EXHIBIT 23(d)
MANAGEMENT CONTRACT
Management Contract executed as of December 1, 2000 between ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Series Trust, a Massachusetts business trust (the "Trust"), on behalf of its AXA
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ U.S. Discovery Fund (the "Fund"), and AXA ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Investment
Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Manager").
W I T N E S S E T H:
That in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, it is
agreed as follows:
1. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE MANAGER TO THE TRUST.
(a) Subject always to the control of the Trustees of the Trust and to such
policies as the Trustees may determine, the Manager will, at its expense, (i)
furnish continuously an investment program for the Fund and make investment
decisions on behalf of the Fund and place all orders for the purchase and sale
of its portfolio securities, (ii) furnish office space and equipment, provide
bookkeeping and clerical services (excluding determination of net asset value,
shareholder accounting services and fund accounting services for the Fund being
supplied by BISYS Fund Services Ohio, Inc. or its successors and permitted
assigns), and (iii) pay all salaries, fees and expenses of officers and Trustees
of the Trust who are affiliated with the Manager. In the performance of its
duties, the Manager will comply with the provisions of the Agreement and
Declaration of Trust and By-laws of the Trust, each as amended from time to
time, and the Fund's stated investment objective, policies and restrictions.
(b) In placing orders for the portfolio transactions of the Fund, the
Manager will seek the best 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 shall
consider all factors it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the
overall net economic result to the Fund (involving price paid or received and
any commissions and other costs paid), the efficiency with which the transaction
is effected, the ability to effect the transaction at all where a large block is
involved, the availability of the broker to stand ready to execute possibly
difficult transactions in the future, and the financial strength and stability
of the broker. Subject to such policies as the Trustees 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
another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction,
provided that 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 Trust and to other clients of the Manager as to which the Manager exercises
investment discretion.
(c) Other than as provided in Section 3, the Manager shall not be obligated
under this Contract to pay any expenses of or for the Trust or the Fund not
expressly assumed by the Manager pursuant to this Section 1.
2. OTHER AGREEMENTS, ETC.
It is understood that any of the shareholders, Trustees, officers and
employees of the Trust may be a partner, shareholder, director, officer or
employee of, or be otherwise interested in, the Manager or any person
controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager, and that
the Manager and any person controlling, controlled by or under common control
with the Manager may have an interest in the Trust. It is also understood that
the Manager and persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with
the Manager have and may have advisory, management service, distribution or
other contracts with other organizations and persons, and may have other
interests and businesses.
3. COMPENSATION TO BE PAID BY THE TRUST 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, a fee, computed and paid quarterly at the annual rate of
0.90% of the Fund's average daily net asset value. Such average daily net asset
value of the Fund 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 while this Contract is in
effect. Such fee shall be payable for each quarter within five (5) business days
after the end of such quarter.
In the event that expenses of the Fund (including investment advisory fees
but excluding taxes, portfolio brokerage commissions and any distribution
expenses paid by the Fund pursuant to a distribution plan or otherwise) 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 and sale, the compensation due the
Manager for such fiscal year shall be reduced by the amount of such excess by
reduction or refund thereof. In the event that the expenses of the Fund exceed
any expense limitation that the Manager may, by written notice to the Trust,
declare to be effective with respect to the Fund, 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 bear the
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Fund's expenses to the extent required by such expense limitation.
If the Manager shall serve for less than the whole of a month, 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 is approved in such manner as may be required by the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
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' written notice delivered or mailed by registered
mail, postage prepaid, to the other party, or
(b) If (i) the Trustees of the Trust by majority vote 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 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 the first anniversary of its execution, or upon the expiration
of one year from the effective date of the last such continuance, whichever
is later; provided, however, that if the continuance of this Contract is
submitted to the shareholders of the Fund for their approval and such
shareholders fail to approve such continuance of this Contract as provided
herein, the Manager may continue to serve hereunder in a manner consistent
with the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
Action by the Trust under paragraph (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.
Termination of this Contract pursuant to this Section 5 shall be without
the payment of any penalty.
6. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
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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 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.
For the purposes of this Contract, the terms "control", "interested person"
and "assignment" shall have their respective meanings defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations thereunder, subject, however,
to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission
under said Act; and the phrase "specifically approve at least annually" shall be
construed in a manner consistent with the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
rules and regulations thereunder.
7. NONLIABILITY 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 Trust, or to
any shareholder of the Trust, for any act or omission in the course of, or in
connection with, rendering services hereunder.
8. THE NAMES "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" AND "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇".
The Manager owns the right to use the names "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" and "▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" in connection with investment-related services or products, and such
names may be used by the Trust only with the consent of the Manager. The Manager
consents to the use by the Trust of the name "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Series Trust" or
any other name embodying the name "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" or "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇", in such forms
as the Manager shall in writing approve, but only on the condition that and so
long as (i) this Contract shall remain in full force, and (ii) the Trust shall
fully perform, fulfill and comply with all provisions of this Contract expressed
herein to be performed, fulfilled or complied with by it. No such name shall be
used by the Trust at any time or in any place or for any purposes or under any
conditions except as in this section provided. The foregoing authorization by
the Manager to the Trust to use the names "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" and/or "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" as
part of a business or name is not exclusive of the right of the Manager itself
to use, or to authorize others to use, said name; the Trust acknowledges and
agrees that as between the Manager and the Trust, the Manager has the exclusive
right to use, or to authorize others to use, said names; and the Trust agrees,
on behalf of the Fund, to take such action as may reasonably be requested by the
Manager to give full effect to the provisions of this section (including,
without limitation, consenting to such use of said names). Without limiting the
generality of the
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foregoing, the Trust agrees that, upon any termination of this Contract by
either party or upon the violation of any of its provisions by the Trust, the
Trust will, at the request of the Manager made within six months after the
Manager has knowledge of such termination or violation, use its best efforts to
change the name of the Trust so as to eliminate all reference, if any, to the
names "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" and "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" and will not thereafter transact any
business in a name containing the name "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" or "▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" in any
form or combination whatsoever, or designate itself as the same entity as or
successor to an entity of such name, or otherwise use the name "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" or
"▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇" or any other reference to the Manager. Such covenants on the
part of the Trust shall be binding upon it, its trustees, officers,
stockholders, creditors and all other persons claiming under or through it.
9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF THE TRUSTEES AND SHAREHOLDERS.
A copy of the Trust's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, is on
file with the Secretary 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 or shareholders individually
but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Series Trust, on behalf of its AXA
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ U.S. Discovery Fund, and AXA ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Investment Management LLC have
each caused this instrument to be signed in duplicate on its behalf by its duly
authorized representative, all as of the day and year first above written.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ SERIES TRUST, on behalf of its
AXA ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ U.S. Discovery Fund
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: President
AXA ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ INVESTMENT
MANAGEMENT LLC
By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
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Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
Title: A duly authorized signatory
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