PROPOSAL FIVE: APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
Purposes
The Plan is intended
to attract, retain and appropriately incentivize the Funds executive officers and other key employees by providing them with grants of incentive cash awards and the non-employee members of the Board (each, an independent director)
by providing them with the opportunity to defer director fees into a deferral account under the Plan. The value of these incentive awards and deferral accounts under the Plan will be determined based on measurement of the change in the Funds
trading discount relative to the pre-tax value of the Funds net assets, as adjusted to eliminate any impact from share price movements of ordinary shares of Alibaba Group Holding Limited (the Alibaba Shares) and shares of common
stock of Yahoo Japan Corporation (Yahoo Japan Shares) (referred to herein as the trading discount), against a baseline level with resulting payout multipliers to be established by the Funds Compensation Committee.
By way of background, the Funds common stock is principally valued on the basis of a trading discount relative to the
pre-tax value of the Funds net assets. Because a significant portion of the Funds assets consist of the Alibaba Shares and the Yahoo Japan Shares, it is expected that the market price of the Funds common stock will be significantly
affected by the market price of the Alibaba Shares and the Yahoo Japan Shares. The Board does not believe that the Plan should reward or penalize participants simply based on the market price of the Funds common stock because such a result
would be largely based on changes in the market price of the Alibaba Shares and the Yahoo Japan Shares, factors over which participants will have no direct influence. Therefore, the Plan is designed to permit participants to defer compensation in
the form of grants of incentive awards for employees or deferral accounts for independent directors, the value of which will increase or decrease based on changes in the Funds trading discount relative to the pre-tax value of its net assets,
as adjusted to eliminate any impact from price movements of the Alibaba Shares and Yahoo Japan Shares. The Board believes that this design will incentivize management to reduce the Funds trading discount and therefore align the interests of
management and independent directors with those of the Funds stockholders.
Effective Date
The effective date of the Plan is August 9, 2017, the date on which the Board approved the Plan, subject to approval by the
Funds stockholders (the Effective Date).
Administration
The Plan may be administered by the Compensation Committee or such other person or persons appointed from time to time by the
Compensation Committee. The plan administrator may delegate any of its duties from time to time to such other person as it may designate. However, to the extent that awards granted under the Plan are intended to satisfy the requirements of
Section 162(m), the Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee and consist of not fewer than two members who are outside directors within the meaning of Section 162(m). It is currently contemplated that the Plan
will be administered by the Compensation Committee.
The Compensation Committee, as the plan administrator, has the power
to take all action necessary or appropriate in connection with the general administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, interpreting or construing the Plan, determining all facts and resolving any questions relevant to the Plans
administration; prescribing, amending and rescinding administrative rules and regulations under the Plan; resolving any dispute which may arise under the Plan involving participants or beneficiaries; and making all other administrative
determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, amending or terminating the Plan. Any such actions taken by the Compensation Committee will be conclusive and binding on all persons.
31
PROPOSAL FIVE: APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
Eligibility
The Compensation
Committee may designate those employees and independent directors of the Fund who are eligible to participate in the Plan. As of August 18, 2017, there were six (6) employees, including the Funds officers, and three (3) independent directors
eligible to participate in the Plan. As discussed above, Mr. Kauffman is not currently eligible to participate in the Plan.
Incentive Awards Granted
to Employees
Vesting of Incentive Awards
.
Subject to the terms of the Plan, each participant who is an employee
of the Fund may be granted a cash incentive award with an initial value as set forth in the applicable award agreement that will vest based on the extent to which the Funds trading discount has been reduced in relation to a baseline level
established by the Compensation Committee and measured as of certain vesting dates so long as the participant remains continuously employed with the Fund through such vesting date, subject to fully accelerated vesting upon either (x) a
change in control of the Fund or (y) a termination of the Participants employment with the Fund by the Fund without cause or by the participant for good reason (each as defined in the Plan) or due to
the participants disability or death (any such termination referred to herein as a qualifying termination) pursuant to the Plan. Upon a termination of the participants employment with the Fund for any reason, the incentive
award, to the extent vested as of the date of termination, will become payable to the participant pursuant to the Plan and the participant will forfeit any then-unvested portion of the incentive award.
Measurement of Incentive Awards
.
The amount of an incentive award that may become payable to a
participant is subject to the achievement of a reduction in the Funds trading discount (if any) as compared to the baseline level established by the Compensation Committee and resulting payout multipliers (as set forth in the award agreement
underlying the award) and which will be measured on the applicable vesting date, the date of the occurrence of a change in control or, in the case of a qualifying termination, the greater of the amount measured as of the date of termination or the
first anniversary of such date of termination (such applicable date, the measurement date). With respect to any incentive award that is intended to qualify for the performance-based exception to Section 162(m), the Compensation
Committee will establish the performance goals and payout multipliers in respect of the Funds trading discount reduction, applicable to such awards in writing not later than ninety (90) days after the commencement of the applicable
performance period; provided, that the outcome is substantially uncertain at the time the Compensation Committee actually establishes such performance goals (or at such earlier time as may be required or such later time as may be permissible under
Section 162(m)).
As of the applicable measurement date, the amount of the incentive award payable to the participant
will be calculated in accordance with the terms of the Plan and the applicable award agreement based on the initial amount of the incentive award granted to the participant and the applicable payout multiplier determined based on the reduction in
the Funds trading discount measured as of the measurement date. The Compensation Committee will measure the reduction of the Funds trading discount on an objective basis and consistently; provided, that the Compensation Committee
reserves the right to modify such methodology in accordance with the terms of the Plan. With respect to any incentive award that is intended to qualify for the performance-based exception to Section 162(m), the Compensation Committee shall not
take any action in respect of such award that would constitute an impermissible exercise of discretion within the meaning of Section 162(m), or would otherwise cause such award to not be deductible under Section 162(m).
Certification of Incentive Awards
.
Before any incentive awards intended to qualify for the
performance-based exception to Section 162(m) may be paid to participants, the Compensation Committee will certify, in writing, whether and to what extent the performance goals referred to in the Plan have been satisfied for the applicable
performance period.
Payment of Incentive Awards.
Incentive awards, to the extent vested, will generally be
paid to the participant within thirty (30) days following the earlier to occur of the first anniversary of each applicable vesting date or a change in control of the Fund, unless otherwise deferred in accordance with the Plan (as described
below). If the participants employment with the Fund is terminated for any reason, payout of the award, to the extent vested, will occur within thirty (30) days following the date of
32
PROPOSAL FIVE: APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
termination; provided, that if the participants employment with the Fund is terminated
due to a qualifying termination and the Funds trading discount reduction measured as of the first anniversary of the date of termination exceeds the Funds trading discount reduction measured as of the date of termination, then the
participant will receive an additional payment in an amount equal to the difference between (x) the value of the award calculated based on the payout multiplier as in effect on the first anniversary of the date of termination and (y) the
value of the award calculated based on the payout multiplier as in effect on the date of termination, payable within thirty (30) days following such first anniversary of the date of termination.
Subject to the terms of the Plan, participants may elect to defer payments of incentive awards, to the extent vested, to the
occurrence of the participants separation from service with the Fund in lieu of receiving payment on the first anniversary of each vesting date.
Any incentive award, to the extent vested, that is paid to the participant more than thirty (30) days after the applicable
vesting date will be credited with a rate of interest, based on the prime rate of interest as reported in the Wall Street Journal for the applicable vesting date (or most recent rate of interest available immediately prior to the vesting date),
compounded monthly from the applicable vesting date through the date of payment, pursuant to the terms of the Plan.
In
addition, the Plan provides for a catch-up payment in respect of an incentive award that may become payable to a participant in an amount equal to the difference in the value of the then-current payout of the incentive award and the
payout of any previously vested amounts under the following circumstances:
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|
|
If a change in control occurs and either (x) the participant remains in continuous service with the Fund
through such change in control or (y) the participant incurs a qualifying termination within twelve (12) months prior to such change in control, such catch-up amount will be determined based on the difference in the payout multiplier
calculated based on the trading discount reduction measured as of such change in control and the payout multiplier that applied to such previously vested or paid out portion of the award, or
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|
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In the absence of a change in control, on the date of the fourth anniversary of the Effective Date and each six
(6)-month anniversary thereafter (each such date, an applicable date); provided, that either (x) the participant remains in continuous service with the Fund through the applicable date or (y) the participant incurs a qualifying
termination within the twelve (12)-month period prior to such applicable date, but only if the trading discount reduction as measured on such applicable date results in a payout multiplier of at least three (3.0), such catch-up amount will be
determined based on the difference in the applicable payout multiplier based on the trading discount reduction measured as of such applicable date, and the payout multiplier that applied to such previously vested or paid out portion of the award.
|
Any catch-up payments will be paid in cash to the participant on or within thirty (30) days following (i) the
occurrence of a change in control or the respective catch-up payment date, as applicable, or (ii) if the participant has elected to defer payments pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the date of the participants separation from service.
Maximum Incentive Award Amounts.
The aggregate maximum amount that may become payable with respect to all
incentive awards granted to participants under the Plan from time to time, assuming the maximum level of performance and payout multiplier applicable to such incentive awards, is $60,000,000, and the maximum amount that may become payable to any
individual participant in any fiscal year of the Fund with respect to any incentive award granted under the Plan is $24,000,000.
Impact of Federal Tax Reform.
Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any award agreement to the contrary, if
(i) Federal tax reform is enacted at any time prior to the first applicable vesting date and (ii) the participant has vested in any portion of the incentive award on or prior to the first applicable vesting date, then the amount payable
with respect to any such portion of the incentive award that has so vested on or prior to the first applicable vesting date may, in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee, be reduced based on an assessment by the Compensation Committee in
good-faith of the impact that such tax reform had on the trading discount reduction that resulted in such portion of the incentive award becoming so vested, subject to a maximum reduction of fifty percent of the payout multiplier applicable to such
Incentive Award.
33
PROPOSAL FIVE: APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
Director Deferrals
Deferral of
Director Fees.
Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, each participant who is an independent director shall be required to defer a portion of not less than fifty percent and up to one hundred percent of his or her director fees payable in cash
for services rendered by such director during the period commencing as of the date of deferral and ending on the date of the third anniversary of the first regularly scheduled annual meeting of the Funds stockholders. The amount of director
fees so deferred will be credited to the participants deferral account under the Plan as of the regularly scheduled payment date of such fees. The participant will be fully vested in his or her deferral account.
Measurement of Deferral Account.
The value of the participants deferral account will be subject to increase
or decrease based on the achievement of a reduction (if any) in the Funds trading discount compared to a pre-established baseline level and resulting payout multipliers as set forth in the deferral agreement entered into between the director
and the Fund and which will be measured on the applicable payment date (as described below).
Payment of Deferral
Account.
Distribution of the participants deferral account, as adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Plan, will be made to the participant in a single lump sum cash payment upon the earlier to occur of (i) the participants
separation from service for any reason or (ii) a change in control of the Fund (each, a payment date).
Other Provisions of the Plan
Equitable Adjustments.
In the event of a reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend or stock split, or
combination or other change in the Funds common stock, the Compensation Committee shall, in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of rights in respect of an incentive award granted to a participant or a participants deferral
account, make such adjustments to the incentive award or the deferral account, respectively, as the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion may determine.
Unfunded Status of Plan.
The obligations of the Fund under the Plan will be unfunded and unsecured. The interest
of any participant or any other person under the Plan will be limited to the right to receive the benefits under the Plan and any such right to receive benefits under the Plan will be no greater than the rights of an unsecured general creditor of
the Fund.
No Right to Employment or Service.
Neither the action of the Fund in establishing the Plan, nor
any action taken by the Fund, the Board or any member of the Compensation Committee, nor any provision of the Plan will give any participant any right to be retained as an employee or director.
No Transfer or Assignment.
The rights of the Participant or any other person to the payment of deferred
compensation or other benefits under the Plan shall not be assigned, transferred, pledged or encumbered, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution or as otherwise provided under the Plan.
Tax Withholding.
The Fund will deduct from the amount of any payment made pursuant to the Plan or from any other
amounts payable by the Fund to or with respect to a participant any income, employment or other taxes required to be paid or withheld by the federal government or any state or local government by virtue of participation in the Plan. In addition, a
participant may be required to tender the amount of any such taxes to the Fund prior to payment of amounts due under the Plan. In no event will the Fund be liable for any of a participants income tax obligations.
Amendment and Termination of the Incentive Plan
The Plan may be
amended, suspended, discontinued or terminated at any time, in whole or in part, by the Compensation Committee; provided, that no such action shall reduce or in any manner adversely affect the rights of any participant with respect to payments which
have accrued under the Plan prior to the date of such action, as determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion.
34
PROPOSAL FIVE: APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
Federal Income Tax Consequences
This section discusses certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of incentive awards and deferred compensation payable under
the Plan based on current U.S. federal laws and regulations and does not purport to be a complete discussion. Moreover, as mentioned above, existing law is subject to change by new legislation, new regulations, administrative pronouncements and
court decisions or new or clarified interpretations or applications of existing laws, regulations, administrative pronouncements and court decisions. Any such change may affect the U.S. federal tax income consequences described herein.
Generally, a participant will recognize ordinary income equal to the amount of the award received under the Plan in the year of
receipt. That income will be subject to applicable income and employment tax withholding by the Fund. If and to the extent that the Plan payments satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) and otherwise satisfy the requirements for
deductibility under federal income tax law, the Fund may deduct the amounts paid to participants who are covered employees (within the meaning of Section 162(m)) under the Plan.
New Plan Benefits
On August 9,
2017, the Compensation Committee approved the grant of incentive awards to certain executive officers and other key employees designated as participants under the Plan, subject to stockholder approval of the Plan. The amount of the incentive awards
that may be earned by participants under the Plan for fiscal year 2017 cannot be determined at this time because the value is subject to change based on the payout multiplier that applies after measuring the reduction in the Funds trading
discount at the applicable measurement date against the baseline level established by the Compensation Committee pursuant to the Plan and the underlying award agreement. Similarly, the amounts that directors may elect to defer under the Plan and the
value of any corresponding deferral account that may be paid to such directors cannot be determined at this time because the value is subject to change based on the payout multiplier that applies after measuring the reduction in the Funds
trading discount at the applicable payment date against the baseline level established by the Compensation Committee pursuant to the Plan and the underlying deferral agreement. In particular, the amounts payable to recipients of initial incentive
awards and directors who elect to defer their payments under the Plan will be calculated by reference to the table below:
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Current
Trading
Discount^
|
|
Change
from
Trading
Discount
a/o
8/11/17
|
|
Trading Discount
Reduction from
Baseline (27.2%)
|
|
Payout
Multiplier*
|
Trading Discount as of 8/11/17
|
|
30.3%
|
|
|
|
-3.1%
|
|
|
|
|
28.0%
|
|
2.3%
|
|
-0.8%
|
|
|
Baseline
|
|
27.2%
|
|
3.1%
|
|
0.0%
|
|
|
Threshold
|
|
25.6%
|
|
4.7%
|
|
1.6%
|
|
0.50
|
|
|
23.4%
|
|
6.9%
|
|
3.8%
|
|
1.00
|
|
|
21.2%
|
|
9.1%
|
|
6.0%
|
|
1.50
|
|
|
19.0%
|
|
11.3%
|
|
8.2%
|
|
2.00
|
|
|
16.4%
|
|
13.9%
|
|
10.8%
|
|
3.00
|
|
|
14.5%
|
|
15.8%
|
|
12.7%
|
|
3.50
|
Maximum
|
|
12.5%
|
|
17.8%
|
|
14.7%
|
|
4.00
|
|
^
|
As defined in the Plan.
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35
PROPOSAL FIVE: APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
|
*
|
The payout multiplier is applied towards the vested portion of the initial award value or the value of the
participants deferral account, as applicable. The payout multiplier is capped at 4.0 if the trading discount reduction from baseline level is at least 14.7%. If the trading discount reduction is less than 1.6% from baseline level, the payout
multiplier will be equal to zero. If the trading discount reduction falls between any two scheduled levels, the payout multiplier will be calculated using straight line interpolation between such levels.
