to
its stated investment objective and policies or otherwise. The
Acquired Fund, if requested by the Acquiring Fund, will dispose of any
such securities prior to the Closing Date to the extent practicable and
consistent with applicable legal requirements. In addition, if
it is determined that the investment portfolios of the Acquired Fund and
the Acquiring Fund, when aggregated, would contain investments exceeding
certain percentage limitations applicable to the Acquiring Fund, then the
Acquired Fund, if requested by the Acquiring Fund, will dispose of a
sufficient amount of such investments as may be necessary to avoid
violating such limitations as of the Effective Time of the
Reorganization. The Acquired Fund will endeavor to discharge
all of its known liabilities and obligations prior to the Closing
Date.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Fund Assets shall be transferred and conveyed to the Acquiring Fund on the
following basis:
|
|
(1)
|
In
exchange for the transfer of the Fund Assets, the Acquiring Fund shall
simultaneously issue to the Acquired Fund at the Effective Time of the
Reorganization full and fractional shares of the Acquiring Fund having an
aggregate net asset value equal to the net value of the Fund Assets minus
Liabilities so conveyed and assumed, all determined in accordance with
this Agreement. In this regard, the number of full and
fractional shares of the Acquiring Fund delivered to the Acquired Fund
shall be determined by dividing the value of the Fund Assets minus
Liabilities, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth
in this Agreement, by the net asset value of one Acquiring Fund share of
computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in this
Agreement.
|
2
|
(2)
|
The
net asset value of shares to be delivered by the Acquiring Fund, and the
net value of the Fund Assets minus Liabilities to be conveyed by the
Acquired Fund and assumed by the Acquiring Fund, shall, in each case, be
determined as of the Valuation Time as defined in Section
3. The net asset value of shares of the Acquiring Fund shall be
computed in accordance with its then current valuation
procedures. In determining the value of the Fund Assets, each
security to be included in the Fund Assets shall be priced in accordance
with the Acquiring Fund’s then current valuation
procedures.
|
|
2.
|
Liquidation of the
Acquired Fund. At the Effective Time of the
Reorganization, the Acquired Fund shall make a liquidating distribution to
its shareholders as follows: Shareholders of record of the
Acquired Fund shall be credited with full and fractional shares of the
shares that are issued by the Acquiring Fund in connection with the GTF
Reorganization corresponding to the Acquired Fund shares that are held of
record by the shareholder at the Effective Time of the
Reorganization. Each such shareholder also shall have the right
to receive any unpaid dividends or other distributions which were declared
before the Effective Time of the Reorganization with respect to the
Acquired Fund shares that are held of record by the shareholder at the
Effective Time of the Reorganization, and the Trust shall record on its
books the ownership of the Acquiring Fund shares by such shareholders (the
“Transferor Record Holders”). All of the issued and outstanding
shares of the Acquired Fund at the Effective Time of the Reorganization
shall be redeemed and canceled on the books of the Trust at such
time. As soon as reasonably possible after the Effective Time
of the Reorganization, the Trust shall wind up the affairs of the Acquired
Fund and shall file any final regulatory reports, including but not
limited to any Form N-SAR and Rule 24f-2 filings, with respect to the
Acquired Fund, and also shall take all other steps as are necessary and
proper to effect the termination or declassification of the Acquired Fund
in accordance with all applicable laws. Subject to the
provisions of this Agreement at an appropriate time as determined by the
officers of the Trust, upon the advice of counsel, the Acquired Fund will
be dissolved and unwound under the laws of the State of
Delaware.
|
|
3.
|
Valuation
Time. The “Valuation Time” shall be the time as of which
the net asset value of shares of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund
are determined pursuant to their respective valuation procedures on the
Closing Date or such earlier or later time as may be mutually agreed to in
writing by the parties hereto.
|
3
|
4.
|
Certain
Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Trust on behalf of the
Acquired Fund. The Trust, on behalf of itself and, where
appropriate, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, represents and warrants as
follows:
|
|
(a)
|
The
Acquired Fund is duly organized as a series of the Trust, which is a
business trust duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the State of Delaware. The Trust is registered with
the SEC as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act,
and such registration is in full force and
effect.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Trust has the power to own all of the Acquired Fund’s properties and
assets and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein, on behalf
of the Acquired Fund and has or will have at the Effective Time of the
Reorganization all necessary federal, state and local authorizations to
carry on its business as now being conducted and to consummate the
transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
|
|
(c)
|
This
Agreement has been duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Trust
on behalf of the Acquired Fund, and has been executed and delivered by
duly authorized officers of the Trust, and represents a valid and binding
contract, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to
enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement,
moratorium, and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity
principles. The execution and delivery of this Agreement does
not, and, subject to the approval of shareholders referred to in Section
7, the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
will not, violate the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust or the
By-Laws of the Trust, or any material agreement or arrangement to which
the Trust is a party or by which it is
bound.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Acquired Fund has elected to qualify and has qualified as a regulated
investment company under Part I of Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1,
of the Code, as of and since its formulation; and it qualifies and shall
continue to qualify as a regulated investment company for its taxable year
ending upon its liquidation.
