The Prudential Series Fund High Yield Bond Portfolio SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
Exhibit 99.(d)(16)(v)
The Prudential Series Fund
High Yield Bond Portfolio
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
Agreement made as of this 1st day of January, 2006 between Prudential Investments LLC (PI or the Manager), a New York limited liability company and Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (PIM or the Subadviser), a New Jersey corporation.
WHEREAS, the Manager has entered into a Management Agreement (the Management Agreement) with The Prudential Series Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the Trust) and a diversified, open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as amended (the 1940 Act), pursuant to which PI acts as Manager of the Trust; and
WHEREAS, the Manager desires to retain the Subadviser to provide investment advisory services to the series of the Trust specified in Schedule A hereto (referred to hereafter as the Portfolio) and to manage such portion of the Portfolio’s portfolio as the Manager shall from time to time direct, and the Subadviser is willing to render such investment advisory services; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:
1. (a) Subject to the supervision of the Manager and the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the Board), the Subadviser shall manage such portion of the Portfolio’s portfolio, including the purchase, retention and disposition thereof, in accordance with the Trust’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in its then current prospectus and statement of additional information (such prospectus and statement of additional information as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time, being herein called the “Prospectus”), and subject to the following understandings:
(i) The Subadviser shall provide supervision of such portion of the Portfolio’s portfolio as the Manager shall direct, and shall determine from time to time what investments and securities will be purchased, retained or sold by the Portfolio, and what portion of the assets will be invested or held uninvested as cash.
(ii) In the performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the Subadviser shall act in conformity with the copies of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and Prospectus of the Trust and any procedures adopted by the Board applicable to the Portfolio and any amendments to those procedures (Board Procedures) provided to it by the Manager (the Trust Documents), and with the instructions and directions of the Manager and of the Board, co-operate with the Manager’s (or their designees’) personnel responsible for monitoring the Portfolio’s compliance. The Subadviser shall also comply at all times with the 1940 Act, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act), the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including securities law. The Manager shall provide Subadviser timely with copies of any updated Trust Documents.
(iii) The Subadviser shall determine the securities and futures contracts to be purchased or sold by such portion of the Portfolio’s portfolio, as applicable, and shall place orders with or through such persons, brokers, dealers or futures commission merchants, including but not limited to any broker-dealer affiliated with the Manager or the Subadviser to carry out the policy with respect to brokerage as set forth in the Trust’s Prospectus or as the Board may direct from time to time. In providing the Portfolio with investment supervision, it is recognized that the Subadviser shall give primary consideration to securing the most favorable price and efficient execution. Within the framework of this policy, the Subadviser may consider the financial responsibility, research and investment information and other services provided by brokers, dealers or futures commission merchants who may effect or be a party to any such transaction or other transactions to which the Subadviser’s other clients may be a party. The Manager (or Subadviser) to the Portfolio each shall have discretion to effect investment transactions for the Portfolio through broker-dealers (including, to the extent legally permissible, broker-dealers affiliated with the Subadviser(s)) qualified to obtain best execution of such transactions who provide brokerage and/or research services, as such services are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 1934 Act), and to cause the Portfolio to pay any such broker-dealers an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio transaction in excess of the amount of commission another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the brokerage or research services provided by such broker-dealer, viewed in light of either that particular investment transaction or the overall responsibilities of the Manager (or the Subadviser) with respect to the Portfolio and other accounts as to which they or it may exercise investment discretion (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(35) of the 1934 Act), are reasonable in relation to the amount of commission.
On occasions when the Subadviser deems the purchase or sale of a security or futures contract to be in the best interests of the Portfolio as well as other clients of the Subadviser, the Subadviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may, but shall be under no obligation to, aggregate the securities or futures contracts to be sold or purchased in order to obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the securities or futures contracts so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, shall be made by the Subadviser in the manner the Subadviser
considers to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Portfolio and to such other clients.
