FUND OF FUNDS INVESTMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
RULE 12d1-4
FUND OF FUNDS INVESTMENT AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, is made this 10th day of April, 2023, by and between each trust identified on Schedule A (each, an “Acquiring Trust”), on behalf of itself and its respective series identified on Schedule A, severally and not jointly (each, an “Acquiring Fund”), and each trust identified on Schedule B (each, an “Underlying Trust”), on behalf of itself and its respective series identified on Schedule B, severally and not jointly (each, an “Acquired Fund” and together with the Acquiring Funds, the “Funds”), and shall be effective April 17, 2023.
WHEREAS, each Fund is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”);
WHEREAS, Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act limits the extent to which a registered investment company may invest in shares of other registered investment companies, and Section 12(d)(1)(B) limits the extent to which a registered investment company, its principal underwriter or registered brokers or dealers may knowingly sell shares of such registered investment company to other investment companies;
WHEREAS, Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Rule”) permits registered investment companies, such as the Acquiring Funds, to invest in shares of other registered investment companies, such as the Acquired Funds, in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act subject to compliance with the conditions of the Rule; and
WHEREAS, an Acquiring Fund may, from time to time, invest in shares of one or more Acquired Funds in excess of the limitations of Section 12(d)(1)(A) in reliance on the Rule.
NOW THEREFORE, in accordance with the Rule, the Acquiring Funds and the Acquired Funds desire to set forth the following terms pursuant to which the Acquiring Funds may invest in the Acquired Funds in reliance on the Rule.
| 1. | Terms of Investment |
(a) In order to help reasonably address the risk of undue influence on an Acquired Fund by an Acquiring Fund, and to assist the Acquired Fund’s investment adviser with making the required findings under the Rule, each Acquiring Fund and each Acquired Fund agree as follows:
(i) In-kind redemptions. The Acquiring Fund acknowledges and agrees that, if and to the extent consistent with the Acquired Fund’s registration statement, as amended from time to time, the Acquired Fund may honor any redemption request partially or wholly in-kind.
(ii) Timing/advance notice of redemptions. The Acquiring Fund will use reasonable efforts to provide advance notification of redemption requests to the Acquired Fund whenever practicable and consistent with the Acquiring Fund’s best interests. The Acquired Fund acknowledges and agrees that any notification provided pursuant to the foregoing is not a commitment to redeem and constitutes an estimate that may
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Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
differ materially from the amount, timing and manner in which a redemption request is submitted, if any.
(iii) Scale of investment. Upon a reasonable request by an Acquired Fund, the Acquiring Fund will provide summary information regarding the anticipated timeline of its investments in the Acquired Fund and the scale of its contemplated investments in the Acquired Fund.
(b) In order to assist the Acquiring Fund’s investment adviser with evaluating the complexity of the structure and fees and expenses associated with an investment in an Acquired Fund, each Acquired Fund shall provide each Acquiring Fund and its investment adviser with information on the fees and expenses of the Acquired Fund reasonably requested by the Acquiring Fund with reference to the Rule.
| 2. | Representations of the Acquired Funds. |
In connection with any investment by an Acquiring Fund in an Acquired Fund in excess of the limitations in Section 12(d)(1)(A), the Acquired Fund agrees to: (i) comply with all conditions of the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, applicable to Acquired Funds; (ii) comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) promptly notify the Acquiring Fund if such Acquired Fund fails to comply with the Rule with respect to an investment by the Acquiring Fund, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, or this Agreement. An Acquired Fund will also notify the Acquiring Fund promptly if such Acquired Fund purchases or otherwise acquires the securities of an investment company or private fund in contravention of Rule 12d1-4(b)(3)(ii).
| 3. | Representations of the Acquiring Funds. |
In connection with any investment by an Acquiring Fund in an Acquired Fund in excess of the limitations in Section 12(d)(1)(A), the Acquiring Fund agrees to: (i) comply with all conditions of the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, applicable to Acquiring Funds; (ii) comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) promptly notify the Acquired Fund if such Acquiring Fund fails to comply with the Rule with respect to its investment in such Acquired Fund, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, or this Agreement.
| 4. | [RESERVED] |
| 5. | Notices |
All notices, including all information that either party is required to provide under the terms of this Agreement and the Rule, shall be in writing and shall be delivered by registered or overnight mail, facsimile, or electronic mail to the address for each party specified below.
