FORM OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made the 31st day of May 1998, by and between EVERGREEN
EQUITY TRUST, a Delaware business trust (the ATrust@) and MERIDIAN INVESTMENT
COMPANY, a Pennsylvania corporation (the AAdviser@).
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Adviser wish to enter into an Agreement
setting forth the terms on which the Adviser will perform certain services for
the Trust, its series of shares as listed on Schedule 1 to this Agreement and
each series of shares subsequently issued by the Trust (each singly a AFund@ or
collectively the AFunds@).
THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the mutual agreements
hereinafter contained, the Trust and the Adviser agree as follows:
1. (a) The Trust hereby employs the Adviser to manage and administer
the operation of the Trust and each of its Funds, to supervise the provision of
the services to the Trust and each of its Funds by others, and to manage the
investment and reinvestment of the assets of each Fund of the Trust in
conformity with such Fund=s investment objectives and restrictions as may be set
forth from time to time in the Fund=s then current prospectus and statement of
additional information, if any, and other governing documents, all subject to
the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, for the period and on the
terms set forth in this Agreement. The Adviser hereby accepts such employment
and agrees during such period, at its own expense, to render the services and to
assume the obligations set forth herein, for the compensation provided herein.
The Adviser shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent
contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no
authority to act for or represent the Trust in any way or otherwise be deemed an
agent of the Trust.
(b) In the event that the Trust establishes one or more Funds, in
addition to the Funds listed on Schedule 1, for which it wishes the Adviser to
perform services hereunder, it shall notify the Adviser in writing. If the
Adviser is willing to render such services, it shall notify the Trust in writing
and such Fund shall become a Fund hereunder and the compensation payable to the
Adviser by the new Fund will be as agreed in writing at the time.
2. The Adviser shall place all orders for the purchase and sale of
portfolio securities for the account of each Fund with broker-dealers selected
by the Adviser. In executing portfolio transactions and selecting
broker-dealers, the Adviser will use its best efforts to seek best execution on
behalf of each Fund. In assessing the best execution available for any
transaction, the Adviser shall consider all factors it deems relevant, including
the breadth of the market in the security, the price of the security, the
financial condition and execution capability of the broker-dealer, and the
reasonableness of the commission, if any (all for the specific transaction and
on a continuing basis). In evaluating the best execution available, and in
selecting the broker-dealer to execute a particular transaction, the Adviser may
also consider the brokerage and research services (as those terms are used in
Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the A1934 Act@)) provided
to a Fund and/or other accounts over which the Adviser or an affiliate of the
Adviser exercises investment discretion. The Adviser is authorized to pay a
broker-dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for
executing a portfolio transaction for a Fund which is in excess of the amount of
commission another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction if, but only if, the Adviser determines in good faith that such
commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research
services provided by such broker-dealer viewed in terms of that particular
transaction or in terms of all of the accounts over which investment discretion
is so exercised.
3. The Adviser, at its own expense, shall furnish to the Trust office
space in the offices of the Adviser or in such other place as may be agreed upon
by the parties from time to time, all necessary office facilities, equipment and
personnel in connection with its services hereunder, and shall arrange, if
desired by the Trust, for members of the Adviser=s organization to serve without
salaries from the Trust as officers or, as may be agreed from time to time, as
agents of the Trust. The Adviser assumes and shall pay or reimburse the Trust
for:
(a) the compensation (if any) of the Trustees of the Trust who are
affiliated with the Adviser or with its affiliates, or with any adviser retained
by the Adviser, and of all officers of the Trust as such; and
(b) all expenses of the Adviser incurred in connection with its
services hereunder.
The Trust assumes and shall pay all other expenses of the Trust and its
Funds, including, without limitation:
(a) all charges and expenses of any custodian or depository appointed
by the Trust for the safekeeping of the cash, securities and other property of
any of its Funds;
(b) all charges and expenses for bookkeeping and auditors;
(c) all charges and expenses of any transfer agents and registrars
appointed by the Trust; (d) all fees of all Trustees of the Trust who
are not affiliated with the Adviser or any of its
affiliates, or with any adviser retained by the Adviser;
(e) all brokers= fees, expenses, and commissions and issue and transfer
taxes chargeable to a Fund in connection with transactions involving securities
and other property to which the Fund is a party;
(f) all costs and expenses of distribution of shares of its Funds
incurred pursuant to Plans of Distribution adopted under Rule 12b-1 under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (A1940 Act@);
(g) all taxes and trust fees payable by the Trust or its Funds to
Federal, state, or other governmental agencies;
(h) all costs of certificates representing shares of the Trust or its
Funds;
(i) all fees and expenses involved in registering and maintaining
registrations of the Trust, its Funds and of their shares with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the ACommission@) and registering or qualifying the
Funds= shares under state or other securities laws, including, without
limitation, the preparation and printing of registration statements,
prospectuses, and statements of additional information for filing with the
Commission and other authorities;
(j) expenses of preparing, printing, and mailing prospectuses and
statements of additional information to shareholders of each Fund of the Trust;
(k) all expenses of shareholders= and Trustees= meetings and of
preparing, printing, and mailing notices, reports, and proxy materials to
shareholders of the Funds;
(l) all charges and expenses of legal counsel for the Trust and its
Funds and for Trustees of the Trust in connection with legal matters relating to
the Trust and its Funds, including, without limitation, legal services rendered
in connection with the Trust and its Funds= existence, trust, and financial
structure and relations with its shareholders, registrations and qualifications
of securities under Federal, state, and other laws, issues of securities,
expenses which the Trust and its Funds have herein assumed, whether customary or
not, and extraordinary matters, including, without limitation, any litigation
involving the Trust and its Funds, its Trustees, officers, employees, or agents;
(m) all charges and expenses of filing annual and other reports with
the Commission and other authorities; and
(n) all extraordinary expenses and charges of the Trust and its Funds.
