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EXHIBIT 6(a)
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
THIS DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE AGREEMENT dated as of May 31, 1997 (the
"Agreement") by and between XXX XXXXXX AMERICAN CAPITAL EQUITY INCOME FUND (the
"Fund"), and XXX XXXXXX AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Distributor").
1. (a) APPOINTMENT OF DISTRIBUTOR. The Fund appoints the Distributor as
a principal underwriter and exclusive distributor of each class of its shares of
beneficial interest (the "Shares") offered for sale from time to time pursuant
to the then current prospectus of the Fund, subject to different combinations of
front-end sales charges, distribution fees, service fees and contingent deferred
sales charges. Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge
and a distribution and/or service fee are referred to herein as "FESC Classes"
and the Shares of such classes are referred to herein as "FESC Shares." Classes
of shares, if any, subject to a contingent-deferred sales charge and a
distribution and/or a service fee are referred to herein as "CDSC Classes" and
Shares of such classes are referred to herein as "CDSC Shares." Classes of
shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge, a contingent-deferred sales
charge and a distribution and/or service fee are referred to herein as
"Combination Classes" and Shares of such class are referred to herein as
"Combination Shares." The Fund reserves the right to refuse at any time or
times to sell Shares hereunder for any reason deemed adequate by the Board of
Trustees of the Fund.
(b) BEST EFFORTS. The Distributor shall use its best efforts to
sell, through its organization and through other dealers and agents, the Shares
which the Distributor has the right to purchase under Section 2 hereof, but the
Distributor does not undertake to sell any specific number of Shares. Without
the prior approval of the Board of Trustees, the Distributor shall not, directly
or indirectly, distribute, sell or market, through its organization or other
brokers, dealers or agents, shares of any investment companies unless the Board
of Trustees of the Fund determines that such companies do not compete, or
potentially compete, with the Fund.
(c) POSITIONS IN THE SHARES. The Distributor agrees that it will
not take any long or short positions in the Shares, except for long positions
in those Shares purchased by the Distributor in accordance with any systematic
sales plan described in the then current Prospectus of the Fund and except
as permitted by Section 2 hereof, and that so far as it can control the
situation, it will prevent any of its trustees, officers or shareholders from
taking any long or short positions in the Shares, except for legitimate
investment purposes.
(d) ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL. The Distributor and the Fund agree that
the retention of (i) the chief executive officer, president, treasurer and
secretary of the Distributor, and (ii) each director, officer and employee of
the Distributor or any of its affiliates (as defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")) who serves as an officer of the Fund
(each person referred to in (i) or (ii) hereinafter being referred to as an
"Essential Person "), in his or her current capacities, is in the best
interest of the Fund and the Fund's shareholders. In connection with the
Distributor's acceptance of employment hereunder, the Distributor hereby agrees
and covenants for itself and on behalf of its Affiliates that neither the
Distributor nor any of its Affiliates shall replace or seek to replace any
Essential Person or cause to be replaced any Essential Person, in each case
without first consulting with the Board of Trustees of the Fund in a timely
manner. In addition, neither the Distributor nor any Affiliate of the
Distributor shall change or seek to change or cause to be changed, in any
material respect, the duties and responsibilities of any Essential Person, in
each case without first consulting with the Board of Trustees of the Fund in a
timely manner.
2. SALE OF SHARES TO DISTRIBUTOR. The Fund hereby grants to the
Distributor the exclusive right, except as herein otherwise provided, to
purchase Shares directly from the Fund upon the terms herein set forth. Such
exclusive right hereby granted shall not apply to Shares issued or transferred
or sold at net asset value: (a) in connection with the merger or consolidation
of the Fund with any other investment company or the acquisition by the Fund of
all or substantially all of the assets of or the outstanding Shares of any
investment company; (b) in connection with a pro rata distribution directly to
the holders of
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Shares in the nature of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with
any other recapitalization approved by the Board of Trustees; (c) upon the
exercise of purchase or subscription rights granted to the holders of Shares on
a pro rata basis; (d) in connection with the automatic reinvestment of dividends
and distributions from the Fund; or (e) in connection with the issue and sale of
Shares to trustees, officers and employees of the Fund, to directors, officers
and employees of the investment adviser of the Fund or any principal underwriter
(including the Distributor) of the Fund, to retirees of the Distributor that
purchased shares of any mutual fund distributed by the Distributor prior to
retirement, to directors, officers and employees of Xxx Xxxxxx American Capital,
Inc. (the parent company of the Distributor), VK/AC Holding, Inc. (the parent
company of The Xxx Xxxxxx American Capital, Inc.), Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Discover & Co. (the parent company of VK/AC Holding, Inc.) and to the
subsidiaries of Xxx Xxxxxx American Capital, Inc.; (f) to any trust, pension,
profit-sharing or other benefit plan for any of the aforesaid persons; and (g)
to any group of persons as permitted by Rule 22d-1 under the 1940 Act approved
from time to time by the Board of Trustees and set forth in the then current
Prospectus of the Fund.
