Exhibit (h)(1)
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MUNIVEST FUND, INC.
(a Maryland corporation)
$75,000,000
Auction Market Preferred Stock
3,000 Shares, Series F
(Liquidation Preference $25,000 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated: , 2004
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties...................................3
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Fund
and the Adviser......................................................3
(b) Additional Representations of the Adviser............................9
(c) Officers' Certificates..............................................10
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to the Underwriter; Closing...................10
(a) Purchase Price......................................................10
(b) Payment.............................................................11
(c) Denominations; Registration.........................................11
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Fund...........................................11
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests......11
(b) Filing of Amendments................................................12
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements.................................12
(d) Delivery of Prospectus..............................................12
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws...........................12
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications.............................................13
(g) Rule 158............................................................13
(h) Use of Proceeds.....................................................13
(i) Subchapter M........................................................13
(j) Restrictions on Sale of Shares......................................13
(k) Reporting Requirements..............................................13
(l) Rule 462(b) Registration Statement..................................14
(m) No Manipulation of Market for the
Shares......................................................................14
SECTION 4. Covenants of the Underwriter....................................14
SECTION 5. Payment of Expenses.............................................14
(a) Expenses............................................................14
(b) Termination of Agreement............................................14
SECTION 6. Conditions of Underwriter's Obligations.........................15
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement.............................15
(b) Opinion of Counsel for the Fund and the Underwriter.................15
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(c) Opinion of Senior Attorney of the Adviser...........................15
(d) Officers' Certificates..............................................15
(e) Accountant's Comfort Letter.........................................16
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter...........................................16
(g) Ratings Letters.....................................................16
(h) Asset Coverage.......................................................16
(i) Additional Documents................................................16
(j) Termination of Agreement............................................16
SECTION 7. Indemnification.................................................17
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriter..................................17
(b) Indemnification of Fund, Adviser, General Partner,
and Directors and Officers..........................................17
(c) Actions against Parties, Notification...............................18
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse..................18
SECTION 8. Contribution....................................................19
SECTION 9. Representations, Warranties and Agreements
to Survive Delivery.............................................20
SECTION 10. Termination of Agreement.......................................20
(a) Termination; General................................................20
(b) Liabilities.........................................................20
SECTION 11. Notices 21
SECTION 12. Parties 21
SECTION 13. Governing Law and Time.........................................21
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings.............................................21
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Form of Opinion of Fund's Counsel
Exhibit B - Form of Opinion of Senior Attorney of the Investment Adviser
Exhibit C - Form of Accountant's Comfort Letter
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MUNIVEST FUND, INC.
(a Maryland corporation)
$75,000,000
Auction Market Preferred Stock
3,000 Shares, Series F
(Liquidation Preference $25,000 Per Share)
PURCHASE AGREEMENT
, 2004
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated
4 World Financial Center
New York, New York 10080
Ladies and Gentlemen:
MuniVest Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Fund"), and Fund
Asset Management, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the "Adviser"), each
confirms its agreement with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx
& Xxxxx Incorporated (the "Underwriter" or "Xxxxxxx Xxxxx"), with respect to
the issue and sale by the Fund and the purchase by the Underwriter of 3,000
shares of Auction Market Preferred Stock, Series F ("Series F AMPS"), with a
par value of $.10 per share and a liquidation preference $25,000 per share
plus an amount equal to accumulated but unpaid dividends thereon (whether or
not earned or declared), of the Fund (together, the "Shares").
The Fund understands that the Underwriter proposes to make a public
offering of the Shares as soon as the Underwriter deems advisable after this
Agreement has been executed and delivered.
The Fund has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") a notification on Form N-8A of registration of the Fund as an
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"Investment Company Act"), and a registration statement on Form N-2 (Nos.
333- , 811-5611), including the related preliminary prospectus and
preliminary statement of additional information, for the registration of the
Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), the
Investment Company Act, and the rules and regulations of the Commission under
the 1933 Act and the Investment Company Act (together, the "Rules and
Regulations"), and has filed such amendments to such registration statement on
Form N-2, if any, and such amended preliminary prospectuses and preliminary
statements of additional information as may have been required to
the date hereof. Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the
Fund will either (i) prepare and file a prospectus and statement of additional
information in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (c) of Rule 497
("Rule 497(c)") of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933
Act (the "1933 Act Regulations") or a certificate in accordance with the
provisions of paragraph (j) of Rule 497 ("Rule 497(j)") of the 1933 Act
Regulations, (ii) prepare and file a prospectus and statement of additional
information in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430A ("Rule 430A") of
the 1933 Act Regulations and paragraph (h) of Rule 497 ("Rule 497(h)") of the
1933 Act Regulations, or (iii) if the Fund has elected to rely upon Rule 434
("Rule 434") of the 1933 Act Regulations, prepare and file a term sheet (a
"Term Sheet") in accordance with the provisions of Rule 434 and Rule 497(h).
The information included in any such prospectus and statement of additional
information or in any such Term Sheet, as the case may be, that was omitted
from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is
deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became
effective (a) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A is referred to as "Rule
430A Information" or (b) pursuant to paragraph (d) of Rule 434 is referred to
as "Rule 434 Information." Each prospectus and statement of additional
information used before such registration statement became effective, and any
prospectus and statement of additional information that omitted, as
applicable, the Rule 430A Information or the Rule 434 Information, that was
used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, is herein called a "preliminary prospectus/statement." Such
registration statement, including the exhibits thereto and schedules thereto,
if any, at the time it became effective and including the Rule 430A
Information and the Rule 434 Information, as applicable, is herein called the
"Registration Statement." Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule
462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein referred to as the "Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement," and after such filing the term "Registration
Statement" shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The final
prospectus and final statement of additional information in the form first
furnished to the Underwriter for use in connection with the offering of the
Shares is herein called the "Prospectus." If Rule 434 is relied on, the term
"Prospectus" shall refer to the preliminary prospectus/statement dated
_________ ___, 2004, together with the applicable Term Sheet and all
references in this Agreement to the date of such Prospectus shall mean the
date of the applicable Term Sheet. For purposes of this Agreement, all
references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary
prospectus/statement, the Prospectus, or any Term Sheet or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed
with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system ("XXXXX").
