▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SMALL CAP FUND
(a series of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Equity Trust)
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
December 3, 2004
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Advisers, LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Investment Management Contract
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Equity Trust (the "Trust"), of which ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Small Cap
Fund (the "Fund") is a series, has been organized as a business trust under the
laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts to engage in the business of an
investment company. The Trust's shares of beneficial interest, no par value, may
be divided into series, each series representing the entire undivided interest
in a separate portfolio of assets. This Agreement relates solely to the Fund.
The Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Trustees") has selected ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Advisers, LLC (the "Adviser") to provide overall investment advice and
management for the Fund, and to provide certain other services, as more fully
set forth below, and the Adviser is willing to provide such advice, management
and services under the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.
Accordingly, the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, agree as
follows:
1. INVESTMENT AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES. The Adviser will use its best
efforts to provide to the Fund continuing and suitable investment programs with
respect to investments, consistent with the investment objectives, policies and
restrictions of the Fund. In the performance of the Adviser's duties hereunder,
subject to the Fund's organizational documents and the limitations set forth in
the Fund's then-current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information
included in the registration statement of the Trust as in effect from time to
time under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), the Adviser will, at its own expense:
(a) furnish the Fund with advice and recommendations, consistent with the
investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Fund, with
respect to the purchase, holding and disposition of portfolio
securities, alone or in consultation with any subadviser or
subadvisers appointed pursuant to this Agreement and subject to the
provisions of any sub-investment management contract respecting the
responsibilities of such subadviser or subadvisers;
(b) advise the Fund in connection with policy decisions to be made by the
Trustees or any committee thereof with respect to the Fund's
investments and, as requested, furnish the Fund with research,
economic and statistical data in connection with the Fund's
investments and investment policies;
(c) provide administration of the day-to-day investment operations of the
Fund;
(d) submit such reports relating to the valuation of the Fund's securities
as the Trustees may reasonably request;
(e) assist the Fund in any negotiations relating to the Fund's investments
with issuers, investment banking firms, securities brokers or dealers
and other institutions or investors;
(f) consistent with the provisions of Section 6 of this Agreement, place
orders for the purchase, sale or exchange of portfolio securities with
brokers or dealers selected by the Adviser, PROVIDED that in
connection with the placing of such orders and the selection of such
brokers or dealers the Adviser shall seek to obtain execution and
pricing within the policy guidelines determined by the Trustees and
set forth in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information of
the Fund as in effect from time to time;
(g) provide office space and office equipment and supplies, the use of
accounting equipment when required, and necessary executive, clerical
and secretarial personnel for the administration of the affairs of the
Fund;
(h) from time to time or at any time requested by the Trustees, make
reports to the Fund of the Adviser's performance of the foregoing
services and furnish advice and recommendations with respect to other
aspects of the business and affairs of the Fund;
(i) maintain all books and records with respect to the Fund's securities
transactions required by the 1940 Act, including subparagraphs (b)(5),
(6), (9) and (10) and paragraph (f) of Rule 31a-1 thereunder (other
than those records being maintained by the Fund's custodian or
transfer agent) and preserve such records for the periods prescribed
therefor by Rule 31a-2 of the 1940 Act (the Adviser agrees that such
records are the property of the Fund and will be surrendered to the
Fund promptly upon request therefor);
(j) obtain and evaluate such information relating to economies,
industries, businesses, securities markets and securities as the
Adviser may deem necessary or useful in the discharge of the Adviser's
duties hereunder;
(k) oversee, and use the Adviser's best efforts to assure the performance
of the activities and services of the custodian, transfer agent or
other similar agents retained by the Fund;
(l) give instructions to the Fund's custodian as to deliveries of
securities to and from such custodian and transfer of payment of cash
for the account of the Fund; and
(m) appoint and employ one or more sub-advisors satisfactory to the Fund
under sub-investment management agreements.
2. EXPENSES PAID BY THE ADVISER. The Adviser will pay:
(a) the compensation and expenses of all officers and employees of the
Trust;
(b) the expenses of office rent, telephone and other utilities, office
furniture, equipment, supplies and other expenses of the Fund; and
(c) any other expenses incurred by the Adviser in connection with the
performance of its duties hereunder.
