▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ FINANCIAL SERVICES TRUST
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of this 3rd day of December, 1996 between ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Financial Services Trust, an unincorporated business trust organized under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (the "Fund"), and ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Distributors Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Distributor").
W I T N E S S E T H:
Whereas, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"), as a diversified open-end investment company and it
is in the interest of the Fund to offer its shares for sale continuously, and
Whereas, the Fund and the Distributor wish to enter into an agreement with
each other with respect to the continuous offering of the Fund's transferable
shares of beneficial interest, of $0.01 par value (the "Shares"), to commence
on the date listed above, in order to promote the growth of the Fund and
facilitate the distribution of its shares.
Now, Therefore, the parties agree as follows:
Section 1. Appointment of the Distributor. (a) The Fund hereby appoints the
Distributor as the principal underwriter of the Fund to sell Shares to the
public on the terms set forth in this Agreement and the Fund's Prospectus and
the Distributor hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to act hereunder.
The Fund, during the term of this Agreement, shall sell Shares to the
Distributor upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.
(b) The Distributor agrees to purchase Shares, as principal for its own
account, from the Fund and to sell Shares as principal to investors, and
securities dealers, including ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc. ("DWR") upon the terms
described herein and in the Fund's prospectus (the "Prospectus") and statement
of additional information included in the Fund's registration statement (the
"Registration Statement") most recently filed from time to time with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and effective under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and 1940 Act or as the
Prospectus may be otherwise amended or supplemented and filed with the SEC
pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act.
Section 2. Exclusive Nature of Duties. The Distributor shall be the
exclusive principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund, except that the
exclusive rights granted to the Distributor to sell the Shares shall not apply
to Shares issued by the Fund: (i) in connection with the merger or
consolidation of any other investment company or personal holding company with
the Fund or the acquisition by purchase or otherwise of all (or substantially
all) the assets or the outstanding shares of any such company by the Fund; or
(ii) pursuant to reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions; or
(iii) pursuant to the reinstatement privilege afforded redeeming shareholders.
Section 3. Purchase of Shares from the Fund. (a) The Distributor shall have
the right to buy from the Fund the Shares needed, but not more than the Shares
needed (except for clerical errors in transmission), to fill unconditional
orders for Shares placed with the Distributor by investors and securities
dealers. The price which the Distributor shall pay for the Shares so purchased
from the Fund shall be the net asset value, determined as set forth in the
Prospectus.
(b) The shares are to be resold by the Distributor at the net asset value
per share, as set forth in the Prospectus to investors, or to securities
dealers of its choice, including DWR, who have entered into selected dealer
agreements with the Distributor pursuant to Section 7 ("Selected Dealers").
(c) The Fund shall have the right to suspend the sale of the Shares at times
when redemption is suspended pursuant to the conditions set forth in Section
4(d) hereof. The Fund shall also have the right to suspend the sale of the
Shares if trading on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended, if
a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New York
authorities, or if there shall have been some other extraordinary event which,
in the judgment of the Fund, makes it impracticable to sell the Shares.
1
(d) The Fund, or any agent of the Fund designated in writing by the Fund,
shall be promptly advised of all purchase orders for Shares received by the
Distributor. Any order may be rejected by the Fund; provided, however, that the
Fund will not arbitrarily or without reasonable cause refuse to accept orders
for the purchase of Shares. The Distributor will confirm orders upon their
receipt, and the Fund (or its agent) upon receipt of payment therefor and
instructions will deliver share certificates for such Shares or a statement
confirming the issuance of Shares. Payment shall be made to the Fund in New
York Clearing House funds. The Distributor agrees to cause such payment and
such instructions to be delivered promptly to the Fund (or its agent).
With respect to Shares sold by any Selected Dealer, the Distributor is
authorized to direct the Fund's transfer agent to receive instructions directly
from the Selected Dealer on behalf of the Distributor as to registration of
Shares in the names of investors and to confirm issuance of the Shares to such
investors. The Distributor is also authorized to instruct the transfer agent to
receive payment directly from the Selected Dealer on behalf of the Distributor,
for prompt transmittal to the Fund's custodian, of the purchase price of the
Shares. In such event the Distributor shall obtain from the Selected Dealer and
maintain a record of such registration instructions and payments.
