FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
Exhibit (4)
FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION
THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (the “Agreement”) dated as of [ ], by and among (i) Met Investors Series Trust (the “Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust established under an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated July 27, 2000, as amended and restated (the “Declaration of Trust”) and in effect on the date hereof on behalf of Batterymarch Growth and Income Portfolio (the “Acquired Fund”), (ii) Metropolitan Series Fund, Inc. (the “Acquiring Company”), a Maryland corporation formed on November 23, 1982, on behalf of MetLife Stock Index Portfolio (the “Acquiring Fund”), a series of the Acquiring Company, and (iii) MetLife Advisers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, solely with respect to paragraph 9.2.
This Agreement is intended to be and is adopted as a plan of reorganization and liquidation. The reorganization will consist of the transfer of all of the assets of the Acquired Fund in exchange solely for shares of common stock of the Acquiring Fund, the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund and the distribution of such shares of the Acquiring Fund to the shareholders of the Acquired Fund in liquidation of the Acquired Fund, all upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.
In consideration of the premises and of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:
| 1. | TRANSFER OF ASSETS OF ACQUIRED FUND IN EXCHANGE FOR ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITIES AND ACQUIRING SHARES AND LIQUIDATION OF ACQUIRED FUND. |
| 1.1. | Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein: |
| (a) | The Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, will transfer and deliver to the Acquiring Fund, and the Acquiring Fund will acquire, all the assets of the Acquired Fund as set forth in paragraph 1.2; |
| (b) | The Acquiring Fund will assume all of the Acquired Fund’s liabilities and obligations of any kind whatsoever, whether absolute, accrued, contingent or otherwise in existence on the Closing Date (as defined in paragraph 1.2 hereof), including without limitation any indemnification obligations of the Acquired Fund, including indemnification of the officers and directors of the Acquired Fund in connection with their actions related to this transaction (collectively, the “Obligations”); and |
| (c) | The Acquiring Fund will issue and deliver to the Acquired Fund in exchange for such assets the number of full and fractional shares of Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund determined by dividing the net asset value of the Class A shares of the Acquired Fund, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in paragraph 2.1, by the net asset value of one share of the Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in paragraph 2.2 (with the shares of the Acquiring Fund to be issued and delivered in accordance with this subparagraph (c) being referred to herein as the “Acquiring Shares”). Holders of Class A shares of the Acquired Fund will receive Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund. Such transactions shall take place at the closing provided for in paragraph 3.1 (the “Closing”). |
| 1.2. | The assets of the Acquired Fund to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund shall consist of all cash, securities, dividends and interest receivable, receivables for shares sold and all other assets which are owned by the Acquired Fund on the closing date provided in paragraph 3.1 (the “Closing Date”), including any deferred expenses, other than unamortized organizational expenses, shown as an asset on the books of the Acquired Fund on the Closing Date. |
| 1.3. | As provided in paragraph 3.4, as soon after the Closing Date as is conveniently practicable (the “Liquidation Date”), the Acquired Fund will liquidate and distribute to its shareholders of record (the “Acquired Fund Shareholders”), determined as of the close of business on the Valuation Date (as |
| defined in paragraph 2.1), the Acquiring Shares received by the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1. Each Acquired Fund Shareholder shall be entitled to receive that proportion of Acquiring Shares which the number of Class A shares of the Acquired Fund held by such Acquired Fund Shareholder bears to the total number of shares of the Class A shares of the Acquired Fund outstanding on the Valuation Date. Such liquidation and distribution will be accomplished by the transfer of the Acquiring Shares then credited to the account of the Acquired Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the names of the Acquired Fund Shareholders and representing the respective number of Acquiring Shares due such shareholders. The Acquiring Fund shall not be obligated to issue certificates representing Acquiring Shares in connection with such exchange. |
| 1.4. | With respect to Acquiring Shares distributable pursuant to paragraph 1.3 to an Acquired Fund Shareholder holding a certificate or certificates for shares of the Acquired Fund, if any, on the Valuation Date, the Acquiring Company will not permit such Shareholder to receive Acquiring Share certificates therefor, exchange such Acquiring Shares for shares of other investment companies, effect an account transfer of such Acquiring Shares, or pledge or redeem such Acquiring Shares until the Acquiring Company has been notified by the Acquired Fund or its agent that such Shareholder has surrendered all his or her outstanding certificates for Acquired Fund shares or, in the event of lost certificates, posted adequate bond. |
| 1.5. | Any obligation of the Acquired Fund to make filings with governmental authorities is and shall remain the responsibility of the Acquired Fund through the Closing Date and up to and including such later date on which the Acquired Fund is terminated. |