|
|
(e)
|
The
Trust has valued, and will continue to value, the portfolio securities and
other assets of the Acquired Fund in accordance with applicable legal
requirements.
|
|
(f)
|
The
combined proxy statement/prospectus and form of proxy included within the
Trust’s registration statement on Form N-14 (the “N-14 Registration
Statement”) from its effective date with the SEC through the time of the
shareholder meeting referred to in Section 7 and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization, insofar as they relate to the Trust or the Acquired Fund
(i) shall comply in all material respects with the provisions of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the 1940 Act, the
rules and regulations thereunder, and applicable state securities laws,
and (ii) shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements made therein not
misleading.
|
4
|
(g)
|
All
of the issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund have been
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and were offered for
sale and sold in conformity with the registration requirements of all
applicable federal and state securities
laws.
|
|
(h)
|
The
Trust shall operate the business of the Acquired Fund in the ordinary
course between the date hereof and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization, except that the Trust shall complete all measures in
respect of the Acquired Fund prior to the Effective Time of the
Reorganization to ensure that the GTF Reorganization qualifies as a
“reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code,
regardless of whether such measures are in the ordinary
course. It is understood that such ordinary course of business
will include the declaration and payment of customary dividends and
distributions and any other dividends and distributions deemed advisable
in anticipation of the GTF Reorganization. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Trust shall take all appropriate
action necessary in order for the Trust to receive the opinion(s) provided
for in Sections 9(f) and 10(d).
|
|
(i)
|
At
the Effective Time of the Reorganization, the Acquired Fund will have good
and marketable title to the Fund Assets and full right, power and
authority to assign, deliver and otherwise transfer such
assets.
|
(j)
|
At
the Effective Time of the Reorganization, all federal and other tax
returns and reports of the Acquired Fund required by law to have been
filed by such time shall have been filed, and all federal and other taxes
shall have been paid so far as due, or provision shall have been made for
the payment thereof and, to the best knowledge of management of the Trust,
no such return or report shall be currently under audit and no assessment
shall have been asserted with respect to such returns or
reports.
|
(k)
|
Except
as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Trust, on behalf
of the Acquiring Fund, no litigation or administrative proceeding or
investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently
pending or, to its knowledge, threatened against the Acquired Fund or any
of its properties or assets that, if adversely determined, would
materially and adversely affect its financial condition or the conduct of
its business. The Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, knows
of no facts which might form the basis for the institution of such
proceedings and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any
order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which
materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate
the transactions herein contemplated;
and
|
5
|
(l)
|
Since
December 31, 2007, there has not been any material adverse change in the
Acquired Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business,
other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business, or any
incurrence by the Acquired Fund of indebtedness maturing more than one
year from the date such indebtedness was incurred, except as otherwise
disclosed to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund. For the
purposes of this subparagraph (l), a decline in net asset value per share
of Acquired Fund shares due to declines in market values of securities
held by the Acquired Fund, the discharge of Acquired Fund liabilities, or
the redemption of Acquired Fund shares by shareholders of the Acquired
Fund shall not constitute a material adverse
change.
|
|
5.
|
Certain
Representations, Warranties and Agreements of the Trust on Behalf of the
Acquiring Fund. The Trust, on behalf of itself and where
appropriate, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, represents and warrants as
follows:
|
|
(a)
|
The
Acquiring Fund is duly organized as a series of the Trust which is a
business trust duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under
the laws of the State of Delaware and is registered with the SEC as an
open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act and such
registration is in full force and
effect.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Trust has the power to own all of its properties and assets and to
consummate the transactions contemplated herein, and has or will have at
the Effective Time of the Reorganization all necessary federal, state and
local authorizations to carry on its business as now being conducted and
to consummate the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement.
