EX-99.(H)7.19 9 d537188dex99h719.htm EXHIBIT (H)7.19 Exhibit (h)7.19

FORM OF AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

THIS AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION (the “Agreement”) is made as of this 6th day of December, 2017 by RUSSELL INVESTMENT COMPANY (the “Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust, on behalf of the Multifactor U.S. Equity Fund (the “Acquiring Fund”), and the Trust on behalf of the U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund (the “Target Fund” and together with the Acquiring Fund, each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”), each a separate series of the Trust. The principal place of business of the Trust is 1301 Second Avenue, 18th Floor, Seattle, Washington 98101.

This Agreement is intended to be and is adopted as a plan of reorganization and liquidation within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The reorganization (the “Reorganization”) will consist of the transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in exchange solely for voting shares of beneficial interest ($0.01 par value per share) of the Acquiring Fund (the “Acquiring Fund Shares”), the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund and the distribution of the Acquiring Fund Shares to the shareholders of the Target Fund in complete liquidation of the Target Fund as provided herein, all upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth in this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

(1)    Transfer of Assets of the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund in Exchange for Acquiring Fund Shares, the Assumption of All Target Fund Liabilities and the Liquidation of the Target Fund

1.1.    Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and on the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, the Target Fund agrees to transfer to the Acquiring Fund all or substantially all of the Target Fund’s assets as set forth in section 1.2, and the Acquiring Fund agrees in exchange therefor (i) to deliver to the Target Fund that number of full and fractional Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S and Class T Acquiring Fund Shares determined by dividing the value of the Target Fund’s assets net of any liabilities of the Target Fund, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in section 2.1, by the net asset value of one Acquiring Fund Share, computed in the manner and as of the time and date set forth in section 2.2; and (ii) to assume all of the liabilities of the Target Fund. All Acquiring Fund Shares delivered to the Target Fund shall be delivered at net asset value without a sales load, commission or other similar fee being imposed. Such transactions shall take place at the closing provided for in section 3.1 (the “Closing”).

1.2.    The assets of the Target Fund to be acquired by the Acquiring Fund (the “Assets”) shall consist of all assets, including, without limitation, all cash, cash equivalents, securities, commodities and futures interests and dividends or interest or other receivables that are owned by the Target Fund and any deferred or prepaid expenses shown on the unaudited statement of assets and liabilities of the Target Fund prepared as of the effective time of the Closing in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied consistently with those of the Target Fund’s most recent audited balance sheet. The Assets shall constitute at least 90% of the fair market value of the net assets, and at least 70% of the fair market value of the gross assets, held by the Target Fund immediately before the Closing (excluding for these purposes assets used to pay the dividends and other distributions paid pursuant to section 1.4).

1.3.    The Target Fund will endeavor to discharge all of its known liabilities and obligations prior to the Closing Date as defined in section 3.6.

1.4.    On or as soon as practicable prior to the Closing Date as defined in section 3.1, the Target Fund will declare and pay to its shareholders of record one or more dividends and/or other distributions so that it will have distributed all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to any deduction for dividends paid) and realized net capital gain, if any, for the current taxable year through the Closing Date.

1.5.    Immediately after the transfer of Assets provided for in section 1.1, the Target Fund will distribute to the Target Fund’s shareholders of record (the “Target Fund Shareholders”), determined as of the Valuation Time (as defined in section 2.1), on a pro rata basis, the Acquiring Fund Shares received by the Target Fund pursuant to section 1.1 and will completely liquidate. Such distribution and liquidation will be accomplished with respect to the Target Fund by the transfer of the Acquiring Fund Shares then credited to the account of the

Target Fund on the books of the Acquiring Fund to open accounts on the share records of the Acquiring Fund in the names of the Target Fund Shareholders. The Acquiring Fund shall have no obligation to inquire as to the validity, propriety or correctness of such records, but shall assume that such transaction is valid, proper and correct. The aggregate net asset value of the Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S and Class T Acquiring Fund Shares to be so credited to the Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S and Class T shareholders of Target Fund, shall be equal to the aggregate net asset value of the applicable Target Fund shares owned by such shareholders as of the Valuation Time. All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund will simultaneously be cancelled on the books of the Target Fund, although share certificates representing interests in shares of the Target Fund will represent a number of Acquiring Fund Shares after the Closing Date as determined in accordance with section 2.3. The Acquiring Fund will not issue certificates representing Acquiring Fund Shares in connection with such exchange.

