Definitive Proxy Statement
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed
herein.
November
17, 2005
VIA
EDGAR TRANSMISSION
United
States Securities and Exchange Commission
Division
of Investment Management
450
5th
Street, N.W.
Washington,
D.C. 20549-1004
Re:
|
Professionally
Managed Portfolios (the
“Trust”)
|
File
Nos.: 33-12213 and 811-05037
Dear
Mr.
Minore:
On
behalf
of the Trust and its series, the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund (the “Fund”), this
letter is in response to your comments and suggestions provided telephonically
on November 4, 2005, November 15 and November 17, 2005 regarding the Fund’s
Preliminary Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) on Schedule 14A on October 27, 2005.
The
Trust
hereby undertakes to file a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A with
the
revisions discussed herein in response to your comments and to make certain
non-material changes as appropriate. For your convenience in reviewing the
Trust’s responses, your comments and suggestions are included in bold typeface
immediately followed by the Trust’s responses.
In
addition, in connection with this filing, the Trust hereby states the
following:
1.
|
The
Trust acknowledges that in connection with the comments made by the
Staff
of the SEC, the Staff has not passed on the accuracy or adequacy
of the
disclosure made herein, and the Funds and their management are solely
responsible for the content of such
disclosure;
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2.
|
The
Trust acknowledges that the Staff’s comments and changes in disclosure in
response to the Staff’s comments does not foreclose the SEC or other
regulatory body from the opportunity to seek enforcement or take
other
action with respect to the disclosure made herein;
and
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3.
|
The
Trust represents that neither the Funds nor their management will
assert
the Staff’s comments or changes in disclosure in response to the Staff’s
comments as a defense in any action or proceeding by the SEC or any
person.
|
The
Trust’s responses to your comments are as follows:
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no
way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed herein.
RESPONSES
TO ORAL COMMENTS DATED NOVEMBER 4, 2005
General
1.
|
We
note that the Trust has stated that, based on the circumstances discussed
in the proxy statement, under Rule 2a-6 of the Investment Company
Act of
1940 (the “1940 Act”) no assignment of the investment advisory agreement
between the Trust and the Fund’s investment advisor (the “Advisor”) has
occurred. If the Trust intends to rely on Rule 2a-6, please provide
a
supplemental analysis detailing how there was no change in actual
control
or management of the Advisor under this
Rule.
|
|
The
Trust has removed the statement regarding reliance on Rule 2a-6 of
the
1940 Act from the proxy statement. While the Trust believes that
legitimate arguments exist that no assignment occurred, e.g., that
these
events did not implicate the underlying policy concerns of the Rule
regarding trafficking in advisory contracts, the Trust will not rely
on
Rule 2a-6 for purposes of this proxy
solicitation.
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2.
|
We
note that if the Trust does not rely on Rule 2a-6 as described in
comment
1, the Trust should revise Proposal 2, and any discussion of Proposal
2
throughout the entire proxy statement, including any exhibits, to
clarify
that if Proposal 2 is approved by shareholders, the most the Advisor
could
receive is “the lesser of its costs in managing the Fund or the
contractual advisory fees it would have received under Original Advisory
Agreement during the Interim
Period.”
|
The
Trust
has revised the proxy statement to add the requested disclosure where
appropriate.
Proposal
No. 1 (“The Transaction”)
3.
|
With
regard to the third paragraph under this section, please revise to
clarify
the ownership structure in the Advisor was from the period between
September 1995 and July
2002.
|
|
The
Trust has revised this paragraph to include the following statement:
“From
the period between September 29, 1995 and July 29, 1999, Mr. Horton
owned
51% and Mr. Duffy owned 49% of the Advisor. On July 29, 1999, Mr.
Duffy
sold his 49% interest to Mr. Horton (the “July Transaction”). From the
period between July 29, 1999 and March 31, 2003, Mr. Horton was the
sole
controlling shareholder of the Advisor.”
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4.
|
Please
provide a discussion in this section detailing (i) how the board
of
trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) discovered the change in control of
the Advisor; (ii) why the Board was not aware of the change in control
before October 2005; and (iii) what internal controls the Board has
in
place to prevent events such as these from occurring in the
future.
|
The
Trust
has added the following to this section:
In
October 2005, following a presentation to the Board by a portfolio manager
of
the Fund, the Trust discovered the change in ownership structure of the Advisor.
The Advisor did not specifically inform the Board of Trustees of the change
in
ownership prior to the March Transaction and June Transaction. The Advisor
provided the Trust with current ownership percentages in June of each year
in
preparation for the Board’s annual review. However, as these materials only
provided current percentages, and not changes from previous years, by
administrative oversight the change in control was not discovered until October
2005. To prevent a similar oversight from occurring in the future, the Board
has
implemented procedures that require investment advisors to inform the Board
of
any changes in ownership of the Advisor’s voting securities and the Trust has
undertaken to specifically confirm whether or not any such changes have
occurred.
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no
way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed herein.
Proposal
No. 1 (“Current Shareholder Approval”)
5.
|
Please
include a disclosure in this section to the effect that any amounts
the
Advisor does not receive as a result of Proposal No. 2 will not be
subject
to recoupment under either the old or new operating expense limitation
agreement.
|
|
The
Trust has added the requested disclosure to this
section.
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6.
|
With
respect to the fourth paragraph in this section, please include a
statement that any recoupment or repayment that the Advisor is entitled
to
receive must be approved by the Board under the operating expense
limitation agreement.
|
The
Trust
has added the requested statement to this section.
Proposal
No. 1 (“Summary of the Original Advisory Agreement and the New Advisory
Agreement”)
7.
|
We
note that under in the subsection entitled “Duration and Termination,” the
both the new and original investment advisory agreements may be terminated
by the Board or a vote of the majority of the shareholders of the
Fund
upon not more than 60 day’s notice, or by the Advisor upon 60 day’s
notice. Please clarify to indicate that a termination by the Board
or
shareholders will be without payment or
penalty.
|
|
The
Trust has added the requested statement to this
section.
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Proposal
No. 2 (“Background”)
8.
|
Please
include a discussion of what the advisor’s costs of managing the Fund are
expected to be for the Interim Period, including whether the costs
will be
higher or lower than the contractual advisory fees, and indicate
how
shareholders of the fund will receive any reimbursements if the costs
are
lower than the contractual fees. Additionally, include a statement
of how
the Board has ensured the fairness of the procedures used to determine
cost.
|
The
Trust
has added the requested discussion to this section.
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no
way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed herein.
Proposal
No. 2 (“Required Vote”)
9.
|
With
respect to the first sentence under this section, please change the
word
“requesting” to
“requiring.”
|
|
The
Trust has made the requested
revision.
|
10.
|
We
note that this section includes a discussion of the Trust’s options in the
event that Proposal No. 2 is not approved by shareholders. Please
add a
statement to this disclosure regarding the possibility of a court
finding
that under the circumstances enforcement of the original contract
would
produce a more equitable result than non-enforcement, as provided
by
Section 47(b)(1) of the 1940
Act.
|
|
The
Trust has added the requested disclosure to this
section.
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Proposal
No. 2 (“Recommendation of the Board of Trustees”)
11.
|
With
respect to the bold-typed capitalized recommendation of the Board
at the
end of this section, please revise this statement to read, in part:
“The
Board of Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, recommends
that you
vote “FOR” approval of the payment of all advisory fees paid and held
and/or earned but not paid by the Fund to the Advisor during the
Interim
Period to
the extent that Shareholders approve Proposal No. 2 and the extent
that
such fees are greater than the cost of managing the Fund, the most
that
the Advisor may be paid is the cost of managing the
Fund,…”
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|
The
Trust has made the requested
revision.
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RESPONSES
TO ORAL COMMENTS DATED NOVEMBER 15, 2005
12.
|
With
respect to the statement that the New Advisory Agreement will be
executed
and become effective upon shareholder approval, please add as a condition
precedent that the Board will approve the New Advisory Agreement
in person
before it becomes
effective.
|
|
The
Trust has revised the applicable statement as
follows:
|
If
approved by the shareholders of the Fund, the New Advisory Agreement will be
executed and become effective upon shareholder approval, provided
that the Board of Trustees approves the New Advisory Agreement in person prior
to date that the New Advisory Agreement becomes effective.
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no
way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed herein.
13.
|
With
respect to any recoupment or repayment by the Advisor under the Original
or New Operating Expense Agreement, please make clear that the Advisor’s
rights to any amounts previously waived or absorbed by the Advisor
will be
permanently extinguished whether or not Proposal No. 2 is approved
by
shareholders.
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|
The
Fund has revised the applicable paragraph to read as
follows:
|
If
the
Trust on behalf of the Fund enters into the New Operating Expense Agreement,
under certain conditions the Advisor will be entitled to recapture any fees
it
waives and/or reimburses for a period of three years after such reimbursement
was made, which may include waivers or reimbursements made during the period
July 29, 1999 through the effective date of the New Advisory Agreement (the
“Interim Period”). (However, as more fully explained below, for the Interim
Period the Advisor will only be able to recapture waived and/or reimbursed
fees
so long as such fees do not result in the Advisor receiving more than what
it
would be entitled to under “Proposal No. 2.” Under “Proposal No. 2”, upon
shareholder approval, the Advisor would only be entitled to the lesser of its
cost in managing the Fund or the contractual advisory fees it would have
received under the Original Advisory Agreement during the Interim Period.
However, if Proposal No. 2 is not approved by a majority of shareholders of
the
Fund, any amounts the Advisor does not receive as a result of Proposal No.
2
will not be subject to recoupment under either the Original or New Operating
Expense Agreement.) Any recoupment or repayment that the Advisor is entitled
to
receive under both the Original and New Operating Expense Agreement must be
approved by the Board of Trustees. However,
except as described above, the Advisor’s rights to any amounts previously waived
or absorbed by the Advisor will be permanently extinguished whether or not
Proposal No. 2 is approved by shareholders.
