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EXHIBIT (6)(a)(i)
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE AGREEMENT
THIS DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE AGREEMENT dated as of April 7, 1995 (the
"Agreement") by and between ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ AMERICAN CAPITAL EQUITY TRUST, a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), on behalf of its series, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ AMERICAN
CAPITAL UTILITY FUND (the "Fund"), and ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ AMERICAN CAPITAL DISTRIBUTORS,
INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Distributor").
1. Appointment of Distributor. The Fund appoints the Distributor as a
principal underwriter and exclusive distributor of each class of its shares of
beneficial interest (the "Shares") offered for sale from time to time pursuant
to the then current prospectus of the Fund, subject to different combinations
of front-end sales charges, distribution fees, service fees and contingent
deferred sales charges. Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end
sales charge and a distribution and/or service fee are referred to herein as
"FESC Classes" and the Shares of such classes are referred to herein as "FESC
Shares." Classes of shares, if any, subject to a contingent-deferred sales
charge and a distribution and/or a service fee are referred to herein as "CDSC
Classes" and Shares of such classes are referred to herein as "CDSC Shares."
Classes of shares, if any, subject to a front-end sales charge, a
contingent-deferred sales charge and a distribution and/or service fee are
referred to herein as "Combination Classes" and Shares of such class are
referred to herein as "Combination Shares." The Fund reserves the right to
refuse at any time or times to sell Shares hereunder for any reason deemed
adequate by the Board of Trustees of the Fund.
The Distributor will use its best efforts to sell, through its
organization and through other dealers and agents, the Shares which the
Distributor has the right to purchase under Section 2 hereof, but the
Distributor does not undertake to sell any specific number of Shares.
The Distributor agrees that it will not take any long or short positions
in the Shares, except for long positions in those Shares purchased by the
Distributor in accordance with any systematic sales plan described in the then
current Prospectus of the Fund and except as permitted by Section 2 hereof, and
that so far as it can control the situation, it will prevent any of its
trustees, officers or shareholders from taking any long or short positions in
the Shares, except for legitimate investment purposes.
2. Sale of Shares to Distributor. The Fund hereby grants to the
Distributor the exclusive right, except as herein otherwise provided, to
purchase Shares directly from the Fund upon the terms herein set forth. Such
exclusive right hereby granted shall not apply to Shares issued or transferred
or sold at net asset value: (a) in connection with the merger or consolidation
of the Fund with any other investment company or the acquisition by the Fund of
all or substantially all of the assets of or the outstanding Shares of any
investment company; (b) in connection with a pro rata distribution directly to
the holders of Fund Shares in the nature of a stock dividend or stock split or
in connection with any other recapitalization approved by the Board of
Trustees; (c) upon the exercise of purchase or subscription rights granted to
the holders of Shares on a pro rata basis; (d) in connection with the automatic
reinvestment of dividends and distributions from the Fund; or (e) in connection
with the issue and sale of Shares to trustees, officers and employees of the
Fund; to directors, officers and employees of the investment adviser of the
Fund or any principal underwriter (including the Distributor) of the Fund; to
retirees of the Distributor that purchased shares of any mutual fund
distributed by the Distributor prior to retirement; to directors, officers and
employees of ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ American Capital, Inc. (formerly The Van ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Companies, Inc.) (the parent of the Distributor), VK/AC Holding, Inc. (formerly
VKM Holdings, Inc.)(the parent of The Van ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc.) and
to the subsidiaries of VK/AC Holding, Inc.; and to any trust, pension,
profit-sharing or other benefit plan for any of the aforesaid persons as
permitted by Rule 22d-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940
Act").
