FORM OF
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT
XXXX XXXXX INVESTORS TRUST, INC.
This INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is
made this ___ day of ______, 1999, by and between Xxxx Xxxxx Investors Trust,
Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Corporation"), on behalf of Xxxx Xxxxx
Financial Services Fund ("Fund"), and Xxxx Xxxxx Fund Adviser, Inc., a Maryland
corporation (the "Manager").
WHEREAS, the Corporation is registered as an open-end management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), currently consisting of one portfolio; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation wishes to retain the Manager to provide
investment advisory, management, and administrative services to the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Manager is willing to furnish such services on the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants
herein contained, it is agreed as follows:
1. The Corporation hereby appoints the Manager as manager of the Fund for
the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Manager accepts
such appointment and agrees to render the services herein set forth, for the
compensation herein provided.
2. The Fund shall at all times keep the Manager fully informed with regard
to the securities owned by it, its funds available, or to become available, for
investment, and generally as to the condition of its affairs. It shall furnish
the Manager with such other documents and information with regard to its affairs
as the Manager may from time to time reasonably request.
3. (a) Subject to the supervision of the Corporation's Board of Directors,
the Manager shall regularly provide the Fund with investment research, advice,
management and supervision and shall furnish a continuous investment program for
the Fund's portfolio of securities consistent with the Fund's investment goals
and policies. The Manager shall determine from time to time what securities will
be purchased, retained or sold by the Fund, and shall implement those decisions,
all subject to the provisions of the Corporation's Articles of Incorporation and
By-Laws, the 1940 Act, the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities
and Exchange Commission, and other applicable federal and state law, as well as
the investment goals and policies of the Fund. The Manager will place orders
pursuant to its investment determinations for the Fund either directly with the
issuer or with any broker or dealer. In placing orders with brokers and dealers
the Manager will attempt to obtain the best net price and the most favorable
execution of its orders; however, the Manager may, in its discretion, purchase
and sell portfolio securities from and to brokers and dealers who provide the
Fund with research, analysis, advice and similar services, and the Manager may
pay to these brokers, in return for research and analysis, a higher commission
or spread than may be charged by other brokers. The Manager shall also provide
advice and recommendations with respect to other aspects of the business and
affairs of the Fund, and shall perform such other functions of management and
supervision as may be directed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation
(b) The Fund hereby authorizes any entity or person associated with the
Manager which is a member of a national securities exchange to effect any
transaction on the exchange for the account of the Fund which is permitted by
Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Rule 11a2-2(T)
thereunder, and the Fund hereby consents to the retention by such person
associated with the Manager of compensation for such transactions, including
compensation, in accordance with Rule 11a2-2(T)(a)(2)(iv).
4. The Manager may enter into a contract ("Sub-Advisory Agreement") with
an investment sub-adviser in which the Manager delegates to such investment
sub-adviser any or all of its duties specified in Paragraph 3 above, provided
that such Sub-Advisory Agreement imposes on the investment sub-adviser bound
thereby all duties and conditions to which the Manager is subject hereunder, and
further provided that such Sub-Advisory Agreement meets all requirements of the
1940 Act and rules thereunder.
5. (a) The Manager, at its expense, shall supply the Board of Directors
and officers of the Corporation with all statistical information and reports
reasonably required by them and reasonably available to the Manager and shall
furnish the Fund with office facilities, including space, furniture and
equipment and all personnel reasonably necessary for the operation of the Fund.
The Manager shall maintain or oversee the maintenance of all books and records
with respect to the Fund's securities transactions and the keeping of the Fund's
books of account in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws and
regulations. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940
Act, the Manager hereby agrees that any records which it maintains for the Fund
are the property of the Fund, and further agrees to surrender promptly to the
Fund any of such records upon the Fund's request. The Manager further agrees to
arrange for the preservation of the records required to be maintained by Rule
31a-1 under the 1940 Act for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940
Act. The Manager shall authorize and permit any of its directors, officers and
employees, who may be elected as directors or officers of the Fund, to serve in
the capacities in which they are elected.
(b) Other than as herein specifically indicated, the Manager shall not be
responsible for the Fund's expenses. Specifically, the Manager will not be
responsible, except to the extent of the reasonable compensation of employees of
the Fund whose services may be used by the Manager hereunder, for any of the
following expenses of the Fund, which expenses shall be borne by the Fund:
organizational expenses of the Fund; advisory fees; distribution fees; interest;
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taxes; governmental fees; fees, voluntary assessments and other expenses
incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; the
cost (including brokerage commissions or charges, if any) of securities
purchased or sold by the Fund and any losses in connection therewith; fees of
custodians, transfer agents, registrars or other agents; legal expenses;
expenses relating to the redemption or repurchase of the Fund's shares; expenses
of registering and qualifying the Fund's shares for sale under applicable
federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and
distributing prospectuses, reports, notices and dividends to the Fund's
shareholders; costs of stationery; costs of stockholders and other meetings of
the Fund; directors' fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, directors
and employees of the Corporation, if any; and the Corporation's pro rata portion
of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the Corporation
and its officers and directors. Any and all expenses of the Fund paid by the
Manager shall be reimbursed by the Fund at such time or times agreed to by the
Fund and the Manager.