14.
|
Regarding
the sections entitled “Required Vote” under Proposals No. 1 and 2, please
clarify that in the event that a proposal is not approved by shareholders,
the Advisor will not be entitled to any compensation provided during
the
Interim Period absent a court-ordered determination otherwise as
provided
by Section 47 of the 1940
Act.
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|
The
Fund has revised the applicable disclosures to read as
follows:
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In
the
event that Proposal No. 2 is not approved by shareholder vote, the Advisor
will
not be entitled to any compensation provided during the Interim Period unless
a
court determines otherwise, as allowed under Section 47(b)(1) of the 1940 Act,
which permits a court to enforce a contract that otherwise violates the 1940
Act
or rules thereunder should the court determine that such enforcement would
produce a more equitable result than non-enforcement and would not be
inconsistent with the underlying purposes of the 1940 Act.
15.
|
With
respect to the section entitled “Summary of the Original Advisory
Agreement and the New Advisory Agreement” under Proposal No. 1, please
clarify that all material terms of the New Agreement have been discussed
in the proxy statement, and if necessary add any additional terms
from the
New Agreement to the proxy
statement.
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|
The
Fund has revised the applicable disclosure as follows, and responds
supplementally by stating that all material terms of the New Advisory
Agreement have already been included in the proxy
statement:
|
The
following description of the Agreement is only a summary, however,
all material terms of the New Advisory Agreement have been included in this
summary.
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no
way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed herein.
RESPONSES
TO ORAL COMMENTS DATED NOVEMBER 17, 2005
Proposal
No. 1 (“Current Shareholder Approval”)
16.
|
Please
revise the first sentence of the second paragraph in this section
to read
“If the New Advisory Agreement is approved by the shareholders of
the
Fund, and the Board of Trustees approves the New Advisory Agreement
in
person, then the new Advisory Agreement will become
effective.”
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|
The
Fund has made the requested
revision.
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17.
|
Please
revise the fourth paragraph under this section to read “If the Trust on
behalf of the Fund enters into the New Operating Expense Agreement,
under
certain conditions the Advisor will be entitled to recapture any
fees it
waives and/or reimburses for a period of three years after such
reimbursement was made. Any recapture that the Advisor is entitled
to
receive under the New Operating Expense Agreement must be approved
by the
Board of Trustees. The Advisor’s rights to any amounts previously waived
or absorbed by the Advisor will be permanently extinguished whether
or not
Proposal No. 2 is approved by
shareholders.”
|
|
The
Fund has made the requested
revision.
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Proposal
No. 1 (“Required Vote”)
18.
|
Please
revise the seventh sentence of this section to read “In the event that
Proposal No. 2 is not approved by shareholder vote, the Advisor will
not
be entitled to any compensation for services provided during the
Interim
Period unless a court determines otherwise. Section 47(b)(1) of the
1940
Act permits a court to enforce a contract that otherwise violates
the 1940
Act or rules thereunder should the court determine that such enforcement
would produce a more equitable result than non-enforcement and would
not
be inconsistent with the underlying purposes of the 1940
Act.”
|
|
The
Fund has made the requested
revision.
|
Please
note that this letter and other documents are in draft form, and in no
way
reflect the Registrant’s or Fund management’s final intent with respect to the
filing discussed herein.
Proposal
No. 2 “(Background”)
19.
|
Please
revise the second sentence of the fourth paragraph in this section
to read
“The Advisor’s cost in managing the Fund during the Interim Period is
determined to be $336,013, which is higher than the $232,651 contractual
fees that the Advisor would have received under the Original Advisory
Agreement.” Also, please revise the last sentence of this paragraph to
read “Because the Advisor’s costs in managing the Fund were higher than
the fees that the Advisor received under the Original Advisory Agreement,
if Proposal No. 2 is adopted then the Advisor will be allowed a maximum
of
$232,651 for services provided to the Fund during the Interim
Period.”
|
|
The
Fund has made the requested
revision.
|
Proposal
No. 2 (“Recommendation of the Board of Trustees”
20.
|
Please
revise the first sentence in this section to read “The Advisor, relying on
equitable principles, sought Board approval to allow the Advisor
to avoid
an economic burden and (1) retain all payments already made by the
Fund;
and (2) under the terms of the Original Advisory Agreement be paid
all
amounts (including interest earned), as compensation for services
provided, and to be provided, since discovery of the possible assignment
in October 2005 through the effective date of the New Advisory
Agreement.”
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|
The
Fund has made the requested
revision.
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*
* * * * *
I
trust
that the above responses adequately address your comments. If you have any
additional questions or require further information, please contact Rachel
Lohrey at U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, by telephone at 414/765-5384 or
by
facsimile at 414/212-7313.
Sincerely,
/s/
Chad
E. Fickett
Chad
E.
Fickett
for
PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
cc: Gregory
T. Pusch, Paul, Hastings Janofsky, & Walker LLP
The
Lighthouse Opportunity Fund
10000
Memorial Drive, Suite 660
Houston,
TX 77024
(866)
811-0218
November
17, 2005
Dear
Lighthouse Opportunity Fund Shareholder:
We
are
writing to inform you of the upcoming Special Meeting of Shareholders of The
Lighthouse Opportunity Fund (the “Fund”) scheduled to be held on December 22,
2005 at 9:00 a.m., Central time, at the offices of the Fund’s Administrator,
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202
(the “Special Meeting”) to vote on two important proposals affecting the
Fund:
1) |
to
approve a new investment advisory agreement (the “New Advisory Agreement”)
by and between the Professionally Managed Portfolios (the “Trust”), on
behalf of the Fund, and Lighthouse Capital Management, Inc. (the
“Advisor”), under which the Advisor will continue to act as investment
advisor to the Fund; and
|
2) |
to
approve the retention of investment advisory fees by, and the payment
of
such fees to, the Advisor for the period March 1, 2003 through
the
effective date of the New Advisory Agreement. (Under “Proposal No. 2”,
upon shareholder approval, the Advisor would only be entitled to
the
lesser of its cost in managing the Fund or
the contractual advisory fees it would have received under the original
investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Advisor (the
“Original Advisory Agreement”) during this
period.)
|
As
discussed in more detail in the enclosed Proxy Statement, a series of
transactions relating to the ownership structure of the Advisor occurred between
July 1999 and June 2003. The Advisor has represented to the Trust that the
transactions did not result in any actual change in the management or policies
of the Advisor. However, the transactions may nonetheless be deemed
inadvertently to have caused the current agreement to have been
terminated.
In
order
to avoid disruption of the Fund’s investment management program, the Board of
Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has unanimously voted to recommend that
shareholders of the Fund be asked to approve the New Advisory Agreement. The
Board will approve the New Advisory Agreement at the Board’s next regular
meeting prior to its effective date. Under the New Advisory Agreement, the
Advisor will continue to provide investment advisory services to the Fund on
the
same terms and with the same fee structures under which it currently operates.
The Board believes that this proposal is in the Fund’s and your best
interest.
The
Board
also recommends that shareholders of the Fund vote in favor of the proposal
approving the retention of fees by, and the payment of fees to, the Advisor
for
the period of July 29, 1999 through the effective date of the proposed New
Advisory Agreement. If approved, the Advisor would only be entitled to the
lesser of its cost in managing the Fund or
the
contractual advisory fees it would have received under the Original Advisory
Agreement during this period.
If
you
are a shareholder of record as of the close of business on October 31, 2005,
you
are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting and at any adjournment thereof.
While you are, of course, welcome to join us at the Special Meeting, most
shareholders will cast their votes by filling out and signing the enclosed
Proxy
Card. The Board recommends approval of the New Advisory Agreement and encourages
you to vote “FOR” the proposal. If you have any questions regarding the issue to
be voted on, please do not hesitate to call 626-914-7383.
Whether
or not you are planning to attend the Special Meeting, we need your vote. Please
mark, sign, and date the enclosed Proxy Card and promptly return it in the
enclosed, postage-paid envelope so that the maximum number of shares may be
voted. In the alternative, please call the toll free number on your proxy card
to vote by telephone.
Thank
you
for taking the time to consider this important proposal and for your continuing
investment in the Fund.
LIGHTHOUSE OPPORTUNITY FUND |
LIGHTHOUSE
CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC. |
|
|
/s/ Robert M. Slotky, President |
/s/ Paul
G. Horton, President |
The
Lighthouse Opportunity Fund
10000
Memorial Drive, Suite 660
Houston,
TX 77024
(866)
811-0218
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING
TO
BE HELD DECEMBER 22, 2005
To
the
shareholders of the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund (the “Fund”), a series of
Professionally Managed Portfolios (the “Trust”), for a Special Meeting (the
“Meeting”) of shareholders of the Fund to be held on December 22,
2005:
Notice
is
hereby given that the Meeting will be held on December 22, 2005, at 9:00 a.m.,
Central time, at the offices of the Fund’s Administrator, U.S. Bancorp Fund
Services, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202. At the Meeting,
you and the other shareholders of the Fund will be asked to consider and
vote:
1. |
To
approve a new investment advisory agreement (the “New Advisory Agreement”)
by and between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and Lighthouse Capital
Management, Inc. (the “Advisor”), under which the Advisor will continue to
act as investment advisor to the
Fund,
|
2. |
To
approve the retention of fees by, and payment of fees to, the Advisor
(limited to the lesser of its cost of managing the Fund or its contractual
fee) for the period July 31, 1999 through the effective date of the
New
Advisory Agreement;
|
3. |
To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting
or
any adjournments thereof.
|
Shareholders
of record at the close of business on October 31, 2005 are entitled to notice
of, and to vote at, the Meeting. Please read the accompanying Proxy Statement.
Regardless of whether you plan to attend the Meeting,
please complete, sign and return promptly the enclosed proxy card
so
that a
quorum will be present and a maximum number of shares may be voted. You may
change your vote at any time by notifying the undersigned or at the
Meeting.
|
By
Order of the Board of Trustees |
|
|
|
/s/ Chad E. Fickett |
|
|
|
Chad E. Fickett,
Secretary |
November
17, 2005
LIGHTHOUSE OPPORTUNITY FUND
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND AND VOTE ON THE
PROPOSALS
The
Lighthouse Opportunity Fund (the “Fund”) will be holding a Special Meeting of
Shareholders on December 22, 2005 at 9:00 a.m., Central time, at the offices
of
the Fund’s Administrator, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin
Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Shareholders of the Fund are receiving the enclosed
proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) and proxy card to consider and to vote
on each of the two proposals set forth in the Proxy Statement.
