Agreement and Plan of Reorganization
Agreement and Plan of Reorganization
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION dated as of [ ], 2018 (“Agreement”), is by and among (i) the Target Company, as defined below, on behalf of the Target Fund, as defined below, (ii) the Acquiring Company, as defined below, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, as defined below, (iii) for purposes of paragraphs 5.3, 9.5, 9.6 and 11 of this Agreement only, Silk Invest Limited (“Silk Invest”), and (iv) for purposes of paragraphs 5.4, 9.5, 9.7, 10.2 and 11 of this Agreement only, Frontegra Asset Management, Inc. (“Frontegra”). Other than the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, no other series of either the Target Company or the Acquiring Company are parties to this Agreement.
The reorganization contemplated by this Agreement consists of the transfer of all assets attributable to each class of the Target Fund’s shares in exchange for Acquisition Shares (as defined in paragraph 1) of the corresponding class of shares of the Acquiring Fund, the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1) of the Target Fund and the distribution of the Acquisition Shares to the relevant Target Fund shareholders in liquidation of the Target Fund, all upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
This Agreement is adopted as a plan of reorganization and liquidation within the meaning of Section 361(a) and Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and any successor provision.
The parties therefore agree as follows:
1. | DEFINITIONS. |
“Acquiring Fund” means the series of the Acquiring Company listed in the column entitled “Acquiring Fund” on Exhibit A.
“Acquiring Fund Prospectus” means, collectively, the prospectus(es) and statement(s) of additional information of the Acquiring Fund, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Acquiring Company” means the entity listed in the column entitled “Acquiring Company” on Exhibit A.
“Acquisition Shares” means the shares of the Acquiring Fund to be issued to the Target Fund in a reorganization under this Agreement.
“Closing” means the time at which the transactions contemplated by paragraph 2.1 are consummated.
“Closing Date” means the date on which the Closing occurs.
“Investments” means the Target Fund’s investments that would be shown on its schedule of investments if such a schedule were prepared as of the close of business on the Closing Date.
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“Obligations” means all of the Target Fund’s liabilities, debts, obligations and duties of any nature whatsoever, whether known or unknown, accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise.
“Target Fund” means the series of the Target Company listed in the column entitled “Target Fund” on Exhibit A.
“Target Fund Prospectus” means, collectively, the prospectus(es) or statement(s) of additional information of the Target Fund, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
“Target Company” means the entity listed in the column entitled “Target Company” on Exhibit A.
2. | TRANSFER OF ASSETS OF THE TARGET FUND IN EXCHANGE FOR ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITIES AND ACQUISITION SHARES AND LIQUIDATION OF THE TARGET FUND. |
2.1 | Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, |
(a) | The Target Fund will transfer and deliver to the Acquiring Fund all its assets, as set forth in paragraph 2.2; |
(b) | The Acquiring Fund will assume all Obligations; and |
(c) | The Acquiring Fund will issue and deliver to the Target Fund in exchange for the net assets attributable to each class of the Target Fund’s shares a number of Acquisition Shares of the corresponding class equal to the number of shares of such class of the Target Fund outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. |
Such transactions shall take place at the Closing.
2.2 | The assets of the Target Fund to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund shall consist of all assets, including, without limitation, cash, cash equivalents, securities, commodities and futures interests, dividends and interest receivable, receivables for shares sold and all other properties and assets that are owned by the Target Fund on the Closing Date, including any prepaid expenses shown as an asset on the books of the Target Fund on the Closing Date. |
2.3 | As provided in paragraph 4.4, on the Closing Date (or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable) the Target Fund will liquidate and distribute pro rata to its shareholders of record of each class of its shares, determined as of the close of business on the Closing Date, the Acquisition Shares of the corresponding class received by the Target Fund pursuant to paragraph 2.1. Such liquidation and distribution will be accomplished by the transfer of the Acquisition Shares then |
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credited to the account of the Target Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the names of the Target Fund’s shareholders and representing the respective pro rata number of Acquisition Shares due such shareholders. All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund will simultaneously be redeemed and canceled on the books of the Target Fund. The Acquiring Fund shall not be obligated to issue certificates representing Acquisition Shares in connection with such exchange. Ownership of Acquisition Shares will be shown on the books of the Acquiring Fund’s transfer agent. |
2.4 | After the Closing Date, the Target Fund shall not conduct any business except in connection with the settlement of any securities transactions effected before, but not settled by, the Closing Date and its dissolution and termination. |
2.5 | Subject to the approval of the reorganization by the Target Fund shareholders, the Acquiring Company shall issue one or more shares of the Acquiring Fund to the initial shareholder of the Acquiring Fund to approve the investment advisory agreement between the Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and Silk Invest. Upon approval of the matter described in the preceding sentence, and immediately prior to or contemporaneously with the consummation of the transactions described in paragraph 2.1, the share of the Acquiring Fund acquired by the Target Fund shall be redeemed by the Acquiring Fund. |
2.6 | As soon as conveniently practicable after the distribution of Acquisition Shares by the Target Fund pursuant to this Agreement has been made, the Target Fund shall take, in accordance with Maryland law and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), all such steps as may be necessary or appropriate to effect a complete liquidation and termination of the Target Fund, dissolution of Target Fund and deregistration of the Target Fund under the 1940 Act. |
3. | VALUATION. |
3.1 | The value of the Target Fund’s assets to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund hereunder shall be the value of such assets, less the value of the Obligations assumed by the Acquiring Fund, computed by Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC and U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the Closing Date (the “Effective Time”) using the valuation procedures established by the Target Fund’s board of directors, which are consistent with the valuation procedures described in the most recent Target Fund Prospectus for determining net asset value. All computations of value shall be made by or under the direction of each Fund’s respective accounting agent in accordance with its regular practice and the requirements of the 1940 Act. Such computations shall be evaluated by Silk Invest, in its capacity as investment adviser to the Acquiring Fund and subadviser to the Target Fund. Such computations shall be subject to review by the Target Fund’s and Acquiring Fund’s respective transfer agents. |
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3.2 | As soon as practicable following the Effective Time, the Target Fund will provide to the Acquiring Fund or its designated agent a schedule listing all of its assets as of the Closing Date to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund (“Schedule of Assets”) and a schedule listing all of its Obligations as of the Closing Date to be assumed by the Acquiring Fund (“Schedule of Obligations”). |
4. | CLOSING AND CLOSING DATE. |