6. No director, officer or employee of the Corporation or Fund shall
receive from the Corporation any salary or other compensation as such director,
officer or employee while he is at the same time a director, officer, or
employee of the Manager or any affiliated company of the Manager. This paragraph
shall not apply to directors, executive committee members, consultants and other
persons who are not regular members of the Manager's or any affiliated company's
staff.
7. As compensation for the services performed and the facilities furnished
and expenses assumed by the Manager, including the services of any consultants
retained by the Manager, the Fund shall pay the Manager, as promptly as possible
after the last day of each month, a fee, computed daily at an annual rate of
1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The first payment of the fee
shall be made as promptly as possible at the end of the month succeeding the
effective date of this Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated as of any date
not the last day of a month, such fee shall be paid as promptly as possible
after such date of termination, shall be based on the average daily net assets
of the Fund in that period from the beginning of such month to such date of
termination, and shall be that proportion of such average daily net assets as
the number of business days in such period bears to the number of business days
in such month. The average daily net assets of the Fund shall in all cases be
based only on business days and be computed as of the time of the regular close
of business of the New York Stock Exchange, or such other time as may be
determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Each such payment shall
be accompanied by a report prepared either by the Fund or by a reputable firm of
independent accountants which shall show the amount properly payable to the
Manager under this Agreement and the detailed computation thereof.
8. The Manager assumes no responsibility under this Agreement other than
to render the services called for hereunder, in good faith, and shall not be
responsible for any action of the Board of Directors of the Corporation in
following or declining to follow any advice or recommendations of the Manager;
provided, that nothing in this Agreement shall protect the Manager against any
liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which it would otherwise be subject
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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 hereunder.
9. Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict the right of any
director, officer, or employee of the Manager who may also be a director,
officer, or employee of the Corporation or the Fund, to engage in any other
business or to devote his time and attention in part to the management or other
aspects of any other business, whether of a similar nature or a dissimilar
nature, nor to limit or restrict the right of the Manager to engage in any other
business or to render services of any kind, including investment advisory and
management services, to any other corporation, firm, individual or association.
10. As used in this Agreement, the term "net assets" shall have the
meaning ascribed to it in the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation and
the terms "assignment," "interested person," and "majority of the outstanding
voting securities" shall have the meanings given to them by Section 2(a) of the
1940 Act, subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and
Exchange Commission by any rule, regulation or order.
11. This Agreement will become effective with respect to the Fund on the
date first written above, provided that it shall have been approved by the
Corporation's Board of Directors and by the shareholders of the Fund in
accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act and, unless sooner terminated
as provided herein, will continue in effect for two years from the above written
date. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue in effect
with respect to the Fund for successive annual periods ending on the same date
of each year, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least
annually (i) by the Corporation's Board of Directors or (ii) by a vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the
1940 Act), provided that in either event the continuance is also approved by a
majority of the Corporation's Directors 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.
12. This Agreement is terminable with respect to the Fund without penalty
by the Corporation's Board of Directors, by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), or by
the Manager, on not less than sixty (60) days' notice to the other party and
will be terminated upon the mutual written consent of the Manager and the
Corporation. This Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its
assignment by the Manager and shall not be assignable by the Corporation without
the consent of the Manager.
13. In the event this Agreement is terminated by either party or upon
written notice from the Manager at any time, the Corporation hereby agrees that
it will eliminate from its corporate name any reference to the name of "Xxxx
Xxxxx." The Corporation shall have the non-exclusive use of the name "Xxxx
Xxxxx" in whole or in part so long as this Agreement is effective or until such
notice is given.
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14. The Manager agrees that for services rendered to the Fund, or
indemnity due in connection with service to the Fund, it shall look only to
assets of the Fund for satisfaction and that it shall have no claim against the
assets of any other fund.
15. Each party agrees to perform such further acts and execute such
further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof.
16. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or
terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party
against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is
sought, and no material amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until
approved by vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting
securities.
17. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between
the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings
relating to the subject matter hereof. Should any part of this Agreement be held
or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder
of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement shall be binding
on and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers thereunto duly authorized.
Attest: XXXX XXXXX INVESTORS TRUST, INC.
By: _________________________ By: _____________________________________
Attest: XXXX XXXXX FUND ADVISER, INC.
By: _________________________ By: _____________________________________
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