The Distributor shall have the right to buy from the Fund the Shares
needed, but not more than the Shares needed (except for reasonable allowances
for clerical errors, delays and errors of
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transmission and cancellation of orders) to fill unconditional orders for Shares
received by the Distributor from dealers, agents and investors during each
period when particular net asset values and public offering prices are in effect
as provided in Section 3 hereof; and the price which the Distributor shall pay
for the Shares so purchased shall be the respective net asset value used in
determining the public offering price on which such orders were based. The
Distributor shall notify the Fund at the end of each such period, or as soon
thereafter on that business day as the orders received in such period have been
compiled, of the number of Shares of each class that the Distributor elects to
purchase hereunder.
3. Public Offering Price. The public offering price per Share shall be
determined in accordance with the then current Prospectus of the Fund. In no
event shall the public offering price exceed the net asset value per Share,
plus, with respect to the FESC Shares, a front-end sales charge not in excess
of the applicable maximum sales charge permitted under the Rules of Fair
Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., as in effect
from time to time. The net asset value per share for each class of Shares,
respectively, shall be determined in the manner provided in the Declaration of
Trust and By-Laws of the Trust as then amended, the Certificate of Designation
with respect to the Fund, as amended, and in accordance with the then current
Prospectus of the Fund consistent with the terms and conditions of the
exemptive order with respect to the Fund (Release No. IC-19600) issued by the
Securities and Exchange Commission on July 28, 1993, as it may be amended from
time to time or succeeded by other exemptive orders or rules promulgated by the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act. The Fund will cause
immediate notice to be given to the Distributor of each change in net asset
value as soon as it is determined. Discounts to dealers purchasing FESC Shares
from the Distributor for resale and to brokers and other eligible agents making
sales of FESC Shares to investors and compensation payable from the Distributor
to dealers, brokers and other eligible agents making sales of CDSC Shares and
Combination Shares shall be set forth in the selling agreements between the
Distributor and such dealers or agents, respectively, as from time to time
amended, and, if such discounts and compensation are described in the then
current Prospectus for the Fund, shall be as so set forth.
4. Compliance with NASD Rules, SEC Orders, etc. In selling Fund Shares,
the Distributor will in all respects duly comply with all state and federal
laws relating to the sale of such securities and with all applicable rules and
regulations of all regulatory bodies, including without limitation the Rules of
Fair Practice of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and all
applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the 1940 Act, and will indemnify and save the Fund harmless from any
damage or expense on account of any unlawful act by the Distributor or its
agents or employees. The Distributor is not, however, to be responsible for
the acts of other dealers or agents, except to the extent that they shall be
acting for the Distributor or under its direction or authority. None of the
Distributor, any dealer, any agent or any other person is authorized by the
Fund to give any information or to make any representations, other than those
contained in the Registration Statement or Prospectus heretofore or hereafter
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") (as any such Registration Statement and
Prospectus may have been or may be amended from time to time), covering the
Shares, and in any supplemental information to any such Prospectus approved by
the Fund in connection with the offer or sale of Shares. None of the
Distributor, any dealer, any broker or any other person is authorized to act as
agent for the Fund in connection with the offering or sale of Shares to the
public or otherwise. All such sales shall be made by the Distributor as
principal for its own account.
In selling Shares to investors, the Distributor will adopt and comply with
certain standards, as set forth in Exhibit III attached hereto as to when each
respective class of Shares may appropriately be sold to particular investors.
The Distributor will require every broker, dealer and other eligible agent
participating in the offering of the Shares to agree to adopt and comply with
such standards as a condition precedent to their participation in the offering.
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5. Expenses.
(a) The Fund will pay or cause to be paid:
(i) all expenses in connection with the registration of Shares
under the federal securities laws, and the Fund will exercise
its best efforts to obtain said registration and qualification;
(ii) all expenses in connection with the printing of any notices of
shareholders' meetings, proxy and proxy statements and
enclosures therewith, as well as any other notice or
communication sent to shareholders in connection with any
meeting of the shareholders or otherwise, any annual,
semiannual or other reports or communications sent to the
shareholders, and the expenses of sending prospectuses relating
to the Shares to existing shareholders;
(iii) all expenses of any federal or state original-issue tax or
transfer tax payable upon the issuance, transfer or delivery of
Shares from the Fund to the Distributor; and
(iv) the cost of preparing and issuing any Share certificates which
may be issued to represent Shares.
