PRUDENTIAL HIGH YIELD TOTAL RETURN FUND, INC.
Distribution Agreement
Agreement made as of May 30, 1997 between Prudential High Yield
Total Return Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the Fund), and Prudential
Securities Incorporated, a Delaware corporation (the Distributor).
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act), as a diversified, open-end,
management investment company and it is in the interest of the Fund to offer its
shares for sale continuously;
WHEREAS, the shares of the Fund may be divided into classes and/or
series (all such shares being referred to herein as Shares) and the Fund
currently is authorized to offer Class A, Class B, Class C and Class Z Shares;
WHEREAS, the Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is engaged in the business of
selling shares of registered investment companies either directly or through
other broker-dealers;
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Distributor wish to enter into an
agreement with each other, with respect to the continuous offering of the Fund's
Shares from and after the date hereof in order to promote the growth of the Fund
and facilitate the distribution of its Shares; and
WHEREAS, upon approval by the holders of the respective classes
and/or series of Shares of the Fund it is contemplated that the Fund will adopt
a plan (or plans) of distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment
Company Act with respect to certain of its classes and/or series of Shares (the
Plans) authorizing payments by the Fund to the Distributor with respect to the
distribution of such classes and/or series of Shares and the maintenance of
related shareholder accounts.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
Section 1. Appointment of the Distributor
The Fund hereby appoints the Distributor as the principal
underwriter and distributor of the Shares of the Fund to sell Shares to the
public on behalf of the Fund and the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment
and agrees to act hereunder. The Fund hereby agrees during the term of this
Agreement to sell Shares of the Fund through the Distributor on the terms and
conditions set forth below.
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Section 2. Exclusive Nature of Duties
The Distributor shall be the exclusive representative of the Fund to
act as principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund's Shares, except that:
2.1 The exclusive rights granted to the Distributor to sell Shares
of the Fund shall not apply to Shares of the Fund issued in connection with the
merger or consolidation of any other investment company or personal holding
company with the Fund or the acquisition by purchase or otherwise of all (or
substantially all) the assets or the outstanding shares of any such company by
the Fund.
2.2 Such exclusive rights shall not apply to Shares issued by the
Fund pursuant to reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions or
through the exercise of any conversion feature or exchange privilege.
2.3 Such exclusive rights shall not apply to Shares issued by the
Fund pursuant to the reinstatement privilege afforded redeeming shareholders.
2.4 Such exclusive rights shall not apply to purchases made through
the Fund's transfer and dividend disbursing agent in the manner set forth in the
currently effective Prospectus of the Fund. The term "Prospectus" shall mean the
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information included as part of the
Fund's Registration Statement, as such Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information may be amended or supplemented from time to time, and the term
"Registration Statement" shall mean the Registration Statement filed by the Fund
with the Securities and Exchange Commission and effective under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and the Investment Company Act, as
such Registration Statement is amended from time to time.
Section 3. Purchase of Shares from the Fund
3.1 The Distributor shall have the right to buy from the Fund on
behalf of investors the Shares needed, but not more than the Shares needed
(except for clerical errors in transmission) to fill unconditional orders for
Shares placed with the Distributor by investors or registered and qualified
securities dealers and other financial institutions (selected dealers).
3.2 The Shares shall be sold by the Distributor on behalf of the
Fund and delivered by the Distributor or selected dealers, as described in
Section 6.4 hereof, to investors at the offering price as set forth in the
Prospectus.
3.3 The Fund shall have the right to suspend the sale of any or all
classes and/or series of its Shares at times when redemption is suspended
pursuant to the conditions in Section 4.3 hereof or at such other times as may
be determined by the Board of Directors. The Fund shall also have the right to
suspend the sale of any or all classes
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and/or series of its Shares if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by
federal or New York authorities.
3.4 The Fund, or any agent of the Fund designated in writing by the
Fund, shall be promptly advised of all purchase orders for Shares received by
the Distributor. Any order may be rejected by the Fund; provided, however, that
the Fund will not arbitrarily or without reasonable cause refuse to accept or
confirm orders for the purchase of Shares. The Fund (or its agent) will confirm
orders upon their receipt, will make appropriate book entries and upon receipt
by the Fund (or its agent) of payment therefor, will deliver deposit receipts
for such Shares pursuant to the instructions of the Distributor. Payment shall
be made to the Fund in New York Clearing House funds or federal funds. The
Distributor agrees to cause such payment and such instructions to be delivered
promptly to the Fund (or its agent).