3. EXPENSES OF THE FUND NOT PAID BY THE ADVISER. The Adviser will not be
required to pay any expenses which this Agreement does not expressly make
payable by it. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the
foregoing but subject to the provisions of Section 2, the Adviser will not be
required to pay under this Agreement:
(a) any and all expenses, taxes and governmental fees incurred by the
Trust or the Fund prior to the effective date of this Agreement;
(b) without limiting the generality of the foregoing clause (a), the
expenses of organizing the Trust and the Fund (including without
limitation, legal, accounting and auditing fees and expenses incurred
in connection with the matters referred to in this clause (b), of
initially registering shares of the Trust under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and of qualifying the shares for sale under state
securities laws for the initial offering and sale of shares;
(c) the compensation and expenses of Trustees who are not interested
persons (as used in this Agreement, such term shall have the meaning
specified in the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of the Adviser and of independent advisers,
independent contractors, consultants, managers and other unaffiliated
agents employed by the Fund other than through the Adviser;
(d) legal, accounting, financial management, tax and auditing fees and
expenses of the Fund (including an allocable portion of the cost of
its employees rendering such services to the Fund);
(e) the fees and disbursements of custodians and depositories of the
Fund's assets, transfer agents, disbursing agents, plan agents and
registrars;
(f) taxes and governmental fees assessed against the Fund's assets and
payable by the Fund;
(g) the cost of preparing and mailing dividends, distributions, reports,
notices and proxy materials to shareholders of the Fund;
(h) brokers' commissions and underwriting fees;
(i) the expense of periodic calculations of the net asset value of the
shares of the Fund; and
(j) insurance premiums on fidelity, errors and omissions and other
coverages.
4. COMPENSATION OF THE ADVISER. For all services to be rendered, facilities
furnished and expenses paid or assumed by the Adviser as herein provided, the
Adviser shall be entitled to a fee, paid daily, at an annual rate equal to 0.90%
of the average daily net asset value of the Fund.
The "average daily net assets" of the Fund shall be determined on the basis
set forth in the Fund's Prospectus or otherwise consistent with the 1940 Act and
the regulations promulgated thereunder. On any day that the net asset value
calculation is suspended as specified in the Fund's Prospectus, the net asset
value for purposes of calculating the advisory fee shall be calculated as of the
date last determined.
In addition, the Adviser may agree not to impose all or a portion of its
fee (in advance of the time its fee would otherwise accrue) and/or undertake to
make any other payments or arrangements necessary to limit the Fund's expenses
to any level the Adviser may specify. Any fee reduction or undertaking shall
constitute a binding modification of this Agreement while it is in effect but
may be discontinued or modified prospectively by the Adviser at any time.
5. OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE ADVISER AND ITS AFFILIATES. Nothing herein
contained shall prevent the Adviser or any affiliate or associate of the Adviser
from engaging in any other business or from acting as investment adviser or
investment manager for any other person or entity, whether or not having
investment policies or portfolios similar to the Fund's; and it is specifically
understood that officers, directors and employees of the Adviser and those of
its affiliates may continue to engage in providing portfolio management services
and advice to other investment companies, whether or not registered, to other
investment advisory clients of the Adviser or of its affiliates and to said
affiliates themselves.
The Adviser shall have no obligation to acquire with respect to the Fund a
position in any investment which the Adviser, its officers, affiliates or
employees may acquire for its or their own accounts or for the account of
another client, if, in the sole discretion of the Adviser, it is not
feasible or desirable to acquire a position in such investment on behalf of the
Fund. Nothing herein contained shall prevent the Adviser from purchasing or
recommending the purchase of a particular security for one or more funds or
clients while other funds or clients may be selling the same security.