4.1 | The Closing Date shall be on such date as the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund may agree; provided, however, that the Closing Date shall be on or before April 30, 2018. The Closing shall be held at the offices of the Acquiring Fund (or such other place as the parties may agree), at such time as the parties may agree. All acts taking place at the Closing shall be deemed to take place simultaneously as of the Effective Time unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Closing may be held in person, by facsimile, email or such other communication means as the parties may agree. |
4.2 | On the Closing Date, the Target Fund’s assets, including all the Target Fund’s cash, shall be delivered by the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund’s custodian (the “Custodian”) for the account of the Acquiring Fund. All portfolio securities so delivered to be duly endorsed in proper form for transfer in such manner and condition as to constitute good delivery thereof in accordance with the custom of brokers or, in the case of portfolio securities held in the U.S. Treasury Department’s book-entry system or by the Depository Trust Company, Participants Trust Company or other third party depositories, by transfer to the account of the Custodian in accordance with Rule 17f-4, Rule 17f-5 or Rule 17f-7, as the case may be, under the 1940 Act, and accompanied by all necessary federal and state stock transfer stamps or a check for the appropriate purchase price thereof. The cash shall be delivered by wire transfer to the Custodian. If the Target Fund is unable to make such delivery on the Closing Date in the manner contemplated by this paragraph for the reason that any of such securities or other assets purchased prior to the Closing Date have not yet been delivered to the Target Fund or its broker, then the Acquiring Fund shall waive the delivery requirements of this paragraph with respect to said undelivered securities or other assets if the Target Fund has, by or on the Closing Date, delivered to the Acquiring Fund or the Custodian executed copies of an agreement of assignment and escrow and due bills executed on behalf of said broker or brokers, together with such other documents as may be required by the Acquiring Fund or the Custodian, such as brokers’ confirmation slips. |
4.3 | In the event that on the Closing Date (a) the New York Stock Exchange shall be closed to trading or trading thereon shall be restricted, or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Target Fund is impracticable, the Closing Date shall be postponed until the second business day after the day when trading shall have been fully resumed and reporting shall have been restored, or on such later date as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties. |
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4.4 | At the Closing, the Target Fund or its transfer agent shall deliver to the Acquiring Fund or its designated agent a list of the names and addresses of the Target Fund’s shareholders and the number of outstanding shares of each class of the Target Fund owned by the Target Fund shareholder, and indicating the number, if any, of such shares represented by an outstanding share certificate, all as of the Effective Time. On the Closing Date, the Acquiring Fund will provide to the Target Fund evidence satisfactory to the Target Fund that the Acquisition Shares issuable pursuant to paragraph 2.1 have been credited to the Target Fund’s account on the books of the Acquiring Fund. On the Closing Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Acquiring Fund will provide to the Target Fund evidence satisfactory to the Target Fund that such Acquisition Shares have been credited pro rata to open accounts in the names of the Target Fund’s shareholders as provided in paragraph 2.3. |
4.5 | At the Closing, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, instruments of assumption of liabilities, checks, assignments, stock certificates, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request in connection with the transfer of assets, assumption of liabilities and liquidation contemplated by paragraph 2. |
5. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
5.1 | The Target Fund represents and warrants the following to the Acquiring Fund as of the date hereof and agrees to confirm the continuing accuracy and completeness in all material respects of the following on the Closing Date: |
(a) | The Target Fund is a series of the Target Company that is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of organization; |
(b) | The Target Company is a duly registered investment company classified as a management company of the open-end type and its registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect, and the Target Fund is a separate series thereof duly designated in accordance with the applicable provisions of the organizational documents of the Target Company and the 1940 Act; |
(c) | The Target Fund is not in violation in any material respect of any provision of its organizational documents or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Target Fund is a party or by which the Target Fund is bound, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in any such violation; |
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(d) | Other than any Service Provider Liabilities (as defined in paragraph 9.5) that may be paid after the Closing Date and any blue sky termination fees to be disclosed to the Acquiring Fund prior to Closing, the Target Fund has no material contracts or other commitments (other than this Agreement) that if terminated may result in material liability to the Target Fund or under which (whether or not terminated) any material payments for periods subsequent to the Closing Date will be due from the Target Fund;; |
(e) | Except as has been disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund as provided in paragraph 15, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court, arbitrator or governmental body is presently pending or, to the best of the Target Fund’s knowledge, without any special investigation or inquiry, threatened as to the Target Fund, any of its properties or assets, or any person whom the Target Fund may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation, and the Target Fund is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court, arbitrator or governmental body that materially and adversely affects, or is likely to materially and adversely affect, its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; |
(f) | The statement of assets and liabilities, the statement of operations, the statement of changes in net assets, and the schedule of investments of the Target Fund, as of the last day of and for its most recently completed fiscal year, audited by the Target Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm (and, if applicable, an unaudited statement of assets and liabilities, statement of operations, statement of changes in net assets and schedule of investments for any subsequent semiannual period following the most recently completed fiscal year), copies of which have been filed with the SEC or furnished to the Acquiring Fund, fairly reflect, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Target Fund as of such dates and for the periods then ended in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied to the extent applicable to such report. In addition, the Target Fund has no known liabilities of a material amount, contingent or otherwise, other than those shown on the statements of assets and liabilities referred to above or those incurred in the ordinary course of its business since the last day of the Target Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year and listed on the Schedule of Obligations provided by the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to paragraph 3.2 on the Closing Date or as soon as practicable thereafter; |
(g) | Since the last day of the Target Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year, there has not been any material adverse change in the Target Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business), or any incurrence by the Target Fund of indebtedness (other than changes occurring in the ordinary |