Section 4. Repurchase or Redemption of Shares by the Fund
4.1 Any of the outstanding Shares may be tendered for redemption at
any time, and the Fund agrees to repurchase or redeem the Shares so tendered in
accordance with its Articles of Incorporation as amended from time to time, and
in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Prospectus. The price to be
paid to redeem or repurchase the Shares shall be equal to the net asset value
determined as set forth in the Prospectus. All payments by the Fund hereunder
shall be made in the manner set forth in Section 4.2 below.
4.2 The Fund shall pay the total amount of the redemption price as
defined in the above paragraph pursuant to the instructions of the Distributor
on or before the seventh day subsequent to its having received the notice of
redemption in proper form. The proceeds of any redemption of Shares shall be
paid by the Fund as follows: (i) in the case of Shares subject to a contingent
deferred sales charge, any applicable contingent deferred sales charge shall be
paid to the Distributor, and the balance shall be paid to or for the account of
the redeeming shareholder, in each case in accordance with applicable provisions
of the Prospectus; and (ii) in the case of all other Shares, proceeds shall be
paid to or for the account of the redeeming shareholder, in each case in
accordance with applicable provisions of the Prospectus.
4.3 Redemption of any class and/or series of Shares or payment may
be suspended at times when the New York Stock Exchange is closed for other than
customary weekends and holidays, when trading on said Exchange is restricted,
when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities
owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable
for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or during any
other period when the Securities and Exchange Commission, by order, so permits.
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Section 5. Duties of the Fund
5.1 Subject to the possible suspension of the sale of Shares as
provided herein, the Fund agrees to sell its Shares so long as it has Shares of
the respective class and/or series available.
5.2 The Fund shall furnish the Distributor copies of all
information, financial statements and other papers which the Distributor may
reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares, and
this shall include one certified copy, upon request by the Distributor, of all
financial statements prepared for the Fund by independent public accountants.
The Fund shall make available to the Distributor such number of copies of its
Prospectus and annual and interim reports as the Distributor shall reasonably
request.
5.3 The Fund shall take, from time to time, but subject to the
necessary approval of the Board of Directors and the shareholders, all necessary
action to fix the number of authorized Shares and such steps as may be necessary
to register the same under the Securities Act, to the end that there will be
available for sale such number of Shares as the Distributor reasonably may
expect to sell. The Fund agrees to file from time to time such amendments,
reports and other documents as may be necessary in order that there will be no
untrue statement of a material fact in the Registration Statement, or necessary
in order that there will be no omission to state a material fact in the
Registration Statement which omission would make the statements therein
misleading.
5.4 The Fund shall use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the
qualification of any appropriate number of its Shares for sales under the
securities laws of such states as the Distributor and the Fund may approve;
provided that the Fund shall not be required to amend its Articles of
Incorporation or By-Laws to comply with the laws of any state, to maintain an
office in any state, to change the terms of the offering of its Shares in any
state from the terms set forth in its Registration Statement, to qualify as a
foreign corporation in any state or to consent to service of process in any
state other than with respect to claims arising out of the offering of its
Shares. Any such qualification may be withheld, terminated or withdrawn by the
Fund at any time in its discretion. As provided in Section 9 hereof, the expense
of qualification and maintenance of qualification shall be borne by the Fund.
The Distributor shall furnish such information and other material relating to
its affairs and activities as may be required by the Fund in connection with
such qualifications.
Section 6. Duties of the Distributor
6.1 The Distributor shall devote reasonable time and effort to
effect sales of Shares, but shall not be obligated to sell any specific number
of Shares. Sales of the Shares shall be on the terms described in the
Prospectus. The Distributor may enter into
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like arrangements with other investment companies. The Distributor shall
compensate the selected dealers as set forth in the Prospectus.