All references in this Agreement to financial statements and
schedules and other information which is "contained," "included" or "stated"
in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus/statement, or the
Prospectus (or other references of like import) shall be deemed to mean and
include all such financial statements and schedules and other information
which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus as the case may be; and all
references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration
Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to
mean and include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act"), which is incorporated by reference in
the Registration Statement, such preliminary prospectus/statement, or the
Prospectus, as the case may be.
2
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties.
(a) Representations and Warranties by the Fund and the Adviser. The
Fund and the Adviser each severally represents and warrants to the Underwriter
as of the date hereof, as of the Closing Time referred to in Section 2(c)
hereof and as of the Date of Delivery (if any) referred to in Section 2(b)
hereof, and agrees with the Underwriter, as follows:
(i) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Fund meets
the requirements for use of Form N-2 under the 1933 Act. Each of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending
the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or,
to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, are contemplated by the
Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for
additional information has been complied with. If required, the Fund
has received any orders exempting the Fund from any provisions of
the Investment Company Act.
At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments
thereto became effective and at the Closing Time the Registration
Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments
or supplements thereto complied and will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the Investment
Company Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not and will not
contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading. Neither the Prospectus, nor any
amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus or any
amendments or supplements thereto were issued and at the Closing Time
included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or
omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
which they were made, not misleading. The representations and
warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or
omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the
Fund in writing by the Underwriter expressly for use in the
Registration Statement or in the Prospectus. If Rule 434 is used, the
Fund will comply with the requirements of Rule 434 and the Prospectus
shall not be "materially different," as such term is used in Rule
434, from the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at
the time it became effective.
Each preliminary prospectus/statement and the prospectus and
statement of additional information filed as part of the Registration
Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or
filed pursuant to Rule 497(c) or Rule 497(h) under the 1933 Act,
complied when so filed in all material respects with the Rules and
Regulations and each preliminary prospectus/statement and the
Prospectus delivered to the Underwriter for use in connection with
this offering was identical to the electronically transmitted copies
thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the
extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
3
If a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is required in
connection with the offering and sale of the Shares, the Fund has
complied or will comply with the requirement of Rule 111, under the
1933 Act Regulations relating to the payment of filing fees thereof.
(ii) Independent Accountants. The accountants who certified
the financial statements and supporting schedules, if any, included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement are
independent public accountants as required by the 1933 Act and the
Rules and Regulations.
(iii) Financial Statements. The financial statements,
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus, together with the related schedules and notes,
present fairly the financial position of the Fund at the date
indicated and said statements have been prepared in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a
consistent basis throughout the period involved. The supporting
schedules, if any, included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement present fairly, in accordance with GAAP, the
information required to be stated therein. The information in the
Prospectus under the headings "Financial Highlights,"
"Capitalization," "Portfolio Composition" and "Description of Capital
Stock" has been fairly presented.
(iv) No Material Adverse Change in Business. Since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration Statement and in the Prospectus, except as otherwise
stated therein, (A) there has been no material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business
affairs or business prospects of the Fund, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business (a "Material Adverse Effect"), (B)
there have been no transactions entered into by the Fund, other than
those in the ordinary course of business, which are material with
respect to the Fund and (C) except for regular monthly dividends on
the outstanding shares of common stock, par value $.10 per share
(the "Common Stock"), of the Fund and periodic distributions on the
outstanding shares of Auction Market Preferred Stock, with a
liquidation preference of $25,000 per share (the "Outstanding
AMPS"), of the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Outstanding AMPS,
and special year end distributions on the Common Stock and
Outstanding AMPS related to the Fund's qualification as a regulated
investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended ("Subchapter M of the Code"), there has been no
dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the
Fund on any class of its capital stock.
(v) Good Standing of the Fund. The Fund has been duly
organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
under the laws of the State of Maryland and has corporate power and
authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct
its business as described in the Prospectus and to enter into and
perform its obligations under this Agreement; and the Fund is duly
qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in
good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is
required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property
or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify
or to be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse
Effect.
4
(vi) Subsidiaries. The Fund has no subsidiaries.
(vii) Officers and Directors. No person is serving or acting
as an officer, director or investment adviser of the Fund except in
accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the
Rules and Regulations and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as
amended (the "Advisers Act"), and the rules and regulations of the
Commission promulgated under the Advisers Act (the "Advisers Act
Rules and Regulations"). Except as disclosed in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to
either of them), no director of the Fund is an "interested person"
(as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Fund or an
"affiliated person" (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of
the Underwriter.
(viii) Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding
capital stock of the Fund is as set forth in the Prospectus under
the caption "Description of Capital Stock." All issued and
outstanding shares of Common Stock and Outstanding AMPS have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
non-assessable, except as provided for in the Fund's charter, and
have been offered and sold or exchanged by the Fund in compliance
with all applicable laws (including without limitation, federal and
state securities laws); none of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock or Outstanding AMPS of the Fund was issued in violation of the
preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Fund.
(ix) Investment Company Act. The Fund is registered with the
Commission under the Investment Company Act as a closed-end,
non-diversified, management investment company, and no order of
suspension or revocation of such registration has been issued or
proceedings therefor initiated, to the knowledge of the Fund and the
Adviser, or threatened by the Commission.
(x) Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund.
(xi) Authorization and Description of Shares. The Shares to
be purchased by the Underwriter from the Fund have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriter pursuant to this
Agreement, and, when issued and delivered by the Fund pursuant to
this Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth in
this Agreement will be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable; the Shares conform to all statements relating
thereto contained in the Prospectus and such description conforms to
the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same; no holder
of the Shares will be subject to personal liability by reason of
being such a holder; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject
to the preemptive or other similar rights of any securityholder of
the Fund.