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The following table sets forth information with respect to the initial value of incentive awards granted to participants under
the Plan as of August 18, 2017, all of which are subject to stockholder approval of the Plan.
|
|
|
Altaba Inc. Long-Term
Deferred Compensation Incentive Plan
|
Name and
Position
(1)
|
|
Dollar Value ($)
(2)
|
Thomas J. McInerney, Chief Executive Officer and Director
|
|
6,000,000
|
Arthur Chong, General Counsel and Secretary
|
|
3,000,000
|
Alexi A. Wellman, Chief Financial and Accounting Officer
|
|
1,500,000
|
All Current Executive Officers as a Group
|
|
10,500,000
|
Tor R. Braham, Director
|
|
|
Eric K. Brandt, Director
|
|
|
Catherine J. Friedman, Director
|
|
|
All Current Directors Who Are Not Executive Officers as a Group
|
|
|
All Employees, Including All Current Officers Who Are
Not Executive Officers, as a Group
|
|
$1,450,000
|
(1)
|
Following the sale on June 16, 2017 of Yahoo! Inc.s operating businesses, Yahoo! Inc. changed its
name to Altaba Inc. and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an investment company. The disclosures in this table relate to current directors and certain executive officers of the Fund based on SEC rules
applicable to investment companies.
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(2)
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The dollar values set forth above reflect the initial value of the incentive awards granted to the executive
officers under the Plan, which may be increased by a payout multiplier (with a maximum payout multiplier of four (4.0)). The dollar values of amounts that directors will elect to defer under the Plan is not determinable at this time and therefore no
deferred amounts for independent directors are included in this table.
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Future participation under the
Plan is in the discretion of the Compensation Committee. Moreover, future incentive awards granted to employees and deferrals by directors under the Plan are subject to the baseline level trading discount and payout multipliers that apply to the
amount of reduction in the Funds trading discount as established by the Compensation Committee in accordance with the terms of the Plan and the applicable award agreement or deferral agreement. Accordingly, it is not possible to determine the
actual amounts that will be paid to particular participants in the future under the Plan.
Voting Standard
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote
on the matter at the Annual Meeting at which a quorum is present is necessary to approve the Altaba Inc. Long-Term Deferred Compensation Incentive Plan. For purposes of determining the approval of the Altaba Inc. Long-Term Deferred Compensation
Incentive Plan, abstentions will have the same effect as shares voted against the Proposal and broker non-votes, if any, will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.
Board Recommendation
The Board of the
Fund unanimously recommends that stockholders of the Fund vote
FOR
the approval of the Altaba Inc. Long-Term Deferred Compensation Incentive Plan.
36
Proposal Six: Stockholder Proposal
Mr. John Chevedden, 2215 Nelson Avenue, No. 205, Redondo Beach, California 90278, has represented that he owns no
fewer than 260 Shares and has given notice of his intention to present a proposal at the Annual Meeting. The proposal appears below in italics.
The Board opposes adoption of the Proposal and asks stockholders to review the Boards response, which follows the
proponents Proposal.
Stockholder Proposal Right To Act By Written Consent
Resolved, Shareholders request that our board of directors undertake such steps as may be necessary to permit written consent
by shareholders entitled to cast the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize the action at a meeting at which all shareholders entitled to vote thereon were present and voting. This written consent is to be consistent with
applicable law and consistent with giving shareholders the fullest power to act by written consent consistent with applicable law. This includes shareholder ability to initiate any topic for written consent consistent with applicable law.
This proposal topic won majority shareholder support at 13 major companies in a single year. This included 67%-support at
both Allstate and Sprint. Hundreds of major companies enable shareholder action by written consent.
Taking action by
written consent in lieu of a meeting is a means shareholders can use to raise important matters outside the normal annual meeting cycle. A shareholder right to act by written consent and to call a special meeting are 2 complimentary ways to bring an
important matter to the attention of both management and shareholders outside the annual meeting cycle. Taking action by written consent saves the expense of holding a special shareholder meeting.
Also our company requires 25% of shares to aggregate their holdings to call a special meetinga much higher hill to
climb than the 10% of shares permitted by Delaware law. Dozens of Fortune 500 companies provide for both shareholder rightsto act by written consent and to call a special meeting. Our high 25% threshold for shareholders to call a special
meeting is one more reason that we should have the right to act by written consent.
Our lack of confidential voting
is another incentive to vote for this proposal. Our management can now monitor incoming votes and then use shareholder money to blast shareholders back with costly solicitations on matters where they have a direct self-interest such as such as the
ratification of lucrative stock options and to obtain artificially high votes for their lucrative executive pay.
Our
management can now do an end run on the effectiveness of say-on-pay votes. Instead of improving executive pay practices in response to disapproving shareholder votes, our management can easily manipulate the say-on-pay vote to a higher
percentagefunded by shareholders without their consent. Without confidential voting our management can simply blast shareholders by using multiple professional proxy solicitor firms at shareholder expense (no timely disclosure of the complete
cost) with one-way communication by mail and electronic mail (right up to the deadline) to artificially boost the vote for their self-interest executive pay ballot items.
Returning to the core topic of this proposal, Please vote to enhance shareholder value:
Board Statement Opposing Stockholder Proposal
The Board has
carefully considered the proposed right for stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting and, for the reasons outlined below, the Board believes that it is not in the best interests of the Fund and its stockholders.
37
PROPOSAL SIX: STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL
The Board believes that stockholders of the Fund are better served by holding
stockholder meetings for which all stockholders receive notice, and at which all stockholders have an opportunity to consider and discuss the proposed actions and vote Shares held by such stockholders. Consistent with this view, the Funds
Bylaws give stockholders owning at least 25% of the Funds outstanding common stock the right to call a special meeting. With this special meeting right, stockholders of the Fund already have the opportunity to raise important matters both on
an annual basis at the Funds annual meeting of stockholders as well as at special meetings held outside the annual meeting process.
Additionally, stockholder meetings offer important protections and advantages that are absent from the written consent process,
including the following:
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in connection with stockholder meetings, complete information about the proposed action is distributed in
advance to all stockholders in a proxy statement, which enables a well-informed evaluation of the merits of the proposed action;
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stockholder meetings include consideration of proposals submitted by stockholders in accordance with the
Funds Bylaws and Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act;
|
|
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stockholder meetings take place on specified dates that are publicly announced in advance, giving all
stockholders a chance to express their views and cast their votes;
|
|
|
|
stockholder meetings provide stockholders with a forum for open discussion and consideration of the proposed
stockholder action; and
|
|
|
|
prior to stockholder meetings, the Board has an opportunity to analyze each proposed action and provide a
recommendation with respect to each proposed action.
|
In contrast to stockholder meetings, the written
consent process, as proposed, undermines the important deliberative process in which the informed views of all stockholders, management and the Board are considered. Stockholder action by written consent would make it possible for the holders of a
bare majority of the Funds outstanding common shares to take significant corporate action without any prior notice to the Fund or other stockholders, and without giving all stockholders an ample opportunity to consider, discuss and vote on
stockholder actions that may have important ramifications for both the Fund and its stockholders. Further, because stockholder action by written consent can be effected without soliciting the consents of all stockholders, this approach could be used
to disenfranchise selected and smaller stockholders by denying them the opportunity to participate in the written consent. The Board believes that these possible outcomes are contrary to principles of stockholder democracy and good corporate
governance.
The written consent process also has the potential to create confusion since multiple groups of stockholders
would be able to solicit written consents at any time and as frequently as they choose on a range of issues, some of which may be duplicative or conflicting. Addressing such actions could impose significant administrative and financial burdens on
the Fund with no corresponding benefit to stockholders. Additionally, stockholder action by written consent could be used by a group of stockholders no matter how small of an ownership position they represent to pursue personal agendas
or significant corporate actions that are not in the best interests of all stockholders.
The Board believes the
Funds existing strong corporate governance practices make adoption of this Proposal unnecessary. In addition to the right of stockholders to call special meetings at a 25% threshold as mentioned above, the following Fund corporate governance
provisions empower stockholders to express their views or take action and promote Board accountability:
|
|
|
a majority voting standard in uncontested director elections;
|
|
|
|
annual election of all directors;
|
|
|
|
a mechanism for stockholders to communicate directly with the Board;
|
|
|
|
no stockholder rights plan;
|
38
PROPOSAL SIX: STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL
|
|
|
no supermajority voting provisions; and
|
|
|
|
independent Board leadership, including a majority of independent directors and an independent Chairman of the
Board.
|
The Board notes that the Proposal contains assertions regarding the Funds executive
compensation and related party transactions that the Board believes are incorrect and are not relevant in evaluating the Proposals advisability.
For the reasons outlined above, the Board believes the adoption of this Proposal is not in the best interests of the Fund and
its stockholders.
Voting Standard
The affirmative vote
of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the matter at the Annual Meeting at which a quorum is present is necessary to approve this Proposal. Abstentions will have the same effect
as shares voted against the proposal and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.
Board
Recommendation
The Board of the Fund unanimously recommends that stockholders of the Fund vote
AGAINST
the stockholder
proposal.
39
Proposal Seven: Stockholder Proposal
Dr. Jing Zhao, 1745 Copperleaf Court, Concord, California 94519, has represented that he owns 100 Shares and has given
notice of his intention to present a proposal at the Annual Meeting. The proposal appears below in italics.
The Board
opposes adoption of the Proposal and asks stockholders to review the Boards response, which follows the proponents Proposal.
Stockholder Proposal Yahoo Human Rights Funds Transparency
Resolved:
shareholders request that our company prepare a report of our companys human rights policy and practice, especially related to the Yahoo Human Rights Fund (YHRF), to disclose: 1. The claimed purpose and advertisement of the YHRF, including
those were reported to the Congress, the SEC, shareholders and the general public. 2. Why and how the YHRF was handed to one person Harry Wu without any accountability? 3. How much of the YHRF has been used for the claimed purpose? How much of the
YHRF was abused against the Chinese human rights community? 4. How many complaints, including law suits, have been submitted against the YHRF and Harry Wu in related to the abuse of the YHRF? 5. Recommendations to the board of directors to take
necessary actions to remedy victims of our company and the YHRF to improve our companys human rights policy and practices.
Supporting Statement
Whoever wants to hold back relevant material information should show cause why it should not be revealed. (Irving
S. Shapiro, former Chairman of E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company) As shareholders, we encourage transparency and accountability in the use of our corporate fund, especially since the YHRF has long been abused enormously. For example, 1)
the Statement by Seven Former Chinese Political Prisoners Regarding the Death of Harry Wu and the Abuses of the Yahoo Human Rights Fund (April 28, 2016
https://chinachange.org/2016/04/28/statement-by-seven-former-chinese-political-prisoners-regarding-the-death-of-harry-wu-and-the-abuses-of-the-vahoo-human-rights-fund/) stated that of the approximately $14-15 million of the YHRF that has
been spent from 2008 to 2015, only about $700,000 was used to provide humanitarian aid to Chinese dissidents. 2) New York Times article Champion of Human Rights in China Leaves a Tarnished Legacy (August 13, 2016
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/us/champion-of-human-rights-in-china-leaves-a-tarnished-legacy.html ) reported Harry Wu spending more than $13 million of the Yahoo money to operate his own foundation; In some years, financial
disclosure forms show that the foundation spent less than 2 percent of annual disbursements on direct assistance to Chinese dissidents or their families; in recent years, such grants all but dried up. 3) More information of the YHRF abuses
since 2007, including my proposal HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACTS OF YAHOO BUSINESS at 2011 shareholders meeting requesting that Yahoo will review, report to shareholders and improve all policies and actions (including supervising the abused
Yahoo Human Rights Fund) that might affect human rights observance in countries where it does business, can be found from the links at Corporate Social Responsibility & Governance Accountability Review
(http://cpri.tripod.com/cpr2017/csrgar6.pdf) which rated our company the lowest rating F.
Board Statement
Opposing Stockholder Proposal
The Board has carefully considered the Proposal and has determined that the Fund is not the proper addressee of the Proposal
because the Yahoo Human Rights Fund in question is now being administered by Verizon as a result of the Sale Transaction. Accordingly, the Fund does not have any control or influence over the administration of the Yahoo Human Rights Fund nor is it
in a position to provide the requested information regarding the historic administration of the Yahoo
40
PROPOSAL SEVEN: STOCKHOLDER PROPOSAL
Human Rights Fund. Further, even if the Fund were in a position to access such information,
the Board believes it would be an inappropriate use of Fund resources to prepare the report requested by the Proposal. The Board additionally notes that stockholders of the Fund overwhelmingly rejected, by more than 95% of the votes cast, a human
rights-related proposal at the 2015 annual meeting of stockholders of Yahoo.
Voting Standard
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote
on the matter at the Annual Meeting at which a quorum is present is necessary to approve this Proposal. Abstentions will have the same effect as shares voted against the Proposal and broker non-votes will have no effect on the outcome of the vote.
Board Recommendation
The Board of the
Fund unanimously recommends that stockholders of the Fund vote
AGAINST
the stockholder proposal.
41
Additional Information
Further Information About Voting and the Annual Meeting
Quorum.
With
respect to the Fund, the holders of a majority of the Shares issued and outstanding and entitled to vote on any matter at a meeting present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum at such meeting of the stockholders for purposes of
conducting business on such matter. Votes withheld, abstentions and broker non-votes (i.e., Shares held by brokers or nominees as to which (i) instructions have not been received from the stockholder or the persons entitled to vote and
(ii) the broker does not have discretionary voting power on a particular matter) will be counted as Shares present at the Annual Meeting for quorum purposes.
Record Date.
The Board has fixed the close of business on September 6, 2017, as the Record Date for the
determination of stockholders of the Fund entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Stockholders of the Fund as of the close of business on the Record Date will be entitled to one vote on each matter to be voted on by the Fund for
each Share held and a fractional vote with respect to fractional Shares with no cumulative voting rights.
How to Vote
Your Shares.
Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we urge you to complete, sign, date, and return the enclosed proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided or vote via telephone or the Internet so your Shares will be
represented at the Annual Meeting. Instructions regarding how to vote via telephone or the Internet are included on the enclosed proxy card. The required control number for Internet and telephone voting is printed on the enclosed proxy card. The
control number is used to match proxy cards with stockholders respective accounts and to ensure that, if multiple proxy cards are executed, Shares are voted in accordance with the proxy card bearing the latest date.
All Shares represented by properly executed proxies received prior to the Annual Meeting will be voted at the Annual Meeting in
accordance with the instructions marked thereon or otherwise as provided therein.
If you sign the proxy card, but dont fill in a vote, your Shares will be voted in accordance with the Boards recommendation.
If any other business
is brought before the Annual Meeting, your Shares will be voted at the proxies discretion.
Stockholders who execute
proxy cards or record voting instructions via telephone or the Internet may revoke them at any time before they are voted by filing with the Secretary of the Fund a written notice of revocation, by delivering (including via telephone or the
Internet) a duly executed proxy bearing a later date or by attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person. Merely attending the Annual Meeting, however, will not revoke any previously submitted proxy.
Attending the Annual Meeting.
If you wish to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, you will be able to do so. If
you intend to attend the Annual Meeting in person and you are a record holder of the Funds Shares, in order to gain admission you must show photographic identification, such as your drivers license. If you intend to attend the Annual
Meeting in person and you hold your Shares through a bank, broker or other custodian, in order to gain admission you must show photographic identification, such as your drivers license, and satisfactory proof of ownership of Shares of the
Fund, such as your voting instruction form (or a copy thereof) or brokers statement indicating ownership as of a recent date. If you hold your Shares in a brokerage account or through a bank or other nominee, you will not be able to vote in
person at the annual meeting unless you have previously requested and obtained a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee and present it at the Annual Meeting. You may contact Abernathy MacGreger at (212) 371-5999 to obtain
directions to the site of the Annual Meeting.
Additional Information Regarding Voting.
Broker-dealer firms holding
Shares of the Fund in street name for the benefit of their customers and clients will request the instructions of such customers and clients on how to vote their shares on the Proposal before the Annual Meeting. The Fund understands
that, under the rules of the NYSE, such broker-dealer firms may for certain routine matters, without instructions from their customers and clients, grant discretionary authority to the
42
proxies designated by the Board to vote if no instructions have been received prior to the
date specified in the broker-dealer firms request for voting instructions. The Proposal to ratify the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Funds independent registered public accounting firm is deemed a routine
matter and stockholders who do not provide proxy instructions or who do not return a proxy card may have their Shares voted by broker-dealer firms in favor of the Proposal. The other Proposals are not deemed routine matters under the
rules of the NYSE. A properly executed proxy card or other authorization by a stockholder that does not specify how the stockholders Shares should be voted on the Proposal may be deemed an instruction to vote such Shares in favor of the
Proposal. Broker-dealers who are not members of the NYSE may be subject to other rules, which may or may not permit them to vote your Shares without instruction. We urge you to provide instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee so that your
votes may be counted.
The Fund will update certain data regarding the Fund, including performance data, on a monthly basis
on its website at www.altaba.com. Investors and others are advised to periodically check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Fund.
Administrator
U.S. Bancorp Fund
Services, LLC, serves as the Funds administrator pursuant to an administration agreement. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.
Principal Stockholders
As of the Record
Date, to the knowledge of the Fund, no person beneficially owned more than 5% of the voting securities of any class of securities of the Fund, except as set forth below:*
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Stockholder Name
and Address
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Class of Shares
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Share
Holdings
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Percentage
Owned
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[
To Come
]
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*
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The information contained in this table is based on the Funds review of Schedule 13D, Schedule 13G and
other regulatory filings made on or before September 6, 2017.
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Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Section 30(h) of the 1940 Act require the Funds
officers and Directors, certain officers of the Funds investment advisers, affiliated persons of the investment adviser, and persons who beneficially own more than ten percent of the Funds shares to file certain reports of ownership
(Section 16 filings) with the SEC and Nasdaq. Based upon the Funds review of the copies of such forms effecting the Section 16 filings received by it, the Fund believes that for its most recently completed fiscal year, all
filings applicable to such persons were completed and filed in a timely manner.
43
Privacy Principles of the Fund
The Fund is committed to maintaining the privacy of stockholders and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The
following information is provided to help you understand what personal information the Fund collects, how the Fund protects that information and why, in certain cases, the Fund may share information with select other parties.
Generally, the Fund does not receive any non-public personal information relating to its stockholders, although certain
non-public personal information may become available to the Funds. The Fund does not disclose any non-public personal information about its stockholders or former stockholders to anyone, except as permitted by law or as is necessary in order to
service stockholder accounts (for example, to a transfer agent or third party administrator).
The Fund restricts access to
non-public personal information about its stockholders to only those employees with a legitimate business need for the information. The Fund maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards designed to protect the non-public personal
information of its stockholders.
Deadline for Stockholder Proposals
The Funds
Amended and Restated Bylaws (the Bylaws) require compliance with certain procedures for a stockholder to properly make a nomination for election as a Director or to propose other business for the Fund. If a stockholder who is entitled to
do so under the Funds Bylaws wishes to nominate a person or persons for election as a Director or propose other business for the Fund, that stockholder must provide a written notice to the Secretary of the Fund at the Funds principal
executive offices. Such notice must include certain information about the proponent and the proposal, or in the case of a nomination, the nominee. A copy of the Funds Bylaws, which include the provisions regarding the requirements for
stockholder nominations and proposals, may be obtained by writing to the Secretary of the Fund at 140 East 45
th
Street, 15
th
Floor, New York,
New York 10017. Any stockholder considering making a nomination or other proposal should carefully review and comply with those provisions of the Funds Bylaws.
Expenses of Proxy Solicitation
The cost of the
Annual Meeting, including the costs of preparing and mailing the notice, proxy statement and proxy, and the solicitation of proxies, including reimbursement to broker-dealers and others who forwarded proxy materials to their clients, will be borne
by the Fund. Certain officers of the Fund or its respective affiliates (none of whom will receive additional compensation therefore) may solicit proxies by telephone, mail, e-mail and/or personal interviews. Brokerage houses, banks and other
fiduciaries may be requested to forward proxy solicitation materials to their principals to obtain authorization for the execution of proxies, and will be reimbursed by the Fund for such out-of-pocket expenses.
Other Matters
The management of
the Fund knows of no other matters which are to be brought before the Annual Meeting. However, if any other matters not now known properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy to vote
such proxy in accordance with their judgment on such matters.
Failure of a quorum to be present at the Annual Meeting may
result in an adjournment. The chair of the Annual Meeting may also move for an adjournment of to permit further solicitation of proxies with respect to a Proposal if he or she determines that adjournment and further solicitation are reasonable and
in the best interests of the applicable Funds stockholders. Any adjourned meeting or meetings may be held without the necessity of another notice.
44
Please vote promptly by signing and dating each enclosed proxy card and
returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope or by following the enclosed instructions to vote by telephone or over the Internet.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be Held on October 24, 2017
This Proxy Statement is available on the Internet at www.envisionreports.com/AABA.
45
ANNEX A
FORM OF INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT
This Investment Management Agreement (the
Agreement
), dated [ ], 2017, is by and between Altaba Inc.
(the
Fund
), a Delaware corporation, and BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the
Advisor
), a Delaware limited liability company.
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as a
closed-end
management investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
1940 Act
);
WHEREAS, the Advisor is registered as an investment advisor under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the
Advisers Act
), and has agreed to furnish investment advisory services to the Fund; and
WHEREAS, this Agreement has been approved by the Directors of the Fund, including a majority of Directors who are not interested
persons (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund (the
Independent Directors
) in a manner that corresponds to the requirements of Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act, and the Advisor is willing to
furnish such services upon the terms and conditions herein set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual premises and
covenants herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:
1.
|
Appointment
. (a) The Fund appoints the Advisor as investment adviser to provide investment advisory services (
Advisory Services
) with respect to those assets designated by the Fund in
writing to the Advisor as subject to the Advisors management hereunder (
Allocated Assets
), together with all income, proceeds and profits derived therefrom as set out in this Agreement. The Advisor accepts such appointment
as investment manager. The Advisor shall, for all purposes herein provided, be deemed to be an independent contractor and, except as expressly provided or authorized herein, shall have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or
otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.
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(b) The Advisor may from time to time, in its sole discretion to the extent
permitted by applicable law, appoint one or more subadvisers who are affiliates of the Advisor, to perform investment advisory services with respect to the Allocated Assets; provided, however, that the compensation of such subadvisers shall be paid
by the Advisor and that Advisor shall be fully responsible to the Fund for the acts and omissions on any such subadviser as it is for its own acts and omission. The Advisor may terminate any and all subadvisers in its sole discretion at any time to
the extent permitted by applicable law.
2.
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Duties and Obligations of the Advisor with Respect to Investment of Assets of the Fund
. Subject to the direction of the Funds Board of Directors, the Advisor shall
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A-1
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(i) act as investment advisor for and supervise and manage the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Assets and in connection therewith have complete discretion in purchasing and selling
securities and other assets for the Allocated Assets in voting, exercising consents and exercising all other rights appertaining to such securities and other assets on behalf of the Allocated Assets; (ii) supervise continuously the investment
program of the Allocated Assets and the composition of its investment portfolio; (iii) arrange for the purchase and sale of securities and other assets held in the Allocated Assets; (iv) provide investment research to the Fund; and
(v) provide reasonable assistance to the Fund and the custodian (the
Custodian
) or its affiliates in assessing the fair value of securities held in the Allocated Assets for which market quotations are not readily available.
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3.
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Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Advisor
. The Advisor hereby represents and warrants to, and covenants with, the Fund as follows:
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(a)
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the Advisor is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act as of the effective date of this Agreement and shall maintain such registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect;
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(b)
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the Advisor is a limited liability company duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware with the power to own and possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being conducted;
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(c)
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the execution, delivery and performance by the Advisor of this Agreement are within the Advisors powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any
governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Advisor for the execution, delivery and performance by the Advisor of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Advisor of this Agreement do not contravene
or constitute a default under (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) the Advisors governing instruments, or (iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the
Advisor;
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(d)
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the Advisor has provided the Board of Directors of the Fund with a complete copy of its Form ADV, including Part 2A thereof, and will make available electronically to the Board any updated or amended version of its Form
ADV promptly upon making any material changes to the Form ADV;
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(e)
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the Advisor will maintain a written code of ethics (the
Code of Ethics
) that complies with the
requirements of Rule
17j-1
under the 1940 Act (
Rule
17j-1
), a copy of which will be provided to the Fund, and will institute procedures reasonably
necessary to prevent any Access Person (as defined in Rule
17j-1)
from violating its Code of Ethics. The Advisor will follow such Code of Ethics in performing its services under this
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A-2
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Agreement. Upon written request, the Advisor also will certify quarterly to the Fund that it and its Advisory Persons (as defined in Rule
17j-1)
have complied materially with the requirements of Rule
17j-1
during the previous quarter or, if not, explain what the Advisor has done to seek to ensure such
compliance in the future. Annually, the Advisor will furnish a written report, which complies with the requirements of Rule
17j-1,
concerning the Code of Ethics to the Fund. The Advisor shall notify the Fund
promptly of any material violation of the Code of Ethics involving the Fund. The Advisor will provide such additional information regarding violations of the Code of Ethics affecting the Fund as the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund may
reasonably request in order to assess the functioning of the Code of Ethics or any harm caused to the Fund from such a violation of the Code of Ethics. Further, the Advisor represents that it has policies and procedures regarding the detection and
prevention of the misuse of material, nonpublic information by the Advisor and its employees;
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(f)
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the Advisor, upon written request, will provide the Fund with such information as necessary to ensure solely with respect to information relating to the Advisor: (i) the Funds registration statement on Form
N-2,
to be filed with the SEC, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and
(ii) the Funds prospectus, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading;
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(g)
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in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Advisor shall at all times materially conform to, and act in accordance with, any requirements imposed by: (i) the provisions of the 1940 Act, the Advisers
Act, and all applicable Rules and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
SEC
); (ii) any other applicable provision of law; (iii) the provisions of this Agreement and the Funds Certificate of
Incorporation, as such documents are amended from time to time and provided in writing to the Advisor; (iv) the then current investment objectives and policies of the Fund as set forth in its Registration Statement on Form
N-2;
and (v) any other policies and determinations of the Board of Directors of the Fund provided in writing to the Advisor;
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(h)
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the Advisor has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer under Rule
206(4)-7
of the Advisers Act and has adopted written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent
violations of the Advisers Act. Upon written request, the Advisor will timely provide to the Fund an annual certification from the Advisors Chief Compliance Officer with respect to the design and operation of the Advisors compliance
program, in a format reasonably requested by the Fund. The Advisor shall cooperate with the Fund in any regulatory investigation, examination, or inspection of the Fund or of the Advisor with respect to the Fund or relating to the provision of
services to the Fund under this Agreement;
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A-3
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(i)
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the Advisor shall maintain business continuity, disaster recovery and backup capabilities and facilities intended to allow the Advisor to perform its obligations hereunder with minimal disruption or delays;
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(j)
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the Advisor shall place orders either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer. Subject to the other provisions of this paragraph, in placing orders with brokers and dealers, the Advisor will attempt to
obtain the best price and the most favorable execution of its orders. In placing orders, the Advisor will consider the experience and skill of the firms securities traders as well as the firms financial responsibility and administrative
efficiency. Consistent with this obligation and to the extent permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Advisor may select brokers on the basis of the research, statistical and pricing services they
provide to the Allocated Assets and other clients of the Advisor. Information and research received from such brokers will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by the Advisor hereunder. A commission paid to
such brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that the Advisor determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or
the overall responsibility of the Advisor to the Allocated Assets and its other clients and that the total commissions paid by the Allocated Assets will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to the Fund over the long-term. In no instance,
however, will the Allocated Assets be purchased from or sold to or through any first- or second-tier affiliate of the Fund, except to the extent permitted by Section 17(a) and Section 17(e) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder or
otherwise permitted by the SEC or by applicable law;
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(k)
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in connection with any purchase or sale of securities for the Allocated Assets, the Advisor will arrange for the transmission to the Custodian on a daily basis such confirmations, trade tickets, and other documents and
information, including without limitation CUSIP, Sedol, or other numbers that identify the securities to be purchased or sold on behalf of the Fund, as may be reasonably necessary for the Custodian and its affiliates to perform their custodial,
administrative and recordkeeping responsibilities with respect to the Fund. With respect to securities to be settled through the Custodian, the Advisor will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Custodian. The
parties acknowledge that the Advisor is not the custodian of the Allocated Assets and will not take possession or custody of such assets; and
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A-4
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(l)
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the Advisor shall maintain a policy and practice of conducting its investment advisory services hereunder independently of the commercial banking operations of its affiliates. When the Advisor makes investment
recommendations for the Allocated Assets, its investment advisory personnel will not inquire or take into consideration whether the issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale for the Allocated Assets are customers of the commercial
department of its affiliates.
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4.
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Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Fund
.
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The Fund represents and warrants
to, and covenants with, the Advisor as follows:
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(a)
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the execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement are within the Funds powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any
governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Fund for the execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement do not contravene or
constitute a default under (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) its Certificate of Incorporation, or (iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Fund;
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(b)
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the Fund shall conduct its activities under this Agreement in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations of any governmental authority pertaining to its investment activities. The Fund shall notify the Advisor
of a change in control of the Fund within a reasonable time prior to such change;
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(c)
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the Fund shall cooperate with the Advisor in any regulatory investigation, examination, or inspection of the Fund or the Advisor relating to this Agreement or services provided by the Advisor hereunder;
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(d)
|
the Fund represents and warrants that the Allocated Assets are free from any security interests, liens, or encumbrances exercisable by any third party against such assets that limit the ability of the Advisor to trade
the Allocated Assets as contemplated in this Agreement and the Fund shall not grant such a security interest, lien, or encumbrance on any such assets for the benefit of any third party, except after providing prior written notice to the Advisor. The
Fund agrees to notify the Advisor immediately if it learns that any such security interest, lien, or encumbrance is created against any assets managed by the Advisor and the Fund agrees to indemnify and hold the Advisor harmless from any and all
expenses, damages, costs, and fees, including reasonable attorneys fees and expenses, incurred by the Advisor as a result of any security interest, lien, or encumbrance being created on such assets;
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A-5
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(e)
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the Fund represents and warrants that, for the purposes of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection act (the
Volcker Rule
), the Fund is a registered investment company and
is therefore excluded from the definition of covered fund for purposes of Section 10 of the Volcker Rule implementing rules and, accordingly, the limitations on a banking entitys ability to acquire or retain ownership
interests set forth in such Section 10 do not apply to the Fund; and
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(f)
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the Fund shall from time to time provide the Advisor with a written list of persons known to be affiliates of the Fund and affiliates of such affiliates to the extent reasonably necessary to ensure compliance with the
limitations on affiliated transactions set forth in Section 17 of the 1940 Act.
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5.
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Survival of Representations and Warranties; Duty to Update Information
.
|
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(a)
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All representations and warranties made by the Advisor and the Fund pursuant to Sections 3 and 4 of this Agreement, respectively, shall survive for the duration of this Agreement and the parties hereto shall promptly
notify each other in writing upon becoming aware that any of the foregoing representations and warranties are no longer true.