(b) The Distributor will pay the costs and expenses of qualifying
and maintaining qualification of the Shares for sale under the securities laws
of the various states. The Distributor will also permit its officers and
employees to serve without compensation as trustees and officers of the Fund if
duly elected to such positions.
(c) The Fund shall reimburse the Distributor for out-of-pocket costs
and expenses actually incurred by it in connection with distribution of each
class of Shares respectively in accordance with the terms of a plan (the "12b-1
Plan") adopted by the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act as such
12b-1 Plan may be in effect from time to time; provided, however, that no
payments shall be due or paid to the Distributor hereunder with respect to a
class of Shares unless and until this Agreement shall have been approved for
each such class by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and by a
majority of the "Disinterested Trustees" (as such term is defined in such 12b-1
Plan) by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on
this Agreement. A copy of such 12b-1 Plan as in effect on the date of this
Agreement is attached as Exhibit I hereto. The Fund reserves the right to
terminate such 12b-1 Plan with respect to a class of Shares at any time, as
specified in the Plan. The persons authorized to direct the payment of funds
pursuant to this Agreement and the 12b-1 Plan shall provide to the Fund's Board
of Trustees, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written report
with respect to each of the classes of Shares of the amounts so paid and the
purposes for which such expenditures were made for each such class of Shares.
(d) The Fund shall compensate the Distributor for providing services
to, and the maintenance of, shareholder accounts in the Fund (including
prepaying service fees to eligible brokers, dealers and financial intermediaries
and expenses incurred in connection therewith) and the Distributor may pay as
agent for and on behalf of the Fund a service fee with respect to each class of
Shares to brokers, dealers and financial intermediaries for the provision of
shareholder services and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in the Fund in
the amount with respect to each class of Shares set forth from time to time in
the Fund's prospectus. The Fund shall compensate the Distributor for such
expenses in accordance with the terms of a service plan (the "Service Plan"), as
such Service Plan may be in effect from time to time; provided, however, that no
service fee payments shall be due or paid to the Distributor hereunder with
respect to a class of Shares unless and until this Agreement shall have been
approved for each such class by a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund
and by a majority of the Disinterested Trustees by vote cast in person at a
meeting called for the purpose of voting on this Agreement. A copy of such
Service Plan as in effect on the date of this Agreement is attached as Exhibit
II hereto. The Fund reserves the right to terminate such Service Plan with
respect to a class of Shares at any time, as specified in the Plan. The persons
authorized to direct the payment of funds
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pursuant to this Agreement and the Service Plan shall provide to the Fund's
Board of Trustees, and the Trustees shall review, at least quarterly, a written
report with respect to each of the classes of Shares of the amounts paid as
service fees for each such class of Shares.
6. Redemption of Shares. In connection with the Fund's redemption of its
Shares, the Fund hereby authorizes the Distributor to repurchase, upon the
terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, as the Fund's agent and for the
Fund's account, such Shares as may be offered for sale to the Fund from time to
time by holders of such Shares or their agents.
(a) Subject to and in conformity with all applicable federal and
state legislation, any applicable rules of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., and any applicable rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the 1940 Act, the Distributor may
accept offers of holders of Shares to resell such Shares to the Fund on such
terms and conditions and at such prices as described and provided for in the
then current Prospectus of the Fund.
(b) The Distributor agrees to notify the Fund at such times as the
Fund may specify of the number of each class of Shares, respectively,
repurchased for the Fund's account and the time or times of such repurchases,
and the Fund shall notify the Distributor of the prices and, in the case of a
class of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares, of the deferred sales charge as
described below, if any, applicable to repurchases of Shares of such class.