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course of business), except as disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund as provided in paragraph 15. For the purposes of this subparagraph (g), distributions of net investment income and net realized capital gains, changes in portfolio securities, changes in the market value of portfolio securities or net redemptions and changes in estimates of foreign capital gains payable shall be deemed to be in the ordinary course of business; |
(h) | The Target Fund has met the requirements of subchapter M of the Code for treatment as a “regulated investment company” within the meaning of Sections 851 and 852 of the Code in respect of each taxable year since the commencement of its operations, and will continue to meet such requirements at all times through the Closing Date. In addition, the Target Fund has not since its inception been liable for, and is not liable for, any material income or excise tax pursuant to Code sections 852 or 4982 and the Target Fund has no earnings and profits accumulated in any taxable year in which the provisions of subchapter M of the Code did not apply; |
(i) | As of the Closing Date, all federal, state and other tax returns, dividend reporting forms and other tax-related reports of the Target Fund required by law to have been filed by such date (including any properly and timely filed extensions of time to file) shall have been timely filed, and all federal, state and other taxes shown to be due on such returns and reports or on any assessment received shall have been paid, or provisions shall have been made for the payment thereof. All such returns and reports are accurate and complete as of the time of their filing, and accurately state the amount of tax (if any) owed for the periods covered by the returns, or, in the case of information returns, the amount and character of income or other information required to be reported by the Target Fund. To the Target Fund’s knowledge, it is not currently under audit by the Internal Revenue Service or by any state or local tax authority and no assessment has been asserted with respect to any tax returns, dividend reporting forms or reports of the Target Fund required by law to be have been filed as of the date hereof. In addition, to the Target Fund’s knowledge, it has not had any material tax liability asserted against it by the Internal Revenue Service or by any state or local tax authority; |
(j) | All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and will have been issued in compliance with all applicable registration or qualification requirements of federal and state securities laws. No options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase, or securities convertible into, any shares of the Target Fund are outstanding and none will be outstanding on the Closing Date; |
(k) | The Target Fund’s investment operations from inception to the date hereof have been in compliance in all material respects with the investment policies and investment restrictions set forth in the Target Fund Prospectus, except as disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund as provided in paragraph 15; |
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(l) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by the directors of the Target Fund, and, upon approval thereof by the requisite vote of the shareholders of the Target Fund and due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Target Fund enforceable against the Target Fund in accordance with its terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and other equitable principles; |
(m) | The Acquisition Shares to be issued to the Target Fund pursuant to paragraph 2 will not be acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof other than to the Target Fund’s shareholders as provided in paragraph 2.3; |
(n) | The information provided by the Target Fund and its agents for use in the Registration Statement (as defined in paragraph 6.3) will not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall comply with federal securities and other laws and regulations as applicable thereto; |
(o) | No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Target Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for consents and approvals to be received prior to the Effective Time as described in this Agreement; |
(p) | On the Closing Date, except as previously disclosed at least 15 business days prior to the Closing Date and accepted by the Acquiring Trust, the Target Fund will have good and marketable title to its assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to paragraph 2.1 and will have full right, power and authority to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Investments and any other of its assets and liabilities to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to this Agreement. At the Closing Date, subject only to the delivery of the Investments and any such other assets and liabilities and payment therefor as contemplated by this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund will acquire good and marketable title thereto and will acquire the Investments and any such other assets and liabilities subject to no encumbrances, liens or security interests whatsoever and without any restrictions upon the transfer thereof other than restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act, except as disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund as provided in paragraph 15; |
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(q) | The Target Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a Title 11 or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Code; |
(r) | The Target Fund will endeavor to discharge all its known liabilities, debts, obligations, and duties before the Closing Date (other than debts, obligations and duties under this Agreement that do not arise until after the Closing Date, and debts, obligations and duties under investment contracts, including, without limitation, options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements, that do not expire until after the Closing Date); |
(s) | The Target Fund Prospectus does and will, as of the Closing Date, (i) conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and (ii) not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; |
(t) | The due diligence materials of the Target Fund made available to the Acquiring Fund, its board of trustees and its legal counsel in response to the letter from the Acquiring Fund to the Silk Invest dated October 4, 2017 (the “Acquiring Fund Request Letter”), as they relate to the Target Fund, are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material misstatements or omissions; |
(u) | The Target Fund incurred the Obligations, which are associated with the assets of the Target Fund, in the ordinary course of its business; and |
(v) | Not more than 25% of the value of the Target Fund’s total assets (excluding cash, cash items, Government securities and securities of other “regulated investment companies”) is invested in the stock and securities of any one issuer, and not more than 50% of the value of the assets is invested in the stock and securities of five or fewer issuers. |
5.2 | The Acquiring Fund represents and warrants the following to the Target Fund as of the date hereof and agrees to confirm the continuing accuracy and completeness in all material respects of the following on the Closing Date: |
(a) | The Acquiring Fund is a series of the Acquiring Company that is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of organization; |
(b) | The Acquiring Company is a duly registered investment company classified as a management company of the open-end type and its registration with the SEC as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect, and the Acquiring Fund is a separate series thereof duly designated in accordance with the applicable provisions of the organizational documents of the Acquiring Company and the 1940 Act; |
