Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, et al., 20664-20671 [2017-08904]
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20664
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 3, 2017 / Notices
each Fund will have a specified
minimum number of Municipal
Securities holdings and will be subject
to percentage limitations on a Fund’s
total assets invested in Municipal
Securities of individual issuers, states
and sectors, as described above.
The proposed rule change is designed
to promote just and equitable principles
of trade and to protect investors and the
public interest in that the Exchange will
obtain a representation from the issuer
of the Shares that the NAV per Share
will be calculated daily and that the
NAV and the Disclosed Portfolio will be
made available to all market
participants at the same time. In
addition, a large amount of information
is publicly available regarding each
Fund and the Shares, thereby promoting
market transparency. Quotation and last
sale information for the Shares and
ETFs will be available via the CTA highspeed line, and from the national
securities exchange on which they are
listed. Prior to the commencement of
trading, the Exchange will inform its
Equity Trading Permit Holders in an
Information Bulletin of the special
characteristics and risks associated with
trading the Shares. Trading in Shares of
the Funds will be halted if the circuit
breaker parameters in NYSE Arca
Equities Rule 7.12 have been reached or
because of market conditions or for
reasons that, in the view of the
Exchange, make trading in the Shares
inadvisable. Trading in the Shares will
be subject to NYSE Arca Equities Rule
8.600(d)(2)(D), which sets forth
circumstances under which Shares of
the Funds may be halted. In addition, as
noted above, investors will have ready
access to information regarding the
Funds’ holdings, the IOPV, the
Disclosed Portfolio, and quotation and
last sale information for the Shares.
The proposed rule change is designed
to perfect the mechanism of a free and
open market and, in general, to protect
investors and the public interest in that
it will facilitate the listing and trading
of additional types of actively-managed
exchange-traded products that
principally hold municipal bonds and
that will enhance competition among
market participants, to the benefit of
investors and the marketplace. As noted
above, the Exchange has in place
surveillance procedures relating to
trading in the Shares and may obtain
information via ISG from other
exchanges that are members of ISG or
with which the Exchange has entered
into a comprehensive surveillance
sharing agreement. In addition, as noted
above, investors will have ready access
to information regarding each Fund’s
holdings, IOPV, Disclosed Portfolio, and
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quotation and last sale information for
the Shares.
B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Burden on Competition
The Exchange does not believe that
the proposed rule change will impose
any burden on competition that is not
necessary or appropriate in furtherance
of the purpose of the Act. The Exchange
notes that the proposed rule change will
facilitate the listing and trading of
additional types of actively-managed
exchange-traded products that
principally hold municipal bonds and
that will enhance competition among
market participants, to the benefit of
investors and the marketplace.
C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s
Statement on Comments on the
Proposed Rule Change Received From
Members, Participants, or Others
No written comments were solicited
or received with respect to the proposed
rule change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the
Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action
Within 45 days of the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register or within such longer period
up to 90 days (i) as the Commission may
designate if it finds such longer period
to be appropriate and publishes its
reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which
the self-regulatory organization
consents, the Commission will:
(A) By order approve or disapprove
the proposed rule change, or
(B) institute proceedings to determine
whether the proposed rule change
should be disapproved.
file number should be included on the
subject line if email is used. To help the
Commission 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/sro.shtml). Copies of the
submission, all subsequent
amendments, all written statements
with respect to the proposed rule
change that are filed with the
Commission, and all written
communications relating to the
proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than
those that may be withheld from the
public in accordance with the
provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
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. Copies of the
filing also will be available for
inspection and copying at the principal
office of the Exchange. All comments
received will be posted without change;
the Commission does not edit personal
identifying information from
submissions. You should submit only
information that you wish to make
available publicly. All submissions
should refer to File Number SR–
NYSEArca–2017–48 and should be
submitted on or before May 24, 2017.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated
authority.35
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–08900 Filed 5–2–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to
submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing,
including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act.
Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:
Electronic Comments
• Use the Commission’s Internet
comment form (https://www.sec.gov/
rules/sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to rule-comments@
sec.gov. Please include File Number SR–
NYSEArca–2017–48 on the subject line.
Paper Comments
• Send paper comments in triplicate
to Secretary, Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20549–1090.
All submissions should refer to File
Number SR–NYSEArca–2017–48. This
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No.
32615; File No. 812–14646]
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, et al.
April 27, 2017.
Securities and Exchange
Commission (‘‘SEC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice of application for an order
approving the substitution of certain
securities pursuant to Section 26(c) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the ‘‘1940 Act’’ or ‘‘Act’’) and
an order of exemption pursuant to
Section 17(b) of the Act from Section
17(a) of the Act.
35 17
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 3, 2017 / Notices
Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company
(‘‘Commonwealth’’) and Commonwealth
Select Separate Account of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Commonwealth
Select Separate Account II of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Commonwealth
Select Separate Account III of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Fulcrum Separate
Account of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company, Group
VEL Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Inheritage Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account FUVUL of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account
IMO of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account KG of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account KGC of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account VA–K of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account
VA–P of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account VEL of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account VEL II of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account
VEL III of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company (collectively,
the ‘‘Separate Accounts,’’ and together
with Commonwealth, the ‘‘Section 26
Applicants’’); and Forethought Variable
Insurance Trust (the ‘‘Trust’’), and
Global Atlantic Investment Advisors,
LLC (‘‘Global Atlantic,’’ and collectively
with the Section 26 Applicants, the
‘‘Section 17 Applicants’’).
SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: The Section
26 Applicants seek an order pursuant to
Section 26(c) of the 1940 Act, approving
the substitution of shares of 77
investment portfolios (each, an
‘‘Existing Portfolio,’’ and collectively,
the ‘‘Existing Portfolios’’) of 20
registered investment companies 1 with
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APPLICANTS:
1 (1) AB Variable Products Series Fund, Inc. (File
Nos. 811–05398; 033–18647); (2) Alger Portfolios
(File Nos. 811–05550; 033–21722); (3) AIM Variable
Insurance Funds (Invesco Variable Insurance
Funds) (File Nos. 811–07452; 033–57340); (4)
Delaware VIP Trust (File Nos. 811–05162; 033–
14363); (5) Deutsche Variable Series I (File Nos.
811–04257; 002–96461); (6) Deutsche Variable
Series II (File Nos. 811–05002; 033–11802); (7)
Dreyfus Investment Portfolios (File Nos. 811–08673;
333–47011); (8) Fidelity Variable Insurance
Products Fund I (File Nos. 811–03329; 002–75010);
(9) Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund II
(File Nos. 811–05511; 033–20773); (10) Fidelity
Variable Insurance Products Fund III (File Nos.
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shares of 13 investment portfolios (each,
a ‘‘Replacement Portfolio,’’ and
collectively, the ‘‘Replacement
Portfolios’’) of the Trust, under certain
variable annuity contracts and variable
life insurance policies (the ‘‘Contracts’’)
funded through the Separate Accounts.
FILING DATE: The application was filed
on April 29, 2016, and was amended
and restated on October 18, 2016 and
March 3, 2017.
HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An
order granting the requested relief will
be issued unless the Commission orders
a hearing. Interested persons may
request a hearing by writing to the
Secretary of the Commission and
serving the 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 May
22, 2017 and should be accompanied by
proof of service on the Applicants in the
form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Pursuant to Rule
0–5 under the Act, hearing requests
should state the nature of the writer’s
interest, any facts bearing upon the
desirability of a hearing on the matter,
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:
Commission: Secretary, SEC, 100 F
Street NE., Washington, DC 20549–
1090.
Applicants: Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company,
Commonwealth Select Separate
Account of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company,
Commonwealth Select Separate
Account II of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company,
Commonwealth Select Separate
Account III of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company, Fulcrum
Separate Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Group VEL Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
811–07205; 033–54837); (11) Fidelity Variable
Insurance Products Fund V (File Nos. 811–05361;
033–17704); (12) Franklin Templeton Variable
Insurance Products Trust (File Nos. 811–05583;
033–23493); (13) Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance
Trust (File Nos. 811–08361; 333–35883); (14) Janus
Aspen Portfolio (File Nos. 811–07736; 033–63212);
(15) Lazard Retirement Series, Inc. (File Nos. 811–
08071; 333–22309); (16) Lincoln Variable Insurance
Products Trust (File Nos. 811–08090; 033–70742);
(17) MFS Variable Insurance Trust (File Nos. 811–
08326; 033–74668); (18) Oppenheimer Variable
Account Funds (File Nos. 811–04108; 002–93177);
(19) Pioneer Variable Contracts Trust (File Nos.
811–08786; 033–84546); (20) T. Rowe Price
International Series, Inc. (File Nos. 811–07145;
033–07145).
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Inheritage Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account FUVUL of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account
IMO of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account KG of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account KGC of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account VA–K of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account
VA–P of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account VEL of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account VEL II of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account
VEL III of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, 132 Turnpike
Road Suite 210, Southborough, MA
01772; and Forethought Variable
Insurance Trust and Global Atlantic
Investment Advisors, LLC, 300 N.
Meridian Street, Suite 1800,
Indianapolis, IN, 46204.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin
C. Loomis, Senior Counsel, at (202) 551–
6721, or Holly Hunter-Ceci, Acting
Assistant Chief Counsel at (202) 551–
6825 (Division of Investment
Management, Chief Counsel’s 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 for an Applicant using the
Company name box, at https://
www.sec.gov.search/search.htm, or by
calling (202) 551–8090.
Applicants’ Representations
1. Commonwealth is a life insurance
company engaged in the business of
writing individual and group annuity
contracts and life insurance policies.
Commonwealth was originally
organized under the laws of Delaware in
July 1974 and was subsequently redomiciled in the state of Massachusetts
effective December 31, 2002.
