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EXHIBIT (e)(3)(a)
MASTER DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
(CLASS A AND C SHARES)
AND
A I M DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
THIS AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of March, 1999, by and between AIM
INVESTMENT FUNDS, a Delaware business trust (the "Company"), with respect to
each of the Class A and Class C shares (the "Class A and C shares") of each
series of shares of beneficial interest set forth on Appendix A to this
Agreement (the "Portfolios") and A I M DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Distributor").
W I T N E S S E T H:
In consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and other good
and valuable consideration, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
FIRST: The Company on behalf of the Class A and Class C Shares hereby
appoints the Distributor as its exclusive agent for the sale of the Class A and
Class C Shares to the public directly and through investment dealers and
financial institutions in the United States and throughout the world in
accordance with the terms of the current prospectuses applicable to the
Portfolios.
SECOND: The Company shall not sell any Class A and Class C Shares except
through the Distributor and under the terms and conditions set forth in
paragraph FOURTH below. Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing
sentence, however:
(A) the Company may issue Class A and Class C Shares to any other
investment company or personal holding company, or to the shareholders thereof,
in exchange for all or a majority of the shares or assets of any such company;
and
(B) the Company may issue Class A and Class C Shares at their net asset
value in connection with certain classes of transactions or to certain
categories of persons, in accordance with Rule 22d-1 under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), provided that any such
category is specified in the then current prospectus of the applicable Class A
and Class C Shares.
THIRD: The Distributor hereby accepts appointment as exclusive agent for
the sale of the Class A and Class C Shares and agrees that it will use its best
efforts to sell such shares; provided, however, that:
(A) the Distributor may, and when requested by the Company on behalf of the
Class A and Class C Shares shall, suspend its efforts to effectuate such sales
at any time when, in the opinion of the Distributor or of the Company, no sales
should be made because of market or other economic considerations or abnormal
circumstances of any kind; and
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(B) the Company may withdraw the offering of the Class A and Class C Shares
(i) at any time with the consent of the Distributor, or (ii) without such
consent when so required by the provisions of any statute or of any order, rule
or regulation of any governmental body having jurisdiction. It is mutually
understood and agreed that the Distributor does not undertake to sell any
specific amount of the Class A and Class C Shares. The Company shall have the
right to specify minimum amounts for initial and subsequent orders for the
purchase of Class A and Class C Shares.
FOURTH:
(A) The public offering price of Class A Shares (the "offering price")
shall be the net asset value per share plus a sales charge, if any. Net asset
value per share shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the
then current prospectus and statement of additional information of the
Portfolios. The sales charge shall be established by the Distributor. The
Distributor may establish a schedule of contingent deferred sales charges to be
imposed at the time of redemption of certain Class A Shares and such schedule of
contingent deferred sales charges shall be disclosed in the current prospectus
or statement of additional information for each Portfolio. The sales charges and
contingent deferred sales charges may reflect scheduled variations in, or the
elimination of, sales charges on sales of Class A Shares or redemption of Class
A Shares either generally to the public, or to any specified class of investors
or in connection with any specified class of transactions, in accordance with
Rule 22d-1 and as set forth in the then current prospectus and statement of
additional information of the Portfolios. The Distributor shall apply any
scheduled variation in, or elimination of, the selling commission or contingent
deferred sales charge uniformly to all offerees in the class specified.
The public offering price of the Class C shares shall be the net asset
value per share of the applicable Class C shares. Net asset value per share
shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the then current
prospectus and statement of additional information of the applicable Portfolio.
The Distributor may establish a schedule of contingent deferred sales charges to
be imposed at the time of redemption of the Shares, and such schedule shall be
disclosed in the current prospectus or statement of additional information of
each Portfolio. Such schedule of contingent deferred sales charges may reflect
variations in or waivers of such charges on redemptions of Class C shares,
either generally to the public or to any specified class of shareholders and/or
in connection with any specified class of transactions, in accordance with
applicable rules and regulations and exemptive relief granted by the Securities
and Exchange Commission, and as set forth in the Portfolios' current
prospectus(es) or statement(s) of additional information. The Distributor and
the Company shall apply any then applicable scheduled variation in or waiver of
contingent deferred sales charges uniformly to all shareholders and/or all
transactions belonging to a specified class.