|
|
(c)
|
This
Agreement has been duly authorized by the Board of Trustees of the Trust
on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and executed and delivered by duly
authorized officers of the Trust, and represents a valid and binding
contract, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject as to
enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement,
moratorium and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or
affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity
principles. The execution and delivery of this Agreement does
not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement will not, violate the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust
of the Trust or any material agreement or arrangement to which it is a
party or by which it is bound.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Acquiring Fund has elected to qualify and has qualified as a regulated
investment company under Part I of Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1,
of the Code, as of and since its formation; and it qualifies and shall
continue to qualify as a regulated investment company for its current
taxable year.
|
6
|
(e)
|
The
Trust has valued, and will continue to value, the portfolio securities and
other assets of the Acquiring Fund in accordance with applicable legal
requirements.
|
|
(f)
|
The
N-14 Registration Statement from its effective date with the SEC through
the time of the shareholder meeting referred to in Section 7 and at the
Effective Time of the Reorganization, insofar as it relates to the Trust
or the Acquiring Fund (i) shall comply in all material respects with
the provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act, the rules
and regulations thereunder, and state securities laws, and (ii) shall not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements made therein not
misleading.
|
|
(g)
|
The
shares of the Acquiring Fund to be issued and delivered to the Acquired
Fund for the account of the shareholders of the Acquired Fund, pursuant to
the terms hereof, shall have been duly authorized as of the Effective Time
of the Reorganization and, when so issued and delivered, shall be duly and
validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and no shareholder of the
Acquiring Fund shall have any preemptive right of subscription or purchase
in respect thereto.
|
|
(h)
|
All
of the issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund have been
validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, and were offered for
sale and sold in conformity with the registration requirements of all
applicable federal and state securities
laws.
|
(i)
|
The
Trust shall operate the business of the Acquiring Fund in the ordinary
course between the date hereof and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization, it being understood that such ordinary course of business
will include the declaration and payment of customary dividends and
distributions and any other dividends and distributions deemed advisable
in anticipation of the GTF Reorganization. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Trust shall take all appropriate
action necessary in order for the Trust to receive the opinion(s) provided
for in Sections 9(f) and 10(d).
|
|
(j)
|
At
the Effective Time of the Reorganization, all federal and other tax
returns and reports of the Acquiring Fund required by law to have been
filed by such time shall have been filed, and all federal and other taxes
shall have been paid so far as due, or provision shall have been made for
the payment thereof and, to the best knowledge of management of the Trust,
no such return or report shall be currently under audit and no assessment
shall have been asserted with respect to such returns or
reports.
|
7
|
(k)
|
Except
as otherwise disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Trust on behalf
of the Acquired Fund, no litigation or administrative proceeding or
investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently
pending or to the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge, threatened against the
Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, or any of the Acquiring Fund’s
properties or assets that, if adversely determined, would materially and
adversely affect the Acquiring Fund’s financial condition or the conduct
of its business. The Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund,
knows of no facts which might form the basis for the institution of such
proceedings and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any
order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which
materially and adversely affects the Acquiring Fund’s business or its
ability to consummate the transactions herein
contemplated.
|
|
(l)
|
Since
December 31, 2007, there has not been any material adverse change in the
Acquiring Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business,
other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business, or any
incurrence by the Acquiring Fund of indebtedness maturing more than one
year from the date such indebtedness was incurred, except as otherwise
disclosed to an accepted by the Acquired Fund. For purposes of
this subparagraph (l), a decline in net asset value per share of the
Acquiring Fund shares due to declines in market values of securities held
by the Acquiring Fund, the discharge of Acquiring Fund liabilities, or the
redemption of Acquiring Fund shares by shareholders of the Acquiring Fund,
shall not constitute a material adverse
change.
|
|
6.
|
Regulatory
Filings. The Trust will file the N-14 Registration
Statement with the SEC.
|
|
7.
|
Shareholder
Action. After the effective date of the N-14
Registration Statement, the Trust shall hold a meeting of the shareholders
of the Acquired Fund for the purpose of considering and voting
upon:
|
|
(a)
|
approval
of this Agreement and the GTF Reorganization contemplated hereby;
and
|
|
(b)
|
such
other matters as may be determined by the Board of Trustees of the
Trust.
|
|
8.
|
Closing Date,
Effective Time of the Reorganization. The “Closing Date”
shall be May __, 2008, or such earlier or later dates as the parties shall
agree. Delivery of the Fund Assets and the shares of the
Acquiring Fund to be issued pursuant to Section 1 and the liquidation of
the Acquired Fund pursuant to Section 2 shall occur on the day following
the Closing Date, whether or not such day is a business day, or on such
other date, and at such place and time, as may be mutually agreed, by the
parties hereto. The date and time at which such actions are
taken are referred to herein as the “Effective Time of the
Reorganization.” To the extent any Fund Assets are, for any
reason, not transferred at the Effective Time of the Reorganization, the
Trust shall cause such Fund Assets to be transferred in accordance with
this Agreement at the earliest practicable date
thereafter.
