INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
EXHIBIT
00-00.x.xx
This
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of the 3rd day of
December, 2008 by and between Wilshire Associates Incorporated, a California
corporation (“Adviser”), and Madison Square Investors LLC, a registered
investment adviser (“Sub-Adviser”).
Whereas Adviser is the
investment adviser of the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust Funds (the “Fund”),
an open-end diversified, management investment company registered under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), currently consisting of
seven separate series or portfolios (each a “Fund Portfolio” and collectively,
the “Fund Portfolios”) including the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust Equity
Fund, the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust Income Fund, the Wilshire
Variable Insurance Trust Balanced Fund, the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust
Short-Term Investment Fund, the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust Socially
Responsible Fund, the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust International
Equity Fund, and the Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust Small-Cap Growth Fund,
the Wilshire Insurance Variable Trust 2010 Conservative Fund, the Wilshire
Insurance Variable Trust 2010 Moderate Fund, the Wilshire Insurance Variable
Trust 2010 Aggressive Fund, the Wilshire Insurance Variable Trust 2015 Moderate
Fund, the Wilshire Insurance Variable Trust 2025 Moderate Fund, the Wilshire
Insurance Variable Trust 2035 Moderate Fund, and the Wilshire Insurance Variable
Trust 2045 Moderate Fund;
Whereas Adviser desires to
retain Sub-Adviser to furnish investment advisory services for the
Fund Portfolio(s) as described in Exhibit 1 – Fund Portfolio Listing, as may be
amended from time to time, and Sub-Adviser wishes to provide such services, upon
the terms and conditions set forth herein;
Now therefore, in
consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, the parties agree as
follows:
1. Appointment Adviser
hereby appoints Sub-Adviser to provide certain sub-investment advisory services
to each Fund Portfolio for the period and on the terms set forth in this
Agreement. Sub-Adviser hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to
furnish the services set forth herein for the compensation herein
provided.
2. Sub-Adviser
Services Subject always to the supervision of the Fund’s Board
of Trustees (“Board of Trustees” or “Trustees”) and Adviser, Sub-Adviser will
furnish an investment program in respect of, and make investment decisions for,
such portion of the assets of each Fund Portfolio as Adviser shall from time to
time designate (each a “Portfolio Segment”) and place all orders for the
purchase and sale of securities on behalf of each Portfolio
Segment. In the performance of its duties, Sub-Adviser will satisfy
its fiduciary duties to the Fund and each Fund Portfolio and will monitor a
Portfolio Segment’s investments, and will comply with the provisions of the
Fund’s Declaration of Trust and By-laws, as amended from time to
time, and the stated investment objectives, policies and restrictions of each
Fund Portfolio as set forth in the prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information for each Fund Portfolio, as amended from time to time, as well as
any other objectives, policies or limitations as may be provided by Adviser to
Sub-Adviser in writing from time to time.
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Sub-Adviser
will provide reports at least quarterly to the Board of Trustees and to Adviser.
Sub-Adviser will make its officers and employees available to Adviser and the
Board of Trustees from time to time at reasonable times to review investment
policies of each Fund Portfolio with respect to each Portfolio Segment and to
consult with Adviser regarding the investment affairs of each Portfolio
Segment.
Sub-Adviser
agrees that it:
(a) will
conform with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and rules and regulations
of the Securities and Exchange Commission in all material respects and in
addition will conduct its activities under this Agreement in accordance with any
applicable laws and regulations of any governmental authority pertaining to its
investment advisory activities, including all portfolio diversification
requirements necessary for each Portfolio Segment to comply with subchapter M
and Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code as if each were a regulated
investment company thereunder;
(b) to
the extent authorized by Adviser in writing, and to the extent permitted by law,
will execute purchases and sales of portfolio securities and other investments
for each Portfolio Segment through brokers or dealers designated by management
of the Fund to Adviser for the purpose of providing direct benefits to the Fund,
provided that Sub-Adviser determines that such brokers or dealers will provide
best execution in view of all appropriate factors, and is hereby authorized as
the agent of the Fund to give instructions to the Fund’s custodian as to
deliveries of securities or other investments and payments of cash of each
Portfolio Segment to such brokers or dealers for the account of the relevant
Fund Portfolio. Adviser and the Fund understand that the brokerage
commissions or transaction costs in such transactions may be higher than those
which the Sub-Adviser could obtain from another broker or dealer, in order to
obtain such benefits for the Fund.