The Distributor shall have the right to buy from the Fund the Shares
needed, but not more than the Shares needed (except for reasonable allowances
for clerical errors, delays and errors of transmission and cancellation of
orders) to fill unconditional orders for Shares received by the Distributor from
dealers, agents and investors during each period when particular net asset
values and public offering prices are in effect as provided in Section 3 hereof;
and the price which the Distributor shall pay for the Shares so purchased shall
be the respective net asset value used in determining the public offering price
on which such orders were based. The Distributor shall notify the Fund at the
end of each such period, or as soon thereafter on that business day as the
orders received in such period have been compiled, of the number of Shares of
each class that the Distributor elects to purchase hereunder.
3. (a) PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE. The public offering price per Share shall
be determined in accordance with the then current Prospectus of the Fund. In no
event shall the public offering price exceed the net asset value per Share,
plus, with respect to the FESC Shares, a front-end sales charge not in excess
of the applicable maximum sales charge permitted under the Rules of Fair
Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., as in effect
from time to time. The net asset value per share for each class of Shares,
respectively, shall be determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of
Trust and By-Laws of the Trust as then amended, the Certificate of Designation
with respect to the Fund, as amended, and in accordance with the then current
Prospectus of the Fund consistent with the terms and conditions of the Fund's
Multiple Class Plan adopted by the Board of Trustees in accordance with Section
18 of the 1940 Act and Rule 18f-3 thereunder. The Fund will cause immediate
notice to be given to the Distributor of each change in net asset value as soon
as it is determined.
(b) DISCOUNTS TO DEALERS. Discounts to dealers purchasing FESC
Shares from the Distributor for resale and to brokers and other eligible agents
making sales of FESC Shares to investors and compensation payable from the
Distributor to dealers, brokers and other eligible agents making sales of CDSC
Shares and Combination Shares shall be set forth in the selling agreements
between the Distributor and such dealers or agents, respectively, as from time
to time amended, and, if such discounts and compensation are described in the
then current Prospectus for the Fund, shall be as so set forth. In connection
with the Distributor's employment hereunder, the Distributor hereby agrees to
distribute the Shares through brokers, dealers and other agents of Xxxx Xxxxxx
Distributors, Inc. on a "proprietary basis" substantially identical to the
distribution of shares of proprietary open-end investment companies distributed
by Xxxx Xxxxxx Distributors, Inc.
4. COMPLIANCE WITH NASD RULES, SEC ORDERS, ETC. In selling Fund Shares,
the Distributor will in all respects duly comply with all state and federal laws
relating to the sale of such securities and with all applicable rules and
regulations of all regulatory bodies, including without limitation, the Rules of
Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and all
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission under
the 1940 Act, and will indemnify and save the Fund harmless from any damage or
expense on account of any unlawful act by the Distributor or its agents or
employees. The Distributor is not, however, to be responsible for the acts of
other dealers or agents,
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except to the extent that they shall be acting for the Distributor or under its
direction or authority. None of the Distributor, any dealer, any agent or 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 heretofore or hereafter filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") (as any
such Registration Statement and Prospectus may have been or may be amended from
time to time), covering the Shares, and in any supplemental information to any
such Prospectus approved by the Fund in connection with the offer or sale of
Shares. None of the Distributor, any dealer, any broker or any other person is
authorized to act as agent for the Fund in connection with the offering or sale
of Shares to the public or otherwise. All such sales shall be made by the
Distributor as principal for its own account.
In selling Shares to investors, the Distributor will adopt and comply with
certain standards, as set forth in Exhibit III attached hereto as to when each
respective class of Shares may appropriately be sold to particular investors.