(iv) The Subadviser shall maintain all books and records with respect to the Portfolio’s portfolio transactions effected by it as required by subparagraphs (b)(5), (6), (7), (9), (10) and (11) and paragraph (f) of Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act. The Subadviser shall furnish to the Manager or the Board all information relating to the Subadviser’s services under this Agreement reasonably requested by the Manager and the Board within a reasonable period of time after the Manager or the Board makes such request. The Subadviser shall make reasonably available its employees and officers for consultation with any of the directors or officers or employees of the Trust with respect to any matter discussed herein, including, without limitation, the valuation of the Portfolio’s securities.
(v) The Subadviser or its affiliate shall provide the Portfolio’s custodian on each business day with information relating to all transactions concerning the portion of the Portfolio’s assets it manages. The Subadviser shall furnish the Manager routinely with daily information concerning portfolio transactions and other reports as agreed upon from time to time concerning transactions, portfolio holdings and performance of the Portfolio, in such form and frequency as may be mutually agreed upon from time to time. The Subadviser agrees to review the Portfolio and discuss the management of the Portfolio with the Manager and the Board as either or both shall from time to time reasonably request.
(vi) The investment management services provided by the Subadviser hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Subadviser shall be free to render similar services to others. Subject to the Subadviser’s responsibility to the Portfolio, Manager agrees that Subadviser may give advice or exercise investment responsibility and take such other action with respect to other individuals or entities which may differ from advice given to the Portfolio. Further, the Manager acknowledges that the Subadviser, or its agent, or employees, or any of the accounts Subadviser advises, may at any time hold, acquire, increase, decrease, dispose of or otherwise deal with positions in investments in which the Portfolio may or may not have an interest from time to time, whether such transactions involve the Fund or otherwise.
(vii) The Subadviser and Manager understand and agree that if the Manager manages the Trust in a “manager-of-managers” style, the Manager shall, among other things, (i) continually evaluate the performance of the Subadviser through quantitative and qualitative analysis and consultations with the Subadviser, (ii) periodically make recommendations to the Board as to whether the contract with one or more subadvisers should be renewed, modified, or terminated, and (iii) periodically report to the Board regarding the results of its evaluation and monitoring functions. The Subadviser recognizes that its services may be terminated or modified pursuant to this process.
(viii) The Subadviser acknowledges that the Manager and the Trust intend to rely on Rule 17a-10, Rule 10f-3, Rule 12d3-1 and Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, and the Subadviser hereby agrees that it shall not consult with any other subadviser to the Trust with respect to transactions in securities for the Portfolio’s portfolio or any other transactions of Portfolio assets.
(ix) The Subadviser shall provide the Manager a copy of Subadviser’s Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission).
(b) The Subadviser shall authorize and permit any of its directors, officers and employees who may be elected as Trustees or officers of the Trust to serve in the capacities in which they are elected. Services to be furnished by the Subadviser under this Agreement may be furnished through the medium of any of such Trustees, officers or employees.
(c) The Subadviser shall keep the Portfolio’s books and records required to be maintained by the Subadviser pursuant to paragraph 1(a) hereof in the form and for the period required by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act. The Subadviser agrees that all records which it maintains for the Portfolio are the property of the Portfolio, and the Subadviser shall surrender promptly to the Portfolio any of such records upon the Portfolio’s request, provided, however, that the Subadviser may retain a copy of such records. The Portfolio’s books and records maintained by the Subadviser shall be made available, within a reasonable period of time following submission of a written request, to the Portfolio’s accountants or auditors during regular business hours at the Subadviser’s offices. The Portfolio, the Manager or their respective authorized representatives shall have the right to copy any records in the Subadviser’s possession that pertain to the Portfolio. These books, records, information, or reports shall be made available to properly authorized government representatives consistent with state and federal law and/or regulations. In the event of the termination of this Agreement, the Portfolio’s books and records maintained by the Subadviser shall be returned to the Portfolio or the Manager. The Subadviser agrees that the policies and procedures it has established for managing the Portfolio’s portfolio, including, but not limited to, all policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with federal and state laws and regulations governing the adviser/client relationship and management and operation of the Portfolio, shall be made available for inspection by the Portfolio, the Manager or their respective authorized representatives upon reasonable written request within not more than two (2) business days.
