▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SERIES TRUST
MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
This Management Contract dated as of ____________, 1997 between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
SERIES TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"), on behalf of its
Mid-Cap Value Fund (the "Fund"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC., a
Delaware corporation (the "Manager").
WITNESSETH:
That in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is
agreed as follows:
1. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE MANAGER TO THE FUND.
(a) The Manager, at its expense will furnish continuously an investment
program for the Fund, will determine what investments shall be purchased, held,
sold, or exchange by the Fund and what portion, if any, of the assets of the
Fund shall be held uninvested and shall, on behalf of the Fund, make changes in
the Fund's investments. In the performance of its duties, the Manager will
comply with the provisions of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and Bylaws
of the Trust and the Fund's stated investment objectives, policies, and
restrictions, and will use its best efforts to safeguard and promote the welfare
of the Fund and to comply with other policies which the Trustees may from time
to time determine and shall exercise the same care and diligence expected of the
Trustees.
(b) The Manager, at its expense, except as such expense is paid by the
Fund as provided in Section 1(d), will furnish all necessary investment and
related management facilities, including salaries of personnel, required for it
to execute its duties faithfully. The Manager will pay the compensation, if
any, of certain officers of the Trust carrying out the investment management and
related duties provided for by this Contract.
(c) The Manager, at its expense, shall place all orders for the purchase
and sale of portfolio investments for the Fund's account with brokers or dealers
selected by the Manager. In the selection of such brokers or dealers and the
placing of such orders, the Manager shall use its best efforts to obtain for the
Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent it
may be permitted to pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research
services as described below. In using its best efforts to obtain for the Fund
the most favorable price and execution available, the Manager, bearing in mind
the Fund's best interests at all times, shall consider all factors it deems
relevant, including, by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction,
the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the
timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the
reputation, experience, and financial stability of the broker or dealer
involved, and
the quality of service rendered by the broker or dealer in other transactions.
Subject to such policies as the Trustees of the Trust may determine, the Manager
shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty
created by this Contract or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the
Fund to pay a broker or dealer that provides brokerage and research services to
the Manager an amount of commission for effecting a portfolio investment
transaction in excess of the amount of commission that another broker or dealer
would have charged for effecting that transaction, if the Manager determines in
good faith that such amount of commission was reasonable in relation to the
value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer,
viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Manager's overall
responsibilities with respect to the Fund and to other clients of the Manager as
to which the Manager exercises investment discretion. The Trust hereby agrees
with the Manager that any entity or person associated with the Manger which is a
member of a national securities exchange is authorized to effect any transaction
on such exchange for the account of the Trust and any Fund thereof which is
permitted by Section 11(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
(d) The Manager shall not be obligated to pay any expenses of or for the
Fund or the Trust not expressly assumed by the Manager pursuant to this Section
1 other than as provided in Section 3.
2. OTHER AGREEMENTS, ETC.
It is understood that any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers, and
employees of the Trust may be a shareholder, director, officer, or employee of,
or be otherwise interested in, the Manager, and in any person controlled by or
under common control with the Manager, and that the Manager and any person
controlled by or under common contract with the Manager may have an interest in
the Trust. It is also understood that the Manager and any person controlled by
or under common control with the Manager have and may have advisory, management,
service, or other contracts with other organizations and persons, and may have
other interests and business.
3. COMPENSATION TO BE PAID BY THE FUND TO THE MANAGER.
The Fund will pay to the Manager as compensation for the Manager's services
rendered, for the facilities furnished and for the expenses borne by the Manager
pursuant to Section 1, fees in respect of the Fund, computed and paid quarterly
at the annual rate of [0.95]% of the average net asset value of the Fund.
Such average net asset value shall be determined by taking an average of
all of the determinations of such net asset value during such quarter at the
close of business on each business day during such quarter which this Contract
is in effect. Such fees shall be payable for each fiscal quarter within 30 days
after the close of such quarter and shall commence accruing as of the date of
the initial issuance of shares of the Fund to the public.
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In the event that expenses of the Fund for any fiscal year should exceed
the expense limitation on investment company expenses imposed by any statute or
regulatory authority of any jurisdiction in which shares of the Fund are
qualified for offer or sale, the compensation due the Manager for such fiscal
year shall be reduced by the amount of such excess by a reduction or refund
thereof. In the event that the expenses of the Fund exceed any expense
limitation which the Manager may, by written notice to the Trust, voluntarily
declare to be effective subject to such terms and conditions as the Manager may
prescribe in such notice, the compensation due the Manager shall be reduced,
and, if necessary, the Manager shall assume expenses of the Fund, to the extent
required by such expense limitation.
If the Manager shall serve for less than the whole of a quarter, the
foregoing compensation shall be prorated.
4. ASSIGNMENT TERMINATES THIS CONTRACT; AMENDMENTS OF THIS CONTRACT.
This Contract shall automatically terminate, without the payment of any
penalty, in the event of its assignment; and this Contract shall not be amended
unless such amendment be approved at a meeting by the affirmative vote of a
majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and by the vote, cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, of a majority of
the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the Trust or of the
Manager.
5. EFFECTIVE PERIOD AND TERMINATION OF THIS CONTRACT.
This Contract shall become effective upon its execution and shall remain in
full force and effect continuously thereafter (unless terminated automatically
as set forth in Section 4) until terminated as follows:
(a) Either party hereto may at any time terminate this Contract by not
more than sixty days nor less than thirty days written notice delivered or
mailed by registered mail, postage prepaid, to the other party, or
(b) If (i) the Trustees of the Trust or the shareholders by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund and (ii) a
majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons of the
Trust or of the Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the
purpose of voting on such approval, do not specifically approve at least
annually the continuance of this Contract, then this Contract shall
automatically terminate at the close of business on ___________, 1999 or the
expiration of one year from the effective date of the last such continuance,
whichever is later.
Action by the Trust under (a) above may be taken either (i) by vote of a
majority of its Trustees, or (ii) by the affirmative vote of a majority of the
outstanding shares of the Fund.
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Termination of this Contract pursuant to this Section 5 will be without the
payment of any penalty.
6. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Contract, the "affirmative vote of a majority of
the outstanding shares" of the Fund means the affirmative vote, at a duly called
and held meeting of such shareholders, (a) of the holders of 67% or more of the
shares of the Fund present (in person or by proxy) and entitled to vote at such
meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund
entitled to vote at such meeting are present in person or by proxy, or (b) of
the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund entitled to
vote at such meeting, whichever is less.
For the purposes of this Contract, the terms "affiliated person",
"control", "interested person", and "assignment" shall have their respective
meanings defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, subject, however, to such exemptions as may be
granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission under said Act; the term
"specifically approve at least annually" shall be construed in a manner
consistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the Rules
and Regulations thereunder; and the term "brokerage and research services" shall
have the meaning given in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the Rules and Regulations thereunder.
7. NON-LIABILITY OF MANAGER.
In the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on
the part of the Manager, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties
hereunder, the Manager shall not be subject to any liability to the Fund or the
Trust or to any shareholder of the Fund or the Trust for any act or omission in
the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder.
8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS.
A copy of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust is on file
with the Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is
hereby given that this instrument is executed on behalf of the Trustees of the
Trust as Trustees and not individually and that the obligations of this
instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers, or shareholders
of the Trust but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Trust.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SERIES TRUST and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
INC. have each caused this instrument to be signed in duplicate in its behalf by
its President or Vice President thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and
year first above written.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SERIES TRUST
By:________________________________
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC.
By:________________________________