The Distributor will require every broker, dealer and other eligible agent
participating in the offering of the Shares to agree to adopt and comply with
such standards as a condition precedent to their participation in the offering.
5. EXPENSES.
(a) The Fund will pay or cause to be paid:
(i) all expenses in connection with the registration of
Shares under the federal securities laws, and the Fund will
exercise its best efforts to obtain said registration and
qualification;
(ii) all expenses in connection with the printing of any notices
of shareholders' meetings, proxy and proxy statements and
enclosures therewith, as well as any other notice or
communication sent to shareholders in connection with any
meeting of the shareholders or otherwise, any annual,
semiannual or other reports or communications sent to the
shareholders, and the expenses of sending prospectuses
relating to the Shares to existing shareholders;
(iii)all expenses of any federal or state original-issue tax
or transfer tax payable upon the issuance, transfer or
delivery of Shares from the Fund to the Distributor; and
(iv) the cost of preparing and issuing any Share certificates
which may be issued to represent Shares.
(b) The Distributor will pay the costs and expenses of qualifying and
maintaining qualification of the Shares for sale under the securities laws of
the various states. The Distributor will also permit its officers and employees
to serve without compensation as trustees and officers of the Fund if duly
elected to such positions.
(c) The Fund shall reimburse the Distributor for out-of-pocket costs
and expenses actually incurred by it in connection with distribution of each
class of Shares respectively in accordance with and subject to the terms of a
plan (the "12b-1 Plan") adopted by the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the
1940 Act as such 12b-1 Plan may be in effect from time to time; provided,
however, that no payments shall be due or paid to the Distributor hereunder
with respect to a class of Shares unless and until this Agreement shall have
been approved for each such class by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the
Fund and by a majority of the "Disinterested Trustees" (as such term is defined
in such 12b-1 Plan) by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on this Agreement. A copy of such 12b-1 Plan as in effect on the
date of this Agreement is attached as Exhibit I hereto. The Fund reserves the
right to terminate such 12b-1 Plan with respect to a class of Shares at any
time, as specified in the Plan. The persons authorized to direct the payment
of funds pursuant to this Agreement and the 12b-1 Plan shall provide to the
Fund's Board of Trustees, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a
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written report with respect to each class of Shares setting forth the amounts
so paid, the purposes for which such expenditures were made for each such class
of Shares, comparing the amounts paid by such class of Shares with amounts paid
by classes of shares issued by investment companies not governed by the Board
of Trustees and distributed by the Distributor or by direct or indirect
Affiliates of the Distributor and such other information as the Board of
Trustees may from time to time request.
(d) The Fund shall compensate the Distributor for providing
services to, and the maintenance of, shareholder accounts in the Fund
(including prepaying service fees to eligible brokers, dealers and financial
intermediaries and expenses incurred in connection therewith) and the
Distributor may pay as agent for and on behalf of the Fund a service fee with
respect to each class of Shares to brokers, dealers and financial
intermediaries for the provision of shareholder services and the maintenance of
shareholder accounts in the Fund in the amount with respect to each class of
Shares set forth from time to time in the Fund's prospectus. The Fund shall
compensate the Distributor for such expenses in accordance with the terms of a
service plan (the "Service Plan"), as such Service Plan may be in effect from
time to time; provided, however, that no service fee payments shall be due or
paid to the Distributor hereunder with respect to a class of Shares unless and
until this Agreement shall have been approved for each such class by a majority
of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and by a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting
on this Agreement. A copy of such Service Plan as in effect on the date of
this Agreement is attached as Exhibit II hereto. The Fund reserves the right
to terminate such Service Plan with respect to a class of Shares at any time,
as specified in the Plan. The persons authorized to direct the payment of
funds pursuant to this Agreement and the Service Plan shall provide to the
Fund's Board of Trustees, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a
written report with respect to each class of Shares setting forth the amounts
paid as service fees for each such class of Shares comparing the amounts paid
as service fees by such class of Shares with amounts paid by classes of shares
issued by investment companies not governed by the Board of Trustees and
distributed by the Distributor or by direct or indirect Affiliates of the
Distributor and such other information as the Board of Trustees may from time
to time request.