We
ask
that you give the proposals on which you are being asked to vote careful
consideration. This section of the Proxy Statement is intended to give you
a
quick review of the proposals and the proxy process. Details about each proposal
are set forth in the Proxy Statement. You are urged to read the entire Proxy
Statement, including the appendices, completely and carefully.
Q: WHY
ARE
SHAREHOLDERS BEING MAILED THESE PROXY MATERIALS?
A: You
are
receiving these proxy materials because you have the right to vote on two
important proposals concerning your investment in the Fund. The purpose of
the
Proxy Statement is to disclose important information about, and to seek
shareholder approval on, the two proposals related to the Fund’s investment
advisor, Lighthouse Capital Management, Inc. (the “Advisor”).
Q: WHAT
ARE
SHAREHOLDERS BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON AT THE MEETING?
A: There
are
two proposals for consideration at the Meeting:
1. |
To
approve or disapprove a new investment advisory agreement (the “New
Advisory Agreement”) by and between Trust (the “Trust”), on behalf of the
Fund, and the Advisor, under which the Advisor will continue to act
as
investment advisor to the Fund; and
|
2. |
To
approve or disapprove of the retention of fees by, and payment of
fees to,
the Advisor for the period July 31, 1999 through the effective date
of the
New Advisory Agreement. (Under “Proposal No. 2”, upon shareholder
approval, the Advisor would only be entitled to the lesser of its
cost in
managing the Fund or
the contractual advisory fees it would have received under the Original
Advisory Agreement during this
period.)
|
The
proposals are not linked, and your vote on any one proposal will not affect
the
vote regarding the other proposal.
Q:
|
WHY
IS THE FUND ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF A NEW ADVISORY
AGREEMENT?
|
A: A
series
of transactions relating to the ownership structure of the Advisor between
July
31, 1999 and June 2003. The Advisor has represented to the Trust that the
transactions did not result in any actual change in the management or policies
of the Advisor. However, the transactions may be deemed inadvertently to have
caused the agreement to have terminated. In order to avoid disruption of the
Fund’s investment management program, shareholders of the Fund are being
requested to approve the New Advisory Agreement. The New Advisory Agreement
is
substantially identical to the current investment advisory agreement (the
“Original Advisory Agreement”) and would simply continue the relationship
between the Advisor and the Fund. Approval of the New Advisory Agreement will
not result in any change in the amount of fees you pay as a shareholder in
the
Fund.
Q: HOW
IS
THE PROPOSED NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT DIFFERENT FROM THE ORIGINAL ADVISORY
AGREEMENT?
A: The
New
Advisory Agreement is substantially identical to the Original Advisory Agreement
in content and fee structure and is simply a continuation of the relationship
between the Advisor and the Fund. The Advisor will continue to perform the
same
investment advisory services under the New Advisory Agreement that it performed
under the Original Advisory Agreement. The portfolio manager responsible for
the
Fund is expected to continue in the same manner as under the Original Advisory
Agreement, and there will be no change in investment objectives or strategies
of
the Fund.
Q: WILL
THE
NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT CHANGE THE MANAGEMENT FEES CHARGED TO THE
FUND?
A: No.
The
overall amount of fees that the Fund pays will remain the same.
Q: WHY
IS
THE FUND ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF RETENTION OF FEES PAID OR PAYABLE TO THE
ADVISOR?
A: The
Fund
is seeking shareholder approval to allow the Advisor to retain all payments
and
be paid all unpaid amounts for the period of July 31, 1999 through the effective
date of the New Advisory Agreement. However, under “Proposal No. 2”, upon
shareholder approval, the Advisor would only be entitled to the lesser of its
cost in managing the Fund or
the
contractual advisory fees it would have received under the Original Advisory
Agreement during this period. As discussed in more detail in the enclosed Proxy
Statement, a series of transactions relating to the ownership structure of
the
Advisor occurred between July 1999 and June 2003 which could be deemed to have
inadvertently terminated the original Advisory Agreement. The Advisor has
represented to the Trust that the transactions did not result in any actual
change in the management or policies of the Advisor. However, the transactions
may be deemed inadvertently to have caused the Original Advisory Agreement
to
have terminated.
Q: HOW
DOES
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RECOMMEND I VOTE ON THESE MATTERS?
A: The
Board
of Trustees of the Trust recommends that shareholders vote in favor of each
proposal.
Q: WHO
IS
ELIGIBLE TO VOTE AT THE MEETINGS?
A: Shareholders
as of October 31, 2005 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to vote at the Special
Meeting or any adjournment of the Special Meeting. Shareholders may cast one
vote for each share they own on each matter.
Q: HOW
DO
SHAREHOLDERS VOTE THEIR PROXIES?
A: To
vote,
please complete the enclosed proxy card and return the card in the enclosed
self-addressed, postage-paid envelope.
Despite
the possible inadvertent termination of the Original Advisory Agreement, the
Advisor has continued to provide the Fund with the investment advisory services
called for under the Original Advisory Agreement without interruption. In order
to avoid possible disruption of the Fund’s investment management program and
provide the Advisor with compensation for services which have already been
rendered to the Fund, shareholders of the Fund are being asked to approve the
retention of fees paid or payable to the Advisor. Upon shareholder approval,
the
Advisor would only be entitled to the lesser of its cost in managing the Fund
or
the
contractual advisory fees it would have received under the Original Advisory
Agreement.
Q: WILL
THE
FUND BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THIS PROXY SOLICITATION?
A: No.
The
Fund will not bear these costs. The Advisor has agreed to bear all of the costs
and expenses associated with the Special Meeting.
Q: WHERE
CAN
I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE PROPOSALS?
A: Please
contact Robert Slotky at 626-914-7383 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
p.m., Central time. Representatives will be happy to answer any questions you
may have.
Lighthouse
Opportunity Fund
10000
Memorial Drive, Suite 660
Houston,
TX 77024
(866)
811-0218
General.
To
the
shareholders of the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund (the “Fund”), a series of
Professionally Managed Portfolios (the “Trust”), an open-end management
investment company, for a Special Meeting of shareholders of the Fund to be
held
on December 22, 2005.
This
Proxy Statement is furnished by the Trust to the shareholders of the Fund on
behalf of the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board of Trustees”) in connection
with the Fund’s solicitation of shareholders’ proxies for use at a Special
Meeting of Shareholders of the Fund (the “Meeting”) to be held December 22,
2005, at 9:00 a.m., Central time, at the offices of the Fund’s Administrator,
for the purposes set forth below and in the accompanying Notice of Special
Meeting. The approximate mailing date of this Proxy Statement to shareholders
is
November 23, 2005. At the Meeting, the shareholders of the Fund will be
asked:
1. |
To
approve a new investment advisory agreement (the “New Advisory Agreement”)
by and between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and Lighthouse Capital
Management, Inc. (the “Advisor”), under which the Advisor will continue to
act as investment advisor with respect to the assets of the
Fund,
|
2. |
To
approve the retention of fees by, and payment of fees to, the Advisor
for
the period July 31, 1999 through the effective date of the New Advisory
Agreement (Under “Proposal No. 2”, upon shareholder approval, the Advisor
would only be entitled to the lesser of its cost in managing the
Fund or
the contractual advisory fees it would have received under the original
investment advisory agreement between the Trust and the Advisor (the
“Original Advisory Agreement”) during this
period.);
|
3. |
To
transact such other business as may properly come before the Meeting
or
any adjournments thereof.
|
Record
Date/Shareholders Entitled to Vote. The
Fund
is a separate investment series, or portfolio, of the Trust, a Massachusetts
business trust and registered investment company under the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The record holders of outstanding
shares of the Fund are entitled to vote one vote per share (and a fractional
vote per fractional share) on each matter presented at the Meeting. Shareholders
of the Fund at the close of business on October 31, 2005 will be entitled to
be
present and vote at the Meeting. As of that date, there were 593,375.419 shares
of the Fund outstanding and entitled to vote, representing total net assets
of
approximately $10,400,156.14.
Voting
Proxies.
Whether
you expect to be personally present at the Meeting or not, we encourage you
to
vote by proxy. You can do this by completing, dating, signing and returning
the
enclosed proxy card. Properly executed proxies will be voted as you instruct
by
the persons named in the accompanying proxy statement. In the absence of such
direction, however, the persons named in the accompanying proxy statement intend
to vote FOR each proposal and may vote in their discretion with respect to
other
matters not now known to the Board of Trustees that may be presented at the
Meeting. Shareholders who execute proxies may revoke them at any time before
they are voted, either by writing to the Secretary of the Trust at the Fund’s
address noted above or in person at the time of the Meeting. If not so revoked,
the shares represented by the proxy will be voted at the Meeting, and any
adjournments thereof, as instructed. Attendance by a shareholder at the Meeting
does not, in itself, revoke a proxy.
Along
with the approval of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees
who are not interested persons of the Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act
(the “Independent Trustees”), the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority
of the outstanding shares of the Fund is required for the New Advisory Agreement
to become effective. “Majority” for this purpose, as permitted under the 1940
Act, means the lesser of (i) 67% of the voting securities present at the Meeting
if more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities are present, or (ii)
shares representing more than 50% of the outstanding shares. All properly
executed proxies received prior to the Meeting will be voted at the Meeting
in
accordance with the instructions marked thereon. Proxies received prior to
the
Meeting on which no vote is indicated will be voted “for” each proposal as to
which it is entitled to vote.
If
sufficient votes are not received by the date of the Meeting, a person named
as
proxy may propose one or more adjournments of the Meeting for a period or
periods not more than 120 days in the aggregate to permit further solicitation
of proxies. The persons named as proxies will vote all proxies in favor of
adjournment that voted in favor of the proposals and vote against adjournment
all proxies that voted against the proposals.