6.2 In selling the Shares, the Distributor shall use its best
efforts in all respects duly to conform with the requirements of all federal and
state laws relating to the sale of such securities. Neither the Distributor nor
any selected dealer nor any other person is authorized by the Fund to give any
information or to make any representations, other than those contained in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus and any sales literature approved by
appropriate officers of the Fund.
6.3 The Distributor shall adopt and follow procedures for the
confirmation of sales to investors and selected dealers, the collection of
amounts payable by investors and selected dealers on such sales and the
cancellation of unsettled transactions, as may be necessary to comply with the
requirements of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD).
6.4 The Distributor shall have the right to enter into selected
dealer agreements with registered and qualified securities dealers and other
financial institutions of its choice for the sale of Shares, provided that the
Fund shall approve the forms of such agreements. Within the United States, the
Distributor shall offer and sell Shares only to such selected dealers as are
members in good standing of the NASD. Shares sold to selected dealers shall be
for resale by such dealers only at the offering price determined as set forth in
the Prospectus.
Section 7. Payments to the Distributor
7.1 With respect to classes and/or series of Shares which impose a
front-end sales charge, the Distributor shall receive and may retain any portion
of any front-end sales charge which is imposed on such sales and not reallocated
to selected dealers as set forth in the Prospectus, subject to the limitations
of Rule 2830 of the Conduct Rules of the NASD Rules of Fair Practice. Payment of
these amounts to the Distributor is not contingent upon the adoption or
continuation of any applicable Plans.
7.2 With respect to classes and/or series of Shares which impose a
contingent deferred sales charge, the Distributor shall receive and may retain
any contingent deferred sales charge which is imposed on such sales as set forth
in the Prospectus, subject to the limitations of Article III, Section 26 of the
NASD Rules of Fair Practice. Payment of these amounts to the Distributor is not
contingent upon the adoption or continuation of any Plan.
Section 8. Payment of the Distributor under the Plan
8.1 The Fund shall pay to the Distributor as compensation for
services under any Plans adopted by the Fund and this Agreement a distribution
and service fee with
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respect to the Fund's classes and/or series of Shares as described in each of
the Fund's respective Plans and this Agreement.
8.2 So long as a Plan or any amendment thereto is in effect, the
Distributor shall inform the Board of Directors of the commissions and account
servicing fees with respect to the relevant class and/or series of Shares to be
paid by the Distributor to account executives of the Distributor and to
broker-dealers and financial institutions which have dealer agreements with the
Distributor. So long as a Plan (or any amendment thereto) is in effect, at the
request of the Board of Directors or any agent or representative of the Fund,
the Distributor shall provide such additional information as may reasonably be
requested concerning the activities of the Distributor hereunder and the costs
incurred in performing such activities with respect to the relevant class and/or
series of Shares.
Section 9. Allocation of Expenses
The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses of the continuous
offering of its Shares (except for those costs and expenses borne by the
Distributor pursuant to a Plan and subject to the requirements of Rule 12b-1
under the Investment Company Act), including fees and disbursements of its
counsel and auditors, in connection with the preparation and filing of any
required Registration Statements and/or Prospectuses under the Investment
Company Act or the Securities Act, and all amendments and supplements thereto,
and preparing and mailing annual and periodic reports and proxy materials to
shareholders (including but not limited to the expense of setting in type any
such Registration Statements, Prospectuses, annual or periodic reports or proxy
materials). The Fund shall also bear the cost of expenses of qualification of
the Shares for sale, and, if necessary or advisable in connection therewith, of
qualifying the Fund as a broker or dealer, in such states of the United States
or other jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund and the Distributor
pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof and the cost and expense payable to each such
state for continuing qualification therein until the Fund decides to discontinue
such qualification pursuant to Section 5.4 hereof. As set forth in Section 8
above, the Fund shall also bear the expenses it assumes pursuant to any Plan, so
long as such Plan is in effect.