(c) The Fund shall have the right to suspend or revoke the foregoing
authorization at any time; unless otherwise stated, any such suspension or
revocation shall be effective forthwith upon receipt of notice thereof by
telegraph or by written instrument from any of the Fund's officers. In the
event that the Distributor's authorization is, by the terms of such notice,
suspended for more than twenty-four hours or until further notice, the
authorization given by this Section 6 shall not be revived except by vote of the
Board of Trustees of the Fund.
(d) The Distributor agrees that all repurchases of Shares made by
the Distributor shall be made only as agent for the Fund's account and pursuant
to the terms and conditions herein set forth.
(e) The Fund agrees to authorize and direct its Custodian to pay,
for the Fund's account, the repurchase price (together with any applicable
contingent deferred sales charge) of any Shares so repurchased for the Fund
against the authorized transfer of book shares from an open account and against
delivery of any other documentation required by the Board of Trustees of the
Fund or, in the case of certificated Shares, against delivery of the
certificates representing such Shares in proper form for transfer to the Fund.
(f) The Distributor shall receive no commissions or other
compensation in respect of any repurchases of FESC Shares for the Fund under the
foregoing authorization and appointment as agent. With respect to any
repurchase of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares, the Distributor shall receive
the deferred sales charge, if any, applicable to the respective class of Shares
that have been held for less than a specified period of time with respect to
such class as set forth from time to time in the Fund's Prospectus. The
Distributor shall receive no other commission or other compensation in respect
of any repurchases of CDSC Shares or Combination Shares for the Fund under the
foregoing authorization and appointment as agent.
(g) If any FESC Shares sold to the Distributor under the terms of
this Agreement are redeemed or repurchased by the Fund or by the Distributor as
agent or are tendered for redemption within seven business days after the date
of the Distributor's confirmation of the original purchase by the Distributor,
the Distributor shall forfeit the amount above the net asset value received by
it in respect of such Shares, provided that the portion, if any, of such amount
re-allowed by the Distributor to dealers or agents shall be repayable to the
Fund only to the extent recovered by the Distributor from the dealer or agent
concerned. The Distributor shall include in agreements with such dealers and
agents a corresponding provision for the forfeiture by them of their concession
with respect to FESC Shares purchased by them or their principals and redeemed
or repurchased by the Fund or by the Distributor as agent within seven business
days after the date of the Distributor's confirmation of such initial purchases.
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7. Indemnification. The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Distributor and each of its trustees and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
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, based upon the ground
that the registration statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports or other
information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended)
included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material
fact required to be stated or necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading under the 1933 Act or any other statute or the common law. However,
the Fund does not agree to indemnify the Distributor or hold it harmless to the
extent that the statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in
conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the
Distributor. In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Fund in favor of the
Distributor or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Distributor
or any person against any liability to the Fund or its securityholders to which
the Distributor or such person would otherwise be subject 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 under this
Agreement, or (ii) is the Fund to be liable under its indemnity agreement
contained in this Section with respect to any claim made against the
Distributor or any person indemnified unless the Distributor or any such person
shall have notified the Fund in writing of the claim within a reasonable time
after the summons or other first written notification giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Distributor or any such
person (or after the Distributor or the person shall have received notice of
service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify the Fund of any
claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which it may have to the
Distributor or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph. The Fund shall
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 claims, but
if the Fund elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the Distributor or person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event the Fund elects to assume
the defense of any suit and retain counsel, the Distributor, officers or
trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit,
shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them.
If the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse
the Distributor, officers or trustees or controlling person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit for the reasonable fees and expenses of any
counsel retained by them. The Fund agrees to notify the Distributor promptly
of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its
officers or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of any of the
Shares.