|
8
|
9.
|
Conditions to the
Trust’s Obligations on Behalf of the Acquiring Fund. The
obligations of the Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, hereunder shall
be subject to the following conditions
precedent:
|
|
(a)
|
This
Agreement and the GTF Reorganization shall have been approved by the Board
of Trustees of the Trust and by a requisite vote of the shareholders of
the Acquired Fund in the manner required by the Trust’s Amended and
Restated Declaration of Trust, By-Laws, applicable law and this
Agreement.
|
|
(b)
|
All
representations and warranties of the Trust made in this Agreement shall
be true and correct in all material respects as if made at and as of the
Valuation Time and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization.
|
|
(c)
|
The
Trust shall have delivered to the Trust a statement of assets and
liabilities of the Acquired Fund, showing the tax basis of such assets for
federal income tax purposes by lot and the holding periods of such assets,
as of the Valuation Time.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Trust shall have duly executed and delivered to the Trust such bills of
sale, assignments, certificates and other instruments of transfer
(“Transfer Documents”) as the Trust may deem necessary or desirable to
transfer all of the Acquired Fund’s rights, title and interest in and to
the Fund Assets.
|
|
(e)
|
The
Trust shall have delivered a certificate executed in its name by an
appropriate officer, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the
representations and warranties of the Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund
made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Valuation
Time and that, to the best of its knowledge, the Fund Assets include only
assets which the Acquiring Fund may properly acquire under its investment
objective, policies and limitations and may otherwise be lawfully acquired
by the Acquiring Fund.
|
|
(f)
|
The
Trust shall have received an opinion of Paul, Hastings, Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxx LLP, upon which the Acquiring Fund and its shareholders may rely,
in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trust based upon
representations made in certificates provided by the Trust, and/or its
affiliates and/or principal shareholders of the Acquiring Fund and/or the
Acquired Fund to Paul, Hastings, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP and dated as of
the Closing Date, substantially to the effect that the GTF Reorganization
will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of
the Code, and the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will each be a
“party to a reorganization”, within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the
Code, with respect to the GTF
Reorganization.
|
9
|
(g)
|
The
N-14 Registration Statement shall have become effective and no stop order
suspending the effectiveness shall have been instituted, or to the
knowledge of the Trust, contemplated by the
SEC.
|
|
(h)
|
No
action, suit or other proceeding shall be threatened or pending before any
court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or
prohibit, or obtain damages or other relief in connection with, this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated
herein.
|
|
(i)
|
The
SEC shall not have issued any unfavorable advisory report under Section
25(b) of the 1940 Act nor instituted any proceeding seeking to enjoin
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under
Section 25(c) of the 1940 Act.
|
|
(j)
|
The
Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund shall have performed and complied in
all material respects with each of its agreements and covenants required
by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it prior to or at
the Valuation Time and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization.
|
|
(k)
|
The
Trust shall have received a duly executed instrument whereby the Acquiring
Fund assumes all of the liabilities of the Acquired
Fund.
|
|
(l)
|
Except
to the extent prohibited by Rule 19b-1 under the 1940 Act, prior to the
Valuation Time, the Acquired Fund shall have declared a dividend or
dividends, with a record date and ex-dividend date prior to the Valuation
Time, which, together with all previous dividends, shall have the effect
of distributing to its shareholders all of its previously undistributed
(i) “investment company taxable income” within the meaning of Section
852(b) of the Code (determined without regarding Section 852(b)(2)(D) of
the Code), (ii) excess of (A) the amount specified in Section
852(a)(1)(B)(i) of the Code over (B) the amount specified in Section
852(a)(1)(B)(ii) of the Code, and (iii) “net capital gain” (within the
meaning of Section 1222(11) of the Code), if any, realized in taxable
periods or years ending on or before Effective
Time.
|
|
10.
|
Conditions to the
Trust’s Obligations on Behalf of the Acquired Fund. The
obligations of the Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, hereunder shall
be subject to the following conditions
precedent:
|
10
|
(a)
|
This
Agreement and the GTF Reorganization shall have been approved by the Board
of Trustees of the Trust on behalf of the Acquiring
Fund.
|
|
(b)
|
All
representations and warranties of the Trust made in this Agreement shall
be true and correct in all material respects as if made at and as of the
Valuation Time and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization.
|
|
(c)
|
The
Trust shall have delivered a certificate executed in its name by an
appropriate officer, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the
representations and warranties of the Acquiring Fund made in this
Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Valuation
Time.