(xii) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts. The Fund is not in
violation of its charter or by-laws or in default in the performance
or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
contained in any material contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other agreement or
instrument to which the Fund is a party or by which it or its
properties may be bound, or
5
to which any of the property or assets of the Fund is subject
(collectively, "Agreements and Instruments"), except for such
defaults that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the
execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the
Investment Advisory Agreement, the Custody Agreement, the Auction
Agent Agreement and the Letter of Representations referred to in the
Registration Statement (as used herein, the "Advisory Agreement",
the "Custody Agreement," the "Auction Agreement" and the "Letter of
Representations," respectively) and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration
Statement (including the issuance and sale of the Shares and the use
of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the
Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance by
the Fund with its obligations under this Agreement have been duly
authorized by all necessary corporate action and do not and will
not, whether with or without the giving of notice or passage of time
or both, conflict with or constitute a breach of, or a default or
Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation
or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property
or assets of the Fund pursuant to the Agreements and Instruments
(except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges
or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect),
nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of
the charter or the by-laws of the Fund, or any applicable law,
statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or
foreign, having jurisdiction over the Fund or any of its assets,
properties or operations. As used herein, a "Repayment Event" means
any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture
or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
holder's behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or
repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Fund.
(xiii) Authorization of Agreements. Each of this Agreement,
the Advisory Agreement and the Custody Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund, and each complies
with all applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. Each
of the Auction Agreement and the Letter of Representations has been
duly authorized for execution and delivery by the Fund and, when
executed and delivered by the Fund, will constitute a valid and
binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its
terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other laws relating to or affecting creditors'
rights and to general equitable principles.
(xiv) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court
or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending,
or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, threatened against
or affecting the Fund, which is required to be disclosed in the
Registration Statement (other than as disclosed therein), or which
might reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect,
or which might reasonably be expected to materially and adversely
affect the properties or assets of the Fund or the consummation of
the transactions contemplated in this Agreement or the performance
by the Fund of its obligations hereunder; the aggregate of all
pending legal or governmental proceedings to which the Fund is a
party or of which any of its respective property or assets is the
subject which are not described in the Registration Statement,
including ordinary routine
6
litigation incidental to the business, could not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xv) Subchapter M Compliance. The Fund intends to, and will,
direct the investment of the proceeds of the offering described in
the Registration Statement in such a manner as to comply with the
requirements of Subchapter M of the Code, and intends to qualify as
a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.
(xvi) Distribution of Offering Materials. The Fund has not
distributed and, prior to the later to occur of (A) the Closing Time
and (B) completion of the distribution of the Shares, will not
distribute any offering material in connection with the offering and
sale of the Shares other than the Registration Statement, a
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or other materials, if any,
permitted by the 1933 Act or the Investment Company Act or the Rules
and Regulations.
(xvii) Accounting Controls. The Fund maintains a system of
internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable
assurances that (A) transactions are executed in accordance with
management's general or specific authorization and with the
applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act, the Rules and
Regulations and the Code; (B) transactions are recorded as necessary
to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain
accountability for assets and to maintain compliance with the books
and records requirements under the Investment Company Act and the
Rules and Regulations; (C) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with the management's general or specific authorization;
and (D) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is
taken with respect to any differences.
(xviii) Absence of Undisclosed Payments. To the Fund's
knowledge, neither the Fund nor any employee or agent of the Fund
has made any payment of funds of the Fund or received or retained
any funds, which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a
character required to be disclosed in the Prospectus.
(xix) Material Agreements. This Agreement, the Advisory
Agreement, the Custody Agreement and the Auction Agent Agreement
have each been duly authorized by all requisite action on the part
of the Fund and executed and delivered by the Fund, as of the dates
noted therein, and each complies with all applicable provisions of
the Investment Company Act in all material respects. Assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto
with respect to the Advisory Agreement, the Custody Agreement and
the Auction Agent Agreement, each of the Advisory Agreement, the
Custody Agreement and the Auction Agent Agreement constitutes a
valid and binding agreement of the Fund, enforceable in accordance
with its terms, except as affected by bankruptcy, insolvency,
fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar
laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally, general
equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity
or at law) and an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing
and except as rights to indemnification or contribution thereunder
may be limited by federal or state laws.
7
(xx) Registration Rights. There are no persons with
registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities
registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise
registered by the Fund under the 1933 Act.
(xxi) Accuracy of Exhibits. There are no contracts or
documents which are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits thereto by
the 1933 Act, the Investment Company Act or the Rules and
Regulations which have not been so described and filed as required.
(xxii) Possession of Intellectual Property. The Fund owns or
possesses, has the right to use or can acquire on reasonable terms,
adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights,
know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other
intellectual property (collectively, "Intellectual Property")
necessary to carry on the business now operated by the Fund, and the
Fund has not received any notice or is not otherwise aware of any
infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with
respect to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or
circumstances which would render any Intellectual Property invalid
or inadequate to protect the interest of the Fund therein, and which
infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable
decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or
in the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(xxiii) Absence of Further Requirements. No filing with, or
authorization, approval, consent, license, order, registration,
qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority or
agency is necessary or required for the performance by the Fund of
its obligations hereunder, in connection with the offering, issuance
or sale of the Shares under this Agreement or the consummation of
the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have
been already obtained or as may be required under the 1933 Act, the
1934 Act or the Investment Company Act or the Rules and Regulations
and foreign or state securities laws or under the rules of the NASD
(formerly, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.).
(xxiv) Possession of Licenses and Permits. The Fund possesses
such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations
(collectively, "Governmental Licenses") issued by the appropriate
federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies
necessary to conduct the business now operated by it; the Fund is in
compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental
Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, singly or
in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the
Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except
when the invalidity of such Governmental Licenses or the failure of
such Governmental Licenses to be in full force and effect would not
have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Fund has not received any
notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of
any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if
the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would
result in a Material Adverse Effect.
8
(xxv) NYSE Listing. The Fund's shares of Common Stock are
duly listed on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE").
(xxvi) Ratings. The Shares have been, or prior to the
Closing Date will be, assigned a rating of Aaa by Xxxxx'x Investors
Service, Inc. ("Moody's") and AAA by Standard & Poor's ("S&P").