(B) The Portfolios shall allow directly to investment dealers and other
financial institutions through whom Class A Shares are sold such portion of the
sales charge as may be payable to them and specified by the Distributor up to
but not exceeding the amount of the total sales charge. The difference between
any commissions so payable and the total sales charges included in the offering
price shall be paid to the Distributor.
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The Distributor may pay to investment dealers and other financial
institutions through whom Class C shares are sold, such sales commission as the
Distributor may specify from time to time. Payment of any such sales commissions
shall be the sole obligation of the Distributor.
(C) No provision of this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit any payments
by a Portfolio to the Distributor or by a Portfolio or the Distributor to
investment dealers, financial institutions and 401(k) plan service providers
where such payments are made under a distribution plan adopted by the Company on
behalf of each Portfolio pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
(D) The Company shall redeem Class A and Class C Shares from shareholders
in accordance with the terms set forth from time to time in the current
prospectus and statement of additional information of each Portfolio. The price
to be paid to a shareholder to redeem Class A and Class C Shares shall be equal
to the net asset value of the Class A and Class C Shares being redeemed, less
any applicable contingent deferred sales charge. The Distributor shall be
entitled to receive the amount of any applicable contingent deferred sales
charge that has been subtracted from gross redemption proceeds. The Company
shall pay or cause the Company's transfer agent to pay the applicable contingent
deferred sales charge to the Distributor on the date net redemption proceeds are
payable to the redeeming shareholder.
FIFTH: The Distributor shall act as agent of the Company on behalf of each
Portfolio in connection with the sale and repurchase of Class A and Class C
Shares. Except with respect to such sales and repurchases, the Distributor shall
act as principal in all matters relating to the promotion or the sale of Class A
and Class C Shares and shall enter into all of its own engagements, agreements
and contracts as principal on its own account. The Distributor shall enter into
agreements with investment dealers and financial institutions selected by the
Distributor, authorizing such investment dealers and financial institutions to
offer and sell Class A and Class C Shares to the public upon the terms and
conditions set forth therein, which shall not be inconsistent with the
provisions of this Agreement. Each agreement shall provide that the investment
dealer and financial institution shall act as a principal, and not as an agent,
of the Company on behalf of the Portfolios. The Distributor or such other
investment dealers or financial institutions will be deemed to have performed
all services required to be performed in order to be entitled to receive the
asset based sales charge portion of any amounts payable with respect to Class C
Shares to the Distributor pursuant to a distribution plan adopted by the Company
on behalf of each Portfolio pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act upon the
settlement of each sale of a Class C Share (or a share of another portfolio from
which the Class C Share derives).
SIXTH: The Portfolios shall bear:
(A) the expenses of qualification of Class A and Class C Shares for sale in
connection with such public offerings in such states as shall be selected by the
Distributor, and of continuing the qualification therein until the Distributor
notifies the Company that it does not wish such qualification continued; and
(B) all legal expenses in connection with the foregoing.
SEVENTH:
(A) The Distributor shall bear the expenses of printing from the final
proof and distributing the Portfolios' prospectuses and statements of additional
information (including supplements
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thereto) relating to public offerings made by the Distributor pursuant to this
Agreement (which shall not include those prospectuses and statements of
additional information, and supplements thereto, to be distributed to
shareholders of each Portfolio), and any other promotional or sales literature
used by the Distributor or furnished by the Distributor to dealers in connection
with such public offerings, and expenses of advertising in connection with such
public offerings.
(B) The Distributor may be reimbursed for all or a portion of such
expenses, or may receive reasonable compensation for distribution related
services, to the extent permitted by a distribution plan adopted by the Company
on behalf of the Portfolios pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
EIGHTH: The Distributor will accept orders for the purchase of Class A and
Class C Shares only to the extent of purchase orders actually received and not
in excess of such orders, and it will not avail itself of any opportunity of
making a profit by expediting or withholding orders. It is mutually understood
and agreed that the Company may reject purchase orders where, in the judgment of
the Company, such rejection is in the best interest of the Company.
NINTH: The Company, on behalf of the Portfolios, and the Distributor shall
each comply with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the Securities Act
of 1933 and of all other federal and state laws, rules and regulations governing
the issuance and sale of Class A and Class C Shares.
