Exhibit 99.CODE.ETH
DIAMOND HILL FUNDS
CODE OF ETHICS
FOR
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE AND FINANCIAL OFFICERS
I. Introduction
------------
The Board of Trustees of Diamond Hill Funds (the "Trust") has adopted
this code of ethics (the "Code") applicable to the Trust's Principal Executive
Officers and Principal Financial Officers (the "Covered Officers") to deter
wrongdoing and to promote:
. honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of
conflicts of interest;
. full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure;
. compliance with applicable laws and governmental rules and
regulations;
. the prompt internal reporting to an appropriate person or persons
identified in the Code of violations of the Code; and
. accountability for adherence to the Code.
II. Covered Officers Should Act Honestly and Candidly
-------------------------------------------------
Each Covered Officer owes a duty to the Trust to act with integrity.
Integrity requires, among other things, being honest and candid. Deceit and
subordination of principle are inconsistent with integrity.
Each Covered Officer must:
. act with integrity, including being honest and candid while still
maintaining the confidentiality of information where required by
law or the Trust's policies;
. observe both the form and spirit of laws and governmental rules and
regulations, accounting standards and the Trust's policies;
. adhere to a high standard of business ethics; and
. place the interests of the Trust before the Covered Officer's own
personal interests.
All activities of Covered Officers should be guided by and adhere to
these fiduciary standards.
III. Covered Officers Should Handle Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ethically
---------
Guiding Principles. A "conflict of interest" occurs when an individual's
private interest interferes with the interests of the Trust. A conflict of
interest can arise when a Covered Officer takes actions or has interests that
may make it difficult to perform the Trust's work objectively and effectively.
For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Officer, or a
member of his or her family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of
his or her position with the Trust. In addition, Covered Officers should be
sensitive to situations that create apparent, not actual, conflicts of interest.
Service to the Trust should never be subordinated to personal gain and
advantage.
Certain conflicts of interest covered by this Code arise out of the
relationships between Covered Officers and the Trust that already are subject to
conflict of interest provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940. For example, Covered Officers may not
individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of
securities or other property) with the Trust because of their status as
"affiliated persons" of the Trust. Therefore, as to the existing statutory and
regulatory prohibitions on individual behavior they will be deemed to be
incorporated into this Code and therefore any violations of such prohibitions
will also be deemed a violation of the Code. Covered Officers must in all cases
comply with applicable statutes and regulations.
As to conflicts arising from, or as a result of the contract relationship
between, the Trust and Diamond Hill Securities, Inc. or Diamond Hill Capital
Management, Inc., the Trust's investment advisors, of which the Covered Officers
are also officers or employees, it is recognized by the Board that, subject to
the Adviser's fiduciary duties to the Trust, the Covered Officers will in the
normal course of their duties (whether formally for the Trust or for the
Adviser, or for both) be involved in establishing policies and implementing
decisions which will have different effects on the Adviser and the Trusts. The
Board recognizes that the participation of the Covered Officers in such
activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between the Trust and the
Adviser and is consistent with the expectation of the Board of the performance
by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of the Trust.
Each Covered Officer must:
. avoid conflicts of interest wherever possible;
. handle any actual or apparent conflict of interest ethically;
. not use his or her personal influence or personal relationships to
influence investment decisions or financial reporting by the Trust
whereby the Covered Officer would benefit personally to the detriment
of the Trust;
. not cause the Trust to take action, or fail to take action, for the
personal benefit of the Covered Officer rather than the benefit of the
Trust;
. not use knowledge of portfolio transactions made or contemplated for
the Trust to profit or cause others to profit, by the market effect of
such transactions;
. as described in more detail below, discuss any material transaction or
relationship that could reasonably be expected to give rise to a
conflict of interest with the Trust's Compliance Officer prior to
engaging in such transaction or relationship;
. report at least annually any affiliations or other relationships
related to conflicts of interest that the Trust's Directors and
Officers Questionnaire covers;
Some conflict of interest situations that should always be discussed
with the Compliance Officer, if material, include the following;
. any outside business activity;
. service as a director on the board of any public or private company;
. the receipt of any gifts in excess of $100;
. the receipt of any entertainment from any company with which the Trust
has current or prospective business dealings unless such entertainment
is business related, reasonable in cost, appropriate as to time and
place, and not so frequent as to raise any question of impropriety;
. being in the position of supervising, reviewing or having any
influence on the job evaluation, pay or benefit of any immediate
family member;
. any ownership interest in, or any consulting or employment
relationship with, any of the Trust's service providers, other than
the Adviser;
. a direct or indirect financial interest in commissions, transaction
charges or spreads paid by the Trust for effecting portfolio
transactions or for selling or redeeming shares other than an interest
arising from the Covered Officer's employment, such as compensation or
equity ownership.
