DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of April 16, 2018, between Wilmington Funds, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), and ALPS Distributors, Inc., a Colorado corporation (“ALPS”).
WHEREAS, the Trust is an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), presently consisting of one of more portfolios (each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”);
WHEREAS, ALPS is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.;
WHEREAS, the Trust and ALPS are parties to a distribution agreement, as amended, attached hereto as Exhibit 1 (“Prior Distribution Agreement”);
WHEREAS, on January 11, 2018, DST Systems, Inc. (“DST”), the ultimate parent company of ALPS (as of that date), announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement under which SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. (“SS&C”) will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of DST (the “Transaction”);
WHEREAS, upon completion of the Transaction, SS&C will have indirect controlling interest in ALPS and, as such, the Transaction may result in an “assignment” (as such term is defined under the 0000 Xxx) of the Prior Distribution Agreement;
WHEREAS, under the 1940 Act, an assignment includes any direct or indirect transfer of a controlling block of an entity’s voting securities and, as a result of an assignment, the Prior Distribution Agreement may be deemed terminated; and
WHEREAS, in light of the possible assignment and change in control of ALPS in connection with the Transaction, ALPS and the Trust wish to enter into this Agreement effective upon close of the Transaction.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and undertakings herein contained, the parties agree as follows.
| 1. | Appointment. The Trust hereby appoints ALPS to provide the distribution services set forth in the Prior Distribution Agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 1. |
| 2. | Incorporation. Except as provided below in Section 3, all terms, conditions, representations, warranties and covenants contained in the Prior Distribution Agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit 1, are incorporated herein by reference. |
| 3. | Conflicts. |
| (a) | To the extent any defined term within the main body of this Agreement (“Main Body”; for the avoidance of doubt, the term “Main Body” excludes Exhibit 1 and any future exhibit to this Agreement (each, a “Future Exhibit”)) conflicts with a defined term provided in Exhibit 1, the defined term included in the Main Body shall control and the conflicting defined term within Exhibit 1 is hereby replaced with the defined term contained within the Main Body. |
| (b) | To the extent there is any other conflict between the Main Body and Exhibit 1, the Main Body shall control. |
| (c) | To the extent there is a conflict between Exhibit 1 and a Future Exhibit, the Future Exhibit shall control. |
| 4. | Duration and Termination of this Agreement. |
| (a) | Initial Term. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above (the “Start Date”) and shall continue thereafter throughout the period that ends as of September 30, 2018 (the “Initial Term”). |
| (b) | Renewal Term. If not sooner terminated, this Agreement shall renew at the end of the Initial Term and shall thereafter continue for successive annual periods, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (i) by the Trust’s Board of Trustees or (ii) by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant Fund of the Trust, provided that in either event the continuance is also approved by the majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of any party to this Agreement by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If a plan under Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act is in effect (where applicable), continuance of the plan and this Agreement must be approved at least annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) and have no financial interest in the operation of such plan or in any agreements related to such plan, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. |
| (c) | This Agreement is terminable on sixty (60) days’ written notice by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant Fund of the Trust, or by ALPS. |
| (d) | Deliveries Upon Termination. Upon termination of this Agreement, ALPS agrees to cooperate in the orderly transfer of distribution duties and shall deliver to the Trust or as otherwise directed by the Trust (at the expense of the Trust) all records and other documents made or accumulated in the performance of its duties for the Trust hereunder. In the event ALPS gives notice of termination under this Agreement, it will continue to provide the services contemplated hereunder after such termination at the contractual rate for up to 120 days, provided that the Trust uses all reasonable commercial efforts to appoint such replacement on a timely basis. |
| 5. | Assignment. This Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act). This Agreement shall not be assignable by the Trust without the prior written consent of ALPS. |
| 6. | Amendments. This Agreement may only be amended by the parties in writing. |
| 7. | Governing Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder. To the extent that the laws of the State of New York conflict with the 1940 Act or such rules, the latter shall control. |
| 8. | Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number of counterparts, and all of said counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. |
| 9. | Entire Agreement. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding among the parties and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that ALPS may embody in one or more separate documents its agreement, if any, with respect to delegated duties and oral instruction. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
| WILMINGTON FUNDS | ||
| By: | /s/ Xxxx X. XxXxxxxxx | |
| Name: | Xxxx X. XxXxxxxxx | |
| Title: | Chief Operations Officer | |
| ALPS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |
| Title: | Senior Vice President & Director of Distribution Services | |
EXHIBIT 1
[Prior Distribution Agreement]
