PRINCIPAL FUNDS, INC.
BLACKROCK FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INC. SUB-ADVISED FUNDS
AMENDED AND RESTATED
SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT
(the “Agreement”) to be effective as of July 1, 2020, by and between PRINCIPAL GLOBAL INVESTORS, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Manager"), and BLACKROCK FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Sub-Advisor).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Manager is the manager and investment adviser to each series of Principal Funds, Inc. (the "Fund"), an open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Manager desires to retain the Sub-Advisor to render discretionary investment advisory services for all or a portion of the assets of each Series of the Fund identified in Appendix A hereto, as may be amended from time to time (the “Series”), which the Manager has agreed to provide to the Fund, and the Sub-Advisor desires to furnish such services; and
WHEREAS, the Manager and the Sub-Advisor agree to amend and restate the Amended and Restated
Sub-Advisory Agreement
between the Manager (having assumed the rights and obligations of Principal Management Corporation) and the Sub-Advisor dated April 17, 2017 (the “Prior Agreement”) with this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Manager has furnished the Sub-Advisor with copies properly certified or authenticated of each of the following and will promptly provide the Sub-Advisor with copies properly certified or authenticated of any amendment or supplement thereto:
(a) Management Agreement (the "Management Agreement") with the Fund;
(b) The Fund's registration statement and financial statements as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”);
(c) The Fund's Articles of Incorporation and By-laws;
(d) Policies, procedures or instructions adopted or approved by the Board of Directors of the Fund relating to obligations and services to be provided by the Sub-Advisor.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, the parties agree as follows:
1.
Appointment of Sub-Advisor
In accordance with and subject to the Management Agreement, the Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Advisor to perform the services described in Section 2 below for investment and reinvestment of the securities and other assets of the Series, subject to the control and direction of the Manager and the Fund's Board of Directors, for the period and on the terms hereinafter set forth. The Sub-Advisor accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services hereinafter set forth for the compensation herein provided. The Sub-Advisor shall for all purposes herein be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, except as expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Manager.
2.
Obligations of and Services to be Provided by the Sub-Advisor
The Sub-Advisor will:
(a)
Provide investment advisory services, including but not limited to research, advice and supervision for the Series.
(b) Furnish to the Board of Directors of the Fund for approval (or any appropriate committee of such Board), and revise from time to time as economic conditions require, a recommended investment program for the Fund consistent with the Series’ investment objective and policies.
(c) Implement the approved investment program by placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities without prior consultation with the Manager and without regard to the length of time the securities have been held, the resulting rate of portfolio turnover or any tax considerations, subject always to the provisions of the Fund's Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, the requirements of the 1940 Act, as each of the same shall be from time to time in effect.
(d) Advise and assist the officers of the Fund, as requested by the officers, in taking such steps as are reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the decisions of its Board of Directors, and any appropriate committees of such Board, regarding the general conduct of the investment business of the Series.
(e) Maintain, in connection with the Sub-Advisor’s investment advisory services provided to the Series, its compliance with the 1940 Act and the regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder and the Series’ investment strategies and restrictions as stated in the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, subject to receipt of such additional information as may be required from the Manager and provided in accordance with Section 11(d) of this Agreement. The Sub-Advisor has no responsibility for the maintenance of Fund records except insofar as is directly related to the services it provides to the Series.
(f) Report to the Board of Directors of the Fund at such times and in such detail as the Board of Directors may reasonably deem appropriate in order to enable it to determine that the investment policies, procedures and approved investment program of the Series are being observed.
(g) Upon request, provide assistance in the determination of the fair value of certain securities when reliable market quotations are not readily available for purposes of calculating net asset value in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Fund's Board of Directors.
(h) Furnish, at its own expense, (i) all necessary investment and management facilities, including salaries of clerical and other personnel required for it to execute its duties faithfully, and (ii) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, clerical personnel and equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of its duties under this Agreement.
(i) Open accounts with broker-dealers and futures commission merchants (“broker-dealers”), select broker-dealers to effect all transactions for the Series, place all necessary orders with broker-dealers or issuers (including affiliated broker-dealers), and negotiate commissions, if applicable. To the extent consistent with applicable law, purchase or sell orders for the Series may be aggregated with contemporaneous purchase or sell orders of other clients of the Sub-Advisor. In such event allocation of securities so sold or purchased, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Advisor in the manner the Sub-Advisor considers to be the most equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to other clients. The Manager recognizes that, in some cases, this procedure may limit the size of the position that may be acquired or sold for the Series. The Sub-Advisor will report on such allocations at the request of the Manager, the Fund or the Fund’s Board of Directors providing such information as the number of aggregated trades to which the Series was a party, the broker-dealers to whom such trades were directed and the basis for the allocation for the aggregated trades. The Sub-Advisor shall use its best efforts to obtain execution of transactions for the Series at prices which are advantageous to the Series and at commission rates that are reasonable in relation to the benefits received. However, the Sub-Advisor may select brokers or dealers on the basis that they provide brokerage, research or other services or products to the Sub-Advisor. To the extent
consistent with applicable law, the Sub-Advisor may pay a broker or dealer an amount of commission for effecting a securities transaction in excess of the amount of commission or dealer spread another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Sub-Advisor determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research products and/or services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination, with respect to brokerage and research products and/or services, may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities which the Sub-Advisor and its affiliates have with respect to the Series as well as to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. Not all such services or products need be used by the Sub-Advisor in managing the Series. In addition, joint repurchase or other accounts may not be utilized by the Series except to the extent permitted under any exemptive order obtained by the Sub-Advisor provided that all conditions of such order are complied with.