Section 4. Repurchase or Redemption of Shares. (a) Any of the outstanding
Shares may be tendered for redemption at any time, and the Fund agrees to
redeem the Shares so tendered in accordance with the applicable provisions set
forth in the Prospectus. The price to be paid to redeem the Shares shall be
equal to the net asset value determined as set forth in the Prospectus less any
applicable contingent deferred sales charge. All payments by the Fund hereunder
shall be made in the manner set forth below.
The proceeds of any redemption of shares shall be paid by the Fund as
follows: (i) any applicable contingent deferred sales charge shall be paid to
the Distributor or to the Selected Dealer, or, when applicable, pursuant to the
Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
("NASD"), retained by the Fund and (ii) the balance shall be paid to the
redeeming shareholders, in each case in accordance with applicable provisions
of the Prospectus in New York Clearing House funds. The Distributor is
authorized to direct the Fund to pay directly to the Selected Dealer any
contingent deferred sales charges payable by the Fund to the Distributor in
respect of Shares sold by the Selected Dealer to the redeeming shareholders.
(b) The Distributor is authorized, as agent for the Fund, to repurchase
Shares, represented by a share certificate which is delivered to any office of
the Distributor in accordance with applicable provisions set forth in the
Prospectus. The Distributor shall promptly transmit to the transfer agent of
the Fund for redemption all Shares so delivered. The Distributor shall be
responsible for the accuracy of instructions transmitted to the Fund's transfer
agent in connection with all such repurchases.
(c) The Distributor is authorized, as agent for the Fund, to repurchase
Shares held in a shareholder's account with the Fund for which no share
certificate has been issued, upon the telephonic or telegraphic request of the
shareholder, or at the discretion of the Distributor. The Distributor shall
promptly transmit to the transfer agent of the Fund, for redemption, all such
orders for repurchase of shares. Payment for shares repurchased may be made by
the Fund to the Distributor for the account of the shareholder. The Distributor
shall be responsible for the accuracy of instructions transmitted to the Fund's
transfer agent in connection with all such repurchases.
(d) Redemption of Shares or payment by the Fund may be suspended at times
when the New York Stock Exchange is closed, when trading on said Exchange is
restricted, when an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund
of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably
practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets, or
during any other period when the Securities and Exchange Commission, by order,
so permits.
With respect to Shares tendered for redemption or repurchase by any Selected
Dealer on behalf of its customers, the Distributor is authorized to instruct
the transfer agent of the Fund to accept orders for redemption or repurchase
directly from the Selected Dealer on behalf of the Distributor and to instruct
the Fund to transmit payments for such redemptions and repurchases directly to
the Selected Dealer on
2
behalf of the Distributor for the account of the shareholder. The Distributor
shall obtain from the Selected Dealer and maintain a record of such orders. The
Distributor is further authorized to obtain from the Fund; and shall maintain,
a record of payments made directly to the Selected Dealer on behalf of the
Distributor.
Section 5. Duties of the Fund. (a) The Fund shall furnish to the Distributor
copies of all information, financial statements and other papers which the
Distributor may reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution
of the Shares, including one certified copy, upon request by the Distributor,
of all financial statements prepared by the Fund and examined by independent
accountants. The Fund shall, at the expense of the Distributor, make available
to the Distributor such number of copies of the Prospectus as the Distributor
shall reasonably request.
(b) The Fund shall take, from time to time, but subject to the necessary
approval of its shareholders, all necessary action to fix the number of its
authorized Shares and to register Shares under the 1933 Act, to the end that
there will be available for sale such number of Shares as investors may
reasonably be expected to purchase.
(c) The Fund shall use its best efforts to qualify and maintain the
qualification of an appropriate number of the Shares for sale under the
securities laws of such states as the Distributor and the Fund may approve. Any
such qualification may be withheld, terminated or withdrawn by the Fund at any
time in its discretion. As provided in Section 8(c) hereof, the expense of
qualification and maintenance of qualification shall be borne by the Fund. The
Distributor shall furnish such information and other material relating to its
affairs and activities as may be required by the Fund in connection with such
qualification.
(d) The Fund shall, at the expense of the Distributor, furnish, in
reasonable quantities upon request by the Distributor, copies of annual and
interim reports of the Fund.
