Munder Series Trust, et al.;, 20701-20705 [2013-07947]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 66 / Friday, April 5, 2013 / Notices Applicant’s Address: 100 International Dr., 7th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust II, Inc. [File No. 811–21286] Summary: Applicant, a closed-end investment company, seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. The applicant has transferred its assets to BlackRock Credit Allocation Income Trust IV and, on December 10, 2012, made a final distribution to its shareholders based on net asset value. Expenses of $340,672 incurred in connection with the reorganization were paid by BlackRock Advisors, LLC, applicant’s investment adviser. Filing Dates: The application was filed on January 15, 2013, and amended on February 21, 2013 and March 25, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809. Excelsior Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund of Funds (TE), LLC [File No. 811–22035] Excelsior Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund of Funds (TI), LLC [File No. 811–22036] Excelsior Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund of Funds (TE 2), LLC [File No. 811–22318] Summary: Each applicant, a closedend investment company, seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. The applicants have transferred their assets to Excelsior Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund of Funds, LLC (formerly named Excelsior MultiStrategy Hedge Fund of Funds Master Fund, LLC) and, on December 31, 2012, Excelsior Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund of Funds (TE), LLC and Excelsior MultiStrategy Hedge Fund of Funds (TI), LLC, and on January 31, 2013, Excelsior Multi-Strategy Hedge Fund of Funds (TE2), LLC, each made a final distribution to its shareholders based on net asset value. Each applicant incurred expenses of approximately $75,000 in connection with its reorganization. Filing Date: The applications were filed on February 21, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 225 High Ridge Rd., Stamford, CT 06905. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Eclipse Funds [File No. 811–4847] Summary: Applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. Each series of applicant has transferred its assets to a corresponding shell series of MainStay Funds Trust and, on May 25, 2012, made a final distribution to its shareholders based on net asset value. Expenses of $142,330 incurred in connection with the reorganization were paid by applicant. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:14 Apr 04, 2013 Jkt 229001 Filing Date: The application was filed on February 8, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 51 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10010. NCM Capital Investment Trust [File No. 811–22015] Summary: Applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. On August 30, 2012, applicant made a liquidating distribution to its shareholders, based on net asset value. Expenses of $13,793 incurred in connection with the liquidation were paid by NCM Capital Advisers, Inc., applicant’s investment adviser. Filing Date: The application was filed on February 22, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 2634 DurhamChapel Hill Boulevard, Suite 206, Durham, NC 27707. DWS Value Equity Trust [File No. 811– 1444] Summary: Applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. Applicant has transferred its assets to DWS S&P 500 Index Fund, a series of DWS Institutional Funds, and on April 30, 2012, applicant made a final distribution to its shareholders based on net asset value. Expenses of $185,690 incurred in connection with the reorganization were paid by Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc., applicant’s investment adviser. Filing Date: The application was filed on February 22, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 345 Park Ave., New York, NY 10154. Midas Perpetual Portfolio, Inc. [File No. 811–2474] Midas Magic, Inc. [File No. 811–4625] Summary: Each applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. The applicants have transferred their assets to Midas Series Trust and, on October 12, 2012, each made a final distribution to its shareholders based on net asset value. Expenses of approximately $79,092 and $79,487, respectively, incurred in connection with the reorganizations were paid by each applicant. Filing Date: The applications were filed on March 4, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 11 Hanover Sq., New York, NY 10005. FBR Funds [File No. 811–21503] Summary: Applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. Each series of applicant has transferred its assets to a corresponding series of Hennessy Funds Trust or Hennessy Mutual Funds, Inc. PO 00000 Frm 00090 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20701 and, on October 26, 2012, made a final distribution to its shareholders based on net asset value. Expenses of $1,175,000 incurred in connection with the reorganization were paid by FBR Fund Advisers, Inc., applicant’s investment adviser, and Hennessy Advisors, Inc., investment adviser to the acquiring funds. Filing Date: The application was filed on March 1, 2013. Applicant’s Address: FBR Fund Advisers, Inc., 1001 Nineteenth St. North, Arlington, VA 22209. YieldQuest Funds Trust [File No. 811– 21771] Summary: Applicant seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. On August 31, 2012, applicant made a liquidating distribution to its shareholders, based on net asset value. Expenses of $31,250 incurred in connection with the liquidation were paid by applicant and YieldQuest Advisors, LLC, applicant’s investment adviser. Filing Date: The application was filed on February 22, 2013. Applicant’s Address: 3280 Peachtree Rd., Suite 2600, Atlanta, GA 30305. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, pursuant to delegated authority. Kevin M. O’Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–07946 Filed 4–4–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Investment Company Act Release No. 30441; File No. 812–14099] Munder Series Trust, et al.; Notice of Application March 29, 2013. Securities and Exchange Commission (‘‘Commission’’). ACTION: Notice of an application under section 6(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (‘‘Act’’) for an exemption from section 15(a) of the Act and rule 18f–2 under the Act, as well as from certain disclosure requirements. AGENCY: Summary of Application: Applicants request an order that would permit them to enter into and materially amend sub-advisory agreements with Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers (as defined below) and non-affiliated subadvisers without shareholder approval and would grant relief from certain disclosure requirements. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 20702 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 66 / Friday, April 5, 2013 / Notices Applicants: Munder Series Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’) and Munder Capital Management (‘‘MCM’’). DATES: Filing Dates: The application was filed on November 28, 2012, and amended on December 31, 2012, March 15, 2013 and March 28, 2013. Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the application will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission’s Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30 p.m. on April 23, 2013, and should be accompanied by proof of service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the writer’s interest, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification by writing to the Commission’s Secretary. ADDRESSES: Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090. Applicants, 480 Pierce Street, Birmingham, MI 48009. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce R. MacNeil, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–6876, or Daniele Marchesani, Branch Chief, at (202) 551–6821 (Division of Investment Management, Exemptive Applications Office). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the application. The complete application may be obtained via the Commission’s Web site by searching for the file number or an applicant using the Company name box, at https:// www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or by calling (202) 551–8090. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Applicants’ Representations 1. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is registered under the Act as an open-end management investment company. The Trust may offer one or more series of shares (each, a ‘‘Series’’) with its own distinct investment objective, policies and restrictions.1 MCM is organized as a Delaware general partnership and is registered as an investment adviser 1 The current Series of the Trust are: Munder Bond Fund, Munder Growth Opportunities Fund, Munder Index 500 Fund, Munder Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Munder Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value Fund, Munder International Fund-Core Equity, Munder International Small-Cap Fund, Munder Large-Cap Value Fund, Munder Micro-Cap Equity Fund, Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund, and Munder Veracity Small-Cap Value Fund. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:14 Apr 04, 2013 Jkt 229001 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (‘‘Advisers Act’’). Each Series has, or will have, as its investment adviser, MCM, or another investment adviser controlling, controlled by or under common control with MCM or its successors (each, an ‘‘Adviser’’).2 Any future Adviser will also be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act.3 2. The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each Series pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Trust (‘‘Investment Advisory Agreement’’). The Investment Advisory Agreement was approved by the board of trustees of the Trust (‘‘Board’’),4 including a majority of the members of the Board who are not ‘‘interested persons,’’ as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act, of the Trust, of a Series or the Adviser (‘‘Independent Trustees’’) and by the shareholders of the relevant Series as required by sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act and rule 18f-2 thereunder. The terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement comply with section 15(a) of the Act. 3. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board, will provide continuous investment management of the assets of each Series. The Adviser periodically reviews each Series’ investment objective, policies and strategies, and based on the need of a Series may recommend changes to the investment objective, policies and strategies of the Series for consideration by the Board. For its services to each Series under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser receives an advisory fee from that Series based on the average daily net assets of that Series. The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser may, subject to the approval of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and the shareholders of the applicable Series (if required), delegate portfolio 2 For purposes of the requested order, ‘‘successor’’ is limited to an entity that results from a reorganization into another jurisdiction or a change in the type of business organization. 3 Applicants request that the relief apply to applicants, as well as to any future Series and any other existing or future registered open-end management investment company or series thereof that (a) is advised by an Adviser, (b) uses the manager of managers structure described in the application (‘‘Manager of Managers Structure’’), and (c) complies with the terms and conditions of the application (‘‘Sub-Advised Series’’). All registered open-end investment companies that currently intend to rely on the requested order are named as applicants. Any entity that relies on the requested order will do so only in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in the application. 4 The term ‘‘Board’’ also includes the board of trustees or directors of a future Series. PO 00000 Frm 00091 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 management responsibilities of all or a portion of the assets of a Series to a SubAdviser.5 4. Applicants request an order to permit the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, to, without obtaining shareholder approval: (a) Select Sub-Advisers to manage all or a portion of the assets of a Series and enter into Sub-Advisory Agreements (as defined below) with the Sub-Advisers, and (b) materially amend Sub-Advisory Agreements with the SubAdvisers.6 The requested relief will not extend to any sub-adviser, other than a Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser, who is an affiliated person, as defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act, of the Sub-Advised Series, of the Trust, or of the Adviser, other than by reason of serving as a subadviser to one or more of the SubAdvised Series (‘‘Affiliated SubAdviser’’). 5. Pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser will have overall responsibility for the management and investment of each Series’ assets. These responsibilities include recommending the removal or replacement of SubAdvisers, determining the portion of that Sub-Advised Series’ assets to be managed by any given Sub-Adviser and reallocating those assets as necessary from time to time. 6. The Adviser has entered into subadvisory agreements with various SubAdvisers (‘‘Sub-Advisory Agreements’’) to provide investment management services to the Sub-Advised Series.7 The terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreements comply fully with the requirements of 5 As used herein, a ‘‘Sub-Adviser’’ is (a) an indirect or direct ‘‘wholly-owned subsidiary’’ (as such term is defined in the Act) of the Adviser for that Series; (b) a sister company of the Adviser for that Series that is an indirect or direct ‘‘whollyowned subsidiary’’ (as such term is defined in the Act) of the same company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (each of (a) and (b), a ‘‘Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser’’ and collectively, the ‘‘Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers’’), or (c) not an ‘‘affiliated person’’ (as such term is defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act) of the applicable Series, the Trust, or the Adviser, except to the extent that an affiliation arises solely because the Sub-adviser serves as a sub-adviser to a Series (each, a ‘‘Non-Affiliated Sub-Adviser’’). 6 Shareholder approval will continue to be required for any other sub-adviser change (not otherwise permitted by rule or other action of the Commission or staff) and material amendments to an existing Sub-Advisory Agreement with any subadviser other than a Non-Affiliated Sub-Adviser or a Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser (all such changes referred to as ‘‘Ineligible Sub-Adviser Changes’’). 7 If the name of any Sub-Advised Series contains the name of a Sub-Adviser, the name of the Adviser that serves as the primary adviser to the SubAdvised Series, or a trademark or trade name that is owned by that Adviser, will precede the name of the Sub-Adviser. E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 66 / Friday, April 5, 2013 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES section 15(a) of the Act and were approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees and the shareholders of the applicable Series, in accordance with sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act and rule 18f-2 thereunder. The specific day-to-day investment decisions for each applicable Series are made by that Series’ Sub-Adviser, which has discretionary authority to invest the assets or a portion of the assets of that Series subject to the general supervision of the Adviser and the Board. The Adviser currently compensates each Sub-Adviser out of the advisory fees paid to the Adviser under the Investment Advisory Agreement; in the future, Sub-Advised Series may directly pay advisory fees to the Sub-Advisers. 7. Sub-Advised Series will inform shareholders of the hiring of a new SubAdviser pursuant to the following procedures (‘‘Notice and Access Procedures’’): (a) Within 90 days after a new Sub-Adviser is hired for any SubAdvised Series, that Sub-Advised Series will send its shareholders either a Multi-Manager Notice or a MultiManager Notice and Multi-Manager Information Statement; 8 and (b) the Sub-Advised Series will make the Multi-Manager Information Statement available on the Web site identified in the Multi-Manager Notice no later than when the Multi-Manager Notice (or Multi-Manager Notice and MultiManager Information Statement) is first sent to shareholders, and will maintain it on that Web site for at least 90 days thereafter. In the circumstances described in the application, a proxy solicitation to approve the appointment of new Sub-Advisers provides no more meaningful information to shareholders than the proposed Multi-Manager Information Statement. Applicants state 8 A ‘‘Multi-Manager Notice’’ will be modeled on a Notice of Internet Availability as defined in rule 14a–16 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Exchange Act’’), and specifically will, among other things: (a) summarize the relevant information regarding the new Sub-Adviser; (b) inform shareholders that the Multi-Manager Information Statement is available on a Web site; (c) provide the Web site address; (d) state the time period during which the Multi-Manager Information Statement will remain available on that Web site; (e) provide instructions for accessing and printing the MultiManager Information Statement; and (f) instruct the shareholder that a paper or email copy of the MultiManager Information Statement may be obtained, without charge, by contacting the Sub-Advised Series. A ‘‘Multi-Manager Information Statement’’ will meet the requirements of Regulation 14C, Schedule 14C and Item 22 of Schedule 14A under the Exchange Act for an information statement, except as modified by the order to permit Aggregate Fee Disclosure (as defined below). Multi-Manager Information Statements will be filed with the Commission via the EDGAR system. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:14 Apr 04, 2013 Jkt 229001 that each Board would comply with the requirements of sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act before entering into or amending a Sub-Advisory Agreement. 8. Applicants also request an order exempting the Sub-Advised Series from certain disclosure obligations that may require each Sub-Advised Series to disclose fees paid by the Adviser to each Sub-Adviser. Applicants seek relief to permit each Sub-Advised Series to disclose (as a dollar amount and a percentage of the Sub-Advised Series’ net assets): (a) The aggregate fees paid to the Adviser and any Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers; (b) the aggregate fees paid to Non-Affiliated Sub-Advisers; and (c) the fee paid to each Affiliated SubAdviser (collectively, the ‘‘Aggregate Fee Disclosure’’). Applicants’ Legal Analysis 1. Section 15(a) of the Act states, in part, that it is unlawful for any person to act as an investment adviser to a registered investment company ‘‘except pursuant to a written contract, which contract, whether with such registered company or with an investment adviser of such registered company, has been approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such registered company.’’ Rule 18f–2 under the Act provides that each series or class of stock in a series investment company affected by a matter must approve that matter if the Act requires shareholder approval. 2. Form N–1A is the registration statement used by open-end investment companies. Item 19(a)(3) of Form N–1A requires a registered investment company to disclose in its statement of additional information the method of computing the ‘‘advisory fee payable’’ by the investment company, including the total dollar amounts that the investment company ‘‘paid to the adviser (aggregated with amounts paid to affiliated advisers, if any), and any advisers who are not affiliated persons of the adviser, under the investment advisory contract for the last three fiscal years.’’ 3. Rule 20a–1 under the Act requires proxies solicited with respect to a registered investment company to comply with Schedule 14A under the Exchange Act. Items 22(c)(1)(ii), 22(c)(1)(iii), 22(c)(8) and 22(c)(9) of Schedule 14A, taken together, require a proxy statement for a shareholder meeting at which the advisory contract will be voted upon to include the ‘‘rate of compensation of the investment adviser,’’ the ‘‘aggregate amount of the investment adviser’s fee,’’ a description of the ‘‘terms of the contract to be acted upon,’’ and, if a change in the advisory PO 00000 Frm 00092 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20703 fee is proposed, the existing and proposed fees and the difference between the two fees. 4. Regulation S–X sets forth the requirements for financial statements required to be included as part of a registered investment company’s registration statement and shareholder reports filed with the Commission. Sections 6–07(2)(a), (b), and (c) of Regulation S–X require a registered investment company to include in its financial statement information about the investment advisory fees. 5. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission by order upon application may conditionally or unconditionally exempt any person, security, or transaction or any class or classes of persons, securities, or transactions from any provisions of the Act, or from any rule thereunder, if such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act. Applicants state that their requested relief meets this standard for the reasons discussed below. 6. Applicants assert that the shareholders expect the Adviser, subject to the review and approval of the Board, to select the Sub-Advisers that are suited to achieve the Series’ investment objective. Applicants assert that, from the perspective of the shareholder, the role of the Sub-Adviser is substantially equivalent to the role of the individual portfolio managers employed by an investment adviser to a traditional investment company. Applicants believe that permitting the Adviser to perform the duties for which the shareholders of the Sub-Advised Series are paying the Adviser—the selection, supervision and evaluation of the SubAdviser—without incurring unnecessary delays or expenses is appropriate in the interest of the Series’ shareholders and will allow the Series to operate more efficiently. Applicants state that the Investment Advisory Agreement will continue to be fully subject to section 15(a) of the Act and rule 18f–2 under the Act and approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, in the manner required by sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act. Applicants are not seeking an exemption with respect to the Investment Advisory Agreement. 7. Applicants assert that disclosure of the individual fees that the Adviser would pay to the Sub-Advisers of SubAdvised Series that operate under the Manager of Managers Structure would not serve any meaningful purpose. Applicants contend that the primary E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 20704 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 66 / Friday, April 5, 2013 / Notices reasons for requiring disclosure of individual fees paid to Sub-Advisers are to inform shareholders of expenses to be charged by a particular Sub-Advised Series and to enable shareholders to compare the fees to those of other comparable investment companies. Applicants believe that the requested relief satisfies these objectives because the advisory fee paid to the Adviser, or the Aggregate Fee Disclosure, in the case of a Sub-Advised Series that directly compensates a Sub-Adviser, will be fully disclosed and, therefore, shareholders will know what the SubAdvised Series’ fees and expenses are and will be able to compare the advisory fees a Sub-Advised Series is charged to those of other investment companies. Applicants assert that the requested disclosure relief would benefit shareholders of the Sub-Advised Series because it would improve the Adviser’s ability to negotiate the fees paid to SubAdvisers. Applicants state that the Adviser may be able to negotiate rates that are below a Sub-Adviser’s ‘‘posted’’ amounts if the Adviser is not required to disclose the Sub-Advisers’ fees to the public. Applicants submit that the relief requested to use Aggregate Fee Disclosure will encourage Sub-Advisers to negotiate lower sub-advisory fees with the Adviser if the lower fees are not required to be made public. 8. For the reasons discussed above, applicants submit that the requested relief meets the standards for relief under section 6(c) of the Act. Applicants state that the operation of the SubAdvised Series in the manner described in the application must be approved by shareholders of a Sub-Advised Series before that Sub-Advised Series may rely on the requested relief. In addition, applicants state that the proposed conditions to the requested relief are designed to address any potential conflicts of interest, including any posed by the use of Wholly-Owned SubAdvisers, and provide that shareholders are informed when new Sub-Advisers are hired. Applicants assert that conditions 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 are designed to provide the Board with sufficient independence and the resources and information it needs to monitor and address any conflicts of interest with affiliated persons of the Adviser, including Wholly-Owned SubAdvisers. Applicants state that, accordingly, they believe the requested relief is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act. VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:14 Apr 04, 2013 Jkt 229001 Applicants’ Conditions Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will be subject to the following conditions: 1. Before a Sub-Advised Series may rely on the order requested in the application, the operation of the SubAdvised Series in the manner described in the application, including the hiring of Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers, will be approved by a majority of the SubAdvised Series’ outstanding voting securities as defined in the Act, or, in the case of a Sub-Advised Series whose public shareholders purchase shares on the basis of a prospectus containing the disclosure contemplated by condition 2 below, by the sole initial shareholder before offering the Sub-Advised Series’ shares to the public. 2. The prospectus for each SubAdvised Series will disclose the existence, substance, and effect of any order granted pursuant to the application. Each Sub-Advised Series will hold itself out to the public as employing the Manager of Managers Structure. Each prospectus will prominently disclose that the Adviser has the ultimate responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the Sub-Advisers and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. 3. The Adviser will provide general management services to each SubAdvised Series, including overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Sub-Advised Series’ assets, and, subject to review and approval by the Board, the Adviser will: (a) Set the SubAdvised Series’ overall investment strategies; (b) evaluate, select, and recommend Sub-Advisers to manage all or a portion of the Sub-Advised Series’ assets; and (c) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the Sub-Advisers comply with a SubAdvised Series’ investment objectives, policies and restrictions. Subject to review by the Board, the Adviser will (a) when appropriate, allocate and reallocate the Sub-Advised Series’ assets among multiple Sub-Advisers; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of Sub-Advisers. 4. A Sub-Advised Series will not make any Ineligible Sub-Adviser Changes without the approval of the shareholders of the applicable SubAdvised Series. 5. A Sub-Advised Series will inform shareholders of the hiring of a new SubAdviser within 90 days after the hiring of the new Sub-Adviser pursuant to the Notice and Access Procedures. 6. At all times, at least a majority of the Board will be Independent Trustees, PO 00000 Frm 00093 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 and the selection and nomination of new or additional Independent Trustees will be placed within the discretion of the then-existing Independent Trustees. 7. Independent Legal Counsel, as defined in rule 0–1(a)(6) under the Act, will be engaged to represent the Independent Trustees. The selection of such counsel will be within the discretion of the then-existing Independent Trustees. 8. The Adviser will provide the Board, no less frequently than quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Adviser on a per Sub-Advised Series basis. The information will reflect the impact on profitability of the hiring or termination of any Sub-Adviser during the applicable quarter. 9. Whenever a Sub-Adviser is hired or terminated, the Adviser will provide the Board with information showing the expected impact on the profitability of the Adviser. 10. Whenever a Sub-Adviser change is proposed for a Sub-Advised Series with an Affiliated Sub-Adviser or a WhollyOwned Sub-Adviser, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, will make a separate finding, reflected in the Trust’s Board minutes, that such change is in the best interests of the Sub-Advised Series and its shareholders and does not involve a conflict of interest from which the Adviser or the Affiliated Sub-Adviser or Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser derives an inappropriate advantage. 11. No trustee or officer of the Trust or of a Sub-Advised Series or any partner, director, manager or officer of the Adviser will own directly or indirectly (other than through a pooled investment vehicle that is not controlled by such person) any interest in a SubAdviser except for: (a) Ownership of interests in the Adviser or any entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Adviser; or (b) ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding securities of any class of equity or debt of a publicly traded company that is either a SubAdviser or an entity that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a Sub-Adviser. 12. Each Sub-Advised Series will disclose the Aggregate Fee Disclosure in its registration statement. 13. In the event the Commission adopts a rule under the Act providing substantially similar relief to that requested in the application, the requested order will expire on the effective date of that rule. 14. For Sub-Advised Series that pay fees to a Sub-Adviser directly from fund assets, any changes to a Sub-Advisory Agreement that would result in an E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM 05APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 66 / Friday, April 5, 2013 / Notices increase in the total management and advisory fees payable by a Sub-Advised Series will be required to be approved by the shareholders of the Sub-Advised Series. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, under delegated authority. Kevin M. O’Neill, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–07947 Filed 4–4–13; 8:45 am] SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34–69275; File No. 4–660] Fixed Income Roundtable Securities and Exchange Commission. ACTION: Notice of roundtable discussion; request for comment. AGENCY: The Securities and Exchange Commission will host a one day roundtable to discuss the current market structure and potential ways to improve the transparency, liquidity, efficiency, and other aspects of fixed income markets. The roundtable will focus on the municipal securities, corporate bonds, and asset-backed securities markets. The roundtable discussion will be held in the multi-purpose room of the Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters at 100 F Street NE., in Washington, DC on April 16, 2013 beginning at 8:45 a.m. and ending at approximately 4:15 p.m. The public is invited to observe the roundtable discussion. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The roundtable discussion also will be available via webcast on the Commission’s Web site at www.sec.gov. The roundtable will consist of four panels. The participants in the first panel will discuss the current market structure for municipal securities. The participants in the second panel will discuss the current market structure for corporate bonds and asset-backed securities. The participants in the third panel will discuss potential improvements to the market structure for municipal securities. The participants in the fourth panel will discuss potential improvements to the market structure for corporate bonds and asset-backed securities. DATES: The roundtable discussion will take place on April 16, 2013. The Commission will accept comments regarding issues addressed at the roundtable until May 7, 2013. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: 17:14 Apr 04, 2013 Electronic Comments • Use the Commission’s Internet comment form (https://www.sec.gov/ rules/other.shtml); or • Send an email to rulecomments@sec.gov. Please include File Number 4–660 on the subject line. Paper Comments BILLING CODE 8011–01–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods: ADDRESSES: Jkt 229001 • Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–1090. All submission should refer to File Number 4–660. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help us process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission’s Internet Web site (https:// www.sec.gov/rules/other.shtml). Comments are also available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission’s Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. All comments received will be posted without change; we do not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronesha A. Butler, Special Counsel, at (202) 551–5629, Division of Trading and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–7010. Dated: April 2, 2013. By the Commission. Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2013–07983 Filed 4–4–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8011–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 9398; Release No. 69265] Securities Act of 1933; Securities Exchange Act of 1934; Order Regarding Review of FASB Accounting Support Fee for 2013 Under Section 109 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 April 2, 2013. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the ‘‘Act’’) provides that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘‘Commission’’) may recognize, as PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 20705 generally accepted for purposes of the securities laws, any accounting principles established by a standard setting body that meets certain criteria. Consequently, Section 109 of the Act provides that all of the budget of such a standard setting body shall be payable from an annual accounting support fee assessed and collected against each issuer, as may be necessary or appropriate to pay for the budget and provide for the expenses of the standard setting body, and to provide for an independent, stable source of funding, subject to review by the Commission. Under Section 109(f) of the Act, the amount of fees collected for a fiscal year shall not exceed the ‘‘recoverable budget expenses’’ of the standard setting body. Section 109(h) amends Section 13(b)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require issuers to pay the allocable share of a reasonable annual accounting support fee or fees, determined in accordance with Section 109 of the Act. On April 25, 2003, the Commission issued a policy statement concluding that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (‘‘FASB’’) and its parent organization, the Financial Accounting Foundation (‘‘FAF’’), satisfied the criteria for an accounting standardsetting body under the Act, and recognizing the FASB’s financial accounting and reporting standards as ‘‘generally accepted’’ under Section 108 of the Act.1 As a consequence of that recognition, the Commission undertook a review of the FASB’s accounting support fee for calendar year 2013. In connection with its review, the Commission also reviewed the budget for the FAF and the FASB for calendar year 2013. Section 109 of the Act also provides that the standard setting body can have additional sources of revenue for its activities, such as earnings from sales of publications, provided that each additional source of revenue shall not jeopardize, in the judgment of the Commission, the actual or perceived independence of the standard setter. In this regard, the Commission also considered the interrelation of the operating budgets of the FAF, the FASB, and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (‘‘GASB’’), the FASB’s sister organization, which sets accounting standards used by state and local government entities. The Commission has been advised by the FAF that neither the FAF, the FASB, nor the GASB accept contributions from the accounting profession. The Commission understands that the Office of Management and Budget 1 Financial E:\FR\FM\05APN1.SGM Reporting Release No. 70. 05APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20701-20705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07947]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 30441; File No. 812-14099]


Munder Series Trust, et al.; Notice of Application

March 29, 2013.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of an application under section 6(c) of the Investment 
Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from section 15(a) of 
the Act and rule 18f-2 under the Act, as well as from certain 
disclosure requirements.

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SUMMARY: Summary of Application: Applicants request an order that would 
permit them to enter into and materially amend sub-advisory agreements 
with Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers (as defined below) and non-affiliated 
sub-advisers without shareholder approval and would grant relief from 
certain disclosure requirements.

[[Page 20702]]

    Applicants: Munder Series Trust (the ``Trust'') and Munder Capital 
Management (``MCM'').

DATES:  Filing Dates: The application was filed on November 28, 2012, 
and amended on December 31, 2012, March 15, 2013 and March 28, 2013.
    Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the 
application will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. 
Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's 
Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally 
or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 
5:30 p.m. on April 23, 2013, and should be accompanied by proof of 
service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a 
certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the 
writer's interest, the reason for the request, and the issues 
contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request 
notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange 
Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicants, 
480 Pierce Street, Birmingham, MI 48009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce R. MacNeil, Senior Counsel, at 
(202) 551-6876, or Daniele Marchesani, Branch Chief, at (202) 551-6821 
(Division of Investment Management, Exemptive Applications Office).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the 
application. The complete application may be obtained via the 
Commission's Web site by searching for the file number or an applicant 
using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or 
by calling (202) 551-8090.

Applicants' Representations

    1. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and is 
registered under the Act as an open-end management investment company. 
The Trust may offer one or more series of shares (each, a ``Series'') 
with its own distinct investment objective, policies and 
restrictions.\1\ MCM is organized as a Delaware general partnership and 
is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers 
Act of 1940 (``Advisers Act''). Each Series has, or will have, as its 
investment adviser, MCM, or another investment adviser controlling, 
controlled by or under common control with MCM or its successors (each, 
an ``Adviser'').\2\ Any future Adviser will also be registered as an 
investment adviser under the Advisers Act.\3\
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    \1\ The current Series of the Trust are: Munder Bond Fund, 
Munder Growth Opportunities Fund, Munder Index 500 Fund, Munder 
Integrity Mid-Cap Value Fund, Munder Integrity Small/Mid-Cap Value 
Fund, Munder International Fund-Core Equity, Munder International 
Small-Cap Fund, Munder Large-Cap Value Fund, Munder Micro-Cap Equity 
Fund, Munder Mid-Cap Core Growth Fund, and Munder Veracity Small-Cap 
Value Fund.
    \2\ For purposes of the requested order, ``successor'' is 
limited to an entity that results from a reorganization into another 
jurisdiction or a change in the type of business organization.
    \3\ Applicants request that the relief apply to applicants, as 
well as to any future Series and any other existing or future 
registered open-end management investment company or series thereof 
that (a) is advised by an Adviser, (b) uses the manager of managers 
structure described in the application (``Manager of Managers 
Structure''), and (c) complies with the terms and conditions of the 
application (``Sub-Advised Series''). All registered open-end 
investment companies that currently intend to rely on the requested 
order are named as applicants. Any entity that relies on the 
requested order will do so only in accordance with the terms and 
conditions contained in the application.
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    2. The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each Series 
pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Trust 
(``Investment Advisory Agreement''). The Investment Advisory Agreement 
was approved by the board of trustees of the Trust (``Board''),\4\ 
including a majority of the members of the Board who are not 
``interested persons,'' as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act, of 
the Trust, of a Series or the Adviser (``Independent Trustees'') and by 
the shareholders of the relevant Series as required by sections 15(a) 
and 15(c) of the Act and rule 18f-2 thereunder. The terms of the 
Investment Advisory Agreement comply with section 15(a) of the Act.
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    \4\ The term ``Board'' also includes the board of trustees or 
directors of a future Series.
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    3. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the 
Adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board, will provide 
continuous investment management of the assets of each Series. The 
Adviser periodically reviews each Series' investment objective, 
policies and strategies, and based on the need of a Series may 
recommend changes to the investment objective, policies and strategies 
of the Series for consideration by the Board. For its services to each 
Series under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser receives an 
advisory fee from that Series based on the average daily net assets of 
that Series. The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that the 
Adviser may, subject to the approval of the Board, including a majority 
of the Independent Trustees, and the shareholders of the applicable 
Series (if required), delegate portfolio management responsibilities of 
all or a portion of the assets of a Series to a Sub-Adviser.\5\
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    \5\ As used herein, a ``Sub-Adviser'' is (a) an indirect or 
direct ``wholly-owned subsidiary'' (as such term is defined in the 
Act) of the Adviser for that Series; (b) a sister company of the 
Adviser for that Series that is an indirect or direct ``wholly-owned 
subsidiary'' (as such term is defined in the Act) of the same 
company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (each 
of (a) and (b), a ``Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser'' and collectively, the 
``Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers''), or (c) not an ``affiliated person'' 
(as such term is defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act) of the 
applicable Series, the Trust, or the Adviser, except to the extent 
that an affiliation arises solely because the Sub-adviser serves as 
a sub-adviser to a Series (each, a ``Non-Affiliated Sub-Adviser'').
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    4. Applicants request an order to permit the Adviser, subject to 
the approval of the Board, including a majority of the Independent 
Trustees, to, without obtaining shareholder approval: (a) Select Sub-
Advisers to manage all or a portion of the assets of a Series and enter 
into Sub-Advisory Agreements (as defined below) with the Sub-Advisers, 
and (b) materially amend Sub-Advisory Agreements with the Sub-
Advisers.\6\ The requested relief will not extend to any sub-adviser, 
other than a Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser, who is an affiliated person, as 
defined in section 2(a)(3) of the Act, of the Sub-Advised Series, of 
the Trust, or of the Adviser, other than by reason of serving as a sub-
adviser to one or more of the Sub-Advised Series (``Affiliated Sub-
Adviser'').
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    \6\ Shareholder approval will continue to be required for any 
other sub-adviser change (not otherwise permitted by rule or other 
action of the Commission or staff) and material amendments to an 
existing Sub-Advisory Agreement with any sub-adviser other than a 
Non-Affiliated Sub-Adviser or a Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser (all such 
changes referred to as ``Ineligible Sub-Adviser Changes'').
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    5. Pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the 
Adviser will have overall responsibility for the management and 
investment of each Series' assets. These responsibilities include 
recommending the removal or replacement of Sub-Advisers, determining 
the portion of that Sub-Advised Series' assets to be managed by any 
given Sub-Adviser and reallocating those assets as necessary from time 
to time.
    6. The Adviser has entered into sub-advisory agreements with 
various Sub-Advisers (``Sub-Advisory Agreements'') to provide 
investment management services to the Sub-Advised Series.\7\ The terms 
of the Sub-Advisory Agreements comply fully with the requirements of

[[Page 20703]]

section 15(a) of the Act and were approved by the Board, including a 
majority of the Independent Trustees and the shareholders of the 
applicable Series, in accordance with sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the 
Act and rule 18f-2 thereunder. The specific day-to-day investment 
decisions for each applicable Series are made by that Series' Sub-
Adviser, which has discretionary authority to invest the assets or a 
portion of the assets of that Series subject to the general supervision 
of the Adviser and the Board. The Adviser currently compensates each 
Sub-Adviser out of the advisory fees paid to the Adviser under the 
Investment Advisory Agreement; in the future, Sub-Advised Series may 
directly pay advisory fees to the Sub-Advisers.
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    \7\ If the name of any Sub-Advised Series contains the name of a 
Sub-Adviser, the name of the Adviser that serves as the primary 
adviser to the Sub-Advised Series, or a trademark or trade name that 
is owned by that Adviser, will precede the name of the Sub-Adviser.
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    7. Sub-Advised Series will inform shareholders of the hiring of a 
new Sub-Adviser pursuant to the following procedures (``Notice and 
Access Procedures''): (a) Within 90 days after a new Sub-Adviser is 
hired for any Sub-Advised Series, that Sub-Advised Series will send its 
shareholders either a Multi-Manager Notice or a Multi-Manager Notice 
and Multi-Manager Information Statement; \8\ and (b) the Sub-Advised 
Series will make the Multi-Manager Information Statement available on 
the Web site identified in the Multi-Manager Notice no later than when 
the Multi-Manager Notice (or Multi-Manager Notice and Multi-Manager 
Information Statement) is first sent to shareholders, and will maintain 
it on that Web site for at least 90 days thereafter. In the 
circumstances described in the application, a proxy solicitation to 
approve the appointment of new Sub-Advisers provides no more meaningful 
information to shareholders than the proposed Multi-Manager Information 
Statement. Applicants state that each Board would comply with the 
requirements of sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act before entering 
into or amending a Sub-Advisory Agreement.
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    \8\ A ``Multi-Manager Notice'' will be modeled on a Notice of 
Internet Availability as defined in rule 14a-16 under the Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act''), and specifically will, 
among other things: (a) summarize the relevant information regarding 
the new Sub-Adviser; (b) inform shareholders that the Multi-Manager 
Information Statement is available on a Web site; (c) provide the 
Web site address; (d) state the time period during which the Multi-
Manager Information Statement will remain available on that Web 
site; (e) provide instructions for accessing and printing the Multi-
Manager Information Statement; and (f) instruct the shareholder that 
a paper or email copy of the Multi-Manager Information Statement may 
be obtained, without charge, by contacting the Sub-Advised Series.
    A ``Multi-Manager Information Statement'' will meet the 
requirements of Regulation 14C, Schedule 14C and Item 22 of Schedule 
14A under the Exchange Act for an information statement, except as 
modified by the order to permit Aggregate Fee Disclosure (as defined 
below). Multi-Manager Information Statements will be filed with the 
Commission via the EDGAR system.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    8. Applicants also request an order exempting the Sub-Advised 
Series from certain disclosure obligations that may require each Sub-
Advised Series to disclose fees paid by the Adviser to each Sub-
Adviser. Applicants seek relief to permit each Sub-Advised Series to 
disclose (as a dollar amount and a percentage of the Sub-Advised 
Series' net assets): (a) The aggregate fees paid to the Adviser and any 
Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers; (b) the aggregate fees paid to Non-
Affiliated Sub-Advisers; and (c) the fee paid to each Affiliated Sub-
Adviser (collectively, the ``Aggregate Fee Disclosure'').

Applicants' Legal Analysis

    1. Section 15(a) of the Act states, in part, that it is unlawful 
for any person to act as an investment adviser to a registered 
investment company ``except pursuant to a written contract, which 
contract, whether with such registered company or with an investment 
adviser of such registered company, has been approved by the vote of a 
majority of the outstanding voting securities of such registered 
company.'' Rule 18f-2 under the Act provides that each series or class 
of stock in a series investment company affected by a matter must 
approve that matter if the Act requires shareholder approval.
    2. Form N-1A is the registration statement used by open-end 
investment companies. Item 19(a)(3) of Form N-1A requires a registered 
investment company to disclose in its statement of additional 
information the method of computing the ``advisory fee payable'' by the 
investment company, including the total dollar amounts that the 
investment company ``paid to the adviser (aggregated with amounts paid 
to affiliated advisers, if any), and any advisers who are not 
affiliated persons of the adviser, under the investment advisory 
contract for the last three fiscal years.''
    3. Rule 20a-1 under the Act requires proxies solicited with respect 
to a registered investment company to comply with Schedule 14A under 
the Exchange Act. Items 22(c)(1)(ii), 22(c)(1)(iii), 22(c)(8) and 
22(c)(9) of Schedule 14A, taken together, require a proxy statement for 
a shareholder meeting at which the advisory contract will be voted upon 
to include the ``rate of compensation of the investment adviser,'' the 
``aggregate amount of the investment adviser's fee,'' a description of 
the ``terms of the contract to be acted upon,'' and, if a change in the 
advisory fee is proposed, the existing and proposed fees and the 
difference between the two fees.
    4. Regulation S-X sets forth the requirements for financial 
statements required to be included as part of a registered investment 
company's registration statement and shareholder reports filed with the 
Commission. Sections 6-07(2)(a), (b), and (c) of Regulation S-X require 
a registered investment company to include in its financial statement 
information about the investment advisory fees.
    5. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission by order 
upon application may conditionally or unconditionally exempt any 
person, security, or transaction or any class or classes of persons, 
securities, or transactions from any provisions of the Act, or from any 
rule thereunder, if such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the 
public interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the 
purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the Act. 
Applicants state that their requested relief meets this standard for 
the reasons discussed below.
    6. Applicants assert that the shareholders expect the Adviser, 
subject to the review and approval of the Board, to select the Sub-
Advisers that are suited to achieve the Series' investment objective. 
Applicants assert that, from the perspective of the shareholder, the 
role of the Sub-Adviser is substantially equivalent to the role of the 
individual portfolio managers employed by an investment adviser to a 
traditional investment company. Applicants believe that permitting the 
Adviser to perform the duties for which the shareholders of the Sub-
Advised Series are paying the Adviser--the selection, supervision and 
evaluation of the Sub-Adviser--without incurring unnecessary delays or 
expenses is appropriate in the interest of the Series' shareholders and 
will allow the Series to operate more efficiently. Applicants state 
that the Investment Advisory Agreement will continue to be fully 
subject to section 15(a) of the Act and rule 18f-2 under the Act and 
approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent 
Trustees, in the manner required by sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the 
Act. Applicants are not seeking an exemption with respect to the 
Investment Advisory Agreement.
    7. Applicants assert that disclosure of the individual fees that 
the Adviser would pay to the Sub-Advisers of Sub-Advised Series that 
operate under the Manager of Managers Structure would not serve any 
meaningful purpose. Applicants contend that the primary

[[Page 20704]]

reasons for requiring disclosure of individual fees paid to Sub-
Advisers are to inform shareholders of expenses to be charged by a 
particular Sub-Advised Series and to enable shareholders to compare the 
fees to those of other comparable investment companies. Applicants 
believe that the requested relief satisfies these objectives because 
the advisory fee paid to the Adviser, or the Aggregate Fee Disclosure, 
in the case of a Sub-Advised Series that directly compensates a Sub-
Adviser, will be fully disclosed and, therefore, shareholders will know 
what the Sub-Advised Series' fees and expenses are and will be able to 
compare the advisory fees a Sub-Advised Series is charged to those of 
other investment companies. Applicants assert that the requested 
disclosure relief would benefit shareholders of the Sub-Advised Series 
because it would improve the Adviser's ability to negotiate the fees 
paid to Sub-Advisers. Applicants state that the Adviser may be able to 
negotiate rates that are below a Sub-Adviser's ``posted'' amounts if 
the Adviser is not required to disclose the Sub-Advisers' fees to the 
public. Applicants submit that the relief requested to use Aggregate 
Fee Disclosure will encourage Sub-Advisers to negotiate lower sub-
advisory fees with the Adviser if the lower fees are not required to be 
made public.
    8. For the reasons discussed above, applicants submit that the 
requested relief meets the standards for relief under section 6(c) of 
the Act. Applicants state that the operation of the Sub-Advised Series 
in the manner described in the application must be approved by 
shareholders of a Sub-Advised Series before that Sub-Advised Series may 
rely on the requested relief. In addition, applicants state that the 
proposed conditions to the requested relief are designed to address any 
potential conflicts of interest, including any posed by the use of 
Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers, and provide that shareholders are informed 
when new Sub-Advisers are hired. Applicants assert that conditions 6, 
7, 9, 10 and 11 are designed to provide the Board with sufficient 
independence and the resources and information it needs to monitor and 
address any conflicts of interest with affiliated persons of the 
Adviser, including Wholly-Owned Sub-Advisers. Applicants state that, 
accordingly, they believe the requested relief is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection 
of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and 
provisions of the Act.

Applicants' Conditions

    Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will 
be subject to the following conditions:
    1. Before a Sub-Advised Series may rely on the order requested in 
the application, the operation of the Sub-Advised Series in the manner 
described in the application, including the hiring of Wholly-Owned Sub-
Advisers, will be approved by a majority of the Sub-Advised Series' 
outstanding voting securities as defined in the Act, or, in the case of 
a Sub-Advised Series whose public shareholders purchase shares on the 
basis of a prospectus containing the disclosure contemplated by 
condition 2 below, by the sole initial shareholder before offering the 
Sub-Advised Series' shares to the public.
    2. The prospectus for each Sub-Advised Series will disclose the 
existence, substance, and effect of any order granted pursuant to the 
application. Each Sub-Advised Series will hold itself out to the public 
as employing the Manager of Managers Structure. Each prospectus will 
prominently disclose that the Adviser has the ultimate responsibility, 
subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the Sub-Advisers and 
recommend their hiring, termination and replacement.
    3. The Adviser will provide general management services to each 
Sub-Advised Series, including overall supervisory responsibility for 
the general management and investment of the Sub-Advised Series' 
assets, and, subject to review and approval by the Board, the Adviser 
will: (a) Set the Sub-Advised Series' overall investment strategies; 
(b) evaluate, select, and recommend Sub-Advisers to manage all or a 
portion of the Sub-Advised Series' assets; and (c) implement procedures 
reasonably designed to ensure that the Sub-Advisers comply with a Sub-
Advised Series' investment objectives, policies and restrictions. 
Subject to review by the Board, the Adviser will (a) when appropriate, 
allocate and reallocate the Sub-Advised Series' assets among multiple 
Sub-Advisers; and (b) monitor and evaluate the performance of Sub-
Advisers.
    4. A Sub-Advised Series will not make any Ineligible Sub-Adviser 
Changes without the approval of the shareholders of the applicable Sub-
Advised Series.
    5. A Sub-Advised Series will inform shareholders of the hiring of a 
new Sub-Adviser within 90 days after the hiring of the new Sub-Adviser 
pursuant to the Notice and Access Procedures.
    6. At all times, at least a majority of the Board will be 
Independent Trustees, and the selection and nomination of new or 
additional Independent Trustees will be placed within the discretion of 
the then-existing Independent Trustees.
    7. Independent Legal Counsel, as defined in rule 0-1(a)(6) under 
the Act, will be engaged to represent the Independent Trustees. The 
selection of such counsel will be within the discretion of the then-
existing Independent Trustees.
    8. The Adviser will provide the Board, no less frequently than 
quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Adviser on a 
per Sub-Advised Series basis. The information will reflect the impact 
on profitability of the hiring or termination of any Sub-Adviser during 
the applicable quarter.
    9. Whenever a Sub-Adviser is hired or terminated, the Adviser will 
provide the Board with information showing the expected impact on the 
profitability of the Adviser.
    10. Whenever a Sub-Adviser change is proposed for a Sub-Advised 
Series with an Affiliated Sub-Adviser or a Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser, 
the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, will make 
a separate finding, reflected in the Trust's Board minutes, that such 
change is in the best interests of the Sub-Advised Series and its 
shareholders and does not involve a conflict of interest from which the 
Adviser or the Affiliated Sub-Adviser or Wholly-Owned Sub-Adviser 
derives an inappropriate advantage.
    11. No trustee or officer of the Trust or of a Sub-Advised Series 
or any partner, director, manager or officer of the Adviser will own 
directly or indirectly (other than through a pooled investment vehicle 
that is not controlled by such person) any interest in a Sub-Adviser 
except for: (a) Ownership of interests in the Adviser or any entity 
that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the 
Adviser; or (b) ownership of less than 1% of the outstanding securities 
of any class of equity or debt of a publicly traded company that is 
either a Sub-Adviser or an entity that controls, is controlled by, or 
is under common control with a Sub-Adviser.
    12. Each Sub-Advised Series will disclose the Aggregate Fee 
Disclosure in its registration statement.
    13. In the event the Commission adopts a rule under the Act 
providing substantially similar relief to that requested in the 
application, the requested order will expire on the effective date of 
that rule.
    14. For Sub-Advised Series that pay fees to a Sub-Adviser directly 
from fund assets, any changes to a Sub-Advisory Agreement that would 
result in an

[[Page 20705]]

increase in the total management and advisory fees payable by a Sub-
Advised Series will be required to be approved by the shareholders of 
the Sub-Advised Series.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, 
under delegated authority.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-07947 Filed 4-4-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P
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