Exhibit 23(h)(2)
EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement, dated as of April 29, 2003, is made and entered into by
and between AXA Xxxxxxxxx Investment Management LLC (the "Adviser") and Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx Variable Insurance Trust (the "Trust") on behalf of each series of the
Trust listed on SCHEDULE A hereto, as amended from time to time, (each a "Fund"
and, collectively, the "Funds").
WHEREAS, the Trust is a Massachusetts business trust and is registered
under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an
open-end management investment company of the series type, and each Fund is a
series of the Trust.
WHEREAS, the Trust on behalf of each Fund and the Adviser have entered
into Management Contracts dated, for each Fund, as set forth on SCHEDULE A (each
a "Management Agreement"), pursuant to which the Adviser provides investment
management services to each Fund for compensation based on the value of the
average daily net assets of each Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Adviser have determined that it is
appropriate and in the best interest of each Fund and its shareholders to
maintain the expenses of each Fund at a level below the level to which each Fund
may normally be subject.
NOW THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. EXPENSE LIMITATION AND WAIVER. Until further notice from the
Adviser to the Trust and in any event through December 31,
2005, the Adviser agrees that, to the extent that ordinary
operating expenses incurred by a Fund in any fiscal year,
including but not limited to investment advisory fees of the
Adviser, but excluding nonrecurring account fees,
extraordinary expenses, dividends on securities sold short and
distribution and shareholder service fees (the "Fund Operating
Expenses"), exceed the Expense Limit for each Fund as set
forth on SCHEDULE A, such excess amount will be the liability
of the Adviser.
2. REIMBURSEMENT. If on any month during which the Management
Agreement for a particular Fund is in effect, the estimated
annualized Fund Operating Expenses of such Fund for that month
are less than the Expense Limit for such Fund as set forth on
SCHEDULE A, the Adviser shall be entitled to reimbursement by
such Fund of the investment advisory fees waived or reduced
and other payments remitted to such Fund pursuant to Section 1
hereof (the "Reimbursement Amount"), to the extent that such
Fund's annualized Fund Operating Expenses plus the amount so
reimbursed, equals, for such month (also annualized), the
Expense Limit for such Fund as set forth in SCHEDULE A,
PROVIDED that such reimbursement may be paid, in each case,
only during the fiscal year in which the waiver, reduction or
other payment was made or during the following three fiscal
years, and FURTHER PROVIDED that such amount paid to the
Adviser, together with all other amounts reimbursed to the
Adviser pursuant to this agreement during the fiscal year in
which such amount is paid, will in no event exceed the total
Reimbursement Amount.
3. YEAR-END ADJUSTMENT. If necessary, on or before the last day
of the first month of the Trust's fiscal year, an adjustment
payment shall be made by the appropriate party in order that
the actual Fund Operating Expenses of a particular Fund for
the prior fiscal year (including any reimbursement payments
hereunder with
respect to such fiscal year) do not exceed the Expense Limit
for such Fund as set forth on SCHEDULE A.
4. TERM AND TERMINATION. This Agreement will automatically
terminate with respect to a particular Fund upon termination
of the Management Agreement between such Fund and the Adviser.
This Agreement may be terminated by the Trust or, after
December 31, 2005, by the Adviser, without payment of any
penalty upon sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the
other party at its principal place of business. After December
31, 2005, the Adviser may, by sixty (60) days' prior written
notice to the Trust, change, with respect to one or more
Funds, the Expense Limit set forth on SCHEDULE A.
5. CAPTIONS. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference and in no other way define or
delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect
their construction or effect.
6. INTERPRETATION. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to
require the Trust or the Funds to take any action contrary to
the Trust's Declaration of Trust or Bylaws, each as in effect
from time to time, or any applicable statutory or regulatory
requirement, including without limitation any requirements
under the 1940 Act, to which it is subject or by which it is
bound, or to relieve or deprive the Trust's Board of Trustees
of its responsibility for or control of the conduct of the
affairs of the Trust or the Funds.
7. DEFINITIONS. Any question of interpretation of any term or
provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or
otherwise derived from the terms and provisions of a
Management Agreement or the 1940 Act, shall have the same
meaning as and be resolved by reference to such Management
Agreement or the 1940 Act.
8. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may be amended only by a written
instrument signed by each of the parties hereto.
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust, as
amended, is on file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and
notice is hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the
Trustees of the Trust as Trustees and not individually, and that the obligations
of or arising out of this instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees or
shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of
the Trust.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed
by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of the day
and year first above written.
XXXX XXXXXXXXX VARIABLE AXA Xxxxxxxxx Investment Management LLC
INSURANCE TRUST,
On behalf of each of its Funds listed
on SCHEDULE A hereto
BY: XXXXXX X. XXXXX By: XXXXXXX XXXX
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Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx Name: Xxxxxxx Xxxx
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Title: President of the Trust Title: Duly authorized signatory
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SCHEDULE A
DATE OF MANAGEMENT
CONTRACT EXPENSE LIMIT
AXA XXXXXXXXX VIT VALUE
LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND 4/29/03 1.75%