1.6.    Ownership of Acquiring Fund Shares will be shown on the books of the Acquiring Fund. Shares of the Acquiring Fund will be issued in the manner described in the Acquiring Fund’s then-current prospectus and statement of additional information.

1.7.    Any reporting responsibility of the Target Fund including, without limitation, the responsibility for filing of regulatory reports, tax returns, or other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), any state securities commission, and any Federal, state or local tax authorities or any other relevant regulatory authority, is and shall remain the responsibility of the Target Fund.

1.8.    All books and records of the Target Fund, including all books and records required to be maintained under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder, shall be available to the Acquiring Fund from and after the Closing Date and shall be turned over to the Acquiring Fund as soon as practicable following the Closing Date.

(2)    Valuation

2.1.    The value of the Assets shall be computed as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) on the Closing Date, as defined in section 3.1 (the “Valuation Time”) after the declaration and payment of any dividends and/or other distributions on that date, using the valuation procedures set forth in the Trust’s Third Amended and Restated Master Trust Agreement, as amended (the “Trust Agreement”), and then-current prospectus or statement of additional information, copies of which have been delivered to the Target Fund.

2.2.    The net asset value of a Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S and Class T Acquiring Fund Share shall be the net asset value per share computed as of the Valuation Time using the valuation procedures referred to in section 2.1.

2.3.    The number of Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S or Class T Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued (including fractional shares, if any) in exchange for the Assets shall be determined by dividing the value of the Assets with respect to Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S or Class T, as applicable, of the Target Fund determined in accordance with section 2.1 by the net asset value of an Acquiring Fund Share determined in accordance with section 2.2.

2.4.    All computations of value hereunder shall be made by or under the direction of each Fund’s respective accounting agent, if applicable, in accordance with its regular practice and the requirements of the 1940 Act and shall be subject to confirmation by each Fund’s respective independent accountants upon the reasonable request of the other Fund.

(3)    Closing and Closing Date

3.1.    The Closing of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be April 27, 2018, or such other date as the parties may agree in writing (the “Closing Date”). All acts taking place at the Closing shall be deemed to take place simultaneously as of the close of business on the Closing Date, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Closing shall be held at the offices of the Trust, 1301 Second Avenue, 18th Floor, Seattle, Washington 98101, or at such other place and time as the parties may agree.

3.2.    The Target Fund shall deliver to the Acquiring Fund on the Closing Date a schedule of Assets.

3.3.    State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), custodian for the Target Fund, shall deliver at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that the Assets shall have been delivered in proper form to State Street, custodian for the Acquiring Fund, prior to or on the Closing Date. The Target Fund’s portfolio securities represented by a certificate or other written instrument shall be presented by the custodian for the Target Fund to the custodian for the Acquiring Fund for examination no later than five business days preceding the Closing Date and transferred and delivered by the Target Fund as of the Closing Date by the Target Fund for the account of the Acquiring Fund duly endorsed in proper form for transfer in such condition as to constitute good delivery thereof. The Target Fund’s portfolio securities and instruments deposited with a securities depository, as defined in Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, shall be delivered as of the Closing Date by book entry in accordance with the customary practices of such depositories and the custodian for the Acquiring Fund. The cash to be transferred by the Target Fund shall be delivered by wire transfer of Federal funds on the Closing Date.

3.4.    Russell Investments Fund Services, LLC (“RIFUS”), as transfer agent for the Target Fund, on behalf of the Target Fund, shall deliver at the Closing a certificate of an authorized officer stating that its records contain the names and addresses of the Target Fund Shareholders and the number and percentage ownership (to three decimal places) of outstanding Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S and Class T Target Fund Shares, as applicable, owned by each such shareholder immediately prior to the Closing. The Acquiring Fund shall issue and deliver a confirmation evidencing the Acquiring Fund Shares to be credited on the Closing Date to the Target Fund or provide evidence satisfactory to the Target Fund that such Acquiring Fund Shares have been credited to the Target Fund’s account on the books of the Acquiring Fund. At the Closing, each party shall deliver to the other such bills of sale, checks, assignments, share certificates, if any, receipts or other documents as such other party or its counsel may reasonably request to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

3.5.    In the event that immediately prior to the Valuation Time (a) the NYSE or another primary trading market for portfolio securities of the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund (each, an “Exchange”) shall be closed to trading or trading thereupon shall be restricted, or (b) trading or the reporting of trading on such Exchange or elsewhere shall be disrupted so that, in the judgment of the oversight committee comprised of representatives of RIFUS that is authorized to make such judgments under the Funds’ Securities Valuation Procedures and Pricing Services, accurate appraisal of the value of the net assets determined pursuant to the valuation procedures referred to in section 2.1 with respect to the Class A, Class C, Class M, Class P, Class R6, Class S and Class T Shares of the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund is impracticable, the Closing Date shall, at the discretion of the Funds’ officers, be postponed to the earliest practicable date.

