Services
Cutter & Company (“C&C”) has entered into an agreement with Wells Fargo Advisors (“WFA”) pursuant
to which WFA provides the brokerage and custodial services, including trading and execution, with respect
to the programs. Clients of the advisory program, which include Asset Advisor, Private Investment
Management (“PIM”) and Custom Choice programs described herein, are clients of C&C. C&C is not
related or affiliated with WFA or First Clearing, LLC
1, the Clearing Agent (“FCC”). Unless otherwise
specified, FCC will maintain custody of client assets. FCC qualifies as a “qualified custodian” as described
by Rule 206(4)-2 of the Investment Advisers Act. C&C, WFA and FCC each reserve the right to reject and
not provide services to any client or with respect to any client account for any reason.
Private Investment Management (“PIM”)
With PIM, C&C Financial Advisors (also referred to as “Portfolio Managers”) provide investment advisory
and brokerage services to your account on a discretionary basis (meaning investment decisions are made
without prior contact with the client). As a minimum criterion for providing advisory services, C&C
requires our Portfolio Managers to possess satisfactory past business experience, plus any required industry
examinations and registrations. Based on your investment objectives and individual needs, your Portfolio
Manager will have discretion to manage assets to an appropriate investment strategy.
Most types of securities are eligible for purchase in a PIM account including, but not limited to, common
and preferred stocks, exchange-traded funds, closed end funds, fee-based unit investment trusts, corporate
government and municipal bonds, certificates of deposit, options (limited availability), and certain mutual
funds whose shares can be purchased at net asset value. Collectively, these are referred to as “Program
Assets”.
Certain assets, such as commodity futures contracts, annuities, and limited partnership interests are not
eligible as Program Assets and are referred to collectively as “Excluded Assets”. Some Excluded Assets
may be purchased or sold in your account. These transactions will incur separate commissions or charges.
There is no management fee charged on Excluded Assets.
PIM is based on both fundamental and quantitative research and other independent research. Individual
PIM Portfolio Managers may develop specific investment strategies using a mix of these analytic methods.
Such strategies may include long and short-term securities purchases and, depending on your objectives
and the Portfolio Manager’s investment philosophy, may include option strategies such as “covered call
writing”. In special circumstances, the strategies may also include margin transactions, other option
strategies, active trading and/or short sale transactions. Certain strategies and investment products are not
suitable for all investors.
1 First Clearing is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-
dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
Portfolio Managers may use third-party research to assist in developing security selection models for PIM.
When seeking to anticipate trends and identify undervalued securities with sound fundamentals, Portfolio
Managers may also use a security selection and portfolio modeling process that incorporates fundamental,
technical and/or statistical analyses of historical data. Due to any number of factors, including timing of
deposits, tax considerations, investment selection process or investment needs, clients may receive different
execution prices and investment results.
Asset Advisor
Asset Advisor is a non-discretionary, client directed investment program in which your Financial Advisor
may provide a broad range of investment recommendations based on your investment objectives, financial
circumstances and risk tolerance. Clients make the ultimate determination to accept or reject these
recommendations or select different investments for the account.
Most types of securities are eligible for purchase in an Asset Advisor account including, but not limited to,
common and preferred stocks, exchange-traded funds, closed end funds, fee-based unit investment trusts,
corporate and government bonds, certificates of deposit, options, structured products, certain mutual funds
whose shares can be purchased at net asset value, and certain wrap class alternative investments, such as
hedge funds and managed futures funds. Collectively, these are referred to as “Program Assets”.
Certain strategies and investment products are not suitable for all investors (i.e., hedge funds are complex
investment vehicles that often use leverage and other speculative investment practices, such as short sales,
options, derivatives, futures and illiquid investments that may increase the risk of investment loss.)
Certain assets, such as commodity futures contracts, annuities, and limited partnership interests are not
eligible as Program Assets and are referred to collectively as “Excluded Assets”. Some Excluded Assets
may be purchased or sold in your account. These transactions will incur commissions or charges. There is
no management fee charged on Excluded Assets.
New-issue CDs are an eligible Program Asset for both PIM and Asset Advisor. The yield of a new-issue
CD takes into account a sales concession in order to compensate the brokerage firms that sell the CD. For
certain advisory accounts, the underwriter retains this sales concession. Although C&C does not receive
the sales concession, it has an impact on the overall yield paid to you. Since we charge an advisory fee on
the eligible assets within an advisory account, you are effectively charged both the sales concession
(retained by the underwriter) and the advisory fee on the CD. These charges reduce the overall yield on the
CD and, in some cases, may result in a negative yield. You should be aware that you could obtain the same
CDs without being subject to the advisory fee if you purchase it in a non-advisory brokerage account.