In the event that the Adviser provides any of these services or pays
any of these expenses, the Trust and any affected Fund will promptly reimburse
the Adviser therefor.
The services of the Adviser to the Trust and its Funds hereunder are
not to be deemed exclusive, and the Adviser shall be free to render similar
services to others.
4. As compensation for the Adviser=s services to the Trust with respect
to each Fund during the period of this Agreement, the Trust will pay to the
Adviser a fee at the annual rate set forth on Schedule 2 for such Fund.
The Adviser=s fee is computed as of the close of business on each
business day.
A pro rata portion of the Trust=s fee with respect to a Fund shall be
payable in arrears at the end of each day or calendar month as the Adviser may
from time to time specify to the Trust. If and when this Agreement terminates,
any compensation payable hereunder for the period ending with the date of such
termination shall be payable upon such termination. Amounts payable hereunder
shall be promptly paid when due.
5. The Adviser may enter into an agreement to retain, at its own
expense, a firm or firms (ASubAdviser@) to provide the Trust with respect to all
or any of its Funds all of the services to be provided by the Adviser hereunder,
if such agreement is approved as required by law. Such agreement may delegate to
such SubAdviser all of Adviser=s rights, obligations, and duties hereunder.
6. The Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake
of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust or any of its Funds in connection
with the performance of this Agreement, except a loss resulting from the
Adviser=s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or from reckless
disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. Any person,
even though also an officer, Director, partner, employee, or agent of the
Adviser, who may be or become an officer, Trustee, employee, or agent of the
Trust, shall be deemed, when rendering services to the Trust or any of its Funds
or acting on any business of the Trust or any of its Funds (other than services
or business in connection with the Adviser=s duties hereunder), to be rendering
such services to or acting solely for the Trust or any of its Funds and not as
an officer, Director, partner, employee, or agent or one under the control or
direction of the Adviser even though paid by it.
7. The Trust shall cause the books and accounts of each of its Funds to
be audited at least once each year by a reputable independent public accountant
or organization of public accountant or organization of public accountants who
shall render a report to the Trust.
8. Subject to and in accordance with the Declaration of Trust of the
Trust, the governing documents of the Adviser and the governing documents of any
SubAdviser, it is understood that Trustees, Directors, officers, agents and
shareholders of the Trust or any Adviser are or may be interested in the Adviser
(or any successor thereof) as Directors and officers of the Adviser or its
affiliates, as stockholders of First Union Corporation or otherwise; that
Directors, officers and agents of the Adviser and its affiliates or stockholders
of First Union Corporation are or may be interested in the Trust or any Adviser
as Trustees, Directors, officers, shareholders or otherwise; that the Adviser
(or any such successor) is or may be interested in the Trust or any SubAdviser
as shareholder, or otherwise; and that the effect of any such adverse interests
shall be governed by the Declaration of Trust of the Trust, governing documents
of the Adviser and governing documents of any SubAdviser.
9. This Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date
set forth above and after such date (a) such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually by the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by a vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust, and (b) such
renewal has been approved by the vote of the majority of Trustees of the Trust
who are not interested persons, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, of the
Adviser or of the Trust, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval.
10. On sixty days= written notice to the Adviser, this Agreement may be
terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty by the Board of
Trustees of the Trust or by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of any Fund with respect to that Fund; and on sixty days=
written notice to the Trust, this Agreement may be terminated at any time
without the payment of any penalty by the Adviser with respect to a Fund. This
Agreement shall automatically terminate upon its assignment (as that term is
defined in the 1940 Act). Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in
writing, addressed and delivered, or mailed postage prepaid, to the other party
at the main office of such party.
11. This Agreement may be amended at any time by an instrument in
writing executed by both parties hereto or their respective successors, provided
that with regard to amendments of substance such execution by the Trust shall
have been first approved by the vote of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the affected Funds and by the vote of a
majority of Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as that term
is defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Adviser, any predecessor of the Adviser, or
of the Trust, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
such approval. A Amajority of the outstanding voting securities@ of the Trust or
the affected Funds shall have, for all purposes of this Agreement, the meaning
provided therefor in the 1940 Act.
12. Any compensation payable to the Adviser hereunder for any period
other than a full year shall be proportionately adjusted.
13. The provisions of this Agreement shall be governed, construed, and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this
Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
EVERGREEN EQUITY TRUST
By:
Name:
Title:
MERIDIAN INVESTMENT COMPANY
By:
Name:
Title:
As of December 31, 1999
Schedule 1
Evergreen Stock Selector Fund
As of December 31, 1999
Schedule 2
As compensation for the Adviser=s services to each Fund during the
period of this Agreement, each Fund will pay to the Adviser a fee at the annual
rate of:
I. Evergreen Stock Selector Fund
0.74% of Average Daily Net Assets of the Fund