IV. Disclosure
----------
Each Covered Officer is required to be familiar, and comply, with the
Trust's disclosure controls and procedures so that the Trust's subject reports
and documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC")
comply in all material respects with the applicable federal securities laws and
SEC rules. In addition, each Covered Officer having direct
or supervisory authority regarding these SEC filings or the Trust's other public
communications should, to the extent appropriate within his or her area of
responsibility, consult with other Trust officers and employees and take other
appropriate steps regarding these disclosures with the goal of making full,
fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure.
Each Covered Officer must:
. familiarize himself or herself with the disclosure requirements
applicable to the Trust as well as the business and financial
operations of the Trust; and
. not knowingly misrepresent, or cause others to misrepresent, facts
about the Trust to others, whether within or outside the Trust,
including to the Trust's internal auditors, independent directors,
independent auditors, and to governmental regulators and
self-regulatory organizations.
V. Compliance
----------
It is the Trust's policy to comply with all applicable laws and
governmental rules and regulations. It is the personal responsibility of each
Covered Officer to adhere to the standards and restrictions imposed by those
laws, rules and regulations, including those relating to affiliated
transactions, accounting and auditing matters.
VI. Reporting and Accountability
----------------------------
Each Covered Officer must:
. upon receipt of the Code, sign and submit to the Compliance Officer
an acknowledgement stating that he or she has received, read, and
understands the Code.
. annually thereafter submit a form to the Compliance Officer
confirming that he or she has received, read and understands the
Code and has complied with the requirements of the Code.
. not retaliate against any employee or Covered Officer for reports
of potential violations that are made in good faith.
. notify the Compliance Officer promptly if he or she becomes aware
of any existing or potential violation of this Code. Failure to do
so is itself a violation of this Code.
Except as described otherwise below, the Compliance Officer is responsible for
applying this Code to specific situations in which questions are presented to it
and has the authority to interpret this Code in any particular situation. The
Compliance Officer shall take all action he or she considers appropriate to
investigate any actual or potential violations reported to him or her.
The Compliance Officer is authorized to consult, as appropriate, with the Audit
Committee (the "Committee"), the Independent Trustees, the Board of Trustees and
counsel to the Trust and is encouraged to do so.
The Committee is responsible for granting waivers and determining sanctions, as
appropriate. In addition, approvals, interpretations, or waivers sought by the
Covered Officers will be considered by the Committee.
The Trust will follow these procedures in investigating and enforcing this Code,
and in reporting on the Code:
. the Compliance Officer will take all appropriate action to
investigate any violations reported to him or her;
. violations and potential violations will be reported to the
Committee after such investigation;
. if the Committee determines that a violation has occurred, it will
inform the Board of Trustees who will take all appropriate
disciplinary or preventive action;
. appropriate disciplinary or preventive action may include a letter
of censure, suspension, dismissal or, in the event of criminal or
other serious violations of law, notification of the SEC or other
appropriate law enforcement authorities;
. the Board will be responsible for granting waivers, as appropriate,
to the extent such matters are referred to it by the Committee; and
. any changes to or waivers of this Code will, to the extent
required, be disclosed on Form N-CSR as provided by SEC rules.
VII. Other Policies and Procedures
-----------------------------
The Trust's and the Adviser's codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 are separate requirements applying to Covered Officers and
others, and are not part of this Code.
VIII. Amendments
----------
This Code may not be amended except in written form, which is
specifically approved by a majority vote of the Trust's Board of Trustees,
including a majority of Independent Trustees.
IX. Confidentiality
---------------
All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant to this Code
shall be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected
accordingly. Except as otherwise required by law or this Code, such matters
shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the members of the Board of
Trustees.
X. Internal Use
------------
The Code is intended solely for the internal use by the Trust and does
not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of the Trust, as to any fact,
circumstance, or legal conclusion.
Date: August 21, 2003
Exhibit A
Persons Covered by this Code of Ethics:
James F. Laird, Jr.