Quorum
Required to Hold Meeting. In
order
to transact business at the Meeting, a “quorum” must be present. Under the
Trust’s By-Laws, a quorum is constituted by the presence in person or by proxy
of 40% of the outstanding shares of all series entitled to vote at the Meeting.
As noted above, the Fund is a separate “series” of the Trust. Accordingly, for
purposes of the Meeting, a quorum will be constituted by the presence in person
or by proxy of 40% of the outstanding shares of the Fund, which is the only
series entitled to vote at the Meeting.
Abstentions
and broker non-votes (i.e., proxies from brokers or nominees indicating that
they have not received instructions from the beneficial owners on an item for
which the brokers or nominees do not have discretionary power to vote) will
be
treated as present for determining whether a quorum is present with respect
to a
particular matter. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not, however, be
counted as voting on any matter at the Meeting when the voting requirement
is
based on achieving a percentage of the “voting securities present.” If any
proposal requires the affirmative vote of the Fund’s outstanding shares for
approval, a broker non-vote or abstention will have the effect of a vote against
the proposal.
In
the
event that a quorum is present at the Meeting but sufficient votes to approve
a
proposal are not received, the Secretary of the Meeting or the holders of a
majority of the shares of the Fund present at the Meeting in person or by proxy
may adjourn the Meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies.
Method
and Cost of Proxy Solicitation.
Proxies
will be solicited by the Trust primarily by mail. The solicitation may also
include telephone, facsimile, electronic or oral communications by certain
officers or employees of the Fund, the Advisor, or U.S. Bancorp Fund Services,
LLC (“USBFS”), the Fund’s administrator, who will not be paid for these
services. The Advisor will pay the costs of the Meeting and the expenses
incurred in connection with the solicitation of proxies, including those
expenses incurred by the Advisor. The Fund anticipates that such fees will
amount to approximately $20,000, all of which will be paid by the Advisor.
The
Trust
may also request broker-dealer firms, custodians, nominees and fiduciaries
to
forward proxy materials to the beneficial owners of the shares of the Fund
held
of record by such persons. The Advisor may reimburse such broker-dealer firms,
custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their reasonable expenses incurred
in
connection with such proxy solicitation, including reasonable expenses
in communicating with persons for whom they hold shares of the
Fund.
Other
Information. The
Fund’s current investment advisor is Lighthouse Capital Management, Inc., (the
“Advisor”), 10000 Memorial Drive, Suite 660, Houston, Texas, 77024. The Fund’s
distributor and principal underwriter is Quasar Distributors, LLC, 615 East
Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53202. The Fund’s transfer and dividend
disbursing agent is USBFS, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
53202.
Share
Ownership. To
the
knowledge of the Trust’s management, as of the close of business on October
31, 2005, persons owning of record more than 5% of the outstanding shares of
the
Fund were as follows:
|
|
|
Name
and Address
|
%
Ownership
|
Type
of Ownership
|
Charles
Schwab & Co., Inc.
101
Montgomery Street
San
Francisco, CA 94104-4122
|
65.72%
|
Record
|
National
Investor Services Corp.
55
Water Street, Floor 32
New
York, NY 10041-3299
|
8.29%
|
Record
|
To
the
knowledge of the Trust’s management, as of the close of business on October 31,
2005 the Officers and Trustees of the Trust owned, as a group, less than 1%
of
the shares of the Fund, and no Trustee or Officer of the Trust had any
beneficial ownership of the Fund’s outstanding shares.
Reports
to Shareholders.
COPIES
OF THE FUND’S MOST RECENT ANNUAL AND SEMI-ANNUAL REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE WITHOUT
CHARGE UPON WRITING TO THE FUND, C/O U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC, P.O.
BOX
701, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, 53201-0701 OR BY CALLING, TOLL-FREE, (866) 811-0218.
PROPOSAL
NO. 1:
APPROVAL
OF NEW ADVISORY AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE TRUST ON BEHALF OF THE FUND AND
THE
ADVISOR
Background.
Pursuant
to an investment advisory agreement dated September 29, 1995 (the “Original
Advisory Agreement”), the Advisor provided investment advisory services to the
Fund and manages the portfolio assets of the Fund. The Original Advisory
Agreement was approved by the Board of Trustees, including all Independent
Trustees, on August 22, 1995. The Original Advisory Agreement was last approved
by the shareholders of the Fund on September 29, 1995.
Section
15(a) of the 1940 Act prohibits any person from serving as an investment adviser
to a registered investment company except pursuant to a written contract that
has been approved by the shareholders. Section 15(a) also provides that any
such
advisory contract must terminate on its “assignment.” Section 2(a)(4) provides
that a change of control of an investment adviser, such as the purchase of
a
controlling interest of the Advisor, constitutes an assignment.
The
Transactions. The
Original Advisory Agreement may be deemed to have been terminated on July 29,
1999, March 31, 2003 and/or on June 30, 2003 due to a possible
assignment of the Original Advisory Agreement resulting from a change in
ownership structure of the Advisor in which Paul Horton, President of the
Advisor, purchased the interest of Kevin Duffy, and sold some of his interest
in
the Advisor to William Choice, Vice President of the Advisor, and Chris Matlock,
Portfolio Manager of the Fund. As indicated above, Section 15 of the 1940 Act
generally requires that an investment advisory contract terminate upon its
assignment to another person. The Advisor has represented to the Trust that
these transactions did not result in any actual change in the management or
policies of the Advisor. However, in order to avoid disruption of the Fund’s
investment management program, shareholders of the Fund are being asked to
approve the New Advisory Agreement between the Fund and the
Advisor.
The
proposed New Advisory Agreement is substantially identical to the Original
Advisory Agreement previously approved by the Fund’s shareholders and the Board
of Trustees. A form of the New Advisory Agreement for the Fund is attached
to
this Proxy Statement as Exhibit A.
The
Advisor entered into the Original Advisory Agreement with the Fund on September
29, 1995. From the period between September 29, 1995 and July 29, 1999, Mr.
Horton owned 51% and Mr. Duffy owned 49% of the Advisor. On July 29, 1999,
Mr.
Duffy sold his 49% interest to Mr. Horton (the “July Transaction”). From the
period between July 29, 1999 and March 31, 2003, Mr. Horton was the sole
controlling shareholder of the Advisor. On March 31, 2003, Mr. Horton
transferred some of his interest in the Advisor to Mr. Choice and Mr. Matlock
(the “March Transaction”). The March Transaction was the first step in a plan
ultimately intended to allow other key employees to become additional owners
of
the Advisor. As
a
result of the March Transaction, Mr. Choice owned 32.5%, Mr. Matlock owned
20%
and Mr. Horton owned 47.5% interest in the Advisor. Three months later, in
June
2003, a second transaction occurred that resulted in Mr. Horton, Mr. Choice
and
Mr. Matlock, each owning 33.3% interest in the Advisor (the “June
Transaction”).
The
July
Transaction, March Transaction and the June Transaction did not change the
portfolio manager, the investment philosophy, administration or any other
operational activity related to the Fund. Mr. Horton has continuously served
as
the principal executive officer, director and decision maker of the Advisor
since its organization in 1988.
Since
the
Fund’s inception, the Advisor has continued to provide the Fund with
uninterrupted investment advisory services called for under the Original
Advisory Agreement that includes, but is not limited to, regularly providing
investment advice to the Fund and continuously supervising the investment and
reinvestment of cash, securities and other assets for the Fund.
In
October 2005, following a presentation to the Board by a portfolio manager
of
the Fund, the Trust discovered the change the ownership structure of the
Advisor. The Advisor did not specifically inform the Board of Trustees of the
change in ownership prior to the July Transaction, March Transaction and June
Transaction. The Advisor provided the Trust with current ownership percentages
in June of each year in preparation for the Board’s annual review. However, as
these materials only provided current percentages, and not changes from previous
years, by administrative oversight the change in control was not discovered
until October 2005. To prevent a similar oversight from occurring in the future,
the Board has implemented procedures that require investment advisors to
directly inform the Board of any changes in ownership of the Advisor’s voting
securities, and the Trust has undertaken to specifically confirm whether or
not
any such changes have occurred.
From
July
29, 1999 until October 26, 2005, the Fund has compensated the Advisor for
advisory services in an amount equal to the percentage of the Fund’s average
daily net assets stated in the Original Advisory Agreement. Since October 26,
2005, the fees payable to the Advisor have been retained by the Fund (but
accrued as liabilities) pending shareholder approval of Proposal No. 2. Under
Proposal No. 2, upon shareholder approval, the Advisor would only be entitled
to
the lesser of its cost in managing the Fund or
the
contractual advisory fees it would have received under the Original Advisory
Agreement during this period. During this same period, the Advisor has also
continued to provide services and honor its expense limitation obligation to
the
Fund as described in an Operating Expense Limitation Agreement between the
Advisor and the Trust, dated December 3, 1999.
Current
Shareholder Approval.
At a
telephonic meeting held October 26, 2005, the Board of Trustees was also asked
to consider whether the Advisor may retain those advisory fees that had been
paid or which were payable to the Advisor since July 29, 1999 under the Original
Advisory Agreement. Having so approved, the Board of Trustees determined that
the Fund’s shareholders also should vote on whether to permit the Advisor to
retain those fees received or which were payable since July 29, 1999 through
the
time that the Fund’s shareholders approve the New Advisory Agreement. The Board
of Trustees recommend that the shareholders of the Fund vote in favor of this
proposal.
If
the
New Advisory Agreement is approved by the shareholders of the Fund, and the
Board of Trustees approves the New Advisory Agreement in person, then the new
Advisory Agreement will become effective. On November 30, 2005, the Board of
Trustees will vote in person, as required by the 1940 Act, to approve the New
Advisory Agreement, subject to shareholder approval. The New Advisory Agreement
is substantially identical to the Original Advisory Agreement except for the
dates of execution, effectiveness and termination.