3.6.    The liabilities of the Target Fund shall include all of the Target Fund’s liabilities, debts, obligations, and duties of whatever kind or nature, whether absolute, accrued, contingent, or otherwise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, whether or not determinable at the Closing Date, and whether or not specifically referred to in this Agreement including but not limited to any deferred compensation to the Target Fund’s board members.

(4)    Representations and Warranties

4.1.    The Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, represents and warrants to the Acquiring Fund as follows:

4.1.1.    The Trust is duly formed and is validly existing as a business trust under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with power under the Trust’s Trust Agreement to own all of its properties and assets, to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to carry out the Agreement. The Target Fund is a separate series of the Trust duly designated in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Trust’s Trust Agreement. The Trust and Target Fund are qualified to do business in all jurisdictions in which they are required to be so qualified, except jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have material adverse effect on the Trust or Target Fund. The Target Fund has all material Federal, state and local authorizations necessary to own all of the properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being conducted, except authorizations that the failure to so obtain would not have a material adverse effect on the Target Fund;

4.1.2.    The Trust is registered with the Commission as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and such registration is in full force and effect and the Target Fund is in compliance in all material respects with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;

4.1.3.    No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Target Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the 1940 Act and such as may be required by state securities laws;

4.1.4.    Other than with respect to contracts entered into in connection with the portfolio management of the Target Fund which shall terminate on or prior to the Closing Date, the Trust is not, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Trust will not result in (i) a violation of Massachusetts law or of the Trust’s Trust Agreement or By-Laws, (ii) a violation or breach of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking to which the Target Fund is a party or by which it is bound, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Target Fund will not result in the acceleration of any obligation, or the imposition of any penalty, under any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, judgment or decree to which the Target Fund is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Target Fund;

4.1.5.    No material litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Target Fund or any properties or assets held by it. The Target Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings that would materially and adversely affect its business and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions herein contemplated;

4.1.6.    The Statements of Assets and Liabilities, Operations, and Changes in Net Assets, the Financial Highlights, and the Investment Portfolio of the Target Fund at and for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2017, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”), independent public accounting firm, and are in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and such statements (a copy of each of which has been furnished to the Acquiring Fund) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Target Fund as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Target Fund required to be reflected on the statement of assets and liabilities (including the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as of such date not disclosed therein;

4.1.7.    Since October 31, 2017, there has not been any material adverse change in the Target Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business, or any incurrence by the Target Fund of indebtedness maturing more than one year from the date such indebtedness was incurred except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted in writing by the Acquiring Fund. For purposes of this subsection 4.1.7, a decline in net asset value per share of the Target Fund due to declines in market values of securities in the Target Fund’s portfolio, the discharge of Target Fund liabilities, or the redemption of Target Fund shares by Target Fund Shareholders shall not constitute a material adverse change;

4.1.8.    At the date hereof and at the Closing Date, all Federal and other tax returns and reports of the Target Fund required by law to have been filed by such dates (including any extensions) shall have been filed and are or will be correct in all material respects, and all Federal and other taxes shown as due or required to be shown as due on said returns and reports shall have been paid or provision shall have been made for the payment thereof, and, to the best of the Target Fund’s knowledge, no such return is currently under audit and no assessment has been asserted with respect to such returns;

4.1.9.    For each taxable year of its operation (including the taxable year ending on the Closing Date), the Target Fund has met the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification and treatment as a regulated investment company and has elected to be treated as such, has been eligible to and has computed its Federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code, and will have distributed all of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (as defined in the Code) that has accrued through the Closing Date;

4.1.10.    All issued and outstanding shares of the Target Fund (i) have been offered and sold in every state and the District of Columbia in compliance in all material respects with applicable registration requirements of the 1933 Act and state securities laws, (ii) are, and on the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive or dissenter’s rights, and (iii) will be held at the time of the Closing by the persons and in the amounts set forth in the records of RIFUS, as provided in section 3.4. The Target Fund does not have outstanding any options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the Target Fund shares, nor is there outstanding any security convertible into any of the Target Fund shares;