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(c) | The Registration Statement and the Acquiring Fund Prospectus will, as of the Closing Date, be in full force and effect and no stop order suspending such effectiveness shall have been instituted or threatened by the SEC. The Registration Statement will, as of the effective date thereof, the date of the Shareholders’ Meeting (as defined in paragraph 6.2), and the Closing Date, (i) conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and (ii) not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except with respect to information provided by the Target Fund, Silk Invest, Frontegra or their agents for use in the Registration Statement. The Acquiring Fund Prospectus will, as of the effective date thereof and the Closing Date, (i) conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, 1934 Act and 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and (ii) not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except with respect to information provided by the Target Fund, Silk Invest, Frontegra or their agents for use in the Acquiring Fund Prospectus. In addition, there are no material contracts to which the Acquiring Fund is a party and that are required to be disclosed under the federal securities laws or regulations thereof that are not referred to in the Acquiring Fund Prospectus or in the registration statement of which it is a part; |
(d) | The Acquiring Fund is not in violation in any material respect of any provisions of its organizational documents or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which the Acquiring Fund is bound, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in any such violation; |
(e) | Except as has been disclosed in writing to the Target Fund as provided in paragraph 15, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court, arbitrator or governmental body is presently pending or, to the best of the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge, without any special investigation or inquiry, threatened as to the Acquiring Fund, any of its properties or assets, or any person whom the Acquiring Fund may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation, and the Acquiring Fund is not a party to or subject to the |
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provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court, arbitrator or governmental body that materially and adversely affects, or is likely to materially and adversely affect, its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; |
(f) | The Acquiring Fund was established by the trustees of the Acquiring Company in order to effect the transactions described in this Agreement. It has not yet filed its first federal income tax return and, thus, has not yet elected to be treated as a “regulated investment company” for federal income tax purposes. However, upon filing its first income tax return at the completion of its first taxable year, the Acquiring Fund will elect to be a “regulated investment company” and until such time will take all reasonable and customary steps necessary to ensure that it qualifies for taxation as a “regulated investment company” under Sections 851 and 852 of the Code, and that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not cause the Acquiring Fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company from and after the Closing Date; |
(g) | As of the Closing Date, the Acquiring Fund shall not have been required to have filed any federal, state or other tax returns or reports. To the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge, it has not had any tax liability asserted against it by the Internal Revenue Service or by any state or local tax authority; |
(h) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquiring Fund, and, upon due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund enforceable against the Acquiring Fund in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and other equitable principles; |
(i) | The Acquisition Shares to be issued and delivered to the Target Fund pursuant to the terms of this Agreement will at the Closing Date have been duly authorized and, when so issued and delivered, will be duly and validly issued shares in the Acquiring Fund, and will be fully paid and non-assessable by the Acquiring Fund, and no shareholder of the Acquiring Fund will have any preemptive right of subscription or purchase in respect thereof; |
(j) | No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for consents and approvals to be received prior to the Effective Time as described in this Agreement; |
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(k) | The Acquiring Fund is, and will be at the Closing Date, a new series of the Acquiring Company created within the last twelve (12) months, without assets or liabilities, formed for the sole purpose of receiving the assets, and assuming the Obligations of, the Target Fund in connection with the reorganization and will not carry on any business activities (other than such activities as are customary to the organization of a new series of a registered investment company prior to its commencement of investment operations). Accordingly, the Acquiring Fund has not prepared books of account and related records or financial statements, or issued any shares except those issued in a private placement to an affiliate of the Acquiring Fund to secure any required initial shareholder approvals. Immediately following the reorganization contemplated herein, 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Acquiring Fund will be held by the shareholders of the Target Fund as of the Closing; |
(l) | The Acquiring Fund is not under the jurisdiction of a court in a Title 11 or similar case within the meaning of Section 368(a)(3)(A) of the Code; |
(m) | The Acquiring Fund Prospectus does and will, as of the Closing Date, (i) conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, and (ii) not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and |
(n) | The due diligence materials of the Acquiring Fund made available to the Target Fund, its board of trustees and its legal counsel in response to the letter from Xxxxxxx & Xxxx, S.C. to the Acquiring Company and Silk Invest dated October 18, 2017 (the “Target Fund Request Letter”), as they relate to the Acquiring Trust and the Acquiring Fund, are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material misstatements or omissions. |
5.3 | Silk Invest represents and warrants the following as of the date hereof and agrees to confirm the continuing accuracy and completeness in all material respects of the following on the Closing Date: |
(a) | Silk Invest is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; |
(b) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of Silk Invest, and, upon due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Silk Invest enforceable against Silk Invest in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and other equitable principles; |
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(c) | The due diligence materials made available to the Target Fund, its board of directors and its legal counsel in response to the Target Fund Request Letter, as they relate to Silk Invest, are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material misstatements or omissions; |
(d) | The due diligence materials made available to the Acquiring Fund, its board of trustees and its legal counsel in response to the Acquiring Fund Request Letter, as they relate to Silk Invest, are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material misstatements or omissions; |
(e) | The information provided by Silk Invest and its agents for use in the Registration Statement will not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall comply with federal securities and other laws and regulations as applicable thereto; |
(f) | The information provided by Silk Invest and its agents for use in the Acquiring Fund Prospectus will not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall comply with federal securities and other laws and regulations as applicable thereto; and |
(g) | Except as has been disclosed in writing to all the other parties as provided in paragraph 15, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court, arbitrator or governmental body is presently pending or, to the best of Silk Invest’s knowledge, without any special investigation or inquiry, threatened as to Silk Invest, any of its properties or assets, or any person whom Silk Invest may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation, and Silk Invest is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court, arbitrator or governmental body that materially and adversely affects, or is likely to materially and adversely affect, its business or its ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement. |
(h) | Silk has paid or will pay the Reorganization Expenses (as defined in paragraph 10.2). |
(i) | Silk is not paying Frontegra any compensation or other benefit in connection with the Reorganization for purposes of Section 15(f) under the 1940 Act. |