| 1.6. | In the event the Trust and the Acquiring Company determine that the reorganization is expected to be tax-free, as promptly as practicable, but in any case within 60 days after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall furnish to the Acquiring Fund, in such form as is reasonably satisfactory to the Acquiring Fund, a statement of the earnings and profits of the Acquired Fund for federal income tax purposes that will be carried over by the Acquiring Fund as a result of Section 381 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and certified by the Treasurer of the Acquired Fund. |
| 1.7. | As promptly as possible after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall be terminated pursuant to the provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware, and, after the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall not conduct any business except in connection with its liquidation. |
| 2. | VALUATION. |
| 2.1. | For the purpose of paragraph 1, the value of the assets of Class A shares of the Acquired Fund shall be the net asset value of such class of the Acquired Fund computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the business day next preceding the Closing (such time and date being herein called the “Valuation Date”) using the valuation procedures as adopted by the Board of Directors of the Acquiring Company, and shall be certified by an authorized officer of the Trust. |
| 2.2. | For the purpose of paragraph 1, the net asset value of Class A shares of the Acquiring Fund shall be the net asset value per share of Class A shares computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the Valuation Date, using the valuation procedures as adopted by the Board of Directors of the Acquiring Company. |
| 3. | CLOSING AND CLOSING DATE. |
| 3.1. | The Closing Date shall be on [April 30, 2012], or on such other date as the parties may agree in writing. The Closing shall be held at [9:00 a.m.] on the Closing Date at the offices of MetLife Advisers, LLC, located at 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000, or at such other time and/or place as the parties may agree. |
| 3.2. | The portfolio securities of the Acquired Fund shall be made available by the Acquired Fund to State Street Bank and Trust Company, as custodian for the Acquiring Fund (the “Custodian”), for |
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| examination no later than five business days preceding the Valuation Date. On the Closing Date, such portfolio securities and all the Acquired Fund’s cash shall be delivered by the Acquired Fund to the Custodian for the account of the Acquiring Fund, such portfolio securities 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 or Rule 17f-5, as the case may be, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) and accompanied by all necessary federal and state stock transfer stamps or a check for the appropriate purchase price of such transfer stamps. The cash delivered shall be in the form of currency or certified or official bank checks, payable to the order of “State Street Bank and Trust Company, custodian for MetLife Stock Index Portfolio, a series of Metropolitan Series Fund, Inc.” |
| 3.3. | In the event that on the Valuation Date (a) the New York Stock Exchange shall be closed to trading or general trading thereon shall be restricted, or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on said Exchange or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets of the Acquired Fund or the Acquiring Fund is impracticable, the Valuation Date shall be postponed until the first business day after the day when trading shall have been fully resumed and reporting shall have been restored; provided that if trading shall not be fully resumed and reporting restored within three business days after the original Valuation Date, this Agreement may be terminated by either of the Trust or the Acquiring Company upon the giving of written notice to the other party. |
| 3.4. | At the Closing, the Acquired Fund or its transfer agent shall deliver to the Acquiring Fund or its designated agent a list of the names and addresses of the Acquired Fund Shareholders and the number of outstanding shares of beneficial interest of Class A shares of the Acquired Fund owned by each Acquired Fund Shareholder, all as of the close of business on the Valuation Date, certified by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Trust. The Acquiring Company shall provide to the Acquired Fund evidence satisfactory to the Acquired Fund that the Acquiring Shares issuable pursuant to paragraph 1.1 have been credited to the Acquired Fund’s account on the books of the Acquiring Fund. On the Liquidation Date, the Acquiring Company shall provide to the Acquired Fund evidence satisfactory to the Acquired Fund that such Acquiring Shares have been credited pro rata to open accounts in the names of the Acquired Fund Shareholders as provided in paragraph 1.3. |
| 3.5. | 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 1. |
| 4. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
| 4.1. | The Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, represents and warrants the following to the Acquiring Company and 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 Trust is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the power to own all of its property and assets and to conduct its business as currently conducted; |
| (b) | The Trust 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 as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect, and the Acquired Fund is a separate series thereof duly established, designated and existing in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the Trust and the 1940 Act; |
| (c) | The Trust is not in violation in any material respect of any provision of its Declaration of Trust or By-laws or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to |
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| which the Trust is a party or by which the Acquired Fund is bound, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will not result in any such violation; |
| (d) | The Trust has no material contracts or other commitments (other than this Agreement and such other contracts as may be entered into in the ordinary course of its business) which if terminated may result in material liability to the Acquired Fund or under which (whether or not terminated) any material payments for periods subsequent to the Closing Date will be due from the Acquired Fund; |
