UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT made as of this 19th day of November, 1997, by and between
Phoenix Multi-Sector Fixed Income Fund, Inc., a Maryland corporation having a
place of business located at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx (the
"Fund") and Phoenix Equity Planning Corporation, a Connecticut corporation
having a place of business located at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxx (the "Underwriter").
WITNESSETH THAT:
1. The Fund hereby grants to the Underwriter the right to purchase shares
of beneficial interest of each class of each series of the Fund established and
designated as of the date hereof and of any additional series and classes
thereof which the Board of Directors or Board of Trustees, as applicable
("Trustees") may establish and designate during the term of this Agreement
(called the "Series" and "Classes", respectively) and to resell shares of
various Classes, as applicable, of each Series (collectively called the
"Shares") as principal and not as agent. The Underwriter accepts such
appointment and agrees to render the services described in this Agreement for
the compensation herein provided.
2. The Underwriter's right to purchase Shares shall be exclusive except
that the terms of this Agreement shall not apply to Shares issued or
transferred:
a) pursuant to an offer of exchange exempted under Section 22(d) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Act") by reason of
the fact that said offer is permitted by Section 11 of the Act,
including any offer made pursuant to clause (1) or (2) of Section
11(b);
b) upon the sale to a registered unit investment trust which is the
issuer of periodic payment plan certificates the net proceeds of which
are invested in redeemable securities;
c) pursuant to an offer made solely to all registered holders of Shares,
or all registered holders of Shares of any Series, proportionate to
their holdings or proportionate to any cash distribution made to them
by the Fund (subject to appropriate qualifications designed solely to
avoid issuance of fractional securities);
d) in connection with any merger or consolidation of the Fund or of any
Series with any other investment company or the acquisition by the
Fund, by purchase or otherwise, of any other investment company;
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e) pursuant to sales exempted from Section 22(d) of the Act, by rule or
regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission as
provided in the then current registration statement of the Fund; or
f) in connection with the reinvestment by Fund shareholders of dividend
and capital gains distributions.
3. The "Net Asset Value" and the "Public Offering Price" of the Shares as
referred to in this Agreement shall be computed in accordance with the
provisions of the then current registration statement of the Fund. The
Underwriter shall be notified promptly by the Fund of such computations.
4. The Underwriter has and shall enter into written sales agreements with
broker/dealers ("dealers") and with banks as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (Exchange Act) that are not
required to register as a broker/dealer under the Exchange Act or the
regulations thereunder ("Banks"). Such sales agreements shall provide that
dealers or Banks shall use their best efforts to promote the sale of Shares.
Such sales agreements shall include such terms and conditions as Underwriter may
determine not inconsistent with this Agreement; provided, however, that such
sales agreements shall specify a) that the dealer is registered as a
broker/dealer under the Exchange Act and a member of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. or, in the alternative, that the Bank is exempt from
broker/dealer registration under the Exchange Act; and b) that such dealers and
Banks agree that they will comply with all applicable state, and federal laws
and the rules and regulations of applicable regulatory agencies.
5. Each day the Underwriter shall have the right to purchase from the Fund,
as principal, the amount of Shares needed to fill unconditional orders for such
Shares received by the Underwriter from dealers, Banks, or investors, but no
more than the Shares needed, at a price equal to the Net Asset Value of the
Shares. Any purchase of Shares by the Underwriter under this Agreement shall be
subject to reasonable adjustment for clerical errors, delays and errors of
transmission and cancellation of orders.
6. With respect to transactions other than with dealers or Banks, the
Underwriter will sell Shares only at the Public Offering Price then in effect,
except to the extent that sales at less than the Public Offering Price may be
allowed by the Act, any rule or regulation promulgated thereunder or by order of
the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided, however, that any such sales
at less than the Public Offering Price shall be consistent with the terms of the
then current registration statement of the Fund. The Underwriter will sell at
Net Asset Value Shares of any Classes which are offered by the then current
registration statement or prospectus of the Fund for sale at such Net Asset
Value or at Net Asset Value with a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC
Shares"). The Underwriter shall receive from the Fund all contingent deferred
sales charges applied on redemptions of CDSC Shares.