| If to the Acquiring Fund: | If to the Acquired Fund: |
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Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
Xxxxxx Xxxxx, General Counsel 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, XX 00000 Email: XxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx |
Aristotle Funds Series Trust c/o Aristotle Investment Services LLC 00000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx. Suite 1700 Los Angeles, CA 90025 Email: xxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx |
| 6. | Indemnification |
(a) Each Acquiring Fund agrees to hold harmless and indemnify each corresponding Acquired Fund, including any of its principals, directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, against and from any and all losses, expenses or liabilities incurred by, or claims or actions (“Claims”) asserted against, the Acquired Fund, including any of its principals, directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, to the extent such Claims result from a violation or alleged violation by such Acquiring Fund of any provision of this Agreement, such indemnification to include any reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection with investigating and/or defending such Claims; provided that no Acquiring Fund shall be liable for indemnifying any Acquired Fund for any Claims resulting from violations that occur directly as a result of incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the Acquired Fund to such Acquiring Fund pursuant to terms and conditions of this Agreement.
(b) Each Acquired Fund agrees to hold harmless and indemnify each corresponding Acquiring Fund, including any of its principals, directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, against and from any and all losses, expenses or liabilities incurred by, or Claims asserted against, the Acquiring Fund, including any of its directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, to the extent such Claims result from a violation or alleged violation by such Acquired Fund of any provision of this Agreement, such indemnification to include any reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection with investigating and/or defending such Claims; provided that no Acquired Fund shall be liable for indemnifying any Acquiring Fund for any Claims resulting from violations that occur directly as a result of incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the Acquiring Fund to such Acquired Fund pursuant to terms and conditions of this Agreement.
| 7. | Term and Termination; Assignment; Amendment |
(a) This Agreement shall be effective for the duration of the Acquired Funds’ and/or the Acquiring Funds’ reliance on the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time. While the terms of the Agreement shall only be applicable to investments in Funds made in reliance on the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, the Agreement shall continue in effect until terminated pursuant to Section 7(b).
(b) This Agreement shall continue until terminated in writing by either party upon 60 days’ notice to the other party. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund may not purchase additional shares of the Acquired Fund beyond the Section 12(d)(1)(A) limits in reliance on the Rule.
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Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
(c) This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other. In the event either party assigns this Agreement to a third party as provided in this Section, such permitted third party shall be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement applicable to the assigning party.
(d) This Agreement may be amended only by a writing that is signed by each affected party.
(e) This Agreement will be governed by the laws of Delaware without regard to its choice of law principles.
(f) In any action involving the Acquiring Funds under this Agreement, each Acquired Fund agrees to look solely to the individual Acquiring Fund that is involved in the matter in controversy and not to any other series of the Acquiring Trusts.
(g) In any action involving the Acquired Funds under this Agreement, each Acquiring Fund agrees to look solely to the individual Acquired Fund that is involved in the matter in controversy and not to any other series of the Acquired Trusts.
| 8. | Miscellaneous |
(a) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which is deemed an original but all of which together constitute one and the same instrument. For purposes hereof, a facsimile copy of this Agreement, including the signature pages hereto, shall be deemed an original.
(b) Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid, illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise unenforceable, the remaining provisions hereof will be considered severable and will not be affected thereby, and every remaining provision hereof will remain in full force and effect and will remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
(c) Notice. The Acquiring Funds are hereby expressly put on notice of the limitation of shareholder liability as set forth in the Declaration of Trust (the “Trust Document”) of which each Acquired Fund is a series (the “Trust”) or other organizational documents and agrees that the obligations assumed by the Trust pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in all cases to the relevant Acquired Fund and its assets, and the Acquiring Funds shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the relevant Acquired Fund or any other series of the Trust. In addition, the Acquiring Funds shall not seek satisfaction of any such obligations from the Trustees or any individual Trustee. The Acquiring Funds understand that the rights and obligations of any Fund under the Trust Document or other organizational document are separate and distinct from those of any and all other series of the Trust.
[Signature Page Follows.]
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Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
ARISTOTLE FUNDS SERIES TRUST, on behalf of itself and each of the Acquired Funds listed on Schedule B, Severally and Not Jointly
| By: | /s/Xxx St. Xxxxxxx |
Xxx St. Xxxxxxx
Vice President
PACIFIC SELECT FUND, on behalf each of the Acquiring Funds listed on Schedule A, Severally and Not Jointly
| By: | /s/Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx |
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Senior Vice President
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Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
SCHEDULE A
Acquiring Trust and Acquiring Funds
| Acquiring Trust | Acquiring Funds |
| Pacific Select Fund | ESG Diversified Portfolio |
| ESG Diversified Growth Portfolio |
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Exhibit (h)(7)(ix)
SCHEDULE B
Acquired Trust and Acquired Funds
| Acquired Trust | Acquired Funds |
| Aristotle Funds Series Trust | Xxxxxxxxx ESG Core Bond Fund |
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