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5.4 | Frontegra represents and warrants the following as of the date hereof and agrees to confirm the continuing accuracy and completeness in all material respects of the following on the Closing Date: |
(a) | Frontegra is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of organization; |
(b) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of Frontegra, and, upon due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the other parties hereto, this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of Frontegra enforceable against Frontegra in accordance with its terms, except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and other equitable principles; |
(c) | The due diligence materials made available to the Target Fund, its board of directors and its legal counsel in response to the Target Fund Request Letter, as they relate to Frontegra, are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material misstatements or omissions; |
(d) | The due diligence materials made available to the Acquiring Fund, its board of trustees and its legal counsel in response to the Acquiring Fund Request Letter are true and correct in all material respects and contain no material misstatements or omissions; |
(e) | The information provided by Frontegra and its agents for use in the Registration Statement will not include 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, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and shall comply with federal securities and other laws and regulations as applicable thereto; |
(f) | Except as has been disclosed in writing to all the other parties as provided in paragraph 15, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court, arbitrator or governmental body is presently pending or, to the best of Frontegra’s knowledge, without any special investigation or inquiry, threatened as to Frontegra, any of its properties or assets, or any person whom Frontegra may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation, and Frontegra is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court, arbitrator or governmental body that materially and adversely affects, or is likely to materially and adversely affect, its business or its ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement; and |
(g) | Frontegra is not receiving any compensation or other benefit in connection with the Reorganization for purposes of Section 15(f) under the 1940 Act. |
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(h) | Frontegra has paid or will pay the Reorganization Expenses (as defined in paragraph 10.2) to the extent applicable. |
6. | COVENANTS OF THE TARGET FUND AND THE ACQUIRING FUND. |
Each of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund hereby covenants and agrees with the other as follows:
6.1 | The Target Fund will operate its business in the ordinary course between the date hereof and the Closing Date, it being understood that such ordinary course of business will include regular and customary periodic dividends and distributions. The Acquiring Fund will not carry on any business activities between the date hereof and the Closing Date (other than such activities as are customary to the organization of a new registered investment company prior to its commencement of operations). |
6.2 | The Target Fund will call a meeting of its shareholders to be held prior to the Closing Date to consider and act upon this Agreement and take all other reasonable action necessary to obtain the required shareholder approval of the transactions contemplated hereby (the “Shareholders’ Meeting”), all in compliance with the Target Fund’s governing documents and the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act. |
6.3 | In connection with the Shareholders’ Meeting, and in reliance on information provided by the Target Fund, Silk Invest, Frontegra and their agents, the Acquiring Fund will prepare a registration statement on Form N-14 (the “Registration Statement”) in connection with such meeting, to be distributed to the Target Fund’s shareholders, all in compliance with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 0000 Xxx. |
6.4 | Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund will each take, or cause to be taken, all action, and do or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper or advisable to cause the conditions to the other party’s obligations to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby to be met or fulfilled and otherwise to consummate and make effective such transactions. |
6.5 | The Acquiring Fund will use all reasonable and customary efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and such of the state securities or “Blue Sky” laws as are required in order to commence its operations on or before the Closing Date and continue its operations thereafter, including filings and approvals under state securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states in which Target Fund shareholders are residents. |
6.6 | It is the intention of the parties that the reorganization will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. None of the parties to the reorganization shall take any action or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation the filing of any tax return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or is reasonably likely to result in the failure of such reorganization to qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code. |
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6.7 | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any reporting responsibility of the Target Fund and the Target Company, on behalf of the Target Fund, for periods ending on or prior to the Closing Date (whether due before or after the Closing Date) is and shall remain the responsibility of the Target Fund or the Target Company, as applicable, except as otherwise is mutually agreed by the parties. |
6.8 | Any tax returns of the Target Fund for the taxable year including the Closing Date shall be the responsibility of the Acquiring Fund. |
7. | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE TARGET FUND. |
The obligation of the Target Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquiring Fund, Silk Invest and Frontegra of all the obligations to be performed by them hereunder on or before the Closing Date and, in addition thereto, to the following further conditions:
7.1 | The Acquiring Fund shall have delivered to the Target Fund a certificate executed in its name by its President or a Vice President and its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Target Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Acquiring Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that the Acquiring Fund has complied with all the covenants and agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date, including, without limitation, assuming all Obligations in accordance with paragraph 2.1(b), issuing and delivering Acquisition Shares to the Target Fund in accordance with paragraph 2.1(c), and delivering to the Target Fund in a complete and accurate form all of the information to be provided to the Target Fund in accordance with paragraph 4.4. |
7.2 | The Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have entered into an investment advisory agreement and other agreements and plans necessary for the Acquiring Fund’s operation as a series of an open-end management investment company. Each such contract, plan, and agreement shall have been approved by the board of trustees of the Acquiring Fund and, to the extent required by law (as interpreted by SEC staff positions), by its trustees who are not “interested persons” (as that term is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of any party to the contract, plan or agreement, and by the Acquiring Fund’s initial shareholder. |
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7.3 | The Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have entered into an expense limitation agreement with Silk Invest, the terms of which are consistent with those described in the Registration Statement. |
7.4 | The Board of Trustees of the Acquiring Company shall have approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with Rule 17a-8 under the 1940 Act. |
8. | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRING FUND. |
