1
EXHIBIT (d)(15)
MANUFACTURERS INVESTMENT TRUST
SUBADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made this 1st day of January, 1999, between Manufacturers
Securities Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Adviser"),
and AXA Xxxxxxxxx Investment Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (the "Subadviser"). In consideration of the mutual covenants contained
herein, the parties agree as follows:
1. APPOINTMENT OF SUBADVISER
The Subadviser undertakes to act as investment subadviser to, and,
subject to the supervision of the Trustees of Manufacturers Investment Trust
(the "Trust") and the terms of this Agreement, to manage the investment and
reinvestment of the assets of the Portfolios specified in Appendix A to this
Agreement as it shall be amended by the Adviser and the Subadviser from time to
time (the "Portfolios"). The Subadviser will be an independent contractor and
will have no authority to act for or represent the Trust or Adviser in any way
except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Trust
and Adviser.
2. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUBADVISER TO THE TRUST
a. Subject always to the direction and control of the Trustees of the
Trust, the Subadviser will manage the investments and determine the
composition of the assets of the Portfolios in accordance with the
Portfolios' registration statement, as amended. In fulfilling its
obligations to manage the investments and reinvestments of the assets
of the Portfolios, the Subadviser will:
i. obtain and evaluate pertinent economic, statistical, financial
and other information affecting the economy generally and
individual companies or industries the securities of which are
included in the Portfolios or are under consideration for
inclusion in the Portfolios;
ii. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for
each Portfolio consistent with the investment objectives and
related investment policies for each such Portfolio as
described in the Trust's registration statement, as amended;
iii. take whatever steps are necessary to implement these
investment programs by the purchase and sale of securities
including the placing of orders for such purchases and sales;
iv. regularly report to the Trustees of the Trust with respect to
the implementation of these investment programs; and
v. provide assistance to the Trust's Custodian regarding the fair
value of securities held by the Portfolios for which market
quotations are not readily available.
b. The Subadviser, at its expense, will furnish (i) all necessary
investment and management facilities, including salaries of personnel
required for it to execute its duties faithfully, and (ii)
administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel
and equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the investment
affairs of the Portfolios (excluding determination of net asset value
and shareholder accounting services).
c. The Subadviser will select brokers and dealers to effect all
transactions subject to the following conditions: The Subadviser will
place all orders with brokers, dealers, or issuers, and will negotiate
brokerage commissions if applicable. The Subadviser is directed at all
times to seek to execute brokerage transactions for the Portfolios in
accordance with such policies or practices as may be established by the
Trustees and described in the Trust's registration statement as
amended. The Subadviser may pay a broker-dealer which provides research
and brokerage services a higher spread or commission for a particular
transaction than otherwise might have been charged by another
broker-dealer, if the Subadviser determines that the higher
2
spread or commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the
brokerage and research services that such broker-dealer provides,
viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the
Subadviser's overall responsibilities with respect to accounts managed
by the Subadviser. The Subadviser may use for the benefit of the
Subadviser's other clients, or make available to companies affiliated
with the Subadviser or to its directors for the benefit of its clients,
any such brokerage and research services that the Subadviser obtains
from brokers or dealers.
d. On occasions when the Subadviser deems the purchase or sale of a
security to be in the best interest of the Portfolio as well as other
clients of the Subadviser, the Subadviser to the extent permitted by
applicable laws and regulations, may, but shall be under no obligation
to, aggregate the securities to be purchased or sold to attempt to
obtain a more favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and
efficient execution. In such event, allocation of the securities so
purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction,
will be made by the Subadviser in the manner the Subadviser considers
to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations
to the Portfolio and to its other clients.
e. The Subadviser will maintain all accounts, books and records with
respect to the Portfolios as are required of an investment adviser of a
registered investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of
1940 (the "Investment Company Act") and Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(the "Investment Advisers Act") and the rules thereunder.