Section 10. Indemnification
10.1 The Fund agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor,
its officers and directors and any person who controls the Distributor within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, free and harmless from and
against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the
cost of investigating or defending such claims, demands or liabilities and any
reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which the Distributor,
its officers, directors or any such controlling person may incur under the
Securities Act, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon
any untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement
or Prospectus or arising out of or based upon any alleged omission to state a
material fact
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required to be stated in either thereof or necessary to make the statements in
either thereof not misleading, except insofar as such claims, demands,
liabilities or expenses arise out of or are based upon any such untrue statement
or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished in writing by the Distributor to the Fund
for use in the Registration Statement or Prospectus; provided, however, that
this indemnity agreement shall not inure to the benefit of any such officer,
director, trustee or controlling person unless a court of competent jurisdiction
shall determine in a final decision on the merits, that the person to be
indemnified was not liable by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross
negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless
disregard of its obligations under this Agreement (disabling conduct), or, in
the absence of such a decision, a reasonable determination, based upon a review
of the facts, that the indemnified person was not liable by reason of disabling
conduct, by (a) a vote of a majority of a quorum of directors or trustees who
are neither "interested persons" of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of
the Investment Company Act nor parties to the proceeding, or (b) an independent
legal counsel in a written opinion. The Fund's agreement to indemnify the
Distributor, its officers and directors or trustees and any such controlling
person as aforesaid is expressly conditioned upon the Fund's being promptly
notified of any action brought against the Distributor, its officers or
directors or trustees, or any such controlling person, such notification to be
given by letter or telegram addressed to the Fund at its principal business
office. The Fund agrees promptly to notify the Distributor of the commencement
of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors
in connection with the issue and sale of any Shares.
10.2 The Distributor agrees to indemnify, defend and hold the Fund,
its officers and Directors and any person who controls the Fund, if any, within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act, free and harmless from and
against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses (including the
cost of investigating or defending against such claims, demands or liabilities
and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) which the
Fund, its officers and Directors or any such controlling person may incur under
the Securities Act or under common law or otherwise, but only to the extent that
such liability or expense incurred by the Fund, its Directors or officers or
such controlling person resulting from such claims or demands shall arise out of
or be based upon any alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
information furnished in writing by the Distributor to the Fund for use in the
Registration Statement or Prospectus or shall arise out of or be based upon any
alleged omission to state a material fact in connection with such information
required to be stated in the Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary
to make such information not misleading. The Distributor's agreement to
indemnify the Fund, its officers and Directors and any such controlling person
as aforesaid, is expressly conditioned upon the Distributor's being promptly
notified of any action brought against the Fund, its officers and Directors or
any such controlling person, such notification being given to the Distributor at
its principal business office.
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Section 11. Duration and Termination of this Agreement
11.1 This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first
above written and shall remain in force for two years from the date hereof and
thereafter, but only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at
least annually by (a) the Board of Directors of the Fund, or by the vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable class and/or
series of the Fund, and (b) by the vote of a majority of those Directors who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such parties and who
have no direct or indirect financial interest in this Agreement or in the
operation of any of the Fund's Plans or in any agreement related thereto
(Independent Directors), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting upon such approval.
11.2 This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the
payment of any penalty, by a majority of the Independent Directors or by vote of
a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable class and/or
series of the Fund, or by the Distributor, on sixty (60) days' written notice to
the other party. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of
its assignment.
11.3 The terms "affiliated person," "assignment," "interested
person" and "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities", when used
in this Agreement, shall have the respective meanings specified in the
Investment Company Act.
Section 12. Amendments to this Agreement
This Agreement may be amended by the parties only if such amendment
is specifically approved by (a) the Board of Directors of the Fund, or by the
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable class
and/or series of the Fund, and (b) by the vote of a majority of the Independent
Directors cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
amendment.
Section 13. Separate Agreement as to Classes and/or Series
The amendment or termination of this Agreement with respect to any
class and/or series shall not result in the amendment or termination of this
Agreement with respect to any other class and/or series unless explicitly so
provided.
Section 14. Governing Law
The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York as at the time in effect
and the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that
the applicable law of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein,
conflict with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the
latter shall control.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement
as of the day and year above written.
Prudential Securities Incorporated
By: /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXX
----------------------------
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Senior Vice President
Prudential High Yield Total Return Fund, Inc.
By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXXXXX
----------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
President
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