2. Prior to December 30, 2005,
Commonwealth (formerly Allmerica
Financial Life Insurance and Annuity
Company) was an indirect whollyowned subsidiary of The Hanover
Insurance Group (‘‘THG’’), formerly
Allmerica Financial Corporation. On
that date, THG completed the closing of
the sale of Commonwealth to The
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (‘‘Goldman
Sachs’’). Effective September 1, 2006,
Commonwealth changed its name from
Allmerica Financial Life Insurance and
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 3, 2017 / Notices
Annuity Company to Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company.
Effective April 30, 2013, Goldman Sachs
completed the transfer of the common
stock of Commonwealth to Global
Atlantic (Fin) Company, which is a
wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of
Global Atlantic Financial Group
Limited. Effective January 2, 2014,
Forethought Services LLC acquired
ownership of 79% of the shares of
Commonwealth. Forethought Services
LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Forethought Financial Group, Inc.,
which in turn is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Global Atlantic (Fin)
Company. As of December 31, 2015,
Goldman Sachs owns a total of
approximately 22% of the outstanding
shares of Global Atlantic; and other
investors, none of whom own more than
9.9%, own the remaining 78% of the
outstanding ordinary shares.
3. Each of the Separate Accounts
meets the definition of ‘‘separate
account,’’ as defined in Section 2(a)(37)
of the 1940 Act and Rule 0–1(e)
thereunder. The Separate Accounts are
registered with the Commission under
the 1940 Act as unit investment trusts.
The assets of the Separate Accounts
support the Contracts and interests in
the Separate Accounts offered through
such Contracts. Commonwealth is the
legal owner of the assets in the Separate
Accounts. The Separate Accounts are
segmented into subaccounts, and each
subaccount invests in an underlying
registered open-end management
investment company or a series thereof.
A subaccount of one or more of the
Separate Accounts corresponds to each
of the Existing Portfolios. The business
and affairs of the Separate Accounts, as
unit investment trusts, are conducted by
Commonwealth, as depositor thereof.
4. The Contracts are each registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the ‘‘1933 Act’’), on Form N–
4 or Form N–6, as applicable. Each of
the Contracts has particular fees,
charges, and investment options, as
described in the Contracts’ respective
registration statements.
5. The Contracts are individual or
group deferred variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance
policies. As set forth in the prospectuses
for the Contracts, Commonwealth
reserves the right to substitute shares of
another registered investment company
for the shares of any registered
investment company already purchased
or to be purchased in the future by the
Separate Accounts.
6. Applicants propose, as set forth
below, to substitute shares of the
Replacement Portfolios for shares of the
Existing Portfolios (‘‘Substitutions’’):
Existing portfolio
Replacement portfolio
AB Large Cap Growth Portfolio (Class A) ...............................................
AB Large Cap Growth Portfolio (Class B) ...............................................
Deutsche Core Equity VIP (Class A) .......................................................
Delaware VIP U.S. Growth Series (Standard Class) ...............................
Fidelity VIP Contrafund Portfolio (Initial Class) ........................................
Fidelity VIP Contrafund Portfolio (Service Class 2) .................................
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio (Initial Class) ..............................................
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio (Service Class 2) .......................................
Fidelity VIP Growth & Income Portfolio (Initial Class, Service Class 2) ..
Fidelity VIP Growth Opportunities Portfolio (Service Class 2) .................
Franklin Large Cap Growth VIP Fund (Class 2) ......................................
Goldman Sachs Strategic Growth Fund (Service Shares) ......................
Goldman Sachs U.S. Equity Insights Fund (Service Shares) .................
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund (Series I) ....................................
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund (Series II) ...................................
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund (Series I) .................................................
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund (Series II) ................................................
MFS Growth Series (Initial Class) ............................................................
MFS Investors Trust Series (Initial Class) ...............................................
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund/VA (Service Shares) ...............
Pioneer Fund VCT Portfolio (Class I) ......................................................
Pioneer Fund VCT Portfolio (Class II) .....................................................
Alger Capital Appreciation Portfolio (Class I–2) .......................................
Deutsche CROCI International VIP (Class A) ..........................................
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Growth Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined International Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio (Class I).
Delaware VIP International Value Equity Series (Standard Class, Service Class).
Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio (Initial Class) ..........................................
Invesco V.I. International Growth Fund (Series I) ....................................
Goldman Sachs Strat. International Equity Fund (Service Shares) ........
Lazard Retirement International Equity Portfolio (Service Shares) .........
T. Rowe Price International Stock Portfolio .............................................
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Templeton Foreign VIP Fund (Class 2) ...................................................
AB Growth and Income Portfolio (Class B) .............................................
AB Value Portfolio (Class B) ....................................................................
Deutsche Large Cap Value VIP (Class A) ...............................................
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio (Initial Class) ...................................
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio (Service Class 2) ............................
Franklin Mutual Shares VIP Fund (Class 2) ............................................
Franklin Growth & Income VIP Fund (Class 2) .......................................
Invesco V.I. Value Opportunities Fund (Series II) ...................................
Pioneer Equity Income VCT Portfolio (Class I). .......................................
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 3, 2017 / Notices
20667
Existing portfolio
Replacement portfolio
Alger Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class I–2) .............................................
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class
I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined U.S. Core Portfolio (Class I,
Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined U.S. Core Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined U.S. Core Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global Equity Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global Equity Insights Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global Equity Insights Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global Equity Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global Equity Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Large Cap Growth Insights Portfolio
(Class II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Large Cap Growth Insights Portfolio
(Class I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Large Cap Growth Insights Portfolio
(Class I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Large Cap Growth Insights Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Insights Portfolio (Class
II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio (Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Allocation Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Allocation Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Allocation Portfolio (Class I).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Allocation Portfolio (Class II).
Deutsche Small Mid Cap Growth VIP (Class A) ......................................
Delaware VIP Smid Cap Growth Series (Standard Class) ......................
Delaware VIP Smid Cap Growth Series (Service Class) ........................
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio (Initial Class, Service Class 2) ................
Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth VIP Fund (Class 2) ...............................
Invesco V.I. Mid Cap Growth Fund (Series I, Series II) ..........................
Goldman Sachs Growth Opportunities Fund (Service Shares) ...............
Janus Aspen Enterprise Portfolio (Service Shares) .................................
MFS Mid Cap Growth Series (Service Class) .........................................
Alger Small Cap Growth Portfolio (Class I–2) .........................................
Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series (Standard Class) .......................
Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund (Class 2) ........................................
MFS New Discovery Series (Service Class) ............................................
AB Growth Portfolio (Class B) ..................................................................
Delaware VIP Value Series (Standard Class) .........................................
Oppenheimer Main Street Fund/VA (Non-Service Class, Service Class)
AB Global Thematic Growth Portfolio (Class B) ......................................
Deutsche Global Equity VIP (Class A) .....................................................
Deutsche Global Growth VIP (Class A) ...................................................
Oppenheimer Global Fund/VA (Service Shares) .....................................
Templeton Growth VIP Fund (Class 2) ....................................................
Alger Large Cap Growth Portfolio (Class I–2) .........................................
Deutsche Capital Growth VIP (Class A) ..................................................
Janus Aspen Janus Portfolio (Institutional Shares) .................................
Janus Aspen Janus Portfolio (Service Shares) .......................................
AB Small/Mid Cap Value Portfolio (Class B) ...........................................
Deutsche Small Mid Cap Value VIP (Class A) ........................................
Dreyfus Midcap Stock Portfolio (Initial Shares) .......................................
Fidelity VIP Value Strategies Portfolio (Service Class 2) ........................
Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Fund (Service Shares) .........................
Pioneer Mid Cap Value VCT Portfolio (Class I) .......................................
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Pioneer Mid Cap Value VCT Portfolio (Class II) ......................................
Deutsche High Income VIP (Class A) ......................................................
Delaware VIP High Yield Series (Standard Class) ..................................
Fidelity VIP High Income Portfolio (Initial Class) .....................................
Fidelity VIP High Income Portfolio (Service Class 2) ..............................
Invesco V.I. High Yield Fund (Series I) ....................................................
Pioneer High Yield VCT Portfolio (Class I, Class II) ................................
Deutsche Bond VIP (Class A) ..................................................................
Deutsche Unconstrained Income VIP (Class A) ......................................
Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund (Service Shares) ..................
Pioneer Bond VCT Portfolio (Class I). .....................................................
Alger Balanced Portfolio (Class I–2) ........................................................
Deutsche Global Income Builder VIP (Class A) ......................................
Fidelity VIP Asset Manager Portfolio (Initial Class) .................................
Fidelity VIP Asset Manager Portfolio (Service Class 2) ..........................
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Existing portfolio
Replacement portfolio
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LVIP Delaware Foundation Moderate Allocation Fund (Standard Class)
MFS Total Return Series (Service Class) ................................................
7. The Replacement Portfolios are all
series of the Trust. The Trust is an
insurance-dedicated Delaware statutory
trust that was organized on June 17,
2013. The Trust is registered with the
Commission as an open-end
management investment company
under the 1940 Act (File No. 811–
22865) and its shares are registered
under the 1933 Act (File No. 333–
189870). The Trust is a series
investment company and currently has
30 separate portfolios (each, a ‘‘Global
Atlantic Fund,’’ and collectively, the
‘‘Global Atlantic Funds’’). The following
13 Global Atlantic Funds comprise the
Replacement Portfolios: Global Atlantic
BlackRock Allocation Portfolio, Global
Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Core
Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Growth Portfolio, Global
Atlantic BlackRock International Core
Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio,
Global Atlantic BlackRock Small Cap
Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock
U.S. Core Portfolio, Global Atlantic
BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio,
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield
Portfolio, Global Atlantic Goldman
Sachs Core Fixed Income Portfolio,
Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global
Equity Insights Portfolio, Global
Atlantic Goldman Sachs Large Cap
Growth Insights Portfolio, and Global
Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value
Insights Portfolio.
8. Global Atlantic, an Indiana limited
liability company and a registered
investment adviser, serves as
investment adviser for each of the
Global Atlantic Funds pursuant to an
investment advisory agreement between
the Trust, on behalf of each Global
Atlantic Fund, and Global Atlantic.
9. Each Replacement Portfolio is subadvised by BlackRock Investment
Management, LLC (‘‘BlackRock’’) or
Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P.
(‘‘GSAM’’). BlackRock is a wholly
owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.
BlackRock is a registered investment
adviser and a commodity pool operator
organized in Princeton, New Jersey.
BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates had
approximately $4.64 trillion in assets
under management as of December 31,
2015. BlackRock is located at 1
University Square, Princeton, NJ 08536.
GSAM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and an
affiliate of Goldman Sachs. As of
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Global Atlantic BlackRock Allocation Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Global Atlantic BlackRock Allocation Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
December 31, 2015, GSAM, including
its investment advisory affiliates, had
assets under supervision of
approximately $1.08 trillion. GSAM’s
principal offices are located at 200 West
Street, New York, NY 20182.
10. The Applicants believe that the
Replacement Portfolios have investment
objectives, principal investment
strategies, and principle risks, as
described in their prospectuses, that are
substantially similar to, the
corresponding Existing Portfolios to
make those Replacement Portfolios
appropriate candidates as substitutes.
11. Information for each Existing
Portfolio and Replacement Portfolio,
including investment objectives,
principal investment strategies,
principal risks, and comparative
performance history, can be found in
the application.
12. Applicants state that in selecting
the Replacement Portfolios,
Commonwealth sought to simplify fund
lineups while reducing costs and
maintaining a high-quality menu of
investment options that would offer a
similar diversity of investment options
after the proposed Substitutions as is
currently available under the Contracts.
Contract owners with Contract value
allocated to the subaccounts of the
Existing Portfolios will have lower or
equal net annual operating expenses
immediately after the proposed
Substitutions as before the proposed
Substitutions. With respect to all of the
proposed Substitutions, the combined
management fee and Rule 12b–1 fees
paid by the Replacement Portfolio are
the same or lower than those of the
corresponding Existing Portfolio. The
application sets forth the fees and
expenses of each Existing Portfolio and
its corresponding Replacement Portfolio
in greater detail.
13. Applicants represent that as of the
Substitution Date (defined below), the
Separate Accounts will redeem shares of
the Existing Portfolios for cash or inkind. Redemption requests and
purchase orders will be placed
simultaneously so that Contract values
will remain fully invested at all times.
14. Each Substitution will be effected
at the relative net asset values of the
respective shares of the Replacement
Portfolios in conformity with Section
22(c) of the 1940 Act and Rule 22c–1
thereunder without the imposition of
any transfer or similar charges by the
Section 26 Applicants. The
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Substitutions will be effected without
change in the amount or value of any
Contracts held by affected Contract
owners.2
15. Contract owners will not incur
any fees or charges as a result of the
proposed Substitutions. The obligations
of the Section 26 Applicants, and the
rights of the affected Contract owners,
under the Contracts of affected Contract
owners will not be altered in any way.
Commonwealth and/or its affiliates will
pay all expenses and transaction costs of
the Substitutions, including legal and
accounting expenses, any applicable
brokerage expenses and other fees and
expenses. No fees or charges will be
assessed to the affected Contract owners
to effect the Substitutions. The proposed
Substitutions will not cause the
Contract fees and charges currently
being paid by Contract owners to be
greater after the proposed Substitution
than before the proposed Substitution.
In addition, the Substitutions will in no
way alter the tax treatment of affected
Contract owners in connection with
their Contracts, and no tax liability will
arise for Contract owners as a result of
the Substitutions.
16. The Section 26 Applicants agree
that, for a period of two years following
the implementation of the proposed
Substitution (the ‘‘Substitution Date’’),
and for those Contracts with assets
allocated to the Existing Portfolio on the
Substitution Date, Commonwealth or an
affiliate thereof (other than the Trust)
will reimburse, on the last business day
of each fiscal quarter, the Contract
owners whose subaccounts invest in the
applicable Replacement Portfolio to the
extent that the Replacement Portfolio’s
net annual operating expenses (taking
into account fee waivers and expense
reimbursements) for such period
exceeds, on an annualized basis, the net
annual operating expenses of the
2 The Section 26 Applicants state that, because
the Substitutions will occur at relative net asset
value, and the fees and charges under the Contracts
will not change as a result of the Substitutions, the
benefits offered by the guarantees under the
Contracts will be the same immediately before and
after the Substitutions. The Section 26 Applicants
also state that what effect the Substitutions may
have on the value of the benefits offered by the
Contract guarantees would depend, among other
things, on the relative future performance of the
Existing Portfolios and Replacement Portfolios,
which the Section 26 Applicants cannot predict.
Nevertheless, the Section 26 Applicants note that at
the time of the Substitutions, the Contracts will
offer a comparable variety of investment options
with as broad a range of risk/return characteristics.
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Existing Portfolio for the most recent
fiscal year preceding the date of the
most recently filed application.
Commonwealth will not increase the
Contract fees and charges that would
otherwise be assessed under the terms
of the Contracts for a period of at least
two years following the Substitution
Date.
17. From the date the Pre-Substitution
Notice (defined below) through 30 days
following the Substitution Date,
Contract owners may make at least one
transfer of Contract value from the
subaccount investing in an Existing
Portfolio (before the Substitution) or the
Replacement Portfolio (after the
Substitution) to any other available
subaccount under the Contract without
charge and without imposing any
transfer limitations. Further, on the
Substitution Date, Contract values
attributable to investments in each
Existing Portfolio will be transferred to
the corresponding Replacement
Portfolio without charge and without
being subject to any transfer limitations.
Moreover, Commonwealth will not
exercise any rights reserved under the
Contracts to impose restrictions on
transfers between the subaccounts
under the Contracts, including
limitations on the future number of
transfers, for a period beginning at least
30 days before the Substitution Date
through at least 30 days following the
Substitution Date.
18. At least 30 days prior to the
Substitution Date, Contract owners will
be notified via prospectus supplements
that the Section 26 Applicants received
or expect to receive Commission
approval of the applicable proposed
Substitutions and of the anticipated
Substitution Date (the ‘‘Pre-Substitution
Notice’’). Pre-Substitution Notices sent
to Contract owners will be filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 497 under
the 1940 Act. The Pre-Substitution
Notice will advise Contract owners that
from the date of the Pre-Substitution
Notice through the date 30 days after the
Substitutions, Contract owners may
make at least one transfer of Contract
value from the subaccounts investing in
the Existing Portfolios (before the
Substitutions) or the Replacement
Portfolios (after the Substitutions) to any
other available subaccount without
charge and without imposing any
transfer limitations. Among other
information, the notice will inform
affected Contract owners that that,
except as described in the disruptive
transfers or market timing provisions of
the relevant prospectus, Commonwealth
will not exercise any rights reserved
under the Contracts to impose
restrictions on transfers among the
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subaccounts under the Contracts,
including limitations on the future
number of transfers, through at least 30
days after the Substitution Date.
Additionally, all affected Contract
owners will be sent prospectuses of the
applicable Replacement Portfolios at
least 30 days before the Substitution
Date.
19. In addition to the Supplements
distributed to the Contract owners,
within five business days after the
Substitution Date, Contract owners
whose assets are allocated to a
Replacement Portfolio as part of the
proposed Substitutions will be sent a
written notice (each, a ‘‘Confirmation’’)
informing them that the Substitutions
were carried out as previously notified.
The Confirmation also will restate the
information set forth in the PreSubstitution Notice. The Confirmation
will also reflect the values of the
Contract owner’s positions in the
Existing Portfolio before the
Substitution and the Replacement
Portfolio after the Substitution.
Legal Analysis
1. The Section 26 Applicants request
that the Commission issue an order
pursuant to Section 26(c) of the 1940
Act approving the proposed
Substitutions. Section 26(c) of the 1940
Act prohibits any depositor or trustee of
a unit investment trust that invests
exclusively in the securities of a single
issuer from substituting the securities of
another issuer without the approval of
the Commission. Section 26(c) provides
that such approval shall be granted by
order from the Commission if the
evidence establishes that the
substitution is consistent with the
protection of investors and the purposes
of the 1940 Act.
2. The Section 26 Applicants submit
that the Substitutions meet the
standards set forth in Section 26(c) and
that, if implemented, the Substitutions
would not raise any of the concerns that
Congress intended to address when the
1940 Act was amended to include this
provision. Applicants state that each
Substitution protects the Contract
owners who have Contract value
allocated to an Existing Portfolio by
providing Replacement Portfolios with
substantially similar investment
objectives, strategies, and risks, and
providing Contract owners with
investment options that would have
total and net annual operating expense
ratios that are lower than, or equal to,
their corresponding investment options
before the Substitutions.
3. Commonwealth has reserved the
right under the Contracts to substitute
shares of another underlying fund for
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20669
one of the current funds offered as an
investment option under the Contracts.
The Contracts and the Contracts’
prospectuses disclose this right.
4. The Section 26 Applicants submit
that the ultimate effect of the proposed
Substitutions will be to streamline and
simplify the investment line-ups that
are available to Contract owners while
reducing expenses and continuing to
provide Contract owners with a wide
array of investment options. The Section
26 Applicants state that the proposed
Substitutions will not reduce in any
manner the nature or quality of the
available investment options and the
proposed Substitutions also will permit
Commonwealth to present information
to its Contract owners in a simpler and
more concise manner. The Section 26
Applicants also state it is anticipated
that after the proposed Substitutions,
Contract owners will be provided with
disclosure documents that contain a
simpler presentation of the available
investment options under the Contracts.