TENTH:
(A) In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of obligations or duties hereunder on the part of the
Distributor, the Company on behalf of the Portfolios agrees to indemnify the
Distributor against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses which
the Distributor may incur under the Securities Act of 1933, or common law or
otherwise, arising out of or based upon any alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any registration statement or prospectus of the
Portfolios, or any omission to state a material fact therein, the omission of
which makes any statement contained therein misleading, unless such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information
furnished to the Company or Portfolio in connection therewith by or on behalf of
the Distributor. The Distributor agrees to indemnify the Company and the
Portfolios against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses which
the Company or the Portfolios may incur arising out of or based upon any act or
deed of the Distributor or its sales representatives which has not been
authorized by the Company or the Portfolios in its prospectus or in this
Agreement.
(B) The Distributor agrees to indemnify the Company and the Portfolios
against any and all claims, demands, liabilities and expenses which the Company
or the Portfolios may incur under the Securities Act of 1933, or common law or
otherwise, arising out of or based upon any alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in any registration statement or prospectus of the
Portfolios, or any omission to state a material fact therein if such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information
furnished to the Company or the Portfolios in connection therewith by or on
behalf of the Distributor.
(C) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Distributor
shall not be liable for any errors of the Portfolios' transfer agent(s), or for
any failure of any such transfer agent to perform its duties.
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ELEVENTH: Nothing herein contained shall require the Company to take any
action contrary to any provision of its Agreement and Declaration of Trust, or
to any applicable statute or regulation.
TWELFTH: This Agreement shall become effective as of the date hereof, shall
continue in force and effect until June 30, 1999, and shall continue in force
and effect from year to year thereafter, provided, that such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually (a)(i) by the Board of Trustees of the
Company or (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Portfolios' outstanding voting
securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act), and (b) by vote of
a majority of the Company's trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or
"interested persons" (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 0000 Xxx) of any
party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose.
THIRTEENTH:
(A) This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of
any penalty, by vote of the Board of Trustees of the Company or by vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Portfolio, or by the
Distributor, on sixty (60) days' written notice to the other party.
(B) This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment, the term "assignment" having the meaning set forth in Section
2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act.
FOURTEENTH: Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing, addressed
and delivered, or mailed postage prepaid, to the other party at such address as
the other party may designate for the receipt of notices. Until further notice
to the other party, it is agreed that the addresses of both the Company and the
Distributor shall be 00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000.
FIFTEENTH: Notice is hereby given that, as provided by applicable law, the
obligations of or arising out of this Agreement are not binding upon any of the
shareholders of the Company individually, but are binding only upon the assets
and property of the Company and that the shareholders shall be entitled, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to the same limitation on personal
liability as stockholders of private corporations for profit.
SIXTEENTH: This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws (without reference to conflicts of law provisions) of the State of
Delaware.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed in duplicate on the day and year first above written.
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
Attest:
By: /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXX
/s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXX --------------------------------
--------------------------- Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Name: Title: President
Title:
A I M DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
Attest:
By: /s/ XXXXXXX X. XXXX
/s/ XXXXX X. XXXXXX --------------------------------
--------------------------- Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx
Name: Title: President
Title:
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APPENDIX A
TO
MASTER DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
OF
AIM INVESTMENT FUNDS
CLASS A SHARES
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AIM Developing Markets Fund
AIM Emerging Markets Debt Fund
AIM Global Consumer Products and Services Fund
AIM Global Financial Services Fund
AIM Global Government Income Fund
AIM Global Growth & Income Fund
AIM Global Health Care Fund
AIM Global Infrastructure Fund
AIM Global Resources Fund
AIM Global Telecommunications Fund
AIM Latin American Growth Fund
AIM Strategic Income Fund
CLASS C SHARES
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AIM Developing Markets Fund
AIM Emerging Markets Debt Fund
AIM Global Consumer Products and Services Fund
AIM Global Financial Services Fund
AIM Global Government Income Fund
AIM Global Growth & Income Fund
AIM Global Health Care Fund
AIM Global Infrastructure Fund
AIM Global Resources Fund
AIM Global Telecommunications Fund
AIM Latin American Growth Fund
AIM Strategic Income Fund