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7. Sales at a discount from the Public Offering Price shall be made in
accordance with the terms and conditions of the terms of the current
registration statement of the Fund allowing such discounts. Such discounts shall
not exceed the difference between the Net Asset Value and the Public Offering
Price; however, the Underwriter may offer compensation in excess of the
difference between the Net Asset Value and the Public Offering Price, at its
discretion and from its own profits and resources, and only as described in the
current registration statement of the Fund. With respect to sales of CDSC
Shares, the Underwriter, in accordance with the terms of the current
registration statement of the Fund, shall pay dealers a commission on such sales
from its own profits and resources.
8. As reimbursement for expenditures made in connection with providing
certain distribution-related services, the Underwriter may receive from the Fund
a distribution service fee under the terms and conditions set forth in the
Fund's distribution plan adopted under Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, as the plan may be amended from time to time and
subject to any further limitations on such fees as the Trustees may impose. The
Underwriter may receive from the Fund a service fee to be retained by the
Underwriter as compensation for providing services to shareholders of the Fund
or to be paid to dealers and Banks for providing services to their clients who
are also shareholders of the Fund.
9. The Fund shall furnish the Underwriter with copies of its organizational
documents, as amended from time to time. The Fund shall also furnish the
Underwriter with any other documents of the Fund which will assist the
Underwriter in the performance of its duties hereunder.
10. The Underwriter agrees to use its best efforts (in states where it may
lawfully do so) to obtain from investors unconditional orders for Shares
authorized for issue by the Fund and registered under applicable Federal
securities laws, and, so long as it does so, nothing herein contained shall
prevent the Underwriter from entering into similar arrangements with other
registered investment companies. The Underwriter may, in the exercise of its
discretion, refuse to accept orders for Shares from any person.
11. Upon receipt by the Fund of a purchase order from the Underwriter,
accompanied by proper delivery instructions, the Fund shall, as promptly as
practicable thereafter, cause evidence of ownership of Shares to be delivered as
indicated in such purchase order. Payment for such Shares shall be made by the
Underwriter to the Fund in a manner acceptable to the Fund, provided that the
Underwriter shall pay for such Shares no later than the third business day after
the Underwriter shall have contracted to purchase such shares.
12. In connection with offering for sale and selling Shares, the Fund authorizes
the Underwriter to give only such information and to make only such statements
or representations as are contained in the then current registration statement
of the Fund. The Underwriter shall be responsible for the approval and filing of
sales material as required under SEC and NASD regulations.
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13. The Fund agrees to pay the following expenses:
a) the cost of mailing stock certificates representing Shares;
b) fees and expenses (including legal expenses) of registering and
maintaining registrations of the Fund and of each Series and Class
with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the preparation
and printing of registration statements and prospectuses for filing
with said Commission;
c) fees and expenses (including legal expenses) incurred in registering
and qualifying Shares for sale with any state regulatory agency and
fees and expenses of maintaining, renewing, increasing or amending
such registrations and qualifications;
d) the expense of any issue or transfer taxes upon the sale of Shares to
the Underwriter by the Fund;
e) the cost of preparing and distributing reports and notices to
shareholders; and
f) fees and expenses of the transfer agent, including the cost of
preparing and mailing notices to shareholders pertaining to
transactions with respect to such shareholders accounts.
14. The Underwriter agrees to pay the following expenses:
a) all expenses of printing prospectuses and statements of additional
information used in connection with the sale of Shares and printing
and preparing all other sales literature;
b) all fees and expenses in connection with the qualification of the
Underwriter as a dealer in the various states and countries;
c) the expense of any stock transfer tax required in connection with the
sale of Shares by the Underwriter as principal to dealers or to
investors; and
d) all other expenses in connection with offering for sale and the sale
of Shares which have not been herein specifically allocated to the
Fund.