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(b)
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The Advisor shall promptly notify the Board in writing:
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(i)
|
to the extent permitted by law or relevant regulator, of any investigation in connection with the services provided by the Advisor or its affiliates to the Allocated Assets, not including any routine examination of the
Advisor or its affiliates, investigations into specific securities traded by the Advisor or a proceeding in the ordinary course of business;
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(ii)
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if Rich Mejzak (or any subsequent replacement) is no longer head of the portfolio management team in the Americas or if Frank Gianatasio (or any subsequent replacement) is no longer a portfolio manager of the Advisor
who provides services to the Fund hereunder;
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(iii)
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of any prospective material change in approach to the Advisors management of and recommendations with respect to the Allocated Assets;
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(iv)
|
of any other change in the Advisors business activities or circumstances that in the Advisors reasonable opinion could reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the Advisors ability to
discharge its obligations under this Agreement, including without limitation the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Advisor from serving as an investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act; and
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A-6
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(v)
|
of any actual, anticipated, or contemplated change in ownership of the Advisor or its affiliates constituting, or that would reasonably be expected to constitute, an assignment of this Agreement for purposes
of the 1940 Act.
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6.
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Services Not Exclusive
. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the Advisor or any officer, employee or other affiliate thereof from acting as investment advisor for any other person, firm or corporation, or from
engaging in any other lawful activity, and shall not in any way limit or restrict the Advisor or any of its officers, employees or agents from buying, selling or trading any securities for its or their own accounts or for the accounts of others for
whom it or they may be acting; provided, however, that the Advisor will undertake no activities which, in its judgment, will adversely affect the performance of its obligations under this Agreement.
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7.
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Books and Records
. In compliance with the requirements of Rule
31a-3
under the 1940 Act, the Advisor hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund are the
property of the Fund, and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund any such records upon the Funds written request. The Advisor further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule
31a-2
under the 1940 Act the records required to be maintained by Rule
31a-1
under the 1940 Act. The Advisor shall make such records available for inspection by the Funds Board of Directors, the Funds
officers and employees and the Funds authorized agents upon reasonable notice.
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8.
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Expenses
. During the term of this Agreement, the Advisor will bear all costs and expenses of its employees and any overhead incurred in connection with its duties hereunder, except as otherwise expressly provided
herein. Other expenses to be incurred by the Fund are expenses of the Fund, including but not limited to taxes, interest, brokerage fees and commission, if any, salaries and fees of directors, administration and custody charges, transfer and
dividend disbursing agents fees, insurance, audit fees, legal expenses and printing expenses.
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9.
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Compensation of the Advisor
. Subject to Section 9(b) of this Agreement, the Fund agrees to pay to the Advisor and the Advisor agrees to accept as full compensation for all services rendered by the Advisor
pursuant to this Agreement, a monthly fee in arrears at an annual rate equal to 0.08% of the average daily net assets (as determined by the Advisor) of the first $250 million assets of the Allocated Assets; 0.06% of the next $250 million;
0.04% of the next $250 million; and 0.02% of any assets above $750 million. For purposes of calculating the Advisors compensation under this Agreement, the portion of the Funds assets invested in affiliated money market funds
should be excluded from the Allocated Assets. Such exclusion shall not preclude the payment of fees by an affiliated money market fund to any investment adviser or
sub-adviser
that is an affiliate of the
Advisor. For the Funds assets in affiliated money market funds, Fund shall pay the fees set forth in the corresponding prospectus of such affiliated funds. For any period less than a month during which this Agreement is in effect, the fee
shall be prorated according to the proportion which such period bears to a full month of 28, 29, 30 or 31 days, as the case may be. Payment is due to the Advisor within thirty days of the applicable invoice date.
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A-7
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(a)
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The Fund shall, subject to the prior consent of the Board of Directors of the Fund, including a majority of the Independent Directors, indemnify the Advisor, and each of the Advisors trustees, officers, employees,
agents, associates and controlling persons and the trustees, partners, members, officers, employees and agents thereof (including any individual who serves at the Advisors request as trustee, officer, partner, member, trustee or the like of
another entity) (each such person being an
Indemnitee
) against any liabilities and expenses, including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and counsel fees (all as provided in
accordance with applicable state law) reasonably incurred by such Indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body
in which such Indemnitee may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which such Indemnitee may be or may have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth herein or thereafter by reason of such Indemnitee having acted
in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which such Indemnitee shall have been adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Indemnitees action was in the best interest of the Fund and
furthermore, in the case of any criminal proceeding, so long as such Indemnitee had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful; provided, however, that (1) no Indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to
the Fund or the Trusts shareholders or any expense of such Indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross negligence or (iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
such Indemnitees position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes referred to herein as
disabling conduct
), (2) as to any matter disposed of by settlement or a compromise payment by
such Indemnitee, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless there has been a determination that such settlement or compromise is in the best interests of
the Fund and that such Indemnitee appears to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Indemnitees action was in the best interest of the Fund and did not involve disabling conduct by such Indemnitee and (3) with respect
to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any Indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such Indemnitee was authorized by a majority of the
full Board of Directors of the Fund, including a majority of the Directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Fund (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act).
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A-8
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(b)
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The Fund may make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Fund receives a written affirmation of the
Indemnitees good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification has been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the Fund unless it is subsequently determined that such Indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification
and if the Directors of the Fund determine that the facts then known to them would not preclude indemnification. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met: (A) the Indemnitee shall provide security for such Indemnitee
undertaking, (B) the Fund shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any unlawful advance, or (C) a majority of a quorum consisting of Directors of the Fund who are neither interested persons of the Fund (as defined
in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) nor parties to the proceeding (
Disinterested
Non-Party
Directors
) or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall determine, based on a
review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.
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(c)
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All determinations with respect to the standards for indemnification of the Advisor hereunder shall be made (1) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that
such Indemnitee is not liable or is not liable by reason of disabling conduct, or (2) in the absence of such a decision, by (i) a majority vote of a quorum of the Disinterested
Non-Party
Directors of
the Fund, or (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, if a majority vote of such quorum so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion. All determinations that advance payments in connection with the expense
of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and shall be made in accordance with the immediately preceding clause (2) above.
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(d)
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The Advisor shall indemnify the Fund, and its affiliates and controlling persons, (including its directors, officers and employees) each of whom shall be deemed a third-party beneficiary hereof, for any damage,
liability, cost and expenses, including reasonable attorneys fees, which the Fund or its affiliates and controlling persons may sustain as a result of the Advisors willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard
of its duties hereunder. All determinations with respect to the standard for indemnification of the Fund hereunder shall be made by a final decision on the merits of a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought such that the Advisor
has engaged in disabling conduct.
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A-9
The rights accruing to any Indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other right to
which such Indemnitee may be lawfully entitled.
11.
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Limitation on Liability
. The Advisor will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Advisor or by the Fund in connection with the performance of this Agreement,
except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its duties or from
reckless disregard by it of its duties under this Agreement.
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(a)
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Subject to Section 13 of this Agreement, the Advisor and the Fund each acknowledges and agrees that, pursuant to this Agreement, either party may have access to the other partys confidential and proprietary
information and materials concerning or pertaining to the others business. Each party will receive and hold such information in the strictest confidence, and acknowledge, represent, and warrant that it will use its best efforts to protect the
confidentiality of this information. Each party agrees that, without the prior written consent of the other party, it will not use, copy, or divulge to third parties or otherwise use, except in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, any
information obtained from or through the other party in connection with this Agreement other than as reasonably necessary in the course of their business; provided that such recipients must agree to protect the confidentiality of such information
and use such information only for the purposes of performing their obligations under this Agreement; provided, further, however, this covenant shall not apply to information (i) which is in the public domain now or when it becomes in the public
domain in the future, other than by reason of a breach of this Agreement, (ii) which has come to either party from a lawful source not known by the other party to be bound to maintain the confidentiality of such information, other than from the
other party or an affiliate or representative of that party, (iii) information provided by the Advisor to broker-dealers or third parties bound by an agreement of confidentiality for the purposes of bona fide due diligence, or
(iv) disclosures which are required by law, regulatory authority, regulation or legal process or made at the request of a banking, financial, securities or similar supervisory or self-regulatory or governmental authority exercising its
supervisory, examination or audit functions over the Advisor or any of its affiliates.
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(b)
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each party to this Agreement (and each employee, representative, or other agent of such party) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the
tax treatment and tax structure of (i) the Fund and (ii) any of its transactions, and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided to such party relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
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A-10
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(c)
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The representations and warranties made by the Advisor and the Fund pursuant to this Section 12 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for so long as the Advisor is required by the Advisers Act to maintain
books and records with respect to the Allocated Assets.
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13.
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Use of Names and Track Record
.
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(a)
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Funds Use of Advisors Name
. Other than as expressly stated herein, the Fund shall have no right to use the name BlackRock Advisors LLC or BlackRock (or any combination or
derivation thereof) without the prior written consent of the Advisor. For so long as the Advisor is serving as an adviser to the Fund, the Fund may use the name of the Advisor, including any short-form of such name, or any combination or derivation
thereof, for the purpose of identifying the Advisor as an adviser to the Fund with respect to the Allocated Assets, including without limitation in regulatory filings, on the Funds website and in any reports and other information provided to
the Funds stockholders. The Fund shall cease to use the name of the Advisor in any newly printed materials (except as may, in the sole discretion of the Fund, be reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law) promptly upon termination of
this Agreement. The use of the Advisors name or combination or derivation thereof by the Fund hereunder shall be in a manner that is not intended to reflect negatively on the reputation or goodwill of the Advisor or such names or any
combination or derivation thereof.
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(b)
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Restrictions on Use of Fund Name
. The Advisor shall not use the name of the Fund or Yahoo! Inc. (or any combination or derivation thereof) in any material relating to the Advisor in any manner not approved prior
thereto in writing by the Fund, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, other than inclusions of such entities in lists of the Advisors clients. The use of the Funds name or combination or derivation thereof by the Advisor
hereunder shall be in a manner that is not intended to reflect negatively on the reputation or goodwill of the Fund or Yahoo! Inc., or such names or any combination or derivation thereof.
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(c)
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Advisors Use of Track-Record
. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Advisor may use performance data it generates in connection with the Allocated Assets for its track record and use the name of the Fund
solely to identify such performance.
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14.
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Duration and Termination
.
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(a)
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This Agreement shall become effective on the date hereof and shall continue in effect for two years from its
effective date, and thereafter shall
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A-11
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continue automatically for successive annual periods, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of the Board, or by the vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Funds directors who are not parties to this Agreement or
interested persons (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) of any such party, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
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(b)
|
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by the Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon giving the Advisor 60 days notice (which notice may be waived by the Advisor),
provided that such termination by the Fund shall be directed or approved by the vote of a majority of the Directors of the Fund in office at the time or by the vote of the holders of a majority of the voting securities of the Fund at the time
outstanding and entitled to vote, or by the Advisor on 60 days written notice (which notice may be waived by the Fund). This Agreement will also immediately terminate in the event of its assignment. (As used in this Agreement, the terms
majority of the outstanding voting securities
,
interested person
and
assignment
shall have the same meanings of such terms in the 1940 Act.)
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15.
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Notices
. Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing to the other party at such address as the other party may designate from time to time for the receipt of such notice and shall be deemed to be received
on the earlier of the date actually received or on the fourth day after the postmark if such notice is mailed first class postage prepaid.
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16.
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Amendment of this Agreement
. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the
change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought. Any amendment of this Agreement shall be subject to the 1940 Act.
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17.
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Information
. The Fund shall provide such information and documentation as the Advisor may reasonably request in connection with the services provided by the Advisor to the Fund under this Agreement.
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18.
|
Systems
. The Advisor shall retain title to and ownership of any and all of its own databases, computer programs, inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, concept, expertise, patents,
copyrights, trade secrets, and other related legal rights utilized by the Advisor in connection with the services provided by the Advisor to the Fund under this Agreement.
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19.
|
Governing Law
. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York for contracts to be performed entirely therein without reference to choice of law principles
thereof and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act.
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A-12
20.
|
Miscellaneous
. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. If any
provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement shall be binding on, and shall inure to the benefit of the
parties hereto and their respective successors.
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21.
|
Counterparts
. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts by the parties hereto, each of which shall constitute an original counterpart, and all of which, together, shall constitute one Agreement.
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[Signature Page Follows]
A-13
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused the foregoing instrument to be executed by
their duly authorized officers, all as of the day and the year first above written.
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ALTABA INC.
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By:
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Name:
Title:
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BLACKROCK ADVISORS, LLC
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By:
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Name:
Title: Managing Director
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Signature Page to the Investment Advisory Agreement
ANNEX B
FORM OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
ALTABA INC.
AND
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY LLC
This Investment Advisory Agreement (the
Agreement
) is made this [ ] day of [ ] 2017,
by and between Altaba Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
Fund
), and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the
Adviser
).
WHEREAS, the Fund is a
non-diversified,
closed-end
management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
1940 Act
);
WHEREAS, the Adviser is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (
SEC
) as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the
Advisers Act
); and
WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain the Adviser to furnish investment advisory
services to a portion of the Funds assets on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and the Adviser wishes to be retained to provide such services to the allocated portion of the Funds assets.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and for other good and valuable consideration, the parties hereby agree as follows:
1.
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Duties of the Adviser
.
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(a)
Retention of Adviser
. The Fund hereby appoints the Adviser to act as the investment adviser to, and manage the investment and reinvestment of, a portion of the Funds assets as determined
by the Board of Directors of the Fund (the
Board
) and allocated to the Adviser, as further described herein (the
Allocated Assets
), for the period and upon the terms herein set forth in accordance
with:
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(i)
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the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Allocated Assets in effect from time to time and communicated to the Adviser in writing;
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(ii)
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such policies, directives, regulatory restrictions and compliance policies as the Board may from time to time establish or issue and communicate to the Adviser in
writing; and
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(iii)
|
applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and the Funds Certificate of Incorporation (
Certificate
) and bylaws (the
Bylaws
), in each case as may be amended from time to time.
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The Fund shall promptly notify the Adviser
in writing of any changes to (i) or (ii) above. In no event shall the Adviser be held responsible for failing to comply with changes to any of (i) or (ii) unless it had previously received the written notification in the foregoing
sentence.
(b)
Responsibilities of Adviser
. The Adviser will manage the Allocated Assets in accordance with the
advisory services it provides through its Institutional Cash Advisory Program. The Fund, in consultation with the Adviser, will set forth in the Funds registration statement and/or in separate written documentation provided to the
Adviser the investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Allocated Assets, including any investment limitations or investment restrictions (the
Investment Strategy
). The Adviser shall convert the
Investment Strategy into a rule matrix for internal use by the Adviser. Should any assets held in the Allocated Assets fall outside the Investment Strategy, the Adviser may liquidate such assets in an orderly manner within a commercially reasonable
amount of time. The Fund may provide the Adviser with a written waiver of adherence to the Investment Strategy at the discretion of the Board. The Fund will promptly notify the Adviser of any changes to the Investment Strategy and will not make any
material changes to the Investment Strategy without prior consultation with the Adviser. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Adviser shall, during the term and subject to the Investment Strategy, the other provisions of this
Agreement and the supervision of the Board:
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(i)
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determine the composition and investment allocation of the Allocated Assets, the nature and timing of the changes therein and the manner of implementing such changes,
including the purchase, retention or sale of specific securities and other assets;
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(ii)
|
place orders with respect to, and arrange for, any investment (including executing and delivering all documents relating to the Allocated Assets investments);
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(iii)
|
identify and evaluate investments made for the Allocated Assets;
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(iv)
|
execute, monitor and service the Allocated Assets investments;
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(v)
|
provide reasonable assistance to the Fund and the custodian (the
Custodian
) or its affiliates in assessing the fair value of securities held
in the Allocated Assets for which market quotations are not readily available;
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(vi)
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provide such information to the Board as the Board deems necessary for the Fund to maintain a current and/or effective private placement memorandum, prospectus and/or
registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act
) and the 1940 Act that complies with the requirements of the Securities Act, the 1940 Act and/or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the
Exchange Act
), and the rules and regulations promulgated under each;
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(vii)
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report to the Board and provide such information, and make appropriate persons available for the purpose of reviewing with representatives of the Board on a regular
basis at reasonable times its activities hereunder, including without limitation, review of the general investment strategies of the Allocated Assets, the performance of the Allocated Assets in relation to standard industry indices, stock market and
interest rate considerations and general conditions affecting the marketplace, and the placement and execution of portfolio transactions and provide various other reports and information from time to time as reasonably requested by the Board; and
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(viii)
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act upon reasonable instructions from the Board with respect to the management of the Allocated Assets which, in the reasonable determination of the Adviser, are not
inconsistent with the Advisers fiduciary duties under this Agreement.