The obligations of the Acquiring Fund to complete the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Target Fund, Silk Invest and Frontegra of all the obligations to be performed by them hereunder on or before the Closing Date and, in addition thereto, to the following further conditions:
8.1 | The Target Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund a certificate executed in its name by its President or a Vice President and its Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Target Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that the Target Fund has complied with all the covenants and agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date, including, without limitation, transferring and delivering to the Acquiring Fund all of the Target Fund’s assets in accordance with paragraph 2.1(a), and delivering to the Acquiring Fund in a complete and accurate form all of the information to be provided to the Acquiring Fund in accordance with paragraph 4.4; |
8.2 | The Target Fund shall have furnished to the Acquiring Fund a certificate signed by an officer of the Target Fund as to the adjusted tax basis in the hands of the Target Fund of the securities delivered to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to this Agreement, and shall have delivered a copy of the tax books and records of the Target Fund, including but not limited to information necessary for purposes of determining fund distributions or preparing any tax returns, reports and information returns required by law to be filed by the Acquiring Fund after the Closing Date. The Target Fund will provide all necessary information to and will otherwise reasonably cooperate with the Acquiring Fund in connection with such Acquiring Fund’s: (i) preparation and filing of such returns, reports and information returns for the Acquiring Fund’s taxable year that includes the Closing Date and any prior taxable years of the Target Fund, and (ii) declaration and payment of any dividend or dividends, including pursuant to Section 855 of the Code, for purposes of making distributions in respect of the Acquiring Fund’s taxable year that includes the Closing Date and any prior taxable years of the Target Fund of an amount or amounts sufficient for the Target Fund or Acquiring Fund, as applicable, to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and to otherwise avoid the incurrence of any fund-level taxes for any such taxable year. Such information shall be provided on the Closing Date or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter. |
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8.3 | The Board of Directors of the Target Company shall have approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby in accordance with Rule 17a-8 under the 1940 Act and approved the recommendation that the Target Fund shareholders approve the Agreement. |
9. | FURTHER CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE TARGET FUND AND THE ACQUIRING FUND. |
The respective obligations of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund hereunder are subject to the further conditions that on or before the Closing Date:
9.1 | This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein shall have received all necessary shareholder approvals at the Shareholders’ Meeting. |
9.2 | On the Closing Date, no action, suit or other proceeding shall be pending before any court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit, or obtain damages or other relief in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. |
9.3 | All consents of other parties and all other consents, orders and permits of federal, state and local regulatory authorities (including those of the SEC and of state “Blue Sky” and securities authorities) deemed, in good faith, necessary by the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund to permit consummation, in all material respects, of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained, except when failure to obtain any such consent, order or permit would not involve a risk of a material adverse effect on the assets or properties of the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund. |
9.4 | The Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund shall have received a favorable opinion of Xxxxxxxx Xxxx LLP satisfactory to each of them (which opinion will be subject to certain qualifications), substantially to the effect that, on the basis of existing provisions of the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Treasury Regulations”), current administrative rules and court decisions, generally for U.S. federal income tax purposes: |
(a) | The Acquiring Fund’s acquisition of the assets of the Target Fund in exchange solely for the Acquisition Shares and the Acquiring Fund’s assumption of the Obligations, followed by the Target Fund’s distribution of the Acquisition Shares pro rata to the Target Fund shareholders actually or constructively in exchange for their Target Fund shares in complete liquidation of the Target Fund, will qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(F) of the Code, and the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund each will be a “party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code; |
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(b) | Under Section 1032(a) of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon the receipt of the assets of the Target Fund solely in exchange for the Acquisition Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of the Obligations; |
(c) | Under Section 361 of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund upon the transfer of the Target Fund’s assets to the Acquiring Fund solely in exchange for the Acquisition Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of the Obligations or upon the distribution (whether actual or constructive) of the Acquisition Shares to the Target Fund shareholders in exchange for their Target Fund shares in complete liquidation of the Target Fund; |
(d) | Under Section 354(a)(1) of the Code, no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund shareholders upon the exchange of their Target Fund shares for the Acquisition Shares in complete liquidation of the Target Fund pursuant to the reorganization; |
(e) | Under Section 358(a)(1) of the Code, the aggregate adjusted tax basis of the Acquisition Shares received by each Target Fund shareholder pursuant to the reorganization will be the same as the aggregate adjusted tax basis of the Target Fund shares held by such shareholder immediately prior to the reorganization; |
(f) | Under Section 1223(1) of the Code, the holding period of the Acquisition Shares received by each Target Fund shareholder in the reorganization will include the period during which shares of the Target Fund exchanged therefor were held by such shareholder (provided the Target Fund shares were held as capital assets on the date of the reorganization); |
(g) | Under Section 362(b) of the Code, the adjusted tax basis of the Target Fund’s assets acquired by the Acquiring Fund will be the same as the adjusted tax basis of such assets to the Target Fund immediately prior to the reorganization; |
(h) | Under Section 1223(2) of the Code, the holding period of the assets of the Target Fund in the hands of the Acquiring Fund will include the period during which those assets were held by the Target Fund; and |
(i) | The Acquiring Fund will succeed to and take into account the items of the Target Fund described in Section 381(c) of the Code, subject to the conditions and limitations specified in Sections 381, 382, 383 and 384 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder. In particular, under Treasury Regulation § 1.381(b)-l(a)(2), the Acquiring Fund will be treated for purposes of Section 381 of the Code just as the Target Fund would have been treated if there had been no reorganization, and the taxable year of the Target Fund will not end on the date of the reorganization merely because of the closing of the reorganization. |
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Such opinion will be based on certain factual certifications requested by Xxxxxxxx Xxxx LLP and made by officers of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, and will also be based on customary assumptions. The opinion is not a guarantee that the tax consequences of the reorganization will be as described above. There is no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service or a court would agree with the opinion.