Furthermore,
if the New Advisory Agreement is approved by Fund shareholders, the Board of
Trustees will also approve a new operating expense limitation agreement (the
“New Operating Expense Agreement”) with the Advisor. Pursuant to an operating
expense limitation agreement dated December 3, 1999 (the “Original Operating
Expense Agreement”), the Advisor is obligated (in connection with its management
of the Fund) to waive its advisory fees and assume at its own expense certain
expenses otherwise payable by the Fund to ensure that net annual operating
expenses do not exceed 2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The
Original Advisory Agreement was approved by the Board of Trustees, including
all
Independent Trustees, on August 22, 1995. If an assignment of the Original
Advisory Agreement had occurred as discussed above, the Original Operating
Expense Agreement would have terminated upon termination of the Original
Advisory Agreement. The New Operating Expense Agreement will be substantially
identical to the Original Operating Expense Agreement, and will contractually
obligate the Advisor to waive its advisory fees for the Fund and assume certain
expenses to ensure that net annual operating expenses of the Fund do not exceed
2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Advisor and the Trust, on
behalf of the Fund, will simultaneously enter the New Operating Expense
Agreement and the Advisor will continue its obligation to waive and/or reimburse
Fund expenses on the same terms as the original Operating Expense Agreement.
If
the
Trust on behalf of the Fund enters into the New Operating Expense Agreement,
under certain conditions the Advisor will be entitled to recapture any fees
it
waives and/or reimburses for a period of three years after such reimbursement
was made. Any recapture that the Advisor is entitled to receive under the New
Operating Expense Agreement must be approved by the Board of Trustees. The
Advisor’s rights to any amounts previously waived or absorbed by the Advisor
will be permanently extinguished whether or not Proposal No. 2 is approved
by
shareholders.
For
the
fiscal periods ended August 31, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005,
the
investment advisory fees paid by the Fund and applicable fee waivers were as
follows:
|
1999*
|
2000
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
Total
Advisory Fees Accrued
|
$11,428
|
$124,764
|
$124,807
|
$118,513
|
$98,516
|
$126,192
|
$133,919
|
Fees
Waived/Expenses
Absorbed
|
($6,012)
|
($76,864)
|
($73,777)
|
($83,906)
|
($101,458)
|
($85,874)
|
($91,170)
|
Total
Fees paid to Advisor
|
$5,416
|
$47,900
|
$51,030
|
$34,607
|
($2,942)
|
$40,318
|
$42,749
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*
Reflects the fiscal period July 31, 1999 through August 31, 1999.
Summary
of the Original Advisory Agreement and the New Advisory
Agreement.
A copy
of the New Advisory Agreement is attached to this Proxy Statement as Exhibit
A.
The following description of the Agreement is only a summary, however, all
material terms of the New Advisory Agreement have been included in this summary.
You should refer to Exhibit A for the New Advisory Agreement, and
the
description set forth in this Proxy Statement of the New Advisory Agreement
is
qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit A.
Advisory Services.
Both the
Original and New Advisory Agreement provide that the Advisor will provide
certain investment advisory services to the Fund, including investment research
and management, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees.
Management
Fees.
Both the
Original Advisory Agreement and the New Advisory Agreement provide that the
Fund
will pay the Advisor a fee with respect to the Fund based on the Fund’s average
daily net assets. Under both the Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory
Agreement, the Advisor is compensated for its investment advisory services
at
the annual rate of 1.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.
Brokerage
Policies.
The
Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement both authorize the
Advisor to select the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchases and
sales of securities of the Fund and direct the Advisor to use its best efforts
to obtain the best available price and most favorable execution. The Advisor
may
pay a broker a commission in excess of that which another broker might have
charged for effecting the same transaction, in recognition of the value of
the
research, or other services provided by the broker to the Advisor. However,
both
the Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement provide that such
higher commissions will not be paid by the Fund unless the Advisor determines
the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of services provided
and
satisfies other requirements.
Payment
of Expenses. Both
the
Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement provide that the Advisor
will pay all of the costs and expenses incurred by it in connection with its
advisory services provided for the Fund. The Advisor will not be required to
pay
the costs and expenses associated with purchasing securities, commodities and
other investments for the Fund (including brokerage commissions and other
transaction or custodial charges).
Duration
and Termination.
Each of
the Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreements provide that it
shall continue in effect for two years from the respective effective date,
and
thereafter for successive periods of one year, subject to annual approval by
the
Board of Trustees or Fund shareholders. Both the Original Advisory Agreement
and
New Advisory Agreements may be terminated by the Board of Trustees or a vote
of
a majority of the shareholders of the Fund, without payment or penalty, upon
not
more than 60 days’ notice, or by the Advisor upon 60 days’ notice.
Other
Provisions. The
Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor
shall not be liable for any loss sustained by reason of the purchase, sale
or
retention of any security whether the purchase, sale or retention has been
based
on its own investigation and research or upon investigation and research made
by
any other individual, firm or corporation, if the purchase, sale or retention
has been made and the other individual, firm or corporation has been selected
in
good faith. The Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement provides
that nothing contained in the Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory
Agreement shall be construed to protect the Advisor against any liability to
the
Trust or its security holders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
or
gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless
disregard of obligations and duties under the Original Advisory Agreement and
New Advisory Agreement. Additionally, the Original Advisory Agreement and New
Advisory Agreement provides that the federal securities laws impose liabilities
under certain circumstances on persons who act in good faith, and therefore
nothing in the Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement shall
in
any way constitute a waiver or limitation of any rights which the Fund’s
shareholders may have under any federal securities laws. The Original Advisory
Agreement and New Advisory Agreement provides that the Advisor shall follow
the
principles set forth in any investment advisory agreement in effect between
the
Trust and the Advisor in connection with its duties to invest the Fund’s assets.
The Original Advisory Agreement and New Advisory Agreement provide that the
Trust may indemnify the Advisor to the full extent permitted by the Trust’s
Declaration of Trust and applicable law.
Executive
Officers and Directors of the Advisor.
Information regarding the principal executive officers and directors of the
Advisor is set forth below. The address of the Advisor is 10000 Memorial Drive,
Suite 660, Houston, TX 77024. The address for each of the persons listed below,
as it relates to his or her duties with the Advisor, is the same as that of
the
Advisor.
|
|
Name
|
Position
with Advisor
|
Paul
G. Horton
|
President
|
William
H. Choice
|
Vice
President
|
Christine
M. Cobb
|
Chief
Compliance Officer
|
Christopher
A. Matlock
|
Chief
Investment Officer
|
Richard
Hunter
|
Director
of Research
|
James
L. Walter
|
Marketing
Director
|
Required
Vote.
Approval
of the New Advisory Agreement requires the affirmative vote of a “majority of
the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, a “majority
of the outstanding voting securities” means the affirmative vote of the lesser
of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at the Meeting or
represented by proxy if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares
are present at the Meeting or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of
the
outstanding shares. If the New Advisory Agreement is approved by the Fund’s
shareholders, it will become effective on December 22, 2005. If the shareholders
of the Fund do not approve the New Advisory Agreement, the Advisor will cease
to
serve as the investment adviser of the Fund. In that event, the Fund will
consider its options regarding an investment adviser for the Fund. In the event
that Proposal No. 2 is not approved by shareholder vote, the Advisor will not
be
entitled to any compensation for services provided during the Interim Period
unless a court determines otherwise. Section 47(b)(1) of the 1940 Act permits
a
court to enforce a contract that otherwise violates the 1940 Act or rules
thereunder should the court determine that such enforcement would produce a
more
equitable result than non-enforcement and would not be inconsistent with the
underlying purposes of the 1940 Act. Nonetheless, if Proposal No. 2 is approved,
the Advisor will be entitled to receive the lesser of the contractual investment
advisory fees or the amount of expenses actually incurred by the Advisor while
performing services during the Interim Period.
Recommendation
of the Board of Trustees.
Since
the New Investment Advisory Agreement is substantially identical to the Original
Advisory Agreement, except for immaterial corrections and dates of execution,
termination and effectiveness, the Board of Trustees believes that the terms
and
conditions of the New Advisory Agreement are fair to, and in the best interests
of, the Fund and its shareholders. The Board of Trustees believes that, despite
the purchase
of a controlling interest in the Advisor by Mr. Choice and Mr.
Matlock,
there
will be no change in the services provided by the Advisor to the Fund. The
Board
of Trustees considered that there will be no change in the day-to-day management
responsibilities for the Fund’s portfolio management or to the members of the
Advisor who determine the Fund’s overall investment strategy, portfolio
allocation and risk parameters. The
Board
of Trustees was presented with information demonstrating that the terms of
the
New Advisory Agreement are fair to, and in the best interests of, the Trust,
the
Fund and the shareholders of the Fund.
In
considering whether to recommend the New Advisory Agreement for approval by
the
Fund’s shareholders, the Trustees had before them information to evaluate the
experience of the Advisor’s key personnel in portfolio management, the quality
of services the Advisor is expected to continue to provide to the Fund, and
the
compensation proposed to be paid to the Advisor. This information together
with
the information provided to the Independent Trustees throughout the course
of
the year formed the primary (but not exclusive) basis for the Board of Trustee’s
determinations. The Board of Trustees also reviewed the factors it considered
in
re-approving the Original Advisory Agreement, which is substantially identical
to the New Advisory Agreement, in August 2005. Below is a summary of the factors
considered by the Board of Trustees and the conclusions thereto that formed
the
basis for the Board of Trustee’s conclusion that
the
terms and conditions of the New Advisory Agreement are fair to, and in the
best
interests of, the Fund and its shareholders:
1.
|
The
nature, extent and quality of the services provided and to be provided
by
the Advisor under the Advisory Agreement. The
Board of Trustees considered the Advisor’s specific responsibilities in
all aspects of day-to-day investment management of the Fund. The
Board of
Trustees considered the qualifications, experience and responsibilities
of
the portfolio managers, as well as the responsibilities of other
key
personnel at the Advisor involved in the day-to-day activities of
the
Fund. The Board of Trustees also considered the resources and compliance
structure of the Advisor, including information regarding its compliance
program, its chief compliance officer and the Advisor’s compliance record,
and the Advisor’s business continuity plan. The Board of Trustees also
considered the prior relationship between the Advisor and the Trust,
as
well as the Board of Trustee’s knowledge of the Advisor’s operations, and
noted that during the course of the prior year they had met with
the
Advisor in person to discuss various marketing and compliance topics.