(c) is
authorized to and will select all other brokers or dealers that will execute the
purchases and sales of portfolio securities for each Portfolio Segment and is
hereby authorized as the agent of the Fund to give instructions to the Fund’s
custodian as to deliveries of securities or other investments and payments of
cash of each Portfolio Segment for the account of each Fund Portfolio. In making
such selection, Sub-Adviser is directed endeavor to use its best efforts to
obtain best execution, which includes most favorable net results and execution
of a Portfolio Segment’s orders, taking into account all appropriate factors,
including price, dealer spread or commission, size and difficulty of the
transaction and research or other services provided. With respect to
transactions under sub-paragraph (c) or this sub-paragraph (d), it is understood
that Sub-Adviser will not be deemed to have acted unlawfully, or to have
breached a fiduciary duty to the Fund or in respect of any Fund Portfolio, or be
in breach of any obligation owing to the Fund or in respect of any Fund
Portfolio under this Agreement, or otherwise, solely by reason of its having
caused a Fund Portfolio to pay a member of a securities exchange, a broker or a
dealer a commission for effecting a securities transaction of a Fund Portfolio
in excess of the amount of commission another member of an exchange, broker or
dealer would have charged if Sub-Adviser determined in good faith that the
commission paid was reasonable in relation to the brokerage and research
services provided by such member, broker, or dealer, viewed in terms of that
particular transaction or Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to
its accounts, including the Fund, as to which it exercises investment
discretion;
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(d) is
authorized to consider for investment by each Portfolio Segment securities that
may also be appropriate for other funds and/or clients served by
Sub-Adviser. To assure fair treatment of each Portfolio Segment and
all other clients of Sub-Adviser in situations in which two or more clients’
accounts participate simultaneously in a buy or sell program involving the same
security, such transactions will be allocated among each Portfolio Segment and
other clients in a manner deemed equitable by
Sub-Adviser. Sub-Adviser is authorized to aggregate purchase and sale
orders for securities held (or to be held) in each Portfolio Segment with
similar orders being made on the same day for other client accounts or
portfolios managed by Sub-Adviser. When an order is so aggregated,
the actual prices applicable to the aggregated transaction will be averaged and
each Portfolio Segment and each other account or portfolio participating in the
aggregated transaction will be treated as having purchased or sold its portion
of the securities at such average price, and all transaction costs incurred in
effecting the aggregated transaction will be shared on a pro-rata basis among
the accounts or portfolios (including each Portfolio Segment) participating in
the transaction. Adviser and the Fund understand that Sub-Adviser may not be
able to aggregate transactions through brokers or dealers designated by Adviser
with transactions through brokers or dealers selected by Sub-Adviser, in which
event the prices paid or received by each Portfolio Segment will not be so
averaged and may be higher or lower than those paid or received by other
accounts or portfolios of Sub-Adviser.;
(e) will
report regularly to Adviser and to the Board of Trustees and will make
appropriate persons available for the purpose of reviewing with representatives
of Adviser and the Board of Trustees on a regular basis at reasonable times the
management of each Portfolio Segment, including without limitation, review of
the general investment strategies of each Portfolio Segment, the performance of
each Portfolio Segment in relation to standard industry indices, interest rate
considerations and general conditions affecting the marketplace, and will
provide various other reports from time to time as reasonably requested by
Adviser;
(f) will
be required to provide portfolio reports to the Adviser and the Fund’s Board of
Trustees on a quarterly basis including but not limited to the following data
items: market review and outlook, portfolio specific commentary, portfolio
composition data, portfolio allocation, portfolio performance versus the index,
portfolio characteristic data (ie, price/earnings price/book, dividend yield),
sector allocation, sector performance, audited portfolio holdings and portfolio
purchases and sales.
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(g) will
vote all proxies with respect to securities in each Portfolio Segment in
accordance with the policies, procedures and guidelines Sub-Adviser may
establish from time to time, without any required consultation with Adviser or
the Fund’s Board of Trustees and without any required notice to Adviser or the
Fund’s Board of Trustees in advance of or subsequent to any action taken with
respect to the voting of proxies. Sub-adviser will not take any action or render
any advice with respect to any assets held in the Fund Portfolios that are named
in or subject to any legal action, including a class action; and
(h) will
act upon reasonable instructions from Adviser which, in the reasonable
determination of Sub-Adviser, are not inconsistent with Sub-Adviser’s fiduciary
duties under this Agreement.
3. Expenses During
the term of this Agreement, Sub-Adviser will provide the office space,
furnishings, equipment and personnel required to perform its activities under
this Agreement, and will pay all customary management expenses incurred by it in
connection with its activities under this Agreement, which shall not include the
cost of securities (including brokerage commissions, if any) purchased for each
Portfolio Segment.