9.5 | The Target Fund shall have paid, or established an accrual in an amount sufficient in its reasonable discretion for the payment of, all known liabilities of the Target Fund to its service providers, including, without limitation, the Target Fund’s distributor, administrator, transfer agent, legal counsel, custodian, sub-custodians, pricing services, foreign tax guarantors and auditor (“Service Provider Liabilities”), and Silk Invest and Frontegra shall have paid any Service Provider Liabilities that they have agreed to bear on behalf of the Target Fund. |
9.6 | Silk Invest shall have delivered to the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund a certificate executed in its name by a duly authorized officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of Silk Invest made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that Silk Invest has complied with all the covenants and agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date. |
9.7 | Frontegra shall have delivered to the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund a certificate executed in its name by a duly authorized officer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of Frontegra made in this Agreement are true and correct at and as of the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and that Frontegra has complied with all the covenants and agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date. |
9.8 | At any time prior to the Closing, any of the foregoing conditions of this Agreement (except for Sections 7.4, 8.4, 9.1, 9.4 and 9.8) may be waived jointly by the board of directors or board of trustees of each of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund, if, in their judgment, such waiver will not have a material adverse effect on the interests of the shareholders of the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund. |
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10. | FINDER FEES AND EXPENSES. |
10.1 | Each of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund represents and warrants to the other that there are no brokers or finders entitled to receive any payments in connection with the transactions provided for herein. |
10.2 | All costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated herein, whether or not consummated (the “Reorganization Expenses”) shall be borne by Silk Invest, except as otherwise provided below. Reorganization Expenses shall include, without limitation (i) costs associated with obtaining any necessary order of exemption from the 1940 Act, preparing and filing Target Fund Prospectus supplements, and printing and distributing the Acquiring Fund Prospectus and the Registration Statement, (ii) legal and accounting fees of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund related to the reorganization, (iii) transfer agent and custodian conversion costs, (iv) costs of retaining a proxy tabulator, including any costs associated with obtaining beneficial ownership information, (v) transfer taxes for foreign securities, if any, (vi) proxy solicitation costs, if any, (vii) any state Blue Sky fees, (viii) expenses of holding the Shareholders’ Meeting (including any adjournments thereof), and (ix) costs of terminating the Target Fund. In the case new accounts are needed in connection with the Reorganization and costs are incurred, Silk Invest will reimburse the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund shareholders for any associated charges. In addition, Silk Invest will reimburse the Acquiring Fund for any brokerage commissions and foreign capital gain tax liabilities incurred in connection with the liquidation of any securities that cannot be transferred to the Acquiring Fund due to foreign market restrictions and which necessitate the Acquiring Fund to repurchase such positions. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) any costs of legal counsel to the Target Fund related to the reorganization in excess of $40,000 and (b) any conversion costs imposed by existing service providers of the Target Fund in connection with the reorganization in excess of $10,000 shall be borne by Frontegra.
All such costs, fees and expenses so borne and paid by Silk Invest or Frontegra, as applicable, shall be solely and directly related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and shall be paid directly by Silk Invest to the relevant providers of services or other payees in accordance with the principles set forth in the Internal Revenue Service Rev. Rul. 73-54, 1973-1 C.B. 187. For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Target Fund nor the Acquiring Fund will bear any costs, fees or expenses relating to the transactions contemplated herein. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring such expenses if and to the extent that the payment by another person of such expenses would result in the disqualification of such party as a regulated investment company within the meaning of Sections 851 and 852 of the Code or would prevent the reorganization from qualifying as a tax-free reorganization under Section 368(a) of the Code.
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11. | INDEMNIFICATION |
11.1 | Silk Invest agrees to indemnify and hold harmless (a) the Target Fund and the Target Company’s directors and officers and (b) the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Trust’s trustees and officers (collectively, the “Silk Indemnitees”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) (individually, a “Loss” and collectively, “Losses”) that the Silk Indemnitees may become subject, insofar as any such Loss arises out of or is based on any breach by Silk or the Target Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement. These indemnification obligations shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. |
11.2 | Frontegra agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquiring Fund and the Acquiring Trust’s trustees and officers from and against any and all Losses to which the Acquiring Fund or any of the Acquiring Trust’s trustees or officers may become subject, insofar as any such Loss arises out of or is based on any breach by Frontegra of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement. These indemnification obligations shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. |
11.3 | The Acquiring Trust, out of the assets of the Acquiring Fund, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Target Fund and the Target Company’s directors and officers from and against any and all Losses to which the Target Fund or any of the Target Company’s directors or officers may become subject, insofar as any such Loss arises out of or is based on any breach by the Acquiring Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement. These indemnification obligations shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. |
12. | ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SURVIVAL OF WARRANTIES |
12.1 | Except with respect to the Non-Disclosure Agreement between the Frontegra, Frontegra Strategies, LLC, the Target Company, Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC and the Acquiring Company dated October 11, 2017, the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund agree that neither party has made any representation, warranty or covenant not set forth herein and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties. |
12.2 | The representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. The covenants to be performed after the Closing shall survive the Closing. |
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13. | TERMINATION. |
13.1 | This Agreement may be terminated by the mutual agreement of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund. In addition, either the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund may at its option terminate this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date because: |
(a) | of a material breach by the other of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein to be performed by the other party at or prior to the Closing Date; |
(b) | of a material breach by Silk Invest or Frontegra of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained herein to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date; |
(c) | a condition herein expressed to be precedent to the obligations of the terminating party has not been met and it reasonably appears that it will not or cannot be met; or |
(d) | any governmental authority of competent jurisdiction shall have issued any judgment, injunction, order, ruling or decree or taken any other action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated herein and such judgment, injunction, order, ruling, decree or other action becomes final and non-appealable; provided that the party seeking to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this paragraph 13.1(d) shall have used its reasonable best efforts to have such judgment, injunction, order, ruling, decree or other action lifted, vacated or denied. |
13.2 | If the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have not been substantially completed by April 30, 2018, this Agreement shall automatically terminate on that date unless a later date is agreed to in writing by both the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund. |
13.3 | If for any reason any transaction contemplated by this Agreement is not consummated, no party shall be liable to any other party for any damages resulting therefrom, including without limitation indirect or consequential damages, absent willful default or fraud. |
14. | AMENDMENTS. |
This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by the authorized officers of the Target Fund and the Acquiring Fund; provided, however, that no amendment that under applicable law requires approval by shareholders of the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund, as applicable, shall be effective without such approval having been obtained.