(xxvii) Leverage. The Fund has no liability for borrowed
money, including under any reverse repurchase agreement.
(b) Additional Representations of the Adviser. The Adviser represents
and warrants to the Underwriter as of the date hereof and as of the
Representation Date as follows:
(i) Organization and Authority of Adviser. The Adviser has
been duly organized as a limited partnership under the laws of the
State of Delaware, with power and authority to conduct its business
as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.
(ii) Investment Advisers Act. The Adviser is duly registered
as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended (the "Investment Advisers Act"), and is not prohibited by
the Investment Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act, or the
rules and regulations under such acts, from acting under the
Advisory Agreement for the Fund as contemplated by the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus.
(iii) Description of Adviser. The description of the Adviser
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (and any amendment
or supplement to either of them) complied and complies in all
material respects with the provisions of the 1933 Act, the
Investment Company Act, the Advisers Act, the Rules and Regulations
and the Advisers Act Rules and Regulations and is true and correct
and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state any material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(iv) Capitalization. The Adviser has the financial resources
available to it necessary for the performance of its services and
obligations as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus, this Agreement and under the Advisory Agreement.
(v) Authorization of Agreements. This Agreement has been
duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser; the Advisory
Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the
Adviser, and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the
Adviser, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to
enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws
relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to general equitable
principles; and neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement
or the Advisory Agreement, nor the performance by the Adviser of its
obligations hereunder or thereunder will conflict with, or result in
a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute, with
or without the giving of notice
9
or the lapse of time or both, a default under, any agreement or
instrument to which the Adviser is a party or by which it is bound,
the certificate of formation, the operating agreement, or other
organizational documents of the Adviser, or the Adviser's knowledge
by any law, order, decree, rule or regulation applicable to it of
any jurisdiction, court, federal or state regulatory body,
administrative agency or other governmental body, stock exchange or
securities association having jurisdiction over the Adviser or its
respective properties or operations; and no consent, approval,
authorization or order of any court or governmental authority or
agency is required for the consummation by the Adviser of the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Advisory
Agreement, except as have been obtained or may be required under the
1933 Act, the Investment Company Act, the 1934 Act or state
securities laws.
(vi) No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates
as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein, there has not
occurred any event which should reasonably be expected to have a
material adverse effect on the ability of the Adviser to perform its
respective obligations under this Agreement and the Advisory
Agreement.
(vii) Absence of Proceedings. There is no action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or brought by any court
or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, now pending,
or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened against or affecting
the Adviser or any "affiliated person" of the Adviser (as such term
is defined in the Investment Company Act) or any partners, trustees,
officers or employees of the foregoing, whether or not arising in
the ordinary course of business, which might reasonably be expected
to result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial
or otherwise, or earnings, business affairs or business prospects of
the Adviser, materially and adversely affect the properties or
assets of the Adviser or materially impair or adversely affect the
ability of the Adviser to function as an investment adviser or
perform its obligations under the Advisory Agreement, or which is
required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus.
(viii) Absence of Violation or Default. The Adviser is not
in violation of its certificate of formation, its operating
agreement or other organizational documents or in default under any
agreement, indenture or instrument, where such violation or default
would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on
the Adviser's ability to function as an investment adviser or
perform its obligations under the Advisory Agreement.
(c) Officers' Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of
the Fund or any officer of the Adviser delivered to the Underwriter or to
counsel for the Fund and the Underwriter shall be deemed a representation and
warranty by the Fund or the Adviser, as the case may be, to the Underwriter as
to the matters covered thereby.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to the Underwriter; Closing.
(a) Purchase Price. On the basis of the representations and
warranties herein contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein
set forth, the Fund agrees to sell to the
10
Underwriter and the Underwriter agrees to purchase from the Fund the Shares
at the price per share set forth in Schedule A.
(b) Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of
certificates for, the Shares shall be made at the offices of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx & Xxxx LLP, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, or at such
other place as shall be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Fund, at 9:00
A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing occurs after 4:30
P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business day following the date hereof,
or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall
be agreed upon by the Underwriter and the Fund (such time and date of payment
and delivery herein being referred to as "Closing Time").
Payment shall be made to the Fund by wire transfer of immediately
available funds to a bank account designated by the Fund, against delivery to
the Underwriter of certificates for the Shares to be purchased by it.
(c) Denominations; Registration. The Shares shall be represented by
certificates registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee for The
Depository Trust Company. The certificates for the Shares will be made
available for examination by the Underwriter not later than 10:00 A.M. on the
last business day prior to Closing Time.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the Fund. The Fund covenants with the
Underwriter as follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests.
The Fund, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule
430A or Rule 434, as applicable, and will notify the Underwriter immediately,
and confirm the notice in writing, (i) if any post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement shall have become effective, or any supplement to the
Prospectus or any amended Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the
receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the
Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or
supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the
issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of
any preliminary prospectus/statement, or of the suspension of the
qualification of the Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of
the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, and
(v) of the issuance by the Commission of an order of suspension or revocation
of the notification on Form N-8A of registration of the Fund as an investment
company under the Investment Company Act or the initiation of any proceeding
for that purpose. The Fund will make every reasonable effort to prevent the
issuance of any stop order described in subsection (iv) hereunder or any order
of suspension or revocation described in subsection (v) hereunder and, if any
such stop order or order of suspension or revocation is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Fund will promptly effect
the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 497(c), Rule 497(j) or Rule 497(h) and
will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the
certificate transmitted for filing under Rule 497(j) or the form of prospectus
and statement of additional information transmitted for filing under Rule
497(c) or Rule 497(h) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the
event
11
that it was not, it will promptly file such certificate or prospectus and
statement of additional information.
(b) Filing of Amendments. The Fund will give the Underwriter notice
of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration
Statement (including any post-effective amendment or filing under Rule
462(b)), any Term Sheet or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the
prospectus or statement of additional information included in the Registration
Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus, whether
pursuant to the Investment Company Act, the 1933 Act, or otherwise, and will
furnish the Underwriter with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount
of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not
file or use any such document to which the Underwriter or counsel to the
Underwriter and the Fund shall object.