The Distributor also covenants and agrees that it will indemnify and hold
harmless the Fund and each of its trustees and officers and each person, if any,
who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act against
any loss, liability, damage, claim or expense (including the reasonable cost of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, liability, damage, claim or expense
and reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) arising by reason
of any person acquiring any Shares, based upon the 1933 Act or any other statute
or common law, alleging any wrongful act of the Distributor or any of its
employees or alleging that the registration statement, Prospectus, shareholder
reports or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to
time amended) included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading, insofar as the statement or omission was made in reliance upon,
and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the
Distributor. In no case (i) is the indemnity of the Distributor in favor of the
Fund or any person indemnified to be deemed to protect the Fund or any such
person against any liability to which the Fund or such person would otherwise be
subject 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
obligation and duties under this Amended Agreement, or (ii) is the Distributor
to be liable under its indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with
respect to any claim made against the Fund or any person indemnified unless the
Fund or person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Distributor in
writing of the claim within a reasonable time after the summons or other first
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written notification giving information of the nature of the claim shall have
been served upon the Fund or person (or after the Fund or such person shall have
received notice of service on any designated agent). However, failure to notify
the Distributor of any claim shall not relieve the Distributor from any
liability which it may have to the Fund or any person against whom the action is
brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in this
paragraph. In the case of any notice to the Distributor, it shall 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 the claim, but if the
Distributor elects to assume the defense, the defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the Fund, to its officers and trustees
and to any controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit.
In the event that the Distributor elects to assume the defense of any suit and
retain counsel, the Fund or controlling persons, defendants in the suit, shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the
Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any suit, it will reimburse
the Fund, officers and trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel
retained by them. The Distributor agrees to notify the Fund promptly of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it in connection with the
issue and sale of any of the Shares.
8. Continuation, Amendment or Termination of This Agreement. This
Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date and thereafter shall
continue in full force and effect year to year with respect to each class of
Shares so long as such continuance is approved at least annually (i) by the
Board of Trustees of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the respective class of Shares of the Fund, and (ii) by
vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or
interested persons in any such party (the "Independent Trustee") cast in person
at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, provided,
however, that (a) this Agreement may at any time be terminated with respect to
either class of Shares of the Fund without the payment of any penalty either by
vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees, or by vote of a majority of
the outstanding voting securities of the respective class of Shares of the
Fund, on written notice to the Distributor; (b) this Agreement shall
immediately terminate in the event of its assignment; and (c) this Agreement
may be terminated by the Distributor on ninety (90) days' written notice to the
Fund. Upon termination of this Agreement with respect to either class of
Shares of the Fund, the obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease and
terminate with respect to such class of Shares as of the date of such
termination, except for any obligation to respond for a breach of this
Agreement committed prior to such termination.
This Agreement may be amended with respect to either class of Shares at
any time by mutual consent of the parties, provided that such consent on the
part of the Fund shall have been approved (i) by the Board of Trustees of the
Fund, or by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the
respective class of Shares of the Fund, and (ii) by vote of a majority of the
Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such amendment.
For the purpose of this section, the terms "vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities", "interested persons" and "assignment" shall
have the meanings defined in the 1940 Act, as amended.
9. Limited Liability of Shareholder. Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Agreement, you acknowledge and agree that, as
provided by Section 8.1 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Trust,
this Agreement is executed by the Trustees of the Trust and/or Officers of the
Fund by them not individually but as such Trustees and/or Officers, and the
obligations of the Fund hereunder are not binding upon any of the Trustees,
Officers or Shareholders individually, but bind only the trust estate.
10. Notice. Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing,
addressed and delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the other party at any office
of such party or at such other address as such party shall have designated in
writing.
11. GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, AND THE RIGHTS OF THE PARTIES HERETO SHALL BE GOVERNED BY,
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THE LAW OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT OF
LAWS.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed by their officers designated below on the day and year first above
written.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ AMERICAN CAPITAL EQUITY
TRUST, on behalf of its series, ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ AMERICAN CAPITAL UTILITY FUND
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President and Secretary
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ AMERICAN CAPITAL
DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Executive Vice President
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