(d) The Subadviser shall maintain a written code of ethics (the Code of Ethics) that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act, a copy of which shall be provided to the Manager and the Portfolio, and shall institute procedures reasonably necessary to prevent any Access Person (as defined in Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act) from violating its Code of Ethics. The Subadviser shall follow such
Code of Ethics in performing its services under this Agreement. Further, the Subadviser represents that it maintains adequate compliance procedures to ensure its compliance with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, and other applicable federal and state laws and regulations. In particular, the Subadviser represents that it has policies and procedures regarding the detection and prevention of the misuse of material, nonpublic information by the Subadviser and its employees as required by the Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx and Securities Fraud Enforcement Act of 1988, a copy of which it shall provide to the Manager and the Portfolio upon reasonable request. The Subadviser shall assure that its employees comply in all material respects with the provisions of Section 16 of the 1934 Act, and to cooperate reasonably with the Manager for purposes of filing any required reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) or such other regulator having appropriate jurisdiction.
(e) The Subadviser shall furnish to the Manager copies of all records prepared in connection with (i) the performance of this Agreement and (ii) the maintenance of compliance procedures pursuant to paragraph 1(d) hereof as the Manager may reasonably request.
(f) The Subadviser shall be responsible for the voting of all shareholder proxies with respect to the investments and securities held in the Portfolio’s portfolio, subject to such reporting and other requirements as shall be established by the Manager.
(g) Upon reasonable request from the Manager, the Subadviser (through a qualified person) shall assist the valuation committee of the Trust or the Manager in valuing securities of the Portfolio as may be required from time to time, including making available information of which the Subadviser has knowledge related to the securities being valued.
(h) The Subadviser shall provide the Manager with any information reasonably requested regarding its management of the Portfolio’s portfolio required for any shareholder report, amended registration statement, or prospectus supplement to be filed by the Trust with the Commission. The Subadviser shall provide the Manager with any reasonable certification, documentation or other information reasonably requested or required by the Manager for purposes of the certifications of shareholder reports by the Trust’s principal financial officer and principal executive officer pursuant to the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 or other law or regulation. The Subadviser shall promptly inform the Portfolio and the Manager if the Subadviser becomes aware of any information in the Prospectus that is (or will become) inaccurate or incomplete.
(i) The Subadviser shall comply with Board Procedures provided to the Subadviser by the Manager or the Portfolio. The Subadviser shall notify the Manager as soon as reasonably practicable upon detection of any material breach of such Board Procedures.
(j) The Subadviser shall keep the Portfolio and the Manager informed of developments relating to its duties as subadviser of which the Subadviser has, or should have, knowledge that would materially affect the Portfolio. In this regard, the Subadviser shall provide the Trust, the Manager, and their respective officers with such periodic reports concerning the obligations the Subadviser has assumed under this Agreement as the Portfolio and the Manager may from time to time reasonably request. Additionally, prior to each Board meeting, the Subadviser shall provide the Manager and the Board with reports regarding the Subadviser’s management of the Portfolio’s portfolio during the most recently completed quarter, in such form as may be mutually agreed upon by the Subadviser and the Manager. The Subadviser shall certify quarterly to the Portfolio and the Manager that it and its “Advisory Persons” (as defined in Rule 17j-under the 0000 Xxx) have complied materially with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act during the previous quarter or, if not, explain what the Subadviser has done to seek to ensure such compliance in the future. Annually, the Subadviser shall furnish a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 and Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, concerning the Subadviser’s Code of Ethics and compliance program, respectively, to the Portfolio and the Manager. Upon written request of the Portfolio or the Manager with respect to violations of the Code of Ethics directly affecting the Portfolio, the Subadviser shall permit representatives of the Portfolio or the Manager to examine reports (or summaries of the reports) required to be made by Rule 17j-1(d)(1) relating to enforcement of the Code of Ethics.
2. The Manager shall continue to have responsibility for all services to be provided to the Portfolio pursuant to the Management Agreement and, as more particularly discussed above, shall oversee and review the Subadviser’s performance of its duties under this Agreement. The Manager shall provide (or cause the Portfolio’s custodian to provide) timely information to the Subadviser regarding such matters as the composition of assets in the portion of the Portfolio managed by the Subadviser, cash requirements and cash available for investment in such portion of the Portfolio, and all other information as may be reasonably necessary for the Subadviser to perform its duties hereunder (including any excerpts of minutes of meetings of the Board that affect the duties of the Subadviser).