(c) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Fund has furnished or
will deliver to the Underwriter and counsel to the Underwriter and the Fund,
without charge, signed copies of the notification of registration on Form N-8A
and Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto,
(including exhibits filed therewith, or incorporated by reference therein) and
signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also
deliver to the Underwriter a conformed copy, without charge, of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto
(without exhibits) for the Underwriter. The copies of the Registration
Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be
identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the
Commission pursuant to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectus. The Fund has delivered to the
Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary
prospectus/statement as the Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Fund
hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933
Act. The Fund will furnish to the Underwriter, without charge, during the
period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act,
such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as the
Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriter will be identical to the
electronically transmitted copies thereof field with the Commission pursuant
to XXXXX, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Fund will comply
with the 1933 Act, the Investment Company Act and the Rules and Regulations so
as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated
in this Agreement and in the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus is
required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the
Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it
is necessary, in the opinion of counsel to the Underwriter and the Fund, to
amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement any Prospectus in
order that the Prospectus will not include any untrue statements of material
fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing
at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in
the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration
Statement or amend or supplement any Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Fund will
promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such
amendment or
12
supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to
make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such
requirements, and the Fund will furnish to the Underwriter such number of
copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriter may reasonably
request.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Fund will use its best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriter, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale
under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as
the Underwriter may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect
for a period of not less than one year from the later of the effective date of
the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement;
provided, however, that the Fund shall not be obligated to file any general
consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a
dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to
subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in
which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Shares
have been so qualified, the Fund will file such statements and reports as may
be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in
effect for a period of not less than one year from the effective date of the
Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.
(g) Rule 158. The Fund will timely file such reports pursuant to the
1933 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its
securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes
of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section
11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Fund will use the net proceeds received by
it from the sale of the Shares in the manner specified in the Prospectus under
"Use of Proceeds."
(i) Subchapter M. The Fund will use its best efforts to maintain its
qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the
Code.
(j) Restrictions on Sale of Shares. During a period of 180 days from
the date of the Prospectus, the Fund will not, without the prior written
consent of Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, (i) directly or indirectly offer, pledge, sell,
contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option
or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or
otherwise transfer or dispose of any senior security of the Fund, as defined
in Section 18 of the Investment Company Act, or file any registration
statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii)
enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers,
in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of
ownership of senior securities, whether any such swap or transaction described
in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of senior securities,
in cash or otherwise. The foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares
to be sold hereunder or (B) transactions as contemplated in the Registration
Statement where the Fund has segregated cash, cash equivalents or liquid
securities at the Fund's custodian having a market value at all times at least
equal to the amount of such senior securities.
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Fund, during the period when the
Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act,
will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to
the Investment Company Act and the 1934 Act within
13
the time periods required by the Investment Company Act and the Rules and
Regulations and the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder, respectively.
(l) Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. If the Fund elects to rely
upon Rule 462(b), the Fund shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement
with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., Washington,
D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Fund shall at the time of
filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of
such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the 1933 Act.
(m) No Manipulation of Market for the Shares. The Fund will not
(a) take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result
in, or that might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of any security of the Fund to facilitate the sale
or resale of the Shares, and (b) until the Closing Date (i) sell, bid for or
purchase the Shares or pay any person (other than the Underwriter) any
compensation for soliciting purchases of the Shares or (ii) pay or agree to
pay to any person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any
other securities of the Fund (other than payments to broker-dealers in
connection with the auctiors of the Outstanding AMPS).
SECTION 4. Covenants of the Underwriter. The Underwriter covenants
and agrees with the Fund that no later than the second business day succeeding
Closing Time, it will provide the Fund and the Auction Agent (as defined in
the Prospectus) with a listing of Existing Holders (as defined in the
Prospectus) of Shares, the number of shares held by each such Existing Holder
and the number of Shares it is holding as Underwriter as of the date of such
notice.
SECTION 5. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Fund will pay all expenses incident to the
performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the
preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including
financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriter of
this Agreement and such other documents as may be required in connection with
the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares, (iii) the
preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates for the Shares to the
Underwriter, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or
other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Shares to the
Underwriter, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Fund's counsel,
accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Shares under the
securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof,
including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to
the Underwriter and the Fund in connection therewith, (vi) the printing and
delivery to the Underwriter of copies of each preliminary
prospectus/statement, any Term Sheets and of the Prospectus and any amendments
or supplements thereto, (vii) the fees and expenses of any transfer agent or
registrar for the Shares, and (viii) the fees charged by rating agencies
rating the Shares.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the
Underwriter in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 or Section 10(a)(i)
hereof, the Fund or the Adviser shall reimburse, or arrange for an affiliate
to reimburse, the Underwriter for all of its out-of-
14
pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to
the Fund and the Underwriter.
SECTION 6. Conditions of Underwriter's Obligations. The obligations
of the Underwriter hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Fund and the Adviser contained in
Section 1 hereof, or in the certificates of any officer of the Fund and the
Adviser delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the
Fund and the Adviser of their respective covenants and obligations hereunder,
and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration
Statement including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has become
effective and at Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or
proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been
complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriter and
the Fund. Either (i) a certificate has been filed with the Commission in
accordance with Rule 497(j) or a prospectus and statement of additional
information have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule
497(c), or (ii) a prospectus and statement of additional information
containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission
in accordance with Rule 497(h) (or a post-effective amendment providing such
information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with
the requirements of Rule 430A) or, if the Fund has elected to rely upon Rule
434, a Term Sheet shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with
Rule 497(h).
(b) Opinion of Counsel for the Fund and the Underwriter. At Closing
Time, the Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of
Closing Time, of Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx LLP, counsel to the Fund and the
Underwriter, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.
(c) Opinion of Senior Attorney of the Adviser. At Closing Time, the
Underwriter shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing
Time, of Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq., General Counsel of the Adviser, or another
senior attorney of the Adviser, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel
to the Underwriter, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto and to such
further effect as counsel to the Underwriter may reasonably request.