4.1.11.    At the Closing Date, the Target Fund will have good and marketable title to the Target Fund’s assets to be transferred to the Acquiring Fund pursuant to section 1.2 and full right, power and authority to sell, assign, transfer and deliver such assets hereunder free of any liens or other encumbrances, except those liens or encumbrances as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice at or prior to the Closing, and upon delivery and payment for such assets, the Acquiring Fund will acquire good and marketable title thereto, subject to no restrictions on the full transfer thereof, including such restrictions as might arise under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, except those restrictions as to which the Acquiring Fund has received notice and necessary documentation at or prior to the Closing;

4.1.12.    The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will have been duly authorized prior to the Closing Date by all necessary action on the part of the Board members of the Trust, (including the determinations required by Rule 17a-8(a) under the 1940 Act), and this Agreement constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

4.1.13.    The information to be furnished by the Target Fund for use in applications for orders, registration statements or proxy materials or for use in any other document filed or to be filed with any Federal, state or local regulatory authority (including the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”)), which may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with Federal securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto; and

4.1.14.    The current prospectus and statement of additional information of the Target Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading.

4.2.    The Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, represents and warrants to the Target Fund as follows:

4.2.1.    The Trust is duly formed and is validly existing as a business trust under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with power under the Trust’s Trust Agreement to own all of its properties and assets, to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to carry out the Agreement. The Acquiring Fund is a separate series of the Trust duly designated in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Trust’s Trust Agreement. The Trust and Acquiring Fund are qualified to do business in all jurisdictions in which they are required to be so qualified, except jurisdictions in which the failure to so qualify would not have material adverse effect on the Trust or Acquiring Fund. The Acquiring Fund has all material Federal, state and local authorizations necessary to own all of the properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being conducted, except authorizations that the failure to so obtain would not have a material adverse effect on the Acquiring Fund;

4.2.2.    The Trust is registered with the Commission as an open-end management investment company under the 1940 Act, and such registration is in full force and effect and the Acquiring Fund is in compliance in all material respects with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;

4.2.3.    No consent, approval, authorization, or order of any court or governmental authority is required for the consummation by the Acquiring Fund of the transactions contemplated herein, except such as have been obtained under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act and such as may be required by state securities laws;

4.2.4.    The Trust is not, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Trust will not result in (i) a violation of Massachusetts law or of the Trust’s Trust Agreement or By-Laws, (ii) a violation or breach of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease or other undertaking known to counsel to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which it is bound, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Acquiring Fund will not result in the acceleration of any obligation, or the imposition of any penalty, under any agreement, indenture, instrument, contract, lease, judgment or decree to which the Acquiring Fund is a party or by which it is bound, or (iii) the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Acquiring Fund;

4.2.5.    No material litigation or administrative proceeding or investigation of or before any court or governmental body is presently pending or to its knowledge threatened against the Acquiring Fund or any properties or assets held by it. The Acquiring Fund knows of no facts that might form the basis for the institution of such proceedings that would materially and adversely affect its business and is not a party to or subject to the provisions of any order, decree or judgment of any court or governmental body which materially and adversely affects its business or its ability to consummate the transactions herein contemplated;

4.2.6.    The Statements of Assets and Liabilities, Operations, and Changes in Net Assets, the Financial Highlights, and the Investment Portfolio of the Acquiring Fund at and for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2017, have been audited by PwC, independent public accountants, and are in accordance with GAAP consistently applied, and such statements (a copy of each of which has been furnished to the Target Fund) present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Acquiring Fund as of such date in accordance with GAAP, and there are no known contingent liabilities of the Acquiring Fund required to be reflected on the statement of assets and liabilities (including the notes thereto) in accordance with GAAP as of such date not disclosed therein;

4.2.7.    Since October 31, 2017, there has not been any material adverse change in the Acquiring Fund’s financial condition, assets, liabilities or business other than changes occurring in the ordinary course of business, or any incurrence by the Acquiring Fund of indebtedness maturing more than one year from the date such indebtedness was incurred except as otherwise disclosed to and accepted in writing by the Target Fund. For purposes of this subsection 4.2.7, a decline in net asset value per share of the Acquiring Fund due to declines in market values of securities in the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio, the discharge of Acquiring Fund liabilities, or the redemption of Acquiring Fund shares by Acquiring Fund shareholders shall not constitute a material adverse change;

4.2.8.    At the date hereof and at the Closing Date, all Federal and other tax returns and reports of the Acquiring Fund required by law to have been filed by such dates (including any extensions) shall have been filed and are or will be correct in all material respects, and all Federal and other taxes shown as due or required to be shown as due on said returns and reports shall have been paid or provision shall have been made for the payment thereof, and, to the best of the Acquiring Fund’s knowledge, no such return is currently under audit and no assessment has been asserted with respect to such returns;

4.2.9.    For each taxable year of its operation, the Acquiring Fund has met the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code for qualification and treatment as a regulated investment company and has elected to be treated as such, has been eligible to and has computed its Federal income tax under Section 852 of the Code, and will do so for the taxable year including the Closing Date;

4.2.10.    All issued and outstanding shares of the Acquiring Fund (i) have been offered and sold in every state and the District of Columbia in compliance in all material respects with applicable registration requirements of the 1933 Act and state securities laws and (ii) are, and on the Closing Date will be, duly and validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable, and not subject to preemptive or dissenter’s rights. The Acquiring Fund does not have outstanding any options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for or purchase any of the Acquiring Fund shares, nor is there outstanding any security convertible into any of the Acquiring Fund shares;

4.2.11.    The Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued and delivered to the Target Fund, for the account of the Target Fund Shareholders, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, will at the Closing Date have been duly authorized and, when so issued and delivered, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding Acquiring Fund Shares, and will be fully paid and non-assessable;

4.2.12.    At the Closing Date, the Acquiring Fund will have good and marketable title to the Acquiring Fund’s assets, free of any liens or other encumbrances, except those liens or encumbrances as to which the Target Fund has received notice at or prior to the Closing;

4.2.13.    The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement will have been duly authorized prior to the Closing Date by all necessary action on the part of the Board members of the Trust (including the determinations required by Rule 17a-8(a) under the 1940 Act), and this Agreement will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

4.2.14.    The information to be furnished by the Acquiring Fund for use in applications for orders, registration statements or proxy materials or for use in any other document filed or to be filed with any Federal, state or local regulatory authority (including the FINRA), which may be necessary in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby, shall be accurate and complete in all material respects and shall comply in all material respects with Federal securities and other laws and regulations applicable thereto;

4.2.15.    The current prospectus and statement of additional information of the Acquiring Fund conform in all material respects to the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not materially misleading; and

4.2.16.    The Acquiring Fund agrees to use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act and such of the state securities laws as may be necessary in order to continue its operations after the Closing Date.

(5)    Covenants of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund

5.1.    Each Fund covenants to operate its business in the ordinary course between the date hereof and the Closing Date, it being understood that (a) such ordinary course of business will include (i) the declaration and payment of customary dividends and other distributions and (ii) such changes as are contemplated by the Fund’s normal operations; and (b) each Fund shall retain exclusive control of the composition of its portfolio until the Closing Date. No party shall take any action that would, or reasonably would be expected to, result in any of its representations and warranties set forth in this Agreement being or becoming untrue in any material respect. Each Fund covenants and agrees to coordinate the respective portfolios of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund from the date of the Agreement up to and including the Closing Date in order that at Closing, when the Assets are added to the Acquiring Fund’s portfolio, the resulting portfolio will meet the Acquiring Fund’s investment objective, policies and restrictions, as set forth in the Acquiring Fund’s Prospectus, a copy of which has been delivered to the Target Fund.

5.2.    Upon reasonable notice, the Acquiring Fund’s officers and agents shall have reasonable access to the Target Fund’s books and records necessary to maintain current knowledge of the Target Fund and to ensure that the representations and warranties made by the Target Fund are accurate.

5.3.    The Target Fund covenants that the Acquiring Fund Shares to be issued hereunder are not being acquired for the purpose of making any distribution thereof other than in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

5.4.    The Target Fund covenants that it will assist the Acquiring Fund in obtaining such information as the Acquiring Fund reasonably requests concerning the beneficial ownership of the Target Fund shares.

5.5.    Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, each Fund will take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and do or cause to be done, all things reasonably necessary, proper and/or advisable to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

5.6.    Each Fund covenants to prepare in compliance with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act the Registration Statement on Form N-14 (the “Registration Statement”) in connection with the transactions contemplated herein. The Acquiring Fund will file the Registration Statement with the Commission. The Target Fund will provide the Acquiring Fund with information reasonably necessary for the preparation of a prospectus to be included in the Registration Statement, in compliance in all material respects with the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act and the 1940 Act.