Section 6. Duties of the Distributor. (a) The Distributor shall sell shares
of the Fund through DWR and may sell shares through other securities dealers,
and shall devote reasonable time and effort to promote sales of the Shares, but
shall not be obligated to sell any specific number of Shares. The services of
the Distributor hereunder are not exclusive and it is understood that the
Distributor may act as principal underwriter for other registered investment
companies. It is also understood that Selected Dealers, including DWR, may also
sell shares for other registered investment companies.
(b) Neither the Distributor nor any Selected Dealer shall give any
information or make any representations, other than those contained in the
Registration Statement or related Prospectus and any sales literature
specifically approved by the Fund.
(c) The Distributor agrees that it will comply with the terms and
limitations of the Rules of Fair Practice of the NASD.
Section 7. Selected Dealers Agreements. (a) The Distributor shall have the
right to enter into selected dealers agreements with Selected Dealers for the
sale of Shares. In making agreements with Selected Dealers, the Distributor
shall act only as principal and not as agent for the Fund. Shares sold to
Selected Dealers shall be for resale by such dealers only at the public
offering price set forth in the Prospectus.
(b) Within the United States, the Distributor shall offer and sell Shares
only to such Selected Dealers as are members in good standing of the NASD.
(c) The Distributor shall adopt and follow procedures, as approved by the
Fund, for the confirmation of sales of Shares to investors and Selected
Dealers, the collection of amounts payable by investors and Selected Dealers on
such sales, and the cancellation of unsettled transactions, as may be necessary
to comply with the requirements of the NASD, as such requirements may from time
to time exist.
Section 8. Payment of Expenses. (a) The Distributor shall bear all expenses
incurred by it in connection with its duties and activities under this
Agreement including the payment to Selected Dealers of any sales commissions,
service fees and other expenses for sales of the Fund's shares (except such
expenses as are specifically undertaken herein by the Fund) incurred or paid by
Selected Dealers,
3
including DWR. It is understood and agreed that, so long as the Fund's Plan of
Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act continues in effect, any
expenses incurred by the Distributor hereunder may be paid from amounts the
Distributor and any Selected Dealer are entitled to receive from the Fund under
such Plan. It is further understood and agreed that expenses for which the
Distributor and any Selected Dealer may be paid under said Plan include
opportunity costs, which may be calculated as a carrying charge on the excess
of distribution expenses, incurred by the Distributor and/or the Selected
Dealer over distribution revenues received by each of them, respectively, under
this Agreement.
(b) The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses of the Fund, including fees
and disbursements of legal counsel including counsel to the Trustees of the
Fund who are not interested persons (as defined in the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of the Fund or
the Distributor, and independent accountants, in connection with the
preparation and filing of any required Registration Statements and Prospectuses
and all amendments and supplements thereto, and the expense of preparing,
printing, mailing and otherwise distributing prospectuses and statements of
additional information, annual or interim reports or proxy materials to
shareholders.
(c) The Fund shall bear the cost and expenses of qualification of the Shares
for sale, and, if necessary or advisable in connection therewith, of qualifying
the Fund as a broker or dealer, in such states of the United States or other
jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund and the Distributor pursuant to
Section 5(c) hereof and the cost and expenses payable to each such state for
continuing qualification therein until the Fund decides to discontinue such
qualification pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof.
Section 9. Indemnification. (a) The Fund shall indemnify and hold harmless
the Distributor and each person, if any, who controls the Distributor 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, which may be based upon the 1933
Act, or on any other statute or at common law, on the ground that the
Registration Statement or related Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information, as from time to time amended and supplemented, or the annual or
interim reports to shareholders of the Fund, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, unless
such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
information furnished to the Fund in connection therewith by or on behalf of
the Distributor; provided, however, that in no case (i) is the indemnity of the
Fund in favor of the Distributor and any such controlling persons to be deemed
to protect the Distributor or any such controlling persons thereof against any
liability to the Fund or its security holders to which the Distributor or any
such controlling persons would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or
by reason of 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 paragraph with respect to any claim made against the
Distributor or any such controlling persons, unless the Distributor or any such
controlling persons, as the case may be, shall have notified the Fund in
writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process
giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the
Distributor or such controlling persons (or after the Distributor or such
controlling persons shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any such claim shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to the person against whom such
action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph. The Fund will 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 such liability, but if the Fund elects to assume
the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and
satisfactory to the Distributor or such controlling person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event the Fund elects to assume the
defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the Distributor or such
controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them, but, in case
the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, it will
reimburse the Distributor or such controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by them. The Fund shall promptly notify the Distributor of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or trustees in connection with the issuance or sale of the Shares.