(d) Officers' Certificates. At Closing Time, there shall not have
been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which
information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or
business prospects of the Fund, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of business, and the Underwriter shall have received (A) a certificate of the
President or a Vice President of the Fund, dated as of Closing Time, to the
effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the
representations and warranties in Section 1(a) hereof are true and correct
with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of Closing
Time, (iii) the Fund has complied with all agreements and satisfied all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to Closing
Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or are contemplated by the Commission and (B) a
certificate
15
of the President or a Vice President of the Adviser, dated as of Closing Time,
to the effect that (i) the representations and warranties in Sections 1(a) and
1(b) hereof are true and correct with the same force and effect as though
expressly made at and as of Closing Time, and (ii) the Adviser has complied
with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed
or satisfied at or prior to Closing Time.
(e) Accountant's Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of
this Agreement, the Underwriter shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a
letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriter
containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in
accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with respect to the financial
statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus, to the effect set forth in Exhibit C hereto and
to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriter may reasonably request.
(f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At Closing Time, the Underwriter
shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a letter, dated as of Closing Time,
to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter, furnished
pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section, except that the "specified date"
referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to Closing
Time.
(g) Ratings Letters. Subsequent to the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and prior to Closing Time, there shall not have occurred any
downgrading, nor shall any notice have been given of (i) any intended or
potential downgrading or (ii) any review or possible change that indicates
anything other than a stable outlook, in the rating accorded any securities of
or guaranteed by the Fund by any "nationally recognized statistical rating
organization," as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under
the 1933 Act; and at Closing Time, S&P and Xxxxx'x shall have confirmed by
letter that the Shares have been rated AAA and Aaa, respectively, by such
agencies.
(h) Asset Coverage. As of the Closing Date and assuming the receipt
of the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares, the 1940 Act AMPS Asset
Coverage and the AMPS Basic Maintenance Amount (each as defined in the Fund's
Charter) each will be met.
(i) Additional Documents. At Closing Time, counsel to the Fund and
the Underwriter shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as
it may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling it to pass upon the
issuance and sale of the Shares as herein contemplated, or in order to
evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the
fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings
taken by the Fund in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares as
herein contemplated shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to
the Underwriter and counsel to the Fund and the Underwriter.
(j) Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this
Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled,
this Agreement, may be terminated by the Underwriter by notice to the Fund at
any time at or prior to Closing Time and such termination shall be without
liability of any party to any other party except as provided in
16
Section 5 and except that Sections 1, 7, 8 and 9 shall survive any such
termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 7. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of the Underwriter. The Fund and the Adviser
jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter and
each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 25 of the 1934 Act and any director,
officer, employee or affiliate thereof as follows:
(i) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the
Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if applicable,
or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any
preliminary prospectus/statement or the Prospectus (or any amendment
or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission
therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which
they were made, not misleading;
(ii) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate
amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue
statement or omission, provided that (subject to Section 7(d) below)
any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the
indemnifying party; and
(iii) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred
(including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the
Underwriter) reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or
defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding
by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any
claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission,
or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that
any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Fund by the
Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, if
applicable, or any preliminary prospectus/statement or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Fund, Adviser, General Partner, and Directors
and Officers. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund,
the Adviser, the directors of
17
the Fund, the general partner of the Adviser, each of the Fund's officers who
signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the
Fund or the Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage
and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this
Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions,
or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement
(or any amendment thereto) including the Rule 430A Information and the Rule
434 Information, if applicable, or in any preliminary prospectus/statement or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and
in conformity with written information furnished to the Fund by the
Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment
thereto), or any preliminary prospectus/statement or the Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties, Notification. Each indemnified party
shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying
party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be
sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not
relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it
is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of
this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to
Section 7(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
the Underwriter, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section
7(b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Fund
and the Adviser. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in
the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the
indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified
party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the
indemnifying parties be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for
all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but
similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the
prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or
consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or
contribution could be sought under this Section 7 or Section 8 hereof (whether
or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties thereto),
unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional
release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such
litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a
statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by
or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any
time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such
indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the
nature contemplated by Section 7(a)(ii) effected without its written consent
if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such
indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party
shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days
prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party
shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such
request prior to the date of such settlement.
18
SECTION 8. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in
Section 7 hereof is for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold
harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims,
damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall
contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims,
damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in
such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand
from the offering of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the
allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Fund and
the Adviser on the one hand and of the Underwriter on the other hand in
connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses,
liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Fund and the Adviser on the
one hand and the Underwriter on the other hand in connection with the offering
of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same
respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the
Shares pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the
Fund, and the total underwriting commission received by the Underwriter, in
each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, or, if Rule 434 is
used, the corresponding location on the Term Sheet, bear to the aggregate
initial public offering price of the Shares as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and
the Underwriter on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates
to information supplied by the Fund and the Adviser or by the Underwriter and
the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity
to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Fund, the Adviser and the Underwriter agree that it would not be
just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined
by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not
take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section
8. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses
incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall
be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or
body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, the Underwriter
shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed
to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages
which the Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any such
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
19
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning
of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any
person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 8, each person, if any, who controls
the Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20
of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriter,
and each director of the Fund and the Adviser, respectively, each officer of
the Fund who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who
controls the Fund and the Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, shall have the same rights to contribution
as the Fund and the Adviser.
SECTION 9. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive
Delivery. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this
Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Fund or of the Adviser
submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and
effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Fund or the
Adviser and shall survive delivery of the Shares to the Underwriter.
SECTION 10. Termination of Agreement.
(a) Termination; General. The Underwriter may terminate this
Agreement by notice to the Fund, at any time at or prior to Closing Time (i)
if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any
material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the
earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Fund or the Adviser,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there
has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the
United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of
hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
development involving a prospective change in national or international
political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which
is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Underwriter, impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Shares, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Fund has been suspended
or materially limited by the Commission or the NYSE or such other national
securities exchange upon which the Fund's securities trade, or if trading
generally on the NYSE or the American Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National
Market System has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum
prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for
securities have been required, by any of said exchanges or by such system or
by order of the Commission, the NASD or any other governmental authority, or a
material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities
settlement or clearance services in the United States or (iv) if a banking
moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.