3. For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Manager shall pay the Subadviser as full compensation therefor, a fee equal to the percentage of the Portfolio’s average daily net assets of the portion of the Portfolio managed by the Subadviser as described in the attached Schedule A. Liability for payment of compensation by the Manager to the Subadviser under this Agreement is contingent upon the Manager’s receipt of payment from the Portfolio for management services described under the Management Agreement between the Trust and the Manager. Expense caps or fee waivers for the Portfolio that may be agreed to by the Manager, but not agreed to by the Subadviser, shall not cause a reduction in the amount of the payment to the Subadviser by the Manager.
4. The Subadviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or for any loss suffered by the Portfolio or the Manager in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance or bad faith on the Subadviser’s part in the performance of its duties or from its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to waive any rights the Manager or the Portfolio may have against the Subadviser under federal or state securities laws. The Manager shall indemnify the Subadviser, its affiliated persons, its officers, directors and employees, for any liability and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, which may be sustained as a result of the Manager’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the 1940 Act and federal and state securities laws. The Subadviser shall indemnify the Manager, their affiliated persons, their officers, directors and employees, for any liability and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, which may be sustained as a result of the Subadviser’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder or violation of applicable law, including, without limitation, the 1940 Act and federal and state securities laws. The Manager acknowledges and agrees that Subadviser makes no representation or warranty, expressed or implied, that any level of performance or investment results will be achieved by the Fund or that the Fund will perform comparably with any standard or index, including other clients of Subadviser, whether public or private.
5. This Agreement shall continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date hereof only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in conformity with the requirements of the 1940 Act; provided, however, that this Agreement may be terminated by the Portfolio at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Portfolio, or by the Manager or the Subadviser at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the other party. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) or upon the termination of the Management Agreement. The Subadviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Portfolio and the Manager of the occurrence or anticipated occurrence of any event that would result in the assignment (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, a change or anticipated change in control (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Subadviser; provided that the Subadviser need not provide notice of such an anticipated event before the anticipated event is a matter of public record. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in this Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate automatically and without notice (other than notice to stop trading in the Portfolio’s portfolio) to the Subadviser upon the execution of a new Agreement with a successor subadviser.
Any notice or other communication required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed duly given if delivered or mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, (1) to the Manager at Gateway Center Three, 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000-0000, Attention: Secretary; (2) to the Trust at Gateway Center Three, 4th Floor, 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000-0000, Attention: Secretary; or (3) to the Subadviser at Gateway Center Two, 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000.
6. Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the right of any of the Subadviser’s directors, officers or employees who may also be a Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust or the Portfolio to engage in any other business or to devote his or her time and attention in part to the management or other aspects of any business, whether of a similar or a dissimilar nature, nor limit or restrict the Subadviser’s right to engage in any other business or to render services of any kind to any other corporation, firm, individual or association.
7. During the term of this Agreement, the Manager agrees to furnish the Subadviser at its principal office all prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, sales literature or other material prepared for distribution to shareholders of the Portfolio or the public, which refer to the Subadviser in any way, prior to use thereof and not to use material if the Subadviser reasonably objects in writing five business days (or such other time as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. Sales literature may be furnished to the Subadviser hereunder by first-class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, confirmed e-mail, or hand delivery.
8. The parties to this Agreement each agree to cooperate in a reasonable manner with each other in the event that any of them should become involved in a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit as a result of performing its obligations under this Agreement.
9. This Agreement may be amended by mutual consent, but the consent of the Trust must be obtained in conformity with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
10. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
11. Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act, shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the Commission issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act, reflected in any provision of this Agreement, is related by rules, regulation or order of the Commission, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first above written.
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PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENTS LLC |
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PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC. |
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SCHEDULE A
The Prudential Series Fund
As compensation for services provided by Prudential Investment Management, Inc., Prudential Investments LLC will pay Prudential Investment Management, Inc. a fee on the net assets managed by Prudential Investment Management, Inc. that is equal, on an annualized basis, to the following:
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Fund Name |
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Advisory Fee |
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High Yield Bond |
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0.275 |
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Dated as of .