5.7.    The Target Fund covenants that it will, from time to time, as and when reasonably requested by the Acquiring Fund, execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered all such assignments and other instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further action as the Acquiring Fund may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to vest in and confirm the Acquiring Fund’s title to and possession of all the assets and otherwise to carry out the intent and purpose of this Agreement.

5.8.    The Acquiring Fund covenants to use all reasonable efforts to obtain the approvals and authorizations required by the 1933 Act and 1940 Act, and such of the state securities laws as it deems appropriate in order to continue its operations after the Closing Date and to consummate the transactions contemplated herein; provided, however, that the Acquiring Fund may take such actions it reasonably deems advisable after the Closing Date as circumstances change.

5.9.    The Acquiring Fund covenants that it will, from time to time, as and when reasonably requested by the Target Fund, execute and deliver or cause to be executed and delivered all such assignments, assumption agreements, releases, and other instruments, and will take or cause to be taken such further action, as the Target Fund may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to (i) vest and confirm to the Target Fund title to and possession of all Acquiring Fund shares to be transferred to the Target Fund pursuant to this Agreement and assume the liabilities from the Target Fund.

5.10.    As soon as reasonably practicable after the Closing, the Target Fund shall make a liquidating distribution to its shareholders consisting of the Acquiring Fund Shares received at the Closing.

5.11.    Each Fund shall use its reasonable best efforts to fulfill or obtain the fulfillment of the conditions precedent to effect the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as promptly as practicable.

5.12.    The intention of the parties is that the Reorganization will qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. Neither the Trust nor the Funds shall take any action, or cause any action to be taken (including, without limitation, the filing of any tax return) that is inconsistent with such treatment or results in the failure of a transaction to qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code. At or prior to the Closing Date, the Trust and each Fund will take such action, or cause such action to be taken, as is reasonably necessary to enable Dechert LLP to render the tax opinion contemplated herein in section 8.4.

5.13.    At or immediately prior to the Closing, the Target Fund will declare and pay to its shareholders a dividend or other distribution in an amount large enough so that it will have distributed all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to any deduction for dividends paid) and realized net capital gain, if any, for the current taxable year through the Closing Date.

(6)    Conditions Precedent to Obligations of the Target Fund. With respect to the Reorganization, the obligations of the Target Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Acquiring Fund of all the obligations to be performed by it hereunder on or before the Closing Date, and, in addition thereto, the following further conditions:

6.1.    All representations and warranties of the Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date; and there shall be (i) no pending or threatened litigation brought by any person (other than the Target Fund, its adviser or any of their affiliates) against the Acquiring Fund or its investment adviser(s), Board members or officers arising out of this Agreement and (ii) no facts known to the Acquiring Fund which the Acquiring Fund reasonably believes might result in such litigation.

6.2.    The Acquiring Fund shall have delivered to the Target Fund on the Closing Date a certificate executed in its name by an officer, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Trust with respect to the Acquiring Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and as to such other matters as the Target Fund shall reasonably request.

6.3.    The Acquiring Fund shall have performed all of the covenants and complied with all of the provisions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Acquiring Fund on or before the Closing Date.

(7)    Conditions Precedent to Obligations of the Acquiring Fund with respect to the Reorganization. The obligations of the Acquiring Fund to consummate the transactions provided for herein shall be subject, at its election, to the performance by the Target Fund of all of the obligations to be performed by it hereunder on or before the Closing Date and, in addition thereto, the following further conditions:

7.1.    All representations and warranties of the Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, as of the Closing Date, with the same force and effect as if made on and as of the Closing Date; and there shall be (i) no pending or threatened litigation brought by any person (other than the Acquiring Fund, its adviser or any of their affiliates) against the Target Fund or its investment adviser(s), Board members or officers arising out of this Agreement and (ii) no facts known to the Target Fund which the Target Fund reasonably believes might result in such litigation.

7.2.    The Target Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund a statement of the Target Fund’s assets and liabilities as of the Closing Date, certified by the Treasurer of the Target Fund.

7.3.    The Target Fund shall have delivered to the Acquiring Fund on the Closing Date a certificate executed in its name by an officer, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Trust with respect to the Target Fund made in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date, except as they may be affected by the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and as to such other matters as the Acquiring Fund shall reasonably request.

7.4.    The Target Fund shall have performed all of the covenants and complied with all of the provisions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Target Fund on or before the Closing Date.

(8)    Further Conditions Precedent to Obligations of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund. If any of the conditions set forth below have not been met on or before the Closing Date with respect to the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund, the other party to this Agreement shall, at its option, not be required to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement:

8.1.    On the Closing Date, no action, suit or other proceeding shall be pending or to its knowledge threatened before any court or governmental agency in which it is sought to restrain or prohibit, or obtain material damages or other relief in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated herein.

8.2.    All consents of other parties and all other consents, orders and permits of Federal, state and local regulatory authorities deemed necessary by the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund to permit consummation, in all material respects, of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained, except where failure to obtain any such consent, order or permit would not involve a risk of a material adverse effect on the assets or properties of the Acquiring Fund or the Target Fund, provided that either party hereto may for itself waive any of such conditions.

8.3.    The Registration Statement shall have become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop orders suspending the effectiveness thereof shall have been issued and, to the best knowledge of the parties hereto, no investigation or proceeding for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending, threatened or contemplated under the 1933 Act.

8.4.    With respect to the Reorganization, the parties shall have received an opinion of Dechert LLP addressed to each of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund, in a form reasonably satisfactory to each such party, substantially to the effect that, based upon certain facts, assumptions and representations of the parties, for Federal income tax purposes: (i) the transfer to the Acquiring Fund of all or substantially all of the assets of the Target Fund in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund, followed by the distribution of such shares to the Target Fund Shareholders in exchange for their shares of the Target Fund in complete liquidation of the Target Fund, will constitute a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1) of the Code, and the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund will each be “a party to a reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code; (ii) no gain or loss will be recognized by the Target Fund upon the transfer of all or substantially all of its assets to the Acquiring Fund in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund; (iii) the basis of the assets of the Target Fund in the hands of the Acquiring Fund will be the same as the basis of such assets of the Target Fund immediately prior to the transfer; (iv) the holding period of the assets of the Target Fund in the hands of the Acquiring Fund will include the period during which such assets were held by the Target Fund (except where investment activities of the Acquiring Fund have the effect of reducing or eliminating a holding period with respect to an asset); (v) no gain or loss will be recognized by the Acquiring Fund upon the receipt of the assets of the Target Fund in exchange solely for Acquiring Fund Shares and the assumption by the Acquiring Fund of all of the liabilities of the Target Fund; (vi) no gain or loss will be recognized by Target Fund Shareholders upon the receipt of the Acquiring Fund Shares solely in exchange for their shares of the Target Fund as part of the transaction; (vii) the basis of the Acquiring Fund Shares received by Target Fund Shareholders will be the same as the basis of the shares of the Target Fund exchanged therefor; and (viii) the holding period of Acquiring Fund Shares received by Target Fund Shareholders will include the holding period during which the shares of the Target Fund exchanged therefore were held, provided that at the time of the exchange the shares of the Target Fund were held as capital assets in the hands of Target Fund Shareholders. The delivery of such opinion is conditioned upon receipt by Dechert LLP of representations it shall request of the Trust. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Acquiring Fund nor the Target Fund may waive the condition set forth in this section 8.4. No opinion will be expressed by Dechert LLP, however, as to whether any gain or loss will be recognized (i) by the Target Fund in connection with the transfer from the Target Fund to the Acquiring Fund of any section 1256 contracts (as defined in Section 1256 of the Code) or any stock in a passive foreign investment company (as defined in Section 1297(a) of the Code) or (ii) by the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund in connection with any dispositions of assets by such Fund prior to or following the Reorganization.

(9)    Indemnification

9.1.    The Acquiring Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Target Fund and each of the Target Fund’s Board members and officers from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which jointly and severally, the Target Fund or any of its Board members or officers may become subject, insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any breach by the Acquiring Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.

9.2.    The Target Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Acquiring Fund and each of the Acquiring Fund’s Board members and officers from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (including, without limitation, the payment of reasonable legal fees and reasonable costs of investigation) to which jointly and severally, the Acquiring Fund or any of its Board members or officers may become subject, insofar as any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense (or actions with respect thereto) arises out of or is based on any breach by the Target Fund of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement.

(10)    Fees and Expenses

10.1.    Each of the Trust, on behalf of the Acquiring Fund, and the Trust, on behalf of the Target Fund, represents and warrants to the other that it has no obligations to pay any brokers or finders fees in connection with the transactions provided for herein.