| (e) | Except as previously disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened against the Acquired Fund, any of its properties or assets, or any person whom the Acquired Fund may be obligated to indemnify in connection with such litigation, proceeding or investigation. The Acquired Fund knows of no facts which might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings, and is not a party to or subject to any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; |
| (f) | The statement of assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2011, the statement of operations for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, the statement of changes in net assets for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, and the schedule of investments as of December 31, 2011, of the Acquired Fund, copies of which will be furnished to the Acquiring Fund prior to the Closing Date, fairly reflect the financial condition and results of operations of the Acquired Fund as of such dates and for the periods then ended in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied, and the Acquired Fund has no known liabilities of a material amount, contingent or otherwise, other than those shown on the statement of assets referred to above or those incurred in the ordinary course of its business since December 31, 2011; |
| (g) | Since December 31, 2011, there has not been any material adverse change in the Acquired Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business), or any incurrence by the Acquired Fund of indebtedness, except as disclosed in writing to the Acquiring Fund. 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 shall be deemed to be in the ordinary course of business; |
| (h) | By the Closing Date, all federal and other tax returns and reports of the Acquired Fund required by law to have been filed by such date (giving effect to extensions) shall have been filed, all federal and other taxes shown to be due on said returns and reports and any assessments received by the Acquired Fund shall have been paid so far as due, or provision shall have been made for the payment thereof, and to the best of the Acquired Fund’s knowledge no such return is currently under audit by the Internal Revenue Service or any state or local tax authority and no assessment has been asserted with respect to any such return; |
| (i) | For all taxable years and all applicable quarters of such years from the date of its inception, the Acquired Fund has met, and will continue to meet through the Closing Date, 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 and the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the regulations thereunder. Neither the Trust nor the Acquired Fund has at any time since its inception been liable for nor is now liable for any material income or excise tax pursuant to Sections 852 or 4982 of the Code. The Acquired Fund is in compliance in all material respects with applicable regulations of the Internal Revenue Service pertaining to the reporting of dividends and other distributions on and redemptions of its shares of beneficial interest and to withholding in respect of dividends and other distributions to shareholders, and is not liable for any material penalties which could be imposed thereunder; |
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| (j) | The authorized capital of the Trust consists of an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share. The outstanding shares of beneficial interest in the Acquired Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be, Class A shares, having the characteristics described in the Acquired Fund’s then current prospectus or prospectuses and statement of additional information or statements of additional information (collectively, as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Acquired Fund Prospectus”). All issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and (except as set forth in the Acquired Fund Prospectus), non-assessable by the Acquired Fund 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 beneficial interest of the Acquired Fund are outstanding and none will be outstanding on the Closing Date; |
| (k) | The Acquired 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 Acquired Fund Prospectus, except as previously disclosed in writing to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund; |
| (l) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement has been duly authorized by the Trustees of the Trust, and, upon approval thereof by the required majority of the shareholders of the Acquired Fund, this Agreement will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Acquired Fund enforceable 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 Acquiring Shares to be issued to the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 1 will not be acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof other than to the Acquired Fund Shareholders as provided in paragraph 1.3; |
| (n) | The information provided by the Acquired Fund for use in the Registration Statement and Prospectus/Proxy Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 and any information provided by the Acquired Fund for use in any governmental filings in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation applications for exemption orders or no-action letters, shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply with federal securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto; |
| (o) | No consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Acquired Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), the 1940 Act and state insurance, securities or blue sky laws (which term as used in this Agreement shall include the laws of the District of Columbia and of Puerto Rico); |
| (p) | At the Closing Date, the Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, will have good and marketable title to its assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to paragraph 1.1 and will have full right, power and authority to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the Investments (as defined below) and any other assets and liabilities of the Acquired Fund 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, except as previously disclosed to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund. As used in this Agreement, the term “Investments” shall mean the Acquired Fund’s investments shown on the schedule of its investments as of December 31, 2011, referred to in Section 4.1(f) hereof, as supplemented with such changes in the portfolio as the Acquired Fund shall make, and |
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| changes resulting from stock dividends, stock splits, mergers and similar corporate actions through the Closing Date; |
| (q) | At the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund will have sold such of its assets, if any, as are necessary to assure that, after giving effect to the acquisition of the assets of the Acquired Fund pursuant to this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund will remain in compliance with such mandatory investment restrictions as are set forth in the then current prospectus or prospectuses and the statement of additional information or statements of additional information of the Acquiring Fund (collectively, as from time to time amended and supplemented, the “Acquiring Fund Prospectus”), as amended through the Closing Date; and |
| (r) | No registration of any of the Investments under the 1933 Act or under any state securities or blue sky laws would be required if they were, as of the time of such transfer, the subject of a public distribution by either of the Acquiring Fund or the Acquired Fund, except as previously disclosed by the Acquired Fund to and accepted by the Acquiring Fund. |
| 4.2. | The Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, represents and warrants the following to the Trust and to the Acquired 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 Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland and has the power to own all of its property and assets and to conduct its business as currently conducted; |
| (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 Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment company under the 1940 Act is in full force and effect, and the Acquiring Fund is a separate series thereof duly established, designated and existing in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Articles of Incorporation of the Acquiring Company and the 1940 Act; |
| (c) | The Acquiring Fund Prospectus conforms in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and does 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 there are no material contracts to which the Acquiring Fund is a party that are not referred to in such Prospectus or in the registration statement of which it is a part; |
| (d) | At the Closing Date, the Acquiring Fund will have good and marketable title to its assets; |
| (e) | The Acquiring Company is not in violation in any material respect of any provisions of its Articles of Incorporation or By-laws or of any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Acquiring Company 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; |
| (f) | No litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened against the Acquiring Fund or any of its properties or assets. The Acquiring Fund knows of no facts which might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings, and is not a party to or subject to any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby; |
| (g) | The statement of assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2011, the statement of operations for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, the statement of changes in net assets for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, and the schedule of investments as of December 31, 2011, of |
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| the Acquiring Fund, copies of which will be furnished to the Acquired Fund prior to the Closing Date, fairly reflect the financial condition and results of operations of the Acquiring Fund as of such dates and for the periods then ended in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied, and the Acquiring Fund has no known liabilities of a material amount, contingent or otherwise, other than those shown on the statement of assets referred to above or those incurred in the ordinary course of its business since December 31, 2011; |
| (h) | Since December 31, 2011, there has not been any material adverse change in the Acquiring Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business (other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business), or any incurrence by the Acquiring Fund of indebtedness. For the purposes of this subparagraph (h), changes in portfolio securities, changes in the market value of portfolio securities or net redemptions shall be deemed to be in the ordinary course of business; |
| (i) | By the Closing Date, all federal and other tax returns and reports of the Acquiring Fund required by law to have been filed by such date (giving effect to extensions) shall have been filed, all federal and other taxes shown to be due on said returns and reports and any assessments received by the Acquiring Fund shall have been paid so far as due, or provision shall have been made for the payment thereof, and to the best of the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge no such return is currently under audit by the Internal Revenue Service or any state or local tax authority and no assessment has been asserted with respect to any such return; |
| (j) | For all taxable years and all applicable quarters of such years from the date of its inception, the Acquiring Fund has met, and will continue to meet through the Closing Date, the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a regulated investment company within the meaning of Sections 851 and 852 of the Code and the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code and the regulations thereunder; |