4
(b) (i) The Distributor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each
of its Trustees and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
against any loss, liability, claim, damage, or expense described in the
indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, but only with respect
to statements or omissions made in reliance upon, and in conformity with,
information furnished to the Fund in writing by or on behalf of the
Distributor for use in connection with the Registration Statement or related
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as from time to time
amended, or the annual or interim reports to shareholders.
(ii) The Distributor shall indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and the
Fund's transfer agent, individually and in its capacity as the Fund's
transfer agent, from and against any claims, damages and liabilities which
arise as a result of actions taken pursuant to instructions from, or on
behalf of, the Distributor to: (1) redeem all or a part of shareholder
accounts in the Fund pursuant to subsection 4(c) hereof and pay the proceeds
to, or as directed by, the Distributor for the account of each shareholder
whose Shares are so redeemed; and (2) register Shares in the names of
investors, confirm the issuance thereof and receive payment therefor
pursuant to subsection 3(d).
(iii) In case any action shall be brought against the Fund or any person
so indemnified by this subsection 9(b) in respect of which indemnity may be
sought against the Distributor, the Distributor shall have the rights and
duties given to the Fund, and the Fund and each person so indemnified shall
have the rights and duties given to the Distributor by the provisions of
subsection (a) of this Section 9.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable or
insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b)
above in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof) referred to herein, then each indemnifying party
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in
respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative
benefits received by the Fund on the one hand and the Distributor on the other
from the offering of the Shares. If, however, the allocation provided by the
immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law, then each
indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such
indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Fund on the one hand and
the Distributor on the other in connection with the statements or omissions
which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Fund on the one hand and
the Distributor on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as
the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received
by the Fund bear to the total compensation received by the Distributor, in each
case as set forth in the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a
material fact relates to information supplied by the Fund or the Distributor
and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and
opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Fund and the
Distributor agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were
determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which
does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to above. The
amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof)
referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating
or defending any such claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection
(c), the Distributor shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess
of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares distributed by it to
the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which
it has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of
fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation.
Section 10. Duration and Termination of this Agreement. This Agreement shall
become effective as of the date first above written and shall remain in force
until April 30, 1997, and thereafter, but only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board of Trustees of the
5
Fund, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund, cast in person or by proxy, and (ii) a majority of those Trustees who are
not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party and who
have no direct or indirect financial interest in this Agreement or in the
operation of the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related thereto,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting upon such
approval.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time without the payment of any
penalty, by the Trustees of the Fund, by a majority of the Trustees of the Fund
who are not interested persons of the Fund and who have no direct or indirect
financial interest in this Agreement, or by vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the Distributor, on sixty
days' written notice to the other party. This Agreement shall automatically
terminate in the event of its assignment.
The terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,"
"assignment" and "interested person," when used in this Agreement, shall have
the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act.
Section 11. Amendments of this Agreement. This Agreement may be amended by
the parties only if such amendment is specifically approved by (i) the Trustees
of the Fund, or by the vote of a majority of outstanding voting securities of
the Fund, and (ii) a majority of those Trustees of the Fund who are not parties
to this Agreement or interested persons of any such party and who have no
direct or indirect financial interest in this Agreement or in any Agreement
related to the Fund's Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the
1940 Act, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such
approval.
Section 12. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance
with the law of the State of New York and the applicable provisions of the 1940
Act. To the extent the applicable law of the State of New York, or any of the
provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the
latter shall control.
Section 13. Personal Liability. The Declaration of the Trust establishing
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Financial Services Trust, dated November 8, 1996, 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Financial Services 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Financial
Services 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 or
otherwise, in connection with the affairs of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Financial Services
Trust, but the Trust Estate only shall be liable.
In Witness Whereof, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this
Agreement as of the day and year first written in New York, New York.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Financial Services Trust
By:
..............................
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Distributors Inc.
By:
..............................
6