4. Compensation For
the services provided and the expenses assumed under this Agreement, Adviser
will pay Sub-Adviser, and Sub-Adviser agrees to accept as full compensation
therefor, a sub-advisory fee computed and paid as set forth in
Exhibit 2 - Fee Schedule.
5. Other Services
Sub-Adviser will for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent
contractor and will, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no
authority to act for or represent Adviser, the Fund or a Fund Portfolio or
otherwise be deemed an agent of Adviser, the Fund or a Fund
Portfolio. Adviser understands and has advised the Fund’s Board of
Trustees that Sub-Adviser acts as an investment adviser or sub-investment
adviser to other investment companies and other advisory
clients. Sub-Adviser understands that during the term of this
Agreement Adviser may retain one or more other sub-advisers with respect to any
portion of the assets of a Fund Portfolio other than each Portfolio
Segment.
6. Affiliated
Broker Sub-Adviser or an affiliated person of Sub-Adviser may act as
broker for each Fund Portfolio in connection with the purchase or sale of
securities or other investments for each Portfolio Segment, subject to: (a) the
requirement that Sub-Adviser seek to obtain best execution as set forth above;
(b) the provisions of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the
“Advisers Act”); (c) the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended; and (d) other applicable provisions of law. Subject to the
requirements of applicable law and any procedures adopted by the Fund’s Board of
Trustees, Sub-Adviser or its affiliated persons may receive brokerage
commissions, fees or other remuneration from the Fund Portfolio or the Fund for
such services in addition to Sub-Adviser’s fees for services under this
Agreement.
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7. Representations of
Sub-Adviser Sub-Adviser is registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Advisers Act. Sub-Adviser shall remain so
registered throughout the term of this Agreement and shall notify Adviser
immediately if Sub-Adviser ceases to be so registered as an investment
adviser. Sub-Adviser: (a) is duly organized and validly existing
under the laws of the state of its organization with the power to own and
possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being conducted, (b)
has the authority to enter into and perform the services contemplated by this
Agreement, (c) is not prohibited by the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act from
performing the services contemplated by this Agreement, (d) has met, and will
continue to seek to meet for the duration of this Agreement, any other
applicable federal or state requirements, and the applicable requirements of any
regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency, necessary to be met in order to
perform its services under this Agreement, and (e) will promptly notify Adviser
of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify it from serving as an
investment adviser to an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940
Act.
8. Books and
Records Sub-Adviser will maintain, in the form and for the period
required by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act, all records relating to each
Portfolio Segment’s investments that are required to be maintained by the Fund
pursuant to the requirements of paragraphs (b)(5), (b)(6), (b)(7), (b)(9),
(b)(10) and (f) of Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act. Sub-Adviser agrees
that all books and records which it maintains for each Portfolio Segement of any
Fund Portfolio or the Fund are the property of the Fund and further agrees to
surrender promptly to the Adviser or the Fund any such books, records or
information upon the Adviser’s or the Fund’s request (provided, however, that
Sub-Adviser may retain copies of such records). All such books and
records shall be made available, within five business days of a written request,
to the Fund’s accountants or auditors during regular business hours at
Sub-Adviser’s offices. Adviser and the Fund or either of their
authorized representatives shall have the right to copy any records in the
possession of Sub-Adviser which pertain to each Portfolio Segement of any Fund
Portfolio or the Fund. Such books, records, information or reports
shall be made available to properly authorized government representatives
consistent with state and federal law and/or regulations. In the
event of the termination of this Agreement, all such books, records or other
information shall be returned to Adviser or the Fund (provided, however, that
Sub-Adviser may retain copies of such records as required by law).
Sub-Adviser
agrees that it will not disclose or use any records or confidential information
obtained pursuant to this Agreement in any manner whatsoever except as
authorized in this Agreement or in writing by Adviser or the Fund, or if such
disclosure is required by federal or state regulatory
authorities. Sub-Adviser may disclose the investment performance of
each Portfolio Segment, provided that such disclosure does not reveal the
identity of Adviser, each Fund Portfolio or the Fund or the composition of each
Portfolio Segment. Sub-Adviser may, however, disclose that Adviser,
the Fund and each Fund Portfolio are its clients. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Sub-Adviser may disclose (i) the investment performance of each
Portfolio Segment to Fund officers and trustees and other service providers of
the Fund, and (ii) any investment performance that is public information to any
person.