6. AVOIDANCE OF INCONSISTENT POSITION. In connection with purchases or
sales of portfolio securities for the account of the Fund, neither the Adviser
nor any of its investment management subsidiaries, nor any of the Adviser's or
such investment management subsidiaries' directors, officers or employees will
act as principal or agent or receive any commission, except as may be permitted
by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. If any
occasions shall arise in which the Adviser advises persons concerning the shares
of the Fund, the Adviser will act solely on its own behalf and not in any way on
behalf of the Fund. Nothing herein contained shall limit or restrict the Adviser
or any of its officers, affiliates or employees from buying, selling or trading
in any securities for its or their own account or accounts.
7. NO PARTNERSHIP OR JOINT VENTURE. Neither the Trust, the Fund nor the
Adviser are partners of or joint venturers with each other and nothing herein
shall be construed so as to make them such partners or joint venturers or impose
any liability as such on any of them.
8. NAME OF THE TRUST AND THE FUND. The Trust and the Fund may use the name
"▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" or any name or names derived from or similar to the names "▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Advisers, LLC", "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Life Insurance Company", or "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Financial Services, Inc." only for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.
At such time as this Agreement shall no longer be in effect, the Trust and the
Fund will (to the extent that they lawfully can) cease to use such a name or any
other name indicating that the Fund is advised by or otherwise connected with
the Adviser. The Fund acknowledges that it has adopted the name ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Small Cap Fund through permission of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Life Insurance Company, a
Massachusetts insurance company, and agrees that ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Life Insurance
Company reserves to itself and any successor to its business the right to grant
the nonexclusive right to use the name "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" or any similar name or
names to any other corporation or entity, including but not limited to any
investment company of which ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Life Insurance Company or any
subsidiary or affiliate thereof shall be the investment adviser.
9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE ADVISER. The Adviser shall not be liable
for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the
Trust in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except a
loss resulting from willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the
performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations
and duties under this Agreement. Any person, even though also employed by the
Adviser, who may be or become an employee of and paid by the Trust shall be
deemed, when acting within the scope of his employment by the Fund, to be acting
in such employment solely for the Trust and not as the Adviser's employee or
agent.
10. DURATION AND TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT. This Agreement shall remain
in force until June 30, 2006, and from year to year thereafter, but only so long
as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (a) a majority
of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Adviser or (other than as
Board members) of the Fund, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose
of voting on such approval, and (b) either (i) the Trustees or (ii) a majority
of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. This Agreement may, on 60
days' written notice, be terminated at any time without the payment of any
penalty by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
Fund, by the Trustees or by the Adviser. Termination of this Agreement shall not
be deemed to terminate or otherwise invalidate any provisions of any contract
between the Adviser and any other series of the Trust. This Agreement shall
automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. In interpreting the
provisions of this Section 10, the definitions contained in Section 2(a) of the
1940 Act (particularly the definitions of "assignment," "interested person" and
"voting security") shall be applied.
11. AMENDMENT OF THIS AGREEMENT. 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 amendment, transfer, assignment,
sale, hypothecation or pledge of this Agreement shall be effective until
approved by (a) the Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not
interested persons of the Adviser or (other than as Trustees) of the Fund, cast
in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and
(b) a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, as defined in
the 1940 Act.
12. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
13. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Agreement are independent of and
separable from each other, and no provision shall be affected or rendered
invalid or unenforceable by virtue of the fact that for any reason any other or
others of them may be deemed invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part.
14. MISCELLANEOUS. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or limit any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This
Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument. The name ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Small Cap Fund is a series
designation of the Trustees under the Trust's Declaration of Trust. The
Declaration of Trust has been filed with the Secretary of State of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The obligations of the Fund are not personally
binding upon, nor shall resort be had to the private property of, any of the
Trustees, shareholders, officers, employees or agents of the Trust, but only
upon the Fund and its property. The Fund shall not be liable for the obligations
of any other series of the Trust and no other series shall be liable for the
Fund's obligations hereunder.
Yours very truly,
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ EQUITY TRUST
on behalf of ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Small Cap Fund
By:______________________________
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
President and Chief Executive Officer
The foregoing contract
is hereby agreed to as
of the date hereof.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ADVISERS, LLC
By: ______________________________
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Senior Vice President and Secretary