Custom Choice
CustomChoice is a non-discretionary investment advisory Program designed to help you allocate your
assets among open-end mutual funds in accordance with your individual investment goals, objectives, and
expectations. Based on your investment objectives and risk tolerance, your Financial Advisor will
recommend an appropriate mix of various open-end mutual funds and money market funds. Program
eligible mutual funds may include asset allocation funds, alternative strategy mutual funds or other select
funds that may utilize derivatives, short-selling, leverage and other strategies to meet stated investment
objectives, enhance diversification, hedge risks, accentuate returns or facilitate certain market exposures or
more dynamic allocation changes. You have the option of accepting any of our recommendations or
selecting an alternative combination of funds. We will implement your investment decisions, but will not
have investment discretion over your Account, except for the limited discretion to rebalance your target
asset allocation if you authorize us to do so. Over time, as changes occur in the financial markets and/or
your investment objectives and circumstances, we may recommend changes in your portfolio. In making
these recommendations, we will take the updated information into consideration. You are advised that your
decisions relating to investments in mutual funds may have tax consequences that should be discussed with
your tax advisor. In order to maintain your portfolio in conformance with your target asset allocation, you
may authorize us to rebalance your Account using our automated Rebalance Trading System. You may
select a quarterly, semi-annual or annual rebalance option.
Fees and Compensation
All of the programs described in the brochure are charged a fee on eligible assets that covers advisory,
execution, custodial and reporting services. The Fee Schedules for each program are set forth below.
PIM, Asset Advisor and Custom Choice accounts are charged an all-inclusive fee that covers advisory,
execution, custodial and reporting services. Billed quarterly in advance, the standard PIM and Asset
Advisor fee schedule is based on program eligible assets as follows:
Total Account Value Annualized Fee
First $250,000 3.00%
Next $750,000 2.50%
Over $1,000,000 2.00%
The standard Custom Choice fee schedule is based on program eligible assets as follows:
Total Account Value Annualized Fee
First $250,000 1.75%
Next $750,000 1.50%
Over $1,000,000 1.15%
If an account exceeds 120 transactions in any one year, the Financial Advisor will be subject to additional
transaction fees. This additional fee creates a conflict in that the Financial Advisor may minimize
transactions to avoid the additional fee. Option transactions incur a separate transaction fee that will be
charged directly to the client’s managed account. You should be aware that any of the above program fees
charged may be higher or lower than those otherwise available if you were to select a separate brokerage
service and negotiate commissions in absence of the extra advisory service provided.
Our fee schedules may be negotiated depending on a range of factors including, but not limited to account
size and overall range of services provided.
You should consider the value of these advisory services when making such comparisons. The combination
of custodial, advisory and brokerage services may not be available separately or may require multiple
accounts, documentation and fees. You should also consider the amount of anticipated trading activity
when selecting among the programs and assessing the overall cost. Advisory programs typically assume a
normal amount of trading activity and, therefore, under certain circumstances, prolonged periods of
inactivity or asset allocations with significant fixed income or cash weightings may result in higher fees
than if commissions were paid separately for each transaction.
Client should be aware that the fee charged will encompass all money market funds and funds held in the
account, even those transferred into client's account for which client may have previously paid sales
charges or borne other costs in acquiring these money market fund or fund shares.
A portion of the fees or commissions charged for the programs described here will be paid to C&C and the
Financial Advisor in connection with the introduction of accounts, as well as for providing client-related
services within the programs. This compensation may be more or less than a Financial Advisor would
receive if you paid separately for investment advice, brokerage, and other services, and may vary,
depending on the program or services offered.
Unless agreed upon otherwise, you authorize us to deduct a quarterly fee from the account, charged in
advance of the quarter, calculated at the rate indicated in the Fee Schedule. For the purposes of calculating
program fees, “total account value” shall mean the sum of the long and short market value of all securities
and mutual funds, if applicable. In valuing the account, we will use the closing prices or, if not available,
the lowest published “bid-price” and if none exist, the last reported transaction if occurring within the last
45 days. For mutual funds, we use the fund’s most current net asset value, as computed by the fund
company. In so doing, we will use information provided by quotation services believed to be reliable.
The initial fee is calculated as of the date that the account is accepted into the program and covers the
remainder of the calendar quarter. This fee shall be paid from the account within 5 business days of
acceptance of the Advisory Agreement. Subsequent quarterly fees generally shall be debited within ten
business days of each succeeding calendar quarter based on the value of the account on the last business
day of the prior calendar quarter.
No fee adjustment will be made during any fee period for appreciation or depreciation in value of the assets
in your account during that period. Your account will be charged or refunded a prorated quarterly fee on
any net additions or net withdrawals in the account during a month if the net addition or net withdrawal
would generate a fee or refund of at least $40 for that quarter. Fees will be assessed or refunded in the
month following the net addition or net withdrawal.