3. COMPENSATION OF SUBADVISER
The Adviser will pay the Subadviser with respect to each Portfolio the
compensation specified in Appendix A to this Agreement.
4. LIABILITY OF SUBADVISER
Neither the Subadviser nor any of its employees or partners shall be
liable to the Adviser or Trust for any loss suffered by the Adviser or Trust
resulting from any error of judgment made in the good faith exercise of the
Subadviser's investment discretion in connection with selecting Portfolio
investments except for losses resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or
gross negligence of, or from reckless disregard of, the duties of the Subadviser
or any of its partners or employees; and neither the Subadviser nor any of its
employees or partners shall be liable to the Adviser or Trust for any loss
suffered by the Adviser or Trust resulting from any other matters to which this
Agreement relates (I.E., those other matters specified in Sections 2 and 7 of
this Agreement), except for losses resulting from willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or gross negligence in the performance of, or from disregard of, the
duties of the Subadviser or any of its partners or employees.
5. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
It is understood that trustees, officers, agents and shareholders of
the Trust are or may be interested in the Subadviser as trustees, officers,
partners or otherwise; that employees, agents and partners of the Subadviser are
or may be interested in the Trust as trustees, officers, shareholders or
otherwise; that the Subadviser may be interested in the Trust; and that the
existence of any such dual interest shall not affect the validity hereof or of
any transactions hereunder except as otherwise provided in the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust of the Trust and the partnership agreement of the
Subadviser, respectively, or by specific provision of applicable law.
6. REGULATION
The Subadviser shall submit to all regulatory and administrative bodies
having jurisdiction over the services provided pursuant to this Agreement any
information, reports or other material which any such body by reason of this
Agreement may request or require pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.
2
3
7. DURATION AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
This Agreement shall become effective with respect to each Portfolio on
the later of (i) its execution and (ii) the date of the meeting of the Board of
Trustees of the Trust, at which meeting this Agreement is approved as described
below. The Agreement will continue in effect for a period more than two years
from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically
approved at least annually either by the Trustees of the Trust or by a majority
of the outstanding voting securities of each of the Portfolios, provided that in
either event such continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority
of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the
Investment Company Act) of any party to this Agreement cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. Any required
shareholder approval of the Agreement or of any continuance of the Agreement
shall be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the series (as defined in Rule 18f-2(h) under
the Investment Company Act) of shares of that Portfolio votes to approve the
Agreement or its continuance, notwithstanding that the Agreement or its
continuance may not have been approved by a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of (a) any other Portfolio affected by the Agreement or (b) all the
portfolios of the Trust.
If any required shareholder approval of this Agreement or any
continuance of the Agreement is not obtained, the Subadviser will continue to
act as investment subadviser with respect to such Portfolio pending the required
approval of the Agreement or its continuance or of a new contract with the
Subadviser or a different adviser or subadviser or other definitive action;
provided, that the compensation received by the Subadviser in respect of such
Portfolio during such period is in compliance with Rule 15a-4 under the
Investment Company Act.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of
any penalty, by the Trustees of the Trust, by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Trust, or with respect to any Portfolio by
the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Portfolio,
on sixty days' written notice to the Adviser and the Subadviser, or by the
Adviser or Subadviser on sixty days' written notice to the Trust and the other
party. This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any
penalty, in the event of its assignment (as defined in the Investment Company
Act) or in the event the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust
terminates for any reason.
8. PROVISION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY SUBADVISER
The Subadviser will promptly notify the Adviser in writing of the
occurrence of any of the following events:
a. the Subadviser fails to be registered as an investment adviser under
the Investment Advisers Act or under the laws of any jurisdiction in
which the Subadviser is required to be registered as an investment
adviser in order to perform its obligations under this Agreement;
b. the Subadviser is served or otherwise receives notice of any action,
suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before
or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the
Trust; and
c. any change in actual control or management of the Subadviser or the
portfolio manager of any Portfolio.