(b) Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this
Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other
party except as provided in Section 5 hereof, and provided further that
Sections 1, 7, 8 and 9 shall survive such termination and remain in full force
and effect.
20
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or
transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the
Underwriter shall be directed to Xxxxxxx Xxxxx & Co. Inc., Xxxxxxx Lynch,
Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx Incorporated at 4 World Financial Center, New York, New
York 10080, Attention: Equity Capital Markets; notices to the Fund and the
Adviser shall be directed to 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx
00000, Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx.
SECTION 12. Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon the Underwriter, the Fund, the Adviser and their
respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is
intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other
than the Underwriter, the Fund, the Adviser and their respective successors
and the controlling persons and officers, directors and general partner
referred to in Sections 7 and 8 and their heirs and legal representatives, any
legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this
Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions
and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of
the Underwriter, the Fund and the Adviser and their respective successors, and
said controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal
representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation.
No purchaser of Shares from the Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor
merely by reason of such purchase.
SECTION 13. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED
BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 14. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings
herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect
the construction hereof.
21
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Fund a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement
between the Underwriter and the Fund and the Adviser in accordance with its
terms.
Very truly yours,
MUNIVEST FUND, INC.
By:
---------------------------------
Authorized Officer
FUND ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.
By: PRINCETON SERVICES, INC.,
General Partner
By:
---------------------------------
Authorized Officer
CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:
XXXXXXX XXXXX & CO.
XXXXXXX LYNCH, XXXXXX, XXXXXX & XXXXX
INCORPORATED
By:
--------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
22
SCHEDULE A
MUNIVEST FUND, INC.
(a Maryland corporation)
$75,000,000
Auction Market Preferred Stock
3,000 Shares, Series F
(Liquidation Preference $25,000 per share)
1. The initial public offering price per share for the Shares,
determined as provided in Section 2 hereof shall be $25,000 plus accumulated
dividends, if any, from the date of original issue.
2. The purchase price per share for the Shares to be paid by the
Underwriter shall be $24,750 plus accumulated dividends, if any, from the date
of original issue, being an amount equal to the initial public offering price
set forth above less $250 per share.
3. The dividend rate for the Series F AMPS for the initial dividend
period ending [ , 2004] shall be [ ]%.
23
Exhibit A
FORM OF OPINION OF FUND'S COUNSEL
TO BE DELIVERED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 6(b)
1. The Fund has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland.
2. The Fund has corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate
its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and
to enter into and perform its obligations under the Purchase Agreement.
3. The Fund is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact
business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such
qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of
property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or
to be in good standing would not result in a material adverse change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or
business prospects of the Fund, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of business (a "Material Adverse Effect").
4. The authorized, issued and outstanding capital stock of the Fund
is as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of Capital
Stock." The outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Fund and the Outstanding
AMPS have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and
nonassessable.
5. The Shares to be purchased by the Underwriter from the Fund have been
duly authorized for issuance and sale to the Underwriter pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement and, when issued and delivered by the Fund pursuant to the
Purchase Agreement against payment of the consideration set forth in the
Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable
and no holder of the Shares is or will be subject to personal liability by
reason of being such a holder.
6. The issuance of the Shares is not subject to the preemptive or other
similar rights of any securityholder of the Fund.
7. To the best of our knowledge, the Fund does not have any subsidiaries.
8. The Purchase Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
by the Fund and complies with all applicable provisions of the Investment
Company Act.
9. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, has been declared effective under the 1933 Act; any required filing
of the certificate pursuant to Rule 497(j) or the Prospectus pursuant to Rule
497(c) or Rule 497(h), as the case may be, has been made in the manner and
within the time period required by Rule 497(j), Rule 497(c) or Rule
A-1
497(h), as the case may be; and, to the best of our knowledge, no stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings
for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or threatened by the
Commission.
10. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, the Rule 430A Information and the Rule 434 Information, as
applicable, the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus, as of their respective effective or
issue dates (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules
included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to
which we need express no opinion) complied as to form in all material respects
with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the Investment Company Act and the
Rules and Regulations.
11. The form of certificate(s) used to evidence each of the Shares complies
in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements and with
any applicable requirements of the charter and by-laws of the Fund. To the
best of our knowledge, there is not pending or threatened any action, suit,
proceeding, inquiry or investigation, to which the Fund is a party, or to
which the property of the Fund is subject, before or brought by any court or
governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, which might reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or which might reasonably be
expected to materially and adversely affect the properties or assets thereof
or the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement
or the performance by the Fund of its obligations thereunder, other than those
disclosed in the Prospectus.
12. The information in the Prospectus under "Description of AMPS,"
"Description of Capital Stock," and "Taxes" and in the Registration Statement
under Item 29, to the extent that it constitutes matters of law, summaries of
legal matters, the Fund's charter and bylaws or legal proceedings, or legal
conclusions, has been reviewed by us and is correct in all material respects.
13. To the best of our knowledge, there are no statutes or regulations
that are required to be described in the Prospectus that are not described as
required.
14. All descriptions in the Prospectus of contracts and other documents to
which the Fund is a party are accurate in all material respects; to the best
of our knowledge, there are no franchises, contracts, indentures, mortgages,
loan agreements, notes, leases or other instruments of the Fund required to be
described or referred to in the Registration Statement or to be filed as
exhibits thereto other than those described or referred to therein or filed or
incorporated by reference as exhibits thereto, and the descriptions thereof or
references thereto are correct in all material respects.
15. To the best of our knowledge, the Fund is not in violation of its
charter or by-laws and no default by the Fund exists in the due performance or
observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition
contained in any contract, indenture, mortgage, loan agreement, note, lease or
other agreement or instrument that is described or referred to in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed or incorporated by reference
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
A-2
16. No filing with, or authorization, approval, consent, license, order,
registration, qualification or decree of, any court or governmental authority
or agency, domestic or foreign (other than under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act,
the Investment Company Act, the Rules and Regulations, which have been
obtained, or as may be required under the securities or blue sky laws of the
various states, as to which we need express no opinion) is necessary or
required in connection with the due authorization, execution and delivery of
the Purchase Agreement, the Advisory Agreement, the Custody Agreement, the
Auction Agreement and the Letter of Representations or for the offering,
issuance, sale or delivery of the Shares.