6. REDEMPTION OF SHARES. In connection with the Fund's redemption of
its Shares, the Fund hereby authorizes the Distributor to repurchase, upon the
terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, as the Fund's agent and for the
Fund's account, such Shares as may be offered for sale to the Fund from time to
time by holders of such Shares or their agents.
(a) Subject to and in conformity with all applicable federal
and state legislation, any applicable rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., and any applicable rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act, the Distributor may
accept offers of holders of Shares to resell such Shares to the Fund on such
terms and conditions and at such prices as described and provided for in the
then current Prospectus of the Fund.
(b) The Distributor agrees to notify the Fund at such times as
the Fund may specify of the number of each class of Shares, respectively,
repurchased for the Fund's account and the time or times of such repurchases,
and the Fund shall notify the Distributor of the prices and, in the case of a
class of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares, of the deferred sales charge as
described below, if any, applicable to repurchases of Shares of such class.
(c) The Fund shall have the right to suspend or revoke the
foregoing authorization at any time; unless otherwise stated, any such
suspension or revocation shall be effective forthwith upon receipt of notice
thereof by telegraph or by written instrument from any of the Fund's officers.
In the event that the Distributor's authorization is, by the terms of such
notice, suspended for more than twenty-four hours or until further notice, the
authorization given by this Section 6 shall not be revived except by vote of
the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
(d) The Distributor agrees that all repurchases of Shares made
by the Distributor shall be made only as agent for the Fund's account and
pursuant to the terms and conditions herein set forth.
(e) The Fund agrees to authorize and direct its Custodian to
pay, for the Fund's account, the repurchase price (together with any applicable
contingent deferred sales charge) of any Shares so
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repurchased for the Fund against the authorized transfer of book shares from an
open account and against delivery of any other documentation required by the
Board of Trustees of the Fund or, in the case of certificated Shares, against
delivery of the certificates representing such Shares in proper form for
transfer to the Fund.
(f) The Distributor shall receive no commissions or other
compensation in respect of any repurchases of FESC Shares for the Fund under the
foregoing authorization and appointment as agent. With respect to any
repurchase of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares, the Distributor shall receive
the deferred sales charge, if any, applicable to the respective class of Shares
that have been held for less than a specified period of time with respect to
such class as set forth from time to time in the Fund's Prospectus. The
Distributor shall receive no other commission or other compensation in respect
of any repurchases of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares for the Fund under the
foregoing authorization and appointment as agent.
(g) If any FESC Shares sold to the Distributor under the terms of
this Agreement are redeemed or repurchased by the Fund or by the Distributor as
agent or are tendered for redemption within seven business days after the date
of the Distributor's confirmation of the original purchase by the Distributor,
the Distributor shall forfeit the amount above the net asset value received by
it in respect of such Shares, provided that the portion, if any, of such amount
re-allowed by the Distributor to dealers or agents shall be repayable to the
Fund only to the extent recovered by the Distributor from the dealer or agent
concerned. The Distributor shall include in agreements with such dealers and
agents a corresponding provision for the forfeiture by them of their concession
with respect to FESC Shares purchased by them or their principals and redeemed
or repurchased by the Fund or by the Distributor as agent within seven business
days after the date of the Distributor's confirmation of such initial purchases.
7. INDEMNIFICATION. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Distributor and each of its trustees and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
against any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense (including the reasonable
cost of investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, claim, damage,
or expense and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith),
arising by reason of any person acquiring any Shares, based upon the ground that
the registration statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports or other information
filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended) included an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading under the 1933 Act
or any other statute or the common law. However, the Fund does not agree to
indemnify the Distributor or hold it harmless to the extent that the statement
or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information
furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Distributor. In no case (i) is the
indemnity of the Fund in favor of the Distributor or any person indemnified to
be deemed to protect the Distributor or any person against any liability to the
Fund or its securityholders to which the Distributor or such person would
otherwise be subject 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 and duties under this Agreement, or (ii) is the
Fund to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this Section with
respect to any claim made against the Distributor or any person indemnified
unless the Distributor or any such person shall have notified the Fund in
writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon the Distributor or any such person (or after the Distributor or
the person shall have received notice of service on any designated agent).