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9. Code of Ethics
Sub-Adviser has adopted a written code of ethics complying with the requirements
of Rule 17j-1(b) and (c) under the 1940 Act and will provide Adviser and the
Fund with a copy of such code. Within 35 days of the end of each
calendar quarter during which this Agreement remains in effect,
a director of Sub-Adviser shall certify to Adviser or the
Fund that Sub-Adviser has complied with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 during
the previous quarter and that there have been no violations of Sub-Adviser’s
code of ethics or, if any violation has occurred that is material to the Fund,
the nature of such violation and of the action taken in response to such
violation.
10. Limitation of
Liability Neither Sub-Adviser nor any of its partners, officers,
stockholders, agents or employees shall have any liability to Adviser, the Fund
or any shareholder of the Fund for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or
loss arising out of any investment, or for any other act or omission in the
performance by Sub-Adviser of its duties hereunder, except for liability
resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or negligence on Sub-Adviser’s
part in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its
obligations and duties under this Agreement, except to the extent otherwise
provided in Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act concerning loss resulting from a
breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for
services
Sub-Adviser
agrees to indemnify and defend Adviser, its officers, directors, employees and
any person who controls Adviser for any loss or expense (including reasonable
attorneys’ fees) arising out of or in connection with any claim, demand, action,
suit or proceeding relating to any actual or alleged material misstatement or
omission in the Fund’s registration statement, any proxy statement, or any
communication to current or prospective investors in each Fund Portfolio, made
by Sub-Adviser in writing and provided to Adviser or the Fund by
Sub-Adviser.
11. Term and
Termination This Agreement shall become effective with respect
to each Portfolio Segment on
__________,
2006, and shall remain in full force until __________, 2008, unless
sooner terminated as hereinafter provided. This Agreement shall
continue in force from year to year thereafter with respect to each Fund
Portfolio, but only as long as such continuance is specifically approved for
each Fund Portfolio at least annually in the manner required by the 1940 Act and
the rules and regulations thereunder; provided, however, that if the
continuation of this Agreement is not approved for a Fund Portfolio, Sub-Adviser
may continue to serve in such capacity for such Fund Portfolio in the manner and
to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
This
Agreement shall terminate as follows:
(a) This
Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as
defined in the 0000 Xxx) and may be terminated at any time without the payment
of any penalty by Adviser or by Sub-Adviser on sixty days written notice to the
other party. This Agreement may also be terminated by the Fund with
respect to any Fund Portfolio by action of the Board of Trustees or by a vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund Portfolio (as
defined in the 0000 Xxx) on sixty days written notice to Sub-Adviser by the
Fund.
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(b) This
Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Fund Portfolios at any time
without payment of any penalty by Adviser, the Board of Trustees or a vote of
majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund Portfolio in the
event that Sub-Adviser or any officer or director of Sub-Adviser has taken any
action which results in a material breach of the covenants of Sub-Adviser under
this Agreement.
(c) This
Agreement shall automatically terminate with respect to a Fund Portfolio in the
event the Investment Management Agreement between Adviser and the Fund with
respect to that Fund Portfolio is terminated, assigned or not
renewed.
Termination
of this Agreement shall not affect the right of Sub-Adviser to receive payments
of any unpaid balance of the compensation described in Section 4 earned prior to
such termination.
12. Notice Any
notice under this Agreement by a party shall be in writing, addressed and
delivered, certified mail postage prepaid, or sent by facsimile transmission
with telephonic confirmation of receipt, to the other party at such address as
such other party may designate for the receipt of such notice.
Notice
Addresses:
Madison
Square Investors
00
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxx Xxx-Xxxxxxxxxx
Fax:
000.000.0000
Wilshire
Associates Incorporated
0000
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxxx
Fax:
000.000.0000
13. Limitations on
Liability All parties are expressly put on notice of the
Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and all amendments thereto, and the
limitation of shareholder and trustee liability contained
therein. The obligations of the Fund entered into in the name or on
behalf thereof by any of its Trustees [not defined], representatives or agents
are made not individually but only in such capacities and are not binding upon
any of the Trustees, officers, or shareholders of the Fund individually but are
binding upon only the assets and property of the Fund, and persons dealing with
the Fund must look solely to the assets of the Fund and those assets belonging
to each Fund Portfolio for the enforcement of any claims.
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14. Adviser
Responsibility Adviser will provide Sub-Adviser with copies of
the Fund’s Declaration of Trust, By-laws, prospectus, and Statement of
Additional Information and any amendment thereto, and any objectives, policies
or limitations not appearing therein as they may be relevant to Sub-Adviser’s
performance under this Agreement; provided, however, that no changes or
modifications to the foregoing shall be binding on Sub-Adviser until it is
notified thereof.