Whenever there are changes to the fee schedule, the schedule charges previously in effect shall continue
until the next billing cycle. We have the ability
to amend your Client Agreement at any time. Any changes
we make to your fee schedule will be effective after 30 days written notice to you. Your continued use of
the services indicates your agreement to the modified terms.
Risk in the Use of Margin
To the extent margin is used in your account, you should be aware that the margin debit balance will not
reduce the market value of eligible assets and will therefore increase the asset-based fee you are charged.
The increased asset-based fee provides an incentive for your Financial Advisor to recommend the use of
margin strategies. The use of margin is not suitable for all investors, as it increases leverage in your account
and therefore risk. It is important for you to fully understand the costs and risks associated with pledging
your assets for a margin loan. The costs associated with having a margin loan are in addition to the advisory
fee charged.
Other Account Fees
The advisory fee does not include certain dealer markups or markdowns (if applicable), odd lot differentials,
transfer taxes, exchange fees, execution fees (foreign and/or domestic) when applicable, and any other fees
required by law. Cash balances in an Account may be invested in money market mutual funds including,
as permitted by law, those with which we have agreements to provide advisory, administrative, distribution,
and other services and for which we receive additional compensation for the services rendered beyond the
C&C advisory fee charged to your account. In a low interest rate environment, the yield that you earn on
cash and cash alternatives, including cash sweep funds, CDs and money market funds may not offset
advisory fees. In some instances, the effective yield of the investment may in fact be negative.
Non-brokerage-related fees, such as IRA fees, are not included in the wrap fee and may be charged to your
account separately. As more fully described in the fee schedules, the fees you are charged may be different,
depending on the type of asset invested in the account.
Your Financial Advisor may suggest that you use other products and services that C&C offers, but that are
not available through the program you select (“Excluded Assets”). Excluded Assets are not charged a
program fee and are not considered a part of the program or program services. We generally recommend
that you hold these Excluded Assets in a separate brokerage account. If an excluded fund purchased for or
transferred into your account later becomes eligible for the program, program fees will apply to that fund
and it may become subject to the rebalance trading system. You will incur any usual and customary
brokerage charges and fees imposed on transactions in Excluded Assets which may include (i) any dealer
markups and odd lot differentials and transfer taxes; (ii) charges imposed by broker-dealers and custodians
other than WFA and its affiliates and fees for other products and services that we and our affiliates may
offer; (iii) offering discounts, commissions and related fees in connection with underwritten public
offerings of securities; (iv) margin interest and operational fees and charges (i.e., including, but not limited
to postage and handling); (v) IRA fees; and (vi) any redemption fees, SEC and exchange fees and/ or similar
fees imposed in connection with mutual fund transactions whereby C&C or your Financial Advisor may
receive additional compensation on these Excluded Assets.
Cost of Investing in Mutual Funds
In addition to program fees, as a shareholder of a money market, mutual fund or closed-end fund, you will
bear a proportionate share of the fund’s expenses, including investment management fees that are paid to
the fund’s investment advisor. C&C may receive 12b-1 distribution servicing fees from these mutual funds
or closed-end funds. For more complete information about these funds, please refer to the respective fund
prospectus.
You should be aware that you may invest in Money Market Funds or Mutual Funds directly without
incurring the fee charged for participation in a program. In addition, certain institutional investors may
directly purchase a class of shares of certain money market funds or funds that do not charge shareholder
services, sub-accounting or other related fees. If you do, however, you will not receive the various program
services provided under the advisory program, and some mutual funds may impose a sales load on direct
investments. You will receive a prospectus for each money market and mutual fund purchased, as required
by securities regulations.
C&C or our service providers may collect such fees directly or indirectly from some or all of the mutual
funds in which you invest, and we may pay any such fees received to C&C’s Financial Advisors. The
amount of the fees we or your Financial Advisor receive will vary, depending on the percentage paid
pursuant to a fund’s Rule 12b-1 plan.
Certain Funds make multiple no-load, institutional, advisory or load-waived share classes available for
purchase through investment advisory programs. Specific share classes may be available only through
certain C&C investment advisory programs and may have different shareholder servicing, sub-accounting,
investment management and 12b-1 fees and charges from other shares classes offered by those Funds. As
a result, some clients may have purchased lower-cost institutional share classes, while others may have
purchased a non-institutional share class. C&C does not seek to offer mutual funds or share classes through
our advisory programs that are necessarily the least expensive.
Trade Error Policy (applicable to Asset Advisor and PIM programs only)
Any person discovering an error shall immediately notify C&C trade desk. Error corrections will be
made as soon as possible after the error is discovered. Often this means no later than the next business
day. Sometimes an error correction needs to take place after an investigation to determine whether the
client, the advisory firm, the broker/dealer or the custodian made the error. Error correction may need to
be delayed until after the Company consults with the client. The Company will use its best efforts to
resolve errors in a timely manner. The Company will maintain a file documenting the correction of all
trading errors.