9. SERVICES TO OTHER CLIENTS
The Adviser understand, and has advised the Trust's Board of Trustees,
that the Subadviser now acts, or may in the future act, as an investment adviser
to fiduciary and other managed accounts and as investment adviser or subadviser
to other investment companies. Further, the Adviser understands, and has advised
the Trust's Board of Trustees that the Subadviser and its affiliates may give
advice and take action for its accounts, including investment companies, which
differs from advice given on the timing or nature of action taken for the
Portfolio. The Subadviser is not obligated to initiate transaction for a
Portfolio in any security which the Subadviser, its partners, affiliates or
employees may purchase or sell for their own accounts or other clients.
3
4
10. AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT
This Agreement may be amended by the parties only if such amendment is
specifically approved by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and
by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested
persons of any party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for
the purpose of voting on such approval. Any required shareholder approval shall
be effective with respect to any Portfolio if a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of that Portfolio vote to approve the amendment,
notwithstanding that the amendment may not have been approved by a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of (a) any other Portfolio affected by the
amendment or (b) all the portfolios of the Trust.
11. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement of the
parties.
12. HEADINGS
The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for
convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.
13. NOTICES
All notices required to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be
delivered or mailed to the last known business address of the Trust or
applicable party in person or by registered mail or a private mail or delivery
service providing the sender with notice of receipt. Notice shall be deemed
given on the date delivered or mailed in accordance with this paragraph.
14. SEVERABILITY
Should any portion of this Agreement for any reason be held to be void
in law or in equity, the Agreement shall be construed, insofar as is possible,
as if such portion had never been contained herein.
15. GOVERNING LAW
The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in
accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of the
applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the laws
of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of the provisions in this
Agreement, conflict with applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act,
the latter shall control.
16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated September 28, 1988, a copy
of which, together with all amendments thereto (the "Declaration"), is on file
in the office of the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provides
that the name "Manufacturers Investment Trust" refers to the Trustees under the
Declaration collectively as Trustees, but not as individuals or personally; and
no Trustee, shareholder, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be held
to any personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their private property,
for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim, in connection with the affairs
of the Trust or any portfolio thereof, but only the assets belonging to the
Trust, or to the particular portfolio with which the obligee or claimant dealt,
shall be liable.
4
5
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed under seal by their duly authorized officers as of the date first
mentioned above.
Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC
by: The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of
North America, Managing Member
by:
-------------------------------------
Xxxx X. XxxXxxx III, Chairman
by:
-------------------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Vice President, Secretary
and General Counsel
AXA Xxxxxxxxx Investment Management LLC
by:
-------------------------------------
Xxxxxxx Xxxx,
General Partner
5
6
APPENDIX A
The Subadviser shall serve as investment subadviser for the following
portfolio of the Trust. The Adviser will pay the Subadviser, as full
compensation for all services provided under this Agreement, the fee computed
separately for each such Portfolio at an annual rate as follows (the "Subadviser
Percentage Fee"):
Small Company Value Portfolio: .600% of the first $50,000,000, .575%
between $50,000,000 and $200,000,000, .525% between $200,000,000 and
$500,000,000 and .475% on the excess over $500,000,000 of the current
value of the net assets of the Portfolio.
The Subadviser Percentage Fee for each Portfolio shall be accrued for
each calendar day and the sum of the daily fee accruals shall be paid monthly to
the Subadviser. The daily fee accruals will be computed by multiplying the
fraction of one over the number of calendar days in the year by the applicable
annual rate described in the preceding paragraph, and multiplying this product
by the net assets of the Portfolio as determined in accordance with the Trust's
prospectus and statement of additional information as of the close of business
on the previous business day on which the Trust was open for business.
If this Agreement becomes effective or terminates before the end of any
month, the fee (if any) for the period from the effective date to the end of
such month or from the beginning of such month to the date of termination, as
the case may be, shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period
bears to the full month in which such effectiveness or termination occurs.
6