15. Miscellaneous
This Agreement sets forth the entire understanding of the parties with respect
to the subject matter hereof and may be amended only by written consent of both
parties. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience
of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof
or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If any provision of
this Agreement is held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or
otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement will not be affected
thereby. This Agreement will be binding upon and shall inure to the
benefit of the parties and their respective successors.
16. Applicable Law
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with applicable federal law and
(except as to Section 13 above which will be construed in accordance with
Delaware law) the laws of the state of New York.
Adviser
and Sub-Adviser have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date and
year first above written.
WILSHIRE
ASSOCIATES
INCORPORATED Madison
Square Investors LLC
By /s/ Xxxxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxx By
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
Title
President Title
Chief Executive
Officer
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EXHIBIT
1
FUND
PORTFOLIO LISTING
WILSHIRE
VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST EQUITY FUND
The
portfolio is to be primarily a large-cap core domestic (US) equity-oriented
portfolio.
The
portfolio will be diversified based on Madison Square Investors investment
decisions regarding individual securities and sectors. In addition, Madison
Square Investors will adhere to the following limitations.
1.
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All
guidelines are based upon percentages of the portfolio’s holdings on a
market value basis at the time of the security’s purchase or
sale.
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2.
|
At
least 80% of the portfolio shall be invested in equity securities
contained in the S&P 500 or the S&P Midcap. In addition, equity
investments may include warrants, rights and securities convertible into
equities. Examples of convertible securities are convertible
bonds, warrants, and mergers, where a definitive agreement has been signed
to exchange shares of one company into another. When a change in the
composition of the S&P 500 or S&P Midcap occurs, the investment
manager shall within six months modify the portfolio to reflect the
change.
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3.
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Investments
in any corporation may not exceed 5 percent of the outstanding shares of
that corporation.
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4.
|
Investments
in cash or cash equivalents shall not exceed 5 percent of the value of the
portfolio. These investments may include U.S. Government and Agency
securities, high quality short-term investment funds, commercial paper
rated A1 or P1 and similar quality short-term holdings. In each
case, the residual maturity of which does not exceed 12
months.
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5.
|
Risk: The risk
characteristics of the resulting portfolio will approximate the risk
characteristics of the S&P 500 Index with a targeted (ex-ante)
tracking error not to exceed 2 percent annualized, based on the analysis
of a commercially available risk analysis package such as Barra Inc’s
“Portfolio Manager”.
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6.
|
Position Size: A
security may not deviate by plus or minus 125 basis points from its
relative weight in the S&P 500 index. For securities not in the
S&P 500, the weight is calculated based on the market capitalization
formula that the S&P 500 index committee uses to calculate weights.
The weight limit for securities convertible into another equity security
is based on the weight of the “converted into”
security.
|
7.
|
Sector Exposure: No one
sector shall represent plus or minus 250 basis points of its relative
weight in the S&P 500. Currently, sectors as defined by MSCI Barra are
used, with the exception that the Defense and Aerospace industry group is
assigned to the Industrials sector but may change from time to time at the
discretion of the manager.
|
The
following investment activities are prohibited in the Enhanced Index
portfolio:
1.
|
Short
sales, margin purchases or
borrowing
|
2.
|
Private
placements (excluding 144A
securities)
|
3.
|
Securities
on NYLIM’s restricted list
|
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4.
|
Commodities
|
5.
|
Direct
purchases of real estate
|
6.
|
Real
Estate Investment Trusts (REITS)
|
7.
|
Foreign
securities, unless they are listed or registered on a US domestic exchange
(including NASDAQ) and are denominated in U.S.
Dollars
|
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EXHIBIT
2
FEE
SCHEDULE
Adviser
shall pay Sub-Adviser, promptly after receipt by Adviser of its advisory fee
from the Fund with respect to each Fund Portfolio each calendar month during the
term of this Agreement, a fee based on the average daily net assets of each
Portfolio Segment, at the following annual rates:
Wilshire
Variable Insurance Trust Equity Fund: __ basis points
Sub-Adviser’s
fee shall be accrued daily at 1/365th of the annual rates set forth
above. For the purpose of accruing compensation, the net assets of
each Portfolio Segment will be determined in the manner and on the dates set
forth in the current prospectus of the Fund with respect to each Fund Portfolio
and, on days on which the net assets are not so determined, the net asset value
computation to be used will be as determined on the immediately preceding day on
which the net assets were determined. Upon the termination of this
Agreement, all compensation due through the date of termination will be
calculated on a pro-rata basis through the date of termination and paid within
thirty business days of the date of termination.
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