15. The Fund hereby appoints the Underwriter its agent to receive requests
to accept the Fund's offer to repurchase Shares upon such terms and conditions
as may be described in the Fund's then current registration statement. The
agency granted in this paragraph 15 is terminable at the discretion of the Fund.
As compensation for acting as such agent and as part of the
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consideration for acting as underwriter, Underwriter shall receive from the Fund
all contingent deferred sales charges imposed upon the redemption of Shares.
Whether and to what extent a contingent deferred sales charge will be imposed
shall be determined in accordance with, and in the manner set forth in, the
Fund's prospectus.
16. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter, its
officers and directors and each person, if any, who controls the Underwriter
within the meaning of section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including the
cost of any legal fees incurred in connection therewith) which the Underwriter,
its officers, directors or any such controlling person may incur under said Act,
under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of or based
upon
a) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Fund's registration statement or prospectus
(including amendments and supplements thereto), or
b) any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to
be stated in the Fund's registration statement or prospectus or
necessary to make the statements in either not misleading, provided,
however, that insofar as losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses arise out of or are based upon any such untrue statement or
omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance and
in conformity with information furnished to the Fund by the
Underwriter for use in the Fund's registration statement or
prospectus, such indemnification is not applicable. In no case shall
the Fund indemnify the Underwriter or its controlling persons as to
any amounts incurred for any liability arising out of or based upon
any action for which the Underwriter, its officers and directors or
any controlling person would otherwise be subject to liability by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of
its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
17. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, its
officers and trustees and each person, if any, who controls the Fund within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, against any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including the cost of any
legal fees incurred in connection therewith) which the Fund, its officers,
trustees or any such controlling person may incur under said Act, under any
other statute, at common law or otherwise arising out of the acquisition of any
shares by any person which
a) may be based upon any wrongful act by the Underwriter or any of its
employees or representatives, or
b) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in the Fund's registration statement,
prospectus (including
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amendments and supplements thereto) or sales material, or any omission or
alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished or confirmed in
writing to the Fund by the Underwriter.
18. It is understood that:
a) trustees, officers, employees, agents and shareholders of the Fund are
or may be interested persons, as that term is defined in the Act
("Interested Persons"), of the Underwriter as directors, officers,
stockholders or otherwise;
b) directors, officers, employees, agents and stockholders of the
Underwriter are or may be Interested Persons of the Fund as trustees,
officers, shareholders or otherwise;
c) the Underwriter may be an Interested Person of the Fund as shareholder
or otherwise; and
d) the existence of any such dual interest shall not offset the validity
hereof or of any transactions hereunder.
19. The Fund may terminate this Agreement by 60 days written notice to the
Underwriter at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of the
Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities, as
that term is defined in the Act, of the Fund. The Underwriter may terminate this
Agreement by 60 days written notice to the Fund, without the payment of any
penalty. This Agreement shall immediately terminate in the event of its
assignment, as that term is defined in the Act.
20. Subject to prior termination as provided in paragraph 19, this
Agreement shall continue in force for one year from the date of execution and
from year to year thereafter so long as the continuance after such one year
period shall be specifically approved at least annually by vote of the Trustees,
or by a vote of a majority of the appropriate class of outstanding voting
securities, as that term is defined in the Act, of the Fund. Additionally, each
annual renewal of this Agreement must be approved by the vote of a majority of
the Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or Interested Persons of any
such party, cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose
of voting on such approval.
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21. This Agreement shall become effective upon the date first set forth
above. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Connecticut
and shall be binding on the successors and assigns of the parties to the extend
permitted by law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed
by their duly authorized officers as of the day and year first written above.
PHOENIX MULTI-SECTOR
FIXED INCOME FUND, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxxxx
---------------------------
Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxxxx
President
PHOENIX EQUITY PLANNING
CORPORATION
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
---------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Executive Vice President
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