If a trading error results in a loss, the party that is responsible for the error shall pay for the loss (i.e.,
client errors are paid for by client, financial advisor errors paid by the financial advisor, firm errors are
paid by the firm). In the event the error results in a gain, if the client made the error and is able to retain
the trade (i.e., by adding additional funds to pay for too many shares purchased), the client is allowed to
retain any such gain and the additional shares once the trade has been fully paid. If client makes an error
that results in a gain, either because the stock being bought or sold was incorrect, or they sell more
shares than they own, the firm will retain any gains attributable to correcting the trade. If the financial
advisor is responsible for the error that results in a gain, the firm will retain the gain and will not provide
the credit to the financial advisor.
Allocation of Block Trades (applicable to PIM program only)
Trade Allocation. The Company will allocate publicly traded securities, as well as IPOs and Private
Placements, without preferential treatment to any specific clients. This allocation formula shall provide
a fair and equitable basis for allocations and be consistently applied to all clients. Prior to the allocation
of illiquid securities (i.e., limited partnership units, REIT’s, Private Placements, etc.) by the Company,
the CCO will determine if a Client’s investment objectives and suitability requirements qualify the
Client for participation in purchasing a specific security, IPO or Private Placement. If the Client
qualifies for participation in the purchase of a specific security, IPO or Private Placement the Company
will allocate a certain percentage of the total allocation to each qualified Client based upon the following
formula:
1. Allocation Formula for Illiquid Securities. The formula is based upon dividing the total shares
allocated to the Company by the total number of qualified Client’s and their assets under management.
For example, if the total allocation to the Company is 1,000,000 shares and the Company has ten (10)
Clients that qualify for a percentage of the allocation and each Client has a total of $1,000,000 under
management with the Company, each Client will receive an allocation of 100,000 shares.
2. Allocation Formula for Publicly Traded Securities – Publicly traded securities that are purchased or
sold as part of a block trade may not always result in a completed order (i.e., particularly when using
limit orders). In the event of a partial fill of publicly traded securities, the shares may be allocated on a
prorated basis amongst all clients originally intended to purchase or sell such securities as part of the
block transaction. Alternatively, shares may be allocated by starting with the client that has the lowest
numeric account number and providing full quantity allocations until the shares have been fully
allocated. Investment advisor representatives that have multiple representative codes will execute the
lowest account number to highest account number methodology by representative code.
For example, if the original order intended to purchase 20,000 shares and 10,000 shares fill - if there were
10 clients involved, the investment advisor representative may allocate 1,000 shares to each client, or, if
the original intent was to purchase 2,000 for each client, the IAR may choose to allot 2,000 to the first five
client accounts, beginning with the lowest numerical account number, limiting the client selection to include
clients in their primary representative code. (i.e., Rep. code XQ01 lowest accounts to highest accounts will
have orders allocated and completed prior to giving allocations to secondary rep. code XQ02, and so on)
Using the alternative allocation method may, over time, favor or advantage clients with lower account
numbers and those clients listed within a primary representative code.
Account Termination
Your account agreements may be terminated by either party at any time upon notice. If you terminate your
Agreement, a pro rata refund will be made, less reasonable start-up costs. You have the right, within five
(5) days of execution, to terminate the Client Agreement without penalty. In the event of cancellation of
Client Agreements, fees previously paid pursuant to the fee schedule will be refunded on a pro rata basis,
as of the date notice of such cancellation is received by the non-cancelling party, less reasonable start-up
costs.
If you choose to terminate your agreement with any of our investment advisory programs, we can liquidate
your account if you instruct us to do so. If so instructed, we will liquidate your account in an orderly and
efficient manner. We do not charge for such redemption; however, you should be aware that certain mutual
funds impose redemption fees as stated in their fund prospectus. You should also keep in mind that the
decision to liquidate security issues or mutual funds may result in tax consequences that should be discussed
with your tax advisor.
We will not be responsible for market fluctuations in your account from the time of notice until complete
liquidation. All efforts will be made to process the termination in an efficient and timely manner. Factors
that may affect the orderly and efficient liquidation of an account might be size and types of issues, liquidity
of the markets, and market makers’ abilities. Should the necessary securities’ markets be unavailable, and
trading suspended, efforts to trade will be made as soon as possible following their reopening. Due to the
administrative processing time needed to terminate an advisory account, termination orders cannot be
considered market orders. It may take several business days under normal market conditions to process
your request.
If an advisory program account is terminated, but you maintain a brokerage account with us, the money
market fund used in a “sweep” arrangement may be changed and/or your shares may be exchanged for
shares of another money market fund (as not all of the money market funds used in our advisory accounts
are available in brokerage accounts). You will bear a proportionate share of the money market fund’s fees
and expenses. You are subject to the customary brokerage charges for any securities positions sold in your
account after the termination of program services.