The Section 26 Applicants also assert
that the proposed Substitutions are not
of the type that Section 26 was designed
to prevent because they will not result
in costly forced redemption, nor will
they affect other aspects of the
Contracts. In addition, the proposed
Substitutions will not adversely affect
any features or riders under the
Contracts because none of the features
or riders have any investment
restrictions. Accordingly, no Contract
owner will involuntarily lose his or her
features or riders as a result of any
proposed Substitution. Moreover, the
Section 26 Applicants will offer
Contract owners the opportunity to
transfer amounts out of the affected
subaccounts without any cost or other
penalty (other than those necessary to
implement policies and procedures
designed to detect and deter disruptive
transfer and other ‘‘market timing’’
activity) that may otherwise have been
imposed for a period beginning on the
date of the Pre-Substitution Notice
(which supplement will be delivered to
the Contract owners at least thirty (30)
days before the Substitution Date) and
ending no earlier than thirty (30) days
after the Substitution Date. The
proposed Substitutions are also unlike
the type of substitution that Section
26(c) was designed to prevent in that the
Substitutions have no impact on other
aspects of the Contracts.
5. The Section 17 Applicants request
an order under Section 17(b) exempting
them from the provisions of Section
17(a) to the extent necessary to permit
the Section 17 Applicants to carry out
some or all of the proposed
Substitutions. The Section 17
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Applicants state that because the
proposed Substitutions may be effected,
in whole or in part, by means of in-kind
redemptions and purchases, the
proposed Substitutions may be deemed
to involve one or more purchases or
sales of securities or property between
affiliated persons.
6. Section 17(a)(1) of the 1940 Act, in
relevant part, prohibits any affiliated
person of a registered investment
company, or any affiliated person of
such person, acting as principal, from
knowingly selling any security or other
property to that company. Section
17(a)(2) of the 1940 Act generally
prohibits the persons described above,
acting as principals, from knowingly
purchasing any security or other
property from the registered investment
company.
7. The Section 17 Applicants state
that the proposed transactions may
involve a transfer of portfolio securities
by the Existing Portfolios to the Separate
Accounts. Immediately thereafter, the
Separate Accounts would purchase
shares of the Replacement Portfolios
with the portfolio securities received
from the Existing Portfolios.
Accordingly, the Section 17 Applicants
provide that to the extent
Commonwealth and the Existing
Portfolios, and Commonwealth and the
Replacement Portfolios, are deemed to
be affiliated persons of one another
under Section 2(a)(3) or Section 2(a)(9)
of the 1940 Act, it is conceivable that
this aspect of the proposed
Substitutions could be viewed as being
prohibited by Section 17(a).
Accordingly, the Section 17 Applicants
have determined to seek relief from
Section 17(a).
8. The Section 17 Applicants submit
that the terms of the proposed in-kind
purchases of shares of the Replacement
Portfolios by the Separate Accounts,
including the consideration to be paid
and received, as described in the
application, are reasonable and fair and
do not involve overreaching on the part
of any person concerned. The Section
17 Applicants submit that the terms of
the proposed in-kind transactions,
including the considered to be paid to
each Existing Portfolio and received by
each Replacement Portfolio involved,
are reasonable, fair and do not involve
overreaching principally because the
transactions will conform with all but
one of the conditions enumerated in
Rule 17a–7 under the 1940 Act. The
proposed transactions will take place at
relative net asset value in conformity
with the requirements of Section 22(c)
of the 1940 Act and Rule 22c–1
thereunder without the imposition of
any transfer or similar charges by the
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Section 26 Applicants. The
Substitutions will be effected without
change in the amount or value of any
Contract held by the affected Contract
owners. The Substitutions will in no
way alter the tax treatment of affected
Contract owners in connection with
their Contracts, and no tax liability will
arise for Contract owners as a result of
the Substitutions. The fees and charges
under the Contracts will not increase
because of the Substitutions. Even
though the Separate Accounts,
Commonwealth and the Trust may not
rely on Rule 17a–7, the Section 17
Applicants believe that the rule’s
conditions outline the type of
safeguards that result in transactions
that are fair and reasonable to registered
investment company participants and
preclude overreaching in connection
with an investment company by its
affiliated persons.
9. The Section 17 Applicants also
submit that the proposed in-kind
purchases by the Separate Accounts are
consistent with the policies of the Trust
and the Replacement Portfolios, as
provided in the Trust’s registration
statement and reports filed under the
1940 Act. Finally, the Section 17
Applicants submit that the proposed
Substitutions are consistent with the
general purposes of the 1940 Act.
Applicants’ Conditions
The Section 26 Applicants, and
Global Atlantic as applicable, agree that
any order granting the requested relief
will be subject to the following
conditions:
1. The Substitutions will not be
effected unless Commonwealth
determines that: (i) The Contracts allow
the substitution of shares of registered
open-end investment companies in the
manner contemplated by the
application; (ii) the Substitutions can be
consummated as described in the
application under applicable insurance
laws; and (iii) any regulatory
requirements in each jurisdiction where
the Contracts are qualified for sale have
been complied with to the extent
necessary to complete the Substitutions.
2. After the Substitution Date, Global
Atlantic will not change a sub-adviser,
add a new sub-adviser, or otherwise rely
on the Manager of Managers Order (as
defined in the application), or any
replacement order from the
Commission, with respect to any
Replacement Portfolio without first
obtaining shareholder approval of the
change in sub-adviser, the new subadviser, or the Replacement Portfolio’s
ability to rely on the Manager of
Managers Order, or any replacement
order from the Commission.
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3. Commonwealth or an affiliate
thereof (other than the Trust) will pay
all expenses and transaction costs of the
Substitutions, including legal and
accounting expenses, any applicable
brokerage expenses and other fees and
expenses. No fees or charges will be
assessed to the affected Contract owners
to effect the Substitutions. The proposed
Substitutions will not cause the
Contract fees and charges currently
being paid by Contract owners to be
greater after the proposed Substitution
than before the proposed Substitution.
4. The Substitutions will be effected
at the relative net asset values of the
respective shares of the Replacement
Portfolios in conformity with Section
22(c) of the 1940 Act and Rule 22c–1
thereunder without the imposition of
any transfer or similar charges by the
Section 26 Applicants. The
Substitutions will be effected without
change in the amount or value of any
Contracts held by affected Contract
owners.
5. The Substitutions will in no way
alter the tax treatment of affected
Contract owners in connection with
their Contracts, and no tax liability will
arise for Contract owners as a result of
the Substitutions.
6. The obligations of the Section 26
Applicants, and the rights of the
affected Contract owners, under the
Contracts of affected Contract owners
will not be altered in any way.
7. Affected Contract owners will be
permitted to make at least one transfer
of Contract value from the subaccount
investing in the Existing Portfolio
(before the Substitution Date) or the
Replacement Portfolio (after the
Substitution Date) to any other available
investment option under the Contract
without charge for a period beginning at
least 30 days before the Substitution
Date through at least 30 days following
the Substitution Date. Except as
described in any market timing/shortterm trading provisions of the relevant
prospectus, the Section 26 Applicants
will not exercise any rights reserved
under the Contracts to impose
restrictions on transfers between the
subaccounts under the Contracts,
including limitations on the future
number of transfers, for a period
beginning at least 30 days before the
Substitution Date through at least 30
days following the Substitution Date.
8. All affected Contract owners will be
notified, at least 30 days before the
Substitution Date about: (i) The
intended Substitution of Existing
Portfolios with the Replacement
Portfolios; (ii) the intended Substitution
Date; and (iii) information with respect
to transfers as set forth in Condition 7
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above. In addition, the Section 26
Applicants will also deliver to affected
Contract owners, at least thirty days
before the Substitution Date, a
prospectus for each applicable
Replacement Portfolio.
9. The Section 26 Applicants will
deliver to each affected Contract owner
within five business days of the
Substitution Date a written confirmation
which will include: (i) A confirmation
that the Substitutions were carried out
as previously notified; (ii) a restatement
of the information set forth in the PreSubstitution Notice; and (iii) values of
the Contract owner’s positions in the
Existing Portfolio before the
Substitution and the Replacement
Portfolio after the Substitution.
10. For a period of two years
following the Substitution Date, for
Contract owners who were Contract
owners as of the Substitution Date,
Commonwealth or an affiliate thereof
(other than the Trust) will reimburse, on
the last business day of each fiscal
quarter, the Contract owners whose
subaccounts invest in the applicable
Replacement Portfolio to the extent that
the Replacement Portfolio’s net annual
operating expenses (taking into account
fee waivers and expense
reimbursements) for such period
exceeds, on an annualized basis, the net
annual operating expenses of the
Existing Portfolio for the most recent
fiscal year preceding the date of the
application. In addition, the Section 26
Applicants will not increase the
Contract fees and charges that would
otherwise be assessed under the terms
of the Contracts for a period of at least
two years following the Substitution
Date.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017–08904 Filed 5–2–17; 8:45 am]
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18:00 May 02, 2017
[Release No. 34–80536
Order Granting Application by New
York Stock Exchange LLC, NYSE MKT
LLC, NYSE Arca, Inc., and NYSE
National, Inc., Respectively, for a
Conditional Exemption Pursuant to
Section 36(a) of the Exchange Act
From Certain Requirements of Rule
6a–2 Under the Exchange Act
April 27, 2017.
I. Introduction
On February 1, 2017, The New York
Stock Exchange LLC (‘‘NYSE’’), NYSE
MKT LLC (‘‘NYSE MKT’’), NYSE Arca,
Inc. (‘‘NYSE Arca’’), and NYSE
National, Inc. (‘‘NYSE National’’) (each
an ‘‘Exchange’’, collectively,
‘‘Exchanges’’) each has requested,
pursuant to Rule 0–12 1 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(‘‘Exchange Act’’),2 that the Securities
and Exchange Commission
(‘‘Commission’’) grant an exemption
pursuant to Section 36(a)(1) 3 of the
Exchange Act from certain requirements
under Rule 6a–2(b)(1) under the
Exchange Act.4 Each Exchange is
registered with the Commission as a
national securities exchange under
Section 6 of the Exchange Act. This
order grants each Exchange’s request for
exemptive relief, subject to the
satisfaction of certain conditions, which
are outlined below.
II. Application for Conditional
Exemption From Certain Requirements
of Exchange Act Rule 6a–2
Rule 6a–2(b)(1) under the Exchange
Act 5 requires a national securities
exchange to file, on or before June 30 of
each year, an updated Exhibit D as an
amendment to its Form 1.6 Exhibit D to
Form 1 requires an exchange to provide,
for each subsidiary or affiliate of the
exchange, unconsolidated financial
1 17
CFR 240.0–12.
U.S.C. 78a et seq.
3 15 U.S.C. 78mm(a)(1).
4 17 CFR 240.6a–2(b)(1). See letters dated
February 1, 2017, from Elizabeth King, General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary, NYSE, to Brent J.
Fields, Secretary, Commission, regarding
Application for Exemption from Certain Form 1
Requirements under Section 6 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, submitted on behalf of
NYSE, NYSE MKT, NYSE Arca, and NYSE
National, respectively (collectively, the ‘‘Exemption
Requests’’).
5 17 CFR 240.6a–2(b)(1).
6 17 CFR 249.1 (Form 1, ‘‘Application for, and
Amendments to Application for, Registration as a
National Securities Exchange or Exemption from
Registration Pursuant to Section 5 of the Exchange
Act.’’)
2 15
BILLING CODE 8011–01–P
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statements for the latest fiscal year of
the exchange.7
The Instructions to Form 1 define an
‘‘affiliate’’ as ‘‘[a]ny person that, directly
or indirectly, controls, is under common
control with, or is controlled by, the
national securities exchange . . .,
including any employees.’’ 8 The
Instructions to Form 1 define ‘‘control’’
as
The power, directly or indirectly, to direct
the management or policies of a company,
whether through ownership of securities, by
contract or otherwise. Any person that . . .
directly or indirectly has the right to vote
25% or more of a class of voting securities
or has the power to sell or direct the sale of
25% or more of a class of voting securities
. . . is presumed to control that entity.9
Each Exchange has requested that the
Commission grant it an exemption
pursuant to Section 36(a)(1) of the
Exchange Act, subject to the conditions
set forth below, with respect to its
‘‘Foreign Indirect Affiliates,’’ as defined
below, from the requirement under Rule
6a–2(b)(1) under the Exchange Act to
file the financial information required
by Exhibit D.
Each Exemption Request states that
the respective Exchange is a whollyowned subsidiary of NYSE Group, Inc.
(‘‘NYSE Group’’), a Delaware
corporation. Each Exemption Request
further states that NYSE Group is
wholly owned by NYSE Holdings LLC
(‘‘NYSE Holdings’’), a Delaware limited
liability company, which is wholly
owned by Intercontinental Exchange
Holdings, Inc. (‘‘ICE Holdings’’), a
Delaware corporation. In turn, ICE
Holdings is wholly owned by
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (‘‘Parent
Company’’), a Delaware corporation.
The Parent Company, through its
wholly-owned subsidiaries, owns a
large number of foreign entities, some of
which also own interests in other
foreign entities in excess of 25%.10 The
foreign entity affiliates and subsidiaries
of the Parent Company are referred to,
collectively, as the ‘‘Foreign Indirect
Affiliates.’’
Each Exchange states that, because of
the limited and indirect nature of its
7 Exhibit D to Form 1 requires that such financial
statements consist, at a minimum, of a balance
sheet and an income statement with such footnotes
and other disclosures necessary to avoid rendering
the financial statements misleading. Exhibit D
further provides that, if any affiliate or subsidiary
is required by another Commission rule to submit
annual financial statements, the exchange may
provide a statement to that effect, with a citation to
the other Commission rule, in lieu of the financial
statements required by Exhibit D.
8 Form 1 Instructions Section B., Explanation of
Terms.
9 Id.
10 See Exemption Requests, supra note 4, at 2.
E:\FR\FM\03MYN1.SGM
03MYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20664-20671]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08904]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Investment Company Act Release No. 32615; File No. 812-14646]
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, et al.
April 27, 2017.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission'').
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice of application for an order approving the substitution of
certain securities pursuant to Section 26(c) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the ``1940 Act'' or ``Act'') and an order of
exemption pursuant to Section 17(b) of the Act from Section 17(a) of
the Act.
[[Page 20665]]
Applicants: Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company
(``Commonwealth'') and Commonwealth Select Separate Account of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Commonwealth Select
Separate Account II of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Commonwealth Select Separate Account III of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Fulcrum Separate Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Group VEL Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Inheritage Account of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account FUVUL of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account IMO
of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account KG
of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account
KGC of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account VA-K of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account VA-P of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance
Company, Separate Account VEL of Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account VEL II of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Separate Account VEL III of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company (collectively, the ``Separate
Accounts,'' and together with Commonwealth, the ``Section 26
Applicants''); and Forethought Variable Insurance Trust (the
``Trust''), and Global Atlantic Investment Advisors, LLC (``Global
Atlantic,'' and collectively with the Section 26 Applicants, the
``Section 17 Applicants'').
Summary of Application: The Section 26 Applicants seek an order
pursuant to Section 26(c) of the 1940 Act, approving the substitution
of shares of 77 investment portfolios (each, an ``Existing Portfolio,''
and collectively, the ``Existing Portfolios'') of 20 registered
investment companies \1\ with shares of 13 investment portfolios (each,
a ``Replacement Portfolio,'' and collectively, the ``Replacement
Portfolios'') of the Trust, under certain variable annuity contracts
and variable life insurance policies (the ``Contracts'') funded through
the Separate Accounts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ (1) AB Variable Products Series Fund, Inc. (File Nos. 811-
05398; 033-18647); (2) Alger Portfolios (File Nos. 811-05550; 033-
21722); (3) AIM Variable Insurance Funds (Invesco Variable Insurance
Funds) (File Nos. 811-07452; 033-57340); (4) Delaware VIP Trust
(File Nos. 811-05162; 033-14363); (5) Deutsche Variable Series I
(File Nos. 811-04257; 002-96461); (6) Deutsche Variable Series II
(File Nos. 811-05002; 033-11802); (7) Dreyfus Investment Portfolios
(File Nos. 811-08673; 333-47011); (8) Fidelity Variable Insurance
Products Fund I (File Nos. 811-03329; 002-75010); (9) Fidelity
Variable Insurance Products Fund II (File Nos. 811-05511; 033-
20773); (10) Fidelity Variable Insurance Products Fund III (File
Nos. 811-07205; 033-54837); (11) Fidelity Variable Insurance
Products Fund V (File Nos. 811-05361; 033-17704); (12) Franklin
Templeton Variable Insurance Products Trust (File Nos. 811-05583;
033-23493); (13) Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust (File Nos.
811-08361; 333-35883); (14) Janus Aspen Portfolio (File Nos. 811-
07736; 033-63212); (15) Lazard Retirement Series, Inc. (File Nos.
811-08071; 333-22309); (16) Lincoln Variable Insurance Products
Trust (File Nos. 811-08090; 033-70742); (17) MFS Variable Insurance
Trust (File Nos. 811-08326; 033-74668); (18) Oppenheimer Variable
Account Funds (File Nos. 811-04108; 002-93177); (19) Pioneer
Variable Contracts Trust (File Nos. 811-08786; 033-84546); (20) T.
Rowe Price International Series, Inc. (File Nos. 811-07145; 033-
07145).
Filing Date: The application was filed on April 29, 2016, and was
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
amended and restated on October 18, 2016 and March 3, 2017.
Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the requested
relief will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing.
Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the Secretary of
the Commission and serving the 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 May 22, 2017 and should be accompanied by
proof of service on the Applicants in the form of an affidavit or, for
lawyers, a certificate of service. Pursuant to Rule 0-5 under the Act,
hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, any
facts bearing upon the desirability of a hearing on the matter, 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:
Commission: Secretary, SEC, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-
1090.
Applicants: Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Commonwealth Select Separate Account of Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Commonwealth Select Separate Account II of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Commonwealth Select
Separate Account III of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance
Company, Fulcrum Separate Account of Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Group VEL Account of Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Inheritage Account of Commonwealth Annuity and Life
Insurance Company, Separate Account FUVUL of Commonwealth Annuity and
Life Insurance Company, Separate Account IMO of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account KG of Commonwealth Annuity
and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account KGC of Commonwealth
Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account VA-K of
Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account VA-P
of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate Account
VEL of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company, Separate
Account VEL II of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company,
Separate Account VEL III of Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance
Company, 132 Turnpike Road Suite 210, Southborough, MA 01772; and
Forethought Variable Insurance Trust and Global Atlantic Investment
Advisors, LLC, 300 N. Meridian Street, Suite 1800, Indianapolis, IN,
46204.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin C. Loomis, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-6721, or Holly Hunter-Ceci, Acting Assistant Chief Counsel at
(202) 551-6825 (Division of Investment Management, Chief Counsel's
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 for an
Applicant using the Company name box, at https://www.sec.gov.search/search.htm, or by calling (202) 551-8090.
