EX-1.(W) 7 e16171ex1w.txt ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY Exhibit 1(w) MERRILL LYNCH VARIABLE SERIES FUNDS, INC. ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY Merrill Lynch Variable Series Funds, Inc. a Maryland corporation, having its principal office in Baltimore City, Maryland (which is hereinafter called the "Corporation"), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that: FIRST: The Corporation is registered as an open-end investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, with the authority to issue capital stock as follows: Number of Authorized Funds/Classes Shares ------------- ------ Merrill Lynch American Balanced V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Basic Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 300,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Core Bond V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 600,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Developing Capital Markets V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Domestic Money Market V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 3,300,000,000 Class II 1,300,000,000 Class III 1,300,000,000 Merrill Lynch Focus Twenty V.I. Fund Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Fundamental Growth V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Global Allocation V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 200,000,000 Class III 200,000,000 Merrill Lynch Global Bond V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 200,000,000 Class III 200,000,000 Number of Authorized Funds/Classes Shares ------------- ------ Merrill Lynch Global Growth V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Government Bond V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 300,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch High Current Income V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Index 500 V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Large Cap Core V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Large Cap Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Natural Resources V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Reserve Assets V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 500,000,000 Class II 500,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Small Cap Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Utilities and Telecommunications V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 -------------- Total 13,800,000,000 SECOND: All shares of Class I, Class II, and Class III Common Stock have a par value of $0.10 per share. The aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes of the Corporation's capital stock is currently One Billion Three Hundred Eighty Million Dollars ($1,380,000,000). THIRD: The Board of Directors of the Corporation, acting in accordance with Section 2-105(c) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Maryland, hereby increases the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation by 600,000,000; 100,000,000 of which shall be classified as Class I Common Stock of Merrill Lynch International Value V.I. Fund; 100,000,000 of which shall be classified as Class II Common Stock of Merrill Lynch International Value V.I. Fund; 100,000,000 of which shall be classified as Class III Common Stock of Merrill Lynch International Value V.I. Fund; 100,000,000 of which shall be classified as Class I Common Stock 2 of Merrill Lynch Large Cap Growth V.I. Fund; 100,000,000 of which shall be classified as Class II Common Stock of Merrill Lynch Large Cap Growth V.I. Fund; and 100,000,000 of which shall be classified as Class III Common Stock of Merrill Lynch Large Cap Growth V.I. Fund. FOURTH: All of the shares of the Corporation's Common Stock, as classified and designated, continue to have preferences, conversions and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption as set forth in Article V of the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation. FIFTH: After this increase in the number of authorized shares of capital stock of the Corporation and classification of the shares, the Corporation will have the authority to issue capital stock as follows: Number of Authorized Funds/Classes Shares ------------- ------ Merrill Lynch American Balanced V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Basic Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 300,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Core Bond V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 600,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Developing Capital Markets V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Domestic Money Market V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 3,300,000,000 Class II 1,300,000,000 Class III 1,300,000,000 Merrill Lynch Focus Twenty V.I. Fund Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Fundamental Growth V.I. Fund Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Global Allocation V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 200,000,000 Class III 200,000,000 Merrill Lynch Global Bond V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 200,000,000 Class III 200,000,000 Merrill Lynch Global Growth V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 3 Number of Authorized Funds/Classes Shares ------------- ------ Merrill Lynch Government Bond V.I. Fund Common Stock 300,000,000 Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III Merrill Lynch High Current Income V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Index 500 V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch International Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Large Cap Core V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 200,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Large Cap Growth V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Large Cap Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Natural Resources V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Reserve Assets V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 500,000,000 Class II 500,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Small Cap Value V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 Merrill Lynch Utilities and Telecommunications V.I. Fund Common Stock Class I 100,000,000 Class II 100,000,000 Class III 100,000,000 -------------- Total 14,400,000,000 SIXTH: All of the shares of Class I, Class II and Class III Common Stock shall have a par value of $0.10 per share. After the increase in the number of authorized shares of capital stock of the Corporation, the aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes of the Corporation's capital stock will be One Billion Four Hundred Forty Million Dollars ($1,440,000,000). SEVENTH: No other change is intended or effected. 4 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Merrill Lynch Variable Series Funds, Inc. has caused these presents to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Vice President and Treasurer and witnessed by its Secretary on October 31, 2003. WITNESS MERRILL LYNCH VARIABLE SERIES FUNDS, INC. /s/ Stephen M. Benham /s/ Donald C. Burke Name: Stephen M. Benham Name: Donald C. Burke Title: Secretary Title: Vice President and Treasurer THE UNDERSIGNED, Vice President and Treasurer of Merrill Lynch Variable Series Funds, Inc. who executed on behalf of the Corporation the foregoing Articles Supplementary of which this Certificate is made a part, hereby acknowledges the foregoing Articles Supplementary to be the corporate act of said Corporation and hereby certifies that to the best of his knowledge, information, and belief the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to the authorization and approval thereof are true in all material respects under penalties of perjury. /s/ Donald C. Burke Name: Donald C. Burke Title: Vice President and Treasurer 5