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For the avoidance of doubt, the Adviser shall have
no responsibility with respect to any assets of the Fund other than the Allocated Assets. The Fund has no obligation to share any information, and does not expect to share any information, with the Adviser about any assets of the Fund other than the
Allocated Assets. The Adviser will have no influence, rights, or control whatsoever, and shall not provide investment advice, with respect to the Funds assets other than the Allocated Assets.
(c)
Power and Authority
. To facilitate the Advisers performance of these undertakings, but subject to the restrictions
contained herein, the Fund hereby delegates to the Adviser, and the Adviser hereby accepts, the power and authority on behalf of the Fund to effectuate its investment decisions for the Allocated Assets, including the execution and delivery of all
documents relating to the Allocated Assets investments and the placing of orders for other purchase or sale transactions on behalf of the Allocated Assets. The Adviser shall have complete and unlimited discretionary investment and trading
authorization to invest and trade the Allocated Assets consistent with the Investment Strategy and is hereby appointed as agent and
attorney-in-fact
with respect to the
same. Pursuant to such authorization, the Adviser may, in its sole discretion and at the risk of the Allocated Assets, but subject to the Investment Strategy, purchase, sell, exchange, convert and otherwise trade the Allocated Assets and arrange for
delivery and payment in connection with the above and act on behalf of Allocated Assets in all other matters necessary or incidental to the handling of the Allocated Assets. This power of attorney and trading authorization shall be valid until the
termination of this Agreement or until it is earlier terminated by the Fund or the Adviser in writing. The termination of this authorization will constitute a termination of this Agreement.
B-2
(d)
Acceptance of Engagement
. The Adviser hereby accepts such engagement and agrees
during the term hereof to render the services described herein for the compensation provided herein, subject to the limitations contained herein.
(e)
Independent Contractor Status
. The Adviser shall, for all purposes herein provided, be deemed to be an independent contractor and, except as expressly provided or authorized herein, shall have
no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.
(f)
Record
Retention
. Subject to review by, and the overall control of, the Board, the Adviser shall keep and preserve for the period required by the 1940 Act any books and records relevant to the provision of its investment advisory services to the
Allocated Assets and shall specifically maintain, or cause to be maintained, all books and records with respect to the Allocated Assets transactions and shall deliver to the Board such periodic and special reports as the Board may reasonably
request or as may be required under applicable federal and state law, including without limitation Rule
31a-1
and Rule
31a-2
under the 1940 Act, and shall make such
records available for inspection by the Board, the Funds officers and employees and the Funds authorized agents, at any time and from time to time during normal business hours. The Adviser agrees that all records that it maintains for
the Allocated Assets are the property of the Fund and shall surrender promptly to the Fund any such records upon the Boards request and upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9, provided that the Adviser may retain a copy
of such records.
(g)
Trade Confirmations
. In connection with any purchase or sale of securities for the Allocated
Assets, the Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the Funds custodian (the
Custodian
) on a daily basis such confirmations, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including without limitation CUSIP,
Sedol, or other numbers that identify the securities to be purchased or sold on behalf of the Fund, as may be reasonably necessary for the Custodian and its affiliates to perform their custodial, administrative and recordkeeping responsibilities
with respect to the Fund. With respect to securities to be settled through the Custodian, the Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Custodian. The parties acknowledge that the Adviser is not the
custodian of the Allocated Assets and will not take possession or custody of such assets.
(h)
Proxies
. The Adviser
will vote any proxies received from the Custodian (including without limitation giving or determining to withhold consent to any request to amend a debt security or to waive or not waive a breach of covenant or default with respect to a debt
security) with respect to any securities held in the Allocated Assets in a manner the Adviser reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the Fund and shall report such votes to the Board on a quarterly basis. The Fund will instruct the
Custodian to send to the Adviser all proxy materials with respect to the Allocated Assets.
2.
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Compensation and Expenses
.
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(a)
Management Fee
. Subject to Section 2(b), the Fund agrees to pay, and the Adviser agrees to accept, as compensation for the services provided by the Adviser hereunder, a management fee
(
Management Fee
) as set forth on Schedule A hereto. The Adviser may agree to waive, in whole or in part, the Management Fee at any time. The Management Fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears, and shall be calculated at
an annual rate based on the average daily value of the Allocated Assets (on a gross basis) during the most recently completed calendar quarter. The Management Fee for any partial quarter shall be appropriately
pro-rated.
The Management Fee includes all fees or charges reasonably incurred by the Adviser (including brokerage commissions resulting from transactions effected through the Adviser or its affiliates) on
behalf of the Fund in connection with providing services under this Agreement. The Management Fee does not include the following: (a) charges for services provided by the Adviser, its affiliates or third parties which are outside the scope of
this Agreement (e.g., retirement plan administration fees, trustee fees, etc.); (b) any taxes or fees imposed by exchanges or regulatory bodies; and (c) brokerage commissions or other charges resulting from transactions not effected through the
Adviser or its affiliates. Each of these additional charges may be separately charged to the Allocated Assets or reflected in the price paid or received for a given security. If open- or
closed-end
registered
funds or exchange-traded funds (collectively,
B-3
Portfolio Funds
) are used by the Adviser for investment by the Allocated Assets,
any such Portfolio Fund may pay its own separate investment advisory fees and other expenses to its manager or other service provider. In addition, an
open-end
mutual fund may charge distribution or servicing
fees. In such cases, these fees or expenses will be in addition to the Management Fee.
(b)
Adviser Personnel
. All
personnel of the Adviser, when and to the extent engaged in providing investment advisory services hereunder, and the compensation and routine overhead expenses of such personnel allocable to such services, shall be provided and paid for by the
Adviser and not by the Fund.
(c)
Expenses
. During the term of this Agreement, the Adviser shall pay all expenses
incurred by it in connection with the activities it undertakes to meet its obligations hereunder. The Adviser shall, at its sole expense, employ or associate itself with such persons as it reasonably believes will assist it in the execution of its
duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, persons employed or otherwise retained by the Adviser or made available to the Adviser by its members or affiliates. The Fund shall reimburse the Adviser out of the Allocated Assets for
documented expenses reasonably incurred by the Adviser at the written request of or on behalf of the Fund. All other costs and expenses in connection with the operations of the Allocated Assets and transactions effected with respect to the Allocated
Assets shall be borne by the Allocated Assets.
(d)
Brokerage Selection and Related Fees and Expenses
. The Adviser
shall use commercially reasonable efforts to seek to obtain the best execution of all portfolio transactions executed on behalf of the Fund. Any transactions executed with or through first- or second-tier affiliates of the Fund will comply with
Section 17 of the 1940 Act, including without limitation Section 17(a), Section 17(e) and Rule
17e-1
thereunder, and the applicable compliance policies of the Fund and the Adviser. In evaluating
which broker or dealer will provide the best execution, the Adviser will consider the full range and quality of a brokers or dealers services including, among other things, the value of research provided as well as execution capability,
commission rate, financial responsibility and responsiveness.
In no event will the Adviser or its affiliates be obligated to
effect any transaction for the Allocated Assets which they believe would violate any applicable state or federal law, rule or regulation, or of the rules or regulations of any regulatory or self-regulatory body.
3.
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Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Adviser
.
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The Adviser represents and warrants to, and covenants with, the Fund as follows:
(a) The Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act as of the Effective Date and shall maintain such
registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect;
(b) The Adviser is a limited liability company duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware with the power to own and possess its assets and carry on its business as it is now being conducted;
(c) The execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this Agreement are within the Advisers powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and no action by or in respect of,
or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Adviser for the execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Adviser of this
Agreement do not contravene or constitute a default under (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) the Advisers governing instruments, or (iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other
instrument binding upon the Adviser;
(d) The Adviser has provided the Board with a complete copy of its Form ADV, including
Part 2A for the Institutional Cash Management Program, and will make available electronically to the Board any updated or amended version of its Form ADV promptly upon making any material changes to the Form ADV (Advisers Form ADV Part 2A and
2B are available at www.morganstanley.com/ADV. Advisers Form ADV Part 1A is available on the SECs website at https://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/);
B-4
(e) The Adviser will maintain a written code of ethics (the
Code of
Ethics
) that complies with the requirements of Rule
17j-1
under the 1940 Act (
Rule
17j-1
), a copy of which will be provided to
the Fund, and will institute procedures reasonably necessary to prevent any Access Person (as defined in Rule
17j-1)
from violating its Code of Ethics. The Adviser will follow such Code of Ethics in performing
its services under this Agreement. The Adviser also will certify quarterly to the Fund that it and its Advisory Persons (as defined in Rule
17j-1)
have complied materially with the requirements of
Rule
17j-1
during the previous quarter or, if not, explain what the Adviser has done to seek to ensure such compliance in the future. Annually, the Adviser will furnish a written report, which complies with
the requirements of Rule
17j-1
and Rule
206(4)-7
of the Advisers Act, concerning the Code of Ethics and compliance program, respectively, to the Fund. The Adviser shall
notify the Fund promptly of any material violation of the Code of Ethics involving the Fund. The Adviser will provide such additional information regarding violations of the Code of Ethics affecting the Fund as the Chief Compliance Officer of the
Fund may reasonably request in order to assess the functioning of the Code of Ethics or any harm caused to the Fund from such a violation of the Code of Ethics. Further, the Adviser represents that it has policies and procedures regarding the
detection and prevention of the misuse of material, nonpublic information by the Adviser and its employees;
(f) The Adviser
will provide the Fund with such information as necessary to ensure solely with respect to information relating to the Adviser: (A) the Funds registration statement on Form
N-2,
to be filed with the
SEC, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (B) the Funds prospectus, if applicable, will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(g) The Adviser shall comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws, including the
1940 Act and the Advisers Act and other applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and, in addition, will conduct its activities under this Agreement in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations of any governmental authority pertaining to
its investment advisory activities. The Adviser shall notify the Board of a change in control of the Adviser within a reasonable time in advance of such change. The Adviser will also fully cooperate with the Fund in any regulatory investigation,
examination, or inspection of the Fund or of the Adviser with respect to the Fund or relating to the provision of services to the Fund under this Agreement;
(h) The Adviser will exercise its best judgment, use reasonable care and act in good faith and act in a manner consistent with applicable federal and state laws and regulations in rendering the services
it agrees to provide under the Agreement. The Adviser shall maintain a policy and practice of conducting its investment advisory services hereunder independently of the commercial banking operations of its affiliates. When the Adviser makes
investment recommendations for the Allocated Assets, its investment advisory personnel will not inquire or take into consideration whether the issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale for the Allocated Assets are customers of the
commercial department of its affiliates, except as otherwise required by applicable law, rules, and regulations and firm policies;
(i) The Adviser has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer under Rule
206(4)-7
of the Advisers Act and has adopted written policies and procedures reasonably designed
to prevent violations of the Advisers Act The Adviser will timely provide to the Fund an annual certification from the Advisers Chief Compliance Officer with respect to the design and operation of the Advisers compliance program, in a
format reasonably requested by the Fund;
(j) The Adviser will promptly notify the Fund of the occurrence of any event that
would disqualify the Adviser from serving as an investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940 Act; and
(k) The Adviser shall maintain business continuity, disaster recovery and backup capabilities and facilities intended to allow the Adviser to perform its obligations hereunder with minimal disruption or
delays.
4.
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Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Fund
.
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The Fund represents and warrants to, and covenants with, the Adviser as follows:
B-5
(a) The execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement are within the
Funds powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action, and no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Fund for the execution, delivery and performance by
the Fund of this Agreement, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement do not contravene or constitute a default under (i) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (ii) the Certificate, or
(iii) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Fund;
(b) The Fund shall
comply in all material respects with all applicable provisions of Federal Securities Law as defined in Rule
38a-1(e)(1)
under the 1940 Act and rules and regulations of the SEC with respect to the services
provided to the Fund hereunder and the Funds activities under this Agreement, and will conduct its activities under this Agreement in accordance with any applicable laws and regulations of any governmental authority pertaining to its
investment activities. The Fund shall notify the Adviser of a change in control of the Fund within a reasonable time after such change. The Fund will also fully cooperate in any regulatory investigation, examination, or inspection of the Fund or the
Adviser relating to this Agreement or services provided by the Adviser hereunder.
(c) The Fund represents and warrants that
the Allocated Assets are free from any security interests, liens, or encumbrances exercisable by any third party against such assets that limit the ability of the Adviser to trade the Allocated Assets as contemplated in this Agreement and the Fund
shall not grant such a security interest, lien, or encumbrance on any such assets for the benefit of any third party, except after providing prior written notice to the Adviser. The Fund agrees to notify the Adviser immediately if it learns that any
such security interest, lien, or encumbrance is created against any assets managed by the Adviser and the Fund agrees to indemnify and hold the Adviser harmless from any and all expenses, damages, costs, and fees, including reasonable
attorneys fees and expenses, incurred by the Adviser as a result of any security interest, lien, or encumbrance being created on such assets.
(d) The Fund represents and warrants that, for the purposes of the Volcker Rule, the Fund is a registered investment company and is therefore excluded from the definition of covered
fund for purposes of Section 10 of the Volcker Rule implementing rules and, accordingly, the limitations on a banking entitys ability to acquire or retain ownership interests set forth in Section 10 do not apply to the Fund.
(e) The Fund shall from time to time provide the Adviser with a written list of persons known to be affiliates of the Fund and
affiliates of such affiliates to the extent reasonably necessary to ensure compliance with the limitations on affiliated transactions set forth in Section 17 of the 1940 Act.
5.
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Survival of Representations and Warranties; Duty to Update Information
.
|
(a) All representations and warranties made by the Adviser and the Fund pursuant to Sections 3 and 4, respectively, shall survive for the
duration of this Agreement and the parties hereto shall promptly notify each other in writing upon becoming aware that any of the foregoing representations and warranties are no longer true.
(b) The Adviser shall promptly notify the Board in writing:
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(i)
|
upon receiving notice that a governmental authority, agency or body is investigating or intends to investigate it or any of its directors, officers or employees in
connection with the services provided to the Allocated Assets, including any routine examination or proceeding in the ordinary course of business;
|
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(ii)
|
of any change in the portfolio managers of the Adviser who provide services to the Fund hereunder;
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(iii)
|
of any prospective material change in approach to the Advisers management of and recommendations with respect to the Allocated Assets;
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(iv)
|
of any other change in the Advisers business activities or circumstances that could reasonably be expected to materially adversely affect the Advisers
ability to discharge its obligations under this Agreement; and
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(v)
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of any actual, anticipated, or contemplated change in ownership of the Adviser or its affiliates constituting, or that would reasonably be expected to constitute, an
assignment of this Agreement for purposes of the 1940 Act.
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6.
|
Other Activities of the Adviser
.
|
Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent the Adviser or any member, manager, officer, employee or other affiliate thereof from acting as investment adviser for any other person, firm or corporation, or
from engaging in any other lawful activity, and shall not in any way limit or restrict the Adviser or any of its members, managers, officers, employees or agents from buying, selling, or trading any securities for its own or their own accounts or
for the accounts of others for whom it or they may be acting. For the avoidance of doubt, the Adviser, and any of its affiliates, may enter into one or more agreements pursuant to which the Adviser and/or its affiliates and their personnel may be
restricted in their investment management activities. The Adviser or any member, manager, officer, employee or other affiliate thereof may allocate their time between advising the Allocated Assets and managing other investment activities and
business activities in which they may be involved.