The
Board of Trustees concluded that the Advisor had the quality and
depth of
personnel, resources, investment methods and compliance policies
and
procedures essential to performing its duties under the New Advisory
Agreement and that the nature, overall quality, cost and extent of
such
management services are satisfactory and
reliable.
|
2.
|
The
Fund’s historical year-to-date performance and the overall performance
of
the Advisor.
In assessing the quality of the portfolio management delivered by
the
Advisor, the Trustees reviewed the short-term and long-term performance
of
the Fund on both an absolute basis, and in comparison to its peer
funds as
classified by Lipper.
|
The
Board
of Trustees noted that the Fund’s year-to-date and five-year performance were
each above the median of its peer group. The Board of Trustees also noted that
although the Fund’s one- and three-year performance were below the median of its
peer group, it was ranked in the third quartile for three-year performance.
Furthermore, the Fund was ranked in the first quartile for its year-to-date
and
five-year performance. The Trustees concluded that the advisor’s performance was
satisfactory under current market conditions.
The
Trustees also noted that during the course of the prior year they had met with
the Advisor in person to discuss various performance topics. The Board of
Trustees concluded that it was satisfied with the Fund’s overall performance
record.
3.
|
The
costs of the services to be provided by the Advisor and the structure
of
the Advisor’s fees under the Advisory Agreement.
In considering the advisory fee and total fees and expenses of the
Fund,
the Board of Trustees reviewed comparisons to its peer funds and
separate
accounts for other types of clients advised by the Advisor, as well
as all
expense waivers and reimbursements.
|
The
Board
of Trustees noted that the Advisor had agreed to maintain an annual expense
ratio of 2.00%. The Trustees noted that, while the Fund’s advisory fee, 12b-1
fees and total expense ratio were above its peer group median, the expense
structure was in line with the fees charged by the advisor to its other
investment management clients and were not excessive. The Board of Trustees
particularly noted that the advisor had continued to subsidize the Fund’s
operations and had not yet recouped any amount of these subsidies. The Board
of
Trustees also noted that the compensation payable to the Advisor by the Fund
under the New Advisory Agreement will be at the same rate as the compensation
now payable by the Fund to the Advisor under the Original Advisory Agreement.
In
addition, the Board of Trustees noted that the terms of the Original Advisory
Agreement will be unchanged under the New Advisory Agreement except for
different effective and termination dates and minor updating changes. The Board
of Trustees concluded that the fees paid to the Advisor were fair and reasonable
in light of comparative performance and expense and advisory fee information.
4.
|
Economies
of Scale.
The Board of Trustees also considered that economies of scale would
be
expected to be realized by the Advisor as the assets of the Fund
grow. The
Board of Trustees noted that although the Fund does not have advisory
fee
breakpoints, the Advisor has contractually agreed to reduce its advisory
fees or reimburse expenses through the specified period so that the
Fund
does not exceed its specified expense limitation. The Board of Trustees
concluded that there were no effective economies of scale to be shared
by
the Advisor at current asset levels, but considered revisiting this
issue
in the future as circumstances changed and asset levels
increased.
|
5.
|
The
profits to be realized by the Advisor and its affiliates from their
relationship with the Fund.
The Board of Trustees reviewed the Advisor’s financial information and
took into account both the direct benefits and the indirect benefits
to
the Advisor from advising the Fund. The Board of Trustees considered
the
Advisor’s profitability report and considered that the additional benefits
derived by the Advisor from its relationship with the Fund, namely
benefits received in exchange for “soft dollars” and the 12b-1 fees paid
to the Advisor. After such review, the Board of Trustees determined
that
the profitability rates to the Advisor with respect to the Advisory
Agreement are not excessive, and that the Advisor had maintained
adequate
profit levels to support the services to the
Fund.
|
No
single
factor was determinative of the Board of Trustee’s decision to recommend that
shareholders approve the New Advisory Agreement, but rather the Trustees based
their determination on the total mix of information available to them. Based
on
a consideration of all the factors in their totality, the Trustees determined
that the advisory arrangements with the Advisor, including the advisory fee,
were fair and reasonable to the Fund, and that the Fund’s shareholders received
reasonable value in return for the advisory fees paid. The Board of Trustees
(including a majority of the Independent Trustees) therefore determined that
the
approval of the New Advisory Agreement would be in the best interests of the
Fund and its shareholders.
Other
Legal Requirements under the Investment Company Act.
Section
15(f) of the 1940 Act provides that, when a change in control of an investment
adviser occurs, the investment adviser or any of its affiliated persons may
receive any amount or benefit in connection with the change in control as long
as two conditions are satisfied. The first condition specifies that no “unfair
burden” may be imposed on the investment company as a result of the transaction
relating to the change of control, or any express or implied terms, conditions
or understandings. The term “unfair burden,” as defined in the 1940 Act,
includes any arrangement during the two-year period after the change in control
whereby the investment adviser (or predecessor or successor adviser), or any
interested person of any such adviser, receives or is entitled to receive any
compensation, directly or indirectly, from the investment company or its
security holders (other than fees for bona fide investment advisory or other
services) or from any person in connection with the purchase or sale of
securities or other property to, from, or on behalf of the investment company
(other than fees for bona fide principal underwriting services). The Advisor
has
informed the Trust that the series of transactions described above did not
cause
the imposition of an unfair burden, as that term is defined in Section 15(f)
of
the 1940 Act, on the Fund.
The
second condition specifies that, during the three-year period immediately
following consummation of the transaction, at least 75% of the investment
company’s Board of Trustees must be disinterested trustees. Currently, the Board
of Trustees of the Trust meets this 75% requirement.
Additional
Information about the Trust and the Advisor. The
following is a list of the executive officers and Trustees of the Trust, their
positions with the Trust, and their positions with the Advisor, if
any:
|
|
|
Name
|
Position
with the Trust
|
Position
with the Advisor
|
Dorothy
A. Berry
|
Disinterested
Trustee
|
None
|
Wallace
L. Cook
|
Disinterested
Trustee
|
None
|
Rowley
W.P. Redington
|
Disinterested
Trustee
|
None
|
Carl
A. Froebel
|
Disinterested
Trustee
|
None
|
Steven
J. Paggioli*
|
Interested
Trustee
|
None
|
Robert
M. Slotky
|
President
|
None
|
Eric
W. Falkeis
|
Treasurer
|
None
|
Chad
E. Fickett
|
Secretary
|
None
|
*
Steven
J. Paggioli is an interested Trustee with respect to the Trust only. With the
exception of transactions which are not related to the business or operation
of
the Trust and to which the Trust is not a party, no Trustee of the Trust has
had
any direct or indirect interest in any transaction with the Advisor or any
parent, subsidiary or affiliate of the Advisor. In addition, no Trustee has
had
such an interest in any proposed transaction with any of the above
entities.
THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, INCLUDING THE INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES, RECOMMENDS THAT YOU
VOTE
“FOR” APPROVAL OF A NEW INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE TRUST,
ON BEHALF OF THE FUND, AND LIGHTHOUSE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC., UNDER WHICH
THE
ADVISOR WILL CONTINUE TO ACT AS INVESTMENT ADVISOR WITH RESPECT TO THE ASSETS
OF
THE FUND, AND ANY SIGNED BUT UNMARKED PROXIES WILL BE SO VOTED “FOR” APPROVAL OF
THE PAYMENT OF ALL ADVISORY FEES PAID AND HELD AND/OR EARNED BUT NOT PAID BY
THE
FUND TO THE ADVISOR DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD.
PROPOSAL
NO. 2:
APPROVAL
OF FEES PAID TO AND PAYABLE TO THE ADVISOR
You
are
being asked to approve the retention of fees paid to, and the payment of fees
earned by, the Advisor for the period July 29, 1999 through the effective date
of the New Advisory Agreement (the “Interim Period”). In keeping with previous
positions taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the fees
paid to the Advisor for its services during the Interim Period will not exceed
the lesser of:
1. |
the
Advisor’s cost in managing the Fund during the Interim Period,
or
|
2. |
the
contractual advisory fees it would have received had the Original
Advisory
Agreement remained in effect during the Interim
Period.
|
Background.
The
Advisor has continued to provide the Fund with uninterrupted investment
management services called for under the Original Advisory Agreement. These
services include, but are not limited to, regularly providing investment advice
to the Fund and continuously supervising the investment and reinvestment of
cash, securities and other assets for the Fund. For
the
Interim Period, the Fund has compensated the Advisor for these services in
an
amount equal to 1.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. During the Interim
Period, the Advisor also continued to honor its expense limitation commitments
to the Fund under the original Operating Expense Agreement.
Since
October 1, 2005, the fees payable to the Advisor have been retained by the
Fund
(booked as payable) pending the resolution of this matter. During this same
period the Advisor has also continued to honor its expense limitation
commitments to the Fund.
For
the
Interim Period, the investment advisory fees paid and to be paid by the Fund
and
applicable fee waivers were as follows:
Total
Advisory Fees Accrued
|
$787,975
|
Fees
Waived/Expenses Absorbed
|
($555,324)
|
Total
Fees paid to Advisor
|
$232,651
|
|
|
*For
the
period of October 1, 2005 to December 22, 2005 and estimated amount of $7,129
will be withheld from the Advisor
At
the
direction of the Board of Trustees, the officers of the Trust developed
a
methodology for reasonably determining the Advisor’s cost of managing the Fund
for the Interim Period, and the Board of Trustees determined that such
methodology
was fair and reasonable. The Advisor’s cost in managing the Fund during the
Interim Period is determined to be $336,013, which is higher than the $232,651
contractual fees that the Advisor would have received under the Original
Advisory Agreement. The
methodology involved calculating costs of managing the Fund during the Interim
Period by allocating expenses related to management of the Fund based on the
Fund’s pro rata share of total assets managed by the Advisor. Expenses included
in calculating these costs include portfolio manager salaries (only for
personnel who are directly involved in advisory services provided to the Fund),
occupancy expense, technology and communications expenses and other expenses.