However, failure to notify the Fund of any claim shall not relieve the Fund from
any liability which it may have to the Distributor or any person against whom
such action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph. The Fund shall be entitled to participate at its
own expense in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense, of any
suit brought to enforce any claims, but if the Fund elects to assume the
defense, the defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and satisfactory
to the Distributor or person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit.
In the event the Fund elects to assume the defense of any suit and retain
counsel, the Distributor, officers or trustees or controlling person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by them. If the Fund does not elect to assume the
defense of any suit, it will reimburse the Distributor, officers or trustees or
controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in
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the suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them.
The Fund agrees to notify the Distributor promptly of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers or directors in
connection with the issuance or sale of any of the Shares.
The Distributor also covenants and agrees that it will indemnify and hold
harmless the Fund and each of its trustees and officers and each person, if any,
who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against
any loss, liability, damage, claim or expense (including the reasonable cost of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, damage, claim or expense
and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising by reason
of any person acquiring any Shares, based upon the 1933 Act or any other statute
or common law, alleging any wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its
employees or alleging that the registration statement, Prospectus, shareholder
reports or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to
time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, insofar as the statement or omission was made in reliance upon,
and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the
Distributor. In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of the
Fund or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Fund or any such
person against any liability to which the Fund or such person would otherwise be
subject 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
obligation and duties under this Amended Agreement, or (ii) is the Distributor
to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with
respect to any claim made against the Fund or any person indemnified unless the
Fund or person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Distributor in
writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon the Fund or person (or after the Fund or such person shall have
received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify
the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any
liability which it may have to the Fund or any person against whom the action is
brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this
paragraph. In the case of any notice to the Distributor, it shall be entitled
to participate, at its own expense, in the defense, or, if it so elects, to
assume the defense, of any suit brought to enforce the claim, but if the
Distributor elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the Fund, to its officers and trustees
and to any controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit.
In the event that the Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and
retain counsel, the Fund or controlling persons, defendants in the suit, shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the
Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse
the Fund, officers and trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by them. The Distributor agrees to notify the Fund promptly of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it in connection with the
issue and sale of any of the Shares.
8. CONTINUATION, AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. This
Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date and thereafter shall
continue in full force and effect year to year with respect to each class of
Shares so long as such continuance is approved at least annually (i) by the
Board of Trustees of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the respective class of Shares of the Fund, and (ii) by
vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or
interested persons in any such party (the "Independent Trustee") cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, provided,
however, that (a) this Agreement may at any time be terminated with respect to
either class of Shares of the Fund without the payment of any penalty either by
vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees, or by vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the respective class of Shares of the Fund,
on written notice to the Distributor; (b) this Agreement shall immediately
terminate in the event of its assignment; and (c) this Agreement may be
terminated by the Distributor on ninety (90) days' written notice to the Fund.
Upon termination of this Agreement with respect to either class of Shares of the
Fund, the obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease and terminate with
respect to such class of Shares as of the date of such termination, except for
any obligation to respond for a breach of this Agreement committed prior to such
termination.
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This Agreement may be amended with respect to either class of Shares at any
time by mutual consent of the parties, provided that such consent on the part of
the Fund shall have been approved (i) by the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or
by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the respective
class of Shares of the Fund, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the Independent
Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
amendment.
For the purpose of this section, the terms "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities", "interested persons" and "assignment" shall have
the meanings defined in the 1940 Act, as amended.
9. LIMITED LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDER. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, you acknowledge and agree that, as
provided by Section 8.1 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust,
this Agreement is executed by the Trustees of the Trust and/or Officers of the
Fund by them not individually but as such Trustees and/or Officers, and the
obligations of the Fund hereunder are not binding upon any of the Trustees,
Officers or Shareholders individually, but bind only the trust estate.
10. NOTICE. Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing,
addressed and delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the other party at any office of
such party or at such other address as such party shall have designated in
writing.
11. NAME. In connection with its employment hereunder, the Distributor
hereby agrees and covenants not to change its name without the prior consent of
the Board of Trustees.
12. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES HERETO SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, THE
LAW OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF
LAWS.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below on the day and year first above
written.
XXX XXXXXX AMERICAN CAPITAL
EQUITY INCOME FUND
By: /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXXXXX
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxxx
Title: President
XXX XXXXXX AMERICAN CAPITAL
DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: /s/ XXXXXX X. XXXXXX
---------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Executive Vice President
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