Applicants' Representations
1. Commonwealth is a life insurance company engaged in the business
of writing individual and group annuity contracts and life insurance
policies. Commonwealth was originally organized under the laws of
Delaware in July 1974 and was subsequently re-domiciled in the state of
Massachusetts effective December 31, 2002.
2. Prior to December 30, 2005, Commonwealth (formerly Allmerica
Financial Life Insurance and Annuity Company) was an indirect wholly-
owned subsidiary of The Hanover Insurance Group (``THG''), formerly
Allmerica Financial Corporation. On that date, THG completed the
closing of the sale of Commonwealth to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
(``Goldman Sachs''). Effective September 1, 2006, Commonwealth changed
its name from Allmerica Financial Life Insurance and
[[Page 20666]]
Annuity Company to Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company.
Effective April 30, 2013, Goldman Sachs completed the transfer of the
common stock of Commonwealth to Global Atlantic (Fin) Company, which is
a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of Global Atlantic Financial Group
Limited. Effective January 2, 2014, Forethought Services LLC acquired
ownership of 79% of the shares of Commonwealth. Forethought Services
LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Forethought Financial Group, Inc.,
which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Atlantic (Fin)
Company. As of December 31, 2015, Goldman Sachs owns a total of
approximately 22% of the outstanding shares of Global Atlantic; and
other investors, none of whom own more than 9.9%, own the remaining 78%
of the outstanding ordinary shares.
3. Each of the Separate Accounts meets the definition of ``separate
account,'' as defined in Section 2(a)(37) of the 1940 Act and Rule 0-
1(e) thereunder. The Separate Accounts are registered with the
Commission under the 1940 Act as unit investment trusts. The assets of
the Separate Accounts support the Contracts and interests in the
Separate Accounts offered through such Contracts. Commonwealth is the
legal owner of the assets in the Separate Accounts. The Separate
Accounts are segmented into subaccounts, and each subaccount invests in
an underlying registered open-end management investment company or a
series thereof. A subaccount of one or more of the Separate Accounts
corresponds to each of the Existing Portfolios. The business and
affairs of the Separate Accounts, as unit investment trusts, are
conducted by Commonwealth, as depositor thereof.
4. The Contracts are each registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the ``1933 Act''), on Form N-4 or Form N-6, as
applicable. Each of the Contracts has particular fees, charges, and
investment options, as described in the Contracts' respective
registration statements.
5. The Contracts are individual or group deferred variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance policies. As set forth in the
prospectuses for the Contracts, Commonwealth reserves the right to
substitute shares of another registered investment company for the
shares of any registered investment company already purchased or to be
purchased in the future by the Separate Accounts.
6. Applicants propose, as set forth below, to substitute shares of
the Replacement Portfolios for shares of the Existing Portfolios
(``Substitutions''):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Existing portfolio Replacement portfolio
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AB Large Cap Growth Portfolio (Class A) Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
AB Large Cap Growth Portfolio (Class B) Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, II).
Deutsche Core Equity VIP (Class A)..... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Delaware VIP U.S. Growth Series Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Standard Class). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Fidelity VIP Contrafund Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Initial Class). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Fidelity VIP Contrafund Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Class 2). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio (Initial Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Fidelity VIP Growth Portfolio (Service Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class 2). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Fidelity VIP Growth & Income Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Initial Class, Service Class 2). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Fidelity VIP Growth Opportunities Global Atlantic BlackRock
Portfolio (Service Class 2). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Franklin Large Cap Growth VIP Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class 2). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Goldman Sachs Strategic Growth Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Shares). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Goldman Sachs U.S. Equity Insights Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Shares). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Series I). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, II).
Invesco V.I. American Franchise Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Series II). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class II).
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund (Series Global Atlantic BlackRock
I). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Invesco V.I. Core Equity Fund (Series Global Atlantic BlackRock
II). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class II).
MFS Growth Series (Initial Class)...... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
MFS Investors Trust Series (Initial Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Oppenheimer Capital Appreciation Fund/ Global Atlantic BlackRock
VA (Service Shares). Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Pioneer Fund VCT Portfolio (Class I)... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class II).
Pioneer Fund VCT Portfolio (Class II).. Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Core Portfolio
(Class I).
Alger Capital Appreciation Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class I-2). Disciplined Growth Portfolio
(Class II).
Deutsche CROCI International VIP (Class Global Atlantic BlackRock
A). Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I).
Delaware VIP International Value Equity Global Atlantic BlackRock
Series (Standard Class, Service Class). Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Fidelity VIP Overseas Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Initial Class). Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I).
Invesco V.I. International Growth Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Series I). Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I).
Goldman Sachs Strat. International Global Atlantic BlackRock
Equity Fund (Service Shares). Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Lazard Retirement International Equity Global Atlantic BlackRock
Portfolio (Service Shares). Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class II).
T. Rowe Price International Stock Global Atlantic BlackRock
Portfolio. Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Templeton Foreign VIP Fund (Class 2)... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined International Core
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
AB Growth and Income Portfolio (Class Global Atlantic BlackRock
B). Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
AB Value Portfolio (Class B)........... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Deutsche Large Cap Value VIP (Class A). Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I).
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Initial Class). Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I).
Fidelity VIP Equity-Income Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Class 2). Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Franklin Mutual Shares VIP Fund (Class Global Atlantic BlackRock
2). Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Franklin Growth & Income VIP Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class 2). Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I).
Invesco V.I. Value Opportunities Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Series II). Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I, Class II).
Pioneer Equity Income VCT Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class I).. Disciplined Value Portfolio
(Class I).
[[Page 20667]]
Alger Mid Cap Growth Portfolio (Class I- Global Atlantic BlackRock
2). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I).
Deutsche Small Mid Cap Growth VIP Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class A). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I).
Delaware VIP Smid Cap Growth Series Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Standard Class). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I).
Delaware VIP Smid Cap Growth Series Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Class). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Fidelity VIP Mid Cap Portfolio (Initial Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class, Service Class 2). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I).
Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth VIP Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class 2). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Invesco V.I. Mid Cap Growth Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Series I, Series II). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I).
Goldman Sachs Growth Opportunities Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Shares). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Janus Aspen Enterprise Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Shares). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I).
MFS Mid Cap Growth Series (Service Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class). Disciplined Mid Cap Growth
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Alger Small Cap Growth Portfolio (Class Global Atlantic BlackRock
I-2). Disciplined Small Cap
Portfolio (Class I).
Delaware VIP Small Cap Value Series Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Standard Class). Disciplined Small Cap
Portfolio (Class I).
Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class 2). Disciplined Small Cap
Portfolio (Class II).
MFS New Discovery Series (Service Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class). Disciplined Small Cap
Portfolio (Class II).
AB Growth Portfolio (Class B).......... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Disciplined U.S. Core
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
Delaware VIP Value Series (Standard Global Atlantic BlackRock
Class). Disciplined U.S. Core
Portfolio (Class I).
Oppenheimer Main Street Fund/VA (Non- Global Atlantic BlackRock
Service Class, Service Class). Disciplined U.S. Core
Portfolio (Class II).
AB Global Thematic Growth Portfolio Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Class B). Global Equity Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Deutsche Global Equity VIP (Class A)... Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Global Equity Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Deutsche Global Growth VIP (Class A)... Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Global Equity Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Oppenheimer Global Fund/VA (Service Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Shares). Global Equity Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Templeton Growth VIP Fund (Class 2).... Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Global Equity Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Alger Large Cap Growth Portfolio (Class Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
I-2). Large Cap Growth Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Deutsche Capital Growth VIP (Class A).. Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Large Cap Growth Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Janus Aspen Janus Portfolio Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Institutional Shares). Large Cap Growth Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Janus Aspen Janus Portfolio (Service Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Shares). Large Cap Growth Insights
Portfolio (Class I, Class II).
AB Small/Mid Cap Value Portfolio (Class Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
B). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Deutsche Small Mid Cap Value VIP (Class Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
A). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Dreyfus Midcap Stock Portfolio (Initial Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Shares). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Fidelity VIP Value Strategies Portfolio Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Service Class 2). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Goldman Sachs Mid Cap Value Fund Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Service Shares). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Pioneer Mid Cap Value VCT Portfolio Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Class I). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class I).
Pioneer Mid Cap Value VCT Portfolio Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Class II). Mid Cap Value Insights
Portfolio (Class II).
Deutsche High Income VIP (Class A)..... Global Atlantic BlackRock High
Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Delaware VIP High Yield Series Global Atlantic BlackRock High
(Standard Class). Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Fidelity VIP High Income Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock High
(Initial Class). Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Fidelity VIP High Income Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock High
(Service Class 2). Yield Portfolio (Class II).
Invesco V.I. High Yield Fund (Series I) Global Atlantic BlackRock High
Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Pioneer High Yield VCT Portfolio (Class Global Atlantic BlackRock High
I, Class II). Yield Portfolio (Class I).
Deutsche Bond VIP (Class A)............ Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Core Fixed Income Portfolio
(Class I).
Deutsche Unconstrained Income VIP Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Class A). Core Fixed Income Portfolio
(Class I).
Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
(Service Shares). Core Fixed Income Portfolio
(Class I).
Pioneer Bond VCT Portfolio (Class I)... Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs
Core Fixed Income Portfolio
(Class I).
Alger Balanced Portfolio (Class I-2)... Global Atlantic BlackRock
Allocation Portfolio (Class
I).
Deutsche Global Income Builder VIP Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Class A). Allocation Portfolio (Class
I).
Fidelity VIP Asset Manager Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Initial Class). Allocation Portfolio (Class
I).
Fidelity VIP Asset Manager Portfolio Global Atlantic BlackRock
(Service Class 2). Allocation Portfolio (Class
II).
[[Page 20668]]
LVIP Delaware Foundation Moderate Global Atlantic BlackRock
Allocation Fund (Standard Class). Allocation Portfolio (Class I,
Class II).
MFS Total Return Series (Service Class) Global Atlantic BlackRock
Allocation Portfolio (Class I,
Class II).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. The Replacement Portfolios are all series of the Trust. The
Trust is an insurance-dedicated Delaware statutory trust that was
organized on June 17, 2013. The Trust is registered with the Commission
as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act (File
No. 811-22865) and its shares are registered under the 1933 Act (File
No. 333-189870). The Trust is a series investment company and currently
has 30 separate portfolios (each, a ``Global Atlantic Fund,'' and
collectively, the ``Global Atlantic Funds''). The following 13 Global
Atlantic Funds comprise the Replacement Portfolios: Global Atlantic
BlackRock Allocation Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined
Core Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Growth Portfolio,
Global Atlantic BlackRock International Core Portfolio, Global Atlantic
BlackRock Disciplined Mid Cap Growth Portfolio, Global Atlantic
BlackRock Small Cap Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock U.S. Core
Portfolio, Global Atlantic BlackRock Disciplined Value Portfolio,
Global Atlantic BlackRock High Yield Portfolio, Global Atlantic Goldman
Sachs Core Fixed Income Portfolio, Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Global
Equity Insights Portfolio, Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Large Cap
Growth Insights Portfolio, and Global Atlantic Goldman Sachs Mid Cap
Value Insights Portfolio.
8. Global Atlantic, an Indiana limited liability company and a
registered investment adviser, serves as investment adviser for each of
the Global Atlantic Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement
between the Trust, on behalf of each Global Atlantic Fund, and Global
Atlantic.
9. Each Replacement Portfolio is sub-advised by BlackRock
Investment Management, LLC (``BlackRock'') or Goldman Sachs Asset
Management, L.P. (``GSAM''). BlackRock is a wholly owned subsidiary of
BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock is a registered investment adviser and a
commodity pool operator organized in Princeton, New Jersey. BlackRock,
Inc. and its affiliates had approximately $4.64 trillion in assets
under management as of December 31, 2015. BlackRock is located at 1
University Square, Princeton, NJ 08536. GSAM is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and an affiliate of Goldman
Sachs. As of December 31, 2015, GSAM, including its investment advisory
affiliates, had assets under supervision of approximately $1.08
trillion. GSAM's principal offices are located at 200 West Street, New
York, NY 20182.
10. The Applicants believe that the Replacement Portfolios have
investment objectives, principal investment strategies, and principle
risks, as described in their prospectuses, that are substantially
similar to, the corresponding Existing Portfolios to make those
Replacement Portfolios appropriate candidates as substitutes.
11. Information for each Existing Portfolio and Replacement
Portfolio, including investment objectives, principal investment
strategies, principal risks, and comparative performance history, can
be found in the application.
12. Applicants state that in selecting the Replacement Portfolios,
Commonwealth sought to simplify fund lineups while reducing costs and
maintaining a high-quality menu of investment options that would offer
a similar diversity of investment options after the proposed
Substitutions as is currently available under the Contracts. Contract
owners with Contract value allocated to the subaccounts of the Existing
Portfolios will have lower or equal net annual operating expenses
immediately after the proposed Substitutions as before the proposed
Substitutions. With respect to all of the proposed Substitutions, the
combined management fee and Rule 12b-1 fees paid by the Replacement
Portfolio are the same or lower than those of the corresponding
Existing Portfolio. The application sets forth the fees and expenses of
each Existing Portfolio and its corresponding Replacement Portfolio in
greater detail.
13. Applicants represent that as of the Substitution Date (defined
below), the Separate Accounts will redeem shares of the Existing
Portfolios for cash or in-kind. Redemption requests and purchase orders
will be placed simultaneously so that Contract values will remain fully
invested at all times.
14. Each Substitution will be effected at the relative net asset
values of the respective shares of the Replacement Portfolios in
conformity with Section 22(c) of the 1940 Act and Rule 22c-1 thereunder
without the imposition of any transfer or similar charges by the
Section 26 Applicants. The Substitutions will be effected without
change in the amount or value of any Contracts held by affected
Contract owners.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ The Section 26 Applicants state that, because the
Substitutions will occur at relative net asset value, and the fees
and charges under the Contracts will not change as a result of the
Substitutions, the benefits offered by the guarantees under the
Contracts will be the same immediately before and after the
Substitutions. The Section 26 Applicants also state that what effect
the Substitutions may have on the value of the benefits offered by
the Contract guarantees would depend, among other things, on the
relative future performance of the Existing Portfolios and
Replacement Portfolios, which the Section 26 Applicants cannot
predict. Nevertheless, the Section 26 Applicants note that at the
time of the Substitutions, the Contracts will offer a comparable
variety of investment options with as broad a range of risk/return
characteristics.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Contract owners will not incur any fees or charges as a result
of the proposed Substitutions. The obligations of the Section 26
Applicants, and the rights of the affected Contract owners, under the
Contracts of affected Contract owners will not be altered in any way.
Commonwealth and/or its affiliates will pay all expenses and
transaction costs of the Substitutions, including legal and accounting
expenses, any applicable brokerage expenses and other fees and
expenses. No fees or charges will be assessed to the affected Contract
owners to effect the Substitutions. The proposed Substitutions will not
cause the Contract fees and charges currently being paid by Contract
owners to be greater after the proposed Substitution than before the
proposed Substitution. In addition, the Substitutions will in no way
alter the tax treatment of affected Contract owners in connection with
their Contracts, and no tax liability will arise for Contract owners as
a result of the Substitutions.
16. The Section 26 Applicants agree that, for a period of two years
following the implementation of the proposed Substitution (the
``Substitution Date''), and for those Contracts with assets allocated
to the Existing Portfolio on the Substitution Date, Commonwealth or an
affiliate thereof (other than the Trust) will reimburse, on the last
business day of each fiscal quarter, the Contract owners whose
subaccounts invest in the applicable Replacement Portfolio to the
extent that the Replacement Portfolio's net annual operating expenses
(taking into account fee waivers and expense reimbursements) for such
period exceeds, on an annualized basis, the net annual operating
expenses of the
[[Page 20669]]
Existing Portfolio for the most recent fiscal year preceding the date
of the most recently filed application. Commonwealth will not increase
the Contract fees and charges that would otherwise be assessed under
the terms of the Contracts for a period of at least two years following
the Substitution Date.
17. From the date the Pre-Substitution Notice (defined below)
through 30 days following the Substitution Date, Contract owners may
make at least one transfer of Contract value from the subaccount
investing in an Existing Portfolio (before the Substitution) or the
Replacement Portfolio (after the Substitution) to any other available
subaccount under the Contract without charge and without imposing any
transfer limitations. Further, on the Substitution Date, Contract
values attributable to investments in each Existing Portfolio will be
transferred to the corresponding Replacement Portfolio without charge
and without being subject to any transfer limitations. Moreover,
Commonwealth will not exercise any rights reserved under the Contracts
to impose restrictions on transfers between the subaccounts under the
Contracts, including limitations on the future number of transfers, for
a period beginning at least 30 days before the Substitution Date
through at least 30 days following the Substitution Date.
18. At least 30 days prior to the Substitution Date, Contract
owners will be notified via prospectus supplements that the Section 26
Applicants received or expect to receive Commission approval of the
applicable proposed Substitutions and of the anticipated Substitution
Date (the ``Pre-Substitution Notice''). Pre-Substitution Notices sent
to Contract owners will be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule
497 under the 1940 Act. The Pre-Substitution Notice will advise
Contract owners that from the date of the Pre-Substitution Notice
through the date 30 days after the Substitutions, Contract owners may
make at least one transfer of Contract value from the subaccounts
investing in the Existing Portfolios (before the Substitutions) or the
Replacement Portfolios (after the Substitutions) to any other available
subaccount without charge and without imposing any transfer
limitations. Among other information, the notice will inform affected
Contract owners that that, except as described in the disruptive
transfers or market timing provisions of the relevant prospectus,
Commonwealth will not exercise any rights reserved under the Contracts
to impose restrictions on transfers among the subaccounts under the
Contracts, including limitations on the future number of transfers,
through at least 30 days after the Substitution Date. Additionally, all
affected Contract owners will be sent prospectuses of the applicable
Replacement Portfolios at least 30 days before the Substitution Date.
19. In addition to the Supplements distributed to the Contract
owners, within five business days after the Substitution Date, Contract
owners whose assets are allocated to a Replacement Portfolio as part of
the proposed Substitutions will be sent a written notice (each, a
``Confirmation'') informing them that the Substitutions were carried
out as previously notified. The Confirmation also will restate the
information set forth in the Pre-Substitution Notice. The Confirmation
will also reflect the values of the Contract owner's positions in the
Existing Portfolio before the Substitution and the Replacement
Portfolio after the Substitution.
Legal Analysis
1. The Section 26 Applicants request that the Commission issue an
order pursuant to Section 26(c) of the 1940 Act approving the proposed
Substitutions. Section 26(c) of the 1940 Act prohibits any depositor or
trustee of a unit investment trust that invests exclusively in the
securities of a single issuer from substituting the securities of
another issuer without the approval of the Commission. Section 26(c)
provides that such approval shall be granted by order from the
Commission if the evidence establishes that the substitution is
consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes of the
1940 Act.
2. The Section 26 Applicants submit that the Substitutions meet the
standards set forth in Section 26(c) and that, if implemented, the
Substitutions would not raise any of the concerns that Congress
intended to address when the 1940 Act was amended to include this
provision. Applicants state that each Substitution protects the
Contract owners who have Contract value allocated to an Existing
Portfolio by providing Replacement Portfolios with substantially
similar investment objectives, strategies, and risks, and providing
Contract owners with investment options that would have total and net
annual operating expense ratios that are lower than, or equal to, their
corresponding investment options before the Substitutions.