| (k) | The authorized capital of the Acquiring Company consists of 4.75 billion shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which [ ] shares are authorized for the Acquiring Fund. The outstanding shares of common stock in the Acquiring Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be Class A, Class B, Class D and Class E shares, having the characteristics described in the Acquiring Fund Prospectus. All issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund are, and at the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable (except as set forth in the Acquiring Fund Prospectus) by the Acquiring Company, 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 common stock in the Acquiring Fund of any class are outstanding and none will be outstanding on the Closing Date (except such rights as the Acquiring Fund may have pursuant to this Agreement); |
| (l) | The Acquiring 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 Acquiring Fund Prospectus; |
| (m) | The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Acquiring Company, and this Agreement constitutes the valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Company and the Acquiring Fund enforceable 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; |
| (n) | The Acquiring Shares to be issued and delivered to the Acquired 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 Class A shares of common stock in the Acquiring Fund, and will be fully paid and non-assessable (except as set forth in the Acquiring Fund |
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| Prospectus) by the Acquiring Company, and no shareholder of the Acquiring Company will have any preemptive right of subscription or purchase in respect thereof; |
| (o) | The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in the Registration Statement and Prospectus/Proxy Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 and any information furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in any governmental filings in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, including without limitation applications for exemption orders or no-action letters, shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply with federal securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto; and |
| (p) | 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 such as may be required under 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act and state insurance, securities or blue sky laws. |
| 5. | COVENANTS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND AND THE ACQUIRING FUND. |
The Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, each hereby covenants and agrees with the other as follows:
| 5.1. | The Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund each 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 and any trading activities in anticipation of the transactions contemplated hereby. |
| 5.2. | The Acquired 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. |
| 5.3. | In connection with the meeting of the Acquired Fund Shareholders referred to in paragraph 5.2, the Acquired Fund will prepare a Prospectus/Proxy Statement for such meeting, to be included in a Registration Statement on Form N-14 (the “Registration Statement”) which the Acquiring Company will prepare and file for the registration under the 1933 Act of the Acquiring Shares to be distributed to the Acquired Fund Shareholders pursuant hereto, all in compliance with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 1940 Act. |
| 5.4. | The Acquiring Fund will advise the Acquired Fund promptly if at any time prior to the Closing Date the Acquiring Fund becomes aware that the assets of the Acquired Fund include any securities which the Acquiring Fund is not permitted to acquire. |
| 5.5. | Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the Acquired 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. |
| 5.6. | The Acquiring Fund will use all reasonable 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 it may deem appropriate in order to continue its operations after the Closing Date. |
| 6. | CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF THE ACQUIRED FUND. |
The obligations of the Acquired Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquiring Company and the Acquiring Fund 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:
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| 6.1. | The Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have delivered to the Trust a certificate executed in its name by its President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Trust and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Acquiring Company on behalf 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 Company and the Acquiring Fund have complied with all the covenants and agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on their parts to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date. |
| 6.2. | The Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, shall have executed and delivered to the Acquired Fund an Assumption of Liabilities dated as of the Closing Date pursuant to which the Acquiring Fund will assume all of the liabilities of the Acquired Fund existing at the Valuation Date in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, other than liabilities pursuant to this Agreement. |
| 6.3. | The Trust shall have received a favorable opinion from Ropes and Xxxx LLP, counsel to the Acquiring Company for the transactions contemplated hereby, dated the Closing Date and, in a form satisfactory to the Trust, to the following effect: |
| (a) | the Acquiring Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Maryland and has power and authority necessary to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business substantially as described in the Registration Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3, and the Acquiring Fund is a separate series thereof duly constituted in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the Articles of Incorporation and By-laws of the Acquiring Company; |