|
|
(d)
|
The
Trust shall have received an opinion of Paul, Hastings, Xxxxxxxx &
Xxxxxx LLP, upon which the Acquired Fund and its shareholders may rely, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trust, based upon
representations made in certificates provided by the Trust, and/or its
affiliates and/or principal shareholders of the Acquiring Fund and/or the
Acquired Fund to Paul, Hastings, Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxx LLP, and dated as
of the Closing Date, substantially to the effect that, for federal income
tax purposes, the GTF Reorganization will qualify as a “reorganization”
within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, and the Acquiring Fund
and the Acquired Fund will each be a “party to a reorganization,” within
the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code, with respect to the GTF
Reorganization.
|
|
(e)
|
The
N-14 Registration Statement shall have become effective and no stop order
suspending such effectiveness shall have been instituted or, to the
knowledge of the Trust, contemplated by the
SEC.
|
|
(f)
|
No
action, suit or other proceeding shall be threatened or pending before any
court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit
or obtain damages or other relief in connection with this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated herein.
|
|
(g)
|
The
SEC shall not have issued any unfavorable advisory report under Section
25(b) of the 1940 Act nor instituted any proceeding seeking to enjoin
consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under
Section 25(c) of the 1940 Act.
|
|
(h)
|
The
Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund shall have performed and complied in
all material respects with each of its agreements and covenants required
by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it prior to or at
the Valuation Time and the Effective Time of the
Reorganization.
|
11
|
11.
|
Tax
Matters
|
|
(a)
|
The
Trust hereby represents and warrants on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and
the Acquired Fund that each shall use its best efforts to cause the GTF
Reorganization to qualify, and will not (whether before or after
consummation of the GTF Reorganization) take any actions that could
prevent the GTF Reorganization from qualifying, as a “reorganization”
under the provisions of Section 368 of the
Code.
|
|
(b)
|
Except
where otherwise required by law, the parties shall not take a position on
any tax returns inconsistent with the treatment of the GTF Reorganization
for tax purposes as a “reorganization,” within the meaning of Section
368(a) of the Code and the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund will
comply with the record keeping and information filing requirements of
Section 1.368-3 of the Treasury Regulation in accordance
therewith.
|
|
12.
|
Survival of
Representations and Warranties. The representations and
warranties of the Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and the Trust on
behalf of the Acquired Fund set forth in this Agreement shall survive the
delivery of the Fund Assets to the Acquiring Fund and the issuance of the
shares of the Acquiring Fund at the Effective Time of the Reorganization
to the Acquired Fund’s
shareholders.
|
|
13.
|
Termination of
Agreement. This Agreement may be terminated by a party
at or, in the case of Subsection 13(c), below, at any time prior to, the
Effective Time of the Reorganization by a vote of a majority of its Board
members as provided below:
|
|
(a)
|
By
the Trust on behalf of the Acquiring Fund if the conditions set forth in
Section 9 are not satisfied as specified in said
Section;
|
|
(b)
|
By
the Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund if the conditions set forth in
Section 10 are not satisfied as specified in said Section;
and
|
|
(c)
|
By
resolution of the Trust’s Board of Trustees if circumstances should
develop that, in its opinion, make proceeding with the agreement
inadvisable.
|
|
14.
|
Governing
Law. This Agreement and the transactions contemplated
hereby shall be governed, construed and enforced in accordance with the
laws of the State of Delaware, except to the extent preempted by federal
law.
|
12
|
15.
|
Brokerage Fees and
Expenses.
|
|
(a)
|
The
Trust represents and warrants that there are no brokers or finders
entitled to receive any payments in connection with the transactions
provided for herein.
|
|
(b)
|
Firsthand
Capital Management, Inc. will be responsible for the expenses related to
entering into and carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, whether
or not the transactions contemplated hereby are
consummated.
|
|
16.
|
Amendments. This
Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented in such manner as may
be mutually agreed upon in writing by the authorized officers of the
Trust; provided, however, that following the meeting of the shareholders
of the Acquired Fund, no such amendment may have the effect of changing
the provisions for determining the number of shares of the Acquiring Fund
to be issued to the Transferor Record Holders under this Agreement to the
detriment of such Transferor Record Holders, or otherwise materially and
adversely affecting the Acquired Fund, without the Acquired Fund obtaining
its shareholders’ further approval.
|
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by
their duly authorized officers designated below as of the date first written
above.
On
behalf of Firsthand Technology Innovators Fund
|
|
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Title: President | |
On
behalf of Firsthand Technology Value Fund
|
|
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
Title: President |
13