3. Commonwealth has reserved the right under the Contracts to
substitute shares of another underlying fund for one of the current
funds offered as an investment option under the Contracts. The
Contracts and the Contracts' prospectuses disclose this right.
4. The Section 26 Applicants submit that the ultimate effect of the
proposed Substitutions will be to streamline and simplify the
investment line-ups that are available to Contract owners while
reducing expenses and continuing to provide Contract owners with a wide
array of investment options. The Section 26 Applicants state that the
proposed Substitutions will not reduce in any manner the nature or
quality of the available investment options and the proposed
Substitutions also will permit Commonwealth to present information to
its Contract owners in a simpler and more concise manner. The Section
26 Applicants also state it is anticipated that after the proposed
Substitutions, Contract owners will be provided with disclosure
documents that contain a simpler presentation of the available
investment options under the Contracts. The Section 26 Applicants also
assert that the proposed Substitutions are not of the type that Section
26 was designed to prevent because they will not result in costly
forced redemption, nor will they affect other aspects of the Contracts.
In addition, the proposed Substitutions will not adversely affect any
features or riders under the Contracts because none of the features or
riders have any investment restrictions. Accordingly, no Contract owner
will involuntarily lose his or her features or riders as a result of
any proposed Substitution. Moreover, the Section 26 Applicants will
offer Contract owners the opportunity to transfer amounts out of the
affected subaccounts without any cost or other penalty (other than
those necessary to implement policies and procedures designed to detect
and deter disruptive transfer and other ``market timing'' activity)
that may otherwise have been imposed for a period beginning on the date
of the Pre-Substitution Notice (which supplement will be delivered to
the Contract owners at least thirty (30) days before the Substitution
Date) and ending no earlier than thirty (30) days after the
Substitution Date. The proposed Substitutions are also unlike the type
of substitution that Section 26(c) was designed to prevent in that the
Substitutions have no impact on other aspects of the Contracts.
5. The Section 17 Applicants request an order under Section 17(b)
exempting them from the provisions of Section 17(a) to the extent
necessary to permit the Section 17 Applicants to carry out some or all
of the proposed Substitutions. The Section 17
[[Page 20670]]
Applicants state that because the proposed Substitutions may be
effected, in whole or in part, by means of in-kind redemptions and
purchases, the proposed Substitutions may be deemed to involve one or
more purchases or sales of securities or property between affiliated
persons.
6. Section 17(a)(1) of the 1940 Act, in relevant part, prohibits
any affiliated person of a registered investment company, or any
affiliated person of such person, acting as principal, from knowingly
selling any security or other property to that company. Section
17(a)(2) of the 1940 Act generally prohibits the persons described
above, acting as principals, from knowingly purchasing any security or
other property from the registered investment company.
7. The Section 17 Applicants state that the proposed transactions
may involve a transfer of portfolio securities by the Existing
Portfolios to the Separate Accounts. Immediately thereafter, the
Separate Accounts would purchase shares of the Replacement Portfolios
with the portfolio securities received from the Existing Portfolios.
Accordingly, the Section 17 Applicants provide that to the extent
Commonwealth and the Existing Portfolios, and Commonwealth and the
Replacement Portfolios, are deemed to be affiliated persons of one
another under Section 2(a)(3) or Section 2(a)(9) of the 1940 Act, it is
conceivable that this aspect of the proposed Substitutions could be
viewed as being prohibited by Section 17(a). Accordingly, the Section
17 Applicants have determined to seek relief from Section 17(a).
8. The Section 17 Applicants submit that the terms of the proposed
in-kind purchases of shares of the Replacement Portfolios by the
Separate Accounts, including the consideration to be paid and received,
as described in the application, are reasonable and fair and do not
involve overreaching on the part of any person concerned. The Section
17 Applicants submit that the terms of the proposed in-kind
transactions, including the considered to be paid to each Existing
Portfolio and received by each Replacement Portfolio involved, are
reasonable, fair and do not involve overreaching principally because
the transactions will conform with all but one of the conditions
enumerated in Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act. The proposed transactions
will take place at relative net asset value in conformity with the
requirements of Section 22(c) of the 1940 Act and Rule 22c-1 thereunder
without the imposition of any transfer or similar charges by the
Section 26 Applicants. The Substitutions will be effected without
change in the amount or value of any Contract held by the affected
Contract owners. The Substitutions will in no way alter the tax
treatment of affected Contract owners in connection with their
Contracts, and no tax liability will arise for Contract owners as a
result of the Substitutions. The fees and charges under the Contracts
will not increase because of the Substitutions. Even though the
Separate Accounts, Commonwealth and the Trust may not rely on Rule 17a-
7, the Section 17 Applicants believe that the rule's conditions outline
the type of safeguards that result in transactions that are fair and
reasonable to registered investment company participants and preclude
overreaching in connection with an investment company by its affiliated
persons.
9. The Section 17 Applicants also submit that the proposed in-kind
purchases by the Separate Accounts are consistent with the policies of
the Trust and the Replacement Portfolios, as provided in the Trust's
registration statement and reports filed under the 1940 Act. Finally,
the Section 17 Applicants submit that the proposed Substitutions are
consistent with the general purposes of the 1940 Act.
Applicants' Conditions
The Section 26 Applicants, and Global Atlantic as applicable, agree
that any order granting the requested relief will be subject to the
following conditions:
1. The Substitutions will not be effected unless Commonwealth
determines that: (i) The Contracts allow the substitution of shares of
registered open-end investment companies in the manner contemplated by
the application; (ii) the Substitutions can be consummated as described
in the application under applicable insurance laws; and (iii) any
regulatory requirements in each jurisdiction where the Contracts are
qualified for sale have been complied with to the extent necessary to
complete the Substitutions.
2. After the Substitution Date, Global Atlantic will not change a
sub-adviser, add a new sub-adviser, or otherwise rely on the Manager of
Managers Order (as defined in the application), or any replacement
order from the Commission, with respect to any Replacement Portfolio
without first obtaining shareholder approval of the change in sub-
adviser, the new sub-adviser, or the Replacement Portfolio's ability to
rely on the Manager of Managers Order, or any replacement order from
the Commission.
3. Commonwealth or an affiliate thereof (other than the Trust) will
pay all expenses and transaction costs of the Substitutions, including
legal and accounting expenses, any applicable brokerage expenses and
other fees and expenses. No fees or charges will be assessed to the
affected Contract owners to effect the Substitutions. The proposed
Substitutions will not cause the Contract fees and charges currently
being paid by Contract owners to be greater after the proposed
Substitution than before the proposed Substitution.
4. The Substitutions will be effected at the relative net asset
values of the respective shares of the Replacement Portfolios in
conformity with Section 22(c) of the 1940 Act and Rule 22c-1 thereunder
without the imposition of any transfer or similar charges by the
Section 26 Applicants. The Substitutions will be effected without
change in the amount or value of any Contracts held by affected
Contract owners.
5. The Substitutions will in no way alter the tax treatment of
affected Contract owners in connection with their Contracts, and no tax
liability will arise for Contract owners as a result of the
Substitutions.
6. The obligations of the Section 26 Applicants, and the rights of
the affected Contract owners, under the Contracts of affected Contract
owners will not be altered in any way.
7. Affected Contract owners will be permitted to make at least one
transfer of Contract value from the subaccount investing in the
Existing Portfolio (before the Substitution Date) or the Replacement
Portfolio (after the Substitution Date) to any other available
investment option under the Contract without charge for a period
beginning at least 30 days before the Substitution Date through at
least 30 days following the Substitution Date. Except as described in
any market timing/short-term trading provisions of the relevant
prospectus, the Section 26 Applicants will not exercise any rights
reserved under the Contracts to impose restrictions on transfers
between the subaccounts under the Contracts, including limitations on
the future number of transfers, for a period beginning at least 30 days
before the Substitution Date through at least 30 days following the
Substitution Date.
8. All affected Contract owners will be notified, at least 30 days
before the Substitution Date about: (i) The intended Substitution of
Existing Portfolios with the Replacement Portfolios; (ii) the intended
Substitution Date; and (iii) information with respect to transfers as
set forth in Condition 7
[[Page 20671]]
above. In addition, the Section 26 Applicants will also deliver to
affected Contract owners, at least thirty days before the Substitution
Date, a prospectus for each applicable Replacement Portfolio.
9. The Section 26 Applicants will deliver to each affected Contract
owner within five business days of the Substitution Date a written
confirmation which will include: (i) A confirmation that the
Substitutions were carried out as previously notified; (ii) a
restatement of the information set forth in the Pre-Substitution
Notice; and (iii) values of the Contract owner's positions in the
Existing Portfolio before the Substitution and the Replacement
Portfolio after the Substitution.
10. For a period of two years following the Substitution Date, for
Contract owners who were Contract owners as of the Substitution Date,
Commonwealth or an affiliate thereof (other than the Trust) will
reimburse, on the last business day of each fiscal quarter, the
Contract owners whose subaccounts invest in the applicable Replacement
Portfolio to the extent that the Replacement Portfolio's net annual
operating expenses (taking into account fee waivers and expense
reimbursements) for such period exceeds, on an annualized basis, the
net annual operating expenses of the Existing Portfolio for the most
recent fiscal year preceding the date of the application. In addition,
the Section 26 Applicants will not increase the Contract fees and
charges that would otherwise be assessed under the terms of the
Contracts for a period of at least two years following the Substitution
Date.
For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-08904 Filed 5-2-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P