10.2.    Costs related to the sale of securities from the Target Fund’s portfolio that will not be retained by the Acquiring Fund will be borne by Acquiring Fund shareholders and Target Fund Shareholders who do not redeem or exchange their shares of the Target Fund prior to the Reorganization. Further, to the extent that the Reorganization directly benefits the Acquiring Fund through reduced expenses, transaction expenses will be borne by the Acquiring Fund. If the hard transaction costs incurred by the Acquiring Fund in connection with the consummation of the Reorganization exceed the net estimated annualized reduction in expenses to the Acquiring Fund (i.e., the amount of the expense benefit that accrues to the Acquiring Fund after taking into account the Acquiring Fund’s direct Fund-level expense cap), Russell Investment Management, LLC (“RIM”), the investment adviser to each of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund, will reimburse the Acquiring Fund for any hard transaction costs that exceed the amount of such expense benefit. RIM will pay the audit fees, legal fees and mailing costs associated with the Reorganization.

10.3.    Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, expenses will in any event be paid by the party directly incurring such expenses if and to the extent that the payment of such expenses by another person would result in the disqualification of such party as a “regulated investment company” within the meaning of Section 851 of the Code.

(11)    Entire Agreement; Survival of Warranties

11.1.    Each Fund agrees that no party has made any representation, warranty or covenant not set forth herein and that this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties.

11.2.    Except as specified in the next sentence set forth in this section 11.2, the representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant hereto or in connection herewith shall not survive the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder. The covenants to be performed after the Closing and the obligations of each of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund in sections 9.1 and 9.2 shall survive the Closing.

(12)    Termination

This Agreement may be terminated and the transactions contemplated hereby may be abandoned by any party as it relates to the transaction applicable to such party by the mutual agreement of the parties or (ii) by either party if the other party shall have materially breached its obligations under this Agreement or made a material and intentional misrepresentation herein or in connection herewith. In the event of any such termination, this Agreement shall become void and there shall be no liability hereunder on the part of any party or their respective Board members or officers, except for any such material breach or intentional misrepresentation, as to each of which all remedies at law or in equity of the party adversely affected shall survive.

(13)    Amendments

This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon in writing by any authorized officer of the Target Fund and any authorized officer of the Acquiring Fund.

(14)    Notices

Any notice, report, statement or demand required or permitted by any provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given if delivered by hand (including by Federal Express or similar express courier) or transmitted by facsimile or three days after being mailed by prepaid registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the Target Fund, 1301 Second Avenue, 18th Floor, Seattle, Washington 98101, with a copy to Dechert LLP, One International Place, 100 Oliver Street, 40th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, Attention: John V. O’Hanlon, Esq., or to the Acquiring Fund, 1301 Second Avenue, 18th Floor, Seattle, Washington 98101, with a copy to Dechert LLP, One International Place, 100 Oliver Street, 40th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, Attention: John V. O’Hanlon, Esq., or to any other address that the Target Fund or the Acquiring Fund shall have last designated by notice to the other party.

(15)    Headings; Counterparts; Assignment; Limitation of Liability

15.1.    The Article and section headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

15.2.    This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.

15.3.    This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns, but no assignment or transfer hereof or of any rights or obligations hereunder shall be made by any party without the written consent of the other party. Nothing herein expressed or implied is intended or shall be construed to confer upon or give any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and the shareholders of the Acquiring Fund and the Target Fund and their respective successors and assigns, any rights or remedies under or by reason of this Agreement.

15.4.    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the obligations, agreements, representations and warranties with respect to each Fund shall constitute the obligations, agreements, representations and warranties of that Fund only (the “Obligated Fund”), and in no event shall any other series of the Trust or the assets of any such series be held liable with respect to the breach or other default by the Obligated Fund of its obligations, agreements, representations and warranties as set forth herein.

15.5.    This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by an authorized officer.

 

Attest:    

RUSSELL INVESTMENT COMPANY,

on behalf of U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

/s/ Jessica Gates

     By:  

/s/ Mark Swanson

Name:   Jessica Gates     Name:   Mark Swanson
Title:   Assistant Secretary     Title:   Treasurer

 

Attest:    

RUSSELL INVESTMENT COMPANY,

on behalf of Multifactor U.S. Equity Fund

/s/ Jessica Gates

     By:  

/s/ Mark Swanson

Name:   Jessica Gates     Name:   Mark Swanson
Title:   Assistant Secretary     Title:   Treasurer

 

Attest:    

RUSSELL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC

solely with respect to Section 10.2

/s/ Jessica Gates

     By:  

/s/ Jeffrey Hussey

Name:   Jessica Gates     Name:   Jeffrey Hussey
Title:   Assistant Secretary     Title:   Chairman and President