Because the Advisor’s costs in managing the Fund were higher than the fees that
the Advisor received under the Original Advisory Agreement, if Proposal No.
2 is
adopted then the Advisor will be allowed a maximum of $232,651 for services
provided to the Fund during the Interim Period.
Required
Vote.
Having
approved the Advisor’s request that it be permitted to retain
and/or
be paid those fees
received during the Interim Period, the Board of Trustees has determined that
it
is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders to submit the matter
for final approval by the Fund’s shareholders. Approval of Proposal No. 2
requires the affirmative vote of a “majority of the outstanding voting
securities” of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, a “majority of the outstanding
voting securities” means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (1) 67% or more
of the shares of the Fund present at the Meeting or represented by proxy if
the
holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present at the Meeting
or
represented by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares.
If
the
shareholders of the Fund do not approve the payment of these fees to the
Advisor, the Board of Trustees would consider other options, including the
solicitation of further proxies or requiring that the Advisor forego payment
of
its fees since July 29, 1999, including possible disgorgement of fees already
paid. In the event that Proposal No. 2 is not approved by shareholder vote,
the
Advisor will not be entitled to any compensation provided during the Interim
Period unless a court determines otherwise, as allowed under Section 47(b)(1)
of
the
1940
Act, which permits a court to enforce a contract that otherwise violates the
1940 Act or rules thereunder should the court determine that such enforcement
would produce a more equitable result than non-enforcement and would not be
inconsistent with the underlying purposes of the 1940 Act. Until
the
Fund’s shareholders approve the payment of fees to the Advisor for the Interim
Period, the Advisor will not be entitled to receive any fees from the Fund
due
to the Advisor for its advisory services since the possible deemed assignment
of
the Original Advisory Agreement on July 29, 1999. The Advisor has separately
agreed with the Fund that all compensation earned by the Advisor for its
services since October, 2005 will be held by the Fund’s custodian and the
Advisor will only receive this compensation (as well as the right to retain
any
compensation paid to the Advisor before discovery of the possible assignment)
if
Proposal No. 2 is approved by shareholders. In addition, if the shareholders
do
not approve Proposal No. 2, the Advisor will be obligated to return any advisory
fees already paid to the Advisor for the period July 29, 1999 through the
discovery of the possible assignment in October 2005.
Recommendation
of the Board of Trustees.
The
Advisor, relying on equitable principles, sought Board approval to allow the
Advisor to avoid an economic burden and (1) retain all payments already made
by
the Fund; and (2) under the terms of the Original Advisory Agreement be paid
all
amounts (including interest earned), as compensation for services provided,
and
to be provided, since discovery of the possible assignment in October 2005
through the effective date of the New Advisory Agreement. However, in keeping
with SEC positions, the Board of Trustees and the Advisor have agreed that
the
fees paid to the Advisor for its services during the Interim Period will not
exceed the lesser of:
1. |
the
Advisor’s cost in managing the Fund during the Interim Period, or
|
2. |
the
contractual advisory fees it would have received had the Original
Advisory
Agreement remained in effect during the Interim
Period.
|
In
granting its approval, the Board of Trustees considered the nature of the
continuing relationship between the Advisor and the Fund, the Advisor’s
willingness to subsidize the Fund’s operations, and the nature and the quality
of the services it has performed for the Fund since its inception. The Trustees
also considered that: (1) the 1940 Act permits a court to enforce a contract
that otherwise violates the 1940 Act or rules thereunder should the court
determine that such enforcement would produce a more equitable result than
non-enforcement and would not be inconsistent with the underlying purposes
of
the 1940 Act; (2) should Board of Trustees or shareholder approval be withheld,
the Advisor might seek to retain some or all of these payments (and be paid
some
or all of the payments) through legal action on the grounds that it would be
unjust to withhold payments for services rendered under the Original Advisory
Agreement, which may have terminated because of a possible assignment; (3)
the
Fund and its shareholders have experienced no economic harm during the
applicable period when no effective advisory agreement was in place between
the
Advisor and the Trust, and the amounts that were paid and held by the Fund
would
have been no more than what the Fund would have paid had the Original Advisory
Agreement remained in effect; (4) the Board of Trustees has sought, and
received, assurances from the Advisor to pay for the costs of soliciting
shareholder approval of the Advisory Agreement and the ratification of its
advisory fees that might arise due the termination of the Original Advisory
Agreement; (5) the absence of bad faith on the part of the Advisor; (6)the
nature of the continuing relationship between the Advisor and the Fund,
including the nature and quality of the services it has performed for the Fund
since the Fund’s inception and, (7) but for failing to meet the technical
requirements of the 1940 Act, the Board of Trustees had intended that the
Original Advisory Agreement continue uninterrupted for the current year. The
Board of Trustees is satisfied that shareholders of the Fund will not bear
any
of the costs associated with the solicitation of shareholder approval as
described in this Proxy Statement.
THE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, INCLUDING THE INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES, RECOMMENDS THAT YOU
VOTE
“FOR” APPROVAL OF THE PAYMENT OF ALL ADVISORY FEES PAID AND HELD AND/OR EARNED
BUT NOT PAID BY THE FUND TO THE ADVISOR DURING THE INTERIM PERIOD, TO THE EXTENT
THAT SHAREHOLDERS APPROVE PROPOSAL NO. 2 AND THE EXTENT THAT SUCH FEES ARE
GREATER THAN THE COST OF MANAGING THE FUND, THE MOST THAT THE ADVISOR MAY BE
PAID IS THE COST OF MANAGING THE FUND, AND ANY SIGNED BUT UNMARKED PROXIES
WILL
BE SO VOTED “FOR” APPROVAL OF THE PAYMENT OF ALL ADVISORY FEES PAID AND HELD
AND/OR EARNED BUT NOT PAID BY THE FUND TO THE ADVISOR DURING THE INTERIM
PERIOD.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Other
Matters to come Before the Meeting. The
Trust’s management does not know of any matters to be presented at the Meeting
other than those described in this Proxy Statement. If other business should
properly come before the Meeting, the proxy holders will vote thereon in
accordance with their best judgment.
Shareholder
Proposals. The
Meeting is a special meeting of shareholders. The Trust is not required to,
nor
does it intend to, hold regular annual meetings of its shareholders. If such
an
annual meeting is called, any shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal for
consideration at the meeting should submit the proposal or notice of the
proposal, if the shareholder chooses not to include the proposal in the Trust’s
proxy materials, to the Trust within a reasonable time prior to the Trust
printing and mailing its proxy materials in accordance with, respectively,
Rule
14a-8 or Rule 14a-4(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
IN
ORDER
THAT THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM AT THE MEETING MAY BE ASSURED, PROMPT EXECUTION
AND RETURN OF THE ENCLOSED PROXY IS REQUESTED. A SELF-ADDRESSED, POSTAGE-PAID
ENVELOPE IS ENCLOSED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.
Chad
E.
Fickett, Secretary
Milwaukee,
WI
November
17, 2005
PROFESSIONALLY
MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
INVESTMENT
ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT
made
this ___ day of________, 2005 by and between Professionally Managed Portfolios
(the “Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust and Lighthouse Capital Management,
Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Advisor”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
a
series of the Trust having separate assets and liabilities has been created
entitled the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund (the “Fund”); and
WHEREAS,
it is
therefore desirable to have an investment advisory agreement (i.e., this
Agreement) relating to the Fund, which agreement will apply only to this
Fund;
NOW
THEREFORE,
in
consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained and other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged,
it
is hereby agreed by and among the parties here to as follows:
1. In
General
The
Advisor agrees, all as more fully set forth herein, to act as investment adviser
to the Trust with respect to the investment of the assets of the Fund and to
supervise and arrange the purchase and sale of securities held in the portfolio
of the Fund.
2. Duties
and Obligations of the Advisor with respect to Investment of Assets of the
Fund.
(a) Subject
to the succeeding provisions of this section and subject to the direction and
control of the Board of Trustees of the Trust, (the “Board of Trustees”) the
Advisor shall:
(i) Decide
what securities shall be purchased or sold by the Trust with respect to the
Fund
and when; and
(ii) Arrange
for the purchase and the sale of securities held in the portfolio of the Fund
by
placing purchase and sale orders for the Trust with respect to the
Fund.
(b) Any
investment purchases or sales made by the Advisor shall at all times conform
to,
and be in accordance with, any requirements imposed by: (1) the provisions
of
the Investment Company Act of 1940, (the “1940 Act”) and of any rules or
regulations in force thereunder; (2) any other applicable provisions of law;
(3)
the provisions of the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Trust as amended
from time to time; (4) any policies and determinations of the Board of Trustees;
and (5) the fundamental policies of the Trust relating to the Fund, as reflected
in the Trust’s registration statement under the 1940 Act (including by reference
the Statement of Additional Information) as such registration statement is
amended from time to time, or as amended by the shareholders of the Fund.
(c) The
Advisor shall give the Trust the benefit of its best judgment and effort in
rendering services hereunder, but the Advisor shall not be liable for any loss
sustained by reason of the purchase, sale or retention of any security whether
or not such purchase, sale or retention shall have been based on its own
investigation and research or upon investigation and research made by any other
individual, firm or corporation, if such purchase, sale or retention shall
have
been made and such other individual, firm or corporation shall have been
selected in good faith. Nothing herein contained shall, however, be construed
to
protect the Advisor against any liability to the Trust or its security holders
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations
and duties under this Agreement.
(d) Nothing
in this Agreement shall prevent the Advisor or any affiliated person (as defined
in the 1940 Act) of the Advisor from acting as investment adviser or manager
and/or principal underwriter for any other person, firm or corporation and
shall
not in any way limit or restrict the Advisor or any such affiliated person
from
buying, selling or trading any securities for its or their own accounts or
the
accounts of others for whom it or they may be acting, provided, however, that
the Advisor expressly represents that it will undertake no activities which,
in
its judgment, will adversely affect the performance of its obligations to the
Trust under this Agreement.