(a) The duties of the Adviser shall be confined to those expressly set forth herein. The Adviser shall not be liable for any loss arising
out of the Advisers activities hereunder, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties hereunder, except as
may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable law which cannot be waived or modified hereby. (As used in this Section 7(a), the term Adviser shall include, without limitation, the Advisers affiliates and the
Advisers and its affiliates respective partners, shareholders, directors, members, principals, officers, employees and other agents of the Adviser). Under no circumstances will the Adviser be liable for any loss involving Fund assets
other than the Allocated Assets.
(b) The Adviser shall indemnify the Fund, and its affiliates and controlling persons,
(including its directors, officers and employees) each of whom shall be deemed a third-party beneficiary hereof, for any damage, liability, cost and expenses, including reasonable attorneys fees, which the Fund or its affiliates and
controlling persons may sustain as a result of the Advisers willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties hereunder.
(c) The Fund shall indemnify the Adviser (and its officers, managers, partners, members (and their members, including the owners of their members), agents, employees, controlling persons and any other
person or entity affiliated with the Adviser, each of whom shall be deemed a third-party beneficiary hereof) (collectively, the
Indemnified Parties
) and hold them harmless from and against any damage, liability, cost and
expense, including reasonable attorneys fees, howsoever arising from, or in connection with, the Advisers performance of its obligations under this Agreement, to the extent such damages, liabilities, costs and expenses are not fully
reimbursed by insurance, and to the extent that such indemnification would not be inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or the Certificate; provided, however, that the Adviser shall not be indemnified for any liability or expenses that
may be sustained as a result of the Advisers willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Advisers duties or by reason of the reckless disregard of the Advisers duties and obligations under this
Agreement. Nothing contained herein shall constitute a waiver by the Fund of any of its legal rights under applicable U.S. federal securities laws or any other laws.
The Fund may make advance payments to an Indemnified Party in connection with the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if (i) the Fund
receives a written affirmation of such Indemnified Partys (1) good faith belief that the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification has been met and (2) undertaking to reimburse the Fund unless it is subsequently determined
that such Indemnified Party is entitled to such indemnification and (ii) the Board determines that the facts then known to the Board would not preclude indemnification. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met: (A)
B-7
the Indemnified Party shall provide security for such Indemnified Partys undertaking, (B) the Fund shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any unlawful advance, or
(C) a majority of a quorum consisting of directors of the Fund who are neither interested persons of the Fund (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) nor parties to the proceeding
(
Disinterested
Non-Party
Directors
) or an independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall determine, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full
trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Indemnified Party ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification. All determinations with respect to the standards for indemnification hereunder shall be made (1) by a final
decision on the merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that such Indemnified Party is not liable or is not liable by reason of disabling conduct, or (2) in the absence of such a decision, by (i) a majority
vote of a quorum of the Disinterested
Non-Party
Directors of the Fund, or (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable or, even if obtainable, if a majority vote of such quorum so directs, independent legal
counsel in a written opinion. All determinations that advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and shall be made in accordance with the immediately preceding paragraph. The rights accruing to
any Indemnified Party under these provisions shall not exclude any other right to which such Indemnified Party may be lawfully entitled.
(a) Subject to Section 9 of this Agreement, the Adviser and the Fund each acknowledges and agrees that, pursuant to this Agreement,
either party may have access to the other partys confidential and proprietary information and materials concerning or pertaining to the others business. Each party will receive and hold such information in the strictest confidence, and
acknowledge, represent, and warrant that it will use its best efforts to protect the confidentiality of this information. Each party agrees that, without the prior written consent of the other party, it will not use, copy, or divulge to third
parties or otherwise use, except in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, any information obtained from or through the other party in connection with this Agreement other than as reasonably necessary in the course of their business; provided
that such recipients must agree to protect the confidentiality of such information and use such information only for the purposes of performing their obligations under this Agreement; provided, further, however, this covenant shall not apply to
information (i) which is in the public domain now or when it becomes in the public domain in the future, other than by reason of a breach of this Agreement, (ii) which has come to either party from a lawful source not bound to maintain the
confidentiality of such information, other than from the other party or an affiliate or representative of that party, (iii) information provided by the Adviser to broker-dealers or third parties bound by an agreement of confidentiality for the
purposes of bona fide due diligence, or (iv) disclosures which are required by law, regulatory authority, regulation or legal process or made at the request of a banking, financial, securities or similar supervisory or self-regulatory or
governmental authority exercising its supervisory, examination or audit functions over the Adviser or any of its affiliates.
(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, each party to this Agreement (and each employee, representative, or other agent of
such party) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of (i) the Fund and (ii) any of its transactions, and all materials of any kind (including opinions or other tax analyses)
that are provided to such party relating to such tax treatment and tax structure.
(c) The representations and warranties made
by the Adviser and the Fund pursuant to this Section 8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.
9.
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Use of Names and Track Record.
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(a)
Funds Use of Advisers Name
. Other than as expressly stated herein, the Fund shall have no right to use the name Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or MSSB (or
any combination or derivation thereof) without the prior written consent of the Adviser. For so long as the Adviser is serving as an adviser to the Fund, the Fund may use the name of the Adviser, including any short-form of such name, or any
combination or derivation thereof, for the purpose of identifying the Adviser as an adviser to the Fund with respect to the Allocated Assets, including without limitation in regulatory filings, on the Funds website and in any reports and other
information provided to the Funds stockholders. The Fund shall cease to use the name of the Adviser in any newly printed materials (except as may, in the sole discretion of the Fund, be reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law)
promptly upon termination of this Agreement. The use of the Advisers name or combination or derivation thereof by the Fund hereunder shall be in a manner that is not intended to reflect negatively on the reputation or goodwill of the Adviser
or such names or any combination or derivation thereof.
B-8
(b)
Restrictions on Use of Fund Name
. The Adviser shall not use the name of the Fund
or Yahoo! Inc. (or any combination or derivation thereof) in any material relating to the Adviser in any manner not approved prior thereto in writing by the Fund, such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, other than inclusions of such entities
in lists of the Advisers clients. The use of the Funds name or combination or derivation thereof by the Adviser hereunder shall be in a manner that is not intended to reflect negatively on the reputation or goodwill of the Fund or Yahoo!
Inc., or such names or any combination or derivation thereof.
(c)
Advisers Use of Track-Record
. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Adviser may use performance data it generates in connection with the Allocated Assets for its track record and use the name of the Fund solely to identify such performance.
10.
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Effectiveness, Term and Termination of Agreement
.
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(a)
Effectiveness and Term
. This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above. This Agreement shall remain in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter
shall continue automatically for successive annual periods, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of the Board, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities
(as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Funds directors who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as such term is defined in
Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) of any such party, in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act.
(b)
Termination
. This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, upon 60 days written notice, (i) by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as such term is defined in
Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act) of the Fund, (ii) by the vote of the Board, or (iii) by the Adviser. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as such term is defined for purposes of
Section 15(a)(4) of the 1940 Act). The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, and the Adviser shall remain entitled to the benefits thereof, notwithstanding any termination of this
Agreement. Further, notwithstanding the termination or expiration of this Agreement as aforesaid, the Adviser shall be entitled to any amounts owed to it under Section 2 through the date of termination or expiration and Section 7 shall
continue in force and effect and apply to the Adviser and its representatives as and to the extent applicable.
Any
notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing, addressed and delivered or mailed, postage prepaid, to the other party at its principal office.
This
Agreement may be amended in writing by mutual consent of the parties hereto, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act and the Certificate.
The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof
or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This Agreement shall be binding on, and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors.
If
any provision of this Agreement shall be declared illegal, invalid, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provision shall be deemed to be severable from this Agreement (to the extent permitted by law) and in any event such illegality,
invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the remainder hereof, and the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted to give maximum effect to the intent of the parties manifested thereby.
B-9
15.
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Entire Agreement; Governing Law; Venue; Waiver of Jury Trial
.
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This Agreement contains the entire agreement of the parties and supersedes all prior agreements, understandings and arrangements with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding the place where
this Agreement may be executed by any of the parties hereto, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Agreement shall also be construed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act.
To the extent the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts by the parties hereto, each of which
shall constitute an original counterpart, and all of which, together, shall constitute one Agreement. The parties irrevocably submit to the personal jurisdiction and service and venue of any federal or state court within the State of New York having
subject matter jurisdiction, for the purpose of any action, suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or any action taken or omitted hereunder, and waive any claim of forum non conveniens. The parties further waive personal
service of any summons, complaint or other process and agree that service thereof may be made by certified or registered mail directed to such party at such partys address for purposes of notices hereunder. THE PARTIES HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVE
ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT
.
[Remainder
of page intentionally left blank.]
B-10
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed on the date above
written.
BY SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT, THE UNDERSIGNED CONSENTS TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF ADVISERS FORM ADV PART 2A AND 2B, EITHER BY
EMAIL OR BY REFERRING THE UNDERSIGNED TO A WEBSITE (WHICH MAY BE REVOKED AT ANY TIME BY WRITTEN NOTICE TO ADVISER).
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Altaba Inc.
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
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By:
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Name:
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Title:
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Signature
Page to the Investment Advisory Agreement
SCHEDULE A
TO THE
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
ALTABA INC.
AND
MORGAN STANLEY SMITH BARNEY LLC
Pursuant to Section 2 of the Agreement, the Fund shall pay the Adviser compensation at an annual rate as follows:
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Allocated Asset level under $750M
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.0700
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%
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Allocated Asset level between $750M and $1B
|
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.0650
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%
|
Allocated Asset level between $1B and $1.5B
|
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.0575
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%
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Allocated Asset level between $1.5B and $2B
|
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.0500
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%
|
Allocated Asset level between $2B and $2.5B
|
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.0450
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%
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Allocated Asset level between $2.5B and $3B
|
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.0425
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%
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Allocated Asset level between $3B and $3.5B
|
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.0400
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%
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Allocated Asset level between $3.5B and $4B
|
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.0375
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%
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Allocated Asset level over $4B
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.0350
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%
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The fee payable by the Fund to the Adviser will be payable quarterly in arrears and will be calculated for all the
Allocated Assets at the annual rate applicable to the Allocated Assets level (on a gross basis) set forth in the foregoing table based on the average daily value of the MSSB Assets during the most recently completed calendar quarter.
The Adviser will voluntarily waive its fees by the amount of advisory fees that the Fund pays to the Adviser or its affiliates indirectly through its
investment by the Adviser of Allocated Assets in money market funds managed by the Adviser or its affiliates.
Schedule A
ANNEX C
Altaba Inc.
Long-Term
Deferred Compensation Incentive Plan
Annex C-i
ALTABA INC.
LONG-TERM DEFERRED COMPENSATION INCENTIVE PLAN
Altaba Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the
Company
) hereby adopts and establishes this Altaba Inc. Long-Term Deferred
Compensation Incentive Plan (the
Plan
) in order to permit the deferral of certain compensation to which eligible directors, executive officers and other key employees of the Company may become entitled, which deferred amounts will
be subject to vesting, measurement and payout based on the Companys achievement of certain performance criteria relating to the change in the trading discount of the Companys common stock pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth
herein.
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
1.1
General
. The following terms used in the Plan shall have the meanings specified below unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary.
1.2
Affiliate
shall mean, at any time, and with respect to any person, any other person that, at such time, directly or
indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such first person. The term
control
means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of a person through the ownership of voting securities and the terms
controlled
and
controlling
have meanings correlative thereto.
1.3
Alibaba Share
shall mean an ordinary share, par value $0.000025 per share, of Alibaba Group Limited.
1.4
Award Agreement
shall mean any written notice, agreement or other document evidencing an Award granted under the Plan.
1.5
Beneficiary
shall mean the person or persons designated by a Participant, on a form provided by the Plan
Administrator, to receive payments under the Plan in the event of his or her death. A Participant may change the designation of a Beneficiary at any time by completing a new designation form which shall revoke and supersede all earlier forms.
1.6
Board
shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
1.7
Cause
shall have the meaning given to such term in the employment, severance or similar agreement between the Company
and the Participant or, if no such agreement exists or if Cause is not defined therein, then Cause shall mean the occurrence of one or more of the following: (1) the Participants willful refusal or material failure
to perform the Participants job duties and responsibilities (other than by reason of the Participants serious physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition), (2) the Participants willful failure or refusal to comply
in any material respect with material Company policies or lawful directives, (3) the Participants material breach of any contract or agreement between the Participant and the Company (including but not limited to any employment agreement
or restrictive covenant agreement between the Participant and the Company), or the Participants material breach of any statutory duty, fiduciary duty or any other obligation that the Participant owes to the Company, (4) the
Participants commission of an act of fraud, theft, embezzlement or other unlawful act against the Company or involving its property or assets or the Participant engaging in intentional acts that are materially detrimental to the reputation of
the Company and which cause the Company material economic harm, or (5) the Participants indictment or conviction or
nolo contendre
or guilty plea with respect to any felony or crime of moral turpitude. For purposes of this
provision, no act or failure to act on the Participants part shall be considered willful unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Participant in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Participants action or
omission was in the best interests of the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or
omitted to be done, in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. Except for a failure, breach or refusal which, by its nature, cannot reasonably be expected to be cured, the Participant shall have ten (10) days from the delivery of
written notice by the Company within which to cure any acts constituting Cause;
provided
, that, if the Company reasonably expects irreparable injury from a delay of ten (10) days, the Company may give the Participant notice of such
shorter period within which to cure as is reasonable under the circumstances.
Annex C-1
1.8
Change in Control
shall mean the occurrence of any of the following
after the Effective Date:
(a) one person (or more than one person acting in concert as a group), other than the Company,
acquires ownership of stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such person or group, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company;
(b) a majority of the members of the Board are replaced during any twelve (12) month period by directors whose appointment
or election is not endorsed by a majority of the Board before the date of appointment or election; or
(c) the sale of all
or substantially all of the Companys assets;
(d) a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity in
which the Companys voting securities immediately prior to the merger or consolidation do not represent, or are not converted into securities that represent, a majority of the voting power of all voting securities of the surviving entity
immediately after the merger or consolidation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not occur unless such transaction
constitutes a change in the ownership of the Company, a change in effective control of the Company, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the Companys assets under Section 409A of the Code. In the event of an amendment
that materially changes Section 409A of the Codes definition of change in control, the Plan Administrator may amend the definition of Change in Control under the Plan to be consistent with such amendment.
1.9
Code
shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
1.10
Committee
shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other person or persons appointed from time to
time by the Compensation Committee of the Board to administer the Plan.
1.11
Company
shall mean Altaba Inc., a Delaware
corporation (formerly known as Yahoo! Inc., a Delaware corporation).
1.12
Company Common Stock
shall mean the common
shares, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company.
1.13
Deferral Account
shall mean the bookkeeping entry that is
utilized solely as a device for the measurement and determination of the amount to be paid to a Participant in respect of the Participants Director Fees that are deferred pursuant to Article 4.
1.14
Deferral Agreement
shall mean a written agreement evidencing a Participants election to defer his or her Director
Fees under the Plan pursuant to Section 4.1.
1.15
Director
shall mean a member of the Board.
1.16
Director Fees
shall mean, with respect to an Independent Director who is a Participant, the fees payable in cash for
services rendered as a Director during the period commencing on the Deferral Date and ending on the date of the third anniversary of the first regularly scheduled annual meeting of the Companys stockholders.
1.17
Disability
shall mean, with respect to a Participant, a total and permanent disability within the meaning of
Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.
1.18
Effective Date
shall mean August 9, 2017, subject to the approval of the
Plan by the Companys stockholders.
1.19
Employee
shall mean any individual who is a common-law employee of the
Company or its Affiliates.
1.20
ERISA
shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from
time to time.
1.21
Exchange Act
shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Annex C-2
1.22
Good Reason
shall have the meaning given to such term in the
employment, severance or similar agreement between the Company and the Participant or, if no such agreement exists or if Good Reason is not defined therein, then Good Reason shall be deemed to exist only if the Company shall
fail to correct within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice from the Participant specifying in reasonable detail the reasons the Participant believes one of the following events or conditions has occurred (provided such notice is
delivered by the Participant no later than sixty (60) days after the initial existence of the occurrence): (1) a material diminution of the Participants then current aggregate base salary and target annual incentive award amount
without the Participants prior written agreement; (2) a material adverse change in the Participants title, authority, duties or responsibilities without the Participants prior written agreement; (3) a material change in
the geographic location at which the Participant is required to perform services for the Company, without the Participants prior written agreement; (4) any material breach of the Participants employment or similar agreement with the
Company; or (5) a material adverse change in the Participants reporting structure;
provided
, that in all events the termination of the Participants service with the Company shall not be treated as a termination for Good
Reason unless such termination occurs not more than six (6) months following the initial existence of the occurrence of the event or condition claimed to constitute Good Reason.
1.23
Incentive Award
shall mean an award granted to a Participant under the Plan pursuant to Section 3.1.
1.24
Independent Director
shall mean a member of the Board who is not an Employee.
1.25
Participant
shall mean an Employee who is designated by the Plan Administrator to participate in the Plan or, unless
otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator, an Independent Director who elects to participate in the Plan, in each case, pursuant to Article 2.
1.26
Payout Multiplier
means the payout multiplier in respect of an Incentive Award granted to a Participant or a
Participants Deferral Account as specified in the applicable Award Agreement or Deferral Agreement, respectively.
1.27
Plan
means this Altaba Inc. Long-Term Deferred Compensation Incentive Plan, as may be amended or restated from time to time.
1.28
Plan Administrator
means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other person or persons appointed from time to
time by the Compensation Committee of the Board to administer the Plan. With respect to any payments hereunder intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan Administrator shall be the
Compensation Committee of the Board and shall be comprised solely of two or more directors who are outside directors under Section 162(m) of the Code.
1.29
Qualifying Termination
means a termination of the Participants employment with the Company and its Affiliates
either by the Company without Cause or by the Participant for Good Reason or as a result of the Participants Disability or death.
1.30
Separation from Service
means a Participants separation from service with the Company within the meaning of
Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Code and the Department of Treasury final regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder.
1.31
Yahoo Japan Share
shall mean a common share, no par value, of Yahoo Japan Corporation.
ARTICLE 2
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
2.1
Employees
. The Plan Administrator may, from time to time, designate those Employees who may participate in the Plan and to whom an
Incentive Award may be granted pursuant to Section 3.1.
2.2
Independent Directors
. Each Independent Director may participate
in the Plan by making a Deferral Election with respect to such Independent Directors Director Fees pursuant to Section 4.1.
Annex C-3
ARTICLE 3
INCENTIVE AWARDS
3.1
Grant of Incentive Awards
. The Plan Administrator may, from time to time, grant an Incentive Award to any Participant who is an Employee, payable in cash, pursuant to the terms of the Plan and which shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
The terms, conditions and limitations of each Incentive Award shall be set forth in the Award Agreement consistent with the terms of the Plan. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, assuming the maximum level of performance and Payout
Multiplier applicable to such Incentive Awards, the maximum amount that may become payable to any Participant in any fiscal year of the Company with respect to an Incentive Award shall be $24,000,000 and the maximum amount that may become payable
with respect to all Incentive Awards granted to Participants under the Plan from time to time shall be $60,000,000.
3.2
Vesting of
Incentive Awards
. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Award Agreement, a Participants Incentive Award shall vest upon the respective vesting dates set forth therein (each, a
Vesting Date
), or (ii) a
Change in Control, so long as the Participant remains in continuous service with the Company or any of its Affiliates through such Vesting Date or Change in Control, respectively;
provided
, that the Incentive Award shall vest in full in the
event that the Participant experiences a Qualifying Termination.
3.3
Effect of Termination of Employment
. In the event of the
termination of a Participants employment or service by the Company or its Affiliates for any reason, the Incentive Award, to the extent vested as of such date of termination (after taking into account any full vesting in connection with a
Qualifying Termination), shall become payable to the Participant or the Participants Beneficiary, as applicable, pursuant to Section 3.5, and the then-unvested portion of the Incentive Award, if any, shall thereupon terminate without any
payment therefor, and the Participant shall have no further rights with respect thereto.
3.4
Deferral Election
. Each Participant
may irrevocably elect to defer payment of his or her Incentive Award, to the extent vested, to the occurrence of the Participants Separation from Service (
in lieu of payment on the first anniversary of each Vesting Date
) by completing
and executing an Award Agreement that specifies such election and returning such executed Award Agreement to the Plan Administrator within thirty (30) days following the date of the Participants receipt of such Award Agreement.
3.5
Payment of Incentive Awards
.
(a) Except as provided in Sections 3.5(b) and 3.5(c), a Participants Incentive Award, to the extent vested, shall be paid
to the Participant or the Participants Beneficiary, as applicable, on or within thirty (30) days following the earliest to occur of (i) the first anniversary of each Vesting Date, or, if the Participant has made a timely and valid
deferral election pursuant to Section 3.4, the date of the Participants Separation from Service or (ii) immediately prior to (but subject to the consummation of) a Change in Control.
(b) If a Participants employment with the Company or its Affiliates is terminated for any reason other than a Qualifying
Termination, then the Participants Incentive Award, to the extent vested, shall be paid to the Participant on or within thirty (30) days following the date of such termination.
(c) If a Participants employment with the Company or its Affiliates is terminated by reason of a Qualifying Termination,
then the Participants Incentive Award shall be fully vested as of the date of such Qualifying Termination and shall be paid to the Participant on or within thirty (30) days following the date of such Qualifying Termination;
provided
, that if the Trading Discount Reduction (as defined below) measured as of the first anniversary of the date of termination (or a Change of Control if it occurs earlier than said first anniversary) exceeds the Trading Discount
Reduction measured as of the date of termination, then the Participant shall be entitled to a payment in an amount equal to the difference between (x) the amount of the Incentive Award calculated based on the Payout Multiplier as in effect on
the first anniversary of the date of termination (or a Change of Control if it occurs earlier than said first anniversary) and (y) the amount of the Incentive Award calculated based on the Payout Multiplier as in effect on the date of
termination, with such amount paid to the Participant or the Participants Beneficiary, as applicable, on or within thirty (30) days following such first anniversary of the date of termination (or, in the event of a Change of Control if it
occurs earlier than said first anniversary, immediately prior to (but subject to the consummation of) a Change in Control.
Annex C-4
3.6
Calculation of Payment of Incentive Awards
.
(a)
Generally
. The amount of an Incentive Award that may become payable to a Participant shall be subject to the Trading
Discount Reduction achieved and Payout Multipliers as set forth in the Award Agreement that apply to the Trading Discount Reduction as determined on the applicable Vesting Date, the date of the occurrence of a Change in Control or, in the case of a
Qualifying Termination, the date of termination or the one year anniversary of the date of termination if higher, as described in Section 3.5(c) above (such applicable date, the
Measurement Date
).
(b)
Methodology
.
As of the applicable Measurement Date, the amount of the Incentive Award payable to the Participant shall be calculated in
accordance with the terms of the Award Agreement based on the initial amount of the Incentive Award granted to the Participant and the applicable Payout Multiplier determined based on the Trading Discount Reduction measured as of such Measurement
Date, subject to the vesting terms set forth in the Award Agreement.
For purposes of measuring the Trading Discount
Reduction, the following terms shall apply:
Base Trading Discount
shall mean the percentage (rounded to
the nearest tenth of a percentile) specified in a Participants Award Agreement or Deferral Agreement, as applicable.
Base Adjusted NAV
and
Base Adjusted NAV Per Share
shall mean the initial net asset value
adjusted for the exclusion of deferred taxes on unrealized appreciation and other adjustments. These amounts will be specified in a Participants Award Agreement or Deferral Agreement and utilized in the calculation of Base Trading Discount.
Revised Adjusted NAV
and
Revised Adjusted NAV Per Share
shall mean the Base Adjusted
NAV per share revised to reflect the impact of changes in the per share price of Alibaba Shares and Yahoo Japan Shares, respectively on the Base Adjusted NAV. The impact of these share price changes may be direct (e.g., the value of the
Companys holdings are increased or decreased) or indirect (e.g., the company bought back its own shares at a price that reflected higher or lower share prices for these holdings than subsequently in effect). For purposes of illustration,
Revised Adjusted NAV and Revised Adjusted NAV Per Share shall be determined consistently with the example set forth on
Appendix A
hereto.
Current Trading Discount
means, as of any Measurement Date, an amount (rounded to the nearest tenth of a
percentile) equal to one less the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the average closing price per share of Common Stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market during the thirty (30) day trading period immediately prior to such measurement date (in
each case adding back the per share amount of cumulative dividends paid by the Company from and after the Effective Date, by (y) the Revised Adjusted NAV Per Share on such measurement date.
Trading Discount Reduction
means an amount (rounded to the nearest tenth of a percentile) equal to the
difference obtained by subtracting (x) the Current Trading Discount from (y) the Base Trading Discount.
The
measurement of the Trading Discount Reduction pursuant to this Section 3.6(b) shall be applied on an objective basis and consistently by the Plan Administrator from time to time;
provided
, that notwithstanding anything herein to the
contrary, the Plan Administrator reserves the right to modify such methodology in such a manner that does not cause any amounts payable hereunder to cease to qualify as performance based compensation within the meaning of Code Section 162(m)
and which does not adversely affect the rights of any Participant under his or her Incentive Award.
(c)
Deferred Payment
Interest Credit
. The amount of an Incentive Award that becomes vested on an applicable Vesting Date and which is paid to such Participant more than 30 days after the applicable Vesting Date shall be credited with a rate of interest, based on the
prime rate of interest as reported in the Wall Street Journal for the applicable Vesting Date (or immediately preceding date on which such rate is reported, if not reported in the Wall Street Journal on the applicable Vesting Date), compounded
monthly from the applicable Vesting Date through the date of payment (the
Interest Credit
). The amount of the Incentive Award payable to any Participant on an applicable payment date described in Sections 3.5(a), (b) and
(c) shall be increased by an amount equal to the Interest Credit through the date of payment of the Incentive Award, which additional Interest Credit amount shall be paid to the Participant at the same time and pursuant to the same terms as the
underlying vested Incentive Award to which it relates.
Annex C-5
(d)
Catch-Up Payment
. If (i) a Change in Control occurs while the
Participant is in continuous service with the Company or any of its Affiliates or following a Participants Qualifying Termination that has occurred within the twelve months prior to such Change in Control and (ii) the Payout Multiplier
determined based on the Trading Discount Reduction measured as of such Change in Control (the
Liquidity Payout Multiplier
) is greater than the Payout Multiplier that applied to any previously vested or paid out portion of an
Incentive Award (such portion, the
Prior Portion
), then the Participant shall be entitled to a payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the amount of the Prior Portion calculated as if the Liquidity Payout Multiplier
had applied to such Prior Portion on each prior Vesting Date, over the amount of the Prior Portion calculated as of each prior Vesting Date. In the absence of a Change in Control, on the date of the fourth anniversary of the Effective Date and each
six-month anniversary thereafter (each such date, a
Catch-Up Measurement Date
) so long as the Participant remains in continuous service with the Company or any of its Affiliates on, or has terminated employment within the prior
twelve months by reason of a Qualifying Termination prior to, the applicable Catch-up Measurement Date, if the amount of the Trading Discount Reduction applicable to the Incentive Award as measured on each Catch-Up Measurement Date would otherwise
result in a Payout Multiplier of at least three (3.0) (the
Premium Payout Multiplier
), then the Participant shall be entitled to a payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the amount of the Prior Portion
calculated as if the Premium Payout Multiplier had applied to such Prior Portion on each prior Vesting Date, over the amount of the Prior Portion calculated as of each prior Vesting Date. Any amounts that become payable pursuant to this
Section 3.6(c) in respect of an Incentive Award shall be payable in cash to the Participant or the Participants Beneficiary, as applicable, and shall be paid on or within thirty (30) days following (i) the occurrence of a Change
in Control or the respective Catch-Up Measurement Date, as applicable, or (ii) if the Participant has made a timely and valid deferral election pursuant to Section 3.4, the date of the Participants Separation from Service.
(e)
Section 162(m)
. To the extent required under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Plan Administrator shall make
a certification in writing with respect to the calculation of the amount payable under any applicable Incentive Award that is intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code prior to any such payment to a
Participant hereunder.
(f)
Impact of Tax Reform
. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan or any Award Agreement to the
contrary, if (i) Federal tax reform is enacted at any time prior to the first applicable Vesting Date and (ii) the Participant has vested in any portion of the Incentive Award on or prior to the first applicable Vesting Date, then the
amount payable with respect to any such portion of the Incentive Award that has so vested on or prior to the first applicable Vesting Date may, in the sole discretion of the Plan Administrator be reduced based on an assessment by the Plan
Administrator in good-faith of the impact that such tax reform had on the Trading Discount Reduction that resulted in such portion of the Incentive Award becoming so vested, subject to a maximum reduction of fifty percent (50%) of the Payout
Multiplier applicable to such Incentive Award.
ARTICLE 4
DIRECTOR DEFERRALS
4.1
Deferral of Director Fees
. Each Participant who is an Independent Director shall irrevocably elect to defer to an amount equal to
any whole number percentage of not less than fifty percent (50%) and no more than one hundred percent (100%) of his or her Director Fees by completing and executing a Deferral Agreement and filing it with the Plan Administrator within
thirty (30) days after the date the Participant first becomes eligible to participate in the Plan and which shall become effective on the first day following the filing thereof;
provided
, that the Participants Deferral Agreement
shall only apply with respect to such Participants Director Fees attributable to services not yet performed. The Director Fees paid to such Participant shall be reduced by the amount deferred under this Section 4.1.
4.2
Deferral Account
. A Participants Deferral Account shall be credited with an amount equal to the Director Fees deferred by such
Participant pursuant to Section 4.1 as of the regularly scheduled date of payment of such Director Fees, which shall be fully vested and subject to measurement prior to payout pursuant to Section 4.3.
4.3
Calculation of Payout of Deferral Account
.
(a)
Generally
. The amounts credited to a Participants Deferral Account hereunder shall be accumulated in such
Deferral Account and subject to the Trading Discount Reduction achieved and payout multiplier as set forth in the Deferral Agreement that apply to the Trading Discount Reduction as determined on the applicable Payment Date (as defined below).
Annex C-6
(b)
Methodology
.
As of the applicable Payment Date, the amount of the Deferral Account payable to the Participant or the Participants
Beneficiary, as applicable, shall be equal to the product of (x) the amount of the Deferral Account as of such Payment Date and (y) the applicable Payout Multiplier determined based on the Trading Discount Reduction measured as of such
Payment Date. The measurement of the Trading Discount Reduction pursuant to this Section 4.3(b) shall be applied on an objective basis and consistently by the Plan Administrator from time to time; provided, that notwithstanding anything herein
to the contrary, the Plan Administrator reserves the right to modify such methodology. For the avoidance of doubt, in no event shall a Participants Deferral Account be subject to any catch-up payment.
4.4
Payment of Deferral Account
. Payment of the Participants Deferral Account, as adjusted pursuant to Section 4.3, shall be
made to the Participant or the Participants Beneficiary, as applicable, in a single lump sum upon the earlier to occur of the following: (i) the Participants Separation from Service for any reason or (ii) a Change in Control
(each, a
Payment Date
).
ARTICLE 5
ADMINISTRATION
5.1
Plan Administrator Authority
.