| (b) | this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Acquiring Fund and, assuming the Prospectus/Proxy Statement and Registration Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 comply with applicable federal securities laws and assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund, is the valid and binding obligation of the Acquiring Fund enforceable against the Acquiring Fund in accordance with its terms, except (i) as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles and (ii) insofar as rights to indemnity thereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws; |
| (c) | the Acquiring Fund has the power to assume the liabilities to be assumed by it hereunder; |
| (d) | the Acquiring Shares to be issued for transfer to the shareholders of the Acquired Fund as provided by this Agreement are duly authorized and upon such transfer and delivery will be validly issued and outstanding and fully paid and non-assessable Class A shares of common stock of the Acquiring Fund, assuming that as consideration for such shares not less than the net asset value of such shares has been paid and that the conditions set forth in this Agreement have been satisfied, and no shareholder of the Acquiring Fund has any preemptive right of subscription or purchase in respect of such shares; |
| (e) | the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Acquiring Company on behalf of the Acquiring Fund did not, and the performance by the Acquiring Company and the Acquiring Fund of their respective obligations hereunder will not, violate the Acquiring Company’s Articles of Incorporation or By-laws, or any provision of any agreement known to such counsel to which the Acquiring Company or the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which either of them is bound or, to the knowledge of such counsel, result in the acceleration of any obligation or the imposition of any penalty under any agreement, judgment, or decree to which the Acquiring Company or the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which either of them is bound; |
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| (f) | to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Company or the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws or such as have been obtained; |
| (g) | such counsel does not know of any legal or governmental proceedings relating to the Acquiring Company or the Acquiring Fund existing on or before the date of mailing of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 or the Closing Date required to be described in the Registration Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 which are not described therein; |
| (h) | the Acquiring Company is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment company under the 1940 Act; and |
| (i) | to the knowledge of such counsel, no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or threatened as to the Acquiring Company or the Acquiring Fund or any of their properties or assets that would impair the Acquiring Company’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, and, to the knowledge of such counsel, neither the Acquiring Company nor the Acquiring Fund is a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body, which materially and adversely affects its business. |
| 7. | 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 Acquired Fund of all the obligations to be performed by it hereunder on or before the Closing Date and, in addition thereto, to the following further conditions:
| 7.1. | The Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, shall have delivered to the Acquiring Company a certificate executed in its name by its President or Vice President and its Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, in form and substance satisfactory to the Acquiring Company and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Trust on behalf of the Acquired 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 Trust and the Acquired Fund have complied with all the covenants and agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on their parts to be performed or satisfied under this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date; |
| 7.2. | The Acquiring Company shall have received a favorable opinion from Xxxxxxxx & Worcester LLP counsel to the Trust for the transactions contemplated hereby, dated the Closing Date and in a form satisfactory to the Acquiring Company, to the following effect: |
| (a) | the Trust is a statutory trust duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has power and authority necessary to own all of its properties and assets and to carry on its business substantially as described in the Registration Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3, and the Acquired Fund is a separate series thereof duly constituted in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and Declaration of Trust and By-laws of the Trust; |
| (b) | this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Acquired Fund and, assuming the Prospectus/Proxy Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 complies with applicable federal securities laws and assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Acquiring Company on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, is the valid and binding obligation of the Acquired Fund enforceable against the Acquired Fund in accordance with its terms, except (i) as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and general equitable principles and (ii) insofar as rights to indemnity thereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws; |
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| (c) | the Acquired Fund has the power to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the assets to be transferred by it hereunder, and, upon consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, the Acquired Fund will have duly transferred such assets to the Acquiring Fund; |
| (d) | the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund did not, and the performance by the Trust and the Acquired Fund of their respective obligations hereunder will not, violate the Trust’s Declaration of Trust or By-laws, or any provision of any agreement known to such counsel to which the Trust or the Acquired Fund is a party or by which either of them is bound or, to the knowledge of such counsel, result in the acceleration of any obligation or the imposition of any penalty under any agreement, judgment, or decree to which the Trust or the Acquired Fund is a party or by which either of them is bound; |