17. The Advisory Agreement and the Custody Agreement have each been duly
authorized and approved by the Fund and comply as to form in all material
respects with all applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, and
each has been duly executed by the Fund.
18. Each of the Auction Agent Agreement and the Letter of Representations
has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund, and each
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or other laws relating to or affecting creditors'
rights and to general equitable principles.
19. The Fund is registered with the Commission under the Investment
Company Act as a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company,
and all required action has been taken by the Fund under the 1933 Act, the
Investment Company Act and the Rules and Regulations to make the public
offering and consummate the sale of the Shares pursuant to the Purchase
Agreement; the provisions of the charter and the by-laws of the Fund comply as
to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Investment
Company Act; and, to the best of our knowledge and information, no order of
suspension or revocation of such registration under the Investment Company
Act, pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Investment Company Act, has been issued
or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission.
20. The execution, delivery and performance of the Purchase Agreement and
the consummation of the transactions contemplated in the Purchase Agreement
and in the Registration Statement (including the issuance and sale of the
Shares, and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described
in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds") and compliance by the
Fund with its obligations under the Purchase Agreement do not and will not,
whether with or without the giving of notice or lapse of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment Event (as
defined in Section 1(a)(xi) of the Purchase Agreement) under or result in the
creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or
assets of the Fund pursuant to any contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of
trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or any other agreement or
instrument, known to us, to which the Fund is a party or by which it may be
bound, or to which any of the property or assets of the Fund is subject
(except for such conflicts, breaches or defaults or liens, charges or
encumbrances that would not have a Material Adverse Effect), nor will such
action result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws of
the Fund, or any applicable law, statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order,
writ or decree, known to us, of any
A-3
government, government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Fund or any of its properties, assets or operations.
Nothing has come to our attention that has caused us to believe that
the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, including the Rule 430A
Information and Rule 434 Information (if applicable), (except for financial
statements and schedules and other financial data included or incorporated by
reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we need make no
statement), at the time such Registration Statement or any such amendment
became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto (except for financial statements and schedules and other
financial data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted
therefrom, as to which we need make no statement), at the time the Prospectus
was issued, at the time any such amended or supplemented prospectus was issued
or at the Closing Time, included or includes an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.
In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely as to matters of
fact (but not as to legal conclusions), to the extent they deem proper, on
certificates and written statements of responsible officers of and accountants
for the Fund and the Adviser and public officials. Such opinion shall not
state that it is to be governed or qualified by, or that it is otherwise
subject to, any treatise, written policy or other document relating to legal
opinions, including, without limitation, the Legal Opinion Accord of the ABA
Section of Business Law (1991).
A-4
Exhibit B
FORM OF OPINION OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL OR SENIOR ATTORNEY
OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISER TO BE DELIVERED
PURSUANT TO SECTION 6(c)
(1) The Adviser has been duly organized as a limited partnership
under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority to conduct
its business as described in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus.
(2) The Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act and is not prohibited by the Investment Advisers Act
or the Investment Company Act, or the rules and regulations under such Acts,
from acting under the Advisory Agreement for the Fund as contemplated by the
Prospectus.
(3) This Agreement and the Advisory Agreement have been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser, and the Advisory Agreement
constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Adviser, enforceable in
accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization or other laws relating to or affecting creditors'
rights and to general equity principles; and, to the best of his knowledge and
information, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the
Advisory Agreement nor the performance by the Adviser of its obligations
hereunder or thereunder will conflict with, or result in a breach of, any of
the terms and provisions of, or constitute, with or without the giving of
notice or the lapse of time or both, a default under, any agreement or
instrument to which the Adviser is a party or by which the Adviser is bound,
or any law, order, rule or regulation applicable to the Adviser of any
jurisdiction, court, Federal or state regulatory body, administrative agency
or other governmental body, stock exchange or securities association having
jurisdiction over the Adviser or its properties or operations.
(4) To the best of his knowledge and information, the description of
the Adviser in the Registration Statement and in the Prospectus does not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading.
B-1
Exhibit C
FORM OF ACCOUNTANTS'
COMFORT LETTER PURSUANT TO SECTION 6(e)
(1) We are independent public accountants with respect to the Fund
within the meaning of the 1933 Act, Investment Company Act and the applicable
rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission;
(2) In our opinion the financial statements audited by us and
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable
accounting requirements of the 1933 Act, the Investment Company Act and the
related rules and regulations adopted by the Commission;
Such accountants shall also state that they have performed specified
procedures, not constituting an audit, including a reading of the latest
available interim financial statements of the Fund, a reading of the minute
books of the Fund, made inquiries of officials of the Fund responsible for
financial accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be
specified in such letter, and on the basis of such inquiries and procedures
nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that (A) the
unaudited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material respects with
the applicable accounting requirements of the 1933 Act, the Investment Company
Act and of the Rules and Regulations applicable to unaudited interim financial
statements included or incorporated by reference in registration statements or
are not in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applied on
a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements
included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, and (B)
during the period from the date of the unaudited financial statements included
or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement to a specified date
not more than three days prior to the date of the Purchase Agreement, there
was any change in the capital stock or net assets of the Fund (other than by
reason of the issuance of shares of common stock in connection with the Fund's
dividend reinvestment plan, as specified in such letter) or any increase in
the long-term debt of the Fund, as compared with amounts shown on the
unaudited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, except for changes which the Registration Statement
discloses have occurred or may occur; and in addition, they have performed
other specified procedures, not constituting an audit, with respect to certain
amounts, percentages, numerical data, financial information and financial
statements appearing in the Registration Statement, which previously have been
specified by such accountants and which shall be specified in such letter, and
have compared certain of such items with, and have found such items to be in
agreement with, the accounting and financial records of the Fund.
C-1