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15. | NOTICES. |
Any notice, report, or demand required or permitted by any provision of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given if delivered or mailed, first class postage prepaid, addressed to the following addresses:
To the Target Company:
Frontier Funds, Inc.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: President
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxx & Xxxx, S.C.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000
Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Drought, Esquire
To the Acquiring Company:
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: President
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Xxxxxxxx Xxxx LLP
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxx, Esquire
To Silk Invest:
Silk Invest Limited
00 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, XX0X 0XX
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Attention:
To Frontegra:
Frontegra Asset Management, Inc.
000 Xxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: President
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16. | HEADINGS; COUNTERPARTS; GOVERNING LAW; ASSIGNMENT; NON-RECOURSE. |
16.1 | The article and paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. If any provision or portion of this Agreement shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining provisions and portions of this Agreement shall be unaffected thereby and shall remain in full force and effect to the fullest extent permitted by law. |
16.2 | This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original. A facsimile or electronic (e.g., PDF) signature of an authorized officer of a party hereto on this Agreement and/or any transfer document shall have the same effect as if executed in the original by such officer. |
16.3 | This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic substantive laws of the State of Ohio, without giving effect to any choice or conflicts of law rule or provision that would result in the application of the domestic substantive laws of any other jurisdiction. |
16.4 | This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, but no assignment or transfer hereof or of any rights or obligations hereunder shall be made by any party without the written consent of the other party. Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement. |
16.5 | Notice is hereby given that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the Target Company’s directors and/or officers solely in their capacities as directors or officers, and not individually, and that the Target Company’s obligations under this instrument are not binding on or enforceable against any of its directors, officers, shareholders, or series of the Target Company other than the Target Fund but are only binding on and enforceable against the property attributable to and held for the benefit of the Target Fund (“Target Fund’s Property”) and not the property attributable to and held for the benefit of any other series of the Target Company. Any party hereunder, in asserting any rights or claims under this Agreement on its behalf, shall look only to the Target Fund’s Property in settlement of those rights or claims and not to the property of any other series of the Acquiring Company or to its directors, officers, or shareholders. |
16.6 | Notice is hereby given that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the Acquiring Company’s trustees and/or officers solely in their capacities as trustees or officers, and not individually, and that the Acquiring Company’s obligations under this instrument are not binding on or enforceable against any of its trustees, officers, shareholders, or series of the Acquiring Company other than the Acquiring Fund but are only binding on and enforceable against the property |
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attributable to and held for the benefit of the Acquiring Fund (“Acquiring Fund’s Property”) and not the property attributable to and held for the benefit of any other series of the Acquiring Company. Any party hereunder, in asserting any rights or claims under this Agreement on its behalf, shall look only to the Acquiring Fund’s Property in settlement of those rights or claims and not to the property of any other series of the Acquiring Company or to its trustees, officers, or shareholders. |
16.7 | Any public announcements or similar publicity with respect to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein will be made at such time and in such manner as the parties mutually shall agree, provided that nothing herein shall prevent any party from making such public announcements as may be required by applicable law, as determined by the disclosing party on the advice of counsel, in which case the party issuing such statement or communication shall advise each other party prior to such issuance. |
THE REST OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed as set forth below.
FRONTIER FUNDS, INC. | ||||||
On behalf of the Target Fund thereof identified on Exhibit A | ||||||
Attested by: | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx III | ||||
Title: | President | |||||
UNIFIED SERIES Trust | ||||||
On behalf of the Acquiring Fund thereof identified on Exhibit A | ||||||
Attested by: | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | Name: | Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||||
Title: | President | |||||
SILK INVEST LIMITED | ||||||
Solely for purposes of Paragraphs 5.3, 9.5, 9.6 and 11 of the Agreement | ||||||
Attested by: | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | Name: | |||||
Title: | ||||||
FRONTEGRA ASSET MANAGEMENT, INC. | ||||||
Solely for purposes of Paragraphs 5.4, 9.5, 9.7, 10.2 and 11 of the Agreement | ||||||
Attested by: | ||||||
By: | ||||||
Name: | Name: | Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx III | ||||
Title: | President |
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EXHIBIT A
Target Company |
Target Fund |
Acquiring Company |
Acquiring Fund | |||
Frontier Funds, Inc. | Frontier Silk Invest New Horizons Fund | Unified Series Trust | Silk Invest New Horizons Fund |
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Share Class Mapping
Target Fund Share Class |
Acquiring Fund Share Class | |
Institutional Class Shares | Institutional Class Shares | |
Service Class Shares | Service Class Shares |
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