(j) Maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Series as are required of an investment advisor of a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act and Investment Advisor’s Act of 1940 (the “Investment Advisor’s Act”), and the rules thereunder, and furnish the Fund and the Manager with such periodic and special reports as the Fund or Manager may reasonably request. In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor hereby agrees that all records that it maintains for the Series are the property of the Fund, agrees to preserve for the periods described by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act any records that it maintains for the Fund and that are required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act, and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund any records that it maintains for the Series upon request by the Fund or the Manager, understanding that the Sub-Advisor must keep a copy for regulatory purposes.
(k) Observe and comply with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics adopted pursuant to that Rule as the same may be amended from time to time. The Manager acknowledges receipt of a copy of Sub-Advisor’s current Code of Ethics. Sub-Advisor shall promptly forward to the Manager a copy of any material amendment to the Sub-Advisor’s Code of Ethics.
(l) From time to time as the Manager or the Fund may request, furnish the requesting party reports on portfolio transactions and reports on investments held by the Series, all in such detail as the Manager or the Fund may reasonably request. The Sub-Advisor will make available its officers and employees to meet with the Fund’s Board of Directors at the Fund’s principal place of business on due notice to review the investments of the Series.
(m) Provide such information as is customarily provided by a sub-advisor and may be required for the Fund or the Manager to comply with their respective obligations under applicable laws, including, without limitation, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the 1940 Act, the Investment Advisers Act, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and any state securities laws, and any rule or regulation thereunder. Manager acknowledges receipt of Sub-Advisor’s Form ADV more than 48 hours prior to the execution of this Agreement.
(n) Have the responsibility and authority to vote proxies solicited by, or with respect to, the issuers of securities held in the Series. The Manager shall cause to be forwarded to Sub-Advisor all proxy solicitation materials that it receives and shall assist Sub-Advisor in its efforts to conduct the proxy voting process.
3.
Prohibited Conduct
In providing the services described in this agreement, as it relates to the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor will not consult with any other investment advisory firm that provides investment advisory services to any investment company sponsored by Principal Life Insurance Company regarding transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets.
4.
Compensation
As full compensation for all services rendered and obligations assumed by the Sub-Advisor hereunder with respect to the Fund, the Manager shall pay the compensation specified in Appendix A to this Agreement.
5.
Liability of Sub-Advisor
Neither the Sub-Advisor nor any of its directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates shall be liable to the Manager, the Fund or its shareholders for any loss suffered by the Manager or the Fund resulting from any error of judgment made in the good faith exercise of the Sub-Advisor's duties under this Agreement or as a result of the failure by the Manager or any of its affiliates to comply with the terms of this Agreement except for losses resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence of, or from reckless disregard of, the duties of the Sub-Advisor or any of its directors, officers, employees, agents (excluding any broker-dealer selected by the Sub-Advisor), or affiliates.
6.
Indemnification
The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Advisor from and against any and all claims, losses, liabilities or damages (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and other related expenses), (“Losses”) howsoever arising, from or in connection with this Agreement or the performance by the Sub-Advisor of its duties hereunder, so long as the Sub-Advisor shall, after receipt of notice of any claim or commencement of any action, promptly notify the Manager in writing of the claim or commencement of such action. The Manager shall not be liable for any settlement of any claim or action effected without its written consent. Nothing contained herein shall require the Manager to indemnify the Sub-Advisor for Losses resulting from the Sub-Advisor’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or from its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.
7.
Supplemental Arrangements
The Sub-Advisor may enter into arrangements with other persons affiliated with the Sub-Advisor or with unaffiliated third parties to better enable the Sub-Advisor to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement for the provision of certain personnel and facilities to the Sub- Advisor, subject to written notification to and approval of the Manager and, where required by applicable law, the Board of Directors of the Fund.
8.
Regulation
The Sub-Advisor shall submit to all regulatory and administrative bodies having jurisdiction over the services provided pursuant to this Agreement any information, reports or other material which any such body may request or require pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.
9.
Duration and Termination of This Agreement
This Agreement shall become effective as of the date of its execution and, unless otherwise terminated, shall continue in effect for a period of two years and thereafter from year to year provided that the continuance is specifically approved at least annually either by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Series and in either event by a vote of a majority of the Board of Directors of the Fund who are not interested persons of the Manager, Principal Life Insurance Company, the Sub-Advisor or the Fund cast in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act after taking into effect any exemptive order, no-action assurances or other relief, rule or regulation upon which the Fund may rely.