(a) The Plan Administrator shall administer the Plan and shall have the power to take
all action necessary or appropriate in connection with the general administration of the Plan. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Plan Administrator may (i) interpret or construe the Plan, (ii) determine any facts or
resolve any questions relevant to the Plans administration, (iii) prescribe, amend and rescind administrative rules and regulations under the Plan, (iv) resolve any dispute which may arise under the Plan involving Participants or
Beneficiaries and (v) make all other administrative determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan, in all cases subject to all of the provisions of the Plan, including without limitation Article 6 hereof.
(b) The Plan Administrator may delegate any of its duties hereunder to such person or persons from time to time as it may
designate.
(c) The Plan Administrator is empowered, on behalf of the Plan, to engage accountants, legal counsel and such
other personnel as it deems necessary or advisable to assist it in the performance of its duties under the Plan. The functions of any such persons engaged by the Plan Administrator shall be limited to the specified services and duties for which they
are engaged, and such persons shall have no other duties, obligations or responsibilities under the Plan. Such persons shall exercise no discretionary authority or discretionary control respecting the management of the Plan. All reasonable expenses
thereof shall be borne by the Company.
5.2
Indemnification of Committee
. Each member of the Compensation Committee of the Board,
the Board or any other person who may act to fulfill the responsibilities of the Plan Administrator shall be indemnified by the Company against any and all liabilities arising by reason of any act, or failure to act, pursuant to the provisions of
the Plan, including expenses reasonably incurred in the defense of any claim relating to the Plan.
ARTICLE 6
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF PLAN
The Plan may be amended, suspended, discontinued or terminated at any time, in whole or in part, by the Plan Administrator; provided, that no
such action shall reduce or in any manner adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to payments under any Incentive Award issued under the Plan prior to the date of such action, as determined by the Plan Administrator in its sole
discretion. Notice of any amendment, suspension, discontinuation or termination of the Plan shall be given in writing to each Participant.
Annex C-7
ARTICLE 7
DETERMINATION OF BENEFITS
7.1
Benefit Claims
. If a Participant believes that he or she is being denied a benefit to which he or she is entitled under the Plan
(hereinafter referred to as a
Claimant
), he or she, or his or her representative, may file a written request for such benefit with the Company, setting forth his or her claim. The request must be addressed to the Secretary of the
Company (the
Secretary
) at its then principal place of business.
7.2
Claim Review Process
. Upon receipt of a
claim, the Plan Administrator shall advise the Claimant that a reply will be forthcoming within ninety (90) days and shall, in fact, deliver such reply within such period. The Plan Administrator may, however, extend the reply period for an
additional ninety (90) days for reasonable cause, provided that notice of the extended reply period is provided to Claimant prior to the expiration of the initial ninety (90) day period with a description of the special circumstances
requiring the extended time for review and the expected date of the completion of such review.
If the Claim is denied in whole or in part,
the Plan Administrator shall adopt a written opinion, using language calculated to be understood by the Claimant, setting forth:
(a) The specific reason or reasons for such denial;
(b) The specific reference to pertinent provisions of this Plan on which such denial is based;
(c) A description of any additional material or information necessary for the Claimant to perfect his or her claim and an
explanation why such material or such information is necessary;
(d) Appropriate information as to the steps to be taken if
the Claimant wishes to submit the claim for review;
(e) The time limits for requesting a review under Section 7.3 and
for review under Section 7.4 hereof; and
(f) A statement of the Claimants right to bring a civil suit under
Section 502(a) of ERISA.
7.3
Benefit Denial Review
. Within sixty (60) days after the receipt by the Claimant of the
written opinion described above, the Claimant may request in writing that the Secretary review the Plan Administrators determination. Such request must be addressed to the Secretary, at the Companys then principal place of business. The
Claimant or his or her duly authorized representative may, but need not, review the pertinent documents and submit issues and comments in writing, documents, records and other information for consideration by the Secretary. If the Claimant does not
request a review of the Plan Administrators determination by the Secretary within such sixty (60) day period, he or she shall be barred and estopped from challenging the Plan Administrators determination. Claimant shall be provided,
upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to the Claimants claim for benefits under this Plan.
7.4
Process of Review
. Within sixty (60) days after the Secretarys receipt of a request for review, he or she will review the
Plan Administrators determination. After considering all materials presented, whether or not included or reviewed in the initial claim determination, by the Claimant, the Secretary will render a written opinion, written in a manner calculated
to be understood by the Claimant, setting forth the specific reasons for the decision, containing specific references to the pertinent provisions of this Plan on which the decision is based, containing a statement that Claimant is entitled to
receive, upon request and free of change, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to the Claimants claim for benefits under this Plan and containing a statement of Claimants right to
bring an action under Section 502(a) of ERISA, if applicable. If special circumstances require that sixty (60) day time period be extended, the Secretary will so notify the Claimant prior to the expiration of such sixty ( 60) day time
period and will render the decision as soon as possible, but no later than one hundred twenty (120) days after receipt of the request for review.
Annex C-8
ARTICLE 8
MISCELLANEOUS
8.1
Unfunded/Unsecured Plan
. The Company shall be obligated to make all payments under the Plan. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be unfunded and unsecured, and nothing contained herein shall be construed as providing for
assets to be held in trust or escrow or any other form of segregation of the assets of the Company for the benefit of any Participant or any other person or persons to whom benefits are to be paid pursuant to the terms of the Plan,
provided
,
that the Plan Administrator may, at any time and in its discretion, adopt a grantor trust or escrow for the purpose of providing a source of funds to pay Plan benefits. The interest of any Participant or any other person hereunder shall be limited
to the right to receive the benefits as set forth herein. To the extent that a Participant or any other person acquires a right to receive benefits under the Plan, such rights shall be no greater than the rights of an unsecured general creditor of
the Company.
8.2
No Right to Employment or Service
. Neither the action of the Company in establishing the Plan, nor any action
taken by the Company, the Board or any individual or member of a committee duly appointed as Plan Administrator under the provisions hereof, nor any provision of the Plan shall give a Participant any right to be retained as an Employee or Director.
8.3
No Assignment
. Except as provided herein, the right of the Participant or any other person to the payment of deferred
compensation or other benefits under this Plan shall not be assigned, transferred, pledged or encumbered, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution.
8.4
Withholding of Taxes
. The Company or any of its Affiliates shall deduct from the amount of any payment made pursuant to this Plan or
from any other amounts payable by the Company or any of its Affiliates to or with respect to a Participant any income, employment or other taxes required to be paid or withheld by the federal government or any state or local government by virtue of
participation in the Plan. In no event shall the Company or its Affiliates be liable for any of a Participants income tax obligations.
8.5
Adjustments
. In the event of a reorganization, recapitalization, stock dividend or stock split, or combination or other change in
the Common Stock, the Plan Administrator shall, in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of rights in respect of an Incentive Award granted to a Participant or a Participants Deferral Account, make such adjustments as the Plan
Administrator in its sole discretion may determine.
8.6
Waivers
. Any waiver of any right granted pursuant to the Plan shall not be
valid unless the same is in writing and signed by the party waiving such right. Any such waiver shall not be deemed to be a waiver of any other rights.
8.7
Severability
. In the event any one or more provisions of this Plan are held to be invalid or unenforceable, such illegality or
unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof and such other provisions shall remain in full force and effect unaffected by such invalidity or unenforceability.
8.8
Captions and Gender
. The captions preceding the Sections and subsections of the Plan have been inserted solely as a matter of
convenience and in no way define or limit the scope or intent of any provisions of the Plan. Where the context requires, words used in the masculine gender shall be construed to include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular and the
singular shall include the plural.
8.9
Choice of Law
. The Plan and all rights under this Plan shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent preempted by ERISA.
8.10
Section 409A
.
(a) The Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, and shall in all respects be
interpreted and administered in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and Department of Treasury regulations and other interpretive guidance issued thereunder (
Section 409A
). Neither the Company nor the Plan Administrator
shall be obligated to perform any obligation hereunder in any case where, in the opinion of the Companys counsel, such performance would result in
Annex C-9
the violation of any law or regulation or failure to comply with Section 409A. Should it be determined that any provision or feature of the Plan is not in compliance with Section 409A,
that provision or feature shall be null and void to the extent required to avoid the noncompliance with Section 409A; provided, that in no event shall the Company be liable for all or any portion of any taxes, penalties, interest or other
expenses that may be incurred by the Participant on account of noncompliance with Section 409A.
(b) Notwithstanding
anything in the Plan to the contrary, (i) if at the time of a Participants termination of employment with the Company or its Affiliates the Participant is a specified employee as defined in Section 409A of the Code, and
the deferral of the commencement of any payments or benefits otherwise payable hereunder as a result of such termination of employment is necessary in order to prevent any accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, then the
commencement of the payment of any such payments or benefits hereunder shall be deferred (without any reduction in such payments or benefits ultimately paid or provided to the Participant) until the first business day to occur following the date
that is six (6) months following the Participants separation from service (within the meaning of such term under Section 409A of the Code) with the Company (or the earliest date as is permitted under Section 409A of
the Code).
(c) Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, a termination of employment shall not be deemed to
have occurred for purposes of any provision of the Plan providing for the payment of amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a separation from service within the meaning of
Section 409A of the Code and, for purposes of any such provision of the Plan, references to a resignation, termination, termination of employment or like terms shall mean separation from service.
(d) For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each payment made under the Plan shall be designated as a separate
payment within the meaning of the Section 409A of the Code.
[Signature page follows]
Annex C-10
I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of
Directors of Altaba Inc. on August 9, 2017.
I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the shareholders
of Altaba Inc. on , 2017. Executed on this
day of ,
2017.
Annex C-11
Appendix A
For illustrative purposes, Revised Adjusted NAV Per Share shall be calculated under the Plan as follows:
Base Adjusted NAV
|
|
|
Less
|
|
Dollar amount of actual share repurchases by the Company
|
|
|
Less
|
|
Dollar amount of actual dividends paid by the Company
|
|
|
Plus
|
|
For that portion of the Alibaba Shares and Yahoo Japan Shares held by the Company as of the measurement date, the increase
(or decrease) in value from the value utilized in calculating the Base Adjusted NAV, with the values as of the measurement date being determined on a 30 day average trading basis for the respective securities
|
|
|
Plus
|
|
For that portion of the Alibaba Shares and Yahoo Japan Shares sold prior to the measurement date, the increase (or decrease)
in value as of the date of disposition from the value utilized in calculating the Base Adjusted NAV
|
|
|
Less
|
|
The increase in the net liability of the Altaba Convertible Bond (net of the value of the call spread) (i.e., the change in
value of [the Convertible Bond less the Call Options plus the Warrants Written]) from the value utilized in calculating the Base Adjusted NAV to the value as of the measurement date; for measurement dates prior to the final settlement of the
Convertible Bond and the call spread, an estimate of the fair market value of the combined position will be utilized; for measurement dates after the final settlement, the final settlement values will be utilized
|
|
|
Equals
|
|
Revised Adjusted NAV
|
|
|
Divided by
|
|
A hypothetical number of shares outstanding* which equals:
|
|
|
|
|
Shares utilized in calculation of Base Adjusted NAV per share
|
|
|
|
|
Less Number of shares hypothetically repurchased if the
dollar amount of actual repurchases was utilized to buy back shares at a price equal to Base Adjusted NAV per share
|
|
|
Equals
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Revised Adjusted NAV per share
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*
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In addition to the delineated adjustment which follows, appropriate additional adjustments may be necessary for
transactions which affect the then outstanding number of Company shares (e.g., stock split, spin-off, split-off or similar transactions).
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Annex C-12
IMPORTANT ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION 000004 ENDORSEMENT LINE
SACKPACK MR A SAMPLE DESIGNATION (IF ANY) ADD 1 ADD 2 ADD 3 ADD 4 ADD 5 ADD 6 Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. C123456789 000000000.000000 ext
000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext Electronic Voting Instructions Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Instead of mailing your proxy, you may choose one of the voting methods
outlined below to vote your proxy. VALIDATION DETAILS ARE LOCATED BELOW IN THE TITLE BAR. Proxies submitted by the Internet or telephone must be received by 2:00 A.M., Eastern Time, on October 24, 2017. Vote by Internet Go to
www.envisionreports.com/AABA Or scan the QR code with your smartphone Follow the steps outlined on the secure website Vote by telephone Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the USA, US territories & Canada on a touch tone telephone Follow
the instructions provided by the recorded message Annual Meeting Proxy Card 1234 5678 9012 345 IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE. The
Funds Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR each of the nominees listed below and FOR Proposals 2, 3, 4 and 5. 1. Election to the Board of Directors of the five director nominees listed below to serve until their respective
successors shall have been elected and qualified. For Against Abstain 1 - Tor R. Braham 4 - Richard L. Kauffman For Against Abstain 2 - Eric K. Brandt 5 - Thomas J. McInerney For Against Abstain 3 - Catherine J. Friedman For Against Abstain 2. To
approve a new investment advisory agreement between the Fund and BlackRock Advisors LLC. 4. To ratify the selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Funds independent registered public accounting firm. For Against Abstain 3. To approve a
new investment advisory agreement between the Fund and Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. 5. To approve a long-term deferred compensation incentive plan for the Funds management and Directors. The Funds Board of Directors recommends a vote
AGAINST Proposals 6 and 7. For Against Abstain 6. To vote upon a stockholder proposal regarding stockholder action by written consent. For Against Abstain 7. To vote upon a stockholder proposal regarding the Yahoo Human Rights Fund. In
their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the annual meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof. IF VOTING BY MAIL, YOU MUST COMPLETE SECTIONS A, B, C, AND D ON BOTH SIDES OF
THIS CARD. C 1234567890 J N T MR A SAMPLE (THIS AREA IS SET UP TO ACCOMMODATE 140 CHARACTERS) MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND 1UP X 3 4 5 7 4 5 1 MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND 02NZWE
RECEIVE FUTURE ALTABA INC. PROXY MATERIALS VIA THE INTERNET!
Receive future Altaba Inc. annual reports and proxy materials in electronic form rather than in printed form. Next year when the annual report and proxy materials are available, we will send you an email with instructions which will enable you to
review the materials online. To consent to electronic delivery, visit www-us.computershare.com/Investor, or while voting via the Internet, just click the box to give your consent. IF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE
PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ALTABA INC. FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS To Be Held on October 24, 2017The undersigned shareholder of
Altaba Inc. (the Fund), a Delaware corporation, hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement, each dated September 11, 2017, and hereby appoints Thomas J. McInerney and Arthur Chong, and
each or either of them, as proxies, with full power of substitution, on behalf and in the name of the undersigned to represent the undersigned at the 2017 annual meeting of shareholders of the Fund to be held on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, at local
time, at, located at and at any adjournment or postponement thereof, and to vote all shares of common stock which the undersigned would be entitled to vote if personally present, as indicated on the reverse side. YOUR SHARES WILL BE VOTED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR INSTRUCTIONS. ANY SHAREHOLDER COMPLETING THIS PROXY THAT FAILS TO MARK ONE OF THE BOXES FOR ANY PROPOSAL WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN THE PROXY HOLDERS COMPLETE DISCRETION IN VOTING HIS, HER, OR ITS SHARES AT THE MEETING ON SUCH
PROPOSAL. IN THAT CASE, THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED, AS APPLICABLE, FOR EACH OF THE NOMINEES LISTED IN PROPOSAL 1, FOR PROPOSALS 2, 3, 4 AND 5 AND AGAINST PROPOSALS 6 AND 7.CONTINUED ON
REVERSE SIDE Non-Voting Items: Change of Address Please print new address below. Meeting Attendance Mark box to the right if you plan to attend the annual meeting. Authorized Signatures This section must be completed for your vote to
be counted. Date and Sign Below: Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. All holders must sign. When signing in a fiduciary capacity, please indicate full title as such. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full
corporate or partnership name by authorized person. Date (mm/dd/yyyy) Please print date below. Signature 1 Please keep signature within the box. Signature 2 Please keep signature within the box. IF VOTING BY MAIL, YOU MUST
COMPLETE SECTIONS A, B, C, AND D ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS CARD.
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