| (e) | to the knowledge of such counsel, no consent, approval, authorization or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Trust or the Acquired Fund of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as may be required under state securities or blue sky laws or such as have been obtained; |
| (f) | to such counsel’s knowledge there is no legal or governmental proceeding relating to the Trust or the Acquired Fund existing on or before the date of mailing of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 or the Closing Date required to be described in the Registration Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 which are not described therein; |
| (g) | the Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment company under the 1940 Act; |
| (h) | to such counsel’s knowledge, there is no litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body presently pending or threatened as to the Trust or the Acquired Fund or any of their properties or assets that would impair the Trust’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement, and, to such counsel’s knowledge, neither the Trust nor the Acquired Fund is a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body, which materially and adversely affects its business; and |
| (i) | all issued and outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund are legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable, assuming that as consideration for such shares not less than the net asset value of such shares has been paid, and assuming that such shares were issued in accordance with the terms of the Acquired Fund’s registration statement, or any amendments thereto, in effect at the time of such issuance. |
| 7.3. | The Acquired Fund shall have furnished to the Acquiring Fund tax returns, signed by a representative of Deloitte & Touche LLP for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. |
| 7.4. | Prior to the Closing Date, the Acquired Fund shall have declared a dividend or dividends which, together with all previous dividends, shall have the effect of distributing all of the Acquired Fund’s investment company taxable income for its taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2011 and on or prior to the Closing Date (computed without regard to any deduction for dividends paid), and all of its net capital gains realized in each of its taxable years ending on or after December 31, 2011 and on or prior to the Closing Date. |
| 7.5. | The Acquired Fund shall have furnished to the Acquiring Fund a certificate, signed by the President (or any Vice President) and the Treasurer of the Trust, as to the adjusted tax basis (including as adjusted to fair market value in the case of a taxable reorganization) in the hands of the Acquired Fund of the securities delivered to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to this Agreement. |
| 7.6. | The custodian of the Acquired Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund a certificate identifying all of the assets of the Acquired Fund held by such custodian as of the Valuation Date, and the Acquired Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund a statement of assets and liabilities of |
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| the Acquired Fund as of the Valuation Date, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied from the prior audited period, certified by the Treasurer of the Acquired Fund. |
| 8. | FURTHER CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF EACH OF THE ACQUIRING FUND AND THE ACQUIRED FUND. |
The respective obligations of the Trust and the Acquiring Company hereunder are each subject to the further conditions that on or before the Closing Date:
| 8.1. | This Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein shall have been approved by the vote of the required majority of the holders of the outstanding shares of the Acquired Fund of record on the record date for the meeting of its shareholders referred to in paragraph 5.2; |
| 8.2. | 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; |
| 8.3. | All consents of other parties and all other consents, orders and permits of federal, state and local regulatory authorities (including those of the Securities and Exchange Commission and of state blue sky and securities authorities) deemed necessary by the Trust or the Acquiring Company to permit consummation, in all material respects, of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained, except where 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 Acquiring Fund or the Acquired Fund; |
| 8.4. | The Registration Statement referred to in paragraph 5.3 shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and, to the best knowledge of the parties hereto, no investigation or proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending, threatened or contemplated under the 1933 Act; |
| 8.5. | If the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund expect to treat the Reorganization as a tax-free reorganization , each of the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund shall have received an opinion from Ropes & Xxxx LLP regarding the qualification of the Reorganization under section 368(a) of the Code, in form and substance satisfactory to the Treasurers of the Acquiring Company and the Trust; and |
| 8.6. | At any time prior to the Closing, any of the foregoing conditions of this Agreement may be waived jointly by the Board of Directors of the Acquiring Company and the Board of Trustees of the Trust if, in their judgment, such waiver will not have a material adverse effect on the interests of the shareholders of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund. |
| 9. | FEES AND EXPENSES. |
| 9.1. | Except as otherwise provided for herein, all expenses of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement incurred by the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund, whether incurred before or after the date of this Agreement, will be borne by the Acquired Fund. Such expenses include, without limitation, (a) expenses incurred in connection with the entering into and the carrying out of the provisions of this Agreement; (b) expenses associated with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act covering the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement; (c) registration or qualification fees and expenses of preparing and filing such forms as are necessary under applicable state securities laws to qualify the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued in connection herewith in each state in which the Acquired Fund Shareholders are resident as of the date of the mailing of the Prospectus/Proxy Statement to such shareholders; (d) postage; (e) printing; (f) accounting fees; (g) legal fees; and (h) solicitation costs of the transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Acquiring Fund shall pay its own federal and state registration fees. |
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| 9.2. | In the event the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not consummated, then MetLife Advisers, LLC agrees that it or one of its affiliates shall bear all of the costs and expenses incurred by both the Acquiring Fund and the Acquired Fund in connection with such transactions. |
| 9.3. | Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, if for any reason the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are not consummated, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Acquired Fund shall be liable to the other for any damages resulting therefrom, including, without limitation, consequential damages. |
| 9.4. | Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, costs and expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring them if and to the extent that the payment by another party of such costs and expenses would result in the disqualification of such party as a “regulated investment company” within the meaning of Section 851 of the Code. |
10. ENTIRE AGREEMENT; SURVIVAL OF WARRANTIES.
| 10.1. | The Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Company on behalf of 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. |
| 10.2. | The representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall not survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder, except paragraphs 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 3.4, 7.3, 9, 10, 13 and 14. |
11. TERMINATION.
This Agreement may be terminated by the mutual agreement of the Acquiring Company and the Trust. In addition, either the Acquiring Company or the Trust may at its option terminate this Agreement at or prior to the Closing Date:
| (a) | Because 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) | If 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; |
| (c) | If the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have not been substantially completed by [December 31, 2012 ], this Agreement shall automatically terminate on that date unless a later date is agreed to by both the Trust and the Acquiring Company; or |
| (d) | If the Board of Directors of the Acquiring Fund or the Board of Trustees of the Acquired Fund, as the case may be, determines that the termination of this Agreement is in the best interests of its shareholders. |
12. 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 Trust on behalf of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Company on behalf of the Acquiring Fund; provided, however, that following the shareholders’ meeting called by the Acquired Fund pursuant to paragraph 5.2, no such amendment may have the effect of changing the provisions for determining the number of the Acquiring Shares to be issued to the Acquired Fund Shareholders under this Agreement to the detriment of such Shareholders without their further approval.
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13. NOTICES.
Any notice, report, statement or demand required or permitted by any provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by prepaid telegraph, telecopy or certified mail addressed to: (i) Metropolitan Series Fund, Inc., 000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxx, XX 00000, attn: Secretary; or (ii) Met Investors Series Trust, 0 Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 0000, Xxxxxx, XX 00000, attn: Secretary.
14. HEADINGS; COUNTERPARTS; GOVERNING LAW; ASSIGNMENT; NON-RECOURSE; FINDERS’ FEES.
| 14.1. | 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. |
| 14.2. | This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original. |
| 14.3. | This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the domestic substantive laws of the State of Maryland, 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. |
| 14.4. | 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. |
| 14.5. | A copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the Acquiring Company is on file with the Secretary of State of the State of Maryland and a Certificate of Trust of the Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, and notice is hereby given that no trustee, director, officer, agent or employee of either the Acquiring Company or the Trust shall have any personal liability under this Agreement, and that this Agreement is binding only upon the assets and properties of the Acquired Fund and the Acquiring Fund. |
| 14.6. | The Trust, on behalf of the Acquired Fund, and the Acquiring Company, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, each 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. |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be executed as a sealed instrument by its President or Vice President and its corporate seal to be affixed thereto and attested by its Secretary or Assistant Secretary.
|
METROPOLITAN SERIES FUND, INC., on behalf of its MetLife Stock Index Portfolio | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| MET INVESTORS SERIES TRUST, on behalf of its Batterymarch Growth and Income Portfolio | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
| Agreed and accepted as to paragraph 9.2 only: METLIFE ADVISERS, LLC | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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