If the shareholders of a Series fail to approve the Agreement or any continuance of the Agreement in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, the Sub-Advisor will continue to act as Sub-Advisor with respect to the Series pending the required approval of the Agreement or its continuance or of any contract with the Sub-Advisor or a different manager or Sub-Advisor or other definitive action; provided, that the compensation received by the Sub-Advisor in respect to the Series during such period is in compliance with Rule 15a-4 under the 1940 Act.
This Agreement may be terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty by the Board of Directors of the Fund or by the Sub-Advisor, the Manager or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Series on sixty days written notice. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. In interpreting the provisions of this Section 9, the definitions contained in Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act (particularly the definitions of "interested person," "assignment" and "voting security") shall be applied.
10.
Amendment of this Agreement
No amendment of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both parties. No material amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until approved, if required by the 1940 Act or the rules, regulations, interpretations or orders issued thereunder, by vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Series (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) and by vote of a majority of the Board of Directors of the Fund who are not interested persons (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Manager, the Sub-Advisor, Principal Life Insurance Company or the Fund cast in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act after taking into effect any exemptive order, no-action assurances or other relief, rule or regulation upon which the Fund may rely.
11.
General Provisions
(a) Each party agrees to perform such further acts and execute such further documents as are necessary to effectuate the purposes hereof. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of
Iowa
. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
(b)
Any notice under this Agreement shall be in writing, addressed and delivered or mailed postage pre-paid to the other party at such address as such other party may designate for the receipt of such notices. Until further notice to the other party, it is agreed that the address of the Manager for this purpose shall be Principal Financial Group, Xxx Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000‑0200, and the address of the Sub-Advisor shall be 00 Xxxx 00
xx
Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx, 00000.
(c) The Sub-Advisor will promptly notify the Manager in writing of the occurrence of any of the following events:
(1) the Sub-Advisor fails to be registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act or under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the Sub-Advisor is required to be registered as an investment advisor in order to perform its obligations under this Agreement.
(2) the Sub-Advisor is served or otherwise receives notice of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, involving the affairs of the Fund.
(d) The Manager shall provide (or cause the Series custodian to provide) timely information to the Sub-Advisor regarding such matters as the composition of the assets of the Series, cash requirements and cash available for investment in the Series, and all other reasonable information as may be necessary for the Sub-Advisor to perform its duties and responsibilities hereunder.
(e) The Sub-Advisor represents that it will not enter into any agreement, oral or written, or other understanding under which the Fund directs or is expected to direct portfolio securities transactions, or any remuneration, to a broker or dealer in consideration for the promotion or sale of Fund shares or shares issued by any other registered investment company. Sub-advisor further represents that it is contrary to the Sub-advisor’s policies to permit those who select brokers or dealers for execution of fund portfolio securities transactions to take into account the broker or dealer’s promotion or sale of Fund shares or shares issued by any other registered investment company.
(f) The Sub-Advisor agrees that neither it nor any of its affiliates will in any way refer directly or indirectly to its relationship with the Fund, the Series, or the Manager or any of their respective affiliates in offering, marketing or other promotional materials without the express written consent of the Manager.
(g) This Agreement contains the entire understanding and agreement of the parties.
(h) The Manager represents that the Manager’s assumption of the rights and responsibilities of Principal Management Corporation (“PMC”) under the Prior Agreement, due to PMC’s merger with and into the Manager on or about May 1, 2017, did not constitute an “assignment” as defined in the 1940 Act.
(i) This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Each party agrees that electronic signatures of the parties included in this Agreement are intended to authenticate this writing and to have the same force and effect as manual signatures. Electronic signature means any electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to or logically associated with a record and executed and adopted by a party with the intent to sign such record, including facsimile or email electronic signatures.
12. The Sub-Advisor acknowledges Manager's representation that the Diversified Real Asset Fund series does not rely on the exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" under Section 4.5 of the General Regulations under the Commodity Exchange Act (the CEA).
The Sub-Advisor represents that it is a commodity trading advisor duly registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and is a member in good standing of the National Futures Association (the NFA) or is relying on an exemption from registration as a commodity trading advisor. As applicable, the Sub-Advisor shall maintain such registration and membership in good standing or continue to qualify for an exemption from registration as a commodity trading advisor during the term of this Agreement. Further, the Sub-Advisor agrees to notify the Manager within a commercially reasonable time upon (i) a statutory disqualification of the Sub-Advisor under Sections 8a(2) or 8a(3) of the CEA, (ii) a suspension, revocation or limitation of the Sub-Advisor's commodity trading advisor registration or NFA membership, or (iii) the institution of an action or proceeding that would reasonably be expected to lead to a statutory disqualification under the CEA or an investigation by any governmental agency or self-regulatory organization relating to Sub-Advisor's registration as a commodity trading advisor, in each case, subject to applicable law, attorney-client privilege and confidentiality restrictions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Agreement on the date first above written.
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PRINCIPAL GLOBAL INVESTORS, LLC
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By
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/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Title:
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Vice President, Associate General Counsel,
Governance Officer, and Assistant Corporate Secretary
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By
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/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
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Title:
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Assistant General Counsel
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BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
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By
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/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
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Title:
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Director
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APPENDIX A
INTENTIONALLY OMITTED