(e) It
is
agreed that the Advisor shall have no responsibility or liability for the
accuracy or completeness of the Trust’s Registration Statement under the 1940
Act or the Securities Act of 1933 except for information supplied by the Advisor
for inclusion therein. The Trust may indemnify the Advisor to the full extent
permitted by the Trust’s Declaration of Trust.
(f) The
Fund
may use the name Lighthouse Opportunity Fund or any name derived from or using
the name Lighthouse only for so long as this Agreement or any extension, renewal
or amendment hereof remains in effect. At such time as such an agreement shall
no longer be in effect, the Fund shall cease to use such a name or any other
name connected with the Advisor.
3. Broker-Dealer
Relationships
The
Advisor is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund,
broker-dealer selection, and negotiation of brokerage commission rates. The
Advisor’s primary consideration in effecting a securities transaction will be
execution at the most favorable price. In selecting a broker-dealer to execute
each particular transaction, the Advisor will take the following into
consideration: the best net price available; the reliability, integrity and
financial condition of the broker-dealer; the size of and difficulty in
executing the order; and the value of the expected contribution of the
broker-dealer to the investment performance of the Fund on a continuing basis.
Accordingly, the price to the Fund in any transaction may be less favorable
than
that available from another broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably
justified by other aspects of the portfolio execution services offered. Subject
to such polices as the Board of Trustees may determine, the Advisor shall not
be
deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this
Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay
a
broker or dealer that provides brokerage or research services to the Advisor
an
amount of commission for effecting a portfolio transaction in excess of the
amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting
that transaction, if the Advisor determines in good faith that such amount
of
commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research
services provided by such broker or dealer, viewed in terms of either that
particular transaction or the Advisor’s overall responsibilities with respect to
the Trust. The Advisor is further authorized to allocate the orders placed
by it
on behalf of the Fund to such brokers or dealers who also provide research
or
statistical material, or other services, to the Trust, the Advisor, or any
affiliate of either. Such allocation shall be in such amounts and proportions
as
the Advisor shall determine, and the Advisor shall report on such allocations
regularly to the Trust, indicating the broker-dealers to whom such allocations
have been made and the basis therefor. The Advisor is also authorized to
consider sales of shares as a factor in the selection of brokers or dealers
to
execute portfolio transactions, subject to the requirements of best execution,
i.e., that such brokers or dealers are able to execute the order promptly and
at
the best obtainable securities price.
4. Allocation
of Expenses
The
Advisor agrees that it will furnish the Trust, at the Advisor’s expense, with
office space and facilities, equipment and clerical personnel necessary for
carrying out its duties under this Agreement. The Advisor will also pay all
compensation of any Trustees, officers and employees of the Trust who are
affiliated persons of the Advisor. All operating costs and expenses
relating to the Fund not expressly assumed by the Advisor under this Agreement
shall be paid by the Trust from the assets of the Fund, including, but not
limited to (I) interest and taxes; (ii) brokerage commissions; (iii) insurance
premiums; (iv) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s Trustees other than
those affiliated with the Advisor or the Manager; (v) legal and audit expenses;
(vi) fees and expenses of the Trust’s custodian, shareholder servicing or
transfer agent and accounting services agent; (vii) expenses incident to the
issuance of the Fund’s shares, including issuance on the payment of, or
reinvestment of, dividends; (viii) fees and expenses incident to the
registration under Federal or state securities laws of the Trust or the shares
of the Fund; (ix) expenses of preparing, printing and mailing reports and
notices and proxy material to shareholders of the Trust; (x) all other expenses
incidental to holding meetings of the Trust’s shareholders; (xi) dues or
assessments of or contributions to the Investment Company Institute or any
successor; (xii) such non-recurring expenses as may arise, including litigation
affecting the Trust and the legal obligations which the Trust may have to
indemnify its officers and Trustees with respect thereto; and (xiii) all
expenses which the Trust or the Fund agrees to bear in any distribution
agreement or in any plan adopted by the Trust and/or a Fund pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the Act.
5. Compensation
of the Advisor
(a) The
Trust
agrees to pay the Advisor and the Advisor agrees to accept as full compensation
for all services rendered by the Advisor hereunder, an annual management fee,
payable monthly and computed on the value of the net assets of the Fund as
of
the close of business each business day at the annual rate of 1.25% of such
net
assets.
(b) In
the
event the expenses of the Fund (including the fees of the Advisor and
amortization of organization expenses but excluding interest, taxes, brokerage
commissions, extraordinary expenses and sales charges and any distribution
fees)
for any fiscal year exceed the limits set by applicable regulations of state
securities commissions where the Fund is registered or qualified for sale,
the
Advisor will reduce its fees by the amount of such excess. Any such reductions
are subject to readjustment during the year. The payment of the advisory fee
at
the end of any month will be reduced or postponed or, if necessary, a refund
will be made to the Fund so that at no time will there be any accrued but unpaid
liability under this expense limitation. The Advisor may reduce any portion
of
the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it under this agreement,
or
may agree to make payments to limit the expenses which are the responsibility
of
the Fund. Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such
specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce
any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Advisor hereunder or to
continue future payments. Any fee withheld from the Advisor under this paragraph
shall be reimbursed by the Fund to the Advisor to the extent permitted by the
applicable state law if the aggregate expenses for the next succeeding fiscal
year do not exceed the applicable state limitation or any more restrictive
limitation to which the Advisor has agreed.
6. Duration
and Termination
(a) This
Agreement shall go into effect on the effective date of the Post-Effective
Amendment of the Registration Statement of the Trust covering the shares of
the
Fund and shall, unless terminated as hereinafter provided, continue in effect
for a period of two years from that date, and thereafter from year to year,
but
only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually
by
the Board of Trustees, including the vote of a majority of the Trustees who
are
not parties to this Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940
Act) of any such party cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of
voting on such approval, or by the vote of the holders of a “majority” (as so
defined) of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by such a vote
of
the Trustees.
(b) This
Agreement may be terminated by the Advisor at any time without penalty upon
giving the Trust sixty (60) days’ written notice (which notice may be waived by
the Trust) and may be terminated by the Trust at any time without penalty upon
giving the Advisor sixty (60) days’ written notice (which notice may be waived
by the Advisor), provided that such termination by the Trust shall be directed
or approved by the vote of a majority of all of its Trustees in office at the
time or by the vote of the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act)
of
the voting securities of the Trust at the time outstanding and entitled to
vote.
This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment
(as
so defined).
7. Agreement
Binding Only on Fund Property
The
Advisor understands that the obligations of this Agreement are not binding
upon
any shareholder of the Trust personally, but bind only the Trust’s property; the
Advisor represents that it has notice of the provisions of the Trust’s
Declaration of Trust disclaiming shareholder liability for acts or obligations
of the Trust. This agreement has been executed by or with reference to any
Trustee in such person’s capacity as a Trustee, and the Trustees shall not be
personally liable hereon.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF,
the
parties hereto have caused the foregoing instrument to be executed by duly
authorized persons and their seals to be hereunto affixed, all as of the day
and
year first above written.
PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED
PORTFOLIOS on
behalf of the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund |
LIGHTHOUSE
CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
INC. |
|
|
By: |
By: |
Name:
|
Name: |
Title: |
Title:
|
PROXY
LIGHTHOUSE
OPPORTUNITY FUND
SPECIAL
MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
DECEMBER
22, 2005
SOLICITED
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
OF
PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED PORTFOLIOS
The
undersigned hereby appoints Chad E. Fickett and Jim A. Zawada, and each of
them,
as proxies of the undersigned, each with the power to appoint his substitute,
for the Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund
(the
“Fund”), a series of Professionally Managed Portfolios (the “Trust”), to be held
on December 22, 2005 at the offices of the Fund’s Administrator, U.S. Bancorp
Fund Services, LLC, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202 (the
“Meeting”), to vote, as designated below, all shares of the Fund, held by the
undersigned at the close of business on October 31, 2005. Capitalized terms
used
without definition have the meanings given to them in the accompanying Proxy
Statement.
|
DATE:
_________________________________,
2005
NOTE:
Please sign exactly as your name appears on this Proxy. If joint
owners,
EITHER may sign this Proxy. When signing as attorney, executor,
administrator, trustee, guardian or corporate officer, please give
your
full title.
Signature(s) (Title(s),
if applicable)
|
This
proxy will be voted as specified below. IF THE PROXY IS EXECUTED, BUT NO
SPECIFICATION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR OF PROPOSAL 1 AND
IN
THE DISCRETION OF THE ABOVE-NAMED PROXIES AS TO ANY OTHER MATTER THAT MAY
PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE MEETING OR ANY ADJOURNMENT THEREOF.
Please
indicate by filling in the appropriate box below.
|
1. To
approve the new investment agreement
between
Lighthouse Capital Management, Inc
and
the Lighthouse Opportunity Fund
|
FOR
¨
|
AGAINST
¨
|
ABSTAIN
¨
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2. To
approve
the retention of fees by, and
payment of fees to, the Advisor for the
period July 29, 1999 through the effective date
of
the New Advisory Agreement (Under "Proposal No.
2", upon shareholder
approval, the
Advisor would only be entitled
to the
lesser of its cost in managing the Fund
or the contractual advisory fees it would have
received under the
Original Advisory
Agreement during this
period.)
|
FOR
¨
|
AGAINST
¨
|
ABSTAIN
¨
|
In
their
discretion, the named proxies may vote upon any other matters which may legally
come before the meeting, or any adjournment thereof.
WE
NEED YOUR VOTE BEFORE DECEMBER 22,
2005
Your
vote
is important. If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, we urge
you to
complete, sign, date and return this proxy card using the enclosed postage
prepaid envelope. Your prompt return of the proxy will help assure a quorum
at
the meeting and avoid additional expenses associated with further solicitation.
Sending in your proxy will not prevent you from personally voting your shares
at
the meeting. You may revoke your proxy before it is voted at the meeting
by
submitting to the Secretary of the Fund a written notice of revocation or
a
subsequently signed proxy card, or by attending the meeting and voting in
person.
THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME