As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 23, 2013

 

Securities Act File No. 333-173274
Investment Company Act File No. 811-22543

 

 

U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 


FORM N-2  

(CHECK APPROPRIATE BOX OR BOXES)

 

x REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

x Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4

 

x REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

 

x Amendment No. 4

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in Charter)

 


 

555 California Street

50th Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

(Address of principal executive offices)

 


 

(415) 315-3620

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

 


 

Nicole J. Macarchuk, Esq.

KKR Asset Management LLC

555 California Street

50th Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

(Name and address of agent for service)

 


 

COPY TO:

 

Allison M. Fumai, Esq.

 

Leonard B. Mackey, Jr., Esq.

Kenneth E. Young, Esq.

 

Clifford R. Cone, Esq.

Dechert LLP

 

Clifford Chance US LLP

1095 Avenue of the Americas

 

31 West 52nd Street

New York, NY 10036

 

New York, NY 10019

 

 


 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:

As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 


 

If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box.  o

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

 

o when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c)

 


 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Title of Securities
Being Registered

 

Amount Being
Registered

 

Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit(1)

 

Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price (1)

 

Amount of 
Registration
Fee(2)

 

Shares of Beneficial Interest

 

50,000 shares

 

$

20.00

 

$

1,000,000

 

$

136.40

 

 

(1)           Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee.

(2)           Previously paid.

 


 

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 


THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. THE FUND MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

Subject to Completion
Preliminary Prospectus dated July 23, 2013

PROSPECTUS

Shares

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

Common Shares
$20.00 per Share

Investment Objectives. KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") is a recently organized non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated.

Investment Strategies. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic strategy of investing in a targeted portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers and implementing hedging strategies in order to seek to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its Managed Assets (as defined herein) in loans and fixed-income instruments or other instruments, including derivative instruments, with similar economic characteristics (the "80% Policy"). The Fund expects to invest primarily in first- and second-lien secured loans, unsecured loans and high-yield corporate debt instruments of varying maturities. The instruments in which the Fund invests may be rated investment grade or below investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or unrated. The Fund's investments in below investment grade loans, below investment grade fixed-income instruments and debt instruments of financially troubled companies are considered speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal. These investments are commonly referred to as "high-yield" or "junk" instruments. The Fund seeks to tactically and dynamically allocate capital across companies' capital structures where KKR Asset Management LLC (the "Adviser") believes its due diligence process has identified compelling investment opportunities, including where the Adviser has identified issuer distress, event-driven misvaluations of securities or capital market inefficiencies.

(continued on following page)

Investment Adviser. KKR Asset Management LLC serves as the Fund's investment adviser. Launched in 2004, the Adviser is a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P. (together with the Adviser and its other affiliates, "KKR"), a leading global investment firm with a 37-year history of leadership, innovation and investment excellence. The Adviser's investment teams, which are organized by industry, invest across the capital structure with the goal of protecting capital and achieving attractive risk-adjusted returns.

No Prior Trading History. Because the Fund is recently organized, its common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per common share (the "Common Shares"), have no history of public trading. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase investors' risk of loss. This risk may be greater for investors expecting to sell their shares in a relatively short period after completion of this public offering.

Listing. The Fund's Common Shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, under the trading or "ticker" symbol "KIO."

Investors should consider their investment goals, time horizons and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not appropriate for all investors, and the Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program. Before buying any Common Shares, you should read the discussion of the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which are summarized in "Prospectus Summary—Risk Factors" beginning on page 8 of this prospectus and further described in "Risk Factors" beginning on page 69 of this prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

   

Per Share

 

Total(1)

 

Public offering price

 

$

20.00

       

Sales load(2)

 

$

0.90

       

Estimated offering expenses

 

$

0.04

       

Proceeds, after expenses, to the Fund(3)

 

$

19.06

       

(footnotes on following page)

The underwriters expect to deliver the Common Shares to purchasers on or about , 2013.

Morgan Stanley

 

Citigroup

 

UBS Investment Bank

 

Barclays

 

 

BB&T Capital Markets

 

Chardan Capital Markets, LLC

 

Henley & Company LLC

 

J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC

 

Janney Montgomery Scott

 

J.P. Turner & Company, LLC

 

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

 

Maxim Group LLC

 

Newbridge Securities Corporation

 

Pershing LLC

 

Wedbush Securities Inc.

 

Wunderlich Securities

 

The date of this prospectus is                      , 2013.



(footnotes from previous page)

(1)  The Fund has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to                      additional Common Shares at the public offering price, less the sales load, within 45 days of the date of this prospectus solely to cover over-allotments, if any. If such option is exercised in full, the total public offering price, sales load, estimated offering expenses and proceeds, after expenses, to the Fund will be $           , $           , $            and $           , respectively. See "Underwriters."

(2)  The Adviser (and not the Fund) has agreed to pay, from its own assets, a structuring fee and syndication fee to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and a structuring fee to each of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. The Adviser (and not the Fund) may also pay certain qualifying underwriters a structuring fee, a sales incentive fee or other additional compensation in connection with the offering. Because these fees are paid by the Adviser, they are not reflected under sales load in the table above. See "Underwriters—Additional Compensation to the Underwriters and their Affiliates and Other Relationships."

(3)  The Fund will pay offering expenses (other than the sales load) up to an aggregate of $0.04 per Common Share sold in this offering. The Adviser has agreed to pay (i) all of the Fund's organizational expenses and (ii) the Fund's offering expenses (other than the sales load) in excess of $0.04 per Common Share. The Adviser has also agreed to pay AST Investor Services, LLC certain fees and reimburse certain registered representative expenses in connection with the marketing and distribution services provided with respect to the Fund. The Fund will reimburse the Adviser for these fees and reimbursements, but only to the extent that such fees and reimbursements when added to all other Fund offering expenses (other than the sales load) do not exceed $0.04 per Common Share. Total offering expenses are estimated to be $            (approximately $            per Common Share); therefore, offering expenses payable by the Fund are estimated to be $            ($0.04 per Common Share) and offering expenses payable by the Adviser are estimated to be $            ($            per Common Share). See "Summary of Common Shareholder Fees and Expenses."

(continued from cover page)

Other Investments. The Fund also may invest in equity securities incidental to the purchase or ownership of fixed-income instruments. In pursuing its investment objectives or for hedging purposes, the Fund may engage in short selling and may invest in various types of derivatives, including structured products, swaps, forward contracts, futures contracts and options. Derivative instruments will be counted toward the 80% Policy to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within the 80% Policy.

Leverage. The Fund is permitted to obtain leverage using any form or combination of financial leverage instruments, including through funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions ( i.e. , a credit facility), margin facilities, the issuance of preferred shares or notes and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. Following the completion of the Fund's initial public offering of Common Shares, and subject to prevailing market conditions, the Fund initially expects to enter into a credit facility to add financial leverage to its portfolio representing up to approximately 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets (including the assets subject to, and obtained with the proceeds of, the leveraging activity). In the future, the Fund may use forms of leverage other than and/or in addition to a credit facility. The Fund may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease its leverage, or use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments, at any time based on the Adviser's assessment of market conditions and the investment environment. There can be no assurance that the Fund will use leverage or that its leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk."

This prospectus sets forth concisely information about the Fund you should know before investing. Please read this prospectus carefully before deciding whether to invest and retain it for future reference. A Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") dated                   , 2013 has been filed with the SEC. A table of contents to the SAI is located on page 117 of this prospectus. This prospectus incorporates by reference the entire SAI. The SAI is available along with other Fund-related materials at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, DC (call 1-202-551-8090 for information on the operation of the reference room), on the EDGAR database on the SEC's internet site (http://www.sec.gov), upon payment of copying fees by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20549-0102, or by electronic mail at publicinfo@sec.gov.

You may also request a free copy of the SAI, annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders when available, and additional information about the Fund, and may make other shareholder inquiries, by calling (855) 859-3943, by writing to the Fund or visiting the Fund's website (http://www.kkrfunds.com). The information contained in, or accessed through, the Fund's website is not part of this prospectus.

The Fund's Common Shares do not represent a deposit or obligation of, and are not guaranteed by or endorsed by, any bank or other insured depositary institution, and are not federally insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Summary    

1

   
Summary of Common Shareholder Fees and Expenses    

42

   
The Fund    

44

   
Use of Proceeds    

44

   
Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies    

44

   
Leverage    

66

   
Risk Factors    

69

   
Conflicts of Interest    

93

   
Management of the Fund    

97

   
Calculation of Net Asset Value    

100

   
Distributions    

101

   
Dividend Reinvestment Plan    

102

   
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations    

104

   
Closed-end Fund Structure    

108

   
Description of Capital Structure    

109

   
Underwriters    

112

   
Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar    

116

   
Legal Opinions    

116

   
Reports to Shareholders    

116

   
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm    

116

   
Additional Information    

116

   
Table of Contents of the Statement of Additional Information    

117

   

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The Fund has not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. The Fund is not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of this prospectus. The Fund's business, financial condition and prospects may have changed since that date.


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PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This is only a summary. This summary may not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the Fund's common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per common share (the "Common Shares"). You should review the more detailed information contained in this prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI").

The Fund   
  KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") is a recently organized non-diversified, closed-end management investment company.

The Offering   
  The Fund is offering Common Shares through a group of underwriters (the "Underwriters") led by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC. The Fund has given the Underwriters an option to purchase up to additional Common Shares to cover over-allotments, if any. The initial public offering price is $20.00 per Common Share. The minimum purchase in this offering is 100 Common Shares ($2,000).

Investment Objectives   
  The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated.

Investment Strategies   
  The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic strategy of investing in a targeted portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers and implementing hedging strategies in order to seek to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its Managed Assets in loans and fixed-income instruments or other instruments, including derivative instruments, with similar economic characteristics (the "80% Policy"). "Managed Assets" means the total assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to borrowings for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Fund's accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing borrowings for investment purposes). The Fund expects to invest primarily in first- and second-lien secured loans, unsecured loans and high-yield corporate debt instruments of varying maturities. The Fund will tactically and dynamically allocate its assets in varying types of credit instruments based on its analysis of the credit markets, which may result in the Fund's portfolio becoming concentrated in a particular type of credit instrument (such as senior secured floating rate and fixed-rate loans ("Senior Loans") or corporate bonds) and substantially less invested in other types of credit instruments. The instruments in which the Fund invests may be rated investment grade or below investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (an "NRSRO"), or unrated. The Fund's investments in below investment grade loans and fixed-income instruments are commonly referred to as "high-yield" or "junk" instruments and are considered speculative with respect to the issuer's



capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its Managed Assets in fixed-income instruments that are rated Caa1 or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or CCC+ or lower by Standard & Poor's Corporation Rating Group ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"). Unrated fixed-income instruments and equity securities will not be subject to this 20% limitation. The Fund may invest in debt instruments of financially troubled companies (sometimes known as "stressed" or "distressed" securities). The Fund also may invest in equity securities incidental to the purchase or ownership of fixed-income instruments. The Fund seeks to tactically and dynamically allocate capital across companies' capital structures where KKR Asset Management LLC (the "Adviser") believes its due diligence process has identified compelling investment opportunities, including where the Adviser has identified issuer distress, event-driven misvaluations of securities or capital market inefficiencies.

The Fund may invest in any one or in any combination of fixed-rate and floating rate fixed-income instruments; listed and unlisted corporate debt obligations; convertible securities; collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), collateralized bond and collateralized loan obligations; bank obligations; U.S. government securities and debt issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia); preferred securities and trust preferred securities; structured securities; and when-issued securities and forward commitments. The Fund may engage in short sales for investment and risk management purposes. The Fund may also invest in securities of exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") to the extent permitted by law. The Adviser will periodically rebalance the Fund's allocation of assets among different types of credit instruments based on absolute and relative value considerations and its analysis of the credit markets in order to seek to optimize the Fund's allocation to credit instruments that the Adviser believes are positioned to contribute to the achievement of the Fund's investment objectives under the market conditions existing at the time of investment.

The Adviser, a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P. (together with the Adviser and its other affiliates, "KKR"), will utilize KKR's global network of resources, due diligence skills, intellectual capital and experience in investing to seek to achieve the Fund's investment objectives. The Adviser will employ a fundamentally-driven investment philosophy which is based on deep credit underwriting and rigorous financial analysis. Because KKR has deep experience in credit and private equity underwriting, the Adviser's investment approach is designed to incorporate valuable characteristics of both. The Adviser will seek to reallocate the portfolio of the Fund to opportunistically emphasize those investments, categories of investments and geographic exposures believed to be best suited to the current investment and interest rate environment and market outlook. The Fund will invest globally in U.S. and non-U.S. issuers' obligations, including those of emerging market issuers, and such obligations may be U.S. dollar denominated as well as non-U.S. dollar denominated.


2



In pursuing its investment objectives or for hedging purposes, the Fund may engage in short selling and may invest in various types of derivatives, including structured products, swaps, forward contracts, futures contracts and options. Derivative instruments will be counted toward the 80% Policy to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within the 80% Policy.

The Fund's investment objectives and investment strategies are not fundamental, unless otherwise noted in the Fund's SAI, and can be changed without the vote of the Fund's holders of Common Shares ("Common Shareholders") by the board of trustees of the Fund (the "Board"). For a more complete discussion of the Fund's portfolio composition, see "Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies."

The Adviser believes that changing investment and interest rate environments over time offer attractive investment opportunities in the markets for credit obligations, as well as varying degrees of investment risk. To both capitalize on attractive investments and effectively manage potential risk, the Adviser believes that the combination of a thorough and continuous credit analysis (including an analysis of an issuer's ability to make loan or debt payments when due) and the ability to reallocate the portfolio of the Fund among different categories of investments at different points in the credit cycle ( i.e. , the cycle between overall positive economic environments and less positive economic environments for credit obligations) is critical to achieving higher risk-adjusted returns, including higher current income and/or capital appreciation, relative to other high-yielding investments.

The Fund's portfolio turnover rate may vary from year to year. The Fund generally expects, under normal market conditions, its portfolio turnover to be up to 100%. Because it is difficult to predict accurately portfolio turnover rates, actual turnover may be higher or lower. A high portfolio turnover rate increases a fund's transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact a fund's performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if a fund had lower portfolio turnover. See "Risk Factors—Portfolio Turnover Risk."

The Adviser   
  KKR Asset Management LLC serves as the Fund's Adviser. Launched in 2004, the Adviser is a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P., a leading global investment firm with a 37-year history of leadership, innovation and investment excellence.

The Adviser is a leading manager of non-investment grade debt and public equities. The Adviser's investment teams, which are organized by industry, invest across the capital structure with the goal of protecting capital and achieving attractive risk-adjusted returns.

With more than 100 employees in its business, including approximately 70 dedicated investment professionals located in San Francisco, New


3



York and London, the Adviser's investment teams seek to leverage KKR's private equity experience and extensive industry relationships in making strong investment choices on behalf of its clients.

The Adviser is a limited liability company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware and is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act").

Investment Philosophy   
  With more than 100 employees, including approximately 70 investment professionals, the Adviser has deep expertise in the global credit markets and in investing in corporate debt across a range of industries. The Adviser's investment professionals manage and evaluate credit opportunities across capital structures and they provide access to an established platform for evaluating investments, managing risk and focusing on opportunities that seek to generate attractive returns with appropriate levels of risk. This platform allows for intensive due diligence to filter investment opportunities and help select investments that the Adviser believes offer the most favorable risk/reward characteristics. See "Management of the Fund."

The Adviser's investment approach is to be flexible in how the Fund invests once the Adviser has identified macro catalysts (including macroeconomic events or trends that may create market inefficiencies, such as a lack of financial market following of an industry or sector, a misunderstanding in the market of a particular issuer or an industry falling out of favor with the investor community) or idiosyncratic events (including unexpected developments that impact an issuer or its industry, such as changes in applicable regulatory regimes, litigation or management turmoil). The Adviser generally focuses on corporate opportunities and invests in fixed-income and equity securities in order to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns. The Adviser generally seeks to invest in companies where it has what it regards as a differentiated view through its proprietary research and due diligence capabilities, including, for example, where the Adviser has performed detailed due diligence on the relevant company or its competitors, service providers or industry.

About KKR   
  KKR operates with a single culture that rewards investment discipline, creativity, determination and patience and the sharing of information, resources, expertise and best practices across offices and asset classes, subject to well-defined information sharing policies and compliance procedures. Its investment professionals provide access to an established platform for evaluating investments, managing risk and focusing on opportunities that seek to generate attractive returns with appropriate levels of risk. This platform allows for intensive due diligence to filter investment opportunities and help select investments that offer the most favorable risk/reward characteristics. Because KKR believes that deep industry knowledge is integral to sourcing deals and creating value for investors, KKR's investment professionals are organized in industry-specific teams. These teams conduct their own


4



primary research, develop views on industry themes and trends and proactively work to identify companies in which to invest, often on an exclusive basis. KKR believes the industry-specific team approach allows investment teams to become experts within their sectors and build strong relationships with companies needing capital, while covering the full corporate credit space.

Founded in 1976, KKR is a leading global investment firm with 18 offices and over 900 people, including over 300 investment professionals. It operates an integrated global platform for sourcing and executing investments across multiple industries, asset classes and geographies. KKR is a long-term fundamental investor focused on producing attractive risk-adjusted returns for its clients. As of March 31, 2013, KKR had $78.3 billion in assets under management.

Temporary Investments   
  During temporary defensive periods, including during the period when the proceeds of the offering of Common Shares are being invested, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives and investment strategies. During such periods, the Fund may invest all or a portion of its assets in certain short-term (less than one year to maturity) and medium-term (not greater than five years to maturity) debt securities or hold cash and cash equivalents. The short- and medium-term debt securities in which the Fund may invest include (i) obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) bank deposits and bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers' acceptances) of U.S. or foreign banks denominated in any currency; (iii) floating rate securities and other instruments denominated in any currency issued by various governments or international development agencies; (iv) finance company and corporate commercial paper and other short-term corporate debt obligations of U.S. or foreign corporations; (v) repurchase agreements with banks and broker- dealers with respect to such securities; and (vi) shares of money market funds and money market instruments. See "Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies—Portfolio Composition—Temporary Investments" and "Use of Proceeds" below.

Leverage   
  The Fund is permitted to obtain leverage using any form or combination of financial leverage instruments, including through funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions ( i.e. , a credit facility), margin facilities, the issuance of preferred shares or notes and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. Following the completion of the Fund's initial public offering of Common Shares, and subject to prevailing market conditions, the Fund initially expects to enter into a credit facility to add financial leverage to its portfolio representing up to approximately 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets (including the assets subject to, and obtained with the proceeds of, the leveraging activity). In the future, the Fund may use forms of leverage other than and/or in addition to a credit facility. The Fund may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease its leverage, or use different types or


5



combinations of leveraging instruments, at any time based on the Fund's assessment of market conditions and the investment environment. There can be no assurance that the Fund will use leverage or that its leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk."

Investment Advisory Agreement   
  Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement, the Adviser will receive an annual fee, payable monthly by the Fund, in an amount equal to 1.10% of the Fund's average daily Managed Assets (the "Management Fee").

During periods when the Fund is using leverage, the Management Fee paid to the Adviser will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the Management Fee paid is calculated on the basis of the Fund's Managed Assets, which includes the assets purchased through leverage. See "Risk Factors—Conflicts of Interest Risk."

The Administrator   
  U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the "Administrator"), located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the administration agreement, the Administrator is responsible for calculating the net asset value ("NAV") of the Common Shares and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.

The Administrator is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of up to 0.04% of the average daily value of the Fund's net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee of $65,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses. See "Management of the Fund—The Administrator."

Distributions   
  Commencing with the Fund's initial distribution, the Fund intends to make regular monthly cash distributions of all or a portion of its net investment income to Common Shareholders. The Fund expects to declare the initial monthly distribution on the Fund's Common Shares within 45 to 60 days after completion of this offering and to pay that initial monthly distribution approximately 60 to 90 days after completion of this offering, subject to market conditions. The Fund will distribute to Common Shareholders at least annually all or substantially all of its net investment income after the payment of interest, fees and dividends, if any, owed with respect to any outstanding forms of leverage utilized by the Fund. The Fund intends to pay any capital gains distributions at least annually. If the Fund realizes a long-term capital gain, it will be required to allocate such gain between the Common Shares and any preferred shares issued by the Fund in proportion to the total distributions paid to each class for the year in which the income is realized. See "Distributions."

Various factors will affect the level of the Fund's income, including the asset mix, the average maturity of the Fund's portfolio, the amount of leverage utilized by the Fund and the Fund's use of hedging. To permit the Fund to maintain a more stable monthly distribution, the Fund may, from time to time, distribute less than the entire amount of income


6



earned in a particular period. The undistributed income would be available to supplement future distributions. As a result, the distributions paid by the Fund for any particular monthly period may be more or less than the amount of income actually earned by the Fund during that period. Undistributed income will add to the Fund's NAV (and indirectly benefit the Adviser and the Administrator by increasing their fees) and, correspondingly, distributions from the Fund's income will reduce the Fund's NAV. See "Distributions."

Taxation   
  The Fund intends to elect to be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a regulated investment company ("RIC") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). Accordingly, the Fund generally will not pay corporate-level federal income taxes on any net ordinary income or capital gains that it currently distributes to its Common Shareholders. To qualify and maintain its qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund must meet specified source-of-income and asset diversification requirements and distribute annually at least 90% of its net ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any. See "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" in this prospectus.

Dividend Reinvestment Plan   
  Pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "DRIP"), income dividends and/or capital gain distributions to Common Shareholders will automatically be reinvested in additional Common Shares of the Fund by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the "DRIP Administrator"). A Common Shareholder may terminate participation in the DRIP at any time by notifying the DRIP Administrator before the record date of the next distribution through the Internet, by telephone or in writing. Common Shareholders whose Common Shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee and who wish to elect to receive any dividends and distributions in cash must contact their broker or nominee. All distributions to Common Shareholders who do not participate in the DRIP, or have elected to terminate their participation in the DRIP, will be paid by check mailed directly to the record holder by or under the direction of the DRIP Administrator when the Board declares a distribution. See "Dividend Reinvestment Plan."

Listing   
  The Fund's Common Shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, under the trading or "ticker" symbol "KIO."

Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar   
U.S. Bank, N.A. will serve as custodian (the "Custodian") for the Fund. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC also provides accounting services to the Fund. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will also serve as the Fund's dividend paying agent, transfer agent and registrar. See "Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar."


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Risk Factors   
  Investing in the Fund involves risks, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or that you may lose part or all of your investment. Below is a summary of the principal risks of investing in the Fund. For a more complete discussion of the risks of investing in the Fund, see "Risk Factors." You should consider carefully the following principal risks before investing in the Fund. The Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.

No Operating History. The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified, closed-end investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision. The Fund's Common Shares have no history of public trading.

Investment and Market Risk. An investment in the Fund involves a considerable amount of risk. Before making an investment decision, a prospective investor should (i) consider the suitability of this investment with respect to the his or her investment objectives and personal situation and (ii) consider factors such as his or her personal net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity needs. An investment in the Fund's Common Shares represents an indirect investment in the portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments, short positions and other securities and derivative instruments owned by the Fund, and the value of these securities and instruments may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, and such investment is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. At any point in time, an investment in the Fund's Common Shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account distributions paid by the Fund and the ability of Common Shareholders to reinvest dividends. The Fund may also use leverage, which would magnify the Fund's investment, market and certain other risks.

The Fund may be materially affected by market, economic and political conditions globally and in the jurisdictions and sectors in which it invests or operates, including factors affecting interest rates, the availability of credit, currency exchange rates and trade barriers. These factors are outside the Adviser's control and could adversely affect the liquidity and value of the Fund's investments, and may reduce the ability of the Fund to make attractive new investments.

In particular, economic and financial market conditions began to significantly deteriorate approximately five years ago as compared to prior periods. Global financial markets experienced considerable declines in the valuations of debt and equity securities, an acute contraction in the availability of credit and the failure of a number of leading financial institutions. As a result, certain government bodies and central banks worldwide, including the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Federal Reserve, undertook unprecedented intervention programs, the effects of which remain uncertain. The U.S. economy has experienced and continues to experience relatively high levels of


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unemployment and constrained lending. Although certain financial markets have shown some recent signs of the improvement, to the extent economic conditions experienced over the last five years continue, they may adversely impact the investments of the Fund. Low interest rates related to monetary stimulus and economic stagnation may also negatively impact expected returns on investments in such an environment. Trends and historical events do not imply, forecast or predict future events and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. There can be no assurance that the assumptions made or the beliefs and expectations currently held by the Adviser will prove correct, and actual events and circumstances may vary significantly.

The Fund may be subject to risk arising from a default by one of several large institutions that are dependent on one another to meet their liquidity or operational needs, so that a default by one institution may cause a series of defaults by the other institutions. This is sometimes referred to as "systemic risk" and may adversely affect financial intermediaries, such as clearing agencies, clearing houses, banks, securities firms and exchanges, with which the Fund interacts on a daily basis.

Market Discount Risk. Common shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund frequently trade at a discount from their NAV. Common shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund have traded at prices higher than their NAV during some periods and have traded at prices lower than their NAV during other periods. The Fund cannot assure you that its Common Shares will trade at a price higher than or equal to NAV in the future. The Fund's NAV will be reduced immediately following this offering by the sales load and the amount of offering expenses paid by the Fund. In addition to NAV, the market price of the Fund's Common Shares may be affected by such factors as distribution levels and stability (which are in turn affected by expenses, regulation affecting the timing and character of Fund distributions and other factors), portfolio credit quality, liquidity, market supply and demand and similar other factors relating to the Fund's portfolio holdings. The Fund's market price may also be affected by general market, economic or political conditions. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and should not be viewed as a vehicle for trading purposes. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their Common Shares in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering. You should not purchase Common Shares of the Fund if you intend to sell them shortly after purchase.

Fixed-Income Instruments Risk. The Fund will invest in loans and other types of fixed-income instruments and securities. Such investments may be secured, partially secured or unsecured and may be unrated, and whether or not rated, may have speculative characteristics. The market price of the Fund's investments will change in response to changes in interest rates and other factors. Generally, when interest rates rise, the values of fixed-income instruments fall, and vice versa. In typical interest rate environments, the prices of longer-term


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fixed-income instruments generally fluctuate more than the prices of shorter-term fixed-income instruments as interest rates change. These risks may be greater in the current market environment because certain interest rates are near historically low levels. Most high yield investments pay a fixed rate of interest and are therefore vulnerable to inflation risk.

The obligor of a fixed-income instrument may not be able or willing to pay interest or to repay principal when due in accordance with the terms of the associated agreement. An obligor's willingness and ability to pay interest or to repay principal due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow. Commercial bank lenders may be able to contest payments to the holders of other debt obligations of the same obligor in the event of default under their commercial bank loan agreements. See "Risk Factors—Fixed-Income Instruments Risk."

Senior Loans Risk. Senior Loans hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a corporation, partnership or other business entity (a "Borrower"). Senior Loans in most circumstances are fully collateralized by assets of the borrower. Thus, they are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors and preferred or common stockholders. Substantial increases in interest rates may cause an increase in loan defaults as borrowers may lack resources to meet higher debt service requirements. The value of the Fund's assets may also be affected by other uncertainties such as economic developments affecting the market for senior secured term loans or affecting borrowers generally. Moreover, the security for the Fund's investments in secured debt may not be recognized for a variety of reasons, including the failure to make required filings by lenders, trustees or other responsible parties and, as a result, the Fund may not have priority over other creditors as anticipated.

Senior Loans usually include restrictive covenants, which must be maintained by the borrower. The Fund may have an obligation with respect to certain senior secured term loan investments to make additional loans upon demand by the borrower. Such instruments, unlike certain bonds, usually do not have call protection. This means that such interests, while having a stated term, may be prepaid, often without penalty. The rate of such prepayments may be affected by, among other things, general business and economic conditions, as well as the financial status of the borrower. Prepayment would cause the actual duration of a Senior Loan to be shorter than its stated maturity.

Senior Loans typically will be secured by pledges of collateral from the borrower in the form of tangible and intangible assets. In some instances, the Fund may invest in Senior Loans that are secured only by stock of the borrower or its subsidiaries or affiliates. The value of the collateral may decline below the principal amount of the senior secured term loans subsequent to an investment by the Fund.


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Senior Loans generally are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), or any state securities commission, and are not listed on any national securities exchange. There is less readily available or reliable information about most Senior Loans than is the case for many other types of securities, including securities issued in transactions registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). No active trading market may exist for some Senior Loans, and some Senior Loans may be subject to restrictions on resale. A secondary market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which may impair the Fund's ability to realize full value and thus cause a material decline in the Fund's NAV. In addition, the Fund may not be able to readily dispose of its Senior Loans at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such loans if they were more widely traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations. During periods of limited supply and liquidity of Senior Loans, the Fund's yield may be lower. See "Risk Factors—Below Investment Grade Instruments Risk."

If legislation or government regulations impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of financial institutions to make loans, the availability of Senior Loans for investment by the Fund may be adversely affected. In addition, such requirements or restrictions could reduce or eliminate sources of financing for certain Borrowers. This would increase the risk of default. See "Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies—Portfolio Composition—Senior Loans" and "Risk Factors—Senior Loans Risk."

Credit Risk. The Fund's debt investments will be subject to the risk of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal by the borrowers with respect to such investments. Such non-payment would likely result in a reduction of income to the Fund and a reduction in the value of the debt investments experiencing non-payment.

Although the Fund may invest in investments that the Adviser believes are secured by specific collateral, the value of which may exceed the principal amount of the investments at the time of initial investment, there can be no assurance that the liquidation of any such collateral would satisfy the borrower's obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments with respect to such investment, or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing an investment. Under certain circumstances, collateral securing an investment may be released without the consent of the Fund. The Fund may also invest in high yield instruments and other unsecured investments, each of which involves a higher degree of risk than Senior Loans. The Fund's right to payment


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and its security interest, if any, may be subordinated to the payment rights and security interests of more senior creditors. Certain of these investments may have an interest-only payment schedule, with the principal amount remaining outstanding and at risk until the maturity of the investment. In this case, a portfolio company's ability to repay the principal of an investment may be dependent upon a liquidity event or the long-term success of the company, the occurrence of which is uncertain.

Companies in which the Fund invests could deteriorate as a result of, among other factors, an adverse development in their business, a change in the competitive environment or an economic downturn. As a result, companies that the Fund expected to be stable may operate, or expect to operate, at a loss or have significant variations in operating results, may require substantial additional capital to support their operations or maintain their competitive position, or may otherwise have a weak financial condition or be experiencing financial distress.

Leverage Risk. The Fund is permitted to obtain leverage using any form or combination of financial leverage instruments, including through funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions ( i.e. , a credit facility), margin facilities, the issuance of preferred shares or notes and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. The Fund may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease its leverage, or use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments, at any time based on the Fund's assessment of market conditions and the investment environment.

Following the completion of the Fund's initial public offering of Common Shares, and subject to prevailing market conditions, the Fund initially expects to add financial leverage to its portfolio representing up to approximately 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets (including the assets subject to, and obtained with the proceeds of, the leveraging activity).

The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act"), generally limits the extent to which the Fund may utilize borrowings and "uncovered" transactions that may give rise to a form of leverage, including reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative transactions, together with any other senior securities representing indebtedness, to 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets at the time utilized. In addition, the 1940 Act limits the extent to which the Fund may issue preferred shares to 50% of the Fund's Managed Assets (less the Fund's obligations under senior securities representing indebtedness). "Covered" reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative transactions will not be counted against the foregoing limits under the 1940 Act. The Fund will "cover" its derivative positions by segregating an amount of cash


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and/or liquid securities as required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time. Alternatively, the Fund may enter into an offsetting position or own positions covering its obligations with respect to the transaction; otherwise, this transaction will be considered "uncovered." The Fund may not cover an applicable derivative transaction if it does not need to do so to comply with the foregoing 1940 Act requirements and, in the view of the Adviser, the assets that would have been used to cover could be better used for a different purpose. However, these transactions, even if covered, may represent a form of economic leverage and will create risks. The potential loss on derivative instruments may be substantial relative to the initial investment therein. In addition, these segregation and coverage requirements could result in the Fund maintaining securities positions that it would otherwise liquidate, segregating assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restricting portfolio management. Such segregation and cover requirements will not limit or offset losses on related positions.

Use of leverage creates an opportunity for increased income and return for Common Shareholders but, at the same time, creates risks, including the likelihood of greater volatility in the NAV and market price of, and distributions on, the Common Shares. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund's portfolio will be magnified if the Fund uses leverage. In particular, leverage may magnify interest rate risk, which is the risk that the prices of portfolio securities will fall (or rise) if market interest rates for those types of securities rise (or fall). As a result, leverage may cause greater changes in the Fund's NAV, which will be borne entirely by the Fund's Common Shareholders. There can be no assurance that the Fund will use leverage or that its leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. The Fund may be subject to investment restrictions of one or more NRSROs and/or credit facility lenders as a result of its use of financial leverage. These restrictions may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or portfolio requirements will significantly impede the Adviser in managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with its investment objectives and policies. Nonetheless, if these covenants or guidelines are more restrictive than those imposed by the 1940 Act, the Fund may not be able to utilize as much leverage as it otherwise could have, which could reduce the Fund's investment returns. In addition, the Fund expects that any notes it issues or credit facility it enters into would contain covenants that, among other things, may impose geographic exposure limitations, credit quality minimums, liquidity minimums, concentration limitations and currency hedging requirements on the Fund. These covenants would also likely limit the Fund's ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change fundamental investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations. Such restrictions could cause the Adviser to make different investment decisions than if there were no


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such restrictions and could limit the ability of the Board and Common Shareholders to change fundamental investment policies.

The costs of a financial leverage program (including the costs of offering preferred shares and notes) will be borne entirely by Common Shareholders and consequently will result in a reduction of the NAV of the Common Shares. During periods in which the Fund is using leverage, the fees paid by the Fund for investment advisory services will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the investment advisory fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's Managed Assets, which includes proceeds from (and assets subject to) any credit facility, margin facility, any issuance of preferred shares or notes, any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. This will create a conflict of interest between the Adviser, on the one hand, and Common Shareholders, on the other hand. To monitor this potential conflict, the Board intends to periodically review the Fund's use of leverage, including its impact on Fund performance and on the Adviser's fees. See "Conflicts of Interest."

The Fund may also offset derivative positions against one another or against other assets to manage the effective market exposure resulting from derivatives in its portfolio. In addition, to the extent that any offsetting positions do not behave in relation to one another as expected, the Fund may perform as if it were leveraged. The Fund's use of leverage could create the opportunity for a higher return for Common Shareholders but would also result in special risks for Common Shareholders and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on the securities and investments purchased with leverage proceeds are greater than the cost of the leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income and gains from the securities and investments purchased with such proceeds do not cover the cost of leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be less than if leverage had not been used. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk."

Subordinated and Unsecured or Partially Secured Loans Risk. The Fund may invest in unsecured loans and secured subordinated loans, including second and lower lien loans. Second lien loans are generally second in line in terms of repayment priority. A second lien loan may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first lien or it may be secured by a separate set of assets. Second lien loans generally give investors priority over general unsecured creditors in the event of an asset sale. The priority of the collateral claims of third or lower lien loans ranks below holders of second lien loans and so on. Such junior loans are subject to the same general risks inherent to any loan investment, including credit risk, market and liquidity risk, and interest rate risk. Due to their lower place in the borrower's capital structure and possible unsecured or partially secured status, such loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than Senior Loans of the same borrower.


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Mezzanine Securities Risk. Most of the Fund's mezzanine securities and other investments (if any) are expected to be unsecured and made in companies whose capital structures have significant indebtedness ranking ahead of the investments, all or a significant portion of which may be secured. While the securities and other investments may benefit from the same or similar financial and other covenants as those enjoyed by the indebtedness ranking ahead of the investments and may benefit from cross-default provisions and security over the portfolio company's assets, some or all of such terms may not be part of particular investments. Mezzanine securities and other investments generally are subject to various risks including, without limitation: (i) a subsequent characterization of an investment as a "fraudulent conveyance"; (ii) the recovery as a "preference" of liens perfected or payments made on account of a debt in the 90 days before a bankruptcy filing; (iii) equitable subordination claims by other creditors; (iv) so-called "lender liability" claims by the issuer of the obligations; and (v) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations.

Below Investment Grade Instruments Risk. The Fund may invest in debt securities and instruments that are rated below investment grade by recognized rating agencies or will be unrated and face ongoing uncertainties and exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions and the issuer's failure to make timely interest and principal payments. Such securities and instruments are generally not exchange-traded and, as a result, trade in the over-the-counter ("OTC") marketplace, which is less transparent than the exchange-traded marketplace. In addition, the Fund may invest in bonds of issuers that do not have publicly traded equity securities, making it more difficult to hedge the risks associated with such investments. The Fund's investments in high yield instruments expose it to a substantial degree of credit risk and interest rate risk. The market for high yield securities has recently experienced periods of significant volatility and reduced liquidity. The market values of certain of these lower-rated and unrated debt investments tend to reflect individual corporate developments to a greater extent and tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than those of higher-rated investments, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Companies that issue such securities are often highly leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of financing. Major economic recessions such as those recently (and in some cases, currently) experienced globally may disrupt severely the market for such securities, and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and interest thereon, thereby increasing the incidence of default of such securities. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the value and liquidity of these high yield debt securities.


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Special Situations and Distressed Investments. The Fund intends to invest in securities and other obligations of companies that are in special situations involving significant financial or business distress, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Although such investments may result in significant returns for the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in distressed assets is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Fund will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing the Fund's investments or the prospects for a successful reorganization or similar action in respect of any company. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Troubled company investments and other distressed asset-based investments require active monitoring.

Short Selling Risk. Short selling involves a number of risks. Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument that it does not own but can borrow in the market. If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions earlier than it had expected. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to the Fund.

Until the Fund replaces a security borrowed in connection with a short sale, it may be required to maintain a segregated account of cash or liquid assets with a broker or custodian to cover the Fund's short position. Generally, securities held in a segregated account cannot be sold unless they are replaced with other liquid assets. The Fund's ability to access the pledged collateral may also be impaired in the event the broker becomes bankrupt, insolvent or otherwise fails to comply with the terms of the contract. In such instances, the Fund may not be able to substitute or sell the pledged collateral and may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in these circumstances. Additionally, the Fund must maintain sufficient liquid assets (less any additional collateral pledged to the broker), marked-to-market daily, to cover the borrowed securities obligations. This may limit the Fund's investment flexibility, as well as its ability to meet other current obligations.

Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. By contrast,


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a loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact that a security's value cannot decrease below zero. In addition, engaging in short selling may limit the Fund's ability to fully benefit from increases in the fixed-income markets.

By investing the proceeds received from selling securities short, the Fund could be deemed to be employing a form of leverage, which creates special risks. The use of leverage may increase the Fund's exposure to long securities positions and make any change in the Fund's NAV greater than it would be without the use of leverage. This could result in increased volatility of returns. There is no guarantee that any leveraging strategy the Fund employs will be successful during any period in which it is employed. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk."

In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions generally may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer.

Prepayment Risk. Prepayment risk occurs when a debt investment held by the Fund can be repaid in whole or in part prior to its maturity. The amount of prepayable obligations in which the Fund invests from time to time may be affected by general business conditions, market interest rates, borrowers' financial conditions and competitive conditions among lenders. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay investments more quickly than anticipated, reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the relevant investment. Moreover, when the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that the Fund purchases the relevant investment at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If the Fund buys such investments at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and unscheduled prepayments will also accelerate the recognition of income which may be taxable as ordinary income to Common Shareholders. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of investments may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change an investment that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer-term investment. Since the value of longer-term investments generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term investments, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of the Fund. When interest rates decline, the value of an investment with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income instruments, and, as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or delay prepayments and thus affect maturities.


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Credit Derivatives Risk. The use of credit derivatives is a highly specialized activity which involves strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of default risks, liquidity risk, counterparty risk, market spreads or other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these techniques were not used. Moreover, even if the Adviser is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that a credit derivative position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being protected. The Fund's risk of loss in a credit derivative transaction varies with the form of the transaction. For example, if the Fund sells protection under a credit default swap, it would collect periodic fees from the buyer and would profit if the credit of the underlying issuer or reference entity remains stable or improves while the swap is outstanding, but the Fund would be required to pay an agreed upon amount to the buyer (which may be the entire notional amount of the swap) if the reference entity defaults on the reference security. Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Fund invested in the reference obligation directly.

Derivatives Risk. The Fund's derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets of the Fund, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying assets in the Fund's portfolio; the loss of principal; the possible default of the other party to the transaction; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative contract would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative contract and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security.

The counterparty risk for cleared derivative transactions is generally lower than for uncleared OTC derivatives since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a cleared derivative contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties' performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing house for performance of financial obligations. However, there can be no assurance that the clearing house, or its members, will satisfy its obligations to the Fund.

Certain of the derivative investments in which the Fund may invest may, in certain circumstances, give rise to a form of financial leverage, which may magnify the risk of owning such instruments. The ability to


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successfully use derivative investments depends on the ability of the Adviser to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. In addition, amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to the Fund's derivative investments would not be available to the Fund for other investment purposes, which may result in lost opportunities for gain.

OTC derivatives may be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than other investments. Although both OTC and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience a lack of liquidity, OTC non-standardized derivative transactions are generally less liquid than exchange-traded instruments. The illiquidity of the derivatives markets may be due to various factors, including congestion, disorderly markets, limitations on deliverable supplies, the participation of speculators, government regulation and intervention, and technical and operational or system failures. In addition, the liquidity of a secondary market in an exchange-traded derivative contract may be adversely affected by "daily price fluctuation limits" established by the exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in an exchange-traded contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open positions. Prices have in the past moved beyond the daily limit on a number of consecutive trading days. If it is not possible to close an open derivative position entered into by the Fund, the Fund would continue to be required to make cash payments of variation (or mark-to-market) margin in the event of adverse price movements. In such a situation, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Fund to ascertain a market value for such instruments. The inability to close derivatives transactions positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund's ability to effectively hedge its portfolio. OTC derivatives that are not cleared are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, the Fund's contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund's rights as a creditor ( e.g. , the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). In addition, the use of certain derivatives may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of income or short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates).

The derivatives markets have become subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations and margin requirements. In particular, in the United States the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") regulates the OTC derivatives market by, among other things, requiring many derivative transactions to be cleared and traded on an exchange, expanding entity registration requirements,


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imposing business conduct requirements on dealers and requiring banks to move some derivatives trading units to a non-guaranteed affiliate separate from the deposit-taking bank or divest them altogether. Rulemaking proposed or implemented under the Dodd-Frank Act could potentially limit or completely restrict the ability of the Fund to use these instruments as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using these instruments or affect the pricing or other factors relating to these instruments, or may change availability of certain investments.

The Fund's investments in regulated derivatives instruments, such as swaps, futures and options, will be subject to maximum position limits established by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC") and U.S. and foreign futures exchanges. Under the exchange rules all accounts owned or managed by advisers, such as the Adviser, their principals and affiliates would be combined for position limit purposes. In order to comply with the position limits established by the CFTC and the relevant exchanges, the Adviser may in the future reduce the size of positions that would otherwise be taken for the Fund or not trade in certain markets on behalf of the Fund in order to avoid exceeding such limits. A violation of position limits by the Adviser could lead to regulatory action resulting in mandatory liquidation of certain positions held by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will liquidate positions held on behalf of all the Adviser's accounts in a proportionate manner or at favorable prices, which may result in substantial losses to the Fund. Such policies could affect the nature and extent of derivatives use by the Fund. See "Risk Factors—Derivatives Risk."

Regulatory Risk—Regulation as a Commodity Pool. The Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" with respect to the Fund pursuant to Regulation 4.5 promulgated by the CFTC under the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA"). The CFTC has adopted amendments to its rules that may affect the ability of the Adviser to claim this exclusion. The on-going compliance implications of these amendments are not fully effective and their scope of application is still uncertain. The Adviser will be limited in its ability to use futures or options on futures or engage in swaps transactions on behalf of the Fund as a result of claiming the exclusion. In the event the Adviser fails to qualify for the exclusion and is required to register as a "commodity pool operator," the Adviser will become subject to additional disclosure, recordkeeping and reporting requirements with respect to the Fund, which may increase the Fund's expenses.

Risks related to the Fund's clearing broker and central clearing counterparty . The CEA and CFTC regulations require swaps and futures clearing brokers registered as "futures commission merchants"


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to segregate from the broker's proprietary assets all funds and other property received from customers with respect to any orders for the purchase or sale of U.S. domestic futures contracts, options on futures contracts and cleared swaps. Similarly, the CEA requires each futures commission merchant to hold in a separate secure account all funds and other property received from customers with respect to any orders for the purchase or sale of foreign futures contracts and segregate any such funds from the funds received with respect to domestic futures contracts. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers are held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in an omnibus account and may be accessed by the clearing broker, which may also invest any such funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulation. There is a risk that assets deposited by the Fund with any swaps or futures clearing broker as margin for futures contracts or cleared swaps may, in certain circumstances, be used to satisfy losses of other clients of the Fund's clearing broker. In addition, the assets of the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the Fund's clearing broker's bankruptcy, as the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing broker's combined domestic customer accounts.

Similarly, the CEA and CFTC regulations require a clearing organization approved by the CFTC as a derivatives clearing organization to segregate all funds and other property received from a clearing member's customers in connection with domestic futures, swaps and options contracts from any funds or other property held at the clearing organization to support the clearing member's proprietary trading. Nevertheless, with respect to futures and options contracts, a clearing organization may use assets of a non-defaulting customer held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing organization. As a result, in the event of a default of the clearing broker's other clients or the clearing broker's failure to extend its own funds in connection with any such default, the Fund may not be able to recover the full amount of assets deposited by the clearing broker on behalf of the Fund with the clearing organization.

Structured Products Risk. The Fund may invest in structured products, consisting of collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs") and credit-linked notes. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk.

The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products


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generally pay their share of the structured product's administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying structured products will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses shorter-term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured products owned by the Fund.

Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. CLOs and credit-linked notes are typically privately offered and sold. As a result, investments in CLOs and credit-linked notes may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities discussed herein, CLOs carry additional risks, including, but not limited to, (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that the investments in CLOs are subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

Repurchase Agreements Risk. Subject to its investment objectives and policies, the Fund may invest in repurchase agreements as a buyer for investment purposes. Repurchase agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Fund of debt securities from a selling financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association or broker-dealer. The agreement provides that the Fund will sell the securities back to the institution at a fixed time in the future. The Fund does not bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security unless the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of the bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and losses, including (i) possible decline in the value of the underlying security during the period in which the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto; (ii) possible lack of access to income on the underlying security during this period; and (iii) expenses of enforcing its rights. In addition, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund generally will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercise of the Fund's right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss.


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Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Rolls Risk. The use of reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve many of the same risks involved in the use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll may decline below the price of the securities that the Fund has sold but remains obligated to repurchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by the Fund may decline. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll were to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, the Fund may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the underlying securities. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements and dollar roll transactions, the Fund's NAV will decline, and, in some cases, the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used such instruments.

Swap Risk. The Fund may also invest in credit default swaps, total return swaps, interest rate swaps and other types of swaps. Such transactions are subject to market risk, liquidity risk, risk of default by the other party to the transaction, known as "counterparty risk," regulatory risk and risk of imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets and may involve commissions or other costs. When buying protection under a credit default swap, the risk of market loss with respect to the swap generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. However, when selling protection under a swap, the risk of loss is often the notional value of the underlying asset, which can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. As a seller, the Fund would be incurring a form of leverage. The Fund will "cover" its swap positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities as required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time.

The Dodd-Frank Act and related regulatory developments ultimately will require the clearing and exchange-trading of many OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC recently defined as "swaps." Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant and CFTC determination of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor these developments, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect a Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

The swap market has matured in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid; however there is no guarantee that the swap market will continue to provide liquidity and may be subject


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to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Fund to ascertain a market value for such instruments. The inability to close derivative positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund's ability to effectively hedge its portfolio. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used. In a total return swap, the Fund pays the counterparty a floating short-term interest rate and receives in exchange the total return of underlying loans or debt securities. The Fund bears the risk of default on the underlying loans or debt securities, based on the notional amount of the swap and, therefore, incurs a form of leverage. The Fund would typically have to post collateral to cover this potential obligation.

Options and Futures Risk. The Fund may utilize options and futures contracts and so-called "synthetic" options or other derivatives written by broker-dealers or other permissible financial intermediaries. Options transactions may be effected on securities exchanges or in the OTC market. When options are purchased OTC, the Fund's portfolio bears the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. Options may also be illiquid and, in such cases, the Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. OTC options also may include options on baskets of specific securities.

The Fund may purchase call and put options on specific securities, and may write and sell covered or uncovered call and put options for hedging purposes in pursuing its investment objectives. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying security at a stated exercise price, typically at any time prior to the expiration of the option for American options or only at expiration for European options. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, the underlying security at a stated exercise price, typically at any time prior to the expiration of the option. A covered call option is a call option with respect to which the seller of the option owns the underlying security. The sale of such an option exposes the seller during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security or to possible continued holding of a security that might otherwise have been sold to protect against depreciation in the market price of the security. A covered put option is a put option with respect to which cash or liquid securities have been placed in a segregated account on the books of or with a custodian to fulfill the obligation undertaken. The sale of such an option exposes the seller during the term of the option to a decline in price of the underlying security while depriving the seller of the opportunity to invest the segregated assets.


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The Fund may close out a position when writing options by purchasing an option on the same underlying security with the same exercise price and expiration date as the option that it has previously written on the security. In such a case, the Fund will realize a profit or loss if the amount paid to purchase an option is less or more than the amount received from the sale of the option.

Engaging in transactions in futures contracts and options involves risk of loss to the Fund. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract or option at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses.

A market could become unavailable if one or more exchanges were to stop trading options or it could become unavailable with respect to options on a particular underlying security if the exchanges stopped trading options on that security. In addition, a market could become temporarily unavailable if unusual events ( e.g. , volume exceeds clearing capability) were to interrupt normal exchange operations. If an options market were to become illiquid or otherwise unavailable, an option holder would be able to realize profits or limit losses only by exercising and an options seller or writer would remain obligated until it is assigned an exercise or until the option expires.

If trading is interrupted in an underlying security, the trading of options on that security is usually halted as well. Holders and writers of options will then be unable to close out their positions until options trading resumes, and they may be faced with considerable losses if the security reopens at a substantially different price. Even if options trading is halted, holders of options will generally be able to exercise them. However, if trading has also been halted in the underlying security, option holders face the risk of exercising options without knowing the security's current market value. If exercises do occur when trading of the underlying security is halted, the party required to deliver the underlying security may be unable to obtain it, which may necessitate a postponed settlement and/or the fixing of cash settlement prices.

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in securities of ETFs. Investments in ETFs are subject to a variety of risks, including all of the risks of a direct investment in the underlying securities that the ETF holds. ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including, without limitation, the risk that their prices may not correlate perfectly with changes in the prices of the underlying securities they are designed to track, and the risk of trading in an ETF halting due to


25



market conditions or other reasons, based on the policies of the exchange upon which the ETF trades. ETF shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time may not be identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Some ETFs are highly leveraged and therefore would subject the Fund to the additional risks associated with leverage. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk." In addition, the Fund may bear, along with other shareholders of an ETF, its pro rata portion of the ETF's expenses, including management fees. Accordingly, in addition to bearing their proportionate share of the Fund's expenses, Common Shareholders may also indirectly bear similar expenses of an ETF.

Counterparty Risk. Certain Fund investments will be exposed to the credit risk of the counterparties with which, or the dealers, brokers and exchanges through which, the Fund deals, whether in exchange-traded or OTC transactions. The Fund may be subject to the risk of loss of Fund assets on deposit or being settled or cleared with a broker in the event of the broker's bankruptcy, the bankruptcy of any clearing broker through which the broker executes and clears transactions on behalf of the Fund, the bankruptcy of an exchange clearing house or the bankruptcy of any other counterparty. In the case of any such bankruptcy, the Fund might recover, even in respect of property specifically traceable to the Fund, only a pro rata share of all property available for distribution to all of the counterparty's customers and counterparties. Such an amount may be less than the amounts owed to the Fund. Such events would have an adverse effect on the NAV of the Fund. Certain counterparties may have general custody of, or title to, the Fund's assets (including, without limitation the Custodian). The failure of any such counterparty may result in adverse consequences to the NAV of the Fund. See "Risk Factors—Counterparty Risk."

Counterparty and Prime Brokerage Risk . Changes in the credit quality of the companies that serve as the Fund's prime brokers or counterparties with respect to derivatives or other transactions supported by another party's credit will affect the value of those instruments. Certain entities that have served as prime brokers or counterparties in the markets for these transactions have recently incurred significant financial hardships including bankruptcy and losses as a result of exposure to sub-prime mortgages and other lower quality credit investments that have experienced recent defaults or otherwise suffered extreme credit deterioration. As a result, such hardships have reduced such entities' capital and called into question their continued ability to perform their obligations under such transactions. By using derivatives, swaps or other transactions, the Fund assumes the risk that its counterparties could experience similar financial hardships. If a prime broker or counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other


26



reorganization proceeding; if the Fund's claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such prime broker or counterparty and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances.

Lender Liability Risk. A number of U.S. judicial decisions have upheld judgments obtained by Borrowers against lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories, collectively termed "lender liability." Generally, lender liability is founded on the premise that a lender has violated a duty (whether implied or contractual) of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing, or a similar duty owed to the Borrower or has assumed an excessive degree of control over the Borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the Borrower or its other creditors or Common Shareholders. Because of the nature of its investments, the Fund may be subject to allegations of lender liability.

In addition, under common law principles that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, if a lender or bondholder (i) intentionally takes an action that results in the undercapitalization of a Borrower to the detriment of other creditors of such Borrower; (ii) engages in other inequitable conduct to the detriment of such other creditors; (iii) engages in fraud with respect to, or makes misrepresentations to, such other creditors; or (iv) uses its influence as a stockholder to dominate or control a Borrower to the detriment of other creditors of such Borrower, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of the offending lender or bondholder to the claims of the disadvantaged creditor or creditors, a remedy called "equitable subordination."

Because affiliates of, or persons related to, the Adviser may hold equity or other interests in obligors of the Fund, the Fund could be exposed to claims for equitable subordination or lender liability or both based on such equity or other holdings.

Distressed Debt, Litigation, Bankruptcy and Other Proceedings. The Fund may be invested in debt securities and other obligations of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business distress. Investments in distressed securities involve a material risk of involving the Fund in a related litigation. Such litigation can be time-consuming and expensive, and can frequently lead to unpredicted delays or losses. Litigation expenses, including payments pursuant to settlements or judgments, generally will be borne by the Fund.

The Adviser may make investments for the Fund in companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings. There are a number of significant risks when investing in companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings, and many events in a bankruptcy are the product of contested matters and adversary proceedings which are beyond the control of the creditors. A bankruptcy filing may have adverse and permanent effects on a


27



company. Further, if the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the liquidation value of the company may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. In addition, the duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is difficult to predict. A creditor's return on investment can be impacted adversely by delays while the plan of reorganization is being negotiated, approved by the creditors and confirmed by the bankruptcy court, and until it ultimately becomes effective. Certain claims, such as claims for taxes, wages and certain trade claims, may have priority by law over the claims of certain creditors and administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and will be paid out of the debtor's estate prior to any return to creditors.

Certain fixed-income instruments invested in by the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal, state or non-U.S. bankruptcy laws or fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws, if such securities were issued with the intent of hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors or, in certain circumstances, if the issuer receives less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration in return for issuing such securities. If a court were to find that the issuance of the securities was a fraudulent transfer or conveyance, the court could void the payment obligations under the securities, further subordinate the securities to other existing and future indebtedness of the issuer or require the Fund to repay any amounts received by it with respect to the securities. In the event of a finding that a fraudulent transfer or conveyance occurred, the Fund may not receive any payment on the securities. If the Fund or the Adviser is found to have interfered with the affairs of a company in which the Fund holds a debt investment, to the detriment of other creditors or Common Shareholders of such company, the Fund may be held liable for damages to injured parties or a bankruptcy court. While the Fund will attempt to avoid taking the types of action that would lead to such liability, there can be no assurance that such claims will not be asserted or that the Fund will be able to successfully defend against them. Moreover, such debt may be disallowed or subordinated to the claims of other creditors or treated as equity. Where the Fund or the Adviser has representatives on the boards of a portfolio company, such involvement may also prevent the Fund from freely disposing of its debt investments and may subject the Fund to additional liability or result in re-characterization of its debt investments as equity.

Insofar as the Fund's portfolio includes obligations of non-United States obligors, the laws of certain foreign jurisdictions may provide for avoidance remedies under factual circumstances similar to those described above or under different circumstances, with consequences that may or may not be analogous to those described above under U.S. federal or state laws. Changes in bankruptcy laws (including U.S. federal and state laws and applicable non-U.S. laws) may adversely impact the Fund's securities.


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Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles its holder to receive interest that is generally paid or accrued on debt or a dividend that is paid or accrued on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally (i) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities; (ii) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock due to their fixed-income characteristics; and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.

The value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its "conversion value" (the security's worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security's investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed-income instrument. Generally, the amount of the premium decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. Although under normal market conditions longer-term convertible debt securities have greater yields than do shorter-term convertible debt securities of similar quality, they are subject to greater price fluctuations. See "Risk Factors—Convertible Securities Risk."

When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments. Securities may be purchased on a "forward commitment" or "when-issued" basis (meaning securities are purchased or sold with payment and delivery taking place in the future) in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield at the time of entering into the transaction. However, the return on a comparable security when the transaction is consummated may vary from the return on the security at the time that the forward commitment or when-issued transaction was made. From the time of entering into the transaction until delivery


29



and payment is made at a later date, the securities that are the subject of the transaction are subject to market fluctuations. In forward commitment or when-issued transactions, if the seller or buyer, as the case may be, fails to consummate the transaction, the counterparty may miss the opportunity of obtaining a price or yield considered to be advantageous. Forward commitment or when-issued transactions may occur a month or more before delivery is due. However, no payment or delivery is made until payment is received or delivery is made from the other party to the transaction.

Risk of Investments in Equity Securities or Warrants Incidental to Investments in Loans and Fixed-Income Instruments. From time to time, the Fund also may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities or warrants incidental to the purchase or ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument or in connection with a reorganization of a Borrower or issuer. Investments in equity securities incidental to investments in loans or fixed-income instruments entail certain risks in addition to those associated with investments in loans or fixed-income instruments. The value of equity securities, including common stock, preferred stock and convertible stock, will fluctuate in response to factors affecting the particular company, as well as broader market and economic conditions. Moreover, in the event of a company's bankruptcy, claims of certain creditors, including bondholders, will have priority over claims of common stock holders and are likely to have varying types of priority over holders of preferred and convertible stock. These risks may increase fluctuations in the Fund's NAV. The Fund frequently may possess material non-public information about a Borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument of a Borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities while in possession of material non-public information, the Fund might be unable to enter into a transaction in a security of the Borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

U.S. Government Debt Securities Risk. U.S. government debt securities generally do not involve the credit risks associated with investments in other types of debt securities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from other securities. Like other debt securities, however, the values of U.S. government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in the Fund's NAV. Since the magnitude of these fluctuations will generally be greater at times when the Fund's average maturity is longer, under certain market conditions the Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, accept lower current income from short-term investments rather than investing in higher yielding long-term securities. In 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") placed the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac") into conservatorship. As conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles,


30



powers and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the assets of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. There is no assurance that the obligations of such entities will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will not lose value or default. Any Fund investments issued by Federal Home Loan Banks and Fannie Mae may ultimately lose value.

Non-U.S. Securities Risk. The Fund will invest in securities or other instruments, including secured loans and unsecured loans, of non-U.S. issuers or Borrowers. Such investments involve certain factors not typically associated with investing in the United States or other developed countries, including risks relating to: (i) differences between U.S. and non-U.S. securities markets, including potential price volatility in and relative illiquidity of some non-U.S. securities markets; the absence of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices, and disclosure requirements; and less government supervision and regulation; (ii) other differences in law and regulation, including fewer investor protections, less stringent fiduciary duties, less developed bankruptcy laws and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations; (iii) certain economic and political risks, including potential economic, political or social instability; exchange control regulations; restrictions on foreign investment and repatriation of capital (possibly requiring government approval); expropriation or confiscatory taxation; higher rates of inflation; and reliance on a more limited number of commodity inputs, service providers, and/or distribution mechanisms; and (iv) the possible imposition of foreign taxes on income and gains recognized with respect to securities and other assets. The risks of investments in emerging markets (if any), including the risks described above, are usually greater than the risks involved in investing in more developed markets. Because non-U.S. securities may trade on days when the Fund's Common Shares are not priced, the Fund's NAV may change at times when Common Shares cannot be sold.

Emerging Markets Risk. Because of less developed markets and economies and, in some countries, less mature governments and governmental institutions, the risks of investing in foreign securities set forth above can be intensified in the case of investments in issuers domiciled or doing substantial business in emerging market countries. These risks include high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries; political and social uncertainties; over-dependence on exports, especially with respect to primary commodities, making these economies vulnerable to changes in commodity prices; overburdened infrastructure and obsolete or unseasoned financial systems; environmental problems; less developed legal systems; and


31



less reliable custodial services and settlement practices. Investing in securities of companies in emerging markets also may entail risks of expropriation, nationalization, confiscation or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investment, the lack of hedging instruments, and the repatriation of capital invested. Emerging securities markets are substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets. The limited size of emerging securities markets and limited trading value compared to the volume of trading in U.S. securities could cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the quality of the securities. For example, limited market size may cause prices to be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions.

Foreign Currency Risk. Investments made by the Fund, and the income received by the Fund with respect to such investments, may be denominated in various non-U.S. currencies. However, the books of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, changes in currency values may adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of portfolio investments, interest and other revenue streams received by the Fund, gains and losses realized on the sale of portfolio investments, and the amount of distributions, if any, made by the Fund. In addition, the Fund will incur costs in converting investment proceeds from one currency to another. The Fund may enter into derivative transactions designed to reduce such currency risks. Furthermore, the portfolio companies in which the Fund invests may be subject to risks relating to changes in currency values, as described above. If a portfolio company suffers adverse consequences as a result of such changes, the Fund may also be adversely affected as a result.

Eurozone Risk. The Fund may invest from time to time in European companies and companies that have operations that may be affected by the Eurozone economy. Recent concerns regarding the sovereign debt of various Eurozone countries and proposals for investors to incur substantial write-downs and reductions in the face value of Greek sovereign debt have given rise to new concerns about sovereign defaults, the possibility that one or more countries might leave the European Union or the Eurozone and various proposals (still under consideration and unclear in material respects) for support of affected countries and the Euro as a currency. The outcome of this situation cannot yet be predicted. Sovereign debt defaults and European Union and/or Eurozone exits could have material adverse effects on investments by the Fund in European companies, including but not limited to the availability of credit to support such companies' financing needs, uncertainty and disruption in relation to financing, customer and supply contracts denominated in the Euro and wider economic disruption in markets served by those companies, while austerity and other measures introduced in order to limit or contain these issues may themselves lead to economic contraction and resulting adverse effects for the Fund. It is possible that a number of the Fund's securities will be denominated in the Euro. Legal uncertainty about the funding of Euro denominated


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obligations following any breakup or exits from the Eurozone (particularly in the case of investments in companies in affected countries) could also have material adverse effects on the Fund.

Legal and Regulatory Risk. Legal and regulatory changes could occur which may materially adversely affect the Fund. The regulation of the U.S. and non-U.S. securities and futures markets and investment funds such as the Fund has undergone substantial change in recent years, and such change may continue.

The Dodd-Frank Act contains changes to the existing regulatory structure in the United States and is intended to establish rigorous oversight standards to protect the U.S. economy and American consumers, investors and businesses, including provisions that would significantly alter the regulation of commodity interests and comprehensively regulate the OTC derivatives markets for the first time in the United States. The Dodd-Frank Act and the rules that have been or will be promulgated thereunder by relevant regulators may negatively impact the ability of the Fund to meet its investment objectives either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act will occur over a period of time, and it is unknown in what form, when and in what order significant regulatory initiatives may be implemented or the impact any such implemented regulations will have on the Fund, the markets or instruments in which the Fund invests or the counterparties with which the Fund conducts business. The effect of the Dodd-Frank Act or other regulatory change on the Fund, while impossible to predict, could be substantial, adverse and potentially limit or completely restrict the ability of the Fund to use derivative instruments as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective. In addition, the practice of short selling has been the subject of numerous temporary restrictions, and similar restrictions may be promulgated at any time. Such restrictions may adversely affect the returns of the Fund.

In Europe, the Financial Stability Board, which monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system, issued a report in October 2011 that recommended strengthening oversight and regulation of the so-called "shadow banking" system in Europe, broadly described as credit intermediation involving entities and activities outside the regular banking system. The report outlined initial steps to define the scope of the shadow banking system and proposed general governing principles for a monitoring and regulatory framework. While at this stage it is difficult to predict the scope of any new regulations, if such regulations were to extend the regulatory and supervisory requirements, such as capital and liquidity standards, currently applicable to banks, or the Fund was considered to be engaged in "shadow banking," the regulatory and operating costs associated therewith could adversely impact the implementation of the Fund's investment strategy and returns and may become prohibitive.


33



Event Driven Investing. The Fund may invest in companies in expectation of a specific event or catalyst, which may be external ( e.g. , a macro event impacting relevant markets) or an event that is idiosyncratic to the company ( e.g. , a Chapter 11 filing). Such event-driven investing requires the investor to make predictions about (i) the likelihood that an event will occur and (ii) the impact such event will have on the value of the Fund's investment in the relevant company. If the event fails to occur or it does not have the effect foreseen, losses can result. For example, the adoption of new business strategies or completion of asset dispositions or debt reduction programs by a company may not be valued as highly by the market as the Adviser had anticipated, resulting in losses. In addition, a company may announce a plan of restructuring which promises to enhance value and fail to implement it, resulting in losses to investors. In liquidations and other forms of corporate reorganization, the risk exists that the reorganization either will be unsuccessful, will be delayed or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security, the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the investment in respect of which such distribution was made. See "Risk Factors—Event Driven Investing."

Valuation Risk. Unlike publicly traded common stock which trades on national exchanges, there is no central place or exchange for loans or fixed-income instruments to trade. Loans and fixed-income instruments generally trade on an OTC market which may be anywhere in the world where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of loans or fixed-income instruments may carry more risk than that of common stock. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a loan or fixed-income instrument is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such loans or fixed-income instruments carried on the Fund's books. See "Risk Factors—Valuation Risk."

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest without limit in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid. The Fund may also invest in restricted securities. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities if qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase these securities.

Illiquid and restricted securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Fund believes it is desirable to do so. The market price of illiquid and restricted securities generally is more volatile than that of more liquid securities, which may adversely affect the price that the Fund pays for or recovers upon the sale of such securities. Illiquid and restricted securities are also more difficult to value, especially in challenging markets. The Adviser's judgment may


34



play a greater role in the valuation process. Investment of the Fund's assets in illiquid and restricted securities may restrict the Fund's ability to take advantage of market opportunities. In order to dispose of an unregistered security, the Fund, where it has contractual rights to do so, may have to cause such security to be registered. A considerable period may elapse between the time the decision is made to sell the security and the time the security is registered, thereby enabling the Fund to sell it. Contractual restrictions on the resale of securities vary in length and scope and are generally the result of a negotiation between the issuer and acquiror of the securities. In either case, the Fund would bear market risks during that period.

Some loans and fixed-income instruments are not readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. Loans and fixed-income instruments may not be listed on any national securities exchange and no active trading market may exist for certain of the loans and fixed-income instruments in which the Fund will invest. Where a secondary market exists, the market for some loans and fixed-income instruments may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. In addition, events occurring subsequent to an investment by the Fund, including, for example, withdrawals, changes in market, political or other relevant circumstances, may cause some loans and fixed-income instruments that were liquid at the time of acquisition to become illiquid or otherwise cause the Fund's concentration in illiquid investments to increase. See "Risk Factors—Liquidity Risk."

Inflation/Deflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or income from the Fund's investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Common Shares and distributions on the Common Shares can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Fund's use of leverage would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to Common Shareholders.

Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time—the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse affect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund's portfolio. See "Risk Factors—Inflation/Deflation Risk."

Conflicts of Interest Risk. The Adviser will experience conflicts of interest in connection with the management of the Fund, relating to the allocation of the Adviser's time and resources between the Fund and other investment activities; the allocation of investment opportunities by the Adviser and its affiliates; compensation to the Adviser; services that may be provided by the Adviser and its affiliates to issuers in which the Fund invests; investments by the Fund and other clients of the Adviser, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act; the formation of


35



additional investment funds by the Adviser; differing recommendations given by the Adviser to the Fund versus other clients; the Adviser's use of information gained from issuers in the Fund's portfolio to aid investments by other clients, subject to applicable law; and restrictions on the Adviser's use of "inside information" with respect to potential investments by the Fund. See "Risk Factors—Conflicts of Interest Risk" and "Conflicts of Interest."

Uncertain Tax Treatment. The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount ("OID") or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund to the extent necessary in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to ensure that it does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

Complex Transactions/Contingent Liabilities/Guarantees and Indemnities. The Adviser may pursue complex investment opportunities for the Fund, which may involve substantial business, regulatory or legal complexity. Such complexity presents risks, as such transactions can be more difficult, expensive and time-consuming to finance and execute; it can be more difficult to manage or realize value from the assets acquired in such transactions; and such transactions sometimes entail a higher level of regulatory scrutiny or a greater risk of contingent liabilities. Additionally, in connection with certain transactions, the Fund may be required to make representations about the business and financial affairs of a portfolio company, provide guarantees in respect of payments by portfolio companies and other third parties and provide indemnities against losses caused by portfolio companies and other third parties. The Fund may also be required to indemnify the purchasers of such investment to the extent that any such representations are inaccurate. These arrangements may result in the incurrence of contingent liabilities by the Fund, even after the disposition of an investment and ultimately in material losses. See "Risk Factors—Complex Transactions/Contingent Liabilities/Guarantees and Indemnities."

Availability of Investment Opportunities; Competition. The activity of identifying, completing and realizing the types of investment opportunities targeted by the Adviser for the Fund is highly competitive and involves a significant degree of uncertainty.

The Fund competes for investment opportunities with other investment companies and private investment vehicles, as well as the public debt


36



markets, individuals and financial institutions, including investment banks, commercial banks and insurance companies, business development companies, strategic industry acquirers, hedge funds and other institutional investors, investing directly or through affiliates. Over the past several years, a number of such investment vehicles have been formed (and many such existing entities have grown in size). Additional entities with similar investment objectives may be formed in the future by other unrelated parties. It is possible that competition for appropriate investment opportunities may increase, thus reducing the number of opportunities available to the Fund. Such supply-side competition may adversely affect the terms upon which investments can be made by the Fund. Moreover, transaction sponsors unaffiliated with the Fund or KKR may be reluctant to present investment opportunities to the Fund because of its affiliation with KKR. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to locate and complete investments which satisfy the Fund's primary investment objectives or to realize upon their values. See "Risk Factors—Availability of Investment Opportunities; Competition."

Dependence on Key Personnel Risk . The Adviser depends on the efforts, skills, reputations and business contacts of its key personnel, the information and deal flow they and others generate during the normal course of their activities and the synergies among the diverse fields of expertise and knowledge held by the Adviser's professionals. The loss of the services of any of them could have a material adverse effect on the Fund and could harm the Adviser's ability to manage the Fund.

The Adviser's principals and other key personnel possess substantial experience and expertise and have strong business relationships with members of the business community. The loss of these personnel could jeopardize the Adviser's relationships with members of the business community and could result in fewer investment opportunities for the Fund. For example, if any of the Adviser's principals were to join or form a competing firm, the Fund's results and financial condition could suffer. See "Risk Factors—Dependence on Key Personnel Risk."

Material Risks of Significant Methods of Analysis. The Adviser seeks to conduct reasonable and appropriate due diligence based on the facts and circumstances applicable to each investment. When conducting due diligence and making an assessment regarding an investment for the Fund, the Adviser relies on available resources, including information provided by the target of the investment and, in some circumstances, third-party investigations. As a result, the due diligence process may at times be subjective with respect to recently organized companies for which only limited information is available. Accordingly, the Adviser cannot be certain that due diligence investigations with respect to any investment opportunity for the Fund will reveal or highlight all relevant facts (including fraud) that may be necessary or helpful in evaluating such investment opportunity, or that its due diligence investigations will result in investments for the Fund being successful. There can be no assurance that the projected results of an investment opportunity will


37



be achieved for the Fund, and actual results may vary significantly from the projections. General economic, natural, and other conditions, which are not predictable, can have an adverse impact on the reliability of such projections. Assumptions or projections about asset lives; the stability, growth, or predictability of costs; demand; or revenues generated by an investment or other factors associated therewith may, due to various risks and uncertainties including those described herein, differ materially from actual results. See "Risk Factors—Material Risks of Significant Methods of Analysis."

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as "non-diversified" under the 1940 Act. As a result, it can invest a greater portion of its assets in obligations of a single issuer than a "diversified" fund. The Fund may therefore be more susceptible than a diversified fund to being adversely affected by any single corporate, economic, political or regulatory occurrence. The Fund intends to qualify for the special tax treatment available to RICs under Subchapter M of the Code, and thus intends to satisfy the diversification requirements of Subchapter M, including its diversification requirements that apply to the percentage of the Fund's total assets that are represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and certain other securities. See "Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies," "Risk Factors—Non-Diversification Risk" and "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

Market Developments. Although the market is not currently experiencing the same levels of disruption as during 2008 to 2009, extreme volatility or market disruption may recur in the future. Instability in the credit markets may make it more difficult for a number of issuers of debt securities to obtain financing or refinancing for their investment or lending activities or operations. In particular, because of volatile conditions in the credit markets, issuers of debt securities may be subject to increased cost for debt, tightening underwriting standards and reduced liquidity for loans they make, securities they purchase and securities they issue.

For example, certain Borrowers may, due to macroeconomic conditions, be unable to repay secured loans. A Borrower's failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of the secured loans and foreclosure on its secured assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize the Borrower's ability to meet its obligations under its debt securities. The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting Borrower. In addition, if one of the Borrowers were to commence bankruptcy proceedings, even though the Fund may have structured its interest as senior debt, depending on the facts and circumstances, a bankruptcy court might recharacterize the Fund's debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of its claim to that of other creditors. Adverse economic conditions also may decrease the


38



value of collateral securing some of the Fund's loans and the value of its equity investments. A recession could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and the value of the Fund's assets.

These developments may increase the volatility of the value of securities owned by the Fund. These developments also may make it more difficult for the Fund to accurately value its securities or to sell its securities on a timely basis. These developments could adversely affect the ability of the Fund to use leverage for investment purposes and increase the cost of such leverage, which would reduce returns to the holders of Common Shares. These developments also may adversely affect the broader economy, which in turn may adversely affect the ability of issuers of securities owned by the Fund to make payments of principal and interest when due, leading to lower credit ratings of the issuer and increased defaults by the issuer. Such developments could, in turn, reduce the value of securities owned by the Fund and adversely affect the NAV and market price of the Fund's Common Shares. See "Risk Factors—Market Developments."

Market Disruptions from Natural Disasters or Geopolitical Risks. The earthquake and tsunami in Japan, instability in the Middle East, and terrorist attacks in the United States and around the world may result in market volatility and may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets and may cause further economic uncertainties in the United States and worldwide. The Fund cannot predict the effects of natural disasters or geopolitical events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets. See "Risk Factors—Market Disruption from Natural Disasters or Geopolitical Risks."

Government Intervention in the Financial Markets. The recent instability in the financial markets has led the U.S. government to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take additional actions that affect the regulation of the securities or structured products in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such securities or structured products, in ways that are unforeseeable. Borrowers under secured loans held by the Fund may seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objectives. The Adviser will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund's portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund's investment objectives, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so. See "Risk Factors—Government Intervention in the Financial Markets."


39



Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund's annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year, as well as within a given year. Although the Fund cannot accurately predict its annual portfolio turnover rate, it is not expected to exceed 100% under normal circumstances. However, portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital gains by the Fund which, when distributed to Common Shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. A high portfolio turnover may increase the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Fund's distributions being treated as a dividend to the Fund's Common Shareholders. In addition, a higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Fund. See "Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies—Investment Policies—Portfolio Turnover" and "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

Anti-Takeover Provisions. The Fund's Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust ("Declaration of Trust") includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to open-end status. These provisions could deprive the holders of Common Shares of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then current market price of the Common Shares or at NAV. See "Risk Factors—Anti-Takeover Provisions" and "Description of Capital Structure—Anti-Takeover and Certain Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust."

Risks Relating to Fund's RIC Status. To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to RICs and their shareholders under the Code, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. Very generally, in order to qualify as a RIC, the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in stock or other securities and currencies. The Fund must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each quarter of each of its taxable years. Failure to meet these diversification requirements on the last day of a quarter may result in the Fund having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices or times, and may result in substantial losses to the Fund. In addition, in order to be eligible for the special tax treatment accorded RICs, the Fund must meet the annual distribution requirement, requiring it to distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its "investment company taxable income" (generally its taxable ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any) and its net tax-exempt income (if any), to its


40



shareholders. If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any reason and becomes subject to corporate tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce its net assets, the amount of income available for distribution and the amount of its distributions. Such a failure would have a material adverse effect on the Fund and its Shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions in order to re-qualify as a RIC.

RIC-Related Risks of Investments Generating Non-Cash Taxable Income. Certain of the Fund's investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a taxable year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. In particular, the Fund expects to invest in loans and other debt obligations that will be treated as having "market discount" and/or OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to RICs and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, borrow, raise additional equity capital, make taxable distributions of its shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make these income distributions. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize gain or loss on such liquidations; in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, its Common Shareholders may receive larger capital gain distributions than they would in the absence of such transactions.


41



SUMMARY OF COMMON SHAREHOLDER FEES AND EXPENSES

The purpose of the following tables and the example below is to help you understand the fees and expenses that you, as a Common Shareholder, would bear directly or indirectly. Shareholders should understand that some of the percentages indicated in the below are estimates and may vary. The expenses shown in the table under "Other Expenses" and "Total Annual Expenses" are based on estimated amounts for the Fund's first full year of operations and assume that the Fund issues approximately 12,500,000 Common Shares. If the Fund issues fewer Common Shares, all other things being equal, these expenses would increase as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares. The tables also assume the use of leverage through a credit facility by the Fund in an amount equal to 33 1 / 3 % of Managed Assets (after the leverage is incurred), and shows Fund expenses as a percentage of net assets attributable to Common Shares. The Fund's actual expenses may vary from the estimated expenses shown in the table.

Common Shareholder Transaction Expenses

Sales Load Paid By You (as a percentage of the offering price)

   

4.50

%

 
Offering Expenses borne by the Fund (as a percentage of the
offering price)
   

0.20

%(1)

 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan Fees

   

None(2)

   
    Percentage
of Net
Assets
Attributable
to Common
Shares
(Assumes
Leverage is
Used)(3)
 

Annual Expenses

 

Management Fee

   

1.65

%(4)

 

Interest Expenses and Payments on Borrowing

   

0.63

%(5)

 

Other Expenses

   

0.41

%(6)

 

Total Annual Expenses

   

2.69

%

 

(1)  The Fund will pay offering expenses (other than the sales load) up to an aggregate of $0.04 per Common Share sold in this offering. The Adviser has agreed to pay (i) all of the Fund's organizational expenses and (ii) the Fund's offering expenses (other than the sales load) in excess of $0.04 per Common Share. The Adviser has also agreed to pay a fee equal to 0.30% of the total gross assets raised in the Fund's initial public offering to AST Investor Services, LLC, as payments for providing certain distribution-related services, as well as reimburse certain registered representative expenses in connection with the marketing and distribution services provided with respect to the Fund. The Fund will reimburse the Adviser for these fees and reimbursements, but only to the extent that such fees and reimbursements when added to all other Fund offering expenses (other than the sales load) do not exceed $0.04 per Common Share. Total offering expenses are estimated to be $1,829,500 (approximately $0.146 per Common Share); therefore, offering expenses payable by the Fund are estimated to be $500,000 ($0.04 per Common Share) and offering expenses payable by the Adviser are estimated to be $1,329,500 ($0.106 per Common Share). Any offering expenses paid by the Fund will be deducted from the proceeds of the offering received by the Fund.

(2)  You will pay brokerage charges if you direct U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, as agent for the holders of the Common Shares, to sell your Common Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account. See "Dividend Reinvestment Plan."


42



(3)  The table presented below in this footnote 3 estimates what the Fund's annual expenses would be, stated as percentages of the Fund's net assets attributable to Common Shares, but, unlike the table above, assumes that the Fund does not utilize leverage. See "Leverage." In accordance with these assumptions, the Fund's expenses would be estimated to be as follows:

    Percentage
of Net
Assets
Attributable
to Common
Shares
(Assumes
No Use of
Leverage)
 

Annual Expenses

 

Management Fee

   

1.10

%(4)

 

Other Expenses

   

0.35

%(6)

 

Total Annual Expenses

   

1.45

%

 

(4)  The Adviser will receive a monthly Management Fee at an annual rate of 1.10% of the average daily value of the Fund's Managed Assets.

(5)  Assumes the use of leverage through a credit facility representing 33 1 / 3 % of Managed Assets at an annual interest rate expense to the Fund of 1.25%, which is based on current market conditions. The Fund may use other forms of leverage, which may be subject to different interest expenses than those estimated above. The actual amount of interest expense borne by the Fund will vary over time in accordance with the level of the Fund's use of leverage and variations in market interest rates.

(6)  The "Other Expenses" shown in the table above and related footnotes are based upon estimated expenses for the current fiscal year.

Example

The following example illustrates the expenses (including the sales load of $45.00 and estimated offering expenses of this offering of $2.00), that you would pay on a $1,000 investment in Common Shares, assuming (1) total net annual expenses of 2.69% of net assets attributable to Common Shares and (2) a 5% annual return*:

1 Year  

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 
$

73

   

$

127

   

$

183

   

$

335

   

*   The example should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. The example assumes that the estimated "Other expenses" set forth in the Total Annual Expenses table are accurate and that all dividends and distributions are reinvested at NAV. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those assumed. Moreover, the Fund's actual rate of return may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return shown in the example.


43




THE FUND

KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") is a recently organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"). The Fund was organized as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware on March 17, 2011. The Fund has no operating history. The Fund's principal office is located at 555 California Street, 50th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104, and its telephone number is (415) 315-3620.

This prospectus relates to the initial public offering of the Fund's common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per common share ("Common Shares"). See "Underwriters."

USE OF PROCEEDS

The net proceeds of this offering of Common Shares will be approximately $                            (or $                           if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), after payment of the estimated offering costs. KKR Asset Management LLC (the "Adviser") has agreed to pay (i) all of the Fund's organizational expenses and (ii) the Fund's offering expenses (other than the sales load) in excess of $0.04 per Common Share. It is currently anticipated that the Fund will be able to invest substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering in securities that meet the Fund's investment objectives and policies within five months after the completion of the offering. Pending such investment, it is anticipated that the proceeds will be invested in temporary investments. See "Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies—Portfolio Composition—Temporary Investments."

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Investment Objectives

The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated.

Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by employing a dynamic strategy of investing in a targeted portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments of U.S. and non-U.S. issuers and implementing hedging strategies in order to seek to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its Managed Assets in loans and fixed-income instruments or other instruments, including derivative instruments, with similar economic characteristics (the "80% Policy"). "Managed Assets" means the total assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to borrowings for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Fund's accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing borrowings for investment purposes). The Fund expects to invest primarily in first- and second-lien secured loans, unsecured loans, and high-yield corporate debt instruments of varying maturities. The Fund will tactically and dynamically allocate its assets in varying types of credit instruments based on its analysis of the credit markets, which may result in the Fund's portfolio becoming concentrated in a particular type of credit instrument (such as senior secured floating rate and fixed-rate loans ("Senior Loans") or corporate bonds) and substantially less invested in other types of credit instruments. The instruments in which the Fund invests may be rated investment grade or below investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization ("NRSRO"), or unrated. The Fund's investments in below investment grade loans and fixed-income instruments are commonly referred to as "high-yield" or "junk" instruments and are considered speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its Managed Assets in fixed-income instruments that are rated Caa1 or lower by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or CCC+ or lower by Standard &


44



Poor's Corporation Rating Group ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch"). Unrated fixed-income instruments and equity securities will not be subject to this 20% limitation. The Fund may invest in debt instruments of financially troubled companies (sometimes known as "stressed" or "distressed" securities). The Fund also may invest in equity securities incidental to the purchase or ownership of fixed-income instruments. The Fund seeks to tactically and dynamically allocate capital across companies' capital structures where the Adviser believes its due diligence process has identified compelling investment opportunities, including where the Adviser has identified issuer distress, event-driven misvaluations of securities or capital market inefficiencies.

The Fund may invest in any one or in any combination of fixed-rate and floating rate fixed-income instruments; listed and unlisted corporate debt obligations; convertible securities; collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs"), collateralized bond and collateralized loan obligations; bank obligations; U.S. government securities, and debt issued by or on behalf of states, territories, and possessions of the United States (including the District of Columbia); preferred securities and trust preferred securities; structured securities; and when-issued securities and forward commitments. The Fund may engage in short sales for investment and risk management purposes. The Fund may also invest in securities of exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") to the extent permitted by law. The Adviser will periodically rebalance the Fund's allocation of assets among different types of credit instruments based on absolute and relative value considerations and its analysis of the credit markets in order to seek to optimize the Fund's allocation to credit instruments that the Adviser believes are positioned to contribute to the achievement of the Fund's investment objectives under the market conditions existing at the time of investment.

The Adviser, a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P. (together with the Adviser and its other affiliates, "KKR"), will utilize KKR's global network of resources, due diligence skills, intellectual capital and experience in investing to seek to achieve the Fund's investment objectives. The Adviser will employ a fundamentally-driven investment philosophy which is based on deep credit underwriting and rigorous financial analysis. Because KKR has deep experience in credit and private equity underwriting, the Adviser's investment approach is designed to incorporate valuable characteristics of both. The Adviser will seek to reallocate the portfolio of the Fund to opportunistically emphasize those investments, categories of investments and geographic exposures believed to be best suited to the current investment and interest rate environment and market outlook. The Fund will invest globally in U.S. and non-U.S. issuers' obligations, including those of emerging market issuers, and such obligations may be U.S. dollar denominated as well as non-U.S. dollar denominated.

In pursuing its investment objectives or for hedging purposes, the Fund may engage in short selling and may invest in various types of derivatives, including structured products, swaps, forward contracts, futures contracts and options. Derivative instruments will be counted toward the 80% Policy to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within the 80% Policy.

There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated. The Fund's investment objectives and investment strategies are not fundamental, unless otherwise noted in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), and can be changed without the vote of the Fund's holders of Common Shares ("Common Shareholders") by the Board.

The Adviser believes that changing investment and interest rate environments over time offer attractive investment opportunities in the markets for credit obligations, as well as varying degrees of investment risk. To both capitalize on attractive investments and effectively manage potential risk, the Adviser believes that the combination of a thorough and continuous credit analysis (including an analysis of an issuer's ability to make loan or debt payments when due) and the ability to reallocate the portfolio of the Fund among different categories of investments at different points in the credit cycle ( i.e. , the cycle between overall positive economic environments and less positive economic environments for credit obligations) is critical to achieving higher risk-adjusted returns, including higher current income and/or capital appreciation, relative to other high-yielding investments. The Adviser will seek to reallocate the portfolio of the Fund to opportunistically emphasize those investments, geographies and categories of investments best suited to the current investment and interest rate environment and market outlook.


45



As part of its investment strategy, the Fund may sell short positions in investments that the Adviser believes will underperform, due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk and interest rates. The Fund may sell short certain securities, including, but not limited to, U.S. Treasuries, investment grade and high-yield corporate bonds, either for investment and/or hedging and/or financing purposes. The Adviser expects that most of its short investments will be in U.S. Treasuries and investment grade bonds. Because these securities have historically low upward volatility, this may serve to reduce the Fund's risk of loss from short sales. Short positions in high-yield corporate bonds will have a fixed coupon and may have a longer duration and weighted average life than loan investments. The Adviser does not currently anticipate engaging in short sales on loans, but may do so if an active market for selling loans short develops in the future.

The Fund may also use credit default swaps to express a negative credit view on a loan or other investment. If the Fund purchases protection under a credit default swap and no credit event occurs on the reference obligation, the Fund will have made a series of periodic payments and recover nothing of monetary value. However, if a credit event occurs on the reference obligation, the Fund (if the buyer of protection) will receive the full notional value of the reference obligation through a cash payment in exchange for the reference obligation or alternatively, a cash payment representing the difference between the expected recovery rate and the full notional value.

During an expanding or normal economic cycle, the strategy of buying U.S. and foreign loans and fixed-income instruments that are rated below investment grade is designed to generate a consistent level of monthly income and capital appreciation. However, during general economy or market downturns, the "short" strategy of having sold borrowed securities that the Adviser believes could decline in price may help lessen the impact of a significant decline in the value of the Fund's long holdings.

The Fund's portfolio turnover rate may vary from year to year. The Fund generally expects, under normal market conditions, its portfolio turnover to be up to 100%. Because it is difficult to predict accurately portfolio turnover rates, actual turnover may be higher or lower. A high portfolio turnover rate increases a fund's transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact a fund's performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if a fund had lower portfolio turnover.

Investment Philosophy

With more than 100 employees, including approximately 70 investment professionals, the Adviser has deep expertise in the global credit markets and in investing in corporate debt across a range of industries. The Adviser's investment professionals manage and evaluate credit opportunities across capital structures, and they provide access to an established platform for evaluating investments, managing risk and focusing on opportunities that seek to generate attractive returns with appropriate levels of risk. This platform allows for intensive due diligence to filter investment opportunities and help select investments that the Adviser believes offer the most favorable risk/reward characteristics.

The Adviser's investment approach is to be flexible in how the Fund invests once the Adviser has identified macro catalysts (including macroeconomic events or trends that may create market inefficiencies, such as a lack of financial market following of an industry or sector, a misunderstanding in the market of a particular issuer or an industry falling out of favor with the investor community) or idiosyncratic events (including unexpected developments that impact an issuer or its industry, such as changes in applicable regulatory regimes, litigation or management turmoil). The Adviser believes that this dynamic creates an opportunity for closed-end investment companies, like the Fund, to earn very attractive risk-adjusted returns by taking on incremental credit and liquidity risk. The Adviser generally focuses on corporate opportunities and invests in fixed-income and equity securities in order to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns. The Adviser generally seeks to invest in companies where it has what it regards as a differentiated view through its proprietary research and due diligence capabilities, including, for example, where the Adviser has performed detailed due diligence on the relevant company or its competitors, service providers or industry.


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The Adviser is part of the broader KKR organization. KKR is a long-term fundamental investor focused on producing attractive risk-adjusted returns. Within the Fund's investment strategies specifically, KKR seeks out complexity, dislocation and uncertainty, which it believes creates attractive risk/reward opportunities in the marketplace. KKR believes that its credit platform is differentiated by:

•  a "One-Firm" approach to investing, which integrates KKR's resources across regions and asset classes and KKR's history of investing across more than three decades of economic cycles and market fluctuations;

•  a global presence, where KKR is "local" in major markets in North America, Europe and Asia, enhancing the Adviser's ability to identify market dislocations early, move capital to the most attractive regions and efficiently and effectively execute on corresponding investment opportunities;

•  approximately 70 industry-aligned investment professionals who provide the Adviser with comprehensive views on a broad range of industries and sectors, conduct due diligence and monitor investments;

•  a special situations team housed within the Adviser, located in San Francisco, New York and London, that has extensive experience in identifying, evaluating and structuring investments up and down the capital structure from secured debt to equity and bespoke structured credits;

•  a global macro and asset allocation team, which provides the Adviser with research and outlooks on the changing dynamics in the global economy. This capability augments research conducted by its investment professionals and helps the Adviser to quickly develop formal macro views in its due diligence, whether around broad macro themes or specific regional, country or market opportunities;

•  dynamic trading ability, which allows the Adviser to move quickly into liquid credit and equity markets and take advantage of real-time market movements and dislocations with a view to creating incremental value for the Fund;

•  stakeholder management capabilities, including a dedicated Public Affairs team, which the Adviser believes provides it with an advantage in conducting due diligence, proactively managing its portfolio through governmental, regulatory, labor or environmental issues and sourcing new investments;

•  a network of over 30 Senior Advisors, who have held leading executive roles in major global corporations and provide KKR with operational and strategic insights and help it evaluate individual investment opportunities; and

•  a "One-Firm" compensation and incentive structure and approach to investing, which allows KKR to act as a single team focused on finding the best investments and creating the best returns for its investors.

The Investment Process

The Adviser utilizes a fundamentally-driven investment philosophy which is based on deep credit underwriting and rigorous financial analysis. Because KKR has deep experience in credit and private equity underwriting, the Adviser's investment approach is designed to incorporate valuable characteristics of both. The Adviser will generally invest in a credit once it has undergone a due diligence analysis and a comprehensive review and discussion with respect to the Adviser's sourcing advantages, analysis and diligence findings.

Once an investment is made, the Adviser carefully monitors the position and formally re-underwrites its credit decision using a Portfolio Management Committee process approximately every three months. If the committee is not convinced that capital is still best invested in a position, a plan to intelligently exit is developed and implemented.

The central step in the Adviser's investment process is the performance of company, industry, capital structure and legal analysis on each Fund investment. Key elements of this exercise include:

Corporate and Debt Structure.

The Adviser will generally review the corporate structure of a target company in an effort to understand which entities own what assets, which subsidiaries have the support of those assets and how outstanding guarantees, liens


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and pledges interrelate with the various claims on the company's cash flows and to understand the covenants, terms and conditions of the company's outstanding debt and equity securities.

Legal and Regulatory Environment.

Defining and understanding the legal, regulatory and tax regimes in which a target company operates, including, in particular, having a deep understanding of the intricacies of the insolvency regimes applicable to the company, is a key focus of the due diligence process. Engaging in regulatory and corporate affairs analysis to ensure the Fund is properly positioned with respect to labor, political and other key constituencies applicable to its investments is also, where appropriate, an important part of the Adviser's due diligence process.

Key Valuation Drivers.

The Adviser will generally seek to analyze a target company's historical performance and prospects with a view toward understanding the sustainable margins and strengths and weaknesses in a company's cost structure and analyzing the quality of cash flows of the underlying investment, including capital intensity needed to sustain its asset base, requirements for growth, degrees of flexibility to reduce its cost base if volumes or prices decline, and requirements for debt amortization or other external payments. The Adviser will also seek to define the market in which a company competes and, in particular, to assess what the company does, including what products and services it provides and to whom; to understand threats it may face for pricing or cost structure; and to identify drivers of market growth or decline, including changes in industry structure, technology or demographics.

Macro Environment.

The Adviser will also generally examine the broader environment in order to understand and consider potential macroeconomic head or tailwinds relevant to a target company utilizing scenario-based analysis. In this effort, the Adviser will generally work closely with the Adviser's global macro and asset allocation team around views and data related to the macro environment, in addition to working with this team when conducting due diligence on specific opportunities, whether they be regional, country or market specific.

Tax Environment.

Defining the tax regime in which a company operates is another key aspect of the due diligence process. The Adviser will generally undertake a tax analysis of Fund investments with a view to optimizing structure and returns. As appropriate, the team will engage specialist third party advisors for this purpose. KKR has strong relationships with tax advisors around the world who advise it on current key issues regarding existing portfolio investments and on trends and evolving legislation and practices in their respective jurisdictions and areas of expertise.

Issuer Investment Profile

While the Adviser intends to consider each investment opportunity in an issuer on its own merits, the Adviser generally will focus on companies that share the following characteristics:

•   Leading Market Positions. The Adviser will seek to invest in companies with more defensible market positions, stronger franchises and operations and better credit characteristics than their peers. The Adviser will focus on the quality of product, employees, managers, facilities, systems and processes.

•   Strong Cash Flow. The Adviser will seek to invest in companies that generate free cash flow, and that benefit from material investments from well-known equity investors. The ability of a company to meet interest obligations, repay debt and deleverage over time generally is a function of its ability to generate free cash flow. An ability to generate stable and predictable cash flows is an indicator of long-term financial health.

•   Experienced Management Teams. The Adviser intends to prioritize companies with strong, existing management teams that it believes have a clear strategic vision, long-standing experience in their industry


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and a successful operating track record. The Adviser expect to favor companies in which management's incentives appear to be closely aligned with major capital providers.

•   Stage of Business Life Cycle. The Adviser intends to seek mature, public and privately owned businesses that have long track records of stable, positive cash flow. The Adviser does not intend to invest in start-up companies or companies with speculative business plans.

•   Attractive Industries. While the Adviser will consider opportunities within all industries, it will prioritize industries having, in its view, favorable characteristics from a lending perspective. For example, the Adviser will seek companies in established industries with stable competitive and regulatory frameworks, where the main participants enjoy predictable, low volatility earnings. The Adviser expects to give less emphasis to industries that are frequently characterized by less predictable and more volatile earnings.

•   Distressed Investments and Stressed Investments. The Adviser may also invest in companies that are under stress and do not meet the above criteria. In such circumstances, the Adviser will invest based on the Adviser's view of strong risk-adjusted return. These opportunities may present an attractive risk-reward profile for the Fund based on the Adviser's due diligence process. The Adviser will consider distressed investments in corporate debt or equity issued by companies that have defaulted on their debt obligations, have filed for insolvency or are selling at sufficiently discounted prices where the Adviser expects that if the companies do not default, such investments will yield attractive risk-adjusted returns. The Adviser may also acquire "dislocated" fixed-income instruments of companies that are rated below investment grade and selling at a discount to par or yield greater than what the Adviser believes is typical for companies in similar situations. Market inefficiencies in these circumstances may, for example, be due to a lack of financial market following, a misunderstanding in the market of particular industries or companies or industries that may be out of favor with the investor community. In times of particular dislocation and irrational market behavior, the Adviser may attempt to trade around specific portfolio positions opportunistically to capture excess returns based on its fundamental research-driven process.

While the Adviser believes that the criteria listed above are important in identifying and investing in portfolio companies, the Adviser will consider each investment on a case-by-case basis. It is possible that not all of these criteria will be met by each company in which the Fund invests.

Portfolio Composition

The Fund's portfolio will be composed principally of the following investments. A more detailed description of the Fund's investment policies and restrictions and more detailed information about the Fund's portfolio investments are contained in the SAI.

Fixed-Income Instruments

The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, such as high-yield corporate debt securities, or bonds, or U.S. government debt securities. The issuer of a fixed-income instrument pays the investor a fixed- or variable-rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity. Certain bonds are "perpetual" in that they have no maturity date. Holders of fixed-income bonds, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the issuer for the principal and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors but would be subordinate to any existing secured lenders with higher priority in the issuer's capital structure. Fixed-income instruments may be secured or unsecured. The investment return of corporate bonds reflects interest on the security and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate bond, especially a fixed-rate bond, will generally rise and fall inversely with interest rates. The value of intermediate- and longer-term corporate bonds normally fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates than does the value of shorter-term corporate bonds. The market value of a corporate bond also may be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation's performance and perceptions of the corporation in the market place. There is a risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Corporate fixed-income instruments usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk.


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Senior Loans

Senior Loans hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a corporation, partnership or other business entity (a "Borrower"). Senior Loans are secured with specific collateral and have a claim on the assets and/or stock of the Borrower that is senior to that held by unsecured creditors, subordinated debt holders and stockholders of the Borrower. The proceeds of Senior Loans primarily are used to refinance existing debt and for acquisitions, dividends, leveraged buyouts, and general corporate purposes.

Interest rates on Senior Loans may be fixed or may float periodically. On floating rate Senior Loans, the interest rates typically are adjusted based on a base rate plus a premium or spread over the base rate. The base rate usually is a standard inter-bank offered rate, such as LIBOR, the prime rate offered by one or more major U.S. banks, or the certificate of deposit rate or other base lending rates used by commercial lenders. Floating rate Senior Loans may adjust over different time periods, including daily, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. The Fund may use interest rate swaps and other investment practices to shorten the effective interest rate adjustment period of floating rate Senior Loans or to adjust the overall interest rate exposure of the Fund.

When interest rates rise, the values of fixed-rate income instruments generally decline. When interest rates fall, the values of fixed-rate income instruments generally increase. The prices of floating rate Senior Loans tend to have less fluctuation in response to changes in interest rates, but will have some fluctuation, particularly when the next interest rate adjustment on such security is further away in time or adjustments are limited in amount over time. For floating rate Senior Loans, interest payable to the Fund from its investments in Senior Loans should increase as short-term interest rates increase, and as short-term interest rates decrease, interest payable to the Fund from its investments in Senior Loans should decrease. Longer interest rate reset periods generally increase fluctuations in the Fund's net asset value ("NAV") as a result of changes in market interest rates.

Senior Loans are subject to the risk of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal. Such non-payment would result in a reduction of income to the Fund, a reduction in the value of the investment and a potential decrease in the NAV of the Fund. There can be no assurance that the liquidation of any collateral securing a Senior Loan would satisfy the Borrower's obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments, or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In the event of bankruptcy or insolvency of a Borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing a Senior Loan. The collateral securing a Senior Loan may lose all or substantially all of its value in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of a Borrower.

Senior Loans may not be rated by a rating agency. The amount of public information available with respect to Senior Loans will generally be less extensive than that available for registered or exchange-listed securities. In evaluating the creditworthiness of Borrowers, the Adviser will consider, and may rely in part, on analyses performed by others. To the extent that they are rated by a rating agency, many of the Senior Loans in which the Fund will invest will have been assigned below investment grade ratings by independent rating agencies. In the event Senior Loans are not rated, they are likely to be the equivalent of below investment grade quality. The Adviser does not view ratings as the determinative factor in their investment decisions and rely more upon their credit analysis abilities than upon ratings.

Senior Loans generally are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), or any state securities commission, and are not listed on any national securities exchange. There is less readily available or reliable information about most Senior Loans than is the case for many other types of securities, including securities issued in transactions registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). No active trading market may exist for some Senior Loans, and some Senior Loans may be subject to restrictions on resale. A secondary market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which may impair the Fund's ability to realize full value and thus cause a material decline in the Fund's NAV. In addition, the Fund may not be able to readily dispose of its Senior Loans at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell


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such loans if they were more widely traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations. During periods of limited supply and liquidity of Senior Loans, the Fund's yield may be lower.

The floating or variable rate feature of most Senior Loans is a significant difference from typical fixed-income investments that carry significant interest rate risk. To the extent the Fund invests in variable rate Senior Loans, the Fund can normally be expected to have less significant interest rate-related fluctuations in its NAV per share than investment companies investing primarily in fixed-income instruments (other than money market funds and some short-term bond funds). When interest rates decline, the value of a fixed-income portfolio can normally be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a fixed-income portfolio can normally be expected to decline. Although the income available to the Fund will vary, the Adviser expects the Fund's policy of acquiring interests in floating rate Senior Loans may reduce fluctuations in NAV of the Fund resulting from changes in market interest rates. However, because floating or variable rates on Senior Loans only reset periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the Fund's NAV. Similarly, a sudden and significant increase in market interest rates may cause a decline in the Fund's NAV. A material decline in the Fund's NAV may impair the Fund's ability to maintain required levels of asset coverage. Other factors (including, but not limited to, rating downgrades, credit deterioration, a large downward movement in stock prices, a disparity in supply and demand of certain securities or market conditions that reduce liquidity) can reduce the value of Senior Loans and other debt obligations, impairing the Fund's NAV.

The Fund may purchase and retain in its portfolio Senior Loans where the Borrower has experienced, or may be perceived to be likely to experience, credit problems, including involvement in or recent emergence from bankruptcy court proceedings or other forms of debt restructuring. Such investments may provide opportunities for enhanced income as well as capital appreciation, although they also will be subject to greater risk of loss. At times, in connection with the restructuring of a Senior Loan either outside of bankruptcy court or in the context of bankruptcy court proceedings, the Fund may determine or be required to accept equity securities or junior credit securities in exchange for all or a portion of a Senior Loan.

The Adviser may use an independent pricing service or prices provided by dealers to value loans and other credit securities at their market value. The Adviser will use the fair value method to value Senior Loans or other securities if market quotations for them are not readily available or are deemed unreliable. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than actual market quotations or the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures.

Direct Assignments. The Fund may purchase Senior Loans on a direct assignment basis. If the Fund purchases a Senior Loan on direct assignment, it typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement of the assigning lender and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. Investments in Senior Loans on a direct assignment basis may involve additional risks to the Fund. For example, if such loan is foreclosed, the Fund could become part owner of any collateral, and would bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral.

Loan Participations. The Fund may also purchase, without limitation, participations in Senior Loans, but does not plan to do so extensively. The participation by the Fund in a lender's portion of a Senior Loan typically will result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with such lender, not with the Borrower. As a result, the Fund may have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by such lender of payments from the Borrower. Such indebtedness may be secured or unsecured. Loan participations typically represent direct participations in a loan to a Borrower, and generally are offered by banks, other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk of both the Borrower and the institution that sells the participation. The participation interests in which the Fund intends to invest may not be rated by any rating agency.


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Pre-Funded Letter of Credit Loans. The Fund may purchase participations in prefunded letter of credit loans (a "prefunded L/C loan"), but does not plan to do so extensively. A prefunded L/C loan is a facility created by the Borrower in conjunction with the agent bank as issuer of a loan, and the prefunded L/C loan is backed by letters of credit (each letter, an "L/C"). Each participant in a prefunded L/C loan (sometimes referred to as a funded letter of credit facility) fully funds its commitment amount to the agent bank for the facility. The funds are invested by the agent bank and held solely to satisfy a prefunded L/C loan lender's obligation to the agent bank under the facility. The funds paid by the lenders are invested by the agent bank in deposits that pay interest, usually approximating a benchmark rate, such as LIBOR, which goes to the Borrower. Generally, the Borrower, via the agent bank, pays the lenders an interest rate, equivalent to the fully drawn spread plus the benchmark rate, usually LIBOR. The funds are returned to the lender upon termination of the prefunded L/C loan (and upon satisfaction of all obligations). Under the terms of the prefunded L/C loan agreement, a lender may sell and assign all or a portion of its interest in the loan to another lender so long as the other lender is eligible and agrees to the terms and conditions of the prefunded L/C loan agreement.

When the Borrower needs funds, it may draw against the prefunded L/C loan and the agent bank makes payment to the Borrower by withdrawing some of the amount invested as deposits. Consequently, the lenders do not have to advance any additional funds at the time the Borrower draws against the prefunded L/C loan facility. The prefunded L/C loan can be structured from the standpoint of the Borrower as either (i) a revolving credit facility, where the Borrower can reborrow, during the term of the loan, moneys it has paid back to the facility during the term of the loan, or (ii) a delayed draw term loan where the Borrower may not reborrow moneys it has repaid to the facility during the term of the loan.

When the Fund purchases a participation in a prefunded L/C loan, the proceeds of the purchase are deposited in a collateral account, which backs an L/C loan by the agent bank to the Borrower to support trade or other financing. The Fund typically receives interest on the cash collateral account equal to LIBOR. In addition, the Fund may also receive a fee, typically similar to the spread paid on the Borrower's institutional loan. Participations by the Fund in a prefunded L/C loan typically will result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with the agent bank, not with the Borrower. As a result, the Fund may have the right to receive interest, fees and any repayments, if any, to which it is entitled only from the agent bank selling the participation and only upon receipt by the agent bank of such payments from the Borrower. In connection with purchasing the participation in a prefunded L/C loan, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the Borrower with the terms of the prefunded L/C loan. As a result, the Fund may assume the credit risk of both the Borrower and the agent bank selling the participation in a prefunded L/C loan. In the event of the insolvency of the agent bank selling a participation in a prefunded L/C loan, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of such agent bank. The agent bank will likely conduct its principal business activities in the banking, finance and financial services industries. Persons engaged in such industries may be more susceptible to, among other things, fluctuations in interest rates, changes in the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee's monetary policy, governmental regulations concerning such industries and concerning capital raising activities generally and fluctuations in the financial markets generally.

Subordinated and Unsecured or Partially Secured Loans

Unsecured loans or subordinated are loans made by public and private corporations and other non-governmental entities and issuers for a variety of purposes. Unsecured loans generally have lower priority in right of payment compared to holders of secured debt of the borrower. Unsecured loans are not secured by a security interest or lien to or on specified collateral securing the borrower's obligation under the loan. Unsecured loans by their terms may be or may become subordinate in right of payment to other obligations of the borrower, including Senior Loans and other secured loans. Unsecured loans may have fixed or adjustable floating rate interest payments.

Because unsecured loans are subordinate to the secured debt of the borrower, they present a greater degree of investment risk but often pay interest at higher rates reflecting this additional risk. Such investments generally are of below investment grade quality. Other than their subordinated and unsecured status, such investments have many characteristics and risks similar to Senior Loans and other secured loans discussed above. In addition, unsecured


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loans of below investment grade quality share many of the risk characteristics of non-investment grade bonds. As in the case of secured loans, the Fund may purchase interests in unsecured loans through assignments or participations. Unsecured loans are subject to the same risks associated with investment in Senior Loans and other secured loans and non-investment grade bonds. However, because unsecured loans rank lower in right of payment to any secured obligations of the borrower, they therefore may be subject to additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and available assets may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the secured obligations of the borrower. Unsecured loans are also expected to have greater price volatility than secured loans and may be less liquid.

Second lien loans are generally second in line in terms of repayment priority. A second lien loan may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first lien or it may be secured by a separate set of assets. Second lien loans generally give investors priority over general unsecured creditors in the event of an asset sale. The priority of the collateral claims of third or lower lien loans ranks below holders of second lien loans and so on. Such junior loans are subject to the same general risks inherent to any loan investment, including credit risk, market and liquidity risk, and interest rate risk. Due to their lower place in the borrower's capital structure and possible unsecured or partially secured status, such loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than Senior Loans of the same borrower

Mezzanine Securities

The Fund may invest in certain lower grade securities known as "mezzanine securities," which are subordinated debt securities that are generally issued in private placements in connection with an equity security ( e.g. , with attached warrants) or may be convertible into equity securities. Mezzanine securities may be issued with or without registration rights. Similar to other lower grade securities, maturities of mezzanine securities are typically seven to ten years, but the expected average life is significantly shorter at three to five years. Mezzanine securities are usually unsecured and subordinated to other obligations of the issuer.

Below Investment Grade Instruments

The Fund anticipates that a majority of the Fund's assets, including its investments in secured loans and other debt securities, may be invested in instruments that are classified as "higher-yielding" (and, therefore, higher-risk) investments. In most cases, such investments will be rated below investment grade by recognized rating agencies or will be unrated instruments determined by the Adviser to be appropriate investments for the Fund. While generally providing greater income and opportunity for gain, non-investment grade debt securities and similar debt instruments may be subject to greater risks than securities or instruments that have higher credit ratings, including a high risk of default. The credit rating of a high yield security does not necessarily address its market value risk, and ratings may from time to time change, positively or negatively, to reflect developments regarding the issuer's financial condition. High yield securities and similar instruments often are considered to be speculative with respect to the capacity of the issuer to timely repay principal and pay interest or dividends in accordance with the terms of the obligation and may have more credit risk than higher rated securities. Lower grade securities and similar debt instruments may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that a prolonged or deepening economic recession could adversely affect the ability of Borrowers issuing such securities and similar debt instruments to repay principal and pay interest on the instrument, increase the incidence of default and severely disrupt the market value of the securities and similar debt instruments.

The prices of credit instruments generally are inversely related to interest rate changes; however, the price volatility caused by fluctuating interest rates of instruments also is inversely related to the interest rate of such instruments. Accordingly, lower grade instruments may be relatively less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher quality instruments of comparable maturity, because of their higher interest rate. This higher interest rate is what the investor receives in return for bearing greater credit risk. The higher credit risk associated with lower grade instruments potentially can have a greater effect on the value of such instruments than may be the case with higher quality issues of comparable maturity, and may be a substantial factor in the Fund's relative share price volatility.


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Distressed and Defaulted Instruments

The repayment of defaulted obligations is subject to significant uncertainties. Defaulted obligations might be repaid only after lengthy workout or bankruptcy proceedings, during which the issuer might not make any interest or other payments.

Distressed and defaulted instruments generally present the same risks as investment in below investment grade instruments. However, in most cases, these risks are of a greater magnitude because of the uncertainties of investing in an issuer undergoing financial distress. As discussed above, an issuer of distressed instruments may be in bankruptcy or undergoing some other form of financial restructuring. Interest and/or principal payments on distressed instruments may be in default. Distressed instruments present a risk of loss of principal value, including potentially a total loss of value. Distressed instruments may be highly illiquid and the prices at which distressed instruments may be sold may represent a substantial discount to what the Adviser believes to be the ultimate value of such obligations.

Convertible Securities

Convertible securities include bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks and other securities that entitle the holder to acquire common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. Convertible securities have general characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest or preferred dividends paid or accrued until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to non-convertible debt obligations. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure and, therefore, generally entail less risk than the corporation's common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a debt obligation. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a predetermined price. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund would be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security and convert it to underlying common stock, or would sell the convertible security to a third party, which may have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objectives. The price of a convertible security often reflects variations in the price of the underlying common stock in a way that non-convertible debt may not. The value of a convertible security is a function of (i) its yield in comparison to the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege and (ii) its worth if converted into the underlying common stock.

Non-U.S. Securities

The Fund will invest in securities or other instruments, including secured loans and unsecured loans, of non-U.S. issuers or Borrowers. Some non-U.S. securities may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Similarly, there is less volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets than in the United States and, at times, greater price volatility than in the United States.

Because evidences of ownership of such securities usually are held outside the United States, the Fund will be subject to additional risks if it invests in non-U.S. securities, which include possible adverse political and economic developments, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and adoption of governmental restrictions which might adversely affect or restrict the payment of principal and interest on the foreign securities to investors located outside the country of the issuer, whether from currency blockage or otherwise. Because non-U.S. securities may trade on days when the Fund's Common Shares are not priced, the Fund's NAV can change at times when Common Shares cannot be sold.

Certain of the Fund's investments in foreign fixed-income instruments may be denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. To the extent the Fund invests in such instruments, the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars will be affected by changes in exchange rates. Generally, the Fund's currency exchange transactions will be conducted on a spot ( i.e. , cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the currency exchange market. The cost


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of the Fund's currency exchange transactions will generally be the difference between the bid and offer spot rate of the currency being purchased or sold. In order to protect against uncertainty in the level of future currency exchange rates, the Fund is authorized to enter into various currency exchange transactions. See "Risk Factors—Foreign Currency Risk."

Illiquid and Restricted Securities

The Fund may invest in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid. Investments currently considered to be illiquid include, among others, repurchase agreements not entitling the holder to repayment of principal and payment of interest within seven days, non-government stripped fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities, and over-the-counter ("OTC") options and other derivatives. In the absence of readily available market quotations, the Board, a committee appointed by the Board or a designee of the Board will price illiquid investments at a fair value as determined in good faith. Valuing illiquid securities typically requires greater judgment than valuing securities for which there is an active trading market. The market price of illiquid securities generally is more volatile than that of more liquid securities, which may adversely affect the price that the Fund pays for or recovers upon the sale of illiquid securities. Investment of the Fund's assets in illiquid securities may restrict the Fund's ability to take advantage of market opportunities.

The Fund may invest in restricted securities, which are securities that may not be sold to the public without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act. The restriction on public sale may make it more difficult to value such securities, limit the Fund's ability to dispose of them and lower the amount the Fund could realize upon their sale. Because they are not registered, restricted securities may be sold only in a privately negotiated transaction or pursuant to an exemption from registration. In recognition of the increased size and liquidity of the institutional market for unregistered securities and the importance of institutional investors in the formation of capital, the SEC adopted Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Rule 144A is designed to facilitate efficient trading among institutional investors by permitting the sale of certain unregistered securities to qualified institutional buyers. To the extent privately placed securities held by the Fund qualify under Rule 144A and an institutional market develops for those securities, the Fund likely will be able to dispose of the securities without registering them under the Securities Act. To the extent that institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities, investing in Rule 144A securities could increase the level of the Fund's illiquidity.

When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments

The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis beyond the customary settlement time. These transactions involve a commitment by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date. The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges. The Fund will generally purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or negotiate a commitment after entering into it. The Fund may also sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Fund may realize capital gains or losses in connection with these transactions. The Fund is generally required to segregate, until three days prior to settlement date, cash and liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price unless the Fund's obligations are otherwise covered. Alternatively, the Fund may enter into offsetting contracts for the forward sale of other securities that it owns. Securities purchased or sold on a when-issued or forward commitment basis involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date or if the value of the security to be sold increases prior to the settlement date.


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Equity Securities

From time to time the Fund also may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities incident to the purchase or ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument or in connection with a reorganization of a Borrower or other issuer. Investments in equity securities incidental to investments in loans or fixed-income instruments entail certain risks in addition to those associated with investments in loans or fixed-income instruments. Common stock represents an equity ownership interest in a company. Historical trends would indicate that common stock is subject to higher levels of volatility and market and issuer-specific risk than debt securities. The value of the equity securities may be affected more rapidly, and to a greater extent, by company-specific developments and general market conditions. These risks may increase fluctuations in the Fund's NAV. In addition, the Fund frequently may possess material non-public information about a Borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument of a Borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in instruments while in possession of material non-public information, the Fund might be unable to enter into a transaction in a security of the Borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

Preferred Stocks

Preferred stocks represent the senior residual interest in the assets of an issuer after meeting all claims, with priority to corporate income and liquidation payments over the issuer's common stock. As such, preferred stock is inherently more risky than the bonds and loans of the issuer, but less risky than its common stock. Preferred stocks often contain provisions that allow for redemption in the event of certain tax or legal changes or at the issuers' call. Preferred stocks typically do not provide any voting rights, except in cases when dividends are in arrears beyond a certain time period. Preferred stock in some instances is convertible into common stock.

Although they are equity securities, preferred stocks have certain characteristics of both debt and common stock. They are debt-like in that their promised income is contractually fixed. They are common stock-like in that they do not have rights to precipitate bankruptcy proceedings or collection activities in the event of missed payments. Furthermore, they have many of the key characteristics of equity due to their subordinated position in an issuer's capital structure and because their quality and value are heavily dependent on the profitability of the issuer rather than on any legal claims to specific assets or cash flows. In order to be payable, dividends on preferred stock must be declared by the issuer's board of directors or trustees. In addition, distributions on preferred stock may be subject to deferral and thus may not be automatically payable. Income payments on some preferred stocks are cumulative, causing dividends and distributions to accrue even if not declared by the board or otherwise made payable. Other preferred stocks are non-cumulative, meaning that skipped dividends and distributions do not continue to accrue. There is no assurance that dividends on preferred stocks in which the Fund invests will be declared or otherwise made payable. If the Fund owns preferred stock that is deferring its distributions, the Fund may be required to report income for U.S. federal income tax purposes while it is not receiving cash payments corresponding to such income. When interest rates fall below the rate payable on an issue of preferred stock or for other reasons, the issuer may redeem the preferred stock, generally after an initial period of call protection in which the stock is not redeemable. Preferred stocks may be significantly less liquid than many other securities, such as U.S. government securities, corporate bonds and common stock.

Collateralized Debt Obligations

Cash flows in a CDO are split into two or more tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche, which bears the first loss from defaults from the underlying pool of bonds and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default (though such protection is not complete). Since it is partially protected from defaults, a senior tranche from a CDO typically has higher ratings and lower yields than its underlying securities, and may be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CDO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, downgrades of the underlying collateral by rating agencies, forced liquidation of the collateral pool due to a failure of coverage tests, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults as well as investor aversion


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to CDO securities as a class. Normally, CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized as illiquid securities. CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a NRSRO; (iii) the Fund is likely to invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) risk of forced "fire sale" liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO's manager may perform poorly.

Asset-Backed Securities

The value of asset-backed securities like that of traditional fixed-income instruments, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, asset-backed securities differ from traditional fixed-income instruments because of their potential for prepayment. The price paid by the Fund for such securities, the yield the Fund expects to receive from such securities and the average life of such securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying assets.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

In addition to the risks associated with other asset-backed securities as described above, mortgage-backed securities are subject to the general risks associated with investing in real estate securities; that is, they may lose value if the value of the underlying real estate to which a pool of mortgages relates declines. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued by governments or their agencies and instrumentalities, such as, in the United States, the Government National Mortgage Association ("Ginnie Mae"), the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac"). They may also be issued by private issuers but represent an interest in or are collateralized by pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by a government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities. In addition, mortgage-backed securities may be issued by private issuers and be collateralized by securities without a government guarantee. Such securities usually have some form of private credit enhancement.

Pools created by private issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments. Notwithstanding that such pools may be supported by various forms of private insurance or guarantees, there can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors will be able to meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may invest in private mortgage pass-through securities without such insurance or guarantees. Any mortgage-backed securities that are issued by private issuers are likely to have some exposure to subprime loans as well as to the mortgage and credit markets generally. In addition, such securities are not subject to the underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that would generally apply to securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee, thereby increasing their credit risk. The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by mortgage pools that contain subprime loans, but a level of risk exists for all loans. Market factors adversely affecting mortgage loan repayments may include a general economic downturn, high unemployment, a general slowdown in the real estate market, a drop in the market prices of real estate, or an increase in interest rates resulting in higher mortgage payments by holders of adjustable rate mortgages.

Zero Coupon and PIK Bonds

Because investors in zero coupon or PIK bonds receive no cash prior to the maturity or cash payment date applicable thereto, an investment in such securities generally has a greater potential for complete loss of principal


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and/or return than an investment in debt securities that make periodic interest payments. Such investments are more vulnerable to the creditworthiness of the issuer and any other parties upon which performance relies.

Temporary Investments

During the period in which the net proceeds of this offering of Common Shares are being invested or during periods in which the Adviser determines that economic, market or political conditions are unfavorable to investors and a defensive strategy would benefit the Fund, the Fund may deviate from its investment objectives and strategies. During such periods, the Fund may invest all or a portion of its assets in certain short-term (less than one year to maturity) and medium-term (not greater than five years to maturity) debt securities or hold cash and cash equivalents. The short- and medium-term debt securities in which the Fund may invest include: (i) obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) bank deposits and bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers' acceptances) of U.S. or foreign banks denominated in any currency; (iii) floating rate securities and other instruments denominated in any currency issued by various governments or international development agencies; (iv) finance company and corporate commercial paper and other short-term corporate debt obligations of U.S. or foreign corporations; (v) repurchase agreements with banks and broker- dealers with respect to such securities; and (vi) shares of money market funds and money market instruments. The Fund may not achieve its investment objectives when it does so. It is impossible to predict when, or for how long, the Fund will use these alternative strategies. There can be no assurance that such strategies will be successful.

Commercial Paper. Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by corporations such as banks or bank holding companies and finance companies. The rate of return on commercial paper may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.

Certificates of Deposit. Certificates of deposit are certificates that are issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and that earn a specified return and are normally negotiable. The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Fixed Time Deposits. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed-rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are generally no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits. The Fund may also hold funds on deposit with its custodian bank in an interest-bearing account for temporary purposes.

Bankers' Acceptances. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity.

Other Investment Techniques

Short Sales

The Fund may engage in short sales for investment and risk management purposes, including when the Adviser believes an investment will underperform due to a greater sensitivity to earnings growth of the issuer, default risk or interest rates.

Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument (such as an option, forward or futures contract) that it does not own but can borrow in the market. Short selling allows the Fund to profit from a decline in market price to the extent such decline exceeds the transaction costs and the costs of borrowing the


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securities and to obtain a low cost means of financing long investments that the Adviser believes are attractive. When the Fund engages in a short sale of a security, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the counterparty. The Fund will ordinarily have to pay a fee or premium to borrow particular securities and be obligated to repay the lender of the security any coupon or interest that accrued on the securities during the period of the loan. The amount of any gain from a short sale will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premium, dividends, interest or expenses the Fund pays in connection with the short sale.

During the period of the short sale, the Fund may be required to maintain the short sale proceeds that the broker holds and any additional assets the lending broker requires as collateral. The Fund may also be required to designate, on its books or the books of the Custodian, liquid assets (less any additional collateral held by the broker) to cover the short sale obligation, marked-to-market daily. Depending on the arrangements made with the broker or Custodian, the Fund may or may not receive any payments (including interest) on collateral it has deposited with the broker.

Dollar Rolls

The Fund may enter into "dollar rolls" in which the Fund sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar, but not identical securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Fund loses the right to receive principal and interest paid on the securities sold. However, the Fund would benefit to the extent of any difference between the price received for the securities sold and the lower forward price for the future purchase or fee income plus the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the securities sold until the settlement date of the forward purchase. All cash proceeds will be invested in instruments that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund will segregate until the settlement date cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, in an amount equal to its forward purchase price.

For financial reporting and tax purposes, the Fund treats dollar rolls as two separate transactions; one involving the purchase of a security and a separate transaction involving a sale. The Fund does not currently intend to enter into dollar rolls for financing and does not treat them as borrowings.

Dollar rolls involve certain risks including the following: if the broker-dealer to whom the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund's right to purchase or repurchase the securities subject to the dollar roll may be restricted. Also, the instrument which the Fund is required to repurchase may be worth less than an instrument which the Fund originally held. Successful use of dollar rolls will depend upon the Adviser's ability to manage the Fund's interest rate and prepayments exposure. For these reasons, there is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed. The use of this technique may diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what such performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls.

Derivatives

The Fund currently anticipates investing in (or considering for investment) the following types of derivative instruments:

Swap Agreements. The Fund may enter into swap agreements. A swap is a financial instrument that typically involves the exchange of cash flows between two parties on specified dates (settlement dates), where the cash flows are based on agreed-upon prices, rates, indices, etc. The nominal amount on which the cash flows are calculated is called the notional amount. Swaps are often individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors, such as interest rates, commodity prices, non-U.S. currency rates, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, security prices, indexes or inflation rates.

Swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the investments of the Fund and its share price. The performance of swap agreements may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund. If a swap agreement calls for


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payments by the Fund, the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. In addition, if the counterparty's creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses.

Generally, swap agreements have fixed maturity dates that are agreed upon by the parties to the swap. An agreement can be terminated before the maturity date only under limited circumstances, such as default by or insolvency of one of the parties and can be transferred by a party only with the prior written consent of the other party. The Fund may be able to eliminate its exposure under a swap agreement either by assignment or other disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same party or a similarly creditworthy party. If the counterparty is unable to meet its obligations under the contract, declares bankruptcy, defaults or becomes insolvent, the Fund may not be able to recover the money it expected to receive under the contract.

A swap agreement can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund's gains or losses. With respect to cash-settled swaps, the Fund will set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund's daily marked-to-market net obligations ( i.e. , the Fund's daily net liability) under the swaps.

The Fund will monitor any swaps with a view towards ensuring that the Fund remains in compliance with all applicable regulatory investment and tax requirements.

Credit Derivatives. The Fund may engage in credit derivative transactions. There are two broad categories of credit derivatives: default price risk derivatives and market spread derivatives. Default price risk derivatives are linked to the price of reference securities or loans after a default by the issuer or Borrower, respectively. Market spread derivatives are based on the risk that changes in market factors, such as credit spreads, can cause a decline in the value of a security, loan or index. There are three basic transactional forms for credit derivatives: swaps, options and structured instruments. A credit default swap is an agreement between two counterparties that allows one counterparty (the "seller") to sell protection under the swap and or be "long" on a third party's credit risk and the other party (the "buyer") to purchase protection under the swap and be "short" on the credit risk. In essence, an institution which owns corporate fixed-income instruments can purchase a limited form of default protection by entering into a credit default swap with another bank, broker-dealer or financial intermediary. Typically, the buyer agrees to make regular fixed payments to the seller with the same frequency as the underlying reference instrument. In exchange, the buyer typically has the right upon a credit event on the underlying instrument to deliver the instrument to the seller in exchange for the instrument's par value plus interest. Credit default swaps can be used as a substitute for purchasing or selling a credit security and sometimes are preferable to purchasing the security. The Fund currently intends to invest primarily in credit default swaps as a buyer, but may also act as a seller. As a buyer of credit default swaps, the Fund is able to express a negative credit view on a particular instrument; as a seller, the Fund can express a positive view on the credit quality of a company. The Fund does not intend to leverage its investments through the use of credit default swaps, but may incur effective leverage to the extent it acts as a seller of a credit default swap. Among other risks, a party to a credit default swap is subject to counterparty risk. The Fund will monitor any such swaps or derivatives with a view towards ensuring that the Fund remains in compliance with all applicable regulatory investment policy and tax requirements.

Options. The Fund may purchase put and call options on currencies or securities. A put option embodies the right of its purchaser to compel the writer of the option to purchase from the option holder an underlying currency or security or its equivalent at a specified price at any time during the option period. In contrast, a call option gives the purchaser the right to buy the underlying currency or security covered by the option or its equivalent from the writer of the option at the stated exercise price.

As a holder of a put option, the Fund will have the right to sell the securities underlying the option and as the holder of a call option, the Fund will have the right to purchase the currencies or securities underlying the option, in each case at their exercise price at any time prior to the option's expiration date for American options or only at expiration for European options. The Fund may seek to terminate its option positions prior to their expiration by entering into closing transactions. The ability of the Fund to enter into a closing sale transaction depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market. There can be no assurance that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be


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effected when the Fund so desires. A successful use of equity options and options on stock indices will be subject to the Adviser's ability to predict correctly movements in volatility and the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry or market segment. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.

Futures Contracts. The Fund may enter into securities-related futures contracts, including security futures contracts as an anticipatory hedge. The Fund's derivative investments may include sales of futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in securities prices and purchases of futures as an offset against the effect of expected increases in securities prices. A security futures contract is a legally binding agreement between two parties to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of a security or of the component securities of a narrow-based security index, at a certain price. A person who buys a security futures contract enters into a contract to purchase an underlying security and is said to be "long" the contract. A person who sells a security futures contact enters into a contract to sell the underlying security and is said to be "short" the contract. The price at which the contract trades (the "contract price") is determined by relative buying and selling interest on a regulated exchange.

Interest Rate Transactions. The Fund can normally be expected to have less significant interest rate-related fluctuations in its NAV per share than investment companies investing primarily in fixed-income instruments (other than money market funds and some short-term bond funds). However, because floating or variable rates on secured loans only reset periodically, changes in prevailing interest rates can be expected to cause some fluctuations in the Fund's NAV. Similarly, a sudden and significant increase in market interest rates may cause a decline in the Fund's NAV. In addition, secured loans may allow a borrower to opt between LIBOR-based interest rates and interest rates based on bank prime rates, which may have an impact the Fund's NAV.

The Fund may use interest rate swaps for risk management purposes only and not as a speculative investment and would typically use interest rate swaps to shorten the average interest rate reset time of the Fund's holdings. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest ( e.g. , an exchange of fixed-rate payments for floating rate payments). The Fund will only enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis. If the other party to an interest rate swap defaults, the Fund's risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive. The counterparty risk for cleared interest rate swap transactions is generally lower than for uncleared over-the-counter interest rate swaps since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a cleared swap contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties' performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing house for performance of financial obligations. However, there can be no assurance that the clearing house, or its members, will satisfy its obligations to the Fund. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund's obligations over its entitlements will be maintained in a segregated account by the Custodian. The Fund will not enter into an interest rate swap unless the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be investment grade by the Adviser. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. These instruments are typically traded in the OTC market.

The use of interest rate swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates and other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund would be unfavorably affected.

Foreign Currency Transactions. The Fund may engage in foreign currency transactions in connection with its investments in foreign securities. The Fund will conduct its foreign currency transactions either on a spot ( i.e. , cash) basis at the rate then-prevailing in the foreign currency markets or through forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies.

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts. The Fund may enter into foreign currency forward contracts in order to protect against possible losses on non-U.S. dollar denominated investments resulting from adverse changes in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is an


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obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days (usually less than one year) from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price and for an amount set at the time of the contract. These contracts are often traded in the interbank market directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has a margin requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the spread) between the price at which they are buying and selling various currencies. However, foreign currency forward contracts may limit potential gains which could result from a positive change in such currency relationships. The Fund does not speculate in foreign currency.

Except for cross-hedges, the Fund will not enter into foreign currency forward contracts or maintain a net exposure in such contracts when it would be obligated to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of its portfolio securities or other assets denominated in that currency or, in the case of a "cross-hedge," denominated in a currency or currencies that the Adviser believes will tend to be closely correlated with that currency with regard to price movements. At the consummation of a forward contract, the Fund may either make delivery of the foreign currency or terminate its contractual obligation to deliver the foreign currency by purchasing an offsetting contract obligating it to purchase, at the same maturity date, the same amount of such foreign currency. If the Fund chooses to make delivery of the foreign currency, it may be required to obtain such currency through the sale of portfolio securities denominated in such currency or through conversion of other assets of the Fund into such currency. If the Fund engages in an offsetting transaction, the Fund will incur a gain or loss to the extent that there is a difference between the forward contract price and the offsetting forward contract price.

It should be realized that this method of protecting the value of the Fund's portfolio securities against a decline in the value of a currency does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. It simply establishes a rate of exchange which can be achieved at some future point in time. Additionally, although such contracts tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they tend to limit any potential gain should the value of such currency increase. Generally, the Fund will not enter into a foreign currency forward contract with a term longer than one year.

Commodities-Related Derivatives. The Fund may use commodities-related derivatives to hedge a position in a commodity-related issuer or industry. Commodities-related derivatives include, but are not limited to, commodities contracts, commodity futures or options thereon (investments in contracts for the future purchase or sale of commodities); total return swaps based on a commodity index (permitting one party to receive/pay the total return on a commodity index against payment/receipt of an agreed upon spread/interest rate); commodity-linked notes (providing a return based on a formula referenced to a commodity index); commodity exchange traded notes (non-interest paying debt instruments whose price fluctuates (by contractual commitment) with an underlying commodities index); sovereign issued oil warrants (a sovereign obligation the coupon on which is contingent on the price of oil); and any other commodities-related derivative permitted by law.

Equity Swaps. In a typical equity swap, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a security, security index or basket of securities in return for a specified interest rate. By entering into an equity index swap, the index receiver can gain exposure to securities making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those securities. Equity index swaps involve not only the risk associated with investment in the securities represented in the index, but also the risk that the performance of such securities, including dividends, will not exceed the interest that the Fund will be committed to pay under the swap.

Structured Products

The Fund may invest in structured products, including the following:

Collateralized Loan Obligations. A collateralized loan obligation ("CLO") is a financing company (generally called a Special Purpose Vehicle or "SPV"), created to reapportion the risk and return characteristics of a pool of assets. While the assets underlying CLOs are typically secured loans, the assets may also include (i) unsecured


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loans, (ii) debt securities that are rated below investment grade, (iii) debt tranches of other CLOs and (iv) equity securities incidental to investments in secured loans. When investing in CLOs, the Fund will not invest in equity tranches, which are the lowest tranche. However, the Fund may invest in lower tranches of CLOs, which typically experience a lower recovery, greater risk of loss or deferral or non-payment of interest than more senior tranches of the CLO. In addition, the Fund intends to invest in CLOs consisting primarily of individual secured loans of Borrowers and not repackaged CLO obligations from other high risk pools. The underlying secured loans purchased by CLOs are generally performing at the time of purchase but may become non-performing, distressed or defaulted. CLOs with underlying assets of non-performing, distressed or defaulted loans are not contemplated to comprise a significant portion of the Fund's investments in CLOs. The key feature of the CLO structure is the prioritization of the cash flows from a pool of debt securities among the several classes of the CLO. The SPV is a company founded solely for the purpose of securitizing payment claims arising out of this diversified asset pool. On this basis, marketable securities are issued by the SPV which, due to the diversification of the underlying risk, generally represent a lower level of risk than the original assets. The redemption of the securities issued by the SPV typically takes place at maturity out of the cash flow generated by the collected claims.

Credit-Linked Notes. The Fund may purchase credit-linked notes for risk management purposes. A credit-linked note is a form of funded credit derivative instrument. It is a synthetic obligation between two or more parties where the payment of principal and/or interest is based on the performance of some obligation (a reference obligation). Credit-linked notes are created by embedding a credit default swap in a funded asset to form an investment whose credit risk and cash flow characteristics resemble those of a bond or loan. These credit-linked notes pay an enhanced coupon to the investor for taking on the added credit risk of the reference issuer. In addition to the credit risk of the reference obligations and interest rate risk, the buyer/seller of credit-linked notes is subject to counterparty risk.

Securities Lending

The Fund may make secured loans of its marginable securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consist of possible delay in recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, such loans will be made only to broker-dealers and other financial institutions that are believed by the Adviser to be of relatively high credit standing. Securities loans are made to broker-dealers pursuant to agreements requiring that loans be continuously secured by collateral consisting of U.S. government securities, cash or cash equivalents (negotiable certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances or letters of credit) maintained on a daily mark-to-market basis in an amount at least equal at all times to the market value of the securities lent. The borrower pays to the Fund, as the lender, an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on the securities lent.

The Fund may invest only the cash collateral received in accordance with its investment objectives, subject to the Fund's agreement with the borrower of the securities. In the case of cash collateral, the Fund may pay a rebate to the borrower. The reinvestment of cash collateral will result in a form of effective leverage for the Fund.

Although voting rights or rights to consent with respect to the loaned securities pass to the borrower, the Fund, as the lender, retains the right to call the loans and obtain the return of the securities loaned at any time on reasonable notice, and it will do so in order that the securities may be voted by the Fund if the holders of such securities are asked to vote upon or consent to matters materially affecting the investment. The Fund may also call such loans in order to sell the securities involved. When engaged in securities lending, the Fund's performance will continue to reflect changes in the value of the securities loaned and will also reflect the receipt of interest through investment of cash collateral by the Fund in permissible investments.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Rolls

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, under which the Fund will effectively pledge its assets as collateral to secure a short-term loan. Generally, the other party to the agreement makes the loan in an amount


63



equal to a percentage of the market value of the pledge collateral. At the maturity of the reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will be required to repay the loan and correspondingly receive back its collateral. While used as collateral, the assets continue to pay principal and interest, which are for the benefit of the Fund.

A dollar roll transaction involves a sale by the Fund of a security concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase a similar security at a later date at an agreed-upon price. The securities that are repurchased will bear the same interest rate and a similar maturity as those sold, but the assets collateralizing those securities may have different prepayment histories than those sold. During the period between the sale and repurchase, the Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold. Proceeds of the sale will be invested in additional investments, and the income from these investments will generate income for the Fund. If such income does not exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain or loss that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the dollar roll, the use of this technique will diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what the performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls. Dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities subject to the Fund's forward purchase commitment may decline below, or the market value of the securities subject to the Fund's forward sale commitment may increase above, the exercise price of the forward commitment. In the event the buyer of the securities files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the Fund's use of the proceeds of the current sale portion of the transaction may be restricted.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements, in which the Fund purchases a security from a bank or broker-dealer and the bank or broker-dealer agrees to repurchase the security at the Fund's cost plus interest within a specified time. If the party agreeing to repurchase should default, the Fund will seek to sell the securities which it holds. This could involve transaction costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value should fall below their repurchase price. Repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days are considered to be illiquid securities.

Other Investment Companies

The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive orders currently or in the future obtained by the Fund from the SEC. These securities include shares of other closed-end funds, open-end investment companies ( i.e. , mutual funds) and ETFs. As a stockholder in an investment company, the Fund will bear its ratable share of that investment company's expenses, and would remain subject to payment of the Fund's management fees with respect to assets so invested. Common Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. In addition, the securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to the same leverage risks described herein. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk."

Investment Policies

Credit Ratings and Unrated Securities

Rating agencies are private services that provide ratings of the credit quality of debt obligations, including convertible securities. Appendix A to the SAI describes the various ratings assigned to debt obligations by S&P, Moody's and Fitch. Ratings assigned by a rating agency are not absolute standards of credit quality and do not evaluate market risks or the liquidity of securities. Rating agencies may fail to make timely changes in credit ratings and an issuer's current financial condition may be better or worse than a rating indicates. Credit rating agencies may be paid by the companies whose debt they analyze and grade. To the extent that the issuer of a security pays a rating agency for the analysis of its security, an inherent conflict of interest may exist that could affect the reliability of the rating. The Adviser does not rely solely on credit ratings, and develops its own analysis of issuer credit quality. The ratings of a debt security may change over time. S&P, Moody's and Fitch monitor and evaluate the ratings assigned to securities on an ongoing basis. As a result, securities held by the Fund could receive a higher rating


64



(which would tend to increase their value) or a lower rating (which would tend to decrease their value) during the period in which they are held.

The Fund may purchase unrated securities (securities which are not rated by a rating agency) if the Adviser determines that the securities are an appropriate investment for the Fund. Unrated securities may be less liquid than comparable rated securities and involve the risk that the Adviser may not accurately evaluate the security's comparative credit rating. To the extent that the Fund invests in high yield and/or unrated securities, the Fund's success in achieving its investment objectives may depend more heavily on the Adviser's analysis than if the Fund invested exclusively in higher-quality and rated securities. The Adviser will attempt to reduce the risks of investing in lower rated or unrated debt instruments through active portfolio management, credit analysis and attention to current developments and trends in the economy and the financial markets.

The Fund is not required to dispose of a security in the event that a rating agency downgrades its assessment of the credit characteristics of a particular issue or withdraws its assessment, including in the event of a default. In determining whether to retain or sell such a security, the Adviser may consider such factors as Adviser's assessment of the credit quality of the issuers of such security, the price at which such security could be sold and the rating, if any, assigned to such security by other rating agencies.

Percentage Limitations

Compliance with any policy or limitation of the Fund that is expressed as a percentage of assets is determined at the time of purchase of portfolio securities. The policy will not be violated if these limitations are exceeded because of changes in the market value or investment rating of the Fund's assets or if a Borrower or issuer distributes equity securities incident to the purchase or ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument or in connection with a reorganization of a Borrower or issuer.


65



LEVERAGE

The Fund may utilize financial leverage for investment purposes ( i.e. , to purchase additional portfolio securities consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and strategies). Although the Fund may use leverage as discussed below, there can be no assurance that the Fund will utilize financial leverage or that, if utilized, the Fund will be successful during any period in which leverage is employed. Generally speaking, if the Fund can invest the proceeds from financial leverage in portfolio securities that have higher rates of return than the costs of such financial leverage and other expenses of the Fund, then the Common Shareholders would have a net benefit.

The Fund is permitted to obtain leverage using any form or combination of financial leverage instruments, including through funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions ( i.e. , a credit facility), margin facilities, the issuance of preferred shares or notes and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. Following the completion of the Fund's initial public offering of Common Shares, and subject to prevailing market conditions, the Fund initially expects to enter into a credit facility to add financial leverage to its portfolio representing up to approximately 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets (including the assets subject to, and obtained with the proceeds of, the leveraging activity). In the future, the Fund may use forms of leverage other than and/or in addition to a credit facility. The Fund's use of financial leverage up to the maximum level permitted under the 1940 Act is not a fundamental policy of the Fund and may be changed without notice to the Fund's Common Shareholders. The Fund may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease its leverage, or use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments, at any time based on the Fund's assessment of market conditions and the investment environment.

Under the 1940 Act, the Fund generally may not declare any dividend or other distribution upon any class of its capital shares, or purchase any such capital shares, unless the aggregate indebtedness of the Fund has, at the time of the declaration of such dividend or distribution, or at the time of any such purchase, an asset coverage of at least 300% after deducting the amount of such dividend, distribution or purchase price, as the case may be. With respect to asset coverage for preferred shares, under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to issue preferred shares unless immediately after such issuance the NAV of the Fund's portfolio is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares ( i.e. , such liquidation value may not exceed 50% of the Fund's Managed Assets (less the Fund's obligations under senior securities representing indebtedness)). In addition, the Fund is not permitted to declare any cash dividend or other distribution on its Common Shares unless, at the time of such distribution, the NAV of the Fund's portfolio (determined after deducting the amount of such dividend or other distribution) is at least 200% of such liquidation value. If the Fund uses a combination of borrowing (including notes and other securities representing indebtedness) and issuing preferred shares, the maximum asset coverage required would be between 300% and 200% depending on the relative amounts of borrowings and preferred shares.

Leverage creates risks for holders of the Common Shares, including the likelihood of greater volatility in the NAV and market price of, and distributions on, the Common Shares. There is a risk that fluctuations in the distribution rates on any outstanding preferred shares or notes may adversely affect the return to the holders of the Common Shares. If the income from the investments purchased with such funds is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the return on the Fund will be less than if leverage had not been used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to Common Shareholders will be reduced. The Fund in its reasonable judgment nevertheless may determine to maintain the Fund's leveraged position if it deems such action to be appropriate in the circumstances.

Changes in the value of the Fund's investment portfolio (including investments bought with the proceeds of leverage) will be borne entirely by the Common Shareholders. If there is a net decrease (or increase) in the value of the Fund's investment portfolio, the leverage will decrease (or increase) the NAV per Common Share to a greater extent than if the Fund were not leveraged. The use of leverage by the Fund may magnify the Fund's losses when there is a decrease in the value of a Fund investment and even totally eliminate the Fund's equity in its portfolio or a Common Shareholder's equity in the Fund. During periods in which the Fund is using leverage, the fees paid by the Fund for investment advisory services will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the investment advisory fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's Managed Assets, which include proceeds from


66



leverage. As discussed under "Description of Capital Structure," if preferred shares are used, holders of preferred shares will have rights to elect a minimum of two trustees. This voting power may negatively affect Common Shareholders, and the interests of holders of preferred shares may otherwise differ from the interests of Common Shareholders. Any trustees elected by preferred shareholders will represent both Common Shareholders and holders of preferred shares. Such trustees may have a conflict of interest when the interests of Common Shareholders differ from those of holders of preferred shares.

Capital raised through leverage will be subject to distribution and/or interest payments, which may exceed the income and appreciation on the assets purchased. The issuance of preferred shares or notes involves offering expenses and other costs and may limit the Fund's freedom to pay distributions on Common Shares or to engage in other activities. All costs of offering and servicing any of the leverage methods the Fund may use will be borne entirely by the Fund's Common Shareholders. The interests of persons with whom the Fund enters into leverage arrangements (such as bank lenders, note holders and preferred shareholders) will not necessarily be aligned with the interests of the Fund's Common Shareholders and such persons will have claims on the Fund's assets that are senior to those of the Fund's Common Shareholders. Leverage creates an opportunity for a greater return per Common Share, but at the same time it is a speculative technique that will increase the Fund's exposure to capital risk.

In connection with a credit facility, any lender may impose specific restrictions as a condition to borrowing. The credit facility fees may include, among other things, up front structuring fees and ongoing commitment fees (including fees on amounts undrawn on the facility) in addition to the traditional interest expense on amounts borrowed. The credit facility may involve a lien on the Fund's assets. Similarly, to the extent the Fund issues preferred shares or notes, the Fund currently intends to seek an AAA or equivalent credit rating from one or more NRSROs on any preferred shares or notes it issues and the Fund may be subject to fees, covenants and investment restrictions required by the NRSRO as a result. Such covenants and restrictions imposed by a NRSRO or lender may include asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or restrictions will significantly impede the Adviser in managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with its investment objectives and policies. Nonetheless, if these covenants or guidelines are more restrictive than those imposed by the 1940 Act, the Fund may not be able to utilize as much leverage as it otherwise could have, which could reduce the Fund's investment returns. In addition, the Fund expects that any notes it issues or credit facility it enters into would contain covenants that, among other things, may impose geographic exposure limitations, credit quality minimums, liquidity minimums, concentration limitations and currency hedging requirements on the Fund. These covenants would also likely limit the Fund's ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change fundamental investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations. Such restrictions could cause the Adviser to make different investment decisions than if there were no such restrictions and could limit the ability of the Board and Common Shareholders to change fundamental investment policies.

As a closed-end investment company registered with the SEC, the Fund is subject to the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the rules thereunder, and various SEC and SEC staff interpretive positions. In accordance with these laws, rules and positions, the Fund may "set aside" liquid assets (often referred to as "asset segregation"), or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved measures, to "cover" open positions with respect to certain portfolio management techniques, such as engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, entering into credit default swaps or futures contracts, or purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, that may be considered senior securities under the 1940 Act. The Fund intends to "cover" its derivative positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities as required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time. When the Fund is a seller of a credit default swap, the Fund will segregate assets to cover the full notional value of any obligation under the credit default swap. The Fund may not cover an applicable derivative transaction if it does not need to do so to comply with the 1940 Act limitations on the issuance of senior securities and, in the view of the Adviser, the assets that would have been used to cover could be better used for a different purpose. However, these transactions, even if covered, may represent a form of economic leverage and will create risks. The potential loss on derivative instruments may be substantial relative to the initial investment therein. In addition, these segregation and coverage requirements could result in the Fund maintaining securities positions


67



that it would otherwise liquidate, segregating assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restricting portfolio management. Such segregation and cover requirements will not limit or offset losses on related positions.

The Fund's willingness to utilize leverage, and the amount of leverage the Fund will assume, will depend on many factors, the most important of which are market conditions and interest rates. Successful use of a leveraging strategy may depend on the Fund's ability to predict correctly interest rates and market movements, and there is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. Any leveraging of the Common Shares cannot be achieved until the proceeds resulting from the use of leverage have been invested in accordance with the Fund's investment objectives and policies.

Effects of Leverage

The following table is furnished in response to requirements of the SEC. It is designed to illustrate the effects of leverage on Common Share total return, assuming hypothetical annual investment portfolio total returns, net of expenses (consisting of income and changes in the value of investments held in the Fund's portfolio) of –10%, –5%, 0%, 5% and 10%. These assumed investment portfolio returns are hypothetical figures and are not necessarily indicative of the investment portfolio returns expected to be experienced by the Fund. The table further assumes that the Fund uses borrowings representing 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets (which includes the amounts of leverage obtained through such borrowings) and a projected annual rate of interest on the borrowings of 1.25%.

Assumed Portfolio Total Return (net of expenses)    

(10

)%

   

(5

)%

   

0

%

   

5

%

   

10

%

 
Common Share Total Return    

(15.63

)%

   

(8.13

)%

   

(0.63

)%

   

6.88

%

   

14.38

%

 

Common Shares Total Return is composed of two elements: the Common Shares dividends paid by the Fund (the amount of which is largely determined by the net investment income of the Fund after paying dividends or interest on its leverage) and gains or losses on the value of the securities the Fund owns. As required by SEC rules, the table above assumes that the Fund is more likely to suffer capital losses than to enjoy capital appreciation. For example, to assume a total return of 0% the Fund must assume that the interest it receives on its debt security investments is entirely offset by losses in the value of those investments.

If the Fund uses leverage, the amount of fees paid to the Adviser for its services will be higher than if the Fund does not use leverage because the fees paid are calculated based on Managed Assets, which includes assets purchased with leverage. Therefore, the Adviser has a financial incentive to use leverage, which creates a conflict of interest between the Adviser and Common Shareholders, as only the Common Shareholders would bear the fees and expenses incurred through the Fund's use of leverage. See "Conflicts of Interest." The Fund's willingness to use leverage, and the extent to which leverage is used at any time, will depend on many factors, including among other things, the Adviser's assessment of the yield curve, interest rate trends, market conditions and other factors. See "Summary of Common Shareholder Fees and Expenses."


68



RISK FACTORS

An investment in the Fund's Common Shares may be speculative in that it involves a high degree of risk and should not constitute a complete investment program. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with the other information contained in the prospectus. If any of these risks discussed in this prospectus occurs, the Fund's results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. If this were to happen, the price of the Fund's Common Shares could decline significantly and you could lose all or a part of your investment.

No Operating History

The Fund is a recently organized, non-diversified, closed-end investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision. The Fund's Common Shares have no history of public trading.

Investment and Market Risk

An investment in the Fund involves a considerable amount of risk. Before making an investment decision, a prospective investor should (i) consider the suitability of this investment with respect to the his or her investment objectives and personal situation and (ii) consider factors such as his or her personal net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity needs. An investment in the Fund's Common Shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund's Common Shares represents an indirect investment in the portfolio of loans and fixed-income instruments, short positions and other securities and derivative instruments owned by the Fund, and the value of these securities and instruments may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, and such investment is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. At any point in time, an investment in the Fund's Common Shares may be worth less than the original amount invested, even after taking into account distributions paid by the Fund and the ability of Common Shareholders to reinvest dividends. The Fund may also use leverage, which would magnify the Fund's investment, market and certain other risks.

The Fund may be materially affected by market, economic and political conditions globally and in the jurisdictions and sectors in which it invests or operates, including factors affecting interest rates, the availability of credit, currency exchange rates and trade barriers. These factors are outside the Adviser's control and could adversely affect the liquidity and value of the Fund's investments, and may reduce the ability of the Fund to make attractive new investments.

In particular, economic and financial market conditions began to significantly deteriorate approximately five years ago as compared to prior periods. Global financial markets experienced considerable declines in the valuations of debt and equity securities, an acute contraction in the availability of credit and the failure of a number of leading financial institutions. As a result, certain government bodies and central banks worldwide, including the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.S. Federal Reserve, undertook unprecedented intervention programs, the effects of which remain uncertain. The U.S. economy has experienced and continues to experience relatively high levels of unemployment and constrained lending. Although certain financial markets have shown some recent signs of the improvement, to the extent economic conditions experienced over the last five years continue, they may adversely impact the investments of the Fund. Low interest rates related to monetary stimulus and economic stagnation may also negatively impact expected returns on investments in such an environment. Trends and historical events do not imply, forecast or predict future events and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. There can be no assurance that the assumptions made or the beliefs and expectations currently held by the Adviser will prove correct, and actual events and circumstances may vary significantly.

The Fund may be subject to risk arising from a default by one of several large institutions that are dependent on one another to meet their liquidity or operational needs, so that a default by one institution may cause a series of


69



defaults by the other institutions. This is sometimes referred to as "systemic risk" and may adversely affect financial intermediaries, such as clearing agencies, clearing houses, banks, securities firms and exchanges, with which the Fund interacts on a daily basis.

Market Discount Risk

Common shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund frequently trade at a discount from their NAV. Common shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund have traded at prices higher than their NAV during some periods and have traded at prices lower than their NAV during other periods. The Fund cannot assure you that its Common Shares will trade at a price higher than or equal to NAV in the future. The Fund's NAV will be reduced immediately following this offering by the sales load and the amount of offering expenses paid by the Fund. In addition to NAV, the market price of the Fund's Common Shares may be affected by such factors as distribution levels and stability (which are in turn affected by expenses, regulation affecting the timing and character of Fund distributions and other factors), portfolio credit quality, liquidity, market supply and demand and similar other factors relating to the Fund's portfolio holdings. The Fund's market price may also be affected by general market, economic or political conditions. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and should not be viewed as a vehicle for trading purposes. This risk may be greater for investors who sell their Common Shares in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering. You should not purchase Common Shares of the Fund if you intend to sell them shortly after purchase.

Fixed-Income Instruments Risk

The Fund will invest in loans and other types of fixed-income instruments and securities. Such investments may be secured, partially secured or unsecured and may be unrated, and whether or not rated, may have speculative characteristics. The market price of the Fund's investments will change in response to changes in interest rates and other factors. Generally, when interest rates rise, the values of fixed-income instruments fall, and vice versa. In typical interest rate environments, the prices of longer-term fixed-income instruments generally fluctuate more than the prices of shorter-term fixed-income instruments as interest rates change. These risks may be greater in the current market environment because certain interest rates are near historically low levels. The obligor of a fixed-income instrument may not be able or willing to pay interest or to repay principal when due in accordance with the terms of the associated agreement. An obligor's willingness and ability to pay interest or to repay principal due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow. Commercial bank lenders may be able to contest payments to the holders of other debt obligations of the same obligor in the event of default under their commercial bank loan agreements. See also "Risks Factors—Credit Risk."

The Fund will invest in loans and other similar forms of debt. Such forms of indebtedness are different from traditional debt securities in that debt securities are part of a large issue of securities to the public and loans and similar debt instruments may not be securities, but may represent a specific commercial loan to a borrower. Loan participations typically represent direct participation, together with other parties, in a loan to a corporate borrower, and generally are offered by banks or other financial institutions or lending syndicates. The Fund may participate in such syndications, or can buy part of a loan, becoming a part lender. When purchasing indebtedness and loan participations, the Fund assumes the credit risk associated with the corporate borrower and may assume the credit risk associated with an interposed bank or other financial intermediary. Members of a syndicate in which the Fund participates may have different and sometimes superior rights to those of the Fund. Where the Fund invests as a sub-participant in syndicated debt, it may be subject to certain risks as a result of having no direct contractual relationship with the underlying borrower. As a result, the Fund will generally be dependent on the lender to enforce its rights and obligations under the loan arrangements in the event of a default by the underlying borrower and will generally not have any direct rights against the underlying borrower, any direct rights in the collateral, if any, securing such borrowing, or any right to deal directly with such borrower. The lender will, in general, retain the right to determine whether remedies provided for in the underlying loan arrangement will be exercised, or waived. In the event that the Fund enters into such an investment, there can be no assurance that its ability to realize upon a participation will not be interrupted or impaired in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of any of the borrower


70



or the lender or that in such circumstances, the Fund will benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower. Successful claims by third parties arising from these and other risks may be borne by the Fund.

The Fund may invest in debtor-in-possession financings. In such investments there is a risk that the underlying borrower may not successfully come out of Chapter 11 proceedings and may be forced to liquidate its assets in which case the Fund's only recourse will be against the security provided by the borrower (which may not be sufficient to cover related losses).

Senior Loans Risk

Senior Loans hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a Borrower. Senior Loans in most circumstances are fully collateralized by assets of the borrower. Thus, they are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders. Substantial increases in interest rates may cause an increase in loan defaults as borrowers may lack resources to meet higher debt service requirements. The value of the Fund's assets may also be affected by other uncertainties such as economic developments affecting the market for senior secured term loans or affecting borrowers generally. Moreover, the security for the Fund's investments in secured debt may not be recognized for a variety of reasons, including the failure to make required filings by lenders, trustees or other responsible parties and, as a result, the Fund may not have priority over other creditors as anticipated.

Senior Loans usually include restrictive covenants, which must be maintained by the borrower. The Fund may have an obligation with respect to certain senior secured term loan investments to make additional loans upon demand by the borrower. Such instruments, unlike certain bonds, usually do not have call protection. This means that such interests, while having a stated term, may be prepaid, often without penalty. The rate of such prepayments may be affected by, among other things, general business and economic conditions, as well as the financial status of the borrower. Prepayment would cause the actual duration of a Senior Loan to be shorter than its stated maturity.

Senior Loans typically will be secured by pledges of collateral from the borrower in the form of tangible and intangible assets. In some instances, the Fund may invest in Senior Loans that are secured only by stock of the borrower or its subsidiaries or affiliates. The value of the collateral may decline below the principal amount of the senior secured term loans subsequent to an investment by the Fund.

Senior Loans generally are not registered with the SEC, or any state securities commission, and are not listed on any national securities exchange. There is less readily available or reliable information about most Senior Loans than is the case for many other types of securities, including securities issued in transactions registered under the Securities Act, or registered under the Exchange Act. No active trading market may exist for some Senior Loans, and some Senior Loans may be subject to restrictions on resale. A secondary market may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which may impair the Fund's ability to realize full value and thus cause a material decline in the Fund's NAV. In addition, the Fund may not be able to readily dispose of its Senior Loans at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such loans if they were more widely traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations. During periods of limited supply and liquidity of Senior Loans, the Fund's yield may be lower. See "Below Investment Grade Instruments Risk."

If legislation or government regulations impose additional requirements or restrictions on the ability of financial institutions to make loans, the availability of Senior Loans for investment by the Fund may be adversely affected. In addition, such requirements or restrictions could reduce or eliminate sources of financing for certain Borrowers. This would increase the risk of default.

If legislation or government regulations require financial institutions to increase their capital requirements, this may cause financial institutions to dispose of Senior Loans that are considered highly levered transactions. Such sales could result in prices that, in the opinion of the Adviser, do not represent fair value. If the Fund attempts to


71



sell a Senior Loan at a time when a financial institution is engaging in such a sale, the price the Fund could get for the Senior Loan may be adversely affected.

The Fund may acquire Senior Loans through assignments or participations. The Fund will typically acquire Senior Loans through assignment and may elevate a participation interest into an assignment as soon as practicably possible. The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, the purchaser's rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution, and the Fund may not be able to unilaterally enforce all rights and remedies under the loan and with regard to any associated collateral. A participation typically results in a contractual relationship only with the institution offering the participation, not with the Borrower. Sellers of participations typically include banks, broker-dealers, other financial institutions and lending institutions. The Adviser has adopted best execution procedures and guidelines to mitigate credit and counterparty risk in the atypical situation when the Fund must acquire a Senior Loan through a participation. The Adviser has established a risk and valuation committee that regularly reviews each broker-dealer counterparty for, among other things, its quality and the quality of its execution. The established procedures and guidelines require trades to be placed for execution only with broker-dealer counterparties approved by the risk and valuation committee of the Adviser. The factors considered by the committee when selecting and approving brokers and dealers include, but are not limited to: (i) quality, accuracy, and timeliness of execution, (ii) review of the reputation, financial strength and stability of the financial institution, (iii) willingness and ability of the counterparty to commit capital, (iv) ongoing reliability and (v) access to underwritten offerings and secondary markets. In purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the Borrower with the terms of the loan agreement against the Borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will be exposed to the credit risk of both the Borrower and the institution selling the participation. Further, in purchasing participations in lending syndicates, the Fund will not be able to conduct the due diligence on the Borrower or the quality of the Senior Loan with respect to which it is buying a participation that the Fund would otherwise conduct if it were investing directly in the Senior Loan, which may result in the Fund being exposed to greater credit or fraud risk with respect to the Borrower or the Senior Loan than the Fund expected when initially purchasing the participation.

Credit Risk

The Fund's debt investments will be subject to the risk of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal by the borrowers with respect to such investments. Such non-payment would likely result in a reduction of income to the Fund and a reduction in the value of the debt investments experiencing non-payment.

Although the Fund may invest in investments that the Adviser believes are secured by specific collateral, the value of which may exceed the principal amount of the investments at the time of initial investment, there can be no assurance that the liquidation of any such collateral would satisfy the borrower's obligation in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal payments with respect to such investment, or that such collateral could be readily liquidated. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy of a borrower, the Fund could experience delays or limitations with respect to its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing an investment. Under certain circumstances, collateral securing an investment may be released without the consent of the Fund. The Fund may also invest in high yield instruments and other unsecured investments, each of which involves a higher degree of risk than Senior Loans. The Fund's right to payment and its security interest, if any, may be subordinated to the payment rights and security interests of more senior creditors. Certain of these investments may have an interest-only payment schedule, with the principal amount remaining outstanding and at risk until the maturity of the investment. In this case, a portfolio company's ability to repay the principal of an investment may be dependent upon a liquidity event or the long-term success of the company, the occurrence of which is uncertain.

Companies in which the Fund invests could deteriorate as a result of, among other factors, an adverse development in their business, a change in the competitive environment or an economic downturn. As a result, companies that the Fund expected to be stable may operate, or expect to operate, at a loss or have significant


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variations in operating results, may require substantial additional capital to support their operations or maintain their competitive position, or may otherwise have a weak financial condition or be experiencing financial distress.

Leverage Risk

The Fund is permitted to obtain leverage using any form or combination of financial leverage instruments, including through funds borrowed from banks or other financial institutions ( i.e. , a credit facility), margin facilities, the issuance of preferred shares or notes and leverage attributable to reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. The Fund may use leverage opportunistically and may choose to increase or decrease its leverage, or use different types or combinations of leveraging instruments, at any time based on the Fund's assessment of market conditions and the investment environment.

Following the completion of the Fund's initial public offering of Common Shares, and subject to prevailing market conditions, the Fund initially expects to add financial leverage to its portfolio representing up to approximately 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets (including the assets subject to, and obtained with the proceeds of, the leveraging activity).

The 1940 Act generally limits the extent to which the Fund may utilize borrowings and "uncovered" transactions that may give rise to a form of leverage, including reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative transactions, together with any other senior securities representing indebtedness, to 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund's Managed Assets at the time utilized. In addition, the 1940 Act limits the extent to which the Fund may issue preferred shares to 50% of the Fund's Managed Assets (less the Fund's obligations under senior securities representing indebtedness). "Covered" reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative transactions will not be counted against the foregoing limits under the 1940 Act. The Fund will "cover" its derivative positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities as required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time. Alternatively, the Fund may enter into an offsetting position or own positions covering its obligations with respect to the transaction; otherwise, this transaction will be considered "uncovered." The Fund may not cover an applicable derivative transaction if it does not need to do so to comply with the foregoing 1940 Act requirements and, in the view of the Adviser, the assets that would have been used to cover could be better used for a different purpose. However, these transactions, even if covered, may represent a form of economic leverage and will create risks. The potential loss on derivative instruments may be substantial relative to the initial investment therein. In addition, these segregation and coverage requirements could result in the Fund maintaining securities positions that it would otherwise liquidate, segregating assets at a time when it might be disadvantageous to do so or otherwise restricting portfolio management. Such segregation and cover requirements will not limit or offset losses on related positions.

Use of leverage creates an opportunity for increased income and return for Common Shareholders but, at the same time, creates risks, including the likelihood of greater volatility in the NAV and market price of, and distributions on, the Common Shares. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund's portfolio will be magnified if the Fund uses leverage. In particular, leverage may magnify interest rate risk, which is the risk that the prices of portfolio securities will fall (or rise) if market interest rates for those types of securities rise (or fall). As a result, leverage may cause greater changes in the Fund's NAV, which will be borne entirely by the Fund's Common Shareholders. There can be no assurance that the Fund will use leverage or that its leveraging strategy will be successful during any period in which it is employed. The Fund may be subject to investment restrictions of one or more NRSROs and/or credit facility lenders as a result of its use of financial leverage. These restrictions may impose asset coverage or portfolio composition requirements that are more stringent than those imposed on the Fund by the 1940 Act. It is not anticipated that these covenants or portfolio requirements will significantly impede the Adviser in managing the Fund's portfolio in accordance with its investment objectives and policies. Nonetheless, if these covenants or guidelines are more restrictive than those imposed by the 1940 Act, the Fund may not be able to utilize as much leverage as it otherwise could have, which could reduce the Fund's investment returns. In addition, the Fund expects that any notes it issues or credit facility it enters into would contain covenants that, among other things, will likely impose geographic exposure limitations, credit quality minimums, liquidity minimums, concentration


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limitations and currency hedging requirements on the Fund. These covenants would also likely limit the Fund's ability to pay distributions in certain circumstances, incur additional debt, change fundamental investment policies and engage in certain transactions, including mergers and consolidations. Such restrictions could cause the Adviser to make different investment decisions than if there were no such restrictions and could limit the ability of the Board and Common Shareholders to change fundamental investment policies.

The costs of a financial leverage program (including the costs of offering preferred shares and notes) will be borne entirely by Common Shareholders and consequently will result in a reduction of the NAV of the Common Shares. During periods in which the Fund is using leverage, the fees paid by the Fund for investment advisory services will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the investment advisory fees paid will be calculated on the basis of the Fund's Managed Assets, which includes proceeds from (and assets subject to) any credit facility, margin facility, any issuance of preferred shares or notes, any reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls or similar transactions. This will create a conflict of interest between the Adviser, on the one hand, and Common Shareholders, on the other hand. To monitor this potential conflict, the Board intends to periodically review the Fund's use of leverage, including its impact on Fund performance and on the Adviser's fees. See "Conflicts of Interest."

The Fund may also offset derivative positions against one another or against other assets to manage the effective market exposure resulting from derivatives in its portfolio. In addition, to the extent that any offsetting positions do not behave in relation to one another as expected, the Fund may perform as if it were leveraged. The Fund's use of leverage could create the opportunity for a higher return for Common Shareholders but would also result in special risks for Common Shareholders and can magnify the effect of any losses. If the income and gains earned on the securities and investments purchased with leverage proceeds are greater than the cost of the leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income and gains from the securities and investments purchased with such proceeds do not cover the cost of leverage, the return on the Common Shares will be less than if leverage had not been used. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful. Leverage involves risks and special considerations for Common Shareholders, including:

•  the likelihood of greater volatility of NAV and market price of the Common Shares than a comparable portfolio without leverage;

•  the risk that fluctuations in interest rates on borrowings and short-term debt or in the dividend rates on any preferred shares that the Fund may pay will reduce the return to the Common Shareholders or will result in fluctuations in the dividends paid on the Common Shares;

•  the effect of leverage in a declining market, which is likely to cause a greater decline in the NAV of the Common Shares than if the Fund were not leveraged, which may result in a greater decline in the market price of the Common Shares; and

•  when the Fund uses certain types of leverage, the investment advisory fee payable to the Adviser will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage.

The Fund may continue to use leverage if the benefits to the Fund's Common Shareholders of maintaining the leveraged position are believed to outweigh any current reduced return.

Subordinated and Unsecured or Partially Secured Loans Risk

The Fund may invest in unsecured loans and secured subordinated loans, including second and lower lien loans. Second lien loans are generally second in line in terms of repayment priority. A second lien loan may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first lien or it may be secured by a separate set of assets. Second lien loans generally give investors priority over general unsecured creditors in the event of an asset sale. The priority of the collateral claims of third or lower lien loans ranks below holders of second lien loans and so on. Such junior loans are subject to the same general risks inherent to any loan investment, including credit risk, market and liquidity risk, and interest


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rate risk. Due to their lower place in the borrower's capital structure and possible unsecured or partially secured status, such loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than Senior Loans of the same borrower.

Mezzanine Securities Risk

Most of the Fund's mezzanine securities and other investments (if any) are expected to be unsecured and made in companies whose capital structures have significant indebtedness ranking ahead of the investments, all or a significant portion of which may be secured. While the securities and other investments may benefit from the same or similar financial and other covenants as those enjoyed by the indebtedness ranking ahead of the investments and may benefit from cross-default provisions and security over the portfolio company's assets, some or all of such terms may not be part of particular investments. Mezzanine securities and other investments generally are subject to various risks including, without limitation: (i) a subsequent characterization of an investment as a "fraudulent conveyance"; (ii) the recovery as a "preference" of liens perfected or payments made on account of a debt in the 90 days before a bankruptcy filing; (iii) equitable subordination claims by other creditors; (iv) so-called "lender liability" claims by the issuer of the obligations; and (v) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations.

Below Investment Grade Instruments Risk

The Fund may invest in debt securities and instruments that are rated below investment grade by recognized rating agencies or will be unrated and face ongoing uncertainties and exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions and the issuer's failure to make timely interest and principal payments. Such securities and instruments are generally not exchange-traded and, as a result, trade in the OTC marketplace, which is less transparent than the exchange-traded marketplace. In addition, the Fund may invest in bonds of issuers that do not have publicly traded equity securities, making it more difficult to hedge the risks associated with such investments. The Fund's investments in below investment grade instruments exposes it to a substantial degree of credit risk and interest rate risk. The market for high yield securities has recently experienced periods of significant volatility and reduced liquidity. The market values of certain of these lower-rated and unrated debt investments tend to reflect individual corporate developments to a greater extent and tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than those of higher-rated investments, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Companies that issue such securities are often highly leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of financing. Major economic recessions such as those recently (and in some cases, currently) experienced globally may disrupt severely the market for such securities, and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and interest thereon, thereby increasing the incidence of default of such securities. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the value and liquidity of these high yield debt securities.

Special Situations and Distressed Investments

The Fund intends to invest in securities and other obligations of companies that are in special situations involving significant financial or business distress, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. Although such investments may result in significant returns for the Fund, they involve a substantial degree of risk. The level of analytical sophistication, both financial and legal, necessary for successful investment in distressed assets is unusually high. There is no assurance that the Fund will correctly evaluate the value of the assets collateralizing the Fund's investments or the prospects for a successful reorganization or similar action in respect of any company. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a company in which the Fund invests, the Fund may lose its entire investment, may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than the Fund's original investment and/or may be required to accept payment over an extended period of time. Troubled company investments and other distressed asset-based investments require active monitoring.


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Short Selling Risk

Short selling involves a number of risks. Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security or other instrument that it does not own but can borrow in the market. If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions earlier than it had expected. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons. Also, there is the risk that the counterparty to a short sale may fail to honor its contractual terms, causing a loss to the Fund.

Until the Fund replaces a security borrowed in connection with a short sale, it may be required to maintain a segregated account of cash or liquid assets with a broker or custodian to cover the Fund's short position. Generally, securities held in a segregated account cannot be sold unless they are replaced with other liquid assets. The Fund's ability to access the pledged collateral may also be impaired in the event the broker becomes bankrupt, insolvent or otherwise fails to comply with the terms of the contract. In such instances, the Fund may not be able to substitute or sell the pledged collateral and may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in these circumstances. Additionally, the Fund must maintain sufficient liquid assets (less any additional collateral pledged to the broker), marked-to-market daily, to cover the borrowed securities obligations. This may limit the Fund's investment flexibility, as well as its ability to meet other current obligations.

Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. By contrast, a loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact that a security's value cannot decrease below zero. In addition, engaging in short selling may limit the Fund's ability to fully benefit from increases in the fixed-income markets.

By investing the proceeds received from selling securities short, the Fund could be deemed to be employing a form of leverage, which creates special risks. The use of leverage may increase the Fund's exposure to long securities positions and make any change in the Fund's NAV greater than it would be without the use of leverage. This could result in increased volatility of returns. There is no guarantee that any leveraging strategy the Fund employs will be successful during any period in which it is employed. See "Leverage Risk."

In times of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions, the Fund may not be able, fully or partially, to implement its short selling strategy. Periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, regulatory or political conditions generally may exist for as long as six months and, in some cases, much longer.

Prepayment Risk

Prepayment risk occurs when a debt investment held by the Fund can be repaid in whole or in part prior to its maturity. The amount of prepayable obligations in which the Fund invests from time to time may be affected by general business conditions, market interest rates, borrowers' financial conditions and competitive conditions among lenders. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay investments more quickly than anticipated, reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the relevant investment. Moreover, when the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that the Fund purchases the relevant investment at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If the Fund buys such investments at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments will increase current and total returns and unscheduled prepayments will also accelerate the recognition of income which may be taxable as ordinary income to Common Shareholders. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of investments may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change an investment that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer-term investment. Since the value of longer-term


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investments generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term investments, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of the Fund. When interest rates decline, the value of an investment with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other fixed-income instruments, and, as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or delay prepayments and thus affect maturities.

Credit Derivatives Risk

The use of credit derivatives is a highly specialized activity which involves strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of default risks, liquidity risk, counterparty risk, market spreads or other applicable factors, the investment performance of the Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these techniques were not used. Moreover, even if the Adviser is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that a credit derivative position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being protected. The Fund's risk of loss in a credit derivative transaction varies with the form of the transaction. For example, if the Fund sells protection under a credit default swap, it would collect periodic fees from the buyer and would profit if the credit of the underlying issuer or reference entity remains stable or improves while the swap is outstanding, but the Fund would be required to pay an agreed upon amount to the buyer (which may be the entire notional amount of the swap) if the reference entity defaults on the reference security. Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if the Fund invested in the reference obligation directly.

Derivatives Risk

The Fund's derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets of the Fund, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying assets in the Fund's portfolio; the loss of principal; the possible default of the other party to the transaction; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative contract would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative contract and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty, and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security.

The counterparty risk for cleared derivative transactions is generally lower than for uncleared OTC derivatives since generally a clearing organization becomes substituted for each counterparty to a cleared derivative contract and, in effect, guarantees the parties' performance under the contract as each party to a trade looks only to the clearing house for performance of financial obligations. However, there can be no assurance that the clearing house, or its members, will satisfy its obligations to the Fund.

Certain of the derivative investments in which the Fund may invest may, in certain circumstances, give rise to a form of financial leverage, which may magnify the risk of owning such instruments. Furthermore, the ability to successfully use derivative investments depends on the ability of the Adviser to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. Thus, the use of derivative investments to generate income, for hedging, for currency or interest rate management or other purposes may result in losses greater than if they had not been used, may require the Fund to sell or purchase portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices below or above the current market values, may limit the amount of appreciation the Fund can realize on an investment or may cause the Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise want to sell. In addition, there may be situations in which the Adviser elects not to use derivative investments that result in losses greater than if they had been used. Amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to the Fund's derivative investments would not be available to the Fund for other investment purposes, which may result in lost opportunities for gain.

OTC derivatives may be more difficult to purchase, sell or value than other investments. Although both OTC and exchange-traded derivatives markets may experience a lack of liquidity, OTC non-standardized derivative


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transactions are generally less liquid than exchange-traded instruments. The illiquidity of the derivatives markets may be due to various factors, including congestion, disorderly markets, limitations on deliverable supplies, the participation of speculators, government regulation and intervention, and technical and operational or system failures. In addition, the liquidity of a secondary market in an exchange-traded derivative contract may be adversely affected by "daily price fluctuation limits" established by the exchanges which limit the amount of fluctuation in an exchange-traded contract price during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in the contract, no trades may be entered into at a price beyond the limit, thus preventing the liquidation of open positions. Prices have in the past moved beyond the daily limit on a number of consecutive trading days. If it is not possible to close an open derivative position entered into by the Fund, the Fund would continue to be required to make cash payments of variation (or mark-to-market) margin in the event of adverse price movements. In such a situation, if the Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Fund to ascertain a market value for such instruments. The inability to close derivatives transactions positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund's ability to effectively hedge its portfolio. OTC derivatives that are not cleared are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party to the contract will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. If a counterparty were to default on its obligations, the Fund's contractual remedies against such counterparty may be subject to bankruptcy and insolvency laws, which could affect the Fund's rights as a creditor ( e.g. , the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it is contractually entitled to receive). In addition, the use of certain derivatives may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of income or short-term capital gains (generally taxed at ordinary income tax rates).

The derivatives markets have become subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations and margin requirements. In particular, in the United States the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the "Dodd-Frank Act") regulates the OTC derivatives market by, among other things, requiring many derivative transactions to be cleared and traded on an exchange, expanding entity registration requirements, imposing business conduct requirements on dealers and requiring banks to move some derivatives trading units to a non-guaranteed affiliate separate from the deposit-taking bank or divest them altogether. Rulemaking proposed or implemented under the Dodd-Frank Act could potentially limit or completely restrict the ability of the Fund to use these instruments as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions could also prevent the Fund from using these instruments or affect the pricing or other factors relating to these instruments, or may change availability of certain investments.

The Fund's investments in regulated derivatives instruments, such as swaps, futures and options, will be subject to maximum position limits established by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the "CFTC") and U.S. and foreign futures exchanges. Under the exchange rules all accounts owned or managed by advisers, such as the Adviser, their principals and affiliates would be combined for position limit purposes. In order to comply with the position limits established by the CFTC and the relevant exchanges, the Adviser may in the future reduce the size of positions that would otherwise be taken for the Fund or not trade in certain markets on behalf of the Fund in order to avoid exceeding such limits. A violation of position limits by the Adviser could lead to regulatory action resulting in mandatory liquidation of certain positions held by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will liquidate positions held on behalf of all the Adviser's accounts in a proportionate manner or at favorable prices, which may result in substantial losses to the Fund. Such policies could affect the nature and extent of derivatives use by the Fund.

Regulatory Risk—Regulation as a Commodity Pool

The Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" with respect to the Fund pursuant to Regulation 4.5 promulgated by the CFTC under the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA"). The CFTC has adopted amendments to its rules that may affect the ability of the Adviser to claim this exclusion. The on-going compliance implications of these amendments are not fully effective and their scope of application is still uncertain. The Adviser will be limited in its ability to use futures or options on futures or engage in swaps


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transactions on behalf of the Fund as a result of claiming the exclusion. In the event the Adviser fails to qualify for the exclusion and is required to register as a "commodity pool operator," the Adviser will become subject to additional disclosure, recordkeeping and reporting requirements with respect to the Fund, which may increase the Fund's expenses.

Risks related to the Fund's clearing broker and central clearing counterparty.

The CEA and CFTC regulations require swaps and futures clearing brokers registered as "futures commission merchants" to segregate from the broker's proprietary assets all funds and other property received from customers with respect to any orders for the purchase or sale of U.S. domestic futures contracts, options on futures contracts and cleared swaps. Similarly, the CEA requires each futures commission merchant to hold in a separate secure account all funds and other property received from customers with respect to any orders for the purchase or sale of foreign futures contracts and segregate any such funds from the funds received with respect to domestic futures contracts. However, all funds and other property received by a clearing broker from its customers are held by the clearing broker on a commingled basis in an omnibus account and may be accessed by the clearing broker, which may also invest any such funds in certain instruments permitted under the applicable regulation. There is a risk that assets deposited by the Fund with any swaps or futures clearing broker as margin for futures contracts or cleared swaps may, in certain circumstances, be used to satisfy losses of other clients of the Fund's clearing broker. In addition, the assets of the Fund might not be fully protected in the event of the Fund's clearing broker's bankruptcy, as the Fund would be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds segregated on behalf of the clearing broker's combined domestic customer accounts.

Similarly, the CEA and CFTC regulations require a clearing organization approved by the CFTC as a derivatives clearing organization to segregate all funds and other property received from a clearing member's customers in connection with domestic futures, swaps and options contracts from any funds or other property held at the clearing organization to support the clearing member's proprietary trading. Nevertheless, with respect to futures and options contracts, a clearing organization may use assets of a non-defaulting customer held in an omnibus account at the clearing organization to satisfy payment obligations of a defaulting customer of the clearing member to the clearing organization. As a result, in the event of a default of the clearing broker's other clients or the clearing broker's failure to extend its own funds in connection with any such default, the Fund may not be able to recover the full amount of assets deposited by the clearing broker on behalf of the Fund with the clearing organization.

Structured Products Risk

The Fund may invest in structured products, consisting of CLOs and credit-linked notes. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying investments, index or reference obligation and are subject to counterparty risk.

The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product, and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products generally pay their share of the structured product's administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of indices and securities underlying structured products will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses shorter term financing to purchase longer term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured products owned by the Fund.

Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. CLOs and credit-linked notes are typically privately offered and sold. As a result, investments in CLOs and credit-linked notes may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. In addition to the general risks associated with debt securities discussed herein, CLOs carry additional risks, including, but not limited to (i) the possibility that distributions from


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collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the possibility that the investments in CLOs are subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

Repurchase Agreements Risk

Subject to its investment objectives and policies, the Fund may invest in repurchase agreements as a buyer for investment purposes. Repurchase agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Fund of debt securities from a selling financial institution such as a bank, savings and loan association or broker-dealer. The agreement provides that the Fund will sell the securities back to the institution at a fixed time in the future. The Fund does not bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security unless the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of the bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and losses, including (1) possible decline in the value of the underlying security during the period in which the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto; (2) possible lack of access to income on the underlying security during this period; and (3) expenses of enforcing its rights. In addition, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Fund generally will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercise of the Fund's right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Rolls Risk

The use of reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls involve many of the same risks involved in the use of leverage, as the proceeds from reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls generally will be invested in additional securities. There is a risk that the market value of the securities acquired in the reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll may decline below the price of the securities that the Fund has sold but remains obligated to repurchase. In addition, there is a risk that the market value of the securities retained by the Fund may decline. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar roll were to file for bankruptcy or experience insolvency, the Fund may be adversely affected. Also, in entering into reverse repurchase agreements, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the underlying securities. In addition, due to the interest costs associated with reverse repurchase agreements and dollar roll transactions, the Fund's NAV will decline, and, in some cases, the Fund may be worse off than if it had not used such instruments.

Swap Risk

The Fund may also invest in credit default swaps, total return swaps, interest rate swaps and other types of swaps. Such transactions are subject to market risk, liquidity risk, risk of default by the other party to the transaction, known as "counterparty risk," regulatory risk and risk of imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying assets and may involve commissions or other costs. When buying protection under a credit default swap, the risk of market loss with respect to the swap generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. However, when selling protection under a swap, the risk of loss is often the notional value of the underlying asset, which can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. As a seller, the Fund would be incurring a form of leverage. The Fund will "cover" its swap positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities as required by the 1940 Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time.

The Dodd-Frank Act and related regulatory developments ultimately will require the clearing and exchange-trading of many OTC derivative instruments that the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and SEC recently defined as "swaps." Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing will occur on a phased-in basis based on the type of


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market participant and CFTC determination of contracts for central clearing. The Adviser will continue to monitor these developments, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect a Fund's ability to enter into swap agreements.

The swap market has matured in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid; however there is no guarantee that the swap market will continue to provide liquidity and may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell. The absence of liquidity may also make it more difficult for the Fund to ascertain a market value for such instruments. The inability to close derivative positions also could have an adverse impact on the Fund's ability to effectively hedge its portfolio. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used. In a total return swap, the Fund pays the counterparty a floating short-term interest rate and receives in exchange the total return of underlying loans or debt securities. The Fund bears the risk of default on the underlying loans or debt securities, based on the notional amount of the swap and, therefore, incurs a form of leverage. The Fund would typically have to post collateral to cover this potential obligation.

Options and Futures Risk

The Fund may utilize options and futures contracts and so-called "synthetic" options or other derivatives written by broker-dealers or other permissible financial intermediaries. Options transactions may be effected on securities exchanges or in the OTC market. When options are purchased OTC, the Fund's portfolio bears the risk that the counterparty that wrote the option will be unable or unwilling to perform its obligations under the option contract. Options may also be illiquid and, in such cases, the Fund may have difficulty closing out its position. OTC options also may include options on baskets of specific securities.

The Fund may purchase call and put options on specific securities, and may write and sell covered or uncovered call and put options for hedging purposes in pursuing its investment objectives. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying security at a stated exercise price, typically at any time prior to the expiration of the option for American options or only at expiration for European options. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, the underlying security at a stated exercise price, typically at any time prior to the expiration of the option. A covered call option is a call option with respect to which the seller of the option owns the underlying security. The sale of such an option exposes the seller during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security or to possible continued holding of a security that might otherwise have been sold to protect against depreciation in the market price of the security. A covered put option is a put option with respect to which cash or liquid securities have been placed in a segregated account on the books of or with a custodian to fulfill the obligation undertaken. The sale of such an option exposes the seller during the term of the option to a decline in price of the underlying security while depriving the seller of the opportunity to invest the segregated assets.

The Fund may close out a position when writing options by purchasing an option on the same underlying security with the same exercise price and expiration date as the option that it has previously written on the security. In such a case, the Fund will realize a profit or loss if the amount paid to purchase an option is less or more than the amount received from the sale of the option.

Engaging in transactions in futures contracts and options involves risk of loss to the Fund. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract or option prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day. Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the Fund to substantial losses. A market could become unavailable if one or more exchanges were to stop trading options or it could become unavailable with respect to


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options on a particular underlying security if the exchanges stopped trading options on that security. In addition, a market could become temporarily unavailable if unusual events ( e.g. , volume exceeds clearing capability) were to interrupt normal exchange operations. If an options market were to become illiquid or otherwise unavailable, an option holder would be able to realize profits or limit losses only by exercising and an options seller or writer would remain obligated until it is assigned an exercise or until the option expires.

If trading is interrupted in an underlying security, the trading of options on that security is usually halted as well. Holders and writers of options will then be unable to close out their positions until options trading resumes, and they may be faced with considerable losses if the security reopens at a substantially different price. Even if options trading is halted, holders of options will generally be able to exercise them. However, if trading has also been halted in the underlying security, option holders face the risk of exercising options without knowing the security's current market value. If exercises do occur when trading of the underlying security is halted, the party required to deliver the underlying security may be unable to obtain it, which may necessitate a postponed settlement and/or the fixing of cash settlement prices.

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk

The Fund may invest in securities of ETFs. Investments in ETFs are subject to a variety of risks, including all of the risks of a direct investment in the underlying securities that the ETF holds. ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including, without limitation, the risk that their prices may not correlate perfectly with changes in the prices of the underlying securities they are designed to track, and the risk of trading in an ETF halting due to market conditions or other reasons, based on the policies of the exchange upon which the ETF trades. ETF shares may trade at a premium or discount to their NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time may not be identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Some ETFs are highly leveraged and therefore would subject the Fund to the additional risks associated with leverage. See "Risk Factors—Leverage Risk." In addition, the Fund may bear, along with other shareholders of an ETF, its pro rata portion of the ETF's expenses, including management fees. Accordingly, in addition to bearing their proportionate share of the Fund's expenses, Common Shareholders may also indirectly bear similar expenses of an ETF.

Counterparty Risk

Certain Fund investments will be exposed to the credit risk of the counterparties with which, or the dealers, brokers and exchanges through which, the Fund deals, whether in exchange-traded or OTC transactions. The Fund may be subject to the risk of loss of Fund assets on deposit or being settled or cleared with a broker in the event of the broker's bankruptcy, the bankruptcy of any clearing broker through which the broker executes and clears transactions on behalf of the Fund, the bankruptcy of an exchange clearing house or the bankruptcy of any other counterparty. In the case of any such bankruptcy, the Fund might recover, even in respect of property specifically traceable to the Fund, only a pro rata share of all property available for distribution to all of the counterparty's customers and counterparties. Such an amount may be less than the amounts owed to the Fund. Such events would have an adverse effect on the NAV of the Fund. Certain counterparties may have general custody of, or title to, the Fund's assets (including, without limitation the Custodian). The failure of any such counterparty may result in adverse consequences to the NAV of the Fund.

The Fund's investments may be structured through the use of OTC options and swaps or other indirect investment transactions. Such transactions may be entered into with a small number of counterparties resulting in a concentration of counterparty risk. The exercise of counterparty rights under such arrangements, including forced sales of securities, may have a significant adverse impact on the Fund and its NAV.

Counterparty and Prime Brokerage Risk

Changes in the credit quality of the companies that serve as the Fund's prime brokers or counterparties with respect to derivatives or other transactions supported by another party's credit will affect the value of those instruments.


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Certain entities that have served as prime brokers or counterparties in the markets for these transactions have recently incurred significant financial hardships including bankruptcy and losses as a result of exposure to sub-prime mortgages and other lower quality credit investments that have experienced recent defaults or otherwise suffered extreme credit deterioration. As a result, such hardships have reduced such entities' capital and called into question their continued ability to perform their obligations under such transactions. By using derivatives, swaps or other transactions, the Fund assumes the risk that its counterparties could experience similar financial hardships. If a prime broker or counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding; if the Fund's claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such prime broker or counterparty and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. The Fund may obtain only a limited recovery or may obtain no recovery in such circumstances.

Lender Liability Risk

A number of U.S. judicial decisions have upheld judgments obtained by Borrowers against lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories, collectively termed "lender liability." Generally, lender liability is founded on the premise that a lender has violated a duty (whether implied or contractual) of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing, or a similar duty owed to the Borrower or has assumed an excessive degree of control over the Borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the Borrower or its other creditors or Common Shareholders. Because of the nature of its investments, the Fund may be subject to allegations of lender liability.

In addition, under common law principles that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, if a lender or bondholder (a) intentionally takes an action that results in the undercapitalization of a Borrower to the detriment of other creditors of such Borrower, (b) engages in other inequitable conduct to the detriment of such other creditors, (c) engages in fraud with respect to, or makes misrepresentations to, such other creditors or (d) uses its influence as a stockholder to dominate or control a Borrower to the detriment of other creditors of such Borrower, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of the offending lender or bondholder to the claims of the disadvantaged creditor or creditors, a remedy called "equitable subordination."

Because affiliates of, or persons related to, the Adviser may hold equity or other interests in obligors of the Fund, the Fund could be exposed to claims for equitable subordination or lender liability or both based on such equity or other holdings.

Distressed Debt, Litigation, Bankruptcy and Other Proceedings

The Fund may be invested in debt securities and other obligations of companies that are experiencing significant financial or business distress. Investments in distressed securities involve a material risk of involving the Fund in a related litigation. Such litigation can be time-consuming and expensive, and can frequently lead to unpredicted delays or losses. Litigation expenses, including payments pursuant to settlements or judgments, generally will be borne by the Fund.

The Adviser may make investments for the Fund in companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings. There are a number of significant risks when investing in companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings, and many events in a bankruptcy are the product of contested matters and adversary proceedings which are beyond the control of the creditors. A bankruptcy filing may have adverse and permanent effects on a company. Further, if the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the liquidation value of the company may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment. In addition, the duration of a bankruptcy proceeding is difficult to predict. A creditor's return on investment can be impacted adversely by delays while the plan of reorganization is being negotiated, approved by the creditors and confirmed by the bankruptcy court, and until it ultimately becomes effective. Certain claims, such as claims for taxes, wages and certain trade claims, may have priority by law over the claims of certain creditors and administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding are frequently high and will be paid out of the debtor's estate prior to any return to creditors.


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Certain fixed-income instruments invested in by the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal, state or non-U.S. bankruptcy laws or fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws, if such securities were issued with the intent of hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors or, in certain circumstances, if the issuer receives less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration in return for issuing such securities. If a court were to find that the issuance of the securities was a fraudulent transfer or conveyance, the court could void the payment obligations under the securities, further subordinate the securities to other existing and future indebtedness of the issuer or require the Fund to repay any amounts received by it with respect to the securities. In the event of a finding that a fraudulent transfer or conveyance occurred, the Fund may not receive any payment on the securities. If the Fund or the Adviser is found to have interfered with the affairs of a company in which the Fund holds a debt investment, to the detriment of other creditors or Common Shareholders of such company, the Fund may be held liable for damages to injured parties or a bankruptcy court. While the Fund will attempt to avoid taking the types of action that would lead to such liability, there can be no assurance that such claims will not be asserted or that the Fund will be able to successfully defend against them. Moreover, such debt may be disallowed or subordinated to the claims of other creditors or treated as equity. Where the Fund or the Adviser has representatives on the boards of a portfolio company, such involvement may also prevent the Fund from freely disposing of its debt investments and may subject the Fund to additional liability or result in re-characterization of its debt investments as equity.

Insofar as the Fund's portfolio includes obligations of non-United States obligors, the laws of certain foreign jurisdictions may provide for avoidance remedies under factual circumstances similar to those described above or under different circumstances, with consequences that may or may not be analogous to those described above under U.S. federal or state laws. Changes in bankruptcy laws (including U.S. federal and state laws and applicable non-United States laws) may adversely impact the Fund's securities.

Convertible Securities Risk

Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles its holder to receive interest that is generally paid or accrued on debt or a dividend that is paid or accrued on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally (i) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities; (ii) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock due to their fixed-income characteristics; and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.

The value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its "conversion value" (the security's worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security's investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed-income instrument. Generally, the amount of the premium decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. Although under normal market conditions longer-term convertible debt securities have greater yields than do shorter-term convertible debt securities of similar quality, they are subject to greater price fluctuations.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security's governing instrument. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the


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Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. Any of these actions could have an adverse effect on the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objectives.

When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments

Securities may be purchased on a "forward commitment" or "when-issued" basis (meaning securities are purchased or sold with payment and delivery taking place in the future) in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield at the time of entering into the transaction. However, the return on a comparable security when the transaction is consummated may vary from the return on the security at the time that the forward commitment or when-issued transaction was made. From the time of entering into the transaction until delivery and payment is made at a later date, the securities that are the subject of the transaction are subject to market fluctuations. In forward commitment or when-issued transactions, if the seller or buyer, as the case may be, fails to consummate the transaction, the counterparty may miss the opportunity of obtaining a price or yield considered to be advantageous. Forward commitment or when-issued transactions may occur a month or more before delivery is due. However, no payment or delivery is made until payment is received or delivery is made from the other party to the transaction.

Risk of Investments in Equity Securities or Warrants Incidental to Investments in Loans and Fixed-Income Instruments

From time to time, the Fund also may invest in or hold common stock and other equity securities or warrants incidental to the purchase or ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument or in connection with a reorganization of a Borrower or issuer. Investments in equity securities incidental to investments in loans or fixed-income instruments entail certain risks in addition to those associated with investments in loans or fixed-income instruments. The value of equity securities, including common stock, preferred stock and convertible stock, will fluctuate in response to factors affecting the particular company, as well as broader market and economic conditions. Moreover, in the event of a company's bankruptcy, claims of certain creditors, including bondholders, will have priority over claims of common stock holders and are likely to have varying types of priority over holders of preferred and convertible stock. These risks may increase fluctuations in the Fund's NAV. The Fund frequently may possess material non-public information about a Borrower or issuer as a result of its ownership of a loan or fixed-income instrument of a Borrower or issuer. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities while in possession of material non-public information, the Fund might be unable to enter into a transaction in a security of the Borrower or issuer when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

U.S. Government Debt Securities Risk

U.S. government debt securities generally do not involve the credit risks associated with investments in other types of debt securities, although, as a result, the yields available from U.S. government debt securities are generally lower than the yields available from other securities. Like other debt securities, however, the values of U.S. government securities change as interest rates fluctuate. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities will not affect interest income on existing portfolio securities but will be reflected in the Fund's NAV. Since the magnitude of these fluctuations will generally be greater at times when the Fund's average maturity is longer, under certain market conditions the Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, accept lower current income from short-term investments rather than investing in higher yielding long-term securities. In 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac into conservatorship. As conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the assets of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of their obligations, including guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. There is no assurance that the obligations of such entities will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will not lose value or default. Any Fund investments issued by Federal Home Loan Banks and Fannie Mae may ultimately lose value.


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Non-U.S. Securities Risk

The Fund will invest in securities or other instruments, including secured loans and unsecured loans, of non-U.S. issuers or Borrowers. Such investments involve certain factors not typically associated with investing in the United States or other developed countries, including risks relating to: (i) differences between U.S. and non-U.S. securities markets, including potential price volatility in and relative illiquidity of some non-U.S. securities markets; the absence of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices, and disclosure requirements; and less government supervision and regulation; (ii) other differences in law and regulation, including fewer investor protections, less stringent fiduciary duties, less developed bankruptcy laws and difficulty in enforcing contractual obligations; (iii) certain economic and political risks, including potential economic, political or social instability; exchange control regulations; restrictions on foreign investment and repatriation of capital (possibly requiring government approval); expropriation or confiscatory taxation; higher rates of inflation; and reliance on a more limited number of commodity inputs, service providers, and/or distribution mechanisms; and (iv) the possible imposition of foreign taxes on income and gains recognized with respect to securities and other assets. The risks of investments in emerging markets (if any), including the risks described below, are usually greater than the risks involved in investing in more developed markets. Because non-U.S. securities may trade on days when the Fund's Common Shares are not priced, the Fund's NAV may change at times when Common Shares cannot be sold.

Emerging Markets Risk

Because of less developed markets and economies and, in some countries, less mature governments and governmental institutions, the risks of investing in foreign securities set forth above can be intensified in the case of investments in issuers domiciled or doing substantial business in emerging market countries. These risks include high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries; political and social uncertainties; over-dependence on exports, especially with respect to primary commodities, making these economies vulnerable to changes in commodity prices; overburdened infrastructure and obsolete or unseasoned financial systems; environmental problems; less developed legal systems; and less reliable custodial services and settlement practices. Investing in securities of companies in emerging markets also may entail risks of expropriation, nationalization, confiscation or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investment, the lack of hedging instruments, and on repatriation of capital invested. Emerging securities markets are substantially smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets. The limited size of emerging securities markets and limited trading value compared to the volume of trading in U.S. securities could cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the quality of the securities. For example, limited market size may cause prices to be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions.

Foreign Currency Risk

Investments made by the Fund, and the income received by the Fund with respect to such investments, may be denominated in various non-U.S. currencies. However, the books of the Fund are maintained in U.S. dollars. Accordingly, changes in currency values may adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of portfolio investments, interest and other revenue streams received by the Fund, gains and losses realized on the sale of portfolio investments, and the amount of distributions, if any, made by the Fund. In addition, the Fund will incur costs in converting investment proceeds from one currency to another. The Fund may enter into derivative transactions designed to reduce such currency risks. Furthermore, the portfolio companies in which the Fund invests may be subject to risks relating to changes in currency values, as described above. If a portfolio company suffers adverse consequences as a result of such changes, the Fund may also be adversely affected as a result.

Eurozone Risk

The Fund may invest from time to time in European companies and companies that have operations that may be affected by the Eurozone economy. Recent concerns regarding the sovereign debt of various Eurozone countries


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and proposals for investors to incur substantial write-downs and reductions in the face value of Greek sovereign debt have given rise to new concerns about sovereign defaults, the possibility that one or more countries might leave the European Union or the Eurozone and various proposals (still under consideration and unclear in material respects) for support of affected countries and the Euro as a currency. The outcome of this situation cannot yet be predicted. Sovereign debt defaults and European Union and/or Eurozone exits could have material adverse effects on investments by the Fund in European companies, including but not limited to the availability of credit to support such companies' financing needs, uncertainty and disruption in relation to financing, customer and supply contracts denominated in the Euro and wider economic disruption in markets served by those companies, while austerity and other measures introduced in order to limit or contain these issues may themselves lead to economic contraction and resulting adverse effects for the Fund. It is possible that a number of the Fund's investments will be denominated in the Euro. Legal uncertainty about the funding of Euro denominated obligations following any breakup or exits from the Eurozone (particularly in the case of investments in companies in affected countries) could also have material adverse effects on the Fund.

Legal and Regulatory Risks

Legal and regulatory changes could occur which may materially adversely affect the Fund. The regulation of the U.S. and non-U.S. securities and futures markets and investment funds such as the Fund has undergone substantial change in recent years, and such change may continue.

The Dodd-Frank Act contains changes to the existing regulatory structure in the United States and is intended to establish rigorous oversight standards to protect the U.S. economy and American consumers, investors and businesses, including provisions that would significantly alter the regulation of commodity interests and comprehensively regulate the OTC derivatives markets for the first time in the United States. The Dodd-Frank Act and the rules that have been or will be promulgated thereunder by relevant regulators may negatively impact the ability of the Fund to meet its investment objectives either through limits or requirements imposed on it or upon its counterparties. The implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act will occur over a period of time, and it is unknown in what form, when and in what order significant regulatory initiatives may be implemented or the impact any such implemented regulations will have on the Fund, the markets or instruments in which the Fund invests or the counterparties with which the Fund conducts business. The effect of the Dodd-Frank Act or other regulatory change on the Fund, while impossible to predict, could be substantial, adverse and potentially limit or completely restrict the ability of the Fund to use derivative instruments as a part of its investment strategy, increase the costs of using these instruments or make them less effective. In addition, the practice of short selling has been the subject of numerous temporary restrictions, and similar restrictions may be promulgated at any time. Such restrictions may adversely affect the returns of the Fund.

In Europe, the Financial Stability Board, which monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system, issued a report in October 2011 that recommended strengthening oversight and regulation of the so-called "shadow banking" system in Europe, broadly described as credit intermediation involving entities and activities outside the regular banking system. The report outlined initial steps to define the scope of the shadow banking system and proposed general governing principles for a monitoring and regulatory framework. While at this stage it is difficult to predict the scope of any new regulations, if such regulations were to extend the regulatory and supervisory requirements, such as capital and liquidity standards, currently applicable to banks, or the Fund was considered to be engaged in "shadow banking," the regulatory and operating costs associated therewith could adversely impact the implementation of the Fund's investment strategy and returns and may become prohibitive.

Event Driven Investing

The Fund may invest in companies in expectation of a specific event or catalyst, which may be external ( e.g. , a macro event impacting relevant markets) or an event that is idiosyncratic to the company ( e.g. , a Chapter 11 filing). Such event-driven investing requires the investor to make predictions about (i) the likelihood that an event will occur and (ii) the impact such event will have on the value of the Fund's investment in the relevant company. If the event fails to occur or it does not have the effect foreseen, losses can result. For example, the adoption of new business


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strategies or completion of asset dispositions or debt reduction programs by a company may not be valued as highly by the market as the Adviser had anticipated, resulting in losses. In addition, a company may announce a plan of restructuring which promises to enhance value and fail to implement it, resulting in losses to investors. In liquidations and other forms of corporate reorganization, the risk exists that the reorganization either will be unsuccessful, will be delayed or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security, the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the investment in respect of which such distribution was made.

Valuation Risk

Unlike publicly traded common stock which trades on national exchanges, there is no central place or exchange for loans or fixed-income instruments to trade. Loans and fixed-income instruments generally trade on an OTC market, which may be anywhere in the world where the buyer and seller can settle on a price. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of loans or fixed-income instruments may carry more risk than that of common stock. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when a loan or fixed-income instrument is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such loans or fixed-income instruments carried on the Fund's books.

Liquidity Risk

The Fund may invest without limit in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid. The Fund may also invest in restricted securities. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund's assets invested in illiquid securities if qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase these securities.

Illiquid and restricted securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Fund believes it is desirable to do so. The market price of illiquid and restricted securities generally is more volatile than that of more liquid securities, which may adversely affect the price that the Fund pays for or recovers upon the sale of such securities. Illiquid and restricted securities are also more difficult to value, especially in challenging markets. The Adviser's judgment may play a greater role in the valuation process. Investment of the Fund's assets in illiquid and restricted securities may restrict the Fund's ability to take advantage of market opportunities. In order to dispose of an unregistered security, the Fund, where it has contractual rights to do so, may have to cause such security to be registered. A considerable period may elapse between the time the decision is made to sell the security and the time the security is registered, thereby enabling the Fund to sell it. Contractual restrictions on the resale of securities vary in length and scope and are generally the result of a negotiation between the issuer and acquiror of the securities. In either case, the Fund would bear market risks during that period.

Some loans and fixed-income instruments are not readily marketable and may be subject to restrictions on resale. Loans and fixed-income instruments may not be listed on any national securities exchange and no active trading market may exist for certain of the loans and fixed-income instruments in which the Fund will invest. Where a secondary market exists, the market for some loans and fixed-income instruments may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods. In addition, events occurring subsequent to an investment by the Fund, including, for example, withdrawals, changes in market, political or other relevant circumstances, may cause some loans and fixed-income instruments that were liquid at the time of acquisition to become illiquid or otherwise cause the Fund's concentration in illiquid investments to increase.

Inflation/Deflation Risk

Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or income from the Fund's investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of the Common Shares and distributions on the Common Shares can decline. In addition, during any periods of rising inflation, the


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dividend rates or borrowing costs associated with the Fund's use of leverage would likely increase, which would tend to further reduce returns to Common Shareholders.

Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time—the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse affect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund's portfolio.

Conflicts of Interest Risk

The Adviser will experience conflicts of interest in connection with the management of the Fund, relating to the allocation of the Adviser's time and resources between the Fund and other investment activities; the allocation of investment opportunities by the Adviser and its affiliates; compensation to the Adviser; services that may be provided by the Adviser and its affiliates to issuers in which the Fund invests; investments by the Fund and other clients of the Adviser, subject to the limitations of the 1940 Act; the formation of additional investment funds by the Adviser; differing recommendations given by the Adviser to the Fund versus other clients; the Adviser's use of information gained from issuers in the Fund's portfolio to investments by other clients, subject to applicable law; and restrictions on the Adviser's use of "inside information" with respect to potential investments by the Fund. See "Conflicts of Interest."

Uncertain Tax Treatment

The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount ("OID") or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund, to the extent necessary, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to ensure that it does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

Complex Transactions/Contingent Liabilities/Guarantees and Indemnities

The Adviser may pursue complex investment opportunities for the Fund, which may involve substantial business, regulatory or legal complexity. Such complexity presents risks, as such transactions can be more difficult, expensive and time-consuming to finance and execute; it can be more difficult to manage or realize value from the assets acquired in such transactions; and such transactions sometimes entail a higher level of regulatory scrutiny or a greater risk of contingent liabilities. Additionally, in connection with certain transactions, the Fund may be required to make representations about the business and financial affairs of a portfolio company, provide guarantees in respect of payments by portfolio companies and other third parties and provide indemnities against losses caused by portfolio companies and other third parties. The Fund may also be required to indemnify the purchasers of such investment to the extent that any such representations are inaccurate. These arrangements may result in the incurrence of contingent liabilities by the Fund, even after the disposition of an investment and ultimately in material losses.

Availability of Investment Opportunities; Competition

The activity of identifying, completing and realizing the types of investment opportunities targeted by the Adviser for the Fund is highly competitive and involves a significant degree of uncertainty. The Fund competes for investment opportunities with other investment companies and private investment vehicles, as well as the public debt markets, individuals and financial institutions, including investment banks, commercial banks and insurance companies, business development companies, strategic industry acquirers, hedge funds and other institutional investors, investing directly or through affiliates. Over the past several years, a number of such investment vehicles have been formed (and many such existing entities have grown in size). Additional entities with similar investment objectives may be formed in the future by other unrelated parties. It is possible that competition for appropriate


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investment opportunities may increase, thus reducing the number of opportunities available to the Fund. Such supply-side competition may adversely affect the terms upon which investments can be made by the Fund. Moreover, transaction sponsors unaffiliated with the Fund or KKR may be reluctant to present investment opportunities to the Fund because of its affiliation with KKR. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to locate and complete investments which satisfy the Fund's primary investment objectives or to realize upon their values.

Dependence on Key Personnel Risk

The Adviser depends on the efforts, skills, reputations and business contacts of its key personnel, the information and deal flow they and others generate during the normal course of their activities and the synergies among the diverse fields of expertise and knowledge held by the Adviser's professionals. The loss of the services of any of them could have a material adverse effect on the Fund and could harm the Adviser's ability to manage the Fund.

The Adviser's principals and other key personnel possess substantial experience and expertise and have strong business relationships with members of the business community. The loss of these personnel could jeopardize the Adviser's relationships with members of the business community and could result in fewer investment opportunities for the Fund. For example, if any of the Adviser's principals were to join or form a competing firm, the Fund's results and financial condition could suffer.

Material Risks of Significant Methods of Analysis

The Adviser seeks to conduct reasonable and appropriate due diligence based on the facts and circumstances applicable to each investment. When conducting due diligence and making an assessment regarding an investment for the Fund, the Adviser relies on available resources, including information provided by the target of the investment and, in some circumstances, third-party investigations. As a result, the due diligence process may at times be subjective with respect to recently organized companies for which only limited information is available. Accordingly, the Adviser cannot be certain that due diligence investigations with respect to any investment opportunity for the Fund will reveal or highlight all relevant facts (including fraud) that may be necessary or helpful in evaluating such investment opportunity, or that its due diligence investigations will result in investments for the Fund being successful. There can be no assurance that the projected results of an investment opportunity will be achieved for the Fund, and actual results may vary significantly from the projections. General economic, natural, and other conditions, which are not predictable, can have an adverse impact on the reliability of such projections. Assumptions or projections about asset lives; the stability, growth, or predictability of costs; demand; or revenues generated by an investment or other factors associated therewith may, due to various risks and uncertainties including those described herein, differ materially from actual results.

Non-Diversification Risk

The Fund is classified as "non-diversified" under the 1940 Act. As a result, it can invest a greater portion of its assets in obligations of a single issuer than a "diversified" fund. The Fund may therefore be more susceptible than a diversified fund to being adversely affected by any single corporate, economic, political or regulatory occurrence. The Fund intends to qualify for the special tax treatment available to regulated investment companies ("RICs") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and thus intends to satisfy the diversification requirements of Subchapter M, including its diversification requirements that apply to the percentage of the Fund's total assets that are represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities, the securities of other RICs and certain other securities.

Market Developments

Although the market is not currently experiencing the same levels of disruption as during 2008 to 2009, extreme volatility or market disruption may recur in the future. Instability in the credit markets may make it more difficult for a number of issuers of debt securities to obtain financing or refinancing for their investment or lending activities


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or operations. In particular, because of volatile conditions in the credit markets, issuers of debt securities may be subject to increased cost for debt, tightening underwriting standards and reduced liquidity for loans they make, securities they purchase and securities they issue.

For example, certain Borrowers may, due to macroeconomic conditions, be unable to repay secured loans. A Borrower's failure to satisfy financial or operating covenants imposed by lenders could lead to defaults and, potentially, termination of the secured loans and foreclosure on its secured assets, which could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements and jeopardize the Borrower's ability to meet its obligations under its debt securities. The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting Borrower. In addition, if one of the Borrowers were to commence bankruptcy proceedings, even though the Fund may have structured its interest as senior debt, depending on the facts and circumstances, a bankruptcy court might recharacterize the Fund's debt holding and subordinate all or a portion of its claim to that of other creditors. Adverse economic conditions also may decrease the value of collateral securing some of the Fund's loans and the value of its equity investments. A recession, such as the current recession, could lead to financial losses in our portfolio and a decrease in revenues, net income and the value of the Fund's assets.

These developments may increase the volatility of the value of securities owned by the Fund. These developments also may make it more difficult for the Fund to accurately value its securities or to sell its securities on a timely basis. These developments could adversely affect the ability of the Fund to use leverage for investment purposes and increase the cost of such leverage, which would reduce returns to the holders of Common Shares. These developments also may adversely affect the broader economy, which in turn may adversely affect the ability of issuers of securities owned by the Fund to make payments of principal and interest when due, lead to lower credit ratings of the issuer and increased defaults by the issuer. Such developments could, in turn, reduce the value of securities owned by the Fund and adversely affect the NAV and market price of the Fund's Common Shares.

Market Disruptions from Natural Disasters or Geopolitical Risks

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan, instability in the Middle East, and terrorist attacks in the United States and around the world may result in market volatility, may have long-term effects on the United States and worldwide financial markets and may cause further economic uncertainties in the United States and worldwide. The Fund cannot predict the effects of natural disasters or geopolitical events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets.

Government Intervention in the Financial Markets

The recent instability in the financial markets has led the U.S. government to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases a lack of liquidity. Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations may take additional actions that affect the regulation of the securities or structured products in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such securities or structured products, in ways that are unforeseeable. Borrowers under secured loans held by the Fund may seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund's ability to achieve its investment objectives. The Adviser will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund's portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund's investment objectives, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so.

Portfolio Turnover Risk

The Fund's annual portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year, as well as within a given year. Although the Fund cannot accurately predict its annual portfolio turnover rate, it is not expected to exceed 100% under normal circumstances. However, portfolio turnover rate is not considered a limiting factor in the execution of investment decisions for the Fund. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of net short-term capital


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gains by the Fund which, when distributed to Common Shareholders, will be taxable as ordinary income. A high portfolio turnover may increase the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Fund's distributions being treated as a dividend to the Fund's Common Shareholders. In addition, a higher portfolio turnover rate results in correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transactional expenses that are borne by the Fund.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

The Fund's Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or convert the Fund to open-end status. These provisions could deprive the holders of Common Shares of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then current market price of the Common Shares or at NAV.

Risks Relating to Fund's RIC Status

To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies ("RICs") and their shareholders under the Code, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. Very generally, in order to qualify as a RIC, the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in stock or other securities and currencies. The Fund must also meet certain asset diversification requirements at the end of each quarter of each of its taxable years. Failure to meet these diversification requirements on the last day of a quarter may result in the Fund having to dispose of certain investments quickly in order to prevent the loss of RIC status. Any such dispositions could be made at disadvantageous prices or times, and may result in substantial losses to the Fund. In addition, in order to be eligible for the special tax treatment accorded RICs, the Fund must meet the annual distribution requirement, requiring it to distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its "investment company taxable income" (generally its taxable ordinary income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses, if any) and its net tax-exempt income (if any), to its shareholders. If the Fund fails to qualify as a RIC for any reason and becomes subject to corporate tax, the resulting corporate taxes could substantially reduce its net assets, the amount of income available for distribution and the amount of its distributions. Such a failure would have a material adverse effect on the Fund and its Shareholders. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions in order to re-qualify as a RIC.

RIC-Related Risks of Investments Generating Non-Cash Taxable Income

Certain of the Fund's investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a taxable year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. In particular, the Fund expects to invest in loans and other debt obligations that will be treated as having "market discount" and/or OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to RICs and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, borrow, raise additional equity capital, make taxable distributions of its shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make these income distributions. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize gain or loss on such liquidations; in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, its Common Shareholders may receive larger capital gain distributions than they would in the absence of such transactions.


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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The Adviser will experience conflicts of interest in connection with the management of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following:

•  The members, officers and other personnel of the Adviser allocate their time, resources and other services between the Fund and other investment and business activities in which they may be involved. The Adviser intends to devote such time as shall be necessary to conduct the Fund's business affairs in an appropriate manner. However, the Adviser will continue to devote the time, resources and other services necessary to managing its other investment and business activities and the Adviser is not precluded from conducting activities unrelated to the Fund.

•  The Adviser may compete with certain of its affiliates, including other entities it manages, for investments for the Fund, subjecting the Adviser to certain conflicts of interest in evaluating the suitability of investment opportunities and making or recommending acquisitions on the Fund's behalf. The Adviser will receive advisory and other fees from the other entities it manages, and due to fee-offset provisions contained in the management agreements for such entities, the fees may not be proportionate to such entities' investment accounts for any given transaction and the Adviser may have an incentive to favor entities from which it receives higher fees. The Adviser intends to allocate such investment opportunities in a manner that it deems appropriate taking into account factors such as investment objectives, available capital, applicable concentration limits, minimum investment rights and other investment restrictions, portfolio diversification, the potential dilutive effect of a new investment on an existing investment, the overall risk profile of a portfolio and other considerations deemed relevant by the Adviser. The outcome of this determination may result in the allocation of all, some or none of an investment opportunity to the Fund. In addition, subject to applicable law, affiliates of the Adviser may invest in one of the Fund's portfolio companies and hold a different class of securities than the Fund. To the extent that an affiliate of the Adviser holds a different class of securities than the Fund, its interests may not be aligned with the Fund's. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser will act in the best interest of the Fund in accordance with its fiduciary duty to the Fund.

•  The compensation payable by the Fund to the Adviser will be approved by the Board consistent with the exercise of the requisite standard of care applicable to trustees under state law. Such compensation is payable, in most cases, regardless of the quality of the assets acquired, the services provided to the Fund or whether the Fund makes distributions to Shareholders.

•  The Adviser and its affiliates may provide a broad range of financial services to companies in which the Fund invests, in compliance with applicable law, and will generally be paid fees for such services. In addition, affiliates of the Adviser may act as an underwriter or placement agent in connection with an offering of securities by one of the companies in the Fund's portfolio. Any compensation received by the Adviser and its affiliates for providing these services will not be shared with the Fund and may be received before the Fund realizes a return on its investment. The Adviser may face conflicts of interest with respect to services performed for these companies, on the one hand, and investments recommended to the Fund, on the other hand.

•  From time to time, to the extent consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or with exemptive relief the Fund may receive from the SEC, if any, the Fund and other clients for which the Adviser provides investment management services or carries on investment activities (including, among others, clients that are employee benefit plans subject to ERISA and related regulations) may make investments at different levels of an investment entity's capital structure or otherwise in different classes of an issuer's securities. These investments may inherently give rise to conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest between or among the various classes of securities that may be held by the Fund and such other clients, including in the case of financial distress of the investment entity.

•  KKR and the Adviser sponsor and advise, and may in the future sponsor and advise, a broad range of investment funds, vehicles, and other accounts, including proprietary vehicles, that make investments


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worldwide. KKR may also make investments for its own account, including, for example, through investment and co-investment vehicles established for KKR personnel and associates. The Adviser and its affiliates are not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships (including, among others, relationships with clients that are employee benefit plans subject to ERISA and related regulations), or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund and/or may involve substantial time and resources of the Adviser. For example, the Adviser may invest, on behalf of an affiliated fund, in a company that is a competitor of one of the Fund's portfolio companies or that is a service provider, supplier, customer or other counterparty with respect to one of the Fund's portfolio companies. The Adviser will provide advice and recommendations to any such companies without regard to the Fund's interests. In addition, the Adviser's ability to effectively implement the Fund's investment strategies may be limited to the extent that contractual obligations relating to these permitted activities restrict the Adviser's ability to engage in transactions that they may otherwise be interested in pursuing. Affiliates of the Adviser, whose primary business includes the origination of investments, engage in investment advisory business with accounts that compete with the Fund.

•  The Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and recommend securities to other clients which may differ from, or be contrary to, advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, the Fund even though their investment objectives may be similar to the Fund's.

•  To the extent not restricted by confidentiality requirements or applicable law, the Adviser may apply experience and information gained in providing services to the Fund's portfolio companies in providing services to competing companies invested in by affiliates' other clients.

•  As a registered investment company, the Fund may be limited in its ability to invest in any investment in which the Adviser or its affiliates' other clients have an investment. The Fund may also be limited in its ability to co-invest with the Adviser or one or more of its affiliates. Some of these co-investments would only be permitted pursuant to an exemptive order from the SEC.

•  The nature of the Adviser's businesses and the participation by its employees in creditors' committees, steering committees, or boards of directors of portfolio companies, may result in the Adviser receiving material non-public information from time to time with respect to publicly held companies or otherwise becoming an "insider" with respect to such companies. The possession of "inside information" or "insider" status with respect to an investment or potential investment by the Adviser or its personnel may restrict the Adviser's ability to enter into or exit from potentially profitable investments for the Fund which could have an adverse effect on the Fund's results of operations.

•  The Fund depends to a significant extent on the Adviser's access to the investment professionals and senior management of KKR and the information and deal flow generated by the KKR investment professionals and senior management during the normal course of their investment and portfolio management activities. The senior management and the investment professionals of the Adviser source, evaluate, analyze and monitor the Fund's investments. The Fund's future success will depend on the continued service of the senior management team and investment professionals of the Adviser.

•  The Adviser's relationship with other advisory clients and with KKR could create a conflict of interest to the extent the Adviser becomes aware of inside information concerning investments or potential investment targets. The Fund and the Adviser have implemented compliance procedures and practices, including information-sharing policies and procedures, that are designed to ensure that inside information is not used for making investment decisions on the Fund's behalf. The Fund cannot assure its investors, however, that these procedures and practices will be effective. Although the Fund plans to leverage KKR's firm-wide resources to help source, conduct due diligence on, structure, syndicate and create value for the Fund's investments, KKR's information-sharing policies and procedures, as well as certain legal and contractual constraints, could significantly limit the Fund's ability to do so. For example, from time to time KKR's personnel may be in possession of material non-public information with respect to the Fund's investments, and as a result, such personnel will be restricted by KKR's information-sharing policies and procedures or by law or contract from sharing such information with the management team of the Fund, even where the


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disclosure of such information would be in the best interests of the Fund or would otherwise influence decisions taken by the members of the management team with respect to that investment. In addition, this conflict and these procedures and practices may limit the freedom of the Adviser to enter into or exit from potentially profitable investments for the Fund which could have an adverse effect on the Fund's results of operations. Conversely, the Adviser may pursue investments for the Fund without obtaining access to confidential information otherwise in its or KKR's possession, which information, if reviewed, might otherwise impact the Adviser's judgment with respect to such investments. Accordingly, the investment activities of KKR's other businesses may differ from, or be inconsistent with, the activities that are undertaken for the Fund, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to fully leverage the resources and industry expertise of KKR's other businesses. Additionally, there may be circumstances in which one or more individuals associated with KKR will be precluded from providing services to the Fund because of certain confidential information available to those individuals or to other parts of KKR.

•  The Adviser may in the future develop new businesses such as providing investment banking, advisory and other services to corporations, financial sponsors, management or other persons. Such services may relate to transactions that could give rise to investment opportunities that are suitable for the Fund. In such case, the Adviser's client would typically require the Adviser to act exclusively on its behalf, thereby precluding the Fund from participating in such investment opportunities. The Adviser would not be obligated to decline any such engagements in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may come into the possession of information through these new businesses that limits the Fund's ability to engage in potential transactions.

•  The 1940 Act limits the Fund's ability to invest in, or hold securities of, companies that are controlled by funds managed by KKR. Any such investments could create conflicts of interest between the Fund, the Adviser and KKR. The Adviser may also have, or enter into, advisory relationships with other advisory clients (including, among others, employee benefit plans subject to ERISA and related regulations) that could lead to circumstances in which a conflict of interest between the Adviser's advisory clients could exist or develop. In addition, to the extent that another client of the Adviser or KKR holds a different class of securities than the Fund, the interest of such client and the Fund may not be aligned. As a result of these conflicts and restrictions, the Adviser may be unable to implement the Fund's investment strategies as effectively as it could have in the absence of such conflicts or restrictions. In order to avoid these conflicts and restrictions, the Adviser may choose to exit these investments prematurely and, as a result, the Fund would forgo any future positive returns associated with such investments.

•  Certain other KKR client accounts or proprietary accounts may have investment objectives, programs, strategies and positions that are similar to, or may conflict with, those of the Fund, or may compete with, or have interests adverse to, the Fund. This type of conflict could affect the prices and availability of the securities or interests in which the Fund invests. KKR may give advice or take action with respect to the investments held by, and transactions of, other KKR client accounts or proprietary accounts that may be different from or otherwise inconsistent with the advice given or timing or nature of any action taken with respect to the investments held by, and timing or nature of any action taken with respect to the investments held by, and transactions of, the Fund. Such different advice and/or inconsistent actions may be due to a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, the differences between the investment objective, program, strategy and tax treatment of the other KKR client accounts or proprietary accounts and the Fund or the regulatory status of other KKR client accounts and any related restrictions or obligations imposed on KKR as a fiduciary thereof. Such advice and actions may adversely impact the Fund.

•  KKR, for its own account, may enter into real-estate related transactions with Fund portfolio companies. Such transactions may include, for example, buying or selling real estate assets, acquiring or entering into leasing arrangements or amending such arrangements, or transferring options or rights of first refusal to acquire real estate assets. Such transactions, which do not involve securities, are not governed by restrictions on principal transactions and cross transactions but are subject to specific policies and procedures established by KKR to manage related conflicts.


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•  The 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from participating in certain transactions with certain of its affiliates including an Adviser-affiliated broker-dealer. The Fund generally will be prohibited, for example, from buying or selling any securities from or to another client of the Adviser or of KKR. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain "joint" transactions with certain of the Fund's affiliates, which in certain circumstances could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times to the extent the transaction involves jointness) or transactions in which a broker-dealer affiliated with the Adviser participates as principal with the Fund. If a person acquires more than 25% of the Fund's voting securities, the Fund will be prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to such person or certain of that person's affiliates, or entering into prohibited joint transactions with such persons. Similar restrictions limit the Fund's ability to transact business with its officers or trustees or their affiliates. The SEC has interpreted the 1940 Act rules governing transactions with affiliates to prohibit certain "joint transactions" involving entities that share a common investment adviser. As a result of these restrictions, the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund may be limited.

•  The 1940 Act imposes significant limits on co-investment with affiliates of the Fund, and the Fund generally will not be permitted to co-invest alongside its affiliates in privately negotiated transactions unless the Fund obtains an exemptive order from the SEC or the transaction is otherwise permitted under existing regulatory guidance, such as transactions where price is the only negotiated term, and will not participate in transactions where other terms are negotiable. This reduces the amount of transactions in which the Fund can participate and makes it more difficult for the Fund to implement its investment objectives.


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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Board of Trustees

The overall management of the business and affairs of the Fund is vested in the Board. The responsibilities of the Board include, among other things, the oversight of our investment activities, oversight of our financing arrangements and corporate governance activities. The Board currently has an audit committee and a nominating committee and may establish additional committees from time to time as necessary. As is the case with virtually all registered investment companies, the Fund's service providers, primarily the Adviser and its affiliates, have responsibility for the Fund's day-to-day management, subject to the investment objectives, restrictions and policies of the Fund and to the general supervision of the Board.

There currently are four trustees of the Fund. A majority of the trustees are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. The name and business address of the trustees and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years are set forth under "Management of the Fund" in the SAI.

Adviser

KKR Asset Management LLC serves as the Fund's Adviser, subject to the ultimate supervision of, and any policies established by, the Board, pursuant to the terms of an investment advisory agreement with the Fund (the "Investment Advisory Agreement"). Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser allocates the Fund's assets in accordance with the Fund's investment objective. The Adviser may reallocate the Fund's assets subject to the ultimate supervision of, and any policies established by, the Board.

Launched in 2004, the Adviser is a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P., a leading global investment firm with a 37-year history of leadership, innovation and investment excellence. The Adviser is a leading manager of non-investment grade debt and public equities. The Adviser was formed as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Delaware on June 24, 2004 and is a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act. The Adviser currently serves as an investment adviser of certain unregistered private investment companies and as a sub-adviser of a business development company, and may in the future serve as an investment adviser of other registered and unregistered investment companies. The Adviser is located at 555 California Street, 50th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104, and its telephone number is (415) 315-3620.

About KKR

KKR operates with a single culture that rewards investment discipline, creativity, determination and patience and the sharing of information, resources, expertise and best practices across offices and asset classes, subject to well-defined information sharing policies and compliance procedures. Its investment professionals provide access to an established platform for evaluating investments, managing risk and focusing on opportunities that seek to generate attractive returns with appropriate levels of risk. This platform allows for intensive due diligence to filter investment opportunities and help select investments that offer the most favorable risk/reward characteristics. Because KKR believes that deep industry knowledge is integral to sourcing deals and creating value for investors, KKR's investment professionals are organized in industry-specific teams. These teams conduct their own primary research, develop views on industry themes and trends and proactively work to identify companies in which to invest, often on an exclusive basis. KKR believes the industry-specific team approach allows investment teams to become experts within their sectors and build strong relationships with companies needing capital, while covering the full corporate credit space.

Founded in 1976, KKR is a leading global investment firm with 18 offices and over 900 people, including over 300 investment professionals. It operates an integrated global platform for sourcing and executing investments across multiple industries, asset classes and geographies. KKR is a long-term fundamental investor focused on producing attractive risk-adjusted returns for its clients. As of March 31, 2013, KKR had $78.3 billion in assets under management.


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Investment Management Team

The Fund is positioned, under the management of the Adviser, to take advantage of the full resources of KKR's global network. With more than 100 employees in its business, including approximately 70 dedicated investment professionals located in San Francisco, New York and London, the Adviser's investment teams seek to leverage KKR's private equity experience and extensive industry relationships in making strong investment choices on behalf of its clients. The investment professionals of the Adviser who have primary responsibility for day-to-day management and oversight of the Fund are:

Erik A. Falk (New York) joined KKR in 2008 and is the co-head of leveraged credit, as well as a member of the Adviser's Credit Investment Committees and Portfolio Management Committee. Previously, Mr. Falk was a portfolio manager with responsibility across the Adviser's credit strategies covering a number of sectors, including industrials, energy, chemicals, business services and structured products. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Falk was a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. where he was most recently global co-head of the Securitized Products Group. Prior to that, Mr. Falk worked for Credit Suisse First Boston where he was a Director in the Asset Backed Securities department. Mr. Falk holds a B.S. and M.S. from Stanford University.

Christopher A. Sheldon (San Francisco) joined KKR in 2004 and is co-head of leveraged credit. Mr. Sheldon is also a member of the Adviser's Credit Investment Committees and Portfolio Management Committee. Prior to his current role at KKR, Mr. Sheldon was responsible for opening the Adviser's London office in 2007 and investing across a number of sectors within its credit businesses. Before joining KKR, Mr. Sheldon was a Vice President and Senior Investment Analyst with Wells Fargo's High Yield Securities Group; and previously worked at Young & Rubicam Advertising and at SFM Media Corporation in their media-planning department. He holds a B.A. from Denison University.

Jamie M. Weinstein (San Francisco) joined KKR in 2005 and is the co-head of special situations investing, which includes the Adviser's global activities in public and private distressed and structured principal investments. He is also a member of the Adviser's Special Situations Investment Committee and Portfolio Management Committee. Previously, he was a portfolio manager with responsibility across the Adviser's credit strategies and a research analyst covering the financial services, healthcare and commercial real estate sectors. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Weinstein was with Tishman Speyer Properties as Director of Acquisitions for Northern California and The Boston Consulting Group as a strategy consultant. Mr. Weinstein graduated cum laude and holds a B.S.E. degree in Civil Engineering and Operations Research from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar.

Nathaniel M. Zilkha (London) joined KKR in 2007 and is the head of Credit and co-head of special situations investing, which includes the Adviser's global activities in public and private distressed and structured principal investments. He is also a member of the Adviser's Special Situations Investment Committee, Credit Investment Committees and Portfolio Management Committee. Previously, he was a member of the healthcare industry team of KKR's private equity group. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Zilkha was a member of the Principal Investment Area of Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he invested in private equity and principal debt transactions. He is currently on the board of directors of Harden Healthcare. Mr. Zilkha graduated cum laude and holds an A.B. from Princeton University.

The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers' ownership of securities in the Fund.

The investment professionals who have day-to-day responsibility for the Fund are supported not only by personnel of the Adviser, but also by having access to KKR's global platform, including over 300 KKR investment professionals. Several of the investment professionals, including Nathaniel Zilkha, that are involved in the investment activities of the Fund are employed by affiliates of the Adviser, and are "associated persons" of the Adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, for purposes of managing the Fund. These individuals provide investment advisory services, including in some cases, day-to-day management and oversight of the Fund, but do


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not have discretionary authority to effectuate trades on behalf of, or otherwise bind, the Fund. KKR's investment professionals provide access to an established platform for evaluating investments, managing risk and focusing on opportunities and are organized in industry-specific teams that conduct their own primary research, develop views on industry themes and trends and proactively work to identify companies in which to invest. KKR believes the industry-specific team approach allows investment teams to become experts within their sectors and build strong relationships with companies needing capital, while covering the full corporate credit space. These investment professionals are also supported by an Investment Committee comprised of senior personnel that exercises oversight over, and provides insight to, the investment activities of the Fund.

Investment Advisory Agreement

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement, the Adviser will receive an annual fee, payable monthly by the Fund, in an amount equal to 1.10% of the Fund's average daily Managed Assets (the "Management Fee").

A discussion regarding the basis for the initial approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement by the Board will be available in the Fund's first report to Common Shareholders. The basis for subsequent continuations of the Fund's investment advisory agreement will be provided in annual or semi-annual reports to stockholders for the periods during which such continuations occur.

In addition to the fees paid to the Adviser, the Fund pays all other costs and expenses of its operations, including compensation of its trustees (other than those affiliated with the Adviser), custodial expenses, leveraging expenses, transfer and dividend disbursing agent expenses, legal fees, rating agency fees, listing fees and expenses, expenses of independent auditors, expenses of repurchasing shares, expenses of preparing, printing and distributing prospectuses, shareholder reports, notices, proxy statements and reports to governmental agencies and taxes, if any

During periods when the Fund is using leverage, the Management Fee paid to the Adviser will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the Management Fee paid is calculated on the basis of the Fund's Managed Assets, which includes the assets purchased through leverage.

The Administrator

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the "Administrator"), located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as administrator to the Fund. Under the administration agreement, the Administrator is responsible for calculating the NAV of the Common Shares and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.

The Administrator is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of up to 0.04% of the average daily value of the Fund's net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee of $65,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses.

The Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A., whose principal offices are located at 1555 N. Rivercenter Dr., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212, serves as the Fund's custodian.

Investor Support Services

The Fund has retained Four Wood Capital Partners LLC ("FWCP") to provide investor support services in connection with the on-going operation of the Fund. Such services include providing ongoing contact with respect to the Fund and its performance with financial advisors that are representatives of broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries and communicating with the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") specialist for the Fund's Common Shares, and with the closed-end fund analyst community regarding the Fund on a regular basis. FWCP may separately contract with and coordinate the activities of a third party to provide certain of the above-described services. In


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exchange for such services, the Fund will pay FWCP a monthly fee equal to 0.10% of the average daily value of the Fund's Managed Assets.

Affiliated Broker-Dealers

The Adviser may also place portfolio transactions, to the extent permitted by law, with brokerage firms affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser if they reasonably believe that the quality of execution and the commission are comparable to that available from other qualified firms. Similarly, to the extent permitted by law and subject to the same considerations on quality of execution and comparable commission rates, the Adviser may direct an executing broker to pay a portion or all of any commissions, concessions or discounts to a firm supplying research or other services.

Control Persons

A control person is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company. An affiliate of the Adviser has provided the initial capitalization of the Fund and therefore is a control person because it is the sole Common Shareholder of the Fund as of the date of this prospectus. However, it is anticipated that such affiliate of the Adviser will no longer be a control person once the offering is completed.

CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The NAV of the Common Shares of the Fund will be computed based upon the value of the Fund's Managed Assets. NAV per Common Share will be determined daily on each day that the New York Stock Exchange is open for business as of the close of the regular trading session on the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund calculates NAV per Common Share by subtracting liabilities from the total assets of the Fund and dividing the result by the total number of outstanding Common Shares of the Fund. The Fund's assets and liabilities are valued in accordance with the principles set forth herein.

For purposes of calculating NAV, portfolio securities and other assets for which market quotes are readily available are valued at market value. Market value is generally determined on the basis of last reported sales prices, or if no sales are reported, based on quotes obtained from a quotation reporting system, established market makers, or pricing services. Short-term investments having a maturity of 60 days or less are generally valued at amortized cost. Securities and other assets for which market quotes are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or persons acting at their direction. The Board has adopted methods for valuing securities and other assets in circumstances where market quotes are not readily available, and has delegated the responsibility for applying the valuation methods to the Adviser. When the Fund uses fair value pricing to determine its NAV, securities will not be priced on the basis of quotes from the primary market in which they are traded, but rather may be priced by another method that the Board or persons acting at their direction believe accurately reflects fair value. Fair value pricing may require subjective determinations about the value of a security.

Domestic and foreign fixed-income instruments and non-exchange traded derivatives are normally valued on the basis of quotes obtained from brokers and dealers or pricing services using data reflecting the earlier closing of the principal markets for those securities. Bank loans, including Senior Loans, are valued by using readily available market quotations or another commercially reasonable method selected by an independent, third party pricing service that has been approved by the Board, or, if such independent, third-party valuations are not available, by using broker quotations. Senior secured adjustable, variable or floating rate loans for which an active secondary market exists to a reliable degree will be valued at the bid price in the market for such loans, as provided by a loan pricing service. Prices obtained from independent pricing services use information provided by market makers or estimates of market values obtained from yield data relating to investments or securities with similar characteristics. Exchange traded options, futures and options on futures are valued at the settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. The value of swaps, including credit default swaps, total return swaps and interest rate swaps will be determined by


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obtaining at least one dealer quotation (including information from counterparties) or valuations from third-party pricing services. If no quotations or valuations are available, or if such quotations or valuations are believed to be unreliable, swaps will be fair valued pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board.

The Fund will normally use pricing data for domestic or foreign equity securities received shortly after the close of the primary securities exchange on which such securities trade and does not normally take into account trading, clearances or settlements that take place after the close of the exchange.

If events materially affecting the price of foreign portfolio securities occur between the time when their price was last determined on such foreign securities exchange or market and the time when the Fund's NAV was last calculated (for example, movements in certain U.S. securities indices which demonstrate strong correlation to movements in certain foreign securities markets), such securities may be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith in accordance with procedures established by the Board. For purposes of calculating NAV, all assets and liabilities initially expressed in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at prevailing exchange rates as may be determined in good faith by, or under the supervision of, the Board. While the Fund's policy is intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects security values as of the time of pricing, the Fund cannot ensure that fair values determined by the Board or persons acting at their direction would accurately reflect the price that the Fund could obtain for a security if it were to dispose of that security as of the time of pricing (for instances, in a forced or distressed sale). The prices used by the Fund may differ from the value that would be realized if the securities were sold.

DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund must distribute in each taxable year at least 90% of its net investment income (including net interest income and net short-term gain) to qualify for the special tax treatment available to RICs. The Fund also will be required to distribute annually substantially all of its income and capital gain, if any, to avoid imposition of a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax. Prohibitions on dividends and other distributions on the Fund's Common Shares could impair the Fund's ability to qualify as a RIC under the Code.

If the Fund is precluded from making distributions on the Common Shares because of any applicable asset coverage requirements, the terms of the preferred shares (if any) may provide that any amounts so precluded from being distributed, but required to be distributed for the Fund to meet the distribution requirements for qualification as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, will be paid to the holders of the preferred shares as a special distribution. This distribution can be expected to decrease the amount that holders of preferred shares would be entitled to receive upon redemption or liquidation of the shares.

If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes or failed to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to U.S. federal income tax at regular corporate rates on its taxable income, including its net capital gain, even if such income were distributed to its shareholders, and all distributions out of earnings and profits would be taxed to shareholders as ordinary dividend income. Requalifying as a RIC could subject the Fund to significant tax costs. See "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company" in the SAI.

Commencing with the Fund's initial distribution, the Fund intends to make regular monthly cash distributions of all or a portion of its net investment income to Common Shareholders. The Fund expects to declare the initial monthly distribution on the Fund's Common Shares within 45 to 60 days after completion of this offering and to pay that initial monthly distribution approximately 60 to 90 days after completion of this offering, subject to market conditions. The Fund will pay Common Shareholders at least annually all or substantially all of its net investment income after the payment of interest, fees or dividends, if any, owed with respect to any forms of leverage utilized by the Fund. The Fund intends to pay any capital gains distributions at least annually.


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The U.S. federal income tax treatment and characterization of the Fund's distributions may vary significantly from time to time because of the varied nature of the Fund's investments. In light of the Fund's investment policies, the Fund anticipates that the 1940 Act will require it to accompany each monthly distribution with a statement setting forth the estimated source (as between net income, capital gains and return of capital) of the distribution made. The Fund will indicate the proportion of its capital gains distributions that constitute long-term and short-term gains annually. The ultimate U.S. federal income tax characterization of the Fund's distributions made in a calendar or fiscal year cannot finally be determined until after the end of that taxable year. As a result, there is a possibility that the Fund may make total distributions during a calendar or taxable year in an amount that exceeds the Fund's net investment company taxable income and net capital gains for the relevant taxable year. In such situations, if a distribution exceeds the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes), such distribution would generally be treated as a tax-free return of capital reducing the amount of a shareholder's tax basis in such shareholder's shares. When you sell your shares in the Fund, the amount, if any, by which your sales price exceeds your basis in the Fund's shares is gain subject to tax. Because a return of capital reduces your basis in the shares, it will increase the amount of your gain or decrease the amount of your loss when you sell the shares, all other things being equal. To the extent that the amount of any return of capital distribution exceeds the shareholder's basis in such shareholder's shares, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale or exchange of the shares. See "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

Various factors will affect the level of the Fund's income, including the asset mix, the average maturity of the Fund's portfolio, the amount of leverage utilized by the Fund and the Fund's use of hedging. To permit the Fund to maintain a more stable monthly distribution, the Fund may from time to time distribute less than the entire amount of income earned in a particular period. The undistributed income would be available to supplement future distributions. As a result, the distributions paid by the Fund for any particular monthly period may be more or less than the amount of income actually earned by the Fund during that period. Undistributed income will add to the Fund's NAV (and indirectly benefit the Adviser by increasing its fees) and, correspondingly, distributions from undistributed income will reduce the Fund's NAV.

Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder generally limit the Fund to one long-term capital gain distribution per year, subject to certain exceptions.

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN

Pursuant to the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "DRIP"), income dividends and/or capital gain distributions to Common Shareholders will automatically be reinvested in additional Common Shares of the Fund by U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the "DRIP Administrator"). A Common Shareholder may terminate participation in the DRIP at any time by notifying the DRIP Administrator before the record date of the next distribution through the Internet, by telephone or in writing. Common Shareholders whose Common Shares are held in the name of a broker or other nominee and who wish to elect to receive any dividends and distributions in cash must contact their broker or nominee. All distributions to Common Shareholders who do not participate in the DRIP, or have elected to terminate their participation in the DRIP, will be paid by check mailed directly to the record holder by or under the direction of the DRIP Administrator when the Board declares a distribution.

Common Shares will be acquired by the DRIP Administrator for the participants' accounts, depending upon the circumstances described below, either through (i) receipt of additional unissued but authorized Common Shares from the Fund ("Newly Issued Common Shares") or (ii) by purchase of outstanding Common Shares on the open market ("Open-Market Purchases") on the New York Stock Exchange or elsewhere.

If, on the payment date for any distribution, the closing market price plus estimated per share fees (which include any brokerage commissions the DRIP Administrator is required to pay) is equal to or greater than the NAV per Common Share, the DRIP Administrator will invest the distribution amount in Newly Issued Common Shares on behalf of the Participants. The number of Newly Issued Common Shares to be credited to each Participant's


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account will be determined by dividing the dollar amount of the distribution by the NAV per Common Share on the payment date; provided that, if the NAV is less than or equal to 95% of the closing market value on the payment date, the dollar amount of the distribution will be divided by 95% of the closing market price per Common Share on the payment date. If, on the payment date for any distribution, the NAV per Common Share is greater than the closing market value plus per share fees, the DRIP Administrator will invest the distribution amount in Common Shares acquired on behalf of the Participants in Open-Market Purchases. In the event of a market discount on the payment date for any distribution, the DRIP Administrator will have until the last business day before the next date on which the Common Shares trade on an "ex-dividend" basis or 30 days after the payment date for such distribution, whichever is sooner (the "Last Purchase Date"), to invest the distribution amount in Common Shares acquired in Open-Market Purchases.

It is contemplated that the Fund will pay monthly income distributions. Therefore, the period during which Open-Market Purchases can be made will exist only from the payment date of each distribution through the date before the next "ex-dividend" date which typically will be approximately ten days. If, before the DRIP Administrator has completed its Open-Market Purchases, the market price per Common Share exceeds the NAV per Common Share, the average per Common Share purchase price paid by the DRIP Administrator may exceed the NAV of the Common Shares, resulting in the acquisition of fewer Common Shares than if the distribution had been paid in Newly Issued Common Shares on the distribution payment date. Because of the foregoing difficulty with respect to Open-Market Purchases, the Plan provides that if the DRIP Administrator is unable to invest the full distribution amount in Open-Market Purchases during the purchase period or if the market discount shifts to a market premium during the purchase period, the DRIP Administrator may cease making Open-Market Purchases and may invest the uninvested portion of the distribution amount in Newly Issued Common Shares at the NAV per Common Share at the close of business on the Last Purchase Date provided that, if the NAV is less than or equal to 95% of the then current market price per Common Share; the dollar amount of the distribution will be divided by 95% of the market price on the payment date

The DRIP Administrator maintains all Common Shareholder accounts in the DRIP and furnishes written confirmations of all transactions in the account, including information needed by Common Shareholders for tax records. Common Shares in the account of each DRIP participant are held by the DRIP Administrator in non-certificated form in the name of the participant, and each Common Shareholder's proxy includes shares purchased pursuant to the DRIP. The DRIP Administrator will forward all proxy solicitation materials to participants and vote proxies for Common Shares held under the DRIP in accordance with the instructions of the participants

There is no charge to participants for reinvesting regular distributions and capital gains distributions; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the DRIP to include a service charge payable by the participants. The fees of the DRIP Administrator for handling the reinvestment of regular distributions and capital gains distributions are included in the fee to be paid by us to our transfer agent. There are no brokerage charges with respect to Common Shares issued directly by us as a result of regular distributions or capital gains distributions payable either in Common Shares or in cash. However, each participant bears a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to the DRIP Administrator's Open-Market Purchases in connection with the reinvestment of such distributions. Participants in the DRIP will add to their investment through dollar cost averaging. Because all dividends and distributions paid to such Common Shareholder will be automatically reinvested in additional Common Shares, the average cost of such Common Shareholder's Common Shares will decrease over time. Dollar cost averaging is a technique for lowering the average cost per Common Share over time if the Fund's NAV declines. While dollar cost averaging has advantages, it cannot assure profit or protect against loss in declining markets.

The automatic reinvestment of such dividends or distributions does not relieve participants of any income tax that may be payable on such dividends or distributions. See "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the DRIP at any time. Any expenses of the DRIP will be borne by the Fund. All correspondence or questions concerning the DRIP should be directed to U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC in writing to 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.


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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of Common Shares and of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund. The discussion below provides general tax information related to an investment in Common Shares, but this discussion does not purport to be a complete description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Common Shares. It is based on the Code and Treasury regulations and administrative pronouncements, all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of a Common Shareholder's particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences and tax consequences applicable to Common Shareholders subject to special tax rules, such as certain financial institutions; dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting; persons holding Common Shares as part of a hedging transaction, wash sale, conversion transaction or integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the Common Shares; entities classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; real estate investment trusts; insurance companies; U.S. shareholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; or tax-exempt entities, including "individual retirement accounts" or "Roth IRAs." Unless otherwise noted, the following discussion only applies to a Common Shareholder that holds Common Shares as a capital asset (generally, for investment) and is a U.S. shareholder. A "U.S. shareholder" is a holder who, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a beneficial owner of Common Shares and is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; (ii) a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia; (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or (iv) a trust if it (x) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. A "non-U.S. shareholder" generally is a beneficial owner of Common Shares who is not a U.S. shareholder. Tax laws are complex and often change, and Common Shareholders should consult their tax advisors about the U.S. federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. For more information, please see the section of the SAI entitled "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations."

The Fund intends to elect to be treated as, and to qualify in each taxable year as, a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. Assuming the Fund so qualifies and satisfies certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on income distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends or capital gain distributions (including amounts that are reinvested pursuant to the DRIP). If the Fund retains any net capital gains for reinvestment, it may elect to treat such capital gains as having been distributed to its shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, each shareholder will be required to report its share of such undistributed net capital gain as long-term capital gain and will be entitled to claim its share of the U.S. federal income taxes paid by the Fund on such undistributed net capital gain as a credit against its own U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, and to claim a refund on a properly-filed U.S. federal income tax return to the extent that the credit exceeds such liability. In addition, each shareholder will be entitled to increase the adjusted tax basis of its Common Shares by the difference between its share of such undistributed net capital gain and the related credit. There can be no assurance that the Fund will make this election if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain for a taxable year.

Amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a 4% nondeductible federal excise tax at the Fund level. To avoid the tax, the Fund must distribute during each calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (ii) 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for a one-year period generally ending on October 31 of the calendar year (unless an election is made to use the Fund's taxable year) and (iii) any income recognized, but not distributed in, preceding years. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to corporate income tax in the taxable year ending with the calendar year. The Fund generally will endeavor in each


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taxable year to make sufficient distributions to its shareholders to avoid any U.S. federal excise tax on its earnings, but the Fund reserves the right to pay the excise tax when circumstances warrant.

To qualify as a RIC for any taxable year, the Fund must, among other things, satisfy both an income test and an asset test for such taxable year. Under the income test, at least 90% of the Fund's gross income for such taxable year must consist of dividends; interest; payments with respect to certain securities loans; gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies; other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies; and net income derived from interests in "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (such income, "Qualifying RIC Income"). Under the asset test, the Fund's holdings must be diversified so that, at the end of each quarter of such taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets is represented by cash and cash items, securities of other RICs, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets is invested (a) in securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or of two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (b) in the securities of one or more "qualified publicly traded partnerships." The Fund's share of income derived from a partnership other than a "qualified publicly traded partnership" will be treated as Qualifying RIC Income only to the extent that such income would have constituted Qualifying RIC Income if derived directly by the Fund. A "qualified publicly traded partnership" is generally defined as an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes if (i) interests in such entity are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof and (ii) less than 90% of its gross income for the relevant taxable year consists of Qualifying RIC Income. The Code provides that the Treasury Department may by regulation exclude from Qualifying RIC Income foreign currency gains that are not directly related to the RIC's principal business of investing in stock or securities (or options and futures with respect to stock or securities). The Fund anticipates that, in general, its foreign currency gains will be directly related to its principal business of investing in stock and securities.

There may be uncertainty as to the appropriate treatment of certain of the Fund's investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes. In particular, the Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund, to the extent necessary, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to ensure that it does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

Distributions of the Fund's ordinary income and net short-term capital gains will generally be taxable to Common Shareholders as ordinary income to the extent such distributions are paid out of the Fund's current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Distributions or deemed distributions, if any, of net capital gains will be taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of the length of time the Common Shareholder has owned Common Shares. Distributions of the Fund's income and capital gains may also be subject to state and local taxes, except when the investment is in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-exempt or tax-deferred account. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated by a Common Shareholder as a return of capital that will be applied against and reduce the Common Shareholder's basis in its Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the Common Shareholder's basis in its Common Shares, the excess will be treated as gain from a sale or exchange of the Common Shares. Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional Common Shares pursuant to the DRIP.


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Distributions made to a non-corporate Common Shareholder out of "qualified dividend income," if any, received by the Fund will be subject to tax at the lower rates applicable to net capital gains, provided that the Common Shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its shares. Given the Fund's investment strategy, it is not expected that a significant portion of the distributions made by the Fund will qualify for this favorable treatment or be eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction.

It is expected that a very substantial portion of the Fund's income will consist of ordinary income. For example, interest and OID derived by the Fund will constitute ordinary income. In addition, gain derived by the Fund from the disposition of debt securities with "market discount" (generally, securities purchased by the Fund at a discount to their stated redemption price) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the market discount that has accrued, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, at the time of such disposition unless the Fund makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis. In addition, certain of the Fund's investments will be subject to special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may affect the character, increase the amount and/or accelerate the timing of distributions to Common Shareholders.

Dividends and other distributions paid by the Fund are generally treated as received by a Common Shareholder at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question. If the Fund makes such an election, a Common Shareholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made. However, any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to Common Shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by the Fund's Common Shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

If an investor purchases Common Shares shortly before the record date of a distribution, the price of the Common Shares will include the value of the distribution and the investor will be subject to tax on the distribution even though economically it may represent a return of his, her or its investment.

A Common Shareholder may recognize a capital gain or loss on the sale or other disposition of Common Shares. The amount of the gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the amount realized and the Common Shareholder's adjusted tax basis in the relevant Common Shares. Such gain or loss generally will be a long-term gain or loss if the Common Shareholder's holding period for such Common Shares is more than one year. Under current law, long-term capital gains recognized by non-corporate Common Shareholders are generally subject to U.S. federal income tax at lower rates than the rates applicable to ordinary income. Losses realized by a Common Shareholder on the sale or exchange of Common Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital losses to the extent of any distribution of long-term capital gain received (or deemed received, as discussed above) with respect to such Common Shares. In addition, no loss will be allowed on a sale or other disposition of Common Shares if the Common Shareholder acquires (including pursuant to the DRIP) Common Shares within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the securities acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

The repurchase or transfer of the Fund's Common Shares may result in a taxable gain or loss to the tendering Common Shareholder. Different tax consequences may apply for tendering and non-tendering Common Shareholders in connection with a repurchase offer. For example, if a Common Shareholder does not tender all of his or her Common Shares, such repurchase may not be treated as an exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes and may result in deemed distributions to non-tendering Common Shareholders. On the other hand, Common Shareholders who tender all of their Common Shares (including Common Shares deemed owned by Common Shareholders under constructive ownership rules) will be treated as having sold their Common Shares and generally will realize a capital gain or loss.

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, an additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts


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to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceed certain threshold amounts.

Legislation passed by Congress requires reporting of adjusted cost basis information for covered securities, which generally include shares of a RIC acquired after January 1, 2012, to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") and to taxpayers. Common Shareholders should contact their financial intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.

Backup Withholding

The Fund may be required to backup withhold on taxable dividend and certain other payments to shareholders who do not furnish to the Fund their correct taxpayer identification number (in the case of individuals, their social security number), and make certain certifications, or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding. Common Shareholders should be sure to provide this information when they complete the new account application. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld from payments made to a shareholder may be refunded or credited against such Common Shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax applicable to non-U.S. Common Shareholders.

Non-U.S. Shareholders

If a Common Shareholder is a non-U.S. shareholder whose ownership of Common Shares is not "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business, dividends of investment company taxable income distributed to such non-U.S. shareholder by the Fund will generally be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or a lower rate under an applicable treaty). Net capital gain dividends distributed by the Fund to a non-U.S. shareholder will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax. For a discussion of the tax consequences of the ownership of Shares by a non-U.S. shareholder whose ownership of Shares is "effectively connected" with a U.S. trade or business, please see the discussion in the SAI under "Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations—Non-U.S. Shareholders."

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2014, properly designated dividends received by non-U.S. Common Shareholders are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax when they (a) are paid in respect of the Fund's "qualified net interest income" (generally, the Fund's U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the Fund is at least a 10% stockholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income), or (b) are paid in connection with the Fund's "qualified short-term capital gains" (generally, the excess of the Fund's net short-term capital gain over the Fund's long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on the circumstances, the Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund's potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. Common Shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or an acceptable substitute or successor form). There can be no assurance as to whether or not this provision will be extended to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. Thus, an investment in the shares of the Fund by a non-U.S. Common Shareholder may have adverse tax consequences as compared to a direct investment in the assets in which the Fund will invest.

Effective January 1, 2014, the Fund will be required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of dividends and (effective January 1, 2017) redemption proceeds made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Common Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.


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An investment in the shares of the Fund by an individual non-U.S. Common Shareholder may also be subject to U.S. federal estate tax. Non-U.S. Common Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

Alternative Minimum Tax

As with any taxable investment, investors may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax on their income (including taxable income from the Fund), depending on their individual circumstances.

The discussions set forth herein and in the SAI do not constitute tax advice, and shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisor to determine the specific U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the Fund.

CLOSED-END FUND STRUCTURE

The Fund is a closed-end management investment company and, as a result, its Common Shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their Common Shares. Instead, the Fund's Common Shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including distribution levels and stability (which are in turn affected by expenses, regulation affecting the timing and character of Fund distributions and other factors), NAV, portfolio credit quality, liquidity, market supply and demand, general market and economic conditions and other factors. Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the 1940 Act that the Fund may purchase at market prices from time to time its Common Shares in the open market but is under no obligation to do so. Because common shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than NAV, the Board may consider action that might be taken to reduce or eliminate any material discount from NAV in respect of Common Shares, which may include the repurchase of such shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company. The Board may decide not to take any of these actions. In addition, there can be no assurance that Common Share repurchases or tender offers, if undertaken, will reduce market discount.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time the Fund has preferred shares outstanding, the Fund may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its Common Shares unless (1) all accrued preferred shares dividends have been paid and (2) at the time of such purchase, redemption or acquisition, the NAV of the Fund's portfolio (determined after deducting the acquisition price of the Common Shares) is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon). Any service fees incurred in connection with any tender offer made by the Fund will be borne by the Fund and will not reduce the stated consideration to be paid to tendering Common Shareholders.

Subject to its investment restrictions, the Fund may borrow to finance the repurchase of Common Shares or to make a tender offer. Interest on any borrowings to finance share repurchase transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Fund in anticipation of share repurchases or tenders will reduce the Fund's net income. Any share repurchase, tender offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board would have to comply with the Exchange Act, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations under the New York Stock Exchange.

There is no assurance that, if action is undertaken to repurchase or tender for Common Shares, such action will result in the Common Shares trading at a price which approximates their NAV. Although share repurchases and tenders could have a favorable effect on the market price of the Fund's Common Shares, Common Shareholders should be aware that the acquisition of Common Shares by the Fund will decrease the total net assets of the Fund and, therefore, may have the effect of increasing the Fund's expense ratio and decreasing the asset coverage with respect to any preferred shares if any outstanding and to any amounts borrowed. See "Description of Capital Structure."


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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE

The Fund is a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware pursuant to a Declaration of Trust dated March 17, 2011. The Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Common Shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share. The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing.

Common Shares

The Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Common Shares. Each Common Share has one vote and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of this offering, will be fully paid and non-assessable. The holders of Common Shares will not be entitled to receive any distributions from the Fund unless all accrued interest, fees and dividends, if any, with respect to the Fund's leverage have been paid, unless certain asset coverage tests with respect to the leverage employed by the Fund are satisfied after giving effect to the distributions and unless certain other requirements imposed by any rating agencies rating any preferred shares issued by the Fund have been met. All Common Shares are equal as to dividends, assets and voting privileges and have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights. The Fund will send annual and semi-annual reports, including financial statements, when available, to all holders of its Common Shares.

The Fund has no present intention of offering any additional shares other than the Common Shares it may issue under the Fund's DRIP. Any additional offerings of shares will require approval by the Board. Any additional offering of Common Shares will be subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act, which provides that shares may not be issued at a price below the then current NAV, exclusive of the sales load, except in connection with an offering to existing holders of Common Shares or with the consent of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.

The Fund's Common Shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, under the trading or "ticker" symbol "KIO."

The Fund's NAV per share generally increases when interest rates decline, and decreases when interest rates rise. However, because the secured loans that the Fund invests in may be floating rate in nature, the Fund's NAV per share may be less affected by interest rate fluctuations than if it were investing in other forms of securities. The Fund's NAV will be reduced immediately following the offering of Common Shares by the amount of the sales load and the amount of the organizational costs and offering expenses paid by the Fund. See "Summary of Common Shareholder Fees and Expenses."

Unlike open-end funds, closed-end funds like the Fund do not continuously offer shares and do not provide daily redemptions. Rather, if a Common Shareholder decides to buy additional Common Shares or sell shares already held, the Common Shareholder may do so by trading through a broker on the New York Stock Exchange or otherwise. Shares of closed-end investment companies frequently trade on an exchange at prices lower than NAV. Shares of closed-end investment companies like the Fund that invest predominantly in secured loans and fixed-income instruments have traded during some periods at prices higher than NAV and have traded during other periods at prices lower than NAV. Because the market price of the Fund's Common Shares may be affected by such factors as distribution levels and stability (which are in turn affected by expenses, regulation affecting the timing and character of Fund distributions and other factors), NAV, portfolio credit quality, liquidity, market supply and demand, general market conditions and other factors, the Fund cannot assure you that its Common Shares will trade at a price equal to or higher than NAV in the future. The Fund's market price may also be affected by general market, economic or political conditions. The Common Shares are designed primarily for long-term investors and should not be viewed as a vehicle for trading purposes. You should not purchase Common Shares of the Fund if you intend to sell them shortly after purchase.


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Preferred Shares

The Fund's Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust provides that the Board of the Fund may authorize and issue preferred shares, with rights as determined by the Board, without the approval of the holders of the Common Shares. Holders of Common Shares have no preemptive right to purchase any preferred shares that might be issued. The Fund may elect to issue preferred shares as part of a leveraging strategy. The terms of any preferred shares, including dividend rate, liquidation preference and redemption provisions restrictions on the declaration of dividends, maintenance of asset ratios and restrictions while dividends are in arrears will be determined by the Board, subject to applicable law and the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust.

In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Fund, the holders of any preferred shares will be entitled to receive a preferential liquidating distribution. After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, the holders of preferred shares will not be entitled to any further participation in any distribution of assets by the Fund.

The 1940 Act, among other things, requires that the holders of outstanding preferred shares, voting separately as a single class, have the right to elect at least two trustees at all times. The remaining trustees will be elected by holders of Common Shares and preferred shares, voting together as a single class. In addition, subject to the prior rights, if any, of the holders of any other class of senior securities outstanding, the holders of any preferred shares have the right to elect a majority of the trustees of the Fund at any time two years' dividends on any preferred shares are unpaid.

The discussion above describes the possible offering of preferred shares by the Fund. If the Board determines to proceed with such an offering, the terms of the preferred shares may be the same as, or different from, the terms described above, subject to applicable law and the terms of the Fund's Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust. The Board, without the approval of the holders of Common Shares, may authorize an offering of preferred shares or may determine not to authorize such an offering, and may fix the terms of the preferred shares to be offered.

Anti-Takeover and Certain Other Provisions in the Declaration of Trust

The Fund's Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of its Board. This could have the effect of depriving Common Shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control over the Fund. Such attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and disrupting the normal operation of the Fund. The Fund's trustees have been elected and divided into three classes, with the terms of one class expiring at each annual meeting of shareholders. At each annual meeting, one class of trustees is elected to a three-year term. This provision could delay for up to two years the replacement of a majority of the Board.

The Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, subject to certain exceptions, provides that the Trust may merge or consolidate with any other corporation, association, trust or other organization or may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the its property, including its goodwill, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration when and as authorized by two-thirds of the Trustees and approved by a majority of the outstanding voting securities and any such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or exchange shall be determined for all purposes to have been accomplished under and pursuant to the statutes of the State of Delaware. The Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust also requires the affirmative vote or consent of two-thirds of the Trustees and of holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company. Also, the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust provides that the Fund may dissolve upon the approval of not less than a majority of Trustees. See "Risk Factors—Anti-Takeover Provisions."

The trustees may from time to time grant other voting rights to shareholders with respect to these and other matters, certain of which are required by the 1940 Act.


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The overall effect of these provisions is to render more difficult the accomplishment of a merger or the assumption of control by a third party. These provisions also provide, however, the advantage of potentially requiring persons seeking control of the Fund to negotiate with its management regarding the price to be paid and facilitating the continuity of the Fund's investment objectives and policies. The provisions of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust described above could have the effect of discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund in a tender offer or similar transaction. The Board has considered the foregoing anti-takeover provisions and concluded that they are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders.

The foregoing is intended only as a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and the Bylaws, both of which will be on file with the SEC.

The Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder personal liability for debts or obligations or any other form of personal liability in connection with the property or actions of the Fund.

For the purposes of calculating "a majority of the outstanding voting securities" under the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, each class and series of the Fund will vote together as a single class, except to the extent required by the 1940 Act or the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, with respect to any class or series of shares. If a separate class vote is required, the applicable proportion of shares of the class or series, voting as a separate class or series, also will be required.

The Board has determined that provisions with respect to the Board and the shareholder voting requirements described above, which voting requirements are greater than the minimum requirements under Delaware law or the 1940 Act, are in the best interest of shareholders generally. For a more complete explanation, see the full text of these provisions in the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, which is on file with the SEC.

Conversion to Open-End Fund

The Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust requires the affirmative vote or consent of two-thirds of the Trustees and a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) to authorize a conversion of the Fund from a closed-end to an open-end investment company. The composition of the Fund's portfolio and/or its investment policies could prohibit the Fund from complying with regulations of the SEC applicable to open-end management investment companies unless significant changes in portfolio holdings, which might be difficult and could involve losses, and investment policies are made. Conversion of the Fund to an open-end management investment company also would require the redemption of any outstanding preferred shares and could require the repayment of borrowings, which would reduce the leveraged capital structure of the Fund with respect to the Common Shares. In the event of conversion, the Common Shares would cease to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or other national securities exchange or market system. The Board believes the closed-end structure is desirable, given the Fund's investment objectives and policies. Investors should assume, therefore, that it is unlikely that the Board would vote to convert the Fund to an open-end management investment company. Common Shareholders of an open-end management investment company can require the company to redeem their shares at any time (except in certain circumstances as authorized by or under the 1940 Act) at their NAV, less such redemption charge, if any, as might be in effect at the time of a redemption. If converted to an open-end fund, the Fund expects to pay all redemption requests in cash, but reserves the right to pay redemption requests in a combination of cash or securities. If such partial payment in securities were made, investors may incur brokerage costs in converting such securities to cash. If the Fund were converted to an open-end fund, it is likely that new Common Shares would be sold at NAV plus a sales load.


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UNDERWRITERS

Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement dated the date of this prospectus, the Underwriters named below, for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC are acting as representatives (the "Representatives"), have severally agreed to purchase, and the Fund has agreed to sell to them, the number of Common Shares indicated below.

Underwriters

  Number of
Common Shares
 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

         

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

         

UBS Securities LLC

         

Barclays Capital Inc.

         

BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, LLC

         

Chardan Capital Markets, LLC

         

Henley & Company LLC

         

J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC

         

Janney Montgomery Scott LLC

         

J.P. Turner & Company, LLC

         

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

         

Maxim Group LLC

         

Newbridge Securities Corporation

         

Pershing LLC

         

Wedbush Securities Inc.

         

Wunderlich Securities, Inc.

         

Total

         

The Underwriters are offering the Common Shares subject to their acceptance of the Common Shares from the Fund and subject to prior sale. The underwriting agreement provides that the obligations of the several Underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus are subject to the approval of legal matters by their counsel and to certain other conditions. The Underwriters are obligated to take and pay for all of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus if any such Common Shares are taken. However, the Underwriters are not required to take or pay for the Common Shares covered by the Underwriters' over-allotment option described below.

The Underwriters initially propose to offer part of the Common Shares directly to the public at the initial offering price listed on the cover page of this prospectus and part to certain dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $ per Common Share under the initial offering price. The underwriting discounts and commissions (sales load) of $0.90 per Common Share are equal to 4.5% of the initial offering price. Investors must pay for any Common Shares purchased on or before , 2013.

The Fund has granted to the Underwriters an option, exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to an aggregate of Common Shares at the initial offering price per Common Share listed on the cover page of this prospectus, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The Underwriters may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, made in connection with the offering of the Common Shares offered by this prospectus. To the extent the option is exercised, each Underwriter will become obligated, subject to limited conditions, to purchase approximately the same percentage of the additional Common Shares as the number listed next to the Underwriter's name in the preceding table bears to the total number of Common Shares listed next to the names of all Underwriters in the preceding table. If the Underwriters' over-allotment option is exercised in full, the total price to the public would be $ , the total Underwriters' discounts and commissions (sales load) would be $ , the estimated offering expenses borne by the Fund would be $ and the total proceeds to the Fund would be $ .


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The following table summarizes the estimated expenses that the Fund will pay:

   

Per Common Share

 

Total

 
    Without
Overallotment
  With
Overallotment
  Without
Overallotment
  With
Overallotment
 

Public offering price

 

$

20.00

   

$

20.00

   

$

     

$

     

Sales load

 

$

0.90

   

$

0.90

   

$

     

$

     

Estimated offering expenses

 

$

0.04

   

$

0.04

   

$

     

$

     

Proceeds, after expenses, to the Fund

 

$

19.06

   

$

19.06

   

$

     

$

     

The fees described below under "—Additional Compensation to the Underwriters and their Affiliates and Other Relationships," other than fees payable pursuant to the Marketing Agent Agreement described below, are not reimbursable to the Adviser by the Fund, and therefore are not reflected in expenses payable by the Fund in the table above.

Offering expenses paid by the Fund (other than sales load) will not exceed $0.04 per Common Share sold by the Fund in this offering. If the offering expenses referred to in the preceding sentence exceed this amount, the Adviser will pay the excess. The aggregate offering expenses (excluding sales load) are estimated to be $ in total, $ of which will be borne by the Fund (or $ if the Underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full).

The Underwriters have informed the Fund that they do not intend sales to discretionary accounts to exceed five percent of the total number of Common Shares offered by them.

In order to meet requirements for listing the Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, the Underwriters have undertaken to sell lots of 100 or more shares to a minimum of 400 beneficial owners in the United States. The minimum investment requirement is 100 Common Shares ($2,000).

The Fund's Common Shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, under the trading or "ticker" symbol "KIO" and will be required to meet the NYSE's listing requirements.

At the Fund's request, the Underwriters will make available Common Shares for sale in this offering to certain portfolio managers at the offering price of $20.00 per Common Share.

The Fund has agreed that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and UBS Securities LLC, on behalf of the Underwriters, the Fund will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus:

•  offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares, or

•  enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares,

whether any such transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; or file any registration statement with the SEC relating to the offering of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (i) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period, the Fund issues an earnings release or announces material news or a material event relating to the Fund occurs or (ii) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Fund announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day restricted period, the restrictions described above shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the date of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or material event if, within three days of that issuance or occurrence, the underwriters publish or otherwise distribute a research report or make a public appearance concerning the Fund. These lock-up agreements


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will not apply to the Common Shares to be sold pursuant to the underwriting agreement for this offering or any Common Shares issued pursuant to the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan or any preferred share issuance, if any.

In order to facilitate the offering of the Common Shares, the Underwriters may engage in transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the Common Shares. Specifically, the Underwriters may sell more Common Shares than they are obligated to purchase under the underwriting agreement, creating a short position in the Common Shares for their own account. A short sale is covered if the short position is no greater than the number of Common Shares available for purchase by the Underwriters under the over-allotment option (exercisable for 45 days from the date of this prospectus). The Underwriters can close out a covered short sale by exercising the over-allotment option or purchasing Common Shares in the open market. In determining the source of Common Shares to close out a covered short sale, the Underwriters will consider, among other things, the open market price of the Common Shares compared to the price available under the over-allotment option. The Underwriters may also sell Common Shares in excess of the over-allotment option, creating a naked short position. The Underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing Common Shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the Underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the Common Shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. As an additional means of facilitating the offering, the Underwriters may bid for, and purchase, Common Shares in the open market to stabilize the price of the Common Shares. Finally, the underwriting syndicate may also reclaim selling concessions allowed to an Underwriter or a dealer for distributing the Common Shares in the offering, if the syndicate repurchases previously distributed Common Shares in transactions to cover syndicate short positions or to stabilize the price of the Common Shares. Any of these activities may raise or maintain the market price of the Common Shares above independent market levels or prevent or retard a decline in the market price of the Common Shares. The Underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public or private market for the Common Shares or any other securities of the Fund. Consequently, the offering price for the Common Shares was determined by negotiation among the Fund, the Adviser and the Representatives. There can be no assurance, however, that the price at which the Common Shares trade after this offering will not be lower than the price at which they are sold by the Underwriters or that an active trading market in the Common Shares will develop and continue after this offering.

The Fund anticipates that the Representatives and certain other Underwriters may from time to time act as brokers and dealers in connection with the execution of its portfolio transactions after they have ceased to be Underwriters and, subject to certain restrictions, may act as such brokers while they are Underwriters.

In connection with this offering, certain of the Underwriters or selected dealers may distribute prospectuses electronically. The Fund, the Adviser and the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify each other against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

The Underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the Underwriters or their respective affiliates from time to time have provided in the past, and may provide in the future, investment banking, securities trading, hedging, brokerage activities, commercial lending and financial advisory services to the Fund, certain of its executive officers and affiliates and the Adviser and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business, for which they have received, and may receive, customary fees and expenses.

Prior to the public offering of the Common Shares, the Adviser purchased Common Shares from the Fund in an amount satisfying the initial capital requirements of Section 14(a) of the Investment Company Act. As of the date of this prospectus, the Adviser owned 100% of the outstanding Common Shares.

No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the United States) that would permit a public offering of the Common Shares, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus or any other material relating to the Fund or the Common Shares where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the Common Shares may


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not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the Common Shares may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.

The principal business address of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036. The principal business address of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. is 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013. The principal business address of UBS Securities LLC is 299 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10171.

Additional Compensation to the Underwriters and their Affiliates and Other Relationships

The Adviser (and not the Fund) has agreed to pay certain Underwriters compensation in addition to the sales load compensation that the Underwriters will receive from the Fund. The Adviser (and not the Fund) has agreed to pay Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC from its own assets, upfront structuring and syndication fees in the amount of $ for advice relating to the design and structuring of the Fund, including without limitation, views from an investor market, distribution and syndication perspective on (i) diversification, proportion and concentration approaches for the Fund's investments in light of current market conditions, (ii) marketing issues with respect to the Fund's investment policies and proposed investments, (iii) the proportion of the Fund's assets to invest in the Fund's strategies, (iv) the overall marketing and positioning thesis for the offering of the Common Shares, (v) securing participants in the Fund's initial public offering, (vi) preparation of marketing and diligence materials for the Underwriters, (vii) conveying information and market updates to the Underwriters, and (viii) coordinating syndicate orders in this offering. If the overallotment option is not exercised, the upfront structuring and syndication fees paid to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC will not exceed % of the total public offering price of the Common Shares. These services provided by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC to the Adviser are unrelated to the Adviser's function of advising the Fund as to its investments in securities or use of investment strategies and investment techniques.

The Adviser (and not the Fund) also may pay certain qualifying underwriters a structuring fee, additional compensation or a sales incentive fee in connection with this offering. The total amounts of these payments paid to any qualifying underwriter, excluding the underwriters named above but including those named below, will not exceed 1.5% of the total price of the Common Shares sold by that underwriter in this offering.

The Adviser (and not the Fund) has agreed to pay Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. from its own assets, upfront structuring fees for advice relating to the structure, design and organization of the Fund as well as services related to the sale and distribution of the Common Shares in the amount of $        , $        , and $         , respectively. If the overallotment option is not exercised, the upfront structuring fees paid to each of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. will not exceed         %,          % and        %, respectively, of the total public offering price of the Common Shares. These services provided by Citigroup Global Markets Inc., UBS Securities LLC and Barclays Capital Inc. to the Adviser are unrelated to the Adviser's function of advising the Fund as to its investments in securities or use of investment strategies and investment techniques.

The amount of these structuring and syndication fees are calculated based on the total respective sales of Common Shares by these Underwriters, including those Common Shares included in the Underwriters' over-allotment option, and will be paid regardless of whether some or all of the overallotment option is exercised.

The Fund has agreed to pay expenses related to the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with the review by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") of the terms of the sale of the shares of common stock, the filing fees incident to the filing of marketing materials with FINRA and the transportation and other expenses incurred by the Underwriters in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the shares of common stock. Such expenses will not exceed $20,000 in the aggregate.

The Adviser has entered into a marketing agent agreement with AST Investor Services, LLC ("AST"), as selling agent (the "Selling Agent"), and FWCP and has agreed to pay from its own assets a fee for the sales, marketing and client services provided by the Selling Agent during the Fund's initial public offering in an amount equal to 0.30%


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of the total gross assets raised in the Fund's initial public offering and reimburse certain registered representative expenses in connection with the marketing and distribution services provided with respect to the Fund. The Fund will reimburse the Adviser for these fees and reimbursements, but only to the extent that such fees and reimbursements when added to all other Fund offering expenses (other than the sales load) do not exceed $0.04 per Common Share.

Total underwriting compensation determined in accordance with FINRA rules is summarized as follows. The sales load that the Fund will pay of $0.90 per Common Share is equal to 4.5% of the public offering price of the Common Shares. The sum total of all compensation to the Underwriters in connection with this public offering of Common Shares, including sales load, expense reimbursement and all forms of syndication structuring fee payments to the Underwriters and other expenses, including payments made pursuant to the marketing agent agreement, will be limited to not more than 9.0% of the total public offering price of the Common Shares.

CUSTODIAN, DIVIDEND PAYING AGENT, TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

U.S. Bank, N.A. will serve as Custodian for the Fund. The Custodian will hold cash, securities, and other assets of the Fund as required by the 1940 Act. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will provide certain Fund accounting services. Custody fees and accounting fees are payable monthly based on assets held in custody, investment purchases and sales activity and other factors, plus reimbursement for certain out-of-pocket expenses. The principal business address of the Custodian is 1555 N. Rivercenter Dr., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will also act as the Fund's dividend paying agent, transfer agent and the registrar for the Fund's Common Shares. The principal address of the transfer agent and dividend paying agent is 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

LEGAL OPINIONS

Certain legal matters in connection with the Common Shares will be passed on for the Fund by Dechert LLP and for the Underwriters by Clifford Chance US LLP.

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

The Fund will send to Common Shareholders unaudited semi-annual and audited annual reports, including a list of investments held.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The financial statement as of June 19, 2013 included in the SAI has been so included in reliance on the report of Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, given on the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting. The address of Deloitte & Touche LLP is 555 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94105.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Prospectus and the SAI do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement that the Fund has filed with the SEC (file No. 333-173274). The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC upon payment of the fee prescribed by its rules and regulations. The SAI can be obtained without charge by calling (855) 859-3943.

Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or other documents referred to are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Investment Objectives, Policies and Risks

   

2

   

Investment Restrictions

   

22

   

Management of the Fund

   

24

   

Conflicts of Interest

   

33

   

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage Allocation

   

36

   

Description of Shares

   

38

   

Repurchase of Common Shares

   

38

   

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

   

40

   

Proxy Voting Policy and Proxy Voting Record

   

47

   

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   

47

   

Legal Counsel

   

47

   

Additional Information

   

48

   

Report Of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   

F-1

   

Financial Statements

   

F-2

   

Appendix A—Description Of Securities Ratings

   

A-1

   


[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]




Shares

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

Common Shares
$20.00 per Share

PROSPECTUS
, 2013

Morgan Stanley

Citigroup

UBS Investment Bank

Barclays

BB&T Capital Markets

Chardan Capital Markets, LLC

Henley & Company LLC

J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC

Janney Montgomery Scott

J.P. Turner & Company, LLC

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

Maxim Group LLC

Newbridge Securities Corporation

Pershing LLC

Wedbush Securities Inc.

Wunderlich Securities

Through and including              , 2013 (25 days after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This delivery requirement is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.




 

The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed.  The Fund may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective.  This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion

Preliminary Statement of Additional Information dated July 23, 2013

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).  The Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek a high level of current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation.  There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives or structure its investment portfolio as anticipated.

 

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by the Prospectus for the Fund dated            , 2013, as may be supplemented from time to time, which is incorporated herein by reference.  This SAI should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained without charge by contacting your financial intermediary or by calling the Fund at (855) 859-3943.  You may also obtain a copy of the Prospectus on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) web site (http://www.sec.gov).

 

Capitalized terms used but not defined in this SAI have the meanings ascribed to them in the Prospectus.

 

THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS DATED               , 2013

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objectives, Policies and Risks

2

 

 

Investment Restrictions

22

 

 

Management of the Fund

24

 

 

Conflicts of Interest

33

 

 

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage Allocation

36

 

 

Description of Shares

38

 

 

Repurchase of Common Shares

38

 

 

Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations

40

 

 

Proxy Voting Policy and Proxy Voting Record

47

 

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

47

 

 

Legal Counsel

47

 

 

Additional Information

48

 

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

F-1

 

 

Financial Statements

F-2

 

 

Appendix A—Description of Securities Ratings

A-1

 

i


 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES AND RISKS

 

The following disclosure supplements the disclosure set forth under the caption “Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies” in the Prospectus and does not, by itself, present a complete or accurate explanation of the matters disclosed.  You should refer also to “Investment Objectives and Investment Strategies” in the Prospectus for a complete presentation of the matters disclosed below.

 

Bank Loans and Participations

 

The Fund’s investment program may include significant amounts of bank loans and participations. These obligations are subject to unique risks, including (i) the possible avoidance of an investment transaction as a “preferential transfer,” “fraudulent conveyance” or “fraudulent transfer,” among other avoidance actions, under relevant bankruptcy, insolvency and/or creditors’ rights laws, (ii) so-called “lender liability” claims by the issuer of the obligations, (iii) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations, (iv) limitations on the ability of the Fund to directly enforce its rights with respect to participations and (v) the contractual nature of participations where the Fund takes on the credit risk of the agent bank rather than the actual borrower.

 

The Fund may acquire interests in loans either directly (by way of assignment) or indirectly (by way of participation). The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a contracting party under the loan agreement with respect to the loan; however, its rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution. Participations in a portion of a loan typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest and not with the obligor. The Fund would, in such a case, have the right to receive payments of principal and interest to which it is entitled only from the institution selling the participation, and not directly from the obligor, and only upon receipt by such institution of such payments from the obligor. As the owner of a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the obligor with the terms of the loan agreement or to vote on amendments to the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the obligor, and the Fund may not directly benefit from collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of the selling institution, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of such selling institution, and may not have any exclusive or senior claim with respect to the selling institution’s interest in, or the collateral with respect to, the applicable loan. Consequently, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the obligor and the institution selling the participation to the Fund. As a result, concentrations of participations from any one selling institution subject the Fund to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such selling institution.

 

Senior Loans

 

A Senior Loan is typically originated, negotiated and structured by a U.S. or foreign commercial bank, insurance company, finance company or other financial institution (the “Agent”) for a group of loan investors (“Loan Investors”).  The Agent typically administers and enforces the Senior Loan on behalf of the other Loan Investors in the syndicate.  In addition, an institution, typically but not always the Agent, holds any collateral on behalf of the Loan Investors.

 

Senior Loans primarily include senior floating rate loans to corporations and secondarily institutionally traded senior floating rate debt obligations issued by an asset-backed pool and interests therein.  Loan interests primarily take the form of assignments purchased in the primary or secondary market.  Loan interests may also take the form of participation interests in a Senior Loan.  Such loan interests may be acquired from U.S. or foreign commercial banks, insurance companies, finance companies or other financial institutions who have made loans or are Loan Investors or from other investors in loan interests.

 

The Fund may purchase “assignments” from the Agent or other Loan Investors.  The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the Loan Agreement (as defined herein) of the assigning Loan Investor and becomes a Loan Investor under the Loan Agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning Loan Investor.  Assignments may, however, be arranged through private negotiations

 

2


 

between potential assignees and potential assignors, and the rights and obligations acquired by the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning Loan Investor.

 

The Fund also may invest in “participations.” Participations by the Fund in a Loan Investor’s portion of a Senior Loan typically will result in the Fund having a contractual relationship only with such Loan Investor, not with the borrower.  As a result, the Fund may have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the Loan Investor selling the participation and only upon receipt by such Loan Investor of such payments from the borrower.  In connection with purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the Loan Agreement, nor any rights with respect to any funds acquired by other Loan Investors through set-off against the borrower and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the Senior Loan in which it has purchased the participation.  As a result, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the Loan Investor selling the participation.  In the event of the insolvency of the Loan Investor selling a participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of such Loan Investor.  The selling Loan Investors and other persons interpositioned between such Loan Investors and the Fund with respect to such participations will likely conduct their principal business activities in the banking, finance and financial services industries.  Persons engaged in such industries may be more susceptible to, among other things, fluctuations in interest rates, changes in the Federal Open Market Committee’s monetary policy, governmental regulations concerning such industries and concerning capital raising activities generally and fluctuations in the financial markets generally.

 

The Fund will only acquire participations if the Loan Investor selling the participation, and any other persons interpositioned between the Fund and the Loan Investor, at the time of investment has outstanding debt or deposit obligations rated investment grade (Baa3 or higher by Moody’s or BBB- or higher by S&P or Fitch, or comparably rated by another nationally recognized rating agency) if determined by the Adviser to be an appropriate investment for the Fund.  The effect of industry characteristics and market compositions may be more pronounced.  Indebtedness of companies whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks, and may be highly speculative.  Some companies may never pay off their indebtedness, or may pay only a small fraction of the amount owed.  Consequently, when investing in indebtedness of companies with poor credit, the Fund bears a substantial risk of losing the entire amount invested.

 

In order to borrow money pursuant to a Senior Loan, a borrower will for the term of the Senior Loan, pledge collateral, including but not limited to, (i) working capital assets, such as accounts receivable and inventory; (ii) tangible fixed assets, such as real property, buildings and equipment; (iii) intangible assets, such as trademarks and patent rights (but excluding goodwill); and (iv) security interests in shares of stock of subsidiaries or affiliates.  In the case of Senior Loans made to non-public companies, the company’s shareholders or owners may provide collateral in the form of secured guarantees and/or security interests in assets that they own.  In many instances, a Senior Loan may be secured only by stock in the borrower or its subsidiaries.  Collateral may consist of assets that may not be readily liquidated, and there is no assurance that the liquidation of such assets would satisfy fully a borrower’s obligations under a Senior Loan.

 

In the process of buying, selling and holding Senior Loans, the Fund may receive and/or pay certain fees.  These fees are in addition to interest payments received and may include facility fees, commitment fees, amendment fees, commissions and prepayment penalty fees.  When the Fund buys a Senior Loan, it may receive a facility fee and when it sells a Senior Loan it may pay a facility fee.  On an ongoing basis, the Fund may receive a commitment fee based on the undrawn portion of the underlying line of credit portion of a Senior Loan.  In certain circumstances, the Fund may receive a prepayment penalty fee upon the prepayment of a Senior Loan by a borrower.  Other fees received by the Fund may include covenant waiver fees, covenant modification fees or other amendment fees.

 

A borrower must comply with various restrictive covenants contained in a loan agreement or note purchase agreement between the borrower and the holders of the Senior Loan (the “Loan Agreement”).  Such covenants, in addition to requiring the scheduled payment of interest and principal, may include restrictions on dividend payments and other distributions to shareholders, provisions requiring the borrower to maintain specific minimum financial ratios and limits on total debt.  In addition, the Loan Agreement may contain a covenant requiring the borrower to prepay the Loan with any free cash flow.  Free cash flow is generally defined as net cash flow after scheduled debt service payments and permitted capital expenditures, and includes the proceeds from asset dispositions or sales of securities.  A breach of a covenant which is not waived by the Agent, or by the Loan Investors directly, as the case may be, is normally an event of acceleration; i.e ., the Agent, or the Loan Investors directly, as the case may be, has the right to call the outstanding Senior Loan.  The typical practice of an Agent or a Loan Investor in relying

 

3


 

exclusively or primarily on reports from the borrower to monitor the borrower’s compliance with covenants may involve a risk of fraud by the borrower.  In the case of a Senior Loan in the form of a participation, the agreement between the buyer and seller may limit the rights of the holder to vote on certain changes which may be made to the Loan Agreement, such as waiving a breach of a covenant.  However, the holder of the participation will, in almost all cases, have the right to vote on certain fundamental issues such as changes in principal amount, payment dates and interest rate.

 

In a typical Senior Loan the Agent administers the terms of the Loan Agreement.  In such cases, the Agent is normally responsible for the collection of principal and interest payments from the borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all institutions which are parties to the Loan Agreement.  The Fund will generally rely upon the Agent or an intermediate participant to receive and forward to the Fund its portion of the principal and interest payments on the Senior Loan.  Furthermore, unless under the terms of a participation agreement the Fund has direct recourse against the borrower, the Fund will rely on the Agent and the other Loan Investors to use appropriate credit remedies against the borrower.  The Agent is typically responsible for monitoring compliance with covenants contained in the Loan Agreement based upon reports prepared by the borrower.  The seller of the Senior Loan usually does, but is often not obligated to, notify holders of Senior Loans of any failures of compliance.  The Agent may monitor the value of the collateral and, if the value of the collateral declines, may accelerate the Senior Loan, may give the borrower an opportunity to provide additional collateral or may seek other protection for the benefit of the participants in the Senior Loan.  The Agent is compensated by the borrower for providing these services under a Loan Agreement, and such compensation may include special fees paid upon structuring and funding the Senior Loan and other fees paid on a continuing basis.  With respect to Senior Loans for which the Agent does not perform such administrative and enforcement functions, the Fund will perform such tasks on its own behalf, although a collateral bank will typically hold any collateral on behalf of the Fund and the other Loan Investors pursuant to the applicable Loan Agreement.

 

A financial institution’s appointment as Agent may usually be terminated in the event that it fails to observe the requisite standard of care or becomes insolvent, enters Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) receivership, or, if not FDIC insured, enters into bankruptcy proceedings.  A successor Agent would generally be appointed to replace the terminated Agent, and assets held by the Agent under the Loan Agreement should remain available to holders of Senior Loans.  However, if assets held by the Agent for the benefit of the Fund were determined to be subject to the claims of the Agent’s general creditors, the Fund might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on a Senior Loan, or suffer a loss of principal and/or interest.  In situations involving intermediate participants, similar risks may arise.

 

Senior Loans will usually require, in addition to scheduled payments of interest and principal, the prepayment of the Senior Loan from free cash flow, as defined above.  The degree to which borrowers prepay Senior Loans, whether as a contractual requirement or at their election, may be affected by general business conditions, the financial condition of the borrower and competitive conditions among Loan Investors, among others.  As such, prepayments cannot be predicted with accuracy.  Upon a prepayment, either in part or in full, the actual outstanding debt on which the Fund derives interest income will be reduced.  However, the Fund may receive both a prepayment penalty fee from the prepaying borrower and a facility fee upon the purchase of a new Senior Loan with the proceeds from the prepayment of the former.

 

From time to time, the Adviser and its affiliates may borrow money from various banks in connection with their business activities.  Such banks may also sell interests in Senior Loans to, or acquire them from, the Fund or may be intermediate participants with respect to Senior Loans in which the Fund owns interests.  Such banks may also act as Agents for Senior Loans held by the Fund.

 

The Fund may acquire interests in Senior Loans which are designed to provide temporary or “bridge” financing to a borrower pending the sale of identified assets or the arrangement of longer-term loans or the issuance and sale of debt obligations.  The Fund may also invest in Senior Loans of borrowers that have obtained bridge loans from other parties.  A borrower’s use of bridge loans involves a risk that the borrower may be unable to locate permanent financing to replace the bridge loan, which may impair the borrower’s perceived creditworthiness.

 

The Fund will be subject to the risk that collateral securing a loan will decline in value or have no value.  Such a decline, whether as a result of bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise, could cause the Senior Loan to be undercollateralized or unsecured.  In most credit agreements there is no formal requirement to pledge additional collateral.  In addition, the Fund may invest in Senior Loans guaranteed by, or secured by assets of, shareholders or owners, even if the Senior Loans are not otherwise collateralized by assets of the borrower; provided, however, that

 

4


 

such guarantees are fully secured.  There may be temporary periods when the principal asset held by a borrower is the stock of a related company, which may not legally be pledged to secure a Senior Loan.  On occasions when such stock cannot be pledged, the Senior Loan will be temporarily unsecured until the stock can be pledged or is exchanged for or replaced by other assets, which will be pledged as security for the Senior Loan.  However, the Borrower’s ability to dispose of such securities, other than in connection with such pledge or replacement, will be strictly limited for the protection of the holders of Senior Loans and, indirectly, Senior Loans themselves.

 

The failure to perfect a security interest due to faulty documentation or faulty official filings could lead to the invalidation of the Fund’s security interest in loan collateral.  If the Fund’s security interest in loan collateral is invalidated or the Senior Loan is subordinated to other debt of a borrower in bankruptcy or other proceedings, the Fund would have substantially lower recovery, and perhaps no recovery, on the full amount of the principal and interest due on the Senior Loan.

 

The Fund may acquire warrants and other equity securities as part of a unit combining a Senior Loan and equity securities of a borrower or its affiliates.  The acquisition of such equity securities will only be incidental to the Fund’s purchase of a Senior Loan.  The Fund may also acquire equity securities or credit securities (including non-dollar denominated equity or credit securities) issued in exchange for a Senior Loan or issued in connection with the debt restructuring or reorganization of a borrower, or if such acquisition, in the judgment of the Adviser, may enhance the value of a Senior Loan or would otherwise be consistent with the Fund’s investment policies.

 

Subordinated Loans

 

The Fund may invest in subordinated loans, which have the same characteristics as Senior Loans except that such loans are subordinated in payment and/or in lien priority to first lien holders.  Accordingly, the risks associated with subordinated loans are higher than the risk of loans with first priority over the collateral.  In the event of default on a subordinated loans, the first priority lien holder has first claim to the underlying collateral of the loan.  It is possible that no collateral value would remain for the second priority lien holder and therefore result in a loss of investment to the Fund.

 

Subordinated loans generally are subject to similar risks as those associated with investments in Senior Loans.  Because subordinated loans are subordinated and thus lower in priority of payment and/or in priority of lien to Senior Loans, they are subject to the additional risk that the cash flow of the borrower and property securing the loan or debt, if any, may be insufficient to meet scheduled payments after giving effect to the senior unsecured or senior secured obligations of the borrower.  This risk is generally higher for subordinated unsecured loans or debt, which are not backed by a security interest in any specific collateral.  Subordinated loans generally have greater price volatility than Senior Loans and may be less liquid.  There is also a possibility that originators will not be able to sell participations in subordinated loans, which would create greater credit risk exposure for the holders of such loans.  Subordinated loans share the same risks as other below investment grade securities.

 

Fixed-Income Instruments

 

The Fund may invest in fixed-income instruments, such as high-yield corporate debt securities, or bonds, or U.S. government securities.  Corporate bonds and other fixed-income instruments are typically originated, negotiated and structured by a U.S. or foreign commercial bank, insurance company, finance company or other financial institution (the “underwriter”) for a group of investors (“Bond Investors”).  The underwriter typically administers and enforces the fixed-income instrument on behalf of the other Bond Investors.  In addition, in secured fixed-income instrument offerings, an institution, typically but not always the Agent, holds any collateral on behalf of the Bond Investors.  The Fund may purchase assignments of fixed-income instruments either directly from the underwriter of from a Bond Investor.

 

An issuer of fixed-income instruments must typically comply with the terms contained in a note purchase agreement between the issuer and the holders of the instruments (the “Bond Agreement”).  These Bond Agreements generally detail the schedule of payments and also place certain restrictive financial and other covenants on the issuer, similar to those in Loan Agreements.  The underwriter typically administers the terms of the Bond Agreement on behalf of all holders of the instruments.

 

Fixed-income instruments are generally subject to many of the same risks that affect Senior Loans and subordinated loans.  However, holders of fixed-income bonds would be subordinate to any existing secured lenders with higher priority in the issuer’s capital structure and thus have a lower priority in payment than lenders.

 

5


 

Debtor-in-Possession (“DIP”) Loans

 

The Fund may invest in or extend loans to companies that have filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. DIP financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11 and such financings must be approved by the bankruptcy court. These DIP loans are most often working-capital facilities put into place at the outset of a Chapter 11 case to provide the debtor with both immediate cash and the ongoing working capital that will be required during the reorganization process. DIP financings are typically fully secured by a lien on the debtor’s otherwise unencumbered assets or secured by a junior lien on the debtor’s encumbered assets (so long as the loan is fully secured based on the most recent current valuation or appraisal report of the debtor).   DIP financings are often required to close with certainty and in a rapid manner in order to satisfy existing creditors and to enable the issuer to emerge from bankruptcy or to avoid a bankruptcy proceeding.   There is a risk that the borrower will not emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and be forced to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In the event of liquidation, the Fund’s only recourse will be against the property securing the DIP financing.

 

Lender Liability

 

Under common law principles that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, if a lender (a) intentionally takes an action that results in the undercapitalization of a borrower or issuer to the detriment of other creditors of such borrower or issuer, (b) engages in other inequitable conduct to the detriment of such other creditors or (c) engages in fraud with respect to, or makes misrepresentations to, such other creditors, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of the offending lender or bondholder to the claims of the disadvantaged creditor or creditors (a remedy called “equitable subordination”). The Fund does not intend to engage in conduct that would form the basis for a successful cause of action based upon the equitable subordination doctrine; however, because of the nature of the debt obligations, the Fund may be subject to claims from creditors of an obligor that debt obligations of such obligor which are held by the issuer should be equitably subordinated.

 

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

 

The Fund may not be able to readily dispose of illiquid securities at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such securities if they were more widely traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations.

 

The Fund may purchase certain securities eligible for resale to qualified institutional buyers as contemplated by Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (“Rule 144A Securities”).  Rule 144A provides an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for the resale of certain restricted securities to certain qualified institutional buyers.  One effect of Rule 144A is that certain restricted securities may be considered liquid, though no assurance can be given that a liquid market for Rule 144A Securities will develop or be maintained.  However, where a substantial market of qualified institutional buyers has developed for certain unregistered securities purchased by the Fund pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, the Fund intends to treat such securities as liquid securities in accordance with procedures approved by the Fund’s board of trustees (“Board”).  Because it is not possible to predict with assurance how the market for Rule 144A Securities will develop, the Board has directed the Adviser to monitor carefully the Fund’s investments in such securities with particular regard to trading activity, availability of reliable price information and other relevant information.  To the extent that, for a period of time, qualified institutional buyers cease purchasing restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144A, the Fund’s investing in such securities may have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in its investment portfolio during such period.

 

Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase

 

The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.  Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration.  The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights’ and warrants’ expiration.  Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.

 

6


 

Special Situations

 

The Fund intends to invest in companies undergoing work-outs, liquidations, reorganizations, bankruptcies, insolvencies or other fundamental changes or similar transactions.  In any investment opportunity involving any such type of special situation, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction either will be unsuccessful, will take considerable time or will result in a distribution of cash or new securities the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the securities or other financial instruments in respect of which such distribution is received.  Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell its investment at a loss.  The consummation of such transactions can be prevented or delayed by a variety of factors, including but not limited to (i) intervention of a regulatory agency; (ii) market conditions resulting in material changes in securities prices; (iii) compliance with any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or securities laws; and (iv) the inability to obtain adequate financing. Because there is substantial uncertainty concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund intends to invest, there is a potential risk of loss by the Fund of its entire investment in such companies.

 

Certain Bankruptcy and Insolvency Issues

 

Some of the companies in which the Fund invests may be involved in a complex bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding in the United States or elsewhere. There are a number of significant risks inherent in the bankruptcy or insolvency process.  The Fund cannot guarantee the outcome of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

 

Under U.S. bankruptcy proceedings or other insolvency proceedings, the Fund may risk taking a loss on its investment and having its claim released or discharged against the debtor and third parties.  For example, under a plan of reorganization, the Fund could receive a cash distribution for less than its initial investment or receive securities or other financial instruments in exchange for its claims, which then could be discharged and released against the debtor or other third parties. In addition, under U.S. bankruptcy proceedings, a debtor can effectuate a sale of assets with a purchaser acquiring such assets free and clear of any claims or liens underlying the Fund’s investment with the Fund having only potential recourse to the proceeds of the sale.

 

Under certain circumstances, payments to the Fund may be reclaimed, recharacterized or avoided if any such payment or distribution is later determined by the applicable court to have been a fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, a preferential payment or otherwise subject to avoidance under applicable law.  In addition, especially in the case of investments made prior to the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings, creditors can lose their ranking and priority if they exercise “domination and control” of a debtor and other creditors can demonstrate that they have been harmed by such actions.

 

Many events in a bankruptcy are often beyond the control of the creditors. While creditors may be given an opportunity to object to or otherwise participate in significant actions, there can be no assurance that a court in the exercise of its broad powers or discretion would not approve actions that would be contrary to the interests of the Fund as a creditor.

 

The duration of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding is difficult to predict. A creditor’s return on investment can be adversely impacted by delays while a plan of reorganization is being negotiated, approved by the creditors, confirmed by the bankruptcy court and until the plan ultimately becomes effective.  Similar delays can occur while a court may be considering a sale or other restructuring transaction.  In addition, the administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding are frequently high and will be paid out of the debtor’s estate prior to any return to unsecured creditors or equity holders.  If a proceeding involves protracted or difficult litigation, or turns into a liquidation, substantial assets may be devoted to administrative costs. Also, in the early stages of the bankruptcy process, it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. Further, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be quite substantial.

 

The effect of a bankruptcy filing on or by a portfolio company may adversely and permanently affect the portfolio company. The portfolio company may lose its market position, going concern value and key employees and otherwise become incapable of restoring itself as a viable entity. If for this or any other reason the proceeding is

 

7


 

converted to a liquidation, the liquidation value of the portfolio company may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment.

 

Equity Securities

 

In addition to common stocks, the Fund may invest in equity securities, including preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants and depository receipts.

 

Preferred Stock.     Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects.  As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value.  Because preferred stock is junior to credit securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior credit security with similar stated yield characteristics.  Unlike interest payments on credit securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer’s board of directors or equivalent body.  Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

 

Convertible Securities.     A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula.  A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.  Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities.  The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline.  The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value.  Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities.  Convertible securities may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument.

 

Warrants.     Warrants are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time.  Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration.  The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the warrants’ expiration.  Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.

 

Depository Receipts.     The Fund may hold investments in sponsored and unsponsored American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) and other similar global instruments.  ADRs typically are issued by a U.S. bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a non-U.S. corporation.  EDRs, which are sometimes referred to as Continental Depository Receipts, are receipts issued in Europe, typically by non-U.S. banks and trust companies, that evidence ownership of either non-U.S. or domestic underlying securities.  GDRs are depository receipts structured like global debt issued to facilitate trading on an international basis.  Unsponsored ADR, EDR and GDR programs are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities.  As a result, available information concerning the issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs, and the prices of unsponsored ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer.  Investments in ADRs, EDRs and GDRs present additional investment considerations of Non-U.S. Securities.

 

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt Securities

 

For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its Managed Assets in cash equivalents and short-term debt securities.  Short-term debt investments having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less when purchased will be valued at cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts.  Short-term debt securities are defined to include, without limitation, the following:

 

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(1)   U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by other U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities.  U.S. government securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration and Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit.  While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law.  The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities.  Consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. In 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) into conservatorship.  As conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and of any stockholder, officer or director of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the assets of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. There is no assurance that the obligations of such entities will be satisfied in full, or that such obligations will lose value or default. See “Mortgage-Backed Securities—Mortgage Pass-Through Securities” below. The Adviser will monitor developments and seek to manage the Fund’s portfolio in a manner consistent with achieving the Fund’s investment objectives, but there can be no assurance that it will be successful in doing so;

 

(2)   Certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association.  Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return and are normally negotiable.  The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon.  Certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured by the FDIC;

 

(3)   Repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities.  At the time the Fund purchases securities pursuant to a repurchase agreement, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver such securities to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the securities at a fixed price and time.  This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period, since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate.  Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash.  The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers’ acceptances in which the Fund may invest.  Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities.  The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral.  If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest.  The Adviser monitors the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement.  The Adviser does so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund.  If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws; and

 

(4)   Commercial paper, which consists of short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations.  Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation.  There is no secondary market for such notes.  However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time.  The Adviser will consider

 

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the financial condition of the corporation ( e.g. , earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand.  Investments in commercial paper will be limited to commercial paper rated in the highest categories by a major rating agency and which mature within one year of the date of purchase or carry a variable or floating rate of interest.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

Because the Adviser manages assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), certain conflicts of interest are present. For instance, the Adviser receives fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fees received from the Fund, or receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio manager has an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Fund. In addition, a conflict of interest exists to the extent the Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where the portfolio manager or other employees of the Adviser have personal investments in certain accounts or when certain accounts are investment options in the Adviser’s employee benefits plan. The Adviser has an incentive to favor these accounts over the Fund. Because the Adviser manages accounts that engage in short sales of (or otherwise take short positions in) securities or other instruments of the type in which the Fund invests, the Adviser could be seen as harming the performance of the Fund for the benefit of the accounts taking short positions, if such short positions cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Adviser has adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest. These policies and procedures will have the effect of foreclosing certain investment opportunities for the Fund from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser will act in the best interest of the Fund in accordance with its fiduciary duty to the Fund.

 

The Adviser manages assets for accounts other than the Fund, including private funds. The Fund may invest in the same credit obligations as other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates (for purposes of this section, “KKR Funds”), although their investments may include different obligations of the same issuer. For example, the Fund might invest in senior loans issued by a borrower and one or more KKR Funds might invest in the borrower’s junior debt. In addition, the Adviser manages certain accounts (including CLOs) that invest in certain types of credit obligations in which the Fund may also invest. Investment opportunities appropriate for both the Fund and another KKR Funds generally will be allocated between the Fund and the other KKR Fund in a manner that the Adviser believes to be fair and equitable under the circumstances, in accordance with the Adviser’s trade allocation policies.

 

Conflicts of interest may arise where the Fund and other KKR Funds simultaneously hold securities representing different parts of the capital structure of a stressed or distressed issuer. In such circumstances, decisions made with respect to the securities held by one KKR Fund may cause (or have the potential to cause) harm to the different class of securities of the issuer held by other KKR Funds (including the Fund). For example, if such an issuer goes into bankruptcy or reorganization, becomes insolvent or otherwise experiences financial distress or is unable to meet its payment obligations or comply with covenants relating to credit obligations held by the Fund or by the other KKR Funds, such other KKR Funds may have an interest that conflicts with the interests of the Fund. If additional financing for such an issuer is necessary as a result of financial or other difficulties, it may not be in the best interests of the Fund to provide such additional financing, but if the other KKR Funds were to lose their respective investments as a result of such difficulties, the Adviser may have a conflict in recommending actions in the best interests of the Fund. In such situations, the Adviser will seek to act in the best interests of each of the KKR Funds (including the Fund) and will seek to resolve such conflicts in accordance with its compliance procedures.

 

In addition, the 1940 Act limits the Fund’s ability to enter into certain transactions with certain affiliates of the Adviser. As a result of these restrictions, the Fund may be prohibited from buying or selling any security directly from or to any portfolio company of a fund managed by the Adviser or one of its affiliates. Nonetheless, the Fund may under certain circumstances purchase any such portfolio company’s loans or securities in the secondary market, which could create a conflict for the Adviser between the interests of the Fund and the portfolio company, in that the ability of the Adviser to recommend actions in the best interest of the Fund might be impaired. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain “joint” transactions with certain of the Fund’s affiliates (which includes other funds managed by the Adviser), which could be deemed to include certain types of investments, or certain types of restructurings of investments, in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times). These limitations may limit the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund. The Board has approved various

 

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policies and procedures reasonably designed to monitor potential conflicts of interest. The Board will review these policies and procedures and any conflicts that may arise.

 

Although the professional staff of the Adviser will devote as much time to the management of the Fund as the Adviser deems appropriate to perform their duties in accordance with the investment advisory agreement and in accordance with reasonable commercial standards, the professional staff of the Adviser may have conflicts in allocating their time and services among the Fund and other KKR Funds. The Adviser and its affiliates are not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund and/or may involve substantial time and resources of the Adviser and its professional staff. These activities could be viewed as creating a conflict of interest in that the time and effort of the members of the Adviser and its officers and employees will not be devoted exclusively to the business of the Fund but will be allocated between the business of the Fund and the management of the assets of other clients of the Adviser.

 

The Adviser or its respective members, officers, directors, employees, principals or affiliates may come into possession of material, non-public information. The possession of such information may limit the ability of the Fund to buy or sell a security or otherwise to participate in an investment opportunity. Situations may occur where the Fund could be disadvantaged because of the investment activities conducted by the Adviser for other clients, and the Adviser will not employ information barriers with regard to its operations on behalf of its registered and private funds, or other accounts. In certain circumstances, employees of the Adviser may serve as board members or in other capacities for portfolio or potential portfolio companies, which could restrict the Fund’s ability to trade in the securities of such companies.

 

Other Portfolio Strategies

 

Asset-Backed Securities

 

Asset-backed securities represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Such assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present.

 

The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities. Such securities are often subject to more rapid repayment than their stated maturity date would indicate as a result of the pass-through of prepayments of principal on the underlying loans. During periods of declining interest rates, prepayment of loans underlying asset-backed securities can be expected to accelerate. Accordingly, the Fund’s ability to maintain positions in such securities will be affected by reductions in the principal amount of such securities resulting from prepayments, and its ability to reinvest the returns of principal at comparable yields is subject to generally prevailing interest rates at that time. To the extent that the Fund invests in asset-backed securities, the values of the Fund’s portfolio securities will vary with changes in market interest rates generally and the differentials in yields among various kinds of asset-backed securities.

 

Asset-backed securities present certain additional risks because asset-backed securities generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to mortgage assets. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors on such receivables are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set-off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. Automobile receivables generally are secured, but by automobiles rather than residential real property. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the loan servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in the underlying automobiles. Therefore, if the issuer of an asset-backed security defaults on its payment obligations, there is the possibility that, in some cases, the Fund will be unable to possess and sell the underlying collateral and that the Fund’s recoveries on repossessed collateral may not be available to support payments on these securities.

 

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Collateralized Debt Obligations

 

The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other securitized products. CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. The risks of an investment in a CDO depend largely on the type of collateral securities and the class of the CDO in which the Fund invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs, CDOs and other securitized products are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. However, an active dealer market may exist for CDOs, allowing a CDO to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed-income instruments and asset-backed securities generally discussed elsewhere in this SAI, CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default or decline in value or be downgraded, if rated by a NRSRO; (iii) the Fund is likely to invest in tranches of CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes among investors regarding the characterization of proceeds; (v) the investment return achieved by the Fund could be significantly different than those predicted by financial models; (vi) the lack of a readily available secondary market for CDOs; (vii) risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (viii) the CDO’s manager may perform poorly.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities

 

The Fund may invest in a variety of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

 

Mortgage-related securities include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBSs”), mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities (“ARMBSs”), stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBSs”) and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property.

 

Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other forms of debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”)) are described as “modified pass-through.” These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

 

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of prepayment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The mortgage market in the United States has experienced heightened difficulties over the past several years that may adversely affect the performance and market value of mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential and commercial mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien residential mortgage loans) generally have increased recently and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of property values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have recently experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Owing largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the

 

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market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

 

The principal U.S. governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. Government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the “FHA”), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”). Government-related guarantors ( i.e. , not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”). FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation the common stock of which is owned entirely by private stockholders. FNMA purchases conventional ( i.e. , not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. FHLMC was created by Congress in 1970 for the purpose of increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks but the common stock of which is now owned entirely by private stockholders. FHLMC issues Participation Certificates (“PCs”), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC and of any stockholder, officer or director of FNMA and FHLMC with respect to FNMA and FHLMC and the assets of FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of FNMA and FHLMC. In connection with the conservatorship, the U.S. Treasury entered into a Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement with each of FNMA and FHLMC pursuant to which the U.S. Treasury will purchase up to an aggregate of $100 billion of each of FNMA and FHLMC to maintain a positive net worth in each enterprise. This agreement contains various covenants that severely limit each enterprise’s operations. In exchange for entering into these agreements, the U.S. Treasury received $1 billion of each enterprise’s senior preferred stock and warrants to purchase 79.9% of each enterprise’s common stock. On February 18, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was doubling the size of its commitment to each enterprise under the Senior Preferred Stock Program to $200 billion. The U.S. Treasury’s obligations under the Senior Preferred Stock Program are for an indefinite period of time for a maximum amount of $200 billion per enterprise. FNMA and FHLMC are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remain liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement is intended to enhance each of FNMA’s and FHLMC’s ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each enterprise will end when the director of FHFA determines that FHFA’s plan to restore the enterprise to a safe and solvent condition has been completed.

 

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the “Reform Act”), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA’s appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver. FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for FNMA or FHLMC, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of FNMA’s or FHLMC’s assets available therefor. In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory

 

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damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders. Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party. In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of FNMA or FHLMC, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which FNMA or FHLMC is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of FNMA or FHLMC, or affect any contractual rights of FNMA or FHLMC, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

 

In addition, in a February 2011 report to Congress from the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Obama administration provided a plan to reform America’s housing finance market. The plan would reduce the role of and eventually eliminate FNMA and FHLMC. Notably, the plan does not propose similar significant changes to GNMA, which guarantees payments on mortgage-related securities backed by federally insured or guaranteed loans such as those issued by the Federal Housing Association or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report also identified three proposals for Congress and the administration to consider for the long-term structure of the housing finance markets after the elimination of FNMA and FHLMC, including implementing: (i) a privatized system of housing finance that limits government insurance to very limited groups of creditworthy low- and moderate-income borrowers; (ii) a privatized system with a government backstop mechanism that would allow the government to insure a larger share of the housing finance market during a future housing crisis; and (iii) a privatized system where the government would offer reinsurance to holders of certain highly-rated mortgage-related securities insured by private insurers and would pay out under the reinsurance arrangements only if the private mortgage insurers were insolvent.

 

Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Advisers determine that the securities meet the Fund’s quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations . A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC or FNMA and their income streams. CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including prepayments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the

 

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collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities . CMBSs include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

CMO Residuals. CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of a CMO is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMO and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the prepayment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to prepayments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only (“IO”) class of stripped mortgage-backed securities (described below). In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual. CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not, have been registered under the Securities Act. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the Securities Act, may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability.

 

Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities. ARMBSs have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBSs permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBSs are based. Such ARMBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed-income instruments of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBSs behave more like fixed-income instruments and less like adjustable-rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed-income instruments. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable-rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

 

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. SMBSs are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBSs may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBSs are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will

 

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receive all of the interest (the “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

 

Dollar Rolls

 

The Fund may enter into “dollar rolls” in which the Fund sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar, but not identical securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Fund loses the right to receive principal and interest paid on the securities sold. However, the Fund would benefit to the extent of any difference between the price received for the securities sold and the lower forward price for the future purchase or fee income plus the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the securities sold until the settlement date of the forward purchase. All cash proceeds will be invested in instruments that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund will segregate until the settlement date cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, in an amount equal to its forward purchase price.

 

For financial reporting and tax purposes, the Fund treats dollar rolls as two separate transactions; one involving the purchase of a security and a separate transaction involving a sale. The Fund does not currently intend to enter into dollar rolls for financing and does not treat them as borrowings.

 

Dollar rolls involve certain risks including the following: if the broker-dealer to whom the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase the securities subject to the dollar roll may be restricted. Also, the instrument which the Fund is required to repurchase may be worth less than an instrument which the Fund originally held. Successful use of dollar rolls will depend upon the Adviser’s ability to manage the Fund’s interest rate and prepayments exposure. For these reasons, there is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed. The use of this technique may diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what such performance would have been without the use of dollar rolls.

 

Derivatives

 

General Limitations on Futures and Options Transactions.     The Fund has filed a notice of eligibility with the National Futures Association for exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (the “CEA”). The Fund is not subject to regulation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a commodity pool operator.

 

Asset Coverage for Futures and Options Positions.     The Fund will comply with the regulatory requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the CFTC with respect to coverage of options and futures positions by registered investment companies and, if the guidelines so require, will segregate cash, U.S. government securities, high-grade liquid debt securities and/or other liquid assets permitted by the SEC and CFTC on the Fund’s records in the amount prescribed.  Securities segregated on the Fund’s records cannot be sold while the futures or options position is outstanding, unless replaced with other permissible assets, and will be marked-to-market daily.

 

Options.     The Fund may purchase put and call options on currencies or securities.  A put option embodies the right of its purchaser to compel the writer of the option to purchase from the option holder an underlying currency or security or its equivalent at a specified price at any time during the option period.  In contrast, a call option gives the purchaser the right to buy the underlying currency or security covered by the option or its equivalent from the writer of the option at the stated exercise price.

 

As a holder of a put option, the Fund will have the right to sell the securities underlying the option and as the holder of a call option, the Fund will have the right to purchase the currencies or securities underlying the option, in each case at their exercise price at any time prior to the option’s expiration date for American options or only at expiration for European options.  The Fund may seek to terminate its option positions prior to their expiration by entering into closing transactions.  The ability of the Fund to enter into a closing sale transaction depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market.  There can be no assurance that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund so desires.

 

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Certain Considerations Regarding Options.     The hours of trading for options may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded.  To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets.  The purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.  The purchase of options involves the risk that the premium and transaction costs paid by the Fund in purchasing an option will be lost as a result of unanticipated movements in prices of the securities on which the option is based.  Imperfect correlation between the options and securities markets may detract from the effectiveness of attempted hedging.  Options transactions may result in significantly higher transaction costs and portfolio turnover for the Fund.

 

Some, but not all, of the options may be traded and listed on an exchange.  There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular option at any particular time, and for some options no secondary market on an exchange or elsewhere may exist.  If the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options on securities that it has purchased, it would have to exercise the option in order to realize any profit and would incur transaction costs upon the purchase and sale of the underlying securities.

 

Futures Contracts.     The Fund may enter into securities-related futures contracts, including security futures contracts as an anticipatory hedge.  The Fund’s derivative investments may include sales of futures as an offset against the effect of expected declines in securities prices and purchases of futures as an offset against the effect of expected increases in securities prices. A security futures contract is a legally binding agreement between two parties to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of a security or of the component securities of a narrow-based security index, at a certain price.  A person who buys a security futures contract enters into a contract to purchase an underlying security and is said to be “long” the contract.  A person who sells a security futures contact enters into a contract to sell the underlying security and is said to be “short” the contract.  The price at which the contract trades (the “contract price”) is determined by relative buying and selling interest on a regulated exchange.

 

Transaction costs are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold and margin deposits must be maintained.  In order to enter into a security futures contract, the Fund must deposit funds with its custodian in the name of the futures commodities merchant equal to a specified percentage of the current market value of the contract as a performance bond.  Moreover, all security futures contracts are marked-to-market at least daily, usually after the close of trading.  At that time, the account of each buyer and seller reflects the amount of any gain or loss on the security futures contract based on the contract price established at the end of the day for settlement purposes.

 

An open position, either a long or short position, is typically closed or liquidated by entering into an offsetting transaction ( i.e. , an equal and opposite transaction to the one that opened the position) prior to the contract’s expiration.  Traditionally, most futures contracts are liquidated prior to expiration through an offsetting transaction and, thus, holders do not incur a settlement obligation.  If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, a gain will be realized.  Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, a gain will be realized; if it is less, a loss will be realized.  The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations.  There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time.  If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits on the futures contract and the Fund may not be able to realize a gain in the value of its future position or prevent losses from mounting.  This inability to liquidate could occur, for example, if trading is halted due to unusual trading activity in either the security futures contract or the underlying security; if trading is halted due to recent news events involving the issuer of the underlying security; if systems failures occur on an exchange or at the firm carrying the position; or, if the position is on an illiquid market.  Even if the Fund can liquidate its position, it may be forced to do so at a price that involves a large loss.

 

Under certain market conditions, it may also be difficult or impossible to manage the risk from open security futures positions by entering into an equivalent but opposite position in another contract month, on another market, or in the underlying security.  This inability to take positions to limit the risk could occur, for example, if trading is halted across markets due to unusual trading activity in the security futures contract or the underlying security or due to recent news events involving the issuer of the underlying security.

 

There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist at a time when the Fund seeks to close out a futures contract position.  The Fund will continue to be required to meet margin requirements until the position is closed, possibly resulting in a decline in the Fund’s NAV.  In addition, many of the contracts discussed above are relatively

 

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new instruments without a significant trading history.  As a result, there can be no assurance that an active secondary market will develop or continue to exist.

 

Security futures contracts that are not liquidated prior to expiration must be settled in accordance with the terms of the contract.  Some security futures contracts are settled by physical delivery of the underlying security.  At the expiration of a security futures contract that is settled through physical delivery, a person who is long the contract must pay the final settlement price set by the regulated exchange or the clearing organization and take delivery of the underlying securities.  Conversely, a person who is short the contract must make delivery of the underlying securities in exchange for the final settlement price.  Settlement with physical delivery may involve additional costs.

 

Other security futures contracts are settled through cash settlement.  In this case, the underlying security is not delivered.  Instead, any positions in such security futures contracts that are open at the end of the last trading day are settled through a final cash payment based on a final settlement price determined by the exchange or clearing organization.  Once this payment is made, neither party has any further obligations on the contract.

 

As noted above, margin is the amount of funds that must be deposited by the Fund in order to initiate futures trading and to maintain the Fund’s open positions in futures contracts.  A margin deposit is intended to ensure the Fund’s performance of the futures contract.  The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the futures contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the futures contract.

 

If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin.  However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to the Fund.  In computing daily NAV, the Fund will mark to market the current value of its open futures contracts.  The Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.

 

Because of the low margin deposits required, futures contracts trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage.  As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in an immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor.  For example, if at the time of purchase 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out.  A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the futures contracts were closed out.  Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount initially invested in the futures contract.

 

In addition to the foregoing, imperfect correlation between the futures contracts and the underlying securities may prevent the Fund from achieving the intended hedge or expose the Fund to risk of loss.  Under certain market conditions, the prices of security futures contracts may not maintain their customary or anticipated relationships to the prices of the underlying security or index.  These pricing disparities could occur, for example, when the market for the security futures contract is illiquid, when the primary market for the underlying security is closed, or when the reporting of transactions in the underlying security has been delayed.

 

In addition, the value of a position in security futures contracts could be affected if trading is halted in either the security futures contract or the underlying security.  In certain circumstances, regulated exchanges are required by law to halt trading in security futures contracts.  For example, trading on a particular security futures contract must be halted if trading is halted on the listed market for the underlying security as a result of pending news, regulatory concerns, or market volatility.  Similarly, trading of a security futures contract on a narrow-based security index must be halted under circumstances where trading is halted on securities accounting for at least 50% of the market capitalization of the index.  In addition, regulated exchanges are required to halt trading in all security futures contracts for a specified period of time when the Dow Jones Industrial Average (“DJIA”) experiences one-day declines of 10%, 20% and 30%.  The regulated exchanges may also have discretion under their rules to halt trading in other circumstances, such as when the exchange determines that the halt would be advisable in maintaining a fair and orderly market.

 

A trading halt, either by a regulated exchange that trades security futures or an exchange trading the underlying security or instrument, could prevent the Fund from liquidating a position in security futures contracts in a timely manner, which could expose the Fund to a loss.

 

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Each regulated exchange trading a security futures contract may also open and close for trading at different times than other regulated exchanges trading security futures contracts or markets trading the underlying security or securities.  Trading in security futures contracts prior to the opening or after the close of the primary market for the underlying security may be less liquid than trading during regular market hours.

 

Swap Agreements.     The Fund may enter into swap agreements.  A swap is a financial instrument that typically involves the exchange of cash flows between two parties on specified dates (settlement dates), where the cash flows are based on agreed-upon prices, rates, indices, etc.  The nominal amount on which the cash flows are calculated is called the notional amount.  Swaps are often individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors, such as interest rates, commodity prices, non-U.S. currency rates, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, security prices, indexes or inflation rates.

 

Swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the investments of the Fund and its share price.  The performance of swap agreements may be affected by a change in the specific interest rate, currency, or other factors that determine the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund.  If a swap agreement calls for payments by the Fund, the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due.  In addition, if the counterparty’s creditworthiness declines, the value of a swap agreement would likely decline, potentially resulting in losses.

 

Generally, swap agreements have fixed maturity dates that are agreed upon by the parties to the swap.  The agreement can be terminated before the maturity date only under limited circumstances, such as default by or insolvency of one of the parties and can be transferred by a party only with the prior written consent of the other party.  The Fund may be able to eliminate its exposure under a swap agreement either by assignment or other disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same party or a similarly creditworthy party.  If the counterparty is unable to meet its obligations under the contract, declares bankruptcy, defaults or becomes insolvent, the Fund may not be able to recover the money it expected to receive under the contract.

 

A swap agreement can be a form of leverage, which can magnify the Fund’s gains or losses.  With respect to cash-settled swaps, the Fund will set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations ( i.e. , the Fund’s daily net liability) under the swaps.

 

The Fund will monitor any swaps with a view towards ensuring that the Fund remains in compliance with all applicable regulatory investment and tax requirements.

 

Equity Swaps.     In a typical equity swap, one party agrees to pay another party the return on a security, security index or basket of securities in return for a specified interest rate.  By entering into an equity index swap, the index receiver can gain exposure to securities making up the index of securities without actually purchasing those securities.  Equity index swaps involve not only the risk associated with investment in the securities represented in the index, but also the risk that the performance of such securities, including dividends, will not exceed the interest that the Fund will be committed to pay under the swap.

 

When-Issued and Forward Commitment Securities

 

The Fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis and may purchase or sell securities on a “forward commitment” basis in order to acquire the security or to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices.  When such transactions are negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date.  When-issued securities and forward commitments may be sold prior to the settlement date, but the Fund will enter into when-issued and forward commitments only with the intention of actually receiving or delivering the securities, as the case may be.  If the Fund disposes of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or disposes of its right to deliver or receive against a forward commitment, it might incur a gain or loss.  At the time the Fund enters into a transaction on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, it will designate on its books and records cash or liquid credit securities equal to at least the value of the when-issued or forward commitment securities.  The value of these assets will be monitored daily to ensure that their marked-to-market value will at all times equal or exceed the corresponding obligations of the Fund.  There is always a risk that the securities may not be delivered and that the Fund may incur a loss.  Settlements in the ordinary course, which may take substantially more than five business days, are not treated by the Fund as when-issued or forward commitment transactions and accordingly are not subject to the foregoing restrictions.

 

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Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e. , appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, actual or anticipated, in the level of interest rates.  Securities purchased with a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to their actual delivery.  Purchasing securities on a when-issued basis can involve the additional risks that the yield available in the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the transaction itself.  Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully invested may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund’s net assets and its net asset value per share.

 

The risks and effect of settlements in the ordinary course on the Fund’s net asset value are not the same as the risks and effect of when-issued and forward commitment securities.

 

The purchase price of when-issued and forward commitment securities are expressed in yield terms, which reference a floating rate of interest, and is therefore subject to fluctuations of the security’s value in the market from the date of the Fund’s commitment (the “Commitment Date”) to the date of the actual delivery and payment for such securities (the “Settlement Date”).  There is a risk that, on the Settlement Date, the Fund’s payment of the final purchase price, which is calculated on the yield negotiated on the Commitment Date, will be higher than the market’s valuation of the security on the Settlement Date.  This same risk is also borne if the Fund disposes of its right to acquire a when-issued security, or its right to deliver or receive a forward commitment security, and there is a downward market movement in the value of the security from the Commitment Date to the Settlement Date.  No income accrues to the Fund during the period from the Commitment Date to the Settlement Date.  On the other hand, the Fund may incur a gain if the Fund invests in when-issued and forward commitment securities and correctly anticipates the rise in interest rates and prices in the market.

 

The settlements of secondary market purchases of Senior Loans in the ordinary course, on a settlement date beyond the period expected by loan market participants ( i.e.  T+7 for par loans and T+20 for distressed loans, in other words more than seven or twenty business days beyond the trade date, respectively) are subject to the delayed compensation mechanics prescribed by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association (“LSTA”).  For par loans, income accrues to the buyer of the Senior Loan (the “Buyer”) during the period beginning on the last date by which the Senior Loan purchase should have settled (T+7) to and including the actual settlement date.  Should settlement of a par Senior Loan purchase in the secondary market be delayed beyond the T+7 period prescribed by the LSTA, the Buyer is typically compensated for such delay through a payment from the seller of the Senior Loan (this payment may be netted from the wire released on settlement date for the purchase price of the Senior Loan paid by the Buyer).  In brief, the adjustment is typically calculated by multiplying the notional amount of the trade by the applicable margin in the Loan Agreement pro rated for the number of business days (calculated using a year of 360 days) beyond the settlement period prescribed by the LSTA, plus any amendment or consent fees that the Buyer should have received.  Furthermore, the purchase of a Senior Loan in the secondary market is typically negotiated and finalized pursuant to a binding trade confirmation, and therefore, the risk of non-delivery of the security to the Fund is reduced or eliminated when compared with such risk when investing in when-issued or forward commitment securities.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

 

The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio investments subject to the investment restrictions set forth herein.  Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment.  At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may designate on its books and records liquid instruments having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest).  If the Fund establishes and maintains such a segregated account, a reverse repurchase agreement will not be considered a borrowing by the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act; however, under certain circumstances in which the Fund does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, such reverse repurchase agreement will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Fund’s limitation on borrowings.  The use by the Fund of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks of leverage since the proceeds derived from such reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities.  Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities acquired in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase.  Also, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that

 

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the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline in price.

 

If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.  Also, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the securities subject to such agreement.

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements.  A repurchase agreement is a contractual agreement whereby the seller of securities agrees to repurchase the same security at a specified price on a future date agreed upon by the parties.  The agreed-upon repurchase price determines the yield during the Fund’s holding period.  Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans collateralized by the underlying security that is the subject of the repurchase contract.  The Fund will only enter into repurchase agreements with registered securities dealers or domestic banks that, in the opinion of the Adviser, present minimal credit risk.  The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the issuer to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the delivery date; however, although the value of the underlying collateral at the time the transaction is entered into always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price, if the value of the collateral declines there is a risk of loss of both principal and interest.  In the event of default, the collateral may be sold but the Fund might incur a loss if the value of the collateral declines, and might incur disposition costs or experience delays in connection with liquidating the collateral.  In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization upon the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited.  The Adviser will monitor the value of the collateral at the time the transaction is entered into and at all times subsequent during the term of the repurchase agreement in an effort to determine that such value always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price.  In the event the value of the collateral declines below the repurchase price, the Adviser will demand additional collateral from the issuer to increase the value of the collateral to at least that of the repurchase price, including interest.

 

Short Sales

 

The Fund may engage in short sales of securities, particularly of corporate bonds and other fixed-income instruments.  A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own as a means of attractive financing for purchasing other assets or in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.  The Fund may make short sales for financing, risk management, in order to maintain portfolio flexibility or to enhance income or gain.

 

When the Fund makes a short sale, it must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the broker-dealer through which it made the short sale as collateral for its obligation to deliver the security upon conclusion of the sale.  The Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and is often obligated to pay over any payments received on such borrowed securities.

 

The Fund’s obligation to replace the borrowed security may be secured by collateral deposited with the broker-dealer, usually cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid securities.  The Fund may also be required to designate on its books and records similar collateral with its custodian to the extent, if any, necessary so that the aggregate collateral value is at all times at least equal to the current market value of the security sold short.  Depending on arrangements made with the broker-dealer from which it borrowed the security regarding payment over of any payments received by the Fund on such security, the Fund may not receive any payments (including interest) on its collateral deposited with such broker-dealer.

 

If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund replaces the borrowed security, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a gain.  Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above.  Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the price at which it sold the security short, its potential loss is theoretically unlimited.

 

Other Investment Companies

 

The Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies within the limits prescribed by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive orders currently or in the future obtained by the Fund from the SEC. These securities include shares of other closed-end funds, open-end investment companies ( i.e. , mutual funds) and ETFs. As a stockholder in an investment company, the Fund will bear its ratable share of that

 

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investment company’s expenses, and would remain subject to payment of the Fund’s management fees with respect to assets so invested. Common Shareholders would therefore be subject to duplicative expenses to the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies. In addition, the securities of other investment companies may also be leveraged and will therefore be subject to the same leverage risks described herein.

 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

The following are fundamental investment restrictions of the Fund and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (which for this purpose and under the 1940 Act means the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the Fund’s voting securities present at a meeting at which more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities are present or represented by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities).  Except as otherwise noted, all percentage limitations set forth below apply immediately after a purchase and any subsequent change in any applicable percentage resulting from market fluctuations does not require any action.  With respect to the limitations on the issuance of senior securities and in the case of borrowings, the percentage limitations apply at the time of issuance and on an ongoing basis.  The Fund may not:

 

1.             Issue senior securities or borrow money, except the Fund may issue senior securities and/or borrow money (including through reverse repurchase agreements and dollar rolls) to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and as modified or supplemented from time to time by (i) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and (ii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.  The Fund does not have an investment policy limiting the amount of leverage that may be obtained through the use of covered reverse repurchase agreements.

 

2.             Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of loans or portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be an underwriter under applicable securities laws.

 

3.             Invest in any security if as a result of such investment, 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, are in the securities of issuers in any particular industry except (a) securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities or tax-exempt securities of state and municipal governments or their political subdivisions (however, not including private purpose industrial development bonds issued on behalf of non-government issuers), or (b) as otherwise provided by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and as modified or supplemented from time to time by (i) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and (ii) any exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.  For purposes of this restriction, in the case of investments in loan participations between the Fund and a bank or other lending institution participating out the loan, the Fund will treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the borrower as “issuers.”  For purposes of this restriction, an investment in a repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase agreement, collateralized loan obligation, collateralized bond obligation, collateralized debt obligation or a swap or other derivative will be considered to be an investment in the industry (if any) of the underlying or reference security, instrument or asset.

 

4.             Purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may: (a) acquire or lease office space for its own use, (b) invest in securities and/or other instruments of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein or that are engaged in or operate in the real estate industry, (c) invest in securities and/or other instruments that are secured by real estate or interests therein, (d) purchase and sell mortgage-related securities and/or other instruments, (e) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities and/or other instruments and (f) as otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time by (i) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and (ii) any exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.

 

5.             Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; provided that this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from purchasing or

 

22


 

selling options, futures contracts and related options thereon, forward contracts, swaps, caps, floors, collars and any other financial or derivative instruments or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities or as otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, the rules and regulation promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, or an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.

 

6.             Make loans of money or property to any person, except (a) to the extent that securities, instruments, credit obligations or interests (including Senior Loans) in which the Fund may invest, or which the Fund may originate, are considered to be loans, (b) through the loan of portfolio securities, (c) by engaging in repurchase agreements or (d) as may otherwise be permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, the rules and regulation promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, or an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time.

 

Thus, with respect to the foregoing restrictions 1 and 3, the Fund currently may not:

 

1.             Issue senior securities or borrow money, except as permitted by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.  Currently, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder generally limit the extent to which the Fund may utilize borrowings and “uncovered” reverse repurchase agreements, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative transactions, together with any other senior securities representing indebtedness, to 33 1 / 3 % of the Fund’s Managed Assets at the time utilized.  In addition, the 1940 Act limits the extent to which the Fund may issue preferred shares to 50% of the Fund’s Managed Assets (less the Fund’s obligations under senior securities representing indebtedness).  “Covered” reverse repurchase agreements, swaps, futures and forward contracts, options and other derivative transactions will not be counted against the foregoing limits under the 1940 Act, but the assets used to “cover” may not be counted as part of the Fund’s total assets for purposes of the 33 1 / 3 % and 50% limits.  Any such transaction that is contractually required to cash-settle will be considered “covered” if the Fund segregates an amount of cash and/or liquid securities equal to the Fund’s obligations under such transaction (or segregates such other amounts as may be permitted by the 1940 Act or SEC guidance from time to time) or enters into an offsetting position or owns positions covering its obligations with respect to the transaction; otherwise, this transaction; will be considered “uncovered.”

 

2.             Invest in any security if, as a result 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets, taken at market value at the time of each investment, are in the securities of issuers in any particular industry except securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities or securities of state and municipal governments or their political subdivisions (however, not including private purpose industrial development bonds issued on behalf of non-government issuers). (For the avoidance of doubt, the Fund’s investments in private purpose industrial development bonds issued on behalf of non-government issuers will be subject to restriction 3).

 

The latter part of certain of the Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions ( i.e. , the references to “as may otherwise be permitted by the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time and as modified or supplemented from time to time by (i) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time, and (ii) any exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from the provisions of the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time”) provide the Fund with flexibility to change its limitations in connection with changes in applicable law, rules, regulations or exemptive relief.  The language used in these restrictions provides the necessary flexibility to allow the Fund’s Board to respond efficiently to these kinds of developments without the delay and expense of a shareholder meeting.

 

23


 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Fund’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (“Declaration of Trust”).  The Trustees are responsible for deciding matters of general policy and reviewing the actions of the Fund’s service providers.  The officers of the Fund conduct and supervise the Fund’s daily business operations.

 

The tables below list the Trustees and officers of the Fund and their present positions and principal occupations during the past five years.  Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act are referred to as “Independent Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Fund are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” The term “Fund Complex” includes each of the registered investment companies advised by the Adviser or its affiliates as of the date of this SAI.  Trustees serve three-year terms or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Officers are annually elected by the Trustees.

 

Trustees of the Fund

 

Name, Age and
Address (1)

 

Position(s)
Held with
the Fund

 

Term of
Office
and
Length of
Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

 

Number of
Registered
Investment
Companies in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

 

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee(2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interested Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Donohoe (42)*
c/o KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Class III Trustee and President

 

Since July 2013

 

Global head of KKR’s Client and Partner group and Member of KKR (since 2009); Head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (2008-2009); Head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management client business in North America (2006-2008).

 

1

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael E. Cahill (62)
c/o KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Class I
Trustee

 

Since March 2013

 

Executive Vice President (since 2008) and Managing Director and General Counsel (since 1991), The TCW Group, Inc. and Trust Company of the West (financial services firm).

 

3

 

None.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tobin V. Levy (69)
c/o KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Class II Trustee

 

Since March 2013

 

Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (non-profit support and resources) (since 2011); Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, Goldman Sachs & Co. (financial services firm) (1995 - 2008).

 

3

 

AloStar Bank of Commerce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey L. Zlot (42)
c/o KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Class III Trustee

 

Since March 2013

 

Managing Director, The Presidio Group LLC (investment consultant and investment banking) (since Dec. 1997).

 

3

 

None.

 


*                  These persons are considered to be “Interested Trustees” because they hold positions with the Adviser or its affiliates.

 

(1)      Each Trustee may be contacted by writing to the Trustee, c/o KKR Asset Management LLC, 555 California Street, 50th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94104, Attn: General Counsel.

 

24


 

(2)          This column includes only directorships of companies required to report to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), ( i.e. , “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the 1940 Act.

 

25


 

Officers of the Fund

 

Name, Age and Address

 

Position(s) Held
with the Fund

 

Term of Office and 
Length of Time
Served

 

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Michael R. McFerran (41)
KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

 

Since 2011

 

Chief Financial Officer, KKR Asset Management LLC (2005—present); Chief Financial Officer (2010—present) and Chief Operating Officer (2008—present), KKR Financial Holdings LLC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annette O’Donnell-Butner (44)
KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Chief Compliance Officer

 

Since May 2013

 

Chief Compliance Officer, KKR Asset Management LLC (2009—present); Deputy Director of Compliance, Lehman Brothers (2000 - 2009).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nicole J. Macarchuk (44)
KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Secretary and Vice President

 

Since May 2013

 

General Counsel, KKR Asset Management LLC (2010—present) ; General Counsel and Secretary, KKR Financial Holdings LLC (2010—present); Co-General Counsel, Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC (2005 - 2010).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Koji E. Felton (51)
KKR Asset Management LLC
555 California Street
50th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104

 

Assistant Secretary

 

Since May 2013

 

Director and Counsel, KKR Asset Management LLC (2013-present); Counsel, Dechert LLP (2011-2013); Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Mutual Funds, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (1998-2011).

 

Compensation of Trustees

 

Each trustee who is not an employee of the Adviser is compensated by an annual retainer and meeting fees.  The Adviser has proposed the following compensation structure for the Independent Trustees:

 

Retainer

 

$

27,000

 

 

 

 

 

In-Person Meeting Fees (total annual fee; assumption of quarterly meetings)

 

$

14,000

 

 

 

 

 

Telephonic Meeting Fees (total annual fee)

 

$

2,500

 

 

 

 

 

Committee Meeting Fees (excluding Audit Committee)

 

$

4,500

 

 

 

 

 

Audit Committee Meeting Fee

 

$

4,000

 

 

As the Fund has not yet commenced operations, the Independent Trustees have not received any compensation from the Fund.

 

Board Committees

 

In addition to serving on the Board, the Trustees will also serve on one or more of the following committees which have been established by the Board to handle certain designated responsibilities.  The Board has designated a chairman of each committee.  The Board may establish additional committees, change the membership of any committee, fill all vacancies, and designate alternate members to replace any absent or disqualified member of any committee, or to dissolve any committee as it deems necessary and in the Fund’s best interest.

 

Audit Committee.     The members of our Audit Committee are Tobin V. Levy, Jeffrey L. Zlot and Michael E. Cahill, each of whom meets the independence standards established by the SEC for audit committees and is independent for purposes of the 1940 Act.  Tobin V. Levy serves as chairman of the Audit Committee.  The Board has determined that Mr. Levy is an “audit committee financial expert” as that term is defined under Item 407 of Regulation S-K of the Exchange Act.  The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a written charter and meets periodically as necessary.  A copy of the Audit Committee’s charter is available on our website: http://www.kkrfunds.com.  The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting, engaging and discharging our independent accountants, reviewing the plans, scope and results of the audit engagement with our independent accountants, approving professional services provided by our independent accountants (including compensation therefore), reviewing the independence of our independent accountants and reviewing the adequacy of our internal controls over financial reporting.

 

26


 

Nominating Committee.     The members of our Nominating Committee are Tobin V. Levy, Jeffrey L. Zlot and Michael E. Cahill, each of whom meets the independence standards established by the SEC for governance committees and is independent for purposes of the 1940 Act.  Jeffrey L. Zlot serves as chairman of the Nominating Committee.  The Nominating Committee operates pursuant to a written charter and meets periodically as necessary.  A copy of the Nominating Committee’s charter is available on our website: http://www.kkrfunds.com.  The Nominating Committee is responsible for selecting, researching, and nominating trustees for election by shareholders, selecting nominees to fill vacancies on the Board or a committee of the Board, developing and recommending to the Board a set of corporate governance principles and overseeing the evaluation of the Board and Fund management. The Nominating Committee will consider proposed nominations for trustees by shareholders who have sent nominations (which include the biographical information and the qualifications of the proposed nominee) to the Chief Executive Officer of the Fund, as the Nominating Committee deems appropriate.

 

Experience of Trustees

 

The Board has concluded, based on each Trustee’s experience, qualifications and attributes that each Board member should serve as a Trustee.  Following is a brief summary of the information that led to and/or supports this conclusion.

 

Michael E. Cahill, an Independent Trustee, has served as Executive Vice President since 2008 and Managing Director and General Counsel since 1991 of The TCW Group, Inc. and Trust Company of the West, an international investment management firm. Mr. Cahill previously worked at Act III Communications in Los Angeles from 1988 to 1991, where he was Senior Vice President and General Counsel.  Earlier in his career, Mr. Cahill was in private corporate law practice at O’Melveny and Myers LLP in Los Angeles and at Shenas, Robbins, Shenas & Shaw in San Diego.  Mr. Cahill currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. Mr. Cahill is a member of the bars of the state of California and of the Province of Ontario and is admitted to various courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.  Mr. Cahill holds a B.A. from Bishops University, a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University and an LL.M. from Harvard University.

 

Suzanne Donohoe, an Interested Trustee, joined KKR in 2009 and is the global head of KKR’s Client and Partner Group and a Member of KKR. Prior to joining KKR, she was with the Goldman Sachs Group, serving as a Partner and the Head of Goldman Sachs Asset Management International. Previously, Ms. Donohoe also led Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s client businesses in North America and co-headed GSAM’s EMEA business. Ms. Donohoe holds a B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University and an M.B.A from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Donohoe also serves on the New York Board of The Nature Conservancy and as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Georgetown University.

 

Tobin V. Levy, an Independent Trustee, was previously employed by Goldman Sachs & Co. for 13 years where he served as a Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer of the Hedge Fund Strategies Group. While at Goldman Sachs & Co., Mr. Levy established and managed Goldman Sachs Bank USA, a $20 billion Goldman Sachs bank subsidiary of which he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that, Mr. Levy was employed by Caisse Nationale de Credit Agricole for 10 years in a variety of roles, including as a Member of the Executive Committee. Earlier in his career, Mr. Levy held management roles at Norwest Bank and First Pennsylvania Corporation. Before Mr. Levy began his career, he was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1968 - 1971. Mr. Levy currently serves as a Trustee of the Borough of Princeton Housing Authority and as Treasurer and Head of the Investment Committee for Princeton Public Library. Mr. Levy holds a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Jeffrey L. Zlot, an Independent Trustee, has served as the Managing Director of The Presidio Group LLC, an investment consultant and banking firm, since 1997. Mr. Zlot was previously the Chief Compliance Officer of Presidio Merchant Partners, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Presidio Group LLC. Mr. Zlot served as Chief Financial Officer of The Presidio Group LLC from 1997 to 2007. Previously, he worked as a Research Analyst at Peter Hart Research Associates. Mr. Zlot also serves as a founding member of the Business Leadership Council of Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco. Mr. Zlot received his B.A. in Government from Colby College and is a Certified Financial Planner.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

The Board is currently composed of four Trustees, three of whom are Independent Trustees.  The Fund’s business and affairs are managed under the direction of its Board. Among other things, the Board sets broad policies

 

27


 

for the Fund and approves the appointment of the Fund’s Administrator and officers. The role of the Board, and of any individual Trustee, is one of oversight and not of management of the Fund’s day-to-day affairs.

 

Under the Fund’s bylaws, the Board may designate one of the Trustees as chair to preside over meetings of the Board and meetings of shareholders, and to perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Board.  Presently, Suzanne Donohoe serves as Chairman of the Board and is an Interested Trustee by virtue of her employment relationship with KKR.  The Board believes that it is in the best interests of Fund shareholders for Ms. Donohoe to serve as Chairman of the Board because of her significant experience in matters of relevance to the Fund’s business.  The Board has determined that the compositions of the Audit Committee and the Nominating Committee are appropriate means to address any potential conflicts of interest that may arise from the Chairman’s status as an Interested Trustee.  The Board believes that flexibility to determine its Chair and to recognize its leadership structure from time to time is in the best interests of the Fund and its Common Shareholders.

 

All of the Independent Trustees play an active role on the Board.  The Independent Trustees compose a majority of the Board and will be closely involved in all material deliberations related to the Fund.  The Board believes that, with these practices, each Independent Trustee has an equal involvement in the actions and oversight role of the Board and equal accountability to the Fund and its shareholders.  The Independent Trustees are expected to meet separately (i) as part of each regular Board meeting and (ii) with the Fund’s chief compliance officer, as part of at least one Board meeting each year.

 

The Board believes that its leadership structure is the optimal structure for the Fund at this time.  The Board, which will review its leadership structure periodically as part of its annual self-assessment process, further believes that its structure is presently appropriate to enable it to exercise its oversight of the Fund.

 

Board Role in Risk Oversight

 

The Trustees meet periodically throughout the year to discuss and consider matters concerning the Fund and to oversee the Fund’s activities, including its investment performance, compliance program and risks associated with its activities.  Risk management is a broad concept comprising many disparate elements (for example, investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational risk, and business continuity risk).  The Board will implement its risk oversight function both as a whole and through its committees.  The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, policies and procedures designed to address risks associated with the Fund’s activities.  In the course of providing oversight, the Board and its committees will receive reports on the Fund’s and the Adviser’s activities, including reports regarding the Fund’s investment portfolio and financial accounting and reporting.  The Board will also receive a quarterly report from the Fund’s chief compliance officer, who reports on the Fund’s compliance with the federal and state securities laws and its internal compliance policies and procedures as well as those of the Adviser, Administrator and transfer agent.  The Audit Committee’s meetings with the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm will also contribute to its oversight of certain internal control risks.  In addition, the Board will meet periodically with the Adviser to receive reports regarding the Fund’s operations, including reports on certain investment and operational risks, and the Independent Trustees will be encouraged to communicate directly with senior members of Fund management.

 

The Board believes that this role in risk oversight is appropriate.  The Board believes that the Fund has robust internal processes in place and a strong internal control environment to identify and manage risks.  However, not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified or processes and controls developed to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and some risks are beyond the control of the Fund, the Adviser and the Fund’s other service providers.

 

Trustee Beneficial Ownership of Fund Shares

 

The following table shows the dollar range of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the Fund and in other investment companies overseen by the Trustees within the same family of investment companies as of March 31, 2013.  Investment companies are considered to be in the same Fund Complex if they share the same investment adviser or principal underwriter and hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment and investor services.

 

28


 

Name of Trustee

 

Dollar Range of Equity Securities
in the Fund*

 

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities Overseen by Trustees in
the Family of Investment
Companies

 

 

 

 

 

Interested Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Donohoe

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael E. Cahill

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Tobin V. Levy

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey Z. Zlot

 

None

 

None

 


*                  As of June 30, 2013, none of the Trustees owned shares of the Fund because the Fund had not yet begun investment operations.

 

Shareholder Communications

 

Shareholders may send communications to the Board.  Shareholders should send communications intended for the Board by addressing the communication directly to the Board (or individual Trustees) and/or otherwise clearly indicating in the salutation that the communication is for the Board (or individual Trustees) and by sending the communication to either the Fund’s office or directly to such Trustee(s) at the address specified for such Trustee above.  Other shareholder communications received by the Fund not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to the Board only at management’s discretion based on the matters contained therein.

 

Codes of Ethics

 

The Fund and the Adviser have each adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act that establish procedures for personal investments and restrict certain personal securities transactions.  Personnel subject to these codes may invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, so long as such investments are made in accordance with the code’s requirements.  The codes of ethics are attached as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this SAI is a part.  You may also read and copy these codes of ethics at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549.  You may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.  In addition, the code of ethics is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.  You may also obtain copies of each code of ethics, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549.

 

Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities

 

A control person is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company.  The Adviser, through one of its affiliates, will provide the initial capitalization of the Fund and therefore will be deemed to be a control person because it will be the sole shareholder of the Fund at that time.  However, it is anticipated that the Adviser will no longer be a control person of the Fund once the offering is completed.

 

Adviser

 

The Fund’s investment adviser is KKR Asset Management LLC.  The Adviser’s principal office is located at 555 California Street, 50th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104.  The Adviser is a subsidiary of KKR & Co. L.P.

 

Pursuant to the investment advisory agreement, the Adviser manages the Fund’s investment portfolio, directs purchases and sales of portfolio securities and reports thereon to the Fund’s officers and trustees regularly. The Adviser or its parent also provides the office space, facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to perform the following services for the Fund: SEC compliance, including record keeping, reporting requirements and registration statements and proxies; supervision of Fund operations, including coordination of functions of the transfer agent, custodian, accountants, counsel and other parties performing services or operational functions for the Fund; and certain administrative and clerical services, including certain accounting services and maintenance of certain books and records.

 

29


 

The investment advisory agreement between the Fund and the Adviser was approved by the Fund’s Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, in principle at an “in person” meeting held on May 17, 2013.

 

The investment advisory agreement provides for the Fund to pay an annual fee, payable monthly by the Fund, in an amount equal to 1.10% of the Fund’s average daily Managed Assets. “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to borrowings for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Fund’s accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing borrowings for investment purposes).

 

The investment advisory agreement will continue in effect for a period of two years from its effective date, and if not sooner terminated, will continue in effect for successive periods of 12 months thereafter, provided that each continuance is specifically approved at least annually by both (1) the vote of a majority of the Board or the vote of a majority of the outstanding securities entitled to vote (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) and (2) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Fund (upon the vote of a majority of the Fund’s Board or a majority of the outstanding securities entitled to vote) or by the Adviser, upon not more than 60 nor less than 30 days’ written notice by either party to the other which can be waived by the non-terminating party. The agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder).

 

The investment advisory agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations thereunder, the Adviser is not liable to the Fund or any of the Fund’s shareholders for any act or omission by the Adviser in the supervision or management of its respective investment activities or for any loss sustained by the Fund or the Fund’s shareholders and provides for indemnification by the Fund of the Adviser, its Trustees, officers, employees, agents and control persons for liabilities incurred by them in connection with their services to the Fund, subject to certain limitations and conditions.

 

Although the professional staff of the Adviser will devote as much time to the management of the Fund as the Adviser deems appropriate to perform its duties in accordance with the investment advisory agreement and in accordance with reasonable commercial standards, the professional staff of the Adviser may have conflicts in allocating its time and services among the Fund and the Adviser’s other investment vehicles and accounts. The Adviser has informed the Board that the services of the Adviser are not exclusive, and the Adviser provides similar services to other clients and may engage in other activities.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the approval of the investment advisory agreement by the Board will be available in the Fund’s first report to shareholders.

 

Administrator

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, serves as administrator to the Fund.  Under the Administration Agreement, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC maintains the Fund’s general ledger and is responsible for calculating the net asset value of the Common Shares, and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.  U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of up to 0.04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee of $65,000, plus out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. will serve as custodian (the “Custodian”) for the Fund.  U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC also provides accounting services to the Fund.  U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will serve together as the Fund’s dividend paying agent, transfer agent and registrar.

 

The Fund will indemnify the Custodian from and against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, charges, counsel fees, payments and liabilities which may be asserted against the Custodian in connection with its duties under the custodian agreement, except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence, willful misfeasance or willful misconduct.

 

The Fund will indemnify U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC as transfer agent from and against any and all losses, damages, costs, charges, counsel fees (including the defense of any lawsuit in which the transfer agent or its affiliate is a named party), payments, expenses and liability arising out of or attributable to its actions taken pursuant

 

30


 

to the transfer agency and service agreement, provided that such actions are taken in good faith without negligence, willful misfeasance or willful misconduct.  

 

Investor Support Services

 

The Fund has retained Four Wood Capital Partners LLC (“FWCP”) to provide investor support services in connection with the on-going operation of the Fund. Such services include providing ongoing contact with respect to the Fund and its performance with financial advisors that are representatives of broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, communicating with the NYSE specialist for the Fund’s common shares, and with the closed-end fund analyst community regarding the Fund on a regular basis. FWCP may separately contract with and coordinate the activities of a third party to provide certain of the above-described services. In exchange for such services, the Fund will pay FWCP a monthly fee equal to 0.10% of the average daily value of the Fund’s Managed Assets.

 

Additional Compensation to be Paid by the Adviser

 

The Adviser has entered into a marketing agent agreement with AST Investor Services, LLC (“AST”), as Selling Agent, and FWCP and has agreed to pay from its own assets a fee for the sales, marketing and client services provided by the Selling Agent during the Fund’s initial public offering in an amount equal to 0.30% of the total gross assets raised in the Fund’s initial public offering and reimburse certain registered representative expenses in connection with the marketing and distribution services provided with respect to the Fund. The Fund will reimburse the Adviser for these fees and reimbursements, but only to the extent that such fees and reimbursements when added to all other Fund offering expenses (other than the sales load) do not exceed $0.04 per Common Share.

 

Portfolio Management

 

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers

 

Unless otherwise indicated, the information below is provided as of the date of this SAI.

 

The portfolio managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund also manage other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts, as indicated below. The following table identifies, as of March 31, 2013: (i) the number of other registered investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts managed by each portfolio manager; and (ii) the total assets of such companies, vehicles and accounts, and the number and total assets of such companies, vehicles and accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based on performance.

 

Erik A. Falk

 

 

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Assets of
Accounts

 

Number of
Accounts Subject to
a Performance Fee

 

Assets Subject to a
Performance Fee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

 

1

 

$

8,900,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Than Registered Investment Companies

 

6

 

$

716,300,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Accounts

 

16

 

$

10,680,036,000

 

4

 

$

2,690,574,000

 

 

Christopher A. Sheldon

 

 

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Assets of
Accounts

 

Number of
Accounts Subject to
a Performance Fee

 

Assets Subject to a
Performance Fee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

 

1

 

$

8,900,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Than Registered Investment Companies

 

6

 

$

716,300,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Accounts

 

16

 

$

10,680,036,000

 

4

 

$

2,690,574,000

 

 

31


 

Jamie M. Weinstein

 

 

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Assets of
Accounts

 

Number of
Accounts Subject to
a Performance Fee

 

Assets Subject to a
Performance Fee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

 

1

 

$

2,000,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Than Registered Investment Companies

 

2

 

$

366,700,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Accounts

 

5

 

$

1,167,219,000

 

2

 

$

196,740,000

 

 

Nathaniel M. Zilkha

 

 

 

Number of
Accounts

 

Assets of
Accounts

 

Number of
Accounts Subject to
a Performance Fee

 

Assets Subject to a
Performance Fee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Registered Investment Companies

 

1

 

$

2,000,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pooled Investment Vehicles Other Than Registered Investment Companies

 

2

 

$

366,700,000

 

None

 

None

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Accounts

 

5

 

$

1,167,219,000

 

2

 

$

196,740,000

 

 

32


 

Portfolio Manager Compensation

 

Consistent with KKR’s global, integrated culture, KKR has one firm-wide compensation and incentive structure based on a global profit and loss statement, which covers each of the portfolio managers. KKR’s compensation structure is designed to align the interests of the investment personnel serving the Fund with those of the Fund’s shareholders and to give everyone a direct financial incentive to ensure that all of KKR’s resources, knowledge and relationships around the world are utilized to maximize risk-adjusted returns for each strategy.

 

Each of KKR’s senior executives, including each of the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, receives a base salary and is eligible for a cash bonus and equity compensation, as well as additional incentives including “dollars at work” in KKR fund investments (other than the Fund) and equity compensation. The cash bonus, equity compensation and “dollars at work” are discretionary, and “dollars at work” and equity awards are typically subject to a vesting period of several years.

 

All final compensation and other longer-term incentive award decisions are made by the KKR Management Committee based on input from managers.  Compensation and other incentives are not formulaic, but rather are judgment and merit driven, and are determined based on a combination of overall firm performance, individual contribution and performance, business unit performance, and relevant market and competitive compensation practices for other businesses and the individual roles/responsibilities within each of the businesses.

 

Securities Ownership of Portfolio Managers

 

The Fund is a newly organized investment company.  Accordingly, as of the date of this SAI, none of the portfolio managers beneficially owned any securities issued by the Fund.

 

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 

The Adviser will experience conflicts of interest in connection with the management of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following:

 

·                                           The members, officers and other personnel of the Adviser allocate their time, resources and other services between the Fund and other investment and business activities in which they may be involved. The Adviser intends to devote such time as shall be necessary to conduct the Fund’s business affairs in an appropriate manner. However, the Adviser will continue to devote the time, resources and other services necessary to managing its other investment and business activities and the Adviser is not precluded from conducting activities unrelated to the Fund.

 

·                                           The Adviser may compete with certain of its affiliates, including other entities it manages, for investments for the Fund, subjecting the Adviser to certain conflicts of interest in evaluating the suitability of investment opportunities and making or recommending acquisitions on the Fund’s behalf.  The Adviser will receive advisory and other fees from the other entities it manages, and due to fee-offset provisions contained in the management agreements for such entities, the fees may not be proportionate to such entities’ investment accounts for any given transaction and the Adviser may have an incentive to favor entities from which it receives higher fees.  The Adviser intends to allocate such investment opportunities in a manner that it deems appropriate taking into account factors such as investment objectives, available capital, applicable concentration limits, minimum investment rights and other investment restrictions, portfolio diversification, the potential dilutive effect of a new investment on an existing investment, the overall risk profile of a portfolio and other considerations deemed relevant by the Adviser. The outcome of this determination may result in the allocation of all or none of an investment opportunity to the Fund.  In addition, subject to applicable law, affiliates of the Adviser may invest in one of the Fund’s portfolio companies and hold a different class of securities than the Fund.  To the extent that an affiliate of the Adviser holds a different class of securities than the Fund, its interests may not be aligned with the Fund’s.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser will act in the best interest of the Fund in accordance with its fiduciary duty to the Fund.

 

·                                           The compensation payable by the Fund to the Adviser will be approved by the Board consistent with the exercise of the requisite standard of care applicable to trustees under state law. Such

 

33


 

compensation is payable, in most cases, regardless of the quality of the assets acquired, the services provided to the Fund or whether the Fund makes distributions to Shareholders.

 

·                                           The Adviser and its affiliates may provide a broad range of financial services to companies in which the Fund invests, in compliance with applicable law, and will generally be paid fees for such services. In addition, affiliates of the Adviser may act as an underwriter or placement agent in connection with an offering of securities by one of the companies in the Fund’s portfolio. Any compensation received by the Adviser and its affiliates for providing these services will not be shared with the Fund and may be received before the Fund realizes a return on its investment.  The Adviser may face conflicts of interest with respect to services performed for these companies, on the one hand, and investments recommended to the Fund, on the other hand.

 

·                                           From time to time, to the extent consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or with exemptive relief the Fund may receive from the SEC, if any, the Fund and other clients for which the Adviser provides investment management services or carries on investment activities (including, among others, clients that are employee benefit plans subject to ERISA and related regulations) may make investments at different levels of an investment entity’s capital structure or otherwise in different classes of an issuer’s securities. These investments may inherently give rise to conflicts of interest or perceived conflicts of interest between or among the various classes of securities that may be held by the Fund and such other clients, including in the case of financial distress of the investment entity.

 

·                                           KKR and the Adviser sponsor and advise and may in the future sponsor and advise a broad range of investment funds, vehicles, and other accounts, including proprietary vehicles, that make investments worldwide.  KKR may also make investments for its own account, including, for example, through investment and co-investment vehicles established for KKR personnel and associates. The Adviser and its affiliates are not restricted from forming additional investment funds, from entering into other investment advisory relationships (including, among others, relationships with clients that are employee benefit plans subject to ERISA and related regulations), or from engaging in other business activities, even though such activities may be in competition with the Fund and/or may involve substantial time and resources of the Adviser. For example, the Adviser may invest, on behalf of an affiliated fund, in a company that is a competitor of one of the Fund’s portfolio companies or that is a service provider, supplier, customer or other counterparty with respect to one of the Fund’s portfolio companies. The Adviser will provide advice and recommendations to any such companies without regard to the Fund’s interests. In addition, the Adviser’s ability to effectively implement the Fund’s investment strategies may be limited to the extent that contractual obligations relating to these permitted activities restrict the Adviser’s ability to engage in transactions that they may otherwise be interested in pursuing. Affiliates of the Adviser, whose primary business includes the origination of investments, engage in investment advisory business with accounts that compete with the Fund.

 

·                                           The Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and recommend securities to other clients which may differ from, or be contrary to, advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, the Fund even though their investment objectives may be similar to the Fund’s.

 

·                                           To the extent not restricted by confidentiality requirements or applicable law, the Adviser may apply experience and information gained in providing services to the Fund’s portfolio companies in providing services to competing companies invested in by affiliates’ other clients.

 

·                                           As a registered investment company, the Fund may be limited in its ability to invest in any investment in which an affiliates’ other client has an investment.  The Fund may also be limited in its ability to co-invest with the Adviser or one or more of its affiliates. Some of these co-investments would only be permitted pursuant to an exemptive order from the SEC.

 

34


 

·                                           The nature of the Adviser’s businesses and the participation by its employees in creditors’ committees, steering committees, or boards of directors of portfolio companies, may result in the Adviser receiving material non-public information from time to time with respect to publicly held companies or otherwise becoming an “insider” with respect to such companies. The possession of “inside information” or “insider” status with respect to an investment or potential investment by the Adviser or its personnel may restrict the Adviser’s ability to enter into or exit from potentially profitable investments for the Fund which could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s results of operations.

 

·                                           The Fund depends to a significant extent on the Adviser’s access to the investment professionals and senior management of KKR and the information and deal flow generated by the KKR investment professionals and senior management during the normal course of their investment and portfolio management activities. The senior management and the investment professionals of the Adviser source, evaluate, analyze and monitor the Fund’s investments.  The Fund’s future success will depend on the continued service of the senior management team and investment professionals of the Adviser.

 

·                                           The Adviser’s relationship with other advisory clients and with KKR could create a conflict of interest to the extent the Adviser becomes aware of inside information concerning investments or potential investment targets. The Fund and the Adviser have implemented compliance procedures and practices, including information-sharing policies and procedures, that are designed to ensure that inside information is not used for making investment decisions on the Fund’s behalf.  The Fund cannot assure its investors, however, that these procedures and practices will be effective.  Although the Fund plans to leverage KKR’s firm-wide resources to help source, conduct due diligence on, structure, syndicate and create value for the Fund’s investments, KKR’s information-sharing policies and procedures, as well as certain legal and contractual constraints, could significantly limit the Fund’s ability to do so.  For example, from time to time KKR’s personnel may be in possession of material non-public information with respect to the Fund’s investments, and as a result, such personnel will be restricted by KKR’s information-sharing policies and procedures or by law or contract from sharing such information with the management team of the Fund, even where the disclosure of such information would be in the best interests of the Fund or would otherwise influence decisions taken by the members of the management team with respect to that investment.  In addition, this conflict and these procedures and practices may limit the freedom of the Adviser to enter into or exit from potentially profitable investments for the Fund which could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s results of operations.  Conversely, the Adviser may pursue investments for the Fund without obtaining access to confidential information otherwise in its or KKR’s possession, which information, if reviewed, might otherwise impact the Adviser’s judgment with respect to such investments.  Accordingly, the investment activities of KKR’s other businesses may differ from, or be inconsistent with, the activities that are undertaken for the Fund, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to fully leverage the resources and industry expertise of KKR’s other businesses.  Additionally, there may be circumstances in which one or more individuals associated with KKR will be precluded from providing services to the Fund because of certain confidential information available to those individuals or to other parts of KKR.

 

·                                           The Adviser may in the future develop new businesses such as providing investment banking, advisory and other services to corporations, financial sponsors, management or other persons. Such services may relate to transactions that could give rise to investment opportunities that are suitable for the Fund. In such case, the Adviser’s client would typically require the Adviser to act exclusively on its behalf, thereby precluding the Fund from participating in such investment opportunities. The Adviser would not be obligated to decline any such engagements in order to make an investment opportunity available to the Fund. In addition, the Adviser may come into the possession of information through these new businesses that limits the Fund’s ability to engage in potential transactions.

 

35


 

·                                           The 1940 Act limits the Fund’s ability to invest in, or hold securities of, companies that are controlled by funds managed by KKR. Any such investments could create conflicts of interest between the Fund, the Adviser and KKR.  The Adviser may also have, or enter into, advisory relationships with other advisory clients (including, among others, employee benefit plans subject to ERISA and related regulations) that could lead to circumstances in which a conflict of interest between the Adviser’s advisory clients could exist or develop.  In addition, to the extent that another client of the Adviser or KKR holds a different class of securities than the Fund, the interest of such client and the Fund may not be aligned.  As a result of these conflicts and restrictions, the Adviser may be unable to implement the Fund’s investment strategies as effectively as it could have in the absence of such conflicts or restrictions.  In order to avoid these conflicts and restrictions, the Adviser may choose to exit these investments prematurely and, as a result, the Fund would forgo any future positive returns associated with such investments.

 

·                                           Certain other KKR client accounts or proprietary accounts may have investment objectives, programs, strategies and positions that are similar to, or may conflict with, those of the Fund, or may compete with, or have interests adverse to, the Fund. This type of conflict could affect the prices and availability of the securities or interests in which the Fund invests. KKR may give advice or take action with respect to the investments held by, and transactions of, other KKR client accounts or proprietary accounts that may be different from or otherwise inconsistent with the advice given or timing or nature of any action taken with respect to the investments held by, and timing or nature of any action taken with respect to the investments held by, and transactions of, the Fund. Such different advice and/or inconsistent actions may be due to a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, the differences between the investment objective, program, strategy and tax treatment of the other KKR client accounts or proprietary accounts and the Fund or the regulatory status of other KKR client accounts and any related restrictions or obligations imposed on KKR as a fiduciary thereof. Such advice and actions may adversely impact the Fund.

 

·                                           The 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from participating in certain transactions with certain of its affiliates including an Adviser-affiliated broker-dealer. The Fund generally will be prohibited, for example, from buying or selling any securities from or to another client of the Adviser or of KKR. The 1940 Act also prohibits certain “joint” transactions with certain of the Fund’s affiliates, which in certain circumstances could include investments in the same portfolio company (whether at the same or different times to the extent the transaction involves jointness) or transactions in which a broker-dealer affiliated with the Adviser participates as principal with the Fund.  If a person acquires more than 25% of the Fund’s voting securities, the Fund will be prohibited from buying or selling any security from or to such person or certain of that person’s affiliates, or entering into prohibited joint transactions with such persons.  Similar restrictions limit the Fund’s ability to transact business with its officers or trustees or their affiliates. The SEC has interpreted the 1940 Act rules governing transactions with affiliates to prohibit certain “joint transactions” involving entities that share a common investment adviser.  As a result of these restrictions, the scope of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available to the Fund may be limited.

 

·                                           The 1940 Act imposes significant limits on co-investment with affiliates of the Fund, and the Fund generally will not be permitted to co-invest alongside its affiliates in privately negotiated transactions unless the Fund obtains an exemptive order from the SEC or the transaction is otherwise permitted under existing regulatory guidance, such as transactions where price is the only negotiated term, and will not participate in transactions where other terms are negotiable. This reduces the amount of transactions in which the Fund can participate and makes it more difficult for the Fund to implement its investment objective.

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE ALLOCATION

 

The Adviser has responsibility for decisions to buy and sell securities and other instruments for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the negotiation of prices and any brokerage commissions on such transactions.  While the Adviser will be primarily responsible for the placement of the Fund’s portfolio business, the policies and practices in this regard are subject to review by the Board.

 

36


 

With respect to interests in Senior Loans, the Fund generally will engage in privately negotiated transactions for purchase or sale in which the Adviser will negotiate on behalf of the Fund (although a more developed market may exist for certain Senior Loans).  The Fund may be required to pay fees, or give up a portion of interest and any fees payable to the Fund, to the lender selling participations or assignments to the Fund.  The Adviser will determine the lenders from whom the Fund will purchase assignments and participations by considering their professional ability, level of service, relationship with the Borrower, financial condition, credit standards and quality of management.  The illiquidity of many Senior Loans may restrict the ability of the Adviser to locate in a timely manner persons willing to purchase the Fund’s interests in Senior Loans at a fair price should the Fund desire to sell such interests.  See “Risk Factors—Senior Loans Risk” in the Prospectus.  Affiliates of the Adviser may participate in the primary and secondary market for Senior Loans.  Because of certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act, this may restrict the Fund’s ability to acquire some Senior Loans.  The Adviser does not believe that this will have a material effect on the Fund’s ability to acquire Senior Loans consistent with its investment policies.

 

As most transactions made by the Fund are principal transactions at net prices, the Fund generally incurs little or no brokerage costs.  The portfolio securities in which the Fund invests are normally purchased directly from the issuer or in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market from an underwriter or market maker for the securities.  Purchases from underwriters of portfolio securities include a commission or concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers serving as market makers include a spread or markup to the dealer between the bid and asked price.  Sales to dealers are effected at bid prices.

 

The Fund may also purchase certain money market instruments directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid (although the Fund may indirectly bear fees and expenses of any money market funds in which it invests), or may purchase and sell listed securities on an exchange, which are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services.

 

In effecting securities transactions, the Adviser will seek to obtain the best execution of orders.  Commission rates are a component of price and are considered along with other relevant factors.  In determining the broker or dealer to be used and the commission rates to be paid, the Adviser will consider the utility and reliability of brokerage services, including execution capability and performance, financial responsibility, investment information, market insights, other research provided by such brokers, and access to analysts, management and idea generation.  Accordingly, the commissions charged by any such broker may be greater than the amount another firm might charge if the Adviser determines in good faith that the amount of such commissions is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage services and research information provided by such brokers.  Consistent with the requirements of best execution, brokerage commissions on accounts may be directed to brokers in recognition of investment research and information furnished as well as for services rendered in execution of orders by such brokers.  By allocating transactions in this manner, the Adviser may be able to supplement its research and analysis with the views and information of brokerage firms.  The Adviser may also allocate a portion of its brokerage business to firms whose employees participate as brokers in the introduction of investors to the Adviser or who agree to bear the expense of capital introduction, marketing or related services by third parties.  Eligible research or brokerage services provided by brokers through which portfolio transactions for the Adviser are executed may include research reports on particular industries and companies, economic surveys and analyses, recommendations as to specific securities, online quotations, news and research services, financial publications and other products and services ( e.g. , software based applications for market quotes and news, database programs providing investment and industry data) providing lawful and appropriate assistance to the portfolio managers and their designees in the performance of their investment decision-making responsibilities on behalf of the Adviser and other accounts which their affiliates manage (collectively, “Soft Dollar Items”).  The Adviser and its affiliates generally use such products and services (if any) for the benefit of all of their accounts.  Soft Dollar Items may be provided directly by brokers, by third parties at the direction of brokers or purchased on behalf of the Fund and its affiliates with credits or rebates provided by brokers.  Any Soft Dollar Items obtained in connection with portfolio transactions for the Fund are intended to fall within the “safe harbor” of Section 28(e) of the Exchange Act.  As noted above, because most of the Fund’s transactions will likely be principal transactions, the Fund will likely not incur significant brokerage commissions (although it will be subject to mark-ups and mark-downs imposed by dealers).  Section 28(e) generally only applies with respect to brokerage commissions; as such, the Fund may not benefit from any significant amount of Soft Dollar Items.

 

The Adviser may also place portfolio transactions, to the extent permitted by law, with brokerage firms affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser if they reasonably believe that the quality of execution and the commission are comparable to those available from other qualified firms.  Similarly, to the extent permitted by law and subject to

 

37


 

the same considerations on quality of execution and comparable commission rates, the Adviser may direct an executing broker to pay a portion or all of any commissions, concessions or discounts to a firm supplying research or other services.

 

The Adviser may place portfolio transactions at or about the same time for other advisory accounts, including other investment companies.  The Adviser will seek to allocate portfolio transactions equitably whenever concurrent decisions are made to purchase or sell securities for the Fund and another advisory account.  In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or the amount of securities available to the Fund.  In making such allocations among the Fund and other advisory accounts, the main factors considered by the Adviser are the respective sizes of the Fund and other advisory accounts, the respective investment objectives, the relative size of portfolio holdings of the same or comparable securities, the availability of cash for investment, the size of investment commitments generally held and opinions of the persons responsible for recommending the investment. See “Conflicts of Interest.”

 

The placing and execution of orders for the Fund also is subject to restrictions under U.S. securities laws, including certain prohibitions against trading among the Fund and its affiliates (including the Adviser or its affiliates).  Certain broker-dealers, through which the Fund may effect securities transactions, may be affiliated persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or affiliated persons of such affiliates.  The Board has adopted certain policies incorporating the standards of Rule 17e-1 issued by the SEC under the 1940 Act which require that the commissions paid to affiliates of the Fund be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration received or to be received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time.  The rule and procedures also contain review requirements and require the Adviser to furnish reports to the trustees and to maintain records in connection with such reviews.  In addition, the Fund may purchase securities in a placement for which affiliates of the Adviser have acted as agent to or for issuers, consistent with applicable rules adopted by the SEC or regulatory authorization, if necessary.  The Fund will not purchase securities from or sell securities to any affiliate of the Adviser acting as principal.  The Adviser is prohibited from directing brokerage transactions on the basis of the referral of clients or the sale of shares of advised investment companies.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

 

Common Shares

 

The Fund’s Common Shares are described in the Prospectus.  The Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders so long as the Common Shares are listed on a national securities exchange and such meetings are required as a condition to such listing.

 

Preferred Shares

 

The terms of any preferred shares issued by the Fund, including their dividend rate, voting rights, liquidation preference and redemption provisions, will be determined by the Board (subject to applicable law and the Fund’s Declaration of Trust) if and when it authorizes an offering of preferred shares.

 

If the Board determines to proceed with an offering of preferred shares, the terms of the preferred shares may be the same as, or different from, the terms described in the Prospectus, subject to applicable law and the Fund’s Declaration of Trust.  The Board, without the approval of the Common Shareholders, may authorize an offering of preferred shares or may determine not to authorize such an offering, and may fix the terms of the preferred shares to be offered.

 

Other Shares

 

The Board (subject to applicable law and the Fund’s Declaration of Trust) may authorize an offering, without the approval of the holders of either Common Shares or preferred shares, of other classes of shares, or other classes or series of shares, as they determine to be necessary, desirable or appropriate, having such terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions as the Board sees fit.  The Fund currently does not expect to issue any other classes of shares, or series of shares, except for the Common Shares.

 

REPURCHASE OF COMMON SHARES

 

The Fund is a closed-end management investment company and as such its shareholders will not have the right to cause the Fund to redeem their shares.  Instead, the Fund’s Common Shares will trade in the open market at a price that will be a function of several factors, including dividend levels (which are in turn affected by expenses),

 

38


 

net asset value, call protection, dividend stability, relative demand for and supply of such shares in the market, general market and economic conditions and other factors.  Because shares of a closed-end investment company may frequently trade at prices lower than net asset value, the Board may consider actions that might be taken to reduce or eliminate any material discount from net asset value in respect of Common Shares, which may include the repurchase of such shares in the open market or in private transactions, the making of a tender offer for such shares or the conversion of the Fund to an open-end investment company.  The Board may decide not to take any of these actions.  In addition, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tender offers, if undertaken, will reduce market discount.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, at any time when the Fund has preferred shares outstanding, the Fund may not purchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any of its Common Shares unless (1) all accrued preferred share dividends have been paid and (2) at the time of such purchase, redemption or acquisition, the net asset value of the Fund’s portfolio (determined after deducting the acquisition price of the Common Shares) is at least 200% of the liquidation value of the outstanding preferred shares (expected to equal the original purchase price per share plus any accrued and unpaid dividends thereon).  Any service fees incurred in connection with any tender offer made by the Fund will be borne by the Fund and will not reduce the stated consideration to be paid to tendering shareholders.

 

Subject to its investment restrictions, the Fund may borrow to finance the repurchase of shares or to make a tender offer.  Interest on any borrowings to finance share repurchase transactions or the accumulation of cash by the Fund in anticipation of share repurchases or tenders will reduce the Fund’s net income.  Any share repurchase, tender offer or borrowing that might be approved by the Board would have to comply with the Exchange Act, the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

The Board currently has no intention to take action in response to a discount from net asset value (if any).  Further, it is the Board’s intention not to authorize repurchases of Common Shares or a tender offer for such shares if: (1) such transactions, if consummated, would (a) result in the delisting of the Common Shares from the New York Stock Exchange or (b) impair the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), (which would make the Fund a taxable entity, causing the Fund’s income to be taxed at the trust level in addition to the taxation of shareholders who receive dividends from the Fund) or as a registered closed-end investment company under the 1940 Act; (2) the Fund would not be able to liquidate portfolio securities in an orderly manner and consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies in order to repurchase shares; or (3) there is, in the Board’s judgment, any (a) material legal action or proceeding instituted or threatened challenging such transactions or otherwise materially adversely affecting the Fund, (b) general suspension of or limitation on prices for trading securities on the New York Stock Exchange, (c) declaration of a banking moratorium by federal or state authorities or any suspension of payment by U.S. or New York banks, (d) material limitation affecting the Fund or the issuers of its portfolio securities by federal or state authorities on the extension of credit by lending institutions or on the exchange of foreign currency, (e) commencement or continuation of war, armed hostilities or other international or national calamity directly or indirectly involving the United States or (f) other event or condition which would have a material adverse effect (including any adverse tax effect) on the Fund or its shareholders if shares were repurchased.  Even in the absence of such conditions, the Board may decline to take action in response to a discount from net asset value.  The Board may in the future modify these conditions in light of experience.

 

The repurchase by the Fund of its shares at prices below net asset value will result in an increase in the net asset value of those shares that remain outstanding.  However, there can be no assurance that share repurchases or tender offers at or below net asset value will result in the Fund’s shares trading at a price equal to their net asset value.  Nevertheless, the fact that the Fund’s shares may be the subject of repurchase or tender offers at net asset value from time to time, may reduce any spread between market price and net asset value that might otherwise exist.

 

In addition, a purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares will decrease the Fund’s Managed Assets which would likely have the effect of increasing the Fund’s expense ratio.  Any purchase by the Fund of its Common Shares at a time when preferred shares are outstanding will increase the leverage applicable to the outstanding Common Shares then remaining.

 

Before deciding whether to take any action if the Common Shares trade below net asset value, the Board would likely consider all relevant factors, including the extent and duration of the discount, the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio, the impact of any action that might be taken on the Fund or its shareholders and market considerations.  Based on these considerations, even if the Fund’s shares should trade at a discount, the Board may determine that, in the interest of the Fund and its shareholders, no action should be taken.

 

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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

 

The following is a description of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning and disposing of Common Shares and some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund.  The discussion below provides general tax information related to an investment in Common Shares, but this discussion does not purport to be a complete description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Common Shares.  It is based on the Code and Treasury regulations and administrative pronouncements, all as of the date hereof, any of which is subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.  In addition, it does not describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant in light of a Common Shareholder’s particular circumstances, including alternative minimum tax consequences and tax consequences applicable to Common Shareholders subject to special tax rules, such as certain financial institutions; dealers or traders in securities who use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting; persons holding Common Shares as part of a hedging transaction, wash sale, conversion transaction or integrated transaction or persons entering into a constructive sale with respect to the Common Shares; entities classified as partnerships or other pass-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes; real estate investment trusts; insurance companies; U.S. shareholders (as defined below) whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar; or tax-exempt entities, including “individual retirement accounts” or “Roth IRAs.” Unless otherwise noted, the following discussion applies only to a Common Shareholder that holds Common Shares as a capital asset (generally, for investment) and is a U.S. shareholder.

 

A “U.S. shareholder” generally is a beneficial owner of Common Shares who is for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

·                                           a citizen or individual resident of the United States;

 

·                                           a corporation or other entity treated as a corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state therein or the District of Columbia;

 

·                                           an estate, the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source; or

 

·                                           a trust if it (x) is subject to the primary supervision of a court within the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) has a valid election in effect under applicable United States Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

A “non-U.S. shareholder” generally is a beneficial owner of Common Shares who is not a U.S. shareholder.

 

If a partnership (including an entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Common Shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership.  A prospective shareholder that is a partner of a partnership holding Common Shares should consult his, her or its tax advisers with respect to the purchase, ownership and disposition of Common Shares.

 

Tax matters are very complicated and the tax consequences to an investor of an investment in Common Shares will depend on the facts of his, her or its particular situation.  The Fund encourages investors to consult their own tax advisers regarding the specific consequences of such an investment, including tax reporting requirements, the applicability of U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax laws, eligibility for the benefits of any applicable tax treaty and the effect of any possible changes in the tax laws.

 

Election to be Taxed as a RIC

 

The Fund intends to elect to be treated, and intends to qualify annually, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code.  As a RIC, the Fund generally will not have to pay corporate-level U.S. federal income taxes on any income that it distributes to its shareholders as dividends.  To qualify as a RIC, the Fund must, among other things, meet certain source-of-income and asset diversification requirements (as described below).  In addition, to qualify for RIC tax treatment, the Fund must distribute to its shareholders, for each taxable year, at least 90% of its “investment

 

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company taxable income,” which is generally its ordinary income plus the excess of its realized net short-term capital gains over its realized net long-term capital losses (the “Annual Distribution Requirement”).

 

Taxation as a Regulated Investment Company

 

If the Fund:

 

·                                           qualifies as a RIC; and

 

·                                           satisfies the Annual Distribution Requirement,

 

then the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its income it distributes (or is deemed to distribute) to its shareholders.  The Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate rates on any income or capital gains not distributed (or deemed distributed) to its shareholders.

 

The Fund will be subject to a 4% nondeductible U.S. federal excise tax on certain undistributed income unless it distributes in a timely manner an amount at least equal to the sum of (1) 98% of its net ordinary income for each calendar year, (2) 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 in that calendar year and (3) any income recognized, but not distributed, in preceding years (the “Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement”).  The Fund generally will endeavor in each taxable year to make sufficient distributions to its shareholders to avoid any U.S. federal excise tax on its earnings, but the Fund reserves the right to pay the excise tax when circumstances warrant.

 

Pursuant to Revenue Procedure 2010-12, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has indicated that it will treat distributions from certain publicly traded RICs that are paid part in cash and part in stock as dividends that would satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement and qualify for the dividends paid deduction for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  In order to qualify for such treatment, the Revenue Procedure requires that at least 10% of the total distribution be payable in cash and that each shareholder have a right to elect to receive its entire distribution in cash.  If too many shareholders elect to receive cash, each shareholder electing to receive cash must receive a proportionate share of the cash to be distributed (although no shareholder electing to receive cash may receive less than 10% of such shareholder’s distribution in cash).  This Revenue Procedure applies to distributions declared on or before December 31, 2012 with respect to taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2011.  When the Revenue Procedure is not currently applicable, the IRS has issued private letter rulings to RICs and real estate investment trusts granting similar treatment to elective cash/stock dividends.  Those rulings may only be relied upon by the taxpayers to whom they were issued, but the Fund could request a similar ruling from the IRS.  The Fund does not currently intend to pay dividends in its shares.

 

In order to qualify as a RIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund must, among other things:

 

·                                           continue to qualify as a management company under the 1940 Act at all times during each taxable year;

 

·                                           derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to loans of certain securities, gains from the sale of stock or other securities, net income from certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships,” or other income derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in such stock or securities (the “90% Income Test”);

 

·                                           diversify its holdings so that at the end of each quarter of the taxable year;

 

·                                           at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets consists of cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities if such other securities of any one issuer do not represent more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s assets or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer; and

 

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·                                           no more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s assets is invested in the securities, other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs, of one issuer, of two or more issuers that are controlled, as determined under applicable Code rules, by the Fund and that are engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses or of certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (the “Diversification Tests”).

 

The Fund generally intends to comply with 90% Income Test and the Diversification Tests.  However, certain of the Fund’s investments may produce income that may not constitute qualifying income for purposes of the 90% Income Test.  For example, any equity investments the Fund makes in entities treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes that are engaged in active businesses will not produce qualifying income for purposes of the 90% Income Test.  In addition, we may invest in certain commodity-related derivates to hedge positions in commodity-related issuers or industries.  The IRS has ruled that income from certain commodity-related derivatives would not be qualifying income for the 90% Income Test with respect to a taxpayer whose commodity-related derivates were not entered into in connection with a business of investing in stock and securities.  We do not believe that ruling will apply to our income from commodity-related derivatives because any such income will be treated as “other income” related to our business of investing in stock or securities.  No assurance can be provided that the IRS will not successfully challenge our position that our commodity-related derivative income is qualifying income for purposes of the 90% Income Test.  Moreover, we intend to enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to certain of our assets under which we would nominally sell the assets to a counterparty and simultaneously enter into an agreement to repurchase the sold assets in exchange for a purchase price that reflects a financing charge.  Based on positions the IRS has taken in analogous situations, we believe that these transactions will be treated as secured debt and that we would be treated for purposes of the 90% Income Test and the Diversification Tests as the owner of the assets that are the subject of any such reverse repurchase agreement notwithstanding that such agreements may transfer record ownership of the assets to the counterparty during the term of the agreement.  It is possible, however, that the IRS could assert that we did not own the assets sold during the term of the sale and repurchase agreement, in which case our ability to qualify as a RIC could be jeopardized.  Accordingly, no complete assurance can be provided that the Fund will be able to satisfy requirements of the 90% Income Test and the Diversification Tests.

 

In addition, certain of the Fund’s investments are expected to be subject to special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may, among other things, (1) disallow, suspend or otherwise limit the allowance of certain losses or deductions, (2) convert lower-taxed long-term capital gain into higher-taxed short-term capital gain or ordinary income, (3) convert an ordinary loss or a deduction into a capital loss, the deductibility of which is more limited, (4) adversely affect when a purchase or sale of stock or securities is deemed to occur, (5) adversely alter the intended characterization of certain complex financial transactions, and (6) cause the Fund to recognize income or gain without a corresponding receipt of cash (referred to as “phantom income”).  For example, with respect to phantom income, if the Fund holds debt obligations that are treated under applicable tax rules as having original issue discount (“OID”) (such as debt instruments with “payment-in-kind” (“PIK”) interest or, in certain cases, increasing interest rates or issued with equity or warrants) or debt obligations that are acquired with market discount in respect of which an election has been made to accrue such market discount on a current basis, the Fund must include in income each year a portion of the OID or market discount that accrues over the life of the obligation, regardless of whether cash representing such income is received by the Fund in the same taxable year.  The Fund may also have to include in income other amounts that it has not yet received in cash, such as PIK interest and deferred loan origination fees that are paid after origination of the loan or are paid in non-cash compensation such as equity or warrants.  Because any OID or other amounts accrued will be included in the Fund’s investment company taxable income for the year of accrual, the Fund may be required to make a distribution to its shareholders in order to satisfy the Annual Distribution Requirement, even though it will not have received any corresponding cash amount.  Moreover, there may be uncertainty as to the appropriate treatment of certain of the Fund’s investments for U.S. federal income tax purposes.  In particular, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of investments in debt securities that are rated below investment grade is uncertain in various respects.

 

As a result of the application of the rules described above, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax or the 4% nondeductible excise tax and, under certain circumstances, the Fund’s ability to qualify or maintain its qualification as a RIC could be negatively affected.  The Fund will monitor its investments and may make certain tax elections in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions.  Accordingly, no complete assurance can be provided that the Fund will be able to satisfy the 90% Income Test and the Diversification Tests, avoid the U.S. federal income tax or meet the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement.

 

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Although the Fund does not presently expect to do so, it is authorized to borrow funds and to sell assets in order to satisfy distribution requirements.  However, under the 1940 Act, the Fund is not permitted to make distributions to its shareholders while its debt obligations and other senior securities are outstanding unless certain “asset coverage” tests are met.  Moreover, the Fund’s ability to dispose of assets to meet its distribution requirements may be limited by (1) the illiquid nature of its portfolio and/or (2) other requirements relating to its status as a RIC, including the Diversification Tests.  If the Fund disposes of assets in order to meet the Annual Distribution Requirement or the Excise Tax Avoidance Requirement, the Fund may make such dispositions at times that, from an investment standpoint, are not advantageous.

 

Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries, thereby reducing the income available for distribution to shareholders. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. The Fund generally intends to conduct its investment activities to minimize the impact of foreign taxation, but there is no guarantee that the Fund will be successful in this regard.

 

Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues interest income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, on disposition of some investments, including debt securities and certain forward contracts denominated in a foreign currency, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Code as “section 988” gains and losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income. For example, fluctuations in exchange rates may increase the amount of income that the Fund must distribute in order to qualify for treatment as a RIC and to prevent application of an excise tax on undistributed income. Alternatively, fluctuations in exchange rates may decrease or eliminate income available for distribution. If section 988 losses exceed other investment company taxable income during a taxable year, the Fund would not be able to make ordinary dividend distributions, or distributions made before the losses were realized would be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes, rather than as an ordinary dividend, reducing each shareholder’s basis in its shares of the Fund.

 

Failure to Qualify as a Regulated Investment Company

 

If the Fund were unable to qualify for treatment as a RIC, the Fund would be subject to tax on all of its taxable income at regular corporate rates, regardless of whether the Fund makes any distributions to its shareholders.  The Annual Distribution Requirement would not be applicable, and distributions would be taxable to the Fund’s shareholders as ordinary dividend income that, subject to certain limitations, may be eligible for preferential rates applicable to “qualified dividend income” to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.  Subject to certain limitations under the Code, corporate distributees would be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.  Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits would be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis, and any remaining distributions would be treated as a capital gain.

 

The remainder of this discussion assumes that the Fund qualifies as a RIC and has satisfied the Annual Distribution Requirement.

 

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

 

Distributions by the Fund generally are taxable to U.S. shareholders as ordinary income or capital gains.  Distributions of the Fund’s “investment company taxable income” (which is, generally, the Fund’s net ordinary income plus realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized net long-term capital losses) will be taxable as ordinary income to U.S. shareholders to the extent of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Common Shares.  Distributions paid by the Fund to U.S. shareholders taxed at individual rates that are attributable to dividends from U.S. corporations and certain qualified foreign corporations may be eligible to be treated as “qualified dividend income,” which is currently subject to a maximum tax rate of either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts.  In this regard, it is anticipated that distributions paid by the Fund will generally not be attributable to dividends and, therefore, generally will not qualify for the preferential maximum rate applicable to qualified dividend income.  Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains (which are generally the Fund’s realized net long-

 

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term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses) properly designated by us as “capital gain dividends” will be taxable to a U.S. shareholder as long-term capital gains that are currently generally taxable at a maximum rate of 15% or 20% (depending on whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts) in the case of U.S. shareholders taxed at individual rates, regardless of the U.S. shareholder’s holding period for his, her or its Common Shares and regardless of whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Common Shares.  Distributions in excess of the Fund’s earnings and profits first will reduce a U.S. shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in such shareholder’s Common Shares and, after the adjusted basis is reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to such U.S. shareholder.

 

It is expected that a very substantial portion of the Fund’s income will consist of ordinary income.  For example, interest and OID derived by the Fund will constitute ordinary income.  In addition, gain derived by the Fund from the disposition of debt securities with “market discount” (generally, securities purchased by the Fund at a discount to their stated redemption price) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the market discount that has accrued, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, at the time of such disposition unless the Fund makes an election to accrue market discount on a current basis.  In addition, certain of the Fund’s investments will be subject to special U.S. federal income tax provisions that may affect the character, increase the amount and/or accelerate the timing of distributions to Common Shareholders.

 

The Fund may retain some or all of its realized net long-term capital gains in excess of realized net short-term capital losses, but designate the retained net capital gain as a “deemed distribution.” In that case, among other consequences, the Fund will pay tax on the retained amount, each U.S. shareholder will be required to include his, her or its share of the deemed distribution in income as if it had been actually distributed to the U.S. shareholder, and the U.S. shareholder will be entitled to claim a credit equal to his, her or its allocable share of the tax paid thereon by us.  To the extent the Fund pays tax on any retained capital gains at its regular corporate tax rate when that rate is in excess of the maximum rate payable by individuals on long-term capital gains, the amount of tax that individual U.S. shareholders will be treated as having paid will exceed the tax they owe on the capital gain distribution and such excess generally may be refunded or claimed as a credit against the U.S. shareholder’s other U.S. federal income tax obligations.  The amount of the deemed distribution net of such tax will be added to the U.S. shareholder’s cost basis for his, her or its Common Shares.  In order to utilize the deemed distribution approach, the Fund must provide written notice to its shareholders prior to the expiration of 60 days after the close of the relevant taxable year.  The Fund cannot treat any of its investment company taxable income as a “deemed distribution.”

 

For purposes of determining (1) whether the Annual Distribution Requirement is satisfied for any year and (2) the amount of capital gain dividends paid for that year, the Fund may, under certain circumstances, elect to treat a dividend that is paid during the following taxable year as if it had been paid during the taxable year in question.  If the Fund makes such an election, the U.S. shareholder will still be treated as receiving the dividend in the taxable year in which the distribution is made.  However, any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year, payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month and actually paid during January of the following year, will be treated as if it had been received by the Fund’s U.S. shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

If an investor purchases Common Shares shortly before the record date of a distribution, the price of the Common Shares will include the value of the distribution and the investor will be subject to tax on the distribution even though economically it may represent a return of his, her or its investment.

 

A U.S. shareholder generally will recognize taxable gain or loss if the U.S. shareholder sells or otherwise disposes of his, her or its Common Shares.  The amount of gain or loss will be measured by the difference between such U.S. shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the Common Shares sold and the amount of the proceeds received in exchange.  Any gain arising from such sale or disposition generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the U.S. shareholder has held his, her or its Common Shares for more than one year.  Otherwise, it will be classified as short-term capital gain or loss.  However, any capital loss arising from the sale or disposition of Common Shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received, or undistributed capital gain deemed received, with respect to such Common Shares.  In addition, all or a portion of any loss recognized upon a disposition of Common Shares may be disallowed if other Common Shares are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition.

 

In general, U.S. shareholders taxed at individual rates currently are subject to a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of either 15% or 20% (depending on whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts)

 

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on their net capital gain ( i.e. , the excess of realized net long-term capital gains over realized net short-term capital losses), including any long-term capital gain derived from an investment in the Common Shares.  Such rate is lower than the maximum rate on ordinary income currently payable by such U.S. shareholders.

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012, an additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceed certain threshold amounts.

 

Corporate U.S. shareholders currently are subject to U.S. federal income tax on net capital gain at the maximum 35% rate also applied to ordinary income.  Non-corporate U.S. shareholders with net capital losses for a year (i.e., capital losses in excess of capital gains) generally may deduct up to $3,000 of such losses against their ordinary income each year.  Any net capital losses of a non-corporate U.S. shareholder in excess of $3,000 generally may be carried forward and used in subsequent years as provided in the Code.  Corporate U.S. shareholders generally may not deduct any net capital losses for a year, but may carry back such losses for three years or carry forward such losses for five years.

 

The Fund will send to each of its U.S. shareholders, as promptly as possible after the end of each calendar year, a notice detailing, on a per share and per distribution basis, the amounts includible in such U.S. shareholder’s taxable income for such year as ordinary income and as long-term capital gain.  In addition, the federal tax status of each year’s distributions generally will be reported to the IRS (including the amount of dividends, if any, eligible for the preferential maximum tax rate on qualified dividend income).  Dividends paid by the Fund generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction or the preferential tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income because its income generally will not consist of dividends.  Distributions may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on a U.S. shareholder’s particular situation.

 

Distributions will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or invested in additional Common Shares pursuant to the dividend reinvestment plan.  If the Common Shares are trading below net asset value, Common Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Common Shares will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of cash that they would have received if they had elected to receive the distribution in cash.  If the Fund issues additional Common Shares with a fair market value equal to or greater than net asset value, however, Common Shareholders will be treated as receiving a distribution in the amount of the fair market value of the distributed Common Shares.

 

The IRS currently requires that a RIC that has two or more classes of stock allocate to each class proportionate amounts of each type of its income (such as ordinary income, capital gains and dividends qualifying for the dividends-received deduction) based upon the percentage of total dividends paid to each class for the tax year.  Accordingly, if the Fund issues preferred shares, the Fund will allocate capital gain dividends and dividends qualifying for the dividends-received deduction, if any, between its Common Shares and shares of preferred stock in proportion to the total dividends paid to each class with respect to such tax year.

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

 

The Fund may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax (“backup withholding”) currently at a rate of 28% from all distributions to any U.S. shareholder (other than a C corporation, a financial institution, or a shareholder that otherwise qualifies for an exemption):

 

·                                           who fails to furnish us with a correct taxpayer identification number or a certificate that such shareholder is exempt from backup withholding; or

 

·                                           with respect to whom the IRS notifies us that such shareholder has failed to properly report certain interest and dividend income to the IRS and to respond to notices to that effect.

 

An individual’s taxpayer identification number is his or her social security number.  Any amount withheld under backup withholding is allowed as a credit against the U.S. shareholder’s federal income tax liability, provided that proper information is provided to the IRS.  The Fund may be require to withhold a portion of any capital gain distributions to any U.S. shareholders who fail to certify their non-foreign status.

 

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Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders

 

Whether an investment in Common Shares is appropriate for a non-U.S. shareholder will depend upon that person’s particular circumstances.  An investment in Common Shares by a non-U.S. shareholder may have adverse tax consequences.  Non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisers before investing in Common Shares.

 

Distributions of the Fund’s “investment company taxable income” to non-U.S. shareholders (including interest income and realized net short-term capital gains in excess of realized long-term capital losses, which generally would be free of withholding if paid to non-U.S. shareholders directly) will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at a 30% rate (or lower rate provided by an applicable treaty) to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits unless an applicable exception applies.  If the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. shareholder, the Fund will not be required to withhold federal tax if the non-U.S. shareholder complies with applicable certification and disclosure requirements, although the distributions will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. persons.  Special certification requirements apply to a non-U.S. shareholder that is a foreign partnership or a foreign trust, and such entities are urged to consult their own tax advisers.

 

However, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2014, no withholding will be required with respect to certain distributions if (1) the distributions are properly designated in a timely delivered notice as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” (2) the distributions are derived from sources specified in the Code for such dividends and (3) certain other requirements are satisfied.  In general, “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends” are distributions of U.S.-source interest income or short-term capital gain that would not have been subject to U.S. federal withholding tax if derived directly by a non-U.S. shareholder.  The Fund anticipates that a significant portion of its distributions will be treated as “interest-related dividends.” It is unclear whether any future legislation will be enacted that would extend this exemption from withholding for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2014.  Actual or deemed distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains to a non-U.S. shareholder, and gains realized by a non-U.S. shareholder upon the sale of Common Shares, will not be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax and generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax unless the distributions or gains, as the case may be, are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the non-U.S. shareholder.

 

The tax consequences to non-U.S. shareholders entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty or that are individuals present in the United States for 183 days or more during a taxable year may be different from those described herein.  Non-U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers with respect to the procedure for claiming the benefit of a lower treaty rate and the applicability of foreign taxes.

 

If the Fund distributes its net capital gains in the form of deemed rather than actual distributions, a non-U.S. shareholder will be entitled to a U.S. federal income tax credit or tax refund equal to the shareholder’s allocable share of the tax the Fund pays on the capital gains deemed to have been distributed.  In order to obtain the refund, the non-U.S. shareholder must obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number and file a U.S. federal income tax return even if the non-U.S. shareholder would not otherwise be required to obtain a U.S. taxpayer identification number or file a U.S. federal income tax return.  For a corporate non-U.S. shareholder, distributions (both actual and deemed), and gains realized upon the sale of Common Shares that are effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business may, under certain circumstances, be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” at a 30% rate (or at a lower rate if provided for by an applicable treaty).  Accordingly, investment in Common Shares may not be appropriate for a non-U.S. shareholder.

 

A non-U.S. shareholder who is a non-resident alien individual, and who is otherwise subject to withholding of federal tax, may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding of U.S. federal income tax on dividends unless the non-U.S. shareholder provides the Fund or the dividend paying agent with an IRS Form W-8BEN (or an acceptable substitute form) or otherwise meets documentary evidence requirements for establishing that it is a non-U.S. shareholder or otherwise establishes an exemption from backup withholding.

 

Effective January 1, 2014, the Fund will be required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of dividends and (effective January 1, 2017) redemption proceeds made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts.  Common Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

 

46


 

An investment in the shares of the Fund by an individual non-U.S. shareholder may also be subject to U.S. federal estate tax.

 

Non-U.S. persons should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the U.S. federal income tax and withholding tax, and state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in Common Shares .

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROXY VOTING RECORD

 

The Board has delegated the day-to-day responsibility to the Adviser to vote the Fund’s proxies.  The Adviser will vote proxies according to the proxy voting policies and procedures currently in effect as of the date of this SAI, a copy of which appear below.  These guidelines are reviewed periodically by the Adviser as well as the Board, and, accordingly, are subject to change.

 

Proxy Policies

 

The Adviser will have the responsibility of voting proxies and corporate actions that it receives on behalf of the Fund. Proxy proposals received by the Adviser and designated in its Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Proxy Policy”) as “For” or “Against” will be voted by the Adviser in accordance with the Proxy Policy. Proxy proposals received by the Adviser and designated in the Proxy Policy as “Case by Case” (or not addressed in the Proxy Policy) and all corporate actions will be reviewed by the Adviser and voted in the best interest of the Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Adviser may vote a proxy contrary to the Proxy Policy if the Adviser, with the assistance of the analyst who is in charge of the issuer, determines that such action is in the best interest of the Fund. In the event that the Adviser votes contrary to the Proxy Policy or with respect to “Case by Case” issues, the Adviser, with the assistance of the analyst who is in charge of the issuer, will document the basis for the Adviser’s decision.

 

In addition, the Adviser may choose not to vote proxies or corporate actions in certain situations, such as: (i) where the Fund has informed the Adviser that it wishes to retain the right to vote the proxy or corporate action; (ii) where the Adviser deems the cost of voting would exceed any anticipated benefit to the Fund; or (iii) where a proxy or corporate action is received by the Adviser for a security it no longer manages on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser with the assistance of the analyst who is in charge of the issuer will document for the basis of the Adviser’s decision not to vote.

 

The Adviser may occasionally be subject to conflicts of interest in the voting of proxies due to business or personal relationships it maintains with persons having an interest in the outcome of certain votes. The Adviser, its affiliates and/or its employees may also occasionally have business or personal relationships with the proponents of proxy proposals, participants in proxy contests, corporate directors and officers or candidates for directorships. If at any time, the Adviser becomes aware of an existing or potential conflict of interest relating to a particular proxy proposal, the Adviser’s Conflicts Committee (“Conflicts Committee”), or its designee, must be notified. Provided the Conflicts Committee has determined that a conflict or potential for a conflict exists, the proxy must be voted in alignment with the recommendation set forth by Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. Appropriate documentation will be maintained by the Conflicts Committee.

 

Proxy Voting Records

 

Information on how the Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period will be available without charge by calling toll-free (855) 859-3943 or on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

An independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund performs an annual audit of the Fund’s financial statements. The Fund’s Board has engaged Deloitte & Touche LLP, located at 555 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94105 to serve as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

 

LEGAL COUNSEL

 

Dechert LLP is counsel to the Fund.  Dechert LLP is located at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10036.

 

47


 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

A registration statement on Form N-2, including amendments thereto, relating to the Common Shares offered hereby, has been filed by the Fund with the SEC.  The Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement, including any exhibits and schedules thereto.  For further information with respect to the Fund and the Common Shares offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement.  A copy of the registration statement may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s internet site (http://www.sec.gov).  Information on the operation of the SEC’s Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.  You can also request copies of these materials, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the SEC’s e-mail address (publicinfo@sec.gov) or by writing the Public Reference Section of the SEC, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

 

48


 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Trustees and Shareholder of

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”) as of June 19, 2013, and the related statement of operations for the period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013.  These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of KKR Income Opportunities Fund as of June 19, 2013 and the results of its operations for the period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

 

San Francisco, California

June 21, 2013

 

 

F-1


 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

June 19, 2013

 

Assets

 

 

 

Cash

 

$

100,000

 

Deferred offering costs

 

500,000

 

Due from Adviser

 

50,693

 

Total assets

 

 

650,693

 

 

 

 

 

Liabilities

 

 

 

Offering costs payable

 

 

500,000

 

Organizational costs payable

 

50,693

 

Total liabilities

 

 

550,693

 

 

 

 

 

Net assets

 

$

100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Net assets are comprised of:

 

 

 

Paid-in capital

 

$

100,000

 

Net assets

 

$

100,000

 

 

 

 

 

Net assets

 

$

100,000

 

Shares outstanding

 

5,000

 

Net asset value per share

 

$

20.00

 

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

F-2


 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

For the Period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013

 

Expenses

 

 

 

Organizational costs

 

$

50,693

 

Total expenses

 

50,693

 

Less: Expenses reimbursed by Adviser

 

(50,693

)

Net expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net investment income

 

$

 

 

See notes to financial statements.

 

F-3


 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

As of June 19, 2013 and

For the Period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013

 

1. Organization

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”), was formed on April 1, 2011 as a statutory trust under the laws of the state of Delaware.  The Fund is a closed-end registered management investment company.  The Fund seeks to generate current income and capital appreciation.  The Fund is non-diversified for purposes of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

 

KKR Asset Management LLC serves as the Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”).  The Fund has had no operations to date other than matters relating to its organization and offering as a closed-end management investment company under the 1940 Act. To date, the only capital contribution to the Fund resulted in the issuance of 5,000 shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of the Fund at an aggregate purchase price of $100,000 on June 11, 2013. An affiliate of the Adviser owns 100% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund.

 

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation — The accompanying financial statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and are stated in United States (“U.S.”) dollars. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in these financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. A statement of changes in net assets and financial highlights have not been presented because the Fund has not commenced operations.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents —Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, cash held in banks and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three or fewer months.  There were no cash equivalents as of June 19, 2013.

 

Valuation of Investments — The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Fund has adopted the valuation policies and procedures to ensure investments are valued in a manner consistent with GAAP as required by the 1940 Act. The Board has delegated primary responsibility in ensuring these valuation policies and procedures are followed, including those relating to fair valuation, to the Adviser.

 

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Where available, fair value is based on observable market prices or parameters, or derived from such prices or parameters. Where observable prices or inputs are not available, valuation models are applied. These valuation techniques involve some level of management estimation and judgment, the degree of which is dependent on the price transparency for the instruments or market and the instruments’ complexity for disclosure purposes. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their value. Hierarchical levels, as defined under GAAP, are directly related to the amount of subjectivity associated with the inputs to fair valuations of these assets and liabilities, are as follows:

 

Level 1 — Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.

 

Level 2 — Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability.

 

F-4


 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

As of June 19, 2013 and

For the Period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013

 

Level 3 — Inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability.

 

A significant decrease in the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability is an indication that transactions or quoted prices may not be representative of fair value because in such market conditions there may be increased instances of transactions that are not orderly. In those circumstances, further analysis of transactions or quoted prices is needed, and a significant adjustment to the transactions or quoted prices may be necessary to estimate fair value.

 

The availability of observable inputs can vary depending on the financial asset or liability and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of product, whether the product is new, whether the product is traded on an active exchange or in the secondary market, and the current market condition. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Fund in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Fund’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and consideration of factors specific to the asset. The variability of the observable inputs affected by the factors described above may cause transfers between levels 1, 2, and/or 3, which the Fund recognizes at the beginning of the period the inputs change.

 

Many financial assets and liabilities have bid and ask prices that can be observed in the marketplace. Bid prices reflect the highest price that the Fund and others are willing to pay for an asset. Ask prices represent the lowest price that the Fund and others are willing to accept for an asset. For financial assets and liabilities whose inputs are based on bid-ask prices, the Fund does not require that fair value always be a predetermined point in the bid-ask range. The Fund’s policy is to allow for mid-market pricing and adjusting to the point within the bid-ask range that meets the Fund’s best estimate of fair value.

 

Depending on the relative liquidity in the markets for certain assets, the Fund may transfer assets to Level 3 if it determines that observable quoted prices, obtained directly or indirectly, are not available. Assets and liabilities that are valued using Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy are initially valued at transaction price and are subsequently valued using market data for similar instruments (e.g., recent transactions or broker quotes), comparisons to benchmark derivative indices and valuation models. Valuation models are based on discounted cash flow techniques, for which the key inputs are the amount and timing of expected future cash flows, market yields for such instruments and recovery assumptions. Inputs are determined based on relative value analyses, which incorporate similar instruments from similar issuers.

 

Investment transactions — Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date, the date the order to buy or sell is executed.  Amortization and accretion is calculated using the effective interest method over the holding period of the investment. Realized gains and losses are calculated on the specific identified cost basis.

 

F-5


 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

As of June 19, 2013 and

For the Period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013

 

Organization and Offering Costs — Organization costs of the Fund are being paid by the Adviser under the investment advisory agreement as discussed in Note 3, while offering costs consisting of the initial prospectus and registration of the Fund will be paid by the Fund and charged to Paid-in capital upon the sale of the Shares.

 

Income Taxes — The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and in conformity with the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010. The Fund will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent the Fund satisfies the requirements under Section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code, including distributing substantially all of its gross investment company taxable income and capital gains to its shareholders based on the Fund’s fiscal year end of October 31.

 

In order to avoid imposition of the excise tax on undistributed income applicable to regulated investment companies, the Fund intends to declare each year as dividends in each calendar year at least 98.0% of its net investment income (earned during the calendar year) and 98.2% of its net realized capital gains (earned during the twelve months ended October 31) plus undistributed amounts, if any, from prior years.

 

The Fund evaluates tax positions taken or expected to be taken in the course of preparing the Fund’s tax returns to determine whether it is “more-likely-than-not” (i.e., greater than 50-percent) that each tax position will be sustained upon examination by a taxing authority based on the technical merits of the position. Tax positions not deemed to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold are recorded as a tax benefit or expense in the current year. The Fund did not record any tax provision in the current period. However, management’s conclusions regarding tax positions taken may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based on factors including, but not limited to, examination by tax authorities on-going analysis of and changes to tax laws, regulations and interpretations thereof.

 

Indemnifications — Under the Fund’s organizational documents, its officers and Trustees are indemnified against certain liabilities arising out of the performance of their duties to the Fund. In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that contain a variety of representations and that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum liability exposure under these arrangements is unknown, as future claims that have not yet occurred may be made against the Fund. However, based on experience, management expects the risk of loss to be remote.

 

3. Agreements

 

Investment Advisory Agreement — The Adviser provides day-to-day portfolio management services to the Fund and has discretion to purchase and sell investments in accordance with the Fund’s objectives, policies, and restrictions. For the services it provides the Fund, the Adviser receives a monthly fee at the annual rate of 1.10% of the average daily value of the Fund’s Managed Assets (the “Management Fee”). “Managed Assets” is defined as the total assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to borrowings for investment purposes) minus the sum of the Fund’s accrued liabilities (other than liabilities representing borrowings for investment purposes).

 

F-6


 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

 

As of June 19, 2013 and

For the Period from April 1, 2011 (date of formation) to June 19, 2013

 

During periods when the Fund is using leverage, the Management Fee paid to the Adviser will be higher than if the Fund did not use leverage because the Management Fee paid is calculated on the basis of the Fund’s Managed Assets, which includes the assets purchased through leverage.

 

As of June 19, 2013 the Adviser has agreed to reimburse the Fund’s organizational expenses of $50,693.

 

Administrator — U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “Administrator”), will serve as administrator to the Fund.  Under the Administration Agreement, the Administrator maintains the Fund’s general ledger and is responsible for calculating the net asset value of the Common Shares, and generally managing the administrative affairs of the Fund.

 

Custodian, Dividend Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and Registrar — U.S. Bank, N.A. will serve as custodian for the Fund. U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC will serve together as the Fund’s dividend paying agent, transfer agent and registrar.

 

Investor Support Services — The Fund has retained Four Wood Capital Partners LLC (“FWCP”) to provide investor support services in connection with the on-going operation of the Fund. Such services include providing ongoing contact with respect to the Fund and its performance with financial advisors that are representatives of broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries, communicating with the NYSE specialist for the Fund’s common shares, and with the closed-end fund analyst community regarding the Fund on a regular basis, and developing and maintaining a website for the Fund. FWCP may separately contract with and coordinate the activities of a third party to provide certain of the above-described services and has contracted with Advisors Asset Management, Inc. (“AAM”) to provide such services. The Fund will pay FWCP an estimated monthly fee at the annual rate of 0.10% of the average daily value of the Fund’s Managed Assets for such services.

 

Other — Certain officers of the Fund are also officers of the Adviser. Such officers are paid no fees by the Fund for serving as officers of the Fund.

 

F-7

 


 

APPENDIX A—DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

 

Moody’s Investors Service Inc .—A brief description of the applicable Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by Moody’s) follows:

 

1.        Long-Term Obligation Ratings

 

Moody’s long-term obligation ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of financial obligations with an original maturity of one year or more.  They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised.  Such ratings use Moody’s Global Scale and reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.

 

Moody’s Long-Term Rating Definitions:

 

Aaa:

 

Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

 

 

 

Aa:

 

Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

 

 

 

A:

 

Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

 

 

 

Baa:

 

Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

 

 

 

Ba:

 

Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

 

 

 

B:

 

Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk

 

 

 

Caa:

 

Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

 

 

 

Ca:

 

Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

 

 

 

C:

 

Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

 

 

 

Note:

 

Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

Short-Term Debt Ratings

 

There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade.  These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels—MIG 1 through MIG 3.  In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade.  MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.

 

MIG 1.

 

This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

 

 

 

MIG 2.

 

This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

 

 

 

MIG 3.

 

This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

 

 

 

SG.

 

This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

 

A-1


 

Demand Obligation Ratings

 

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned; a long- or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating.  The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments.  The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating.

 

When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g. , Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1.

 

VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.

 

VMIG 1.

 

This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

 

 

 

VMIG 2.

 

This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

 

 

 

VMIG 3.

 

This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

 

 

 

SG.

 

This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

 

2.        Short-Term Ratings

 

Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations.  Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments.  Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

 

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

 

P-1

 

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

 

 

P-2

 

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

 

 

P-3

 

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

 

 

 

NP

 

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

 

 

 

NOTE:

 

Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.

 

Standard & Poor’s

 

A brief description of the applicable Standard & Poor’s (S&P) rating symbols and their meanings (as published by S&P) follows:

 

A-2


 

Issue Credit Rating Definitions

 

A Standard & Poor’s issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs).  It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated.  The opinion reflects Standard & Poor’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

 

Issue credit ratings can be either long term or short-term.  Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market.  In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days, including commercial paper.  Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations.  The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating.  Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

 

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations:

 

·                                           Likelihood of payment-capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

 

·                                           Nature of and provisions of the obligation;

 

·                                           Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

 

Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default.  Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above.  (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

 

AAA:

 

An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

 

 

 

AA:

 

An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

 

 

 

A:

 

An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

 

 

 

BBB:

 

An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

 

 

BB, B, CCC, CC. and C:

 

Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

 

 

 

BB:

 

An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the

 

A-3


 

 

 

obligation.

 

 

 

B:

 

An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

 

 

CCC:

 

An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

 

 

CC:

 

An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

 

 

 

C:

 

A ‘C’ rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the ‘C’ rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument’s terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

 

 

 

D:

 

An obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation’s rating is lowered to ‘D’ upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

 

 

 

Plus (+) or minus (-):

 

The ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

 

 

N.R.:

 

This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

 

Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

A-1:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

 

 

A-2:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

 

 

A-3:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

 

 

B:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of ‘B-1’, ‘B-2’, and ‘B-3’ may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the ‘B’ category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces

 

A-4


 

 

 

major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

 

 

B-1:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘B-1’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

 

 

B-2:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘B-2’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

 

 

B-3:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘B-3’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meets its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

 

 

C:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

 

 

D:

 

A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

 

A-5

 


 

PART C - OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 25.               FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

(1)                              Financial Statements:

 

The Registrant’s financial statements dated June 19, 2013, notes to the financial statements and report of independent public accountants thereon are incorporated by reference into Part B: Statement of Additional Information.

 

(2)                                  Exhibits:

 

(a)(1)                               Certificate of Trust.*

(a)(2)                               Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust. **

(a)(3)                               Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust. ***

(a)(4)                               Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust.****

(b)                                              By-Laws.****

(c)                                               Not Applicable.

(d)                                              Not Applicable.

(e)                                               Dividend Reinvestment Plan.****

(f)                                                Not Applicable.

(g)                                               Form of Investment Advisory Agreement.****

(h)(1)                               Form of Underwriting Agreement.±

(h)(2)                               Form of Master Agreement Among Underwriters.±

(h)(3)                               Form of Master Selected Dealer Agreement. ±

(h)(4)                               Form of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Syndication Fee Agreement.±

(h)(5)                               Form of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Structuring Fee Agreement.±

(h)(6)                               Form of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Structuring Fee Agreement.±

(h)(7)                               Form of UBS Securities LLC Structuring Fee Agreement.±

(h)(8)                               Form of  Barclays Capital Inc. Structuring Fee Agreement.±

(h)(9)                               Form of Sales Incentive Fee Agreement

(i)                                                  Not Applicable.

(j)                                                 Form of Custodian Agreement.****

(k)(1)                               Form of Transfer Agency Agreement.****

(k)(2)                               Form of Administration Agreement.****

(k)(3)                               Form of Investor Support Services Agreement.****

(k)(4)                               Form of Marketing Agent Agreement.****

(k)(5)                               Form of Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement. ±

(l)                                                  Opinion and Consent of Counsel.±

(m)                                          Not Applicable.

(n)                                              Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.±

(o)                                              Not Applicable.

(p)                                              Subscription Agreement.±

(q)                                              Not Applicable.

(r)(1)                                  Code of Ethics of the Fund.****

(r)(2)                                  Code of Ethics of the Investment Adviser.****

 


*                                          Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File Nos. 811- 22543 and 333-173274) filed on April 1, 2011.

**                                   Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File Nos. 811- 22543 and 333-173274) filed on February 15, 2013.

***                            Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File Nos. 811- 22543 and 333-173274) filed on June 5, 2013.

****                     Incorporated by reference to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (File Nos. 811- 22543 and 333-173274) filed on June 21, 2013.

±                                          Filed herewith.

 

ITEM 26.               MARKETING ARRANGEMENTS

 

Reference is made to the Form of Underwriting Agreement for the Registrant’s shares of beneficial interest filed with this amendment to this registration statement.

 



 

ITEM 27.               OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION

 

The following table sets forth the estimated expenses to be incurred in connection with the offering described in this registration statement:

 

Registration fees

 

$

*

 

Exchange listing fees

 

$

*

 

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority fees

 

$

*

 

Promotion

 

$

*

 

Printing expenses

 

$

*

 

Accounting fees and expenses

 

$

*

 

Legal fees and expenses

 

$

*

 

Underwriter Expense Reimbursement

 

$

*

 

Miscellaneous

 

$

*

 

Total

 

$

*

 

 


* To be filed by amendment.

 

ITEM 28.               PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL

 

No person is directly or indirectly under common control with the Registrant, except that the Registrant may be deemed to be controlled by KKR Fund Holdings L.P., an affiliate of the investment adviser to the Registrant, because immediately prior to this offering, KKR Fund Holdings L.P. will own 100% of the Registrant’s outstanding common shares. Following the completion of this offering, KKR Fund Holdings L.P.’s share ownership is expected to represent less than 1% of the Registrant’s outstanding common shares. KKR Fund Holdings L.P. is a Cayman limited partnership.

 

ITEM 29                NUMBER OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

Title of Class

 

Number of Record Holders

 

 

 

 

 

Common shares, par value $0.001 per share

 

1

 

 

ITEM 30.               INDEMNIFICATION

 

Reference is made to Article V of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, previously filed as Exhibit (a)(4) to the Registration Statement, which is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

ITEM 31.               BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER

 

A description of the business of the Adviser is set out under the heading “Management of the Fund” in the prospectus which forms a part of this registration statement. A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which each managing director, executive officer or partner of the Adviser, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, is set out below:

 

Name

 

Business and Other Connections

Michael McFerran

 

Chief Financial Officer, KKR Asset Management LLC; Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, KKR Financial Holdings LLC

Annette O’Donnell-Butner

 

Chief Compliance Officer, KKR Asset Management LLC

Nicole Macarchuk

 

General Counsel, KKR Asset Management LLC; General Counsel and Secretary, KKR Financial Holdings LLC

 

ITEM 32.               LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

 

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and the rules thereunder are maintained at the offices of:

 

(1)                                  the Registrant, KKR Income Opportunities Fund, 555 California Street, 50 th  Floor, San Francisco, California 94104;

 

(2)                                  the Transfer Agent, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202;

 

(3)                                  the Custodian, U.S. Bank, N.A., 1555 N. Rivercenter Dr., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212; and

 



 

(4)                                  the Adviser, KKR Asset Management LLC, 555 California Street, 50 th  Floor, San Francisco, California 94104.

 

ITEM 33.               MANAGEMENT SERVICES

 

Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 34.               UNDERTAKINGS

 

(1)            The Registrant undertakes to suspend offering of Common Shares until the prospectus is amended if (1) subsequent to the effective date of this Registration Statement, the net asset value declines more than 10 percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of this Registration Statement or (2) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.

 

(2)            Not applicable.

 

(3)            Not applicable.

 

(4)            Not applicable.

 

(5)            The Registrant undertakes that:

 

(a)  for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the time it was declared effective; and

 

(b) for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post- effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

(6)            The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of an oral or written request, its Statement of Additional Information.

 



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Francisco in the State of California on the 23st day of July, 2013.

 

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Suzanne Donohoe

 

Name:

Suzanne Donohoe

 

Title:

President

 

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following person in the capacities and on the dates indicated:

 

Signature

 

Title

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Suzanne Donohoe

 

 

 

 

Suzanne Donohoe

 

President and Trustee

 

July 23, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael E. Cahill

 

 

 

 

Michael E. Cahill*

 

Trustee

 

July 23, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Tobin V. Levy

 

 

 

 

Tobin V. Levy*

 

Trustee

 

July 23, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jeffrey L. Zlot

 

 

 

 

Jeffrey L. Zlot*

 

Trustee

 

July 23, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael R. McFerran

 

 

 

 

Michael R. McFerran

 

Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

 

July 23, 2013

 

*By:

/s/ Nicole J. Macarchuk

 

 

Nicole J. Macarchuk

 

 

as attorney-in-fact

 

 

 

 

*

Pursuant to power of attorney filed with Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (File Nos. 811-22543 and 333-173274) on June 5, 2013.

 



 

SCHEDULE OF EXHIBITS TO FORM N-2

 

Exhibit No.

 

Exhibit

 

 

 

(h)(1)

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(2)

 

Form of Master Agreement Among Underwriters

 

 

 

(h)(3)

 

Form of Master Selected Dealer Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(4)

 

Form of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Syndication Fee Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(5)

 

Form of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Structuring Fee Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(6)

 

Form of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Structuring Fee Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(7)

 

Form of UBS Securities LLC Structuring Fee Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(8)

 

Form of Barclays Capital Inc. Structuring Fee Agreement

 

 

 

(h)(9)

 

Form of Sales Incentive Fee Agreement

 

 

 

(k)(5)

 

Form of Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement

 

 

 

(l)

 

Opinion and Consent of Counsel

 

 

 

(n)

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

 

 

(p)

 

Subscription Agreement

 


Exhibit (h)(1)

 

                     Shares

 

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

 

COMMON SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST, PAR VALUE $0.001

PER SHARE

 

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

 

July [ · ], 2013

 



 

July [ · ], 2013

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

[Other Co-Managers]

 

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

      1585 Broadway

      New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund, a statutory trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “ Fund ”), is a recently organized, non-diversified closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Investment Company Act ”).  The Fund proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “ Underwriters ”) [NUMBER OF FIRM SHARES] shares of its common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Firm Shares ”).  The Fund also proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an additional [NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL SHARES] shares of its common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Additional Shares ”) if and to the extent that you, as managers of the offering, shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of the Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares granted to the Underwriters in Section 3 hereof.  The Firm Shares and the Additional Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “ Shares .”  The common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share, of the Fund to be outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter referred to as the “ Common Shares .”

 

KKR Asset Management LLC (the “ Adviser ”) acts as the Fund’s investment adviser pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Fund (the “ Investment Advisory Agreement ”).

 

The Fund has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a notification on Form N-8A (the “ Notification ”) of registration of the Fund as an investment company and a registration statement on Form N-2, including a prospectus and a statement of additional information incorporated in the prospectus, relating to the Shares.  The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A

 

1



 

under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), is hereinafter referred to as the “ Registration Statement ”; the prospectus first used to confirm sales of Shares, including the statement of additional information incorporated therein, in the form filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 497, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Prospectus ”; any prospectus delivered to any person by the Fund, the Adviser or at the direction of the Fund or the Adviser by any agent or affiliate thereof before such Registration Statement became effective, and any prospectus that omitted the information included in any such Prospectus that was omitted from such Registration Statement at the time it became effective pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A that was delivered after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, including the statement of additional information contained therein, is herein after referred to as a “ preliminary prospectus. ”  If the Fund has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional Common Shares pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “ Rule 462 Registration Statement ”), then any reference herein to the term “ Registration Statement ” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  The Investment Company Act and the Securities Act are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “ Acts ,” the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Advisers Act ” and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Acts, the Advisers Act and under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”), are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “ Rules and Regulations .”

 

For purposes of this Agreement, “ Omitting Prospectus ” means any advertisement used in the public offering of the Shares pursuant to Rule 482 of the Rules and Regulations (“ Rule 482 ”) and “ Time of Sale Prospectus ” means the preliminary prospectus, dated [ · ], 2013, and each Omitting Prospectus identified on Schedule II hereto as a Retail Omitting Prospectus and the pricing information set forth on Schedule III hereto, all considered together.  As used herein, the terms “Registration Statement,” “preliminary prospectus,” “Time of Sale Prospectus” and “Prospectus” shall include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference therein, including the statement of additional information.

 

1.         Representations and Warranties of the Fund and the Adviser .  The Fund and the Adviser, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to and agree with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)           The Fund meets the requirements for the use of Form N-2 under the Acts.  The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act, nor has there been any order of suspension or revocation of registration of the Fund under the Investment Company Act pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Investment Company Act, and no proceedings for any such purpose are

 

2



 

pending before or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, threatened by the Commission.

 

(b)           (i) The Registration Statement, when it became effective under the Securities Act, did not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Registration Statement and the Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will comply in all material respects with the Acts and the applicable Rules and Regulations thereunder, (iii) the Time of Sale Prospectus does not, and at the time of each sale of the Shares in connection with the offering when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers did not, and at the Closing Date (as defined in Section 5), the Time of Sale Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and (iv) the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus based upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Fund in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished to the Fund shall be the information in the second, tenth, eleventh and fourteenth paragraphs under the heading “Underwriters” (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(c)           The Fund has been duly organized, is validly existing as a statutory trust in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, has the power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing (i) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions herein contemplated or (ii) could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business, operations or properties of the Fund, whether or not arising from

 

3



 

transactions in the ordinary course of business of the Fund (“Fund Material Adverse Effect”).  The Fund has no subsidiaries.

 

(d)           The Fund is registered with the Commission as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act and no order of suspension or revocation of such registration has been issued or proceedings therefor initiated or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, threatened by the Commission.  No person is serving or acting as an officer or trustee of, or investment adviser to, the Fund except in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act.  Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, no trustee of the Fund is an “interested person” of the Fund or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, an “affiliated person” of any Underwriter (each as defined in the Investment Company Act).

 

(e)           Each of this Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Administration Agreement between the Adviser, as administrator, and the Fund (the “ Administration Agreement ”), the Custodian Agreement between U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “ Custodian ”) and the Fund (the “ Custodian Agreement ”) and the Transfer Agency Agreement between U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (the “ Transfer Agent ”) and the Fund (the “ Transfer Agency Agreement ”) (this Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Administration Agreement, the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer Agency Agreement being referred to herein collectively as the “ Fundamental Agreements ”) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund and complies in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the Acts, the Advisers Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations.  The Fund has adopted the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the “ Plan ”).  Each Fundamental Agreement, other than this Agreement, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, and the Plan is a valid and binding agreement of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights of indemnification and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and equitable principles of general applicability and except that neither the Fund nor the Adviser makes any representation or warranty as to the effect on the representations and warranties expressed herein of (i) the compliance or noncompliance of any other party (other than the Fund and the Adviser) to any of the foregoing agreements with any state, federal or other laws or regulations applicable to it or them or (ii) the legal or regulatory status or the nature of the business of such party.

 

4



 

(f)            None of (A) the execution and delivery by the Fund of, and the performance by the Fund of its obligations under, each Fundamental Agreement or the adoption by the Fund of the Plan, or (B) the issue and sale by the Fund of the Shares as contemplated by this Agreement contravenes or will contravene (i) any provision of applicable law, (ii) the Declaration of Trust (as amended, restated or supplemented as of the date hereof, the “ Declaration ”) and by-laws (as amended, restated or supplemented as of the date hereof) of the Fund or (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Fund that is material to the Fund, or any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Fund, whether foreign or domestic, except in the case of (i) or (iii) above, where such contravention does not or would not have a Fund Material Adverse Effect.  No consent, approval, authorization, order or permit of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, self-regulatory organization or court or other tribunal, whether foreign or domestic, is required for the performance by the Fund of its obligations under the Fundamental Agreements or the Plan, except such as have been obtained and as may be required by the Acts, the Advisers Act, the Exchange Act, or the applicable Rules and Regulations, or by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states and foreign jurisdictions in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares or such as to which the failure to obtain would not have a Fund Material Adverse Effect.

 

(g)           The authorized common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, and the Declaration and by-laws of the Fund, the Fundamental Agreements and the Plan conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in each of the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(h)           The Declaration and by-laws of the Fund, the Fundamental Agreements and the Plan comply with all applicable provisions of the Acts, the Advisers Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, and all approvals of such documents required under the Investment Company Act by the Fund’s shareholders and Board of Trustees have been obtained and are in full force and effect.

 

(i)            The Fundamental Agreements (other than this Agreement) and the Plan are in full force and effect and neither the Fund nor, to the Fund’s knowledge, any other party to any such agreement is in default thereunder, and no event has occurred which with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default thereunder, except to the extent that such default would not have a Fund Material Adverse Effect.  The Fund is not currently in default under, any other written agreement or instrument to which it or its property is bound or affected,

 

5



 

except to the extent that such default would not have a Fund Material Adverse Effect.

 

(j)            The Common Shares outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

 

(k)           The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of the Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

 

(l)            The Shares and any Common Shares outstanding prior to the issuance of the Shares have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.  The Fund’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A under the Exchange Act is effective.

 

(m)          Each Omitting Prospectus (i) complies in all material respects with the requirements of Rule 482, (ii) does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make such information, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, not misleading, (iii) complied and will comply in all material respects with the Acts, the Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“ FINRA ”), including legacy NASD rules, and (iv) if required to be filed with FINRA, has been delivered to the Underwriters to be filed with FINRA and FINRA has issued a letter stating such Omitting Prospectus is consistent with applicable standards with respect thereto.  Except for the Omitting Prospectuses identified on Schedule II hereto, the Fund has not prepared, used or referred to and will not, without your prior written consent, prepare, use or refer to any Omitting Prospectus.

 

(n)           The questionnaires relating to the FINRA Corporate Financing Rule provided to the Underwriters or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA’s conduct rules is true, complete and correct in all material respects.

 

(o)           The Fund intends to direct the investment of the proceeds of the offering described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus in such a manner as to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), and the Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.

 

6



 

(p)           There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise) business prospects, properties or operations of the Fund from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, and there have been no transactions entered into by the Fund which are material to the Fund other than those in the ordinary course of its business or as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(q)           There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Fund, threatened to which the Fund is a party or to which any of the properties of the Fund is subject (i) other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not have a Fund Material Adverse Effect or an adverse effect on the power or ability of the Fund to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required by the Acts and the applicable Rules and Regulations.

 

(r)            The Fund has all necessary consents, authorizations, approvals, orders (including exemptive orders), certificates and permits of and from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all governmental authorities, self-regulatory organizations and courts and other tribunals, whether foreign or domestic, to own and use its assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to obtain or file the foregoing would not have a Fund Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s)            The Time of Sale Prospectus (including the statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference) filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Rules and Regulations, complied when so filed in all material respects with the Acts and the applicable Rules and Regulations.

 

(t)            The statement of assets and liabilities included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus presents fairly the financial position of the Fund as of the date indicated and said statement has been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.  To the knowledge of the Fund and the Adviser, Deloitte & Touche LLP, whose report appears in the Time of

 

7



 

Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and who have certified the financial statements and supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Acts and the applicable Rules and Regulations.

 

(u)           There are no material restrictions, limitations or regulations with respect to the ability of the Fund to invest its assets as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, other than as described therein.

 

(v)           All advertisements authorized in writing by the Fund for use in the offering of the Shares complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Acts, the applicable Rules and Regulations and the rules and regulations of FINRA, including legacy NASD rules, and there are no such advertisements other than (i) the Omitting Prospectuses identified in Schedule II hereto and (ii) any advertisement that complies with Rule 135a of the Rules and Regulations.

 

(w)          There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Fund and any person granting such person the right to require the Fund to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Fund or to require the Fund to include such securities with the Shares registered pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

(x)           The expense summary information set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption “Summary of Common Shareholder Fees and Expenses” has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Form N-2 and any fee projections or estimates, if applicable, are reasonably based and attainable.

 

(y)           Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) the Fund has not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (ii) the Fund has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock, nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock (other than, in the event this representation and warranty is made after the Closing Date, ordinary and customary dividends declared and payable after the Closing Date); and (iii) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Fund except in each case as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, respectively.

 

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(z)           The Fund owns or possesses, or can acquire on reasonable terms, all material patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by it in connection with the business now operated by it, and the Fund has not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Fund Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aa)         The Fund maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, since the date of the Fund’s most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, there has been (i) no material weakness in the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting.  The Fund maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 30a-3 under the Investment Company Act).

 

(bb)         Neither the Fund nor, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, any employee nor agent of the Fund has made any payment of funds of the Fund or received or retained any funds, which payment, receipt or retention is of a character required to be disclosed in the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Registration Statement.

 

(cc)         To the Fund’s knowledge, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC is duly enrolled as a participant in the Fast Automated Transfer Program (FAST) of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”).

 

(dd)         The Fund does not own any real property and the Fund does not hold under lease any real property or buildings.

 

(ee)         Neither the Fund nor any of its affiliates, any trustee, officer, or employee, nor, to the Fund’s knowledge, any agent or

 

9



 

representative of the Fund or of any of its affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Fund and its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws including, without limitation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

 

(ff)          The operations of the Fund are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Fund conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Anti-Money Laundering Laws ”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Fund or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Fund or the Adviser, threatened.

 

(gg)         (i) The Fund represents that neither the Fund nor any of its trustees, officers, or employees thereof, nor, to the Fund’s or the Adviser’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Fund is an individual or entity (“ Fund Person ”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Fund Person that is: (A) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “ Sanctions ”), nor (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

(ii) The Fund represents and covenants that it will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute

 

10



 

or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Fund Person: (A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Fund Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or (B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Fund Person (including any Fund Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

(iii) the Fund represents and covenants that, since its inception, it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Fund Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

2.         Representations and Warranties of the Adviser .  The Adviser represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)           The Adviser has been duly organized, is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware, has the power and authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, earnings, business, operations or properties, management or personnel of the Adviser, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business of such Adviser (an “ Adviser Material Adverse Effect ”).  The Adviser has no subsidiaries.

 

(b)           The Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, and is not prohibited by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act from acting under the Investment Advisory Agreement as an investment adviser to the Fund as contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, or from acting under the Administration Agreement, and no order of suspension or revocation of such registration has been issued or proceedings therefor initiated or, to the Adviser’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission.

 

(c)           Each of this Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Structuring Fee Agreement and the Syndication Fee Agreement between the Adviser and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (the “ Morgan Stanley Fee Agreements ”), the Structuring Fee Agreement between the Adviser and [other agreements executed by the Adviser] (this Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Administration

 

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Agreement, the Morgan Stanley Fee Agreements and [other agreements executed by the Adviser] are referred to herein, collectively, as the “ Adviser Agreements ”) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser and complies with all applicable provisions of the Acts, the Advisers Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations.  Other than this Agreement, each of the Adviser Agreements, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the other parties thereto, is a valid and binding agreement of the Adviser, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, fraudulent conveyance and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles of general applicability, provided that the Adviser makes no representation or warranty as to the effect on the representations and warranties expressed therein of (i) the compliance or noncompliance of any other party (other than the Fund and the Adviser) to any of the forgoing agreements with any state, federal or other laws or regulations applicable to it or them or (ii) the legal or regulatory status or the nature of the business of such party.

 

(d)           The execution and delivery by the Adviser of, and the performance by the Adviser of its obligations under the Adviser Agreements will not contravene any provision of (i) applicable law or the operating agreement of the Adviser or (ii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Adviser, or (iii)any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Adviser, whether foreign or domestic, except where such contravention of (ii) or (iii) above would not have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.  No consent, approval, authorization, order or permit of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency, self-regulatory organization or court or other tribunal, whether foreign or domestic, is required for the performance by the Adviser of its obligations under the Adviser Agreements, except such as have been obtained and as may be required by the Acts, the Advisers Act, the Exchange Act or the applicable Rules and Regulations, or by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states and foreign jurisdictions in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares pursuant to this Agreement, or such as to which the failure to obtain would not have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)           There are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened to which the Adviser is a party or to which any of the properties of the Adviser is subject (i) other than proceedings, if required to be disclosed therein, accurately described in all material respects in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and proceedings that would not have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect,

 

12



 

or an adverse effect on the power or ability of the Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus or (ii) that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described; and there are no statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

 

(f)            The Adviser has all necessary consents, authorizations, approvals, orders (including exemptive orders), certificates and permits of and from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all governmental authorities, self-regulatory organizations and courts and other tribunals, whether foreign or domestic, to own and use its assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus, except to the extent that the failure to obtain or file the foregoing would not have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Fund Material Adverse Effect.

 

(g)           The Adviser has the financial resources available to it necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus and by the Adviser Agreements.

 

(h)           The Investment Advisory Agreement is in full force and effect and the Adviser is not in default thereunder, and, no event has occurred which with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both would constitute a default under such document, except to the extent that such default would not have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect.

 

(i)            The description of the Adviser for use in (i) the Registration Statement does not, and on the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and (ii) the Time of Sale Prospectus and Prospectus does not, and on the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(j)            There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, properties or operations of the Adviser from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus, and there have been no transactions entered into by the Adviser which are material to the Adviser other than those in the ordinary course of its business or as described in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

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(k)           Neither the Adviser nor any of its directors and officers, nor, to the Adviser’s knowledge, its affiliates or employees, any agent or representative of the Adviser or of any of its affiliates, has taken or will take any action in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay, or authorization or approval of the payment or giving of money, property, gifts or anything else of value, directly or indirectly, to any “government official” (including any officer or employee of a government or government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office) to influence official action or secure an improper advantage; and the Adviser and its subsidiaries and affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with applicable anti-corruption laws including, without limitation, the FCPA, and have instituted and maintain and will continue to maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve compliance with such laws and with the representation and warranty contained herein.

 

(l)            The operations of the Adviser and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Adviser or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened.

 

(m)          (i) The Adviser represents that neither it nor any of its subsidiaries, any director, officer, or employee thereof, nor, to the Adviser’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Adviser or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“ Adviser Person ”) that is, or is owned or controlled by an Adviser Person that is: (A) the subject of any Sanctions, nor (B) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Burma/Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria).

 

(ii) The Adviser will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Adviser Person: (A) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Adviser Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or (B) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Adviser Person (including any Adviser Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

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(iii) The Adviser represents and covenants that, for the past 5 years, it has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Adviser Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

 

3.         Agreements to Sell and Purchase.  The Fund hereby agrees to sell to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Fund the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite its name at $19.10 a share (the “ Purchase Price ”).

 

On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Fund agrees to sell to the Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to [NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL SHARES] Additional Shares at the Purchase Price, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Fund and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Additional Shares.  You may exercise this right on behalf of the Underwriters in whole or from time to time in part by giving written notice not later than 45 days after the date of this Agreement.  Any exercise notice shall specify the number of Additional Shares to be purchased by the Underwriters and the date on which such shares are to be purchased.  Each purchase date must be at least one business day after the written notice is given and may not be earlier than the closing date for the Firm Shares nor later than ten business days after the date of such notice.  Additional Shares may be purchased as provided in Section 5 hereof solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares.  On each day, if any, that Additional Shares are to be purchased (an “ Option Closing Date ”), each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as you may determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date as the number of Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I hereto opposite the name of such Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares.

 

The Fund hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and [ · ], on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not, during the period ending 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares or (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Shares, whether

 

15



 

any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Shares or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) file any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any Common Shares or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Shares; provided that nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the Fund from issuing Common Shares pursuant to the Plan.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if (x) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the Fund issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Fund occurs, or (y) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the Fund announces that it will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period, the restrictions imposed in this clause shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.  The Fund will provide Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and [ · ], on behalf of the Underwriters, with prior notice of any such announcement that gives rise to an extension of the restricted period.  The agreements contained in this paragraph shall not apply to the Shares to be sold hereunder or any Common Shares issued pursuant to the Plan.

 

4.         Terms of Public Offering .  The Fund and the Adviser are advised by you that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have become effective as in your judgment is advisable.  The Fund and the Adviser are further advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at $20.00 a share (the “ Public Offering Price ”), and to certain dealers selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $0.60 a share under the Public Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealer may reallow, a concession, not in excess of $0.10 per share, to any Underwriter or to certain other dealers.

 

5.         Payment and Delivery.  Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to the Fund in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time), on July [ · ], 2013, or at such other time on the same or such other date, not later than 10 business days after Closing Date, as shall be designated in writing by you.  The time and date of such payment are hereinafter referred to as the “ Closing Date .”

 

Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Fund in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time), on the date specified in the corresponding notice described in Section 3 or at such other time on the same or on such other date, in any event not later than [45 DAYS AFTER PRICING DATE PLUS 10 BUSINESS DAYS], as shall be designated in writing by you.

 

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The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be registered in such names and in such denominations as you shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the Closing Date or the applicable Option Closing Date, as the case may be.  The Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you through the facilities of DTC on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

 

6.         Conditions to the Underwriters’ Obligations .  The respective obligations of the Fund and the Adviser and the several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the date hereof.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the following further conditions:

 

(a)           Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date, there shall not have occurred any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Fund or the Adviser, from that set forth in the Time of Sale Prospectus that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and that makes it, in your judgment, impracticable to market the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus.

 

(b)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date certificates, dated the Closing Date, from [an executive officer] of each of the Fund and the Adviser, to the effect (i) that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are, as of the Closing Date, pending before or threatened by the Commission, (ii) that the representations and warranties of the Fund and the Adviser contained in this Agreement are true and correct as of the Closing Date, (iii) that each of the Fund and the Adviser has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder on or before the Closing Date.

 

(c)           Each officer signing and delivering such a certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

 

(d)           Each of the Adviser and the Fund shall have performed all of its respective obligations to be performed hereunder on or prior to the Closing Date.

 

17



 

(e)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of Dechert LLP, special counsel for the Fund, dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

 

(f)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date an opinion of [COUNSEL FOR THE ADVISER], counsel for the Adviser dated the Closing Date, to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto.

 

(g)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date the favorable opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, dated the Closing Date, and covering such matters as the Underwriters shall reasonably request.

 

(h)           The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate from a duly authorized officer of each of the Custodian and the Transfer Agent, certifying that the Custodian Agreement and the Transfer Agency Agreement, as applicable, is in full force and effect and is a valid and binding agreement of the Custodian or the Transfer Agent, as applicable.

 

(i)            The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate from a duly authorized officer of the Adviser certifying that the Administration Agreement is in full force and effect and is a valid and binding agreement of the Adviser.

 

(j)            The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, from Deloitte & Touche LLP, independent public accountants, containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement and the Time of Sale Prospectus, provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off date” not earlier than the date hereof.

 

(k)           All filings, applications and proceedings taken by the Fund and the Adviser in connection with the organization and registration of the Fund and the Shares under the Acts and the applicable Rules and Regulations shall be satisfactory in form and substance to you and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(l)            No action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation shall have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Fund, threatened by the Commission which would adversely affect the Fund’s standing as a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act or the

 

18



 

standing of the Adviser as a registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act.

 

(m)          The Shares shall have been duly authorized for listing on the New York Stock Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance thereof.

 

(n)           On the Closing Date, the Adviser shall deliver to each of the other parties to the Fee Agreements copies of the Fee Agreements, executed by such Adviser and dated the Closing Date, together with reproduced copies of such agreements executed by the Adviser for each of the other parties thereto.

 

The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase Additional Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to you on the applicable Option Closing Date of such documents as you may reasonably request with respect to the good standing of the Fund and the Adviser, the due authorization and issuance of the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date and other matters related to the issuance of such Additional Shares, and officers’ certificates and opinions of Dechert LLP and Clifford Chance US LLP to the effect set forth above, except that such certificates and opinions shall be dated as of the applicable Option Closing Date and statements and opinions above contemplated to be given as of the Closing Date shall instead be made and given as of such Option Closing Date.

 

7.         Covenants of the Fund and the Adviser .  In further consideration of the agreements of the Underwriters herein contained, the Fund and the Adviser, jointly and severally, covenant and agree with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)           To notify you as soon as reasonably practicable, and confirm such notice in writing, (i) of the institution of any proceedings pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Investment Company Act and (ii) of the happening of any event during the period mentioned in Section 7(h) below which in the reasonable judgment of the Fund makes any statement in the Notification, the Registration Statement the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Omitting Prospectus or the Prospectus untrue in any material respect or which requires the making of any change in or addition to the Notification, the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Omitting Prospectus or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading in any material respect.  If at any time the Commission shall issue any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or an order pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Investment Company Act, the Fund will make every reasonable effort to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the earliest possible moment.

 

19



 

(b)                                  To furnish to you, without charge, three signed copies of each of the Notification and the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of each of the Notification and the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 7(e) below, as many copies of the Time of Sale Prospectus, Prospectus and any supplements and amendments thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

 

(c)                                   Before amending or supplementing the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus, to furnish to you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period specified in Rule 497 of the Rules and Regulations any prospectus required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

 

(d)                                  To furnish to you a copy of each proposed Omitting Prospectus to be prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Fund and not to use or refer to any proposed Omitting Prospectus to which you reasonably object.

 

(e)                                   If the Time of Sale Prospectus is being used to solicit offers to buy the Shares at a time when the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers and any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances, not misleading, or if any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Prospectus materially conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement then on file, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to any dealer upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Prospectus so that the statements in the Time of Sale Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when delivered to a prospective purchaser, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will no longer conflict in any material respect with the Registration Statement, or so that the Time of Sale Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

20



 

(f)                                    The Fund will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Shares in the manner specified in the Time of Sale Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

(g)                                   The Fund and the Adviser will not take any action designed to cause or result in the manipulation of the price of any security of the Fund to facilitate the sale of Shares in violation of the Acts or the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations, or the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states and foreign jurisdictions in connection with the offer and sale of Shares.

 

(h)                                  If, during such period after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will furnish to the Fund) to which Shares may have been sold by you on behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request, either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, will comply with applicable law.

 

(i)                                      To use its reasonable efforts to qualify and maintain the Fund’s qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.

 

(j)                                     To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall reasonably request, provided, however, that the Fund shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(k)                                  To make generally available to the Fund’s security holders and to you as soon as practicable an earnings statement covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Fund occurring after the date of this Agreement which shall satisfy the

 

21



 

provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, including Rule 158, of the Commission thereunder.

 

(l)                                      Whether or not the transactions contemplated in this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, to pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Fund and the Adviser under this Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Fund’s counsel and the Fund’s accountants in connection with the registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the Notification, the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, and any Omitting Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, used by, or referred to by the Fund and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing, including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost of printing or producing any Blue Sky memorandum in connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 7(j) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by FINRA in an amount not to exceed $20,000 (v) all fees and expenses in connection with the preparation and filing of the registration statement on Form 8-A relating to the Common Shares and all costs and expenses incident to listing the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange, (vi) the cost, if any, of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Fund relating to furnishing any investor PowerPoint presentation materials on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the design, productions, shipping and mailing or other dissemination of such presentation materials, expenses associated with the production of any audio-visual presentations related to any road show presentations, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations with the prior approval of the Fund, and reasonable travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Fund and any such consultants, in relation to any such road show and (ix) all other costs and

 

22



 

expenses reasonably incident to the performance of the obligations of the Fund hereunder for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section.  The Fund and the Adviser agree that the Fund will pay the foregoing costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Fund under this Agreement to the extent such costs and expenses do not exceed, in the aggregate, $0.04 per share sold under this Agreement, and the Adviser or an affiliate agrees to pay (a) all the foregoing costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Fund under this Agreement that exceed, in the aggregate, $0.04 per share sold under this Agreement and (b) the foregoing costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Adviser under this Agreement.  It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section, Section 8 entitled “Indemnity and Contribution” and the last paragraph of Section 10 below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of their counsel, stock transfer taxes payable on resale of any of the Shares by them and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

 

(m)                              The Fund will not declare or pay any dividend or other distribution on any of the Common Shares unless a holder of such Common Shares that was not a holder of record until the close of business on [45 DAYS AFTER PRICING DATE PLUS 10 BUSINESS DAYS] would be entitled to receive the full amount thereof.

 

8.                             Indemnity and Contribution.   (a) Each of the Fund and the Adviser, jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, each selling agent of any Underwriter and each director, officer or affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Rules and Regulations from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim), (i) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any Omitting Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus (including any statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference), the Time of Sale Prospectus, or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based upon the Underwriter Information or (ii) resulting from, related to or arising in connection with the posting of any Omitting Prospectus, any preliminary prospectus (including any statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference), the Time of Sale Prospectus, or

 

23



 

the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto on the website of the Fund, the Adviser or any affiliate of the foregoing.

 

(b)                                  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Fund and the Adviser, its members, and each officer of the Fund who signs the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or the Adviser within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity in Section 8(a)(i) from the Fund and the Adviser to such Underwriter, but only with reference to such Underwriter Information furnished to the Fund in writing by such Underwriter through you expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus (including any statement of additional information incorporated therein by reference), the Time of Sale Prospectus, any Omitting Prospectus or Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

 

(c)                                   In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation) shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to Section 8(a) or 8(b), such person (the “ indemnified party ”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the “ indemnifying party ”) in writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonably incurred fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.  In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for (i) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Underwriters and all persons, if any, who control any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, all persons who are selling agents of any Underwriter or all persons who are directors, officers and affiliates of any Underwriters within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations, (ii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in

 

24



 

addition to any local counsel) for the Fund, its trustees, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Fund within the meaning of either such Section, and (iii) the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for the Adviser, its members and each person, if any, who controls the Adviser within the meaning of either such Section, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  In the case of any such separate firm for the Underwriters and such control persons, agents, directors, officers and affiliates of any Underwriters, such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and [ · ].  In the case of any such separate firm for the Fund, and such trustees, officers and control persons of the Fund, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Fund.  In the case of any such separate firm for the Adviser, and such directors and control persons of the Adviser, such firm shall be designated in writing by the Adviser.  The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

(d)                                  To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 8(a) or 8(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the

 

25



 

relative benefits received by the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 8(d)(i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause 8(d)(i) above but also the relative fault of the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by the Fund and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares.  The relative fault of the Fund and the Adviser on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Fund or the Adviser or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.  The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have purchased hereunder, and not joint.  The Adviser agrees to pay any amounts that are payable by the Fund pursuant to this paragraph to the extent that the Fund fails to make all contributions required to be made by the Fund pursuant to this Section 8.

 

(e)                                   The Fund, the Adviser and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in Section 8(d).  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in Section 0 shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by

 

26



 

reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

(f)                                    The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Fund and the Adviser contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, any person controlling any Underwriter or any agent of any Underwriter or any director, officer and affiliate of any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Adviser, its members or any person controlling the Adviser or by or on behalf of the Fund, its officers or trustees or any person controlling the Fund and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

 

9.                             Termination .  The Underwriters may terminate this Agreement by notice given by you to the Fund, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on, or by, as the case may be, any of the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ Global Market, (ii) trading of any securities of the Fund shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market, (iii) a material disruption in securities settlement, payment or clearance services in the United States shall have occurred, (iv) any moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by Federal or New York State authorities or (v) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, or any change in financial markets, currency exchange rates or controls or any calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and which, singly or together with any other event specified in this clause (v), makes it, in your judgment, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offer, sale or delivery of the Shares on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Prospectus or the Prospectus.

 

10.                      Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters .  This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

 

If, on the Closing Date or an Option Closing Date, as the case may be, any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be

 

27



 

obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I bears to the aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this Agreement be increased pursuant to this Section 10 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter.  If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased on such date, and arrangements satisfactory to you and the Fund for the purchase of such Firm Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Fund or the Adviser.  In any such case either you or the Fund shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement, in the Time of Sale Prospectus, in the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.  If, on an Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Additional Shares to be purchased on such Option Closing Date, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase the Additional Shares to be sold on such Option Closing Date or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in the absence of such default.  Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters, or any of them, because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Fund or the Adviser to comply with the terms or to fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the Fund or the Adviser shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Fund and the Adviser, jointly and severally, will reimburse the Underwriters or such Underwriters as have so terminated this Agreement with respect to themselves, severally, for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by such Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated hereunder.

 

11.                      Entire Agreement .  (a) This Agreement, together with any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement) that relate to the offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Fund, the Adviser and the

 

28



 

Underwriters with respect to the preparation of any preliminary prospectus, the Time of Sale Prospectus, the Prospectus, the conduct of the offering, and the purchase and sale of the Shares.

 

(b)                                  The Fund and the Adviser acknowledge that in connection with the offering of the Shares:  (i) the Underwriters have acted at arms length, are not agents of, and owe no fiduciary duties to, the Fund, the Adviser or any other person, (ii) the Underwriters owe the Fund and the Adviser only those duties and obligations set forth in this Agreement and prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this Agreement), if any, and (iii) the Underwriters may have interests that differ from those of the Fund and the Adviser.  The Fund and the Adviser waive to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims any of them may have against the Underwriters arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

12.                      Counterparts .  This Agreement may be signed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

 

13.                      Applicable Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.

 

14.                      Headings .  The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement.

 

15.                      Notices .  All communications hereunder shall be in writing and effective only upon receipt and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered, mailed or sent to you in care of: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department; if to the Fund or the Adviser, shall be delivered, mailed or sent to KKR Asset Management LLC, 555 California Street, 50 th  Floor, San Francisco, California 94104, Attention: Nicole J. Macarchuk, Esq.

 

29



 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

30



 

Accepted as of the date hereof

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

[Names of Other Co-Managers]

 

Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

 

By:

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

31



 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriter

 

Number of Firm
Shares To Be
Purchased

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

Total:

 

 

 

Sch. I-1



 

SCHEDULE II

 

Omitting Prospectuses

 

1.                                       Retail Omitting Prospectus:

 

[Client guide] dated           , 20    .

 

2.                                       The following documents labeled “ For Registered Representative Use Only ”:

 

[Broker-dealer PowerPoint presentation] dated           , 20    .

 

3.                                       Press release dated           , 20    .

 

Sch. II-1



 

SCHEDULE III

 

Pricing Information

 

1.             Price per share to the Public: $ 20.00

 

2.             Number of Shares Sold: [ · ]

 

3.             Number of Additional Shares: [ · ]

 

Sch. III-1



 

EXHIBIT A-1

 

[OPINION OF DECHERT LLP]

 

Exh. A-1



 

EXHIBIT B

 

[OPINION OF ADVISER’S COUNSEL]

 

Exh. B-1



 

[FORM OF]

 

OPTION EXERCISE NOTICE

 

[OPTION EXERCISE DATE]

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

KKR Asset Management LLC

555 California Street

50 th  Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We refer to the Underwriting Agreement dated July [ · ], 2013 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among KKR Income Opportunities Fund, KKR Asset Management LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and [ · ], as representatives of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule I thereto; capitalized terms being used herein as therein defined.  We hereby exercise an option to purchase [NUMBER OF SHARES AS TO WHICH OPTION IS BEING EXERCISED] Additional Shares, on the basis of the representations and warranties contained in the Underwriting Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions.  Such Additional Shares will be purchased on [OPTION CLOSING DATE] (which shall be an Option Closing Date) at the offices of Clifford Chance US LLP, New York, New York, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time).  [This option exercise is without prejudice to the Underwriters’ right under the Underwriting Agreement to exercise one or more options covering some or all of the remaining Additional Shares.]

 

Exh. B-2



 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

[ · ]

 

 

as representatives of the several underwriters listed in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

[ · ]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Exh. B-3


Exhibit 99.(h)(2)

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

MASTER AGREEMENT AMONG UNDERWRITERS

 

REGISTERED SEC OFFERINGS

 

(INCLUDING MULTIPLE SYNDICATE OFFERINGS)

 

AND

 

EXEMPT OFFERINGS

 

(OTHER THAN OFFERINGS OF MUNICIPAL SECURITIES)

 

June 1, 2011

 



 

This Master Agreement Among Underwriters (this “ Master AAU ”), dated as of June 1, 2011, is by and between Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley ,” or “ we ”) and the party named on the signature page hereof (an “ Underwriter ,” as defined in Section 1.1 hereof, or “ you ”). From time to time we or one or more of our affiliates may invite you (and others) to participate on the terms set forth herein as an underwriter or an initial purchaser, or in a similar capacity, in connection with certain offerings of securities that are managed solely by us or with one or more other co-managers. If we invite you to participate in a specific offering and sale of securities (an “ Offering ”) to which this Master AAU will apply, we will send the information set forth in Section 1.1 hereof to you by one or more wires, telexes, telecopy or electronic data transmissions, or other written communications (each, a “ Wire ,” and collectively, an “ AAU ”), unless you are otherwise deemed to have accepted an AAU with respect to such Offering pursuant to Section 1.2 hereof. Each Wire will indicate that it is a Wire pursuant to this Master AAU. The Wire inviting you to participate in an Offering is referred to herein as an “ Invitation Wire .” You and we hereby agree that by the terms hereof the provisions of this Master AAU automatically will be incorporated by reference in each AAU, except that any such AAU may also exclude or revise such provisions of this Master AAU in respect of the Offering to which such AAU relates, and may contain such additional provisions as may be specified in any Wire relating to such AAU. You and we further agree as follows:

 

I. GENERAL

 

1.1. Terms of AAU; Certain Definitions; Construction. Each AAU will relate to an Offering, and will identify: (i) the securities to be offered in the Offering (the “ Securities ”), their principal terms, the issuer or issuers (each, an “ Issuer ”) and any guarantor (each, a “ Guarantor ”) thereof, and, if different from the Issuer, the seller or sellers (each, a “ Seller ”) of the Securities, (ii) the underwriting agreement, purchase agreement, standby underwriting agreement, distribution agreement, or similar agreement (as identified in such AAU and as amended or supplemented, including a terms agreement or pricing agreement pursuant to any of the foregoing, collectively, the “ Underwriting Agreement ”) providing for the purchase, on a several and not joint basis, of the Securities by the several underwriters, initial purchasers, or others acting in a similar capacity (the “ Underwriters ”) on whose behalf the Manager (as defined below) executes the Underwriting Agreement, and whether such agreement provides for: (x) an option to purchase Additional Securities (as defined below) to cover sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Securities (as defined below), or (y) an offering in multiple jurisdictions or markets involving two or more syndicates (an “ International Offering ”), each of which will offer and sell Securities subject to such restrictions as may be specified in any Intersyndicate Agreement (as defined below) referred to in such AAU, (iii) the price at which the Securities are to be purchased by the several Underwriters from any Issuer or Seller thereof (the “ Purchase Price ”), (iv) the offering terms, including, if applicable, the price or prices at which the Securities initially will be offered by the Underwriters (the “ Offering Price ”), any selling concession to dealers (the “ Selling Concession ”), reallowance (the “ Reallowance ”), management fee, global coordinators’ fee, praecipium, or other similar fees, discounts, or commissions (collectively, the “ Fees and Commissions ”) with respect to the Securities, and (v) other principal terms of the Offering, which may include, without limitation: (A) the proposed or actual pricing date (“ Pricing Date ”) and settlement date (the “ Settlement Date ”), (B) any contractual restrictions on the offer and sale of the Securities pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, Intersyndicate Agreement, or otherwise, (C) any co-managers for such

 



 

Offering (the “ Co-Managers ”), (D) your proposed participation in the Offering, and (E) any trustee, fiscal agent, or similar agent (the “ Trustee ”) for the indenture, trust agreement, fiscal agency agreement, or similar agreement (the “ Indenture ”) under which such Securities will be issued.

 

Manager ” means Morgan Stanley, except as set forth in Section 9.9 hereof. “ Representative ” means the Manager and any Co-Manager that signs the applicable Underwriting Agreement on behalf of the Underwriters or is identified as a Representative in the applicable Underwriting Agreement. “ Underwriters ” includes the Representative(s), the Manager, and the Co-Managers. “ Firm Securities ” means the number or amount of Securities that the several Underwriters are initially committed to purchase under the Underwriting Agreement (which may be expressed as a percentage of an aggregate number or amount of Securities to be purchased by the Underwriters, as in the case of a standby Underwriting Agreement). “ Additional Securities ” means the Securities, if any, that the several Underwriters have an option to purchase under the Underwriting Agreement to cover sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Securities. The number, amount, or percentage of Firm Securities set forth opposite each Underwriter’s name in the Underwriting Agreement plus any additional Firm Securities which such Underwriter has made a commitment to purchase, irrespective of whether such Underwriter actually purchases or sells such number, amount, or percentage of Securities under the Underwriting Agreement or Article XI hereof, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Original Underwriting Obligation ” of such Underwriter, and the ratio which such Original Underwriting Obligation bears to the total of all Firm Securities set forth in the Underwriting Agreement (or, in the case of a standby Underwriting Agreement, to 100%) is hereinafter referred to as the “ Underwriting Percentage ” of such Underwriter. For the avoidance of doubt, each Underwriter acknowledges and agrees that, for all purposes under this Agreement and otherwise (including, to the extent applicable, for purposes of Section 11(e) under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 (the “ 1933 Act ”)), each Underwriter’s Underwriting Percentage of the total number, amount, or percentage of Securities offered and sold in the Offering (including any Additional Securities), and only such number, amount, or percentage, constitutes the securities underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to investors.(1)

 

References herein to laws, statutory and regulatory sections, rules, regulations, forms, and interpretive materials will be deemed to include any successor provisions.

 

1.2. Acceptance of AAU. You will have accepted an AAU for an Offering if: (a) we receive your acceptance, prior to the time specified in the Invitation Wire for such Offering, by wire, telex, telecopy or electronic data transmission, or other written communication (any such communication being deemed “ In Writing ”) or orally (if promptly confirmed In Writing), in the manner specified in the Invitation Wire, of our invitation to participate in the Offering, or (b) notwithstanding that we did not send you an Invitation Wire or you have not otherwise responded In Writing to any such Wire, you: (i) agree (orally or by a Wire) to be named as an Underwriter in the relevant Underwriting Agreement executed by us as Manager, or (ii) receive

 


(1)                Meant to clarify mechanics of underwriting for purposes of Section 11(e), and rebut footnote 8 of the WorldCom decision (See In re: Worldcom, Inc. Securities Litigation , U.S. Dist. Ct. (SDNY), slip-op 02 Civ 3288, March 14, 2005 (unpublished).

 

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and retain an economic benefit for participating in the Offering as an Underwriter. Your acceptance of the invitation to participate will cause such AAU to constitute a valid and binding contract between us. Your acceptance of the AAU as provided above or an Invitation Wire will also constitute acceptance by you of the terms of subsequent Wires to you relating to the Offering unless we receive In Writing, within the time and in the manner specified in such subsequent Wire, a notice from you to the effect that you do not accept the terms of such subsequent Wire, in which case you will be deemed to have elected not to participate in the Offering.

 

1.3. Underwriters’ Questionnaire. Your acceptance of the Invitation Wire for an Offering or your participation in an Offering as an Underwriter will confirm that you have no exceptions to the Underwriters’ Questionnaire attached as Exhibit A hereto (or to any other questions addressed to you in any Wires relating to the Offering previously sent to you), other than exceptions noted by you In Writing in connection with the Offering and received from you by us before the time specified in the Invitation Wire or any subsequent Wire.

 

II. OFFERING MATERIALS; OFFERING AGREEMENTS

 

2.1. Registered Offerings. In the case of an Offering that will be registered in whole or in part (a “ Registered Offering ”) under the 1933 Act, you acknowledge that the Issuer has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement, including a prospectus relating to the Securities. “ Registration Statement ” means such registration statement as amended to the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and, in the event that the Issuer files an abbreviated registration statement to register additional Securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) or 462(e) under the 1933 Act, such abbreviated registration statement. “ Prospectus ” means the prospectus, together with the final prospectus supplement, if any, containing the final terms of the Securities and, in the case of a Registered Offering that is an International Offering, “ Prospectus ” means, collectively, each prospectus or offering circular, together with each final prospectus supplement or final offering circular supplement, if any, relating to the Offering, in the respective forms containing the final terms of the Securities. “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Offering or any preliminary prospectus supplement together with a prospectus relating to the Offering and, in the case of a Registered Offering that is an International Offering, “ Preliminary Prospectus ” means, collectively, each preliminary prospectus or preliminary offering circular relating to the Offering or each preliminary prospectus supplement or preliminary offering circular supplement, together with a prospectus or offering circular, respectively, relating to the Offering. “ Free Writing Prospectus ” means, in the case of a Registered Offering, a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act. As used herein the terms “ Registration Statement ,” “ Prospectus ,” “ Preliminary Prospectus ,” and “ Free Writing Prospectus ” will include in each case the material, if any, incorporated by reference therein, and as used herein, the term “ Registration Statement ” includes information deemed to be part thereof pursuant to, and as of the date and time specified in, Rules 430A, 430B, or 430C under the 1933 Act, while the terms “ Prospectus ” and “ Preliminary Prospectus ” include information deemed to be a part thereof pursuant to the rules and regulations under the 1933 Act, but only as of the actual time that information is first used or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act. The Manager will furnish, make available to you, or make arrangements for you to obtain copies (which may, to the extent permitted by law, be in electronic form) of each Prospectus and

 

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Preliminary Prospectus (as amended or supplemented, if applicable, but excluding, for this purpose, unless otherwise required pursuant to rules or regulations under the 1933 Act, documents incorporated therein by reference) as soon as practicable after sufficient quantities thereof have been made available by the Issuer.

 

As used herein, in the case of an Offering that is an offering of asset-backed securities, the term “ ABS Underwriter Derived Information ” means any analytical or computational materials as described in clause (5) of footnote 271 of Commission Release No. 33-8591, issued July 19, 2005 (Securities Offering Reform) (the “ Securities Offering Reform Release ”).

 

2.2. Non-Registered Offerings. In the case of an Offering other than a Registered Offering, you acknowledge that no registration statement has been filed with the Commission. “ Offering Circular ” means the final offering circular or memorandum, if any, or any other final written materials authorized by the Issuer to be used in connection with an Offering that is not a Registered Offering. “ Preliminary Offering Circular ” means any preliminary offering circular or memorandum, if any, or any other written preliminary materials authorized by the Issuer to be used in connection with such an Offering. As used herein, the terms “ Offering Circular ” and “ Preliminary Offering Circular ” include the material, if any, incorporated by reference therein. We will either, as soon as practicable after the later of the date of the Invitation Wire or the date made available to us by the Issuer, furnish to you (or make available for your review) a copy of any Preliminary Offering Circular or any proof or draft of the Offering Circular. In any event, in any Offering involving an Offering Circular, the Manager will furnish, make available to you, or make arrangements for you to obtain, as soon as practicable after sufficient quantities thereof are made available by the Issuer, copies (which may, to the extent permitted by law, be in electronic form) of the Preliminary Offering Circular and Offering Circular, as amended or supplemented, if applicable (but excluding, for this purpose, documents incorporated therein by reference).

 

2.3. Authority to Execute Underwriting and Intersyndicate Agreements. You authorize the Manager, on your behalf: (a) to determine the form of the Underwriting Agreement and to execute and deliver to the Issuer, Guarantor, or Seller the Underwriting Agreement to purchase: (i) up to the number, amount, or percentage of Firm Securities set forth in the applicable AAU, and (ii) if the Manager elects on behalf of the several Underwriters to exercise any option to purchase Additional Securities, up to the number, amount, or percentage of Additional Securities set forth in the applicable AAU, subject, in each case, to reduction pursuant to Article IV; and (b) to determine the form of any agreement or agreements, including, but not limited to, underwriting agreements, between or among the syndicates participating in the Offering or International Offering, respectively (each, an “ Intersyndicate Agreement ”), and to execute and deliver any such Intersyndicate Agreement.

 

III. MANAGER’S AUTHORITY

 

3.1. Terms of Offering. You authorize the Manager to act as manager of the Offering of the Securities by the Underwriters (the “ Underwriters’ Securities ”) or by the Issuer or Seller pursuant to delayed delivery contracts (the “ Contract Securities ”), if any, contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement. You authorize the Manager: (i) to purchase any or all of the Additional Securities for the accounts of the several Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, (ii) to agree, on your behalf and on behalf of the Co-Managers, to any addition to,

 

5



 

change in, or waiver of any provision of, or the termination of, the Underwriting Agreement or any Intersyndicate Agreement (other than an increase in the Purchase Price or in your Original Underwriting Obligation to purchase Securities, in either case from that contemplated by the applicable AAU), (iii) to add prospective or remove existing Underwriters from the syndicate, (iv) to exercise, in the Manager’s discretion, all of the authority vested in the Manager in the Underwriting Agreement, (v) except as described below in this Section 3.1, to take any other action as may seem advisable to the Manager in respect of the Offering (including, in the case of an Offering of asset-backed securities, the preparation and delivery of ABS Underwriter Derived Information), including actions and communications with the Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ,” formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and NASD, Inc., or “ NASD ”), state blue sky or securities commissions , stock exchanges, and other regulatory bodies or organizations. Furthermore, the Manager will have exclusive authority, on your behalf and on behalf of the Co-Managers, to exercise powers and pursue enforcement of the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement and any Intersyndicate Agreement, whether or not actually exercised, except as otherwise specified herein or therein. If, in accordance with the terms of the applicable AAU, the Offering of the Securities is at varying prices based on prevailing market prices, or prices related to prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices, you authorize the Manager to determine, on your behalf in the Manager’s discretion, any Offering Price and the Fees and Commissions applicable to the Offering from time to time. You authorize the Manager on your behalf to arrange for any currency transactions (including forward and hedging currency transactions) as the Manager may deem necessary to facilitate settlement of the purchase of the Securities, but you do not authorize the Manager on your behalf to engage in any other forward or hedging transactions (including interest rate hedging transactions) in connection with the Offering unless such transactions are specified in an applicable AAU or are otherwise consented to by you. You further authorize the Manager, subject to the provisions of Section 1.2 hereof: (i) to vary the offering terms of the Securities in effect at any time, including, if applicable, the Offering Price, Fees, and Commissions set forth in the applicable AAU, (ii) to determine, on your behalf, the Purchase Price, and (iii) to increase or decrease the number, amount, or percentage of Securities being offered. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.1, the Manager will notify the Underwriters, prior to the signing of the Underwriting Agreement, of any provision in the Underwriting Agreement that could result in an increase in the number, amount, or percentage of Firm Securities set forth opposite each Underwriter’s name in the Underwriting Agreement by more than 25% (or such other percentage as will have been specified in the applicable Invitation Wire or otherwise consented to by you) as a result of the failure or refusal of another Underwriter or Underwriters to perform its or their obligations thereunder. The Manager may, at its discretion, delegate to any Underwriter any and all authority vested in the applicable AAU, including, but not limited to, the powers set forth in Sections 5.1 and 5.2 hereof.

 

3.2. Offering Date. The Offering is to be made on or about the time the Underwriting Agreement is entered into by the Issuer, Guarantor, or Seller and the Manager as in the Manager’s judgment is advisable, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus or the Offering Circular, as the case may be, and the applicable AAU. You will not sell any Securities prior to the time the Manager releases such Securities for sale to purchasers. The date on which such Securities are released for sale is referred to herein as the “ Offering Date .”

 

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3.3. Communications. Any public announcement or advertisement of the Offering will be made by the Manager on behalf of the Underwriters on such date as the Manager may determine. You will not announce or advertise the Offering prior to the date of the Manager’s announcement or advertisement thereof without the Manager’s consent. If the Offering is made in whole or in part in reliance on any applicable exemption from registration under the 1933 Act, you will not engage in any general solicitation, announcement, or advertising in connection with the Offering, and will abide by any other restrictions in the AAU or the Underwriting Agreement in connection therewith relating to any announcement, advertising, or publicity. Any announcement or advertisement you may make of the Offering after such date will be your own responsibility, and at your own expense and risk. In addition to your compliance with restrictions on the Offering pursuant to Sections 10.9, 10.10, 10.11, and 10.12 hereof, you will not, in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities in the Offering, without the consent of the Manager, give, send, or otherwise convey to any prospective purchaser or any purchaser of the Securities or other person not in your employ any written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act) other than:

 

(i) any Preliminary Prospectus, Prospectus, Preliminary Offering Circular, or Offering Circular,

 

(ii) (A) written confirmations and notices of allocation delivered to your customers in accordance with Rules 172 or 173 under the 1933 Act, and written communications based on the exemption provided by Rule 134 under the 1933 Act, and (B) in the case of Offerings not registered under the 1933 Act, such written communications (1) as would be permitted by Section 3.3(v)(D)(1) below were such Offering registered under the 1933 Act, or (2) that the Manager or Underwriting Agreement may permit; provided, however , that such written communication under this clause (B) would not have otherwise constituted “ Issuer Information ” as defined below, or would have qualified for the exemption provided by Rule 134 under the 1933 Act, in each case, if such communication had been furnished in the context of a Registered Offering (“ Supplemental Materials ”),

 

(iii) any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433(h) under the 1933 Act, an “ Issuer Free Writing Prospectus ”), so long as such issuance or use has been permitted or consented to by the Issuer and the Manager,

 

(iv) information contained in any computational materials, or in the case of an Offering of asset backed securities, the ABS Underwriter Derived Information, or any other offering materials not constituting a Free Writing Prospectus concerning the Offering, the Issuer, the Guarantor, or the Seller, in each case, prepared by or with the permission of the Manager for use by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, and, in the case of a Registered Offering, filed (if required) with the Commission or FINRA, as applicable, and

 

(v) a Free Writing Prospectus prepared by or on behalf of, or used or referred to by, an Underwriter in connection with the Offering, so long as: (A) such Free Writing Prospectus is not required to be filed with the Commission,

 

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(B) the proposed use of such Free Writing Prospectus is permitted by the Underwriting Agreement, (C) such Free Writing Prospectus complies with the legending condition of Rule 433 under the 1933 Act, and you comply with the record-keeping condition of Rule 433, and (D) (1) such Free Writing Prospectus contains only information describing the preliminary terms of the Securities and other pricing data(2) that is not “ Issuer Information ” (as defined in Rule 433(h) under the 1933 Act, including footnote 271 of the Securities Offering Reform Release), or (2) the Issuer has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to file a final term sheet under Rule 433 within the time period necessary to avoid a requirement for any Underwriter to file the Free Writing Prospectus to be used by such Underwriter, and the Free Writing Prospectus used by such Underwriter contains only information describing the terms of the Securities or their offering that is included in such final term sheet of the Issuer and other pricing data that is not Issuer Information (a Free Writing Prospectus meeting the requirements of (A) through (D) above used, or referred to by you, is referred to herein as an “ Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus ” of yours). Without limiting the foregoing, any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus that you use or refer to will not be distributed by you or on your behalf in a manner reasonably designed to lead to its broad unrestricted dissemination. You will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder in connection with your use of any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus.

 

Any advertisement or written information published, given, sent, or otherwise conveyed by you in violation of this Section 3.3 is referred to as “ Unauthorized Material .”

 

3.4. Institutional and Retail Sales. You authorize the Manager to sell to institutions and retail purchasers such Securities purchased by you pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement as the Manager will determine. The Selling Concession on any such sales will be credited to the accounts of the Underwriters as the Manager will determine.

 

3.5. Sales to Dealers. You authorize the Manager to sell to Dealers (as defined below) such Securities purchased by you pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement as the Manager will determine. A “ Dealer ” will be a person who is: (a) a broker or dealer (as defined by FINRA) actually engaged in the investment banking or securities business, and (i) a member in good standing of FINRA, or (ii) a non-U.S. bank, broker, dealer, or other institution not eligible for membership in FINRA that, in the case of either clause (a)(i) or (a)(ii), makes the representations and agreements applicable to such institutions contained in Section 10.5 hereof, or (b) in the case of Offerings of Securities that are exempt securities under Section 3(a)(12) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “ 1934 Act ”), and such other Securities as from time to time may be sold by a “bank” (as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the 1934 Act (a “ Bank ”)), a Bank that is not a member of FINRA and that makes the representations and agreements applicable to such institutions contained in Section 10.5 hereof. If the price for any such sales by the Manager to Dealers exceeds an amount equal to the Offering Price less the Selling Concession set forth in the applicable AAU, the amount of such excess, if any, will be credited to the accounts of the Underwriters as the Manager will determine.

 


(2)          Meant to permit disclosure of non-Issuer related information, such as benchmark Treasury rate, in preliminary term sheets or price talk.

 

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3.6. Direct Sales. The Manager will advise you promptly, on the Offering Date, as to the Securities purchased by you pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement that you will retain for direct sale. At any time prior to the termination of the applicable AAU, any such Securities that are held by the Manager for sale but not sold may, on your request and at the Manager’s discretion, be released to you for direct sale, and Securities so released to you will no longer be deemed held for sale by the Manager. You may allow, and Dealers may reallow, a discount on sales to Dealers in an amount not in excess of the Reallowance set forth in the applicable AAU. You may not purchase Securities from, or sell Securities to, any other Underwriter or Dealer at any discount or concession other than the Reallowance, except with the prior consent of the Manager.

 

3.7. Release of Unsold Securities. From time to time prior to the termination of the applicable AAU, at the request of the Manager, you will advise the Manager of the number or amount of Securities remaining unsold which were retained by or released to you for direct sale, and of the number or amount of Securities and Other Securities (as defined below) purchased for your account remaining unsold which were delivered to you pursuant to Article V hereof or pursuant to any Intersyndicate Agreement, and, on the request of the Manager, you will release to the Manager any such Securities and Other Securities remaining unsold: (a) for sale by the Manager to institutions, Dealers, or retail purchasers, (b) for sale by the Issuer or Seller pursuant to delayed delivery contracts, or (c) if, in the Manager’s opinion, such Securities or Other Securities are needed to make delivery against sales made pursuant to Article V hereof or any Intersyndicate Agreement.

 

3.8. International Offerings. In the case of an International Offering, you authorize the Manager: (i) to make representations on your behalf as set forth in any Intersyndicate Agreement, and (ii) to purchase or sell for your account pursuant to the Intersyndicate Agreement: (a) Securities, (b) any other securities of the same class and series, or any securities into which the Securities may be converted or for which the Securities may be exchanged or exercised, and (c) any other securities designated in the applicable AAU or applicable Intersyndicate Agreement (the securities referred to in clauses (b) and (c) above being referred to collectively as the “ Other Securities ”).

 

IV. DELAYED DELIVERY CONTRACTS

 

4.1. Arrangements for Sales. Arrangements for sales of Contract Securities will be made only through the Manager acting either directly or through Dealers (including Underwriters acting as Dealers), and you authorize the Manager to act on your behalf in making such arrangements. The aggregate number or amount of Securities to be purchased by the several Underwriters will be reduced by the respective number or amounts of Contract Securities attributed to such Underwriters as hereinafter provided. Subject to the provisions of Section 4.2 hereof, the aggregate number or amount of Contract Securities will be attributed to the Underwriters as nearly as practicable in proportion to their respective Underwriting Percentages, except that, as determined by the Manager in its discretion: (a) Contract Securities directed and

 

9



 

allocated by a purchaser to specific Underwriters will be attributed to such Underwriters, and (b) Contract Securities for which arrangements have been made for sale through Dealers will be attributed to each Underwriter approximately in the proportion that Securities of such Underwriter held by the Manager for sales to Dealers bear to all Securities so held. The fee with respect to Contract Securities payable to the Manager for the accounts of the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement will be credited to the accounts of the respective Underwriters in proportion to the Contract Securities attributed to such Underwriters pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4.1, less, in the case of each Underwriter, the concession to Dealers on Contract Securities sold through Dealers and attributed to such Underwriter.

 

4.2. Excess Sales. If the number or amount of Contract Securities attributable to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof would exceed such Underwriter’s Original Underwriting Obligation reduced by the number or amount of Underwriters’ Securities sold by or on behalf of such Underwriter, such excess will not be attributed to such Underwriter, and such Underwriter will be regarded as having acted only as a Dealer with respect to, and will receive only the concession to Dealers on, such excess.

 

V. PURCHASE AND SALE OF SECURITIES

 

5.1. Facilitation of Distribution. In order to facilitate the distribution and sale of the Securities, you authorize the Manager to buy and sell Securities and any Other Securities, in addition to Securities sold pursuant to Article III hereof, in the open market or otherwise (including, without limitation, pursuant to any Intersyndicate Agreement), for long or short account, on such terms as it may deem advisable, and to over-allot in arranging sales. Such purchases and sales and over-allotments will be made for the accounts of the several Underwriters as nearly as practicable to their respective Underwriting Percentages or, in the case of an International Offering, such purchases and sales will be for such accounts as set forth in the applicable Intersyndicate Agreement. Any Securities or Other Securities which may have been purchased by the Manager for stabilizing purposes in connection with the Offering prior to the acceptance of the applicable AAU will be treated as having been purchased pursuant to this Section 5.1 for the accounts of the several Underwriters or, in the case of an International Offering, for such accounts as are set forth in the applicable Intersyndicate Agreement. Your net commitment pursuant to the foregoing authorization will not exceed at the close of business on any day an amount equal to 20% of your Underwriting Percentage of the aggregate initial Offering Price of the Firm Securities, it being understood that, in calculating such net commitment, the initial Offering Price will be used with respect to the Securities so purchased or sold and, in the case of all Other Securities, will be the purchase price thereof. For purposes of determining your net commitment for short account ( i.e. , “naked short”), any short position that can be covered with: (a) Securities that may be purchased upon exercise of any option to purchase Additional Securities, (b) in the case of an International Offering, any Securities or Other Securities that the Manager has agreed to purchase for your account pursuant to any applicable Intersyndicate Agreement, and (c) Securities that may be purchased pursuant to a forward sale contract or similar arrangement with the Issuer or any selling security holder in the Offering, will be disregarded. On demand you will take up and pay for any Securities or Other Securities so purchased for your account and any Securities released to you pursuant to Section 3.7 hereof, and will deliver to the Manager against payment any Securities or Other Securities so sold or over-allotted for your account or released to you. The Manager will notify

 

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you if it engages in any stabilization transaction in accordance with Rule 17a-2 under the 1934 Act, and will notify you of the date of termination of stabilization. You will not stabilize or engage in any syndicate covering transaction (as defined in Rule 100 of Regulation M under the 1934 Act (“ Regulation M ”)) in connection with the Offering without the prior consent of the Manager. You will provide to the Manager any reports required of you pursuant to Rule 17a-2 of the 1934 Act not later than the date specified therein.

 

5.2. Penalty With Respect to Securities Repurchased by the Manager. If pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.1 hereof and prior to the termination of the Manager’s authority to cover any short position incurred under the applicable AAU or such other date as the Manager may specify in a Wire, either: (a) the Manager purchases or contracts to purchase for the account of any Underwriter in the open market or otherwise any Securities which were retained by, or released to, you for direct sale or any Securities sold pursuant to Section 3.4 hereof for which you received a portion of the Selling Concession set forth in the applicable AAU, or any Securities which may have been issued on transfer or in exchange for such Securities, and which Securities were therefore not effectively placed for investment, or (b) if the Manager has advised you by Wire that trading in the Securities will be reported to the Manager pursuant to the “Initial Public Offering Tracking System” of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) and the Manager determines, based on notices from DTC, that your customers sold a number or amount of Securities during any day that exceeds the number or amount previously notified to you by Wire, then you authorize the Manager either to charge your account with an amount equal to such portion of the Selling Concession set forth in the applicable AAU received by you with respect to such Securities or, in the case of clause (b), such Securities as exceed the number or amount specified in such Wire, or to require you to repurchase such Securities or, in the case of clause (b), such Securities as exceed the number or amount specified in such Wire, at a price equal to the total cost of such purchase, including transfer taxes, accrued interest, dividends, and commissions, if any.

 

5.3. Compliance with Regulation M. You represent that, at all times since you were invited to participate in the Offering, you have complied with the provisions of Regulation M applicable to the Offering, in each case as interpreted by the Commission and after giving effect to any applicable exemptions. If you have been notified in a Wire that the Underwriters may conduct passive market making in compliance with Rule 103 of Regulation M in connection with the Offering, you represent that, at all times since your receipt of such Wire, you have complied with the provisions of such Rule applicable to such Offering, as interpreted by the Commission and after giving effect to any applicable exemptions. You will comply with any additional provisions of Regulation M if and to the extent set forth in the Invitation Wire or other Wire.

 

5.4. Standby Underwritings . You authorize the Manager in its discretion, at any time on, or from time to time prior to, the expiration of the conversion right of convertible securities identified in the applicable AAU in the case of securities called for redemption, or the expiration of rights to acquire securities in the case of rights offerings, for which, in either case, standby underwriting arrangements have been made: (i) to purchase convertible securities or rights to acquire Securities for your account, in the open market or otherwise, on such terms as the Manager determines, and to convert convertible securities or exercise rights so purchased; and (ii) to offer and sell the underlying common stock or depositary shares for your account, in the open market or otherwise, for long or short account (for purposes of such commitment, such

 

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common stock or depositary shares being considered the equivalent of convertible securities or rights), on such terms consistent with the terms of the Offering set forth in the Prospectus or Offering Circular as the Manager determines. On demand, you will take up and pay for any securities so purchased for your account or you will deliver to the Manager against payment any securities so sold, as the case may be. During such period, you may offer and sell the underlying common stock or depositary shares, but only at prices set by the Manager from time to time, and any such sales will be subject to the Manager’s right to sell to you the underlying common stock or depositary shares as above provided and to the Manager’s right to reserve your securities purchased, received, or to be received upon conversion. You agree not to otherwise bid for, purchase, or attempt to induce others to purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any convertible securities or rights or underlying common stock or depositary shares, provided , however , that no Underwriter will be prohibited from: (a) selling underlying common stock owned beneficially by such Underwriter on the day the convertible securities were first called for redemption, (b) converting convertible securities owned beneficially by such Underwriter on such date or selling underlying common stock issued upon conversion of convertible securities so owned, (c) exercising rights owned beneficially by such Underwriter on the record date for a rights offering, or selling the underlying common stock or depositary shares issued upon exercise of rights so owned, or (d) purchasing or selling convertible securities or rights or underlying common stock or depositary shares as a broker pursuant to unsolicited orders.

 

VI. PAYMENT AND SETTLEMENT

 

You will deliver to the Manager on the date and at the place and time specified in the applicable AAU (or on such later date and at such place and time as may be specified by the Manager in a subsequent Wire) the funds specified in the applicable AAU, payable to the order of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, for: (a) an amount equal to the Offering Price plus (if not included in the Offering Price) accrued interest, amortization of original issue discount or dividends, if any, specified in the Prospectus or Offering Circular, less the applicable Selling Concession in respect of the Firm Securities to be purchased by you, (b) an amount equal to the Offering Price plus (if not included in the Offering Price) accrued interest, amortization of original issue discount or dividends, if any, specified in the Prospectus or Offering Circular, less the applicable Selling Concession in respect of such of the Firm Securities to be purchased by you as will have been retained by or released to you for direct sale as contemplated by Section 3.6 hereof, or (c) the amount set forth or indicated in the applicable AAU, as the Manager will advise. You will make similar payment as the Manager may direct for Additional Securities, if any, to be purchased by you on the date specified by the Manager for such payment. The Manager will make payment to the Issuer or Seller against delivery to the Manager for your account of the Securities to be purchased by you, and the Manager will deliver to you the Securities paid for by you which will have been retained by or released to you for direct sale. If the Manager determines that transactions in the Securities are to be settled through DTC or another clearinghouse facility and payment in the settlement currency is supported by such facility, payment for and delivery of Securities purchased by you will be made through such facilities, if you are a participant, or, if you are not a participant, settlement will be made through your ordinary correspondent who is a participant.

 

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VII. EXPENSES

 

7.1. Management Fee . You authorize the Manager to charge your account as compensation for the Manager’s and Co-Managers’ services in connection with the Offering, including the purchase from the Issuer or Seller of the Securities, as the case may be, and the management of the Offering, the amount, if any, set forth as the management fee, global coordinators’ fee, praecipium, or other similar fee in the applicable AAU. Such amount will be divided among the Manager and any Co-Managers named in the applicable AAU as they may determine. Each Underwriter acknowledges that such fees are being paid by the Underwriters, and are not a benefit received directly or indirectly from the Issuer of the type referred to in Section 11(e) of the 1933 Act.

 

7.2. Offering Expenses. You authorize the Manager to charge your account with your Underwriting Percentage of all expenses agreed to be paid by the Underwriters in the Underwriting Agreement and all expenses of a general nature incurred by the Manager and Co-Managers under the applicable AAU in connection with the Offering, including the negotiation and preparation thereof, or in connection with the purchase, carrying, marketing, sale and distribution of any securities under the applicable AAU and any Intersyndicate Agreement, including, without limitation, legal fees and expenses, transfer taxes, costs associated with approval of the Offering by FINRA, and the costs of currency transactions (including forward and hedging currency transactions) or, if permitted pursuant to Section 3.1 hereof, any other forward or hedging transactions (including interest rate swaps) entered into to facilitate settlement of the purchase of Securities permitted hereunder.

 

VIII. MANAGEMENT OF SECURITIES AND FUNDS

 

8.1. Advances; Loans; Pledges. You authorize the Manager to advance the Manager’s own funds for your account, charging current interest rates, and to arrange loans for your account for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the applicable AAU and any Intersyndicate Agreement, and in connection therewith, to hold or pledge as security therefor all or any securities which the Manager may be holding for your account under the applicable AAU and any Intersyndicate Agreement, to execute and deliver any notes or other instruments evidencing such advances or loans, and to give all instructions to the lenders with respect to any such loans and the proceeds thereof. The obligations of the Underwriters under loans arranged on their behalf will be several in proportion to their respective Original Underwriting Obligations, and not joint. Any lender is authorized to accept the Manager’s instructions as to the disposition of the proceeds of any such loans. In the event of any such advance or loan, repayment thereof will, in the discretion of the Manager, be effected prior to making any remittance or delivery pursuant to Section 8.2, 8.3, or 9.2 hereof.

 

8.2. Return of Amount Paid for Securities. Out of payment received by the Manager for Securities sold for your account which have been paid for by you, the Manager will remit to you promptly an amount equal to the price paid by you for such Securities.

 

8.3. Delivery and Redelivery of Securities for Carrying Purposes. The Manager may deliver to you from time to time prior to the termination of the applicable AAU pursuant to Section 9.1 hereof against payment, for carrying purposes only, any Securities or Other

 

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Securities purchased by you under the applicable AAU or any Intersyndicate Agreement which the Manager is holding for sale for your account but which are not sold and paid for. You will redeliver to the Manager against payment any Securities or Other Securities delivered to you for carrying purposes at such times as the Manager may demand.

 

IX. TERMINATION; INDEMNIFICATION; CONTRIBUTION; SETTLEMENT

 

9.1. Termination. Each AAU will terminate at the close of business on the later of: (a) the date on which the Underwriters pay the Issuer or Seller for the Securities, and (b) 45 calendar days after the applicable Offering Date, unless sooner terminated by the Manager. The Manager may at its discretion by notice to you prior to the termination of such AAU alter any of the terms or conditions of the Offering to the extent permitted by Articles III and IV hereof, or terminate or suspend the effectiveness of Article V hereof, or any part thereof. No termination or suspension pursuant to this paragraph will affect the Manager’s authority under Section 3.1 hereof to take actions in respect of the Offering or under Article V hereof to cover any short position incurred under such AAU or in connection with covering any such short position to require you to repurchase Securities as specified in Section 5.2 hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, unless otherwise agreed in a Wire or an Intersyndicate Agreement, the Manager’s authority to purchase Securities or Other Securities, for long account, pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof, will terminate or be suspended upon the termination or suspension, as the case may be, of the applicable AAU (or any provision and or term thereof in respect of trading, price or offering restrictions as set forth in a Wire that is sent by the Manager following the time the Securities are released for sale to purchasers) or Article V or Section 5.1 hereof pursuant to this paragraph.

 

9.2. Delivery or Sale of Securities; Settlement of Accounts. Upon termination of each AAU, or prior thereto at the Manager’s discretion, the Manager will deliver to you any Securities paid for by you pursuant to Article VI hereof and held by the Manager for sale pursuant to Section 3.4 or 3.5 hereof but not sold and paid for and any Securities or Other Securities that are held by the Manager for your account pursuant to the provisions of Article V hereof or any Intersyndicate Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the termination of such AAU, if the aggregate initial Offering Price of any such Securities and the aggregate purchase price of any Other Securities so held and not sold and paid for does not exceed an amount equal to 20% of the aggregate initial Offering Price of the Securities, the Manager may, in its discretion, sell such Securities and Other Securities for the accounts of the several Underwriters, at such prices, on such terms, at such times, and in such manner as it may determine. Within the period specified by applicable FINRA Rules or, if no period is so specified, as soon as practicable after termination of such AAU, your account will be settled and paid. The Manager may reserve from distribution such amount as the Manager deems advisable to cover possible additional expenses. The determination by the Manager of the amount so to be paid to or by you will be final and conclusive. Any of your funds under the Manager’s control may be held with the Manager’s general funds without accountability for interest.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of this Master AAU other than Section 10.11 hereof, upon termination of each AAU, or prior thereto at the Manager’s discretion, the Manager may: (i) allocate to the accounts of the Underwriters the expenses described in Section 7.2 hereof and any losses incurred upon the sale of Securities or Other Securities pursuant to the applicable AAU or any Intersyndicate Agreement (including any losses incurred upon the sale of securities

 

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referred to in Section 5.4(ii) hereof), (ii) deliver to the Underwriters any unsold Securities or Other Securities purchased pursuant to Section 5.1 hereof or any Intersyndicate Agreement, and (iii) deliver to the Underwriters any unsold Securities purchased pursuant to the applicable Underwriting Agreement, in each case in the Manager’s discretion. The only limitations on such discretion will be as follows: (a) no Underwriter that is not the Manager or a Co-Manager will bear more than its share of such expenses, losses, or Securities (such share will not exceed such Underwriter’s Underwriting Percentage and will be determined pro rata among all such Underwriters based on their Underwriting Percentages), (b) no such Underwriter will receive Securities that, together with any Securities purchased by such Underwriter pursuant to Article VI (but excluding any Securities that such Underwriter is required to repurchase pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof) exceed such Underwriter’s Original Underwriting Obligation, and (c) no Co-Manager will bear more than its share of such expenses, losses, or Securities (such share to be determined pro rata among the Manager and all Co-Managers based on their Underwriting Percentages). If any Securities or Other Securities returned to you pursuant to clause (ii) or (iii) above were not paid for by you pursuant to Article VI hereof, you will pay to the Manager an amount per security equal to the amount set forth in clause (i) of Article VI, in the case of Securities returned to you pursuant to clause (iii) above, or the purchase price of such securities, in the case of Securities or Other Securities returned to you pursuant to clause (ii) above.

 

9.3. Certain Other Expenses. You will pay your Underwriting Percentage of: (i) all expenses incurred by the Manager in investigating, preparing to defend, and defending against any action, claim, or proceeding which is asserted, threatened, or instituted by any party, including any governmental or regulatory body (each, an “ Action ”), relating to: (A) the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Offering Circular or Offering Circular (and any amendment or supplement thereto), any Supplemental Materials, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and any ABS Underwriter Derived Information used by any Underwriter other than the Manager, (B) the violation of any applicable restrictions on the offer, sale, resale, or purchase of Securities or Other Securities imposed by U.S. Federal or state laws or non-U.S. laws and the rules and regulations of any regulatory body promulgated thereunder or pursuant to the terms of the applicable AAU, the Underwriting Agreement, or any Intersyndicate Agreement, and (C) any claim that the Underwriters constitute a partnership, an association, or an unincorporated business or other separate entity, and (ii) any Losses (as defined in Section 9.4 hereof) incurred by the Manager in respect of any such Action, whether such Loss will be the result of a judgment or arbitrator’s determination or as a result of any settlement agreed to by the Manager. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you will not be required to pay your Underwriting Percentage of any such expense or liability: (1) to the extent that such expense or liability was caused by the Manager’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; (2) as to which, and to the extent, the Manager actually receives (a) indemnity pursuant to Section 9.4 hereof, (b) contribution pursuant to Section 9.5 hereof, (c) indemnity or contribution pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, or (d) damages from an Underwriter for breach of its representations, warranties, agreements, or covenants contained in the applicable AAU; or (3) of the Manager (other than fees of Syndicate Counsel) that relates to a settlement entered into by the Manager on a basis that results in a settlement of such Action against it and fewer than all the Underwriters . None of the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.3 will relieve any defaulting or breaching Underwriter from liability for its defaults or breach. Failure of any party to give notice under Section 9.10 hereof will not relieve any Underwriter of an obligation to pay expenses pursuant to the provisions of this Section 9.3.

 

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9.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any settlement or the termination of the applicable AAU, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless each other Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act (each, an “ Indemnified Party ”), to the extent and upon the terms which you agree to indemnify and hold harmless any of the Issuer, the Guarantor, the Seller, any person controlling the Issuer, the Guarantor, the Seller, its directors, and, in the case of a Registered Offering, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and, in the case of an Offering other than a Registered Offering, its officers, in each case as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement. You further agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Party from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses not reimbursed pursuant to Section 9.3 hereof (collectively, “ Losses ”) related to, arising out of, or in connection with the breach or violation by you of the terms of Section 3.3 hereof, including any and all Losses under Section 5 of the 1933 Act, and any litigation, investigation, and proceeding (collectively, “ Litigation ”) relating to any of the foregoing. You will also reimburse each such Indemnified Party upon demand for all expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel, as they are incurred, in connection with investigating, preparing for, or defending any of the foregoing. You will indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Party from and against any and all Losses related to, arising out of, or in connection with, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus or Supplemental Material of yours or Unauthorized Material used by you, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and any Litigation relating to any of the foregoing, and to reimburse each such Indemnified Party upon demand for all expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel, as they are incurred, in connection with investigating, preparing for, or defending any of the foregoing. In addition, you will indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Party from and against any and all Losses related to, arising out of, or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any ABS Underwriter Derived Information used by you, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and any Litigation relating to any of the foregoing, and to reimburse each such Indemnified Party upon demand for all expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel, as they are incurred, in connection with investigating, preparing for, or defending any of the foregoing; provided , however , that any Losses, joint or several, paid or incurred by any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon any ABS Underwriter Derived Information which was used only by such Underwriter, or in connection with the preparation of which an Underwriter is found to have acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, will be paid solely by such Underwriter.

 

Each Underwriter will further indemnify and hold harmless any investment banking firm identified in a Wire as the qualified independent underwriter as defined in FINRA Rule 5121 or any successor rule thereto (in such capacity, a “ QIU ”) for an Offering and each person, if any, who controls such QIU within the meaning of either Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, from and against any and all Losses related to, arising out of, or in connection with such investment banking firm’s activities as QIU for the Offering. Each Underwriter will

 

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reimburse such QIU for all expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel, as they are incurred, in connection with investigating, preparing for, and defending any Action related to, arising out of, or in connection with such QIU’s activities as a QIU for the Offering. Each Underwriter will be responsible for its Underwriting Percentage of any amount due to such QIU on account of the foregoing indemnity and reimbursement. Such QIU will have no additional liability to any Underwriter or otherwise as a result of its serving as QIU in connection with the Offering. To the extent the indemnification provided to a QIU under this Section 9.4 is unavailable to such QIU or is insufficient in respect of any Losses related thereto, whether as a matter of law or public policy or as a result of the default of any Underwriter in performing its obligations under this Section 9.4, each other Underwriter will contribute to the amount paid or payable by such QIU as a result of such Losses related thereto in proportion to its Underwriting Percentage.

 

9.5. Contribution. Notwithstanding any settlement or the termination of the applicable AAU, you will pay upon request of the Manager, as contribution, your Underwriting Percentage of any Losses, joint or several, paid or incurred by any Underwriter to any person other than an Underwriter, arising out of or in connection with the breach or violation of the terms of Section 3.3 hereof, including any and all Losses under Section 5 of the 1933 Act, and any Litigation relating to the foregoing. Further, you will pay upon request of the Manager, your Underwriting Percentage of any Losses, joint or several, paid or incurred by any Underwriter to any person other than an Underwriter, arising out of or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus (and any amendment or supplement thereto), any Preliminary Offering Circular or Offering Circular (and any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Supplemental Materials, any other materials prepared or used by an Underwriter in accordance with Section 3.3 hereof, or any Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus of yours or Unauthorized Material used by you, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (other than an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company In Writing by the Underwriter on whose behalf the request for contribution is being made expressly for use therein), or any act or omission to act or any alleged act or omission to act by the Manager or, if applicable, a Representative, as the Manager or a Representative, in connection with any transaction contemplated by this Agreement or undertaken in preparing for the purchase, sale, and delivery of the Securities (provided, that you will not be required to pay in any such case to the extent that any such Loss resulted from the Manager’s or such Representative’s gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined in a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction), and your Underwriting Percentage of any legal or other expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel, as they are incurred, reasonably incurred by the Underwriter (with the approval of the Manager) on whose behalf the request for contribution is being made in connection with investigating or defending any such Loss or any action in respect thereof; provided , however , that no request will be made on behalf of any Underwriter guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) from any Underwriter who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act); provided , further , that any Losses, joint or several, paid or incurred by any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon such Underwriter’s Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus that does not breach Section 3.3 hereof, will be paid by

 

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only the Underwriters that used such Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus (the “ Contributing Underwriters ”), and the amount to be paid by each Contributing Underwriter will be determined pro rata among the Contributing Underwriters based on their Underwriting Percentages. None of the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.5 will relieve any defaulting or breaching Underwriter from liability for its defaults or breach.

 

In addition, you will pay your Underwriting Percentage of any Losses, joint or several, paid or incurred by any Underwriter to any person other than an Underwriter, arising out of or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any ABS Underwriter Derived Information, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading (other than an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company In Writing by the Underwriter on whose behalf the request for contribution is being made expressly for use therein) and your Underwriting Percentage of any expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel, as they are incurred, reasonably incurred by the Underwriter (with the approval of the Manager) on whose behalf the request for contribution is being made in connection with investigating, preparing for, or defending any such Loss or any action in respect thereof; provided , however , that any Losses, joint or several, paid or incurred by any Underwriter, arising out of or based upon any ABS Underwriter Derived Information which was used only by such Underwriter, or in connection with the preparation of which the Underwriter is found to have acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct in a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, will be paid solely by the Underwriter.

 

9.6. Separate Counsel. If any Action is asserted or commenced pursuant to which the indemnity provided in Section 9.4 hereof or the right of contribution provided in Section 9.5 hereof may apply, the Manager may take such action in connection therewith as it deems necessary or desirable, including retention of counsel for the Underwriters (“ Syndicate Counsel ”), and in its discretion separate counsel for any particular Underwriter or group of Underwriters, and the fees and disbursements of any counsel so retained will be allocated among the several Underwriters as determined by the Manager. Any such Syndicate Counsel retained by the Manager will be counsel to the Underwriters as a group and, in the event that: (a) the Manager settles any Action on a basis that results in the settlement of such Action against it and fewer than all the Underwriters, or (b)(i) a conflict develops between the Manager and the other Underwriters, or (ii) differing defenses are available to the other Underwriters and not available to the Manager, and as a result of either (b)(i) or (b)(ii) such Syndicate Counsel concludes that it is unable to continue to represent the Manager and the other Underwriters, then in each such case, after notification to the Manager and the other Underwriters, Syndicate Counsel will remain counsel to the other Underwriters and will withdraw as counsel to the Manager. The Manager hereby consents to such arrangement and undertakes to take steps to: (i) ensure that any engagement letters with Syndicate Counsel are consistent with such arrangement; (ii) issue a notice to all other Underwriters promptly following receipt of any advice (whether oral or written) from Syndicate Counsel regarding its inability to represent the Manager and the other Underwriters jointly; and (iii) facilitate Syndicate Counsel’s continued representation of the other Underwriters. Any Underwriter may elect to retain at its own expense its own counsel and, on advice of such counsel, may settle or consent to the settlement of any such Action, but only in compliance with Section 9.7 hereof, and in each case, only after notification to every other Underwriter. The Manager may settle or consent to the settlement of any such Action, but only in compliance with Section 9.7 hereof.

 

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9.7. Settlement of Actions. Neither the Manager nor any other Underwriter party to this Master AAU may settle or agree to settle any Action related to or arising out of the Offering, nor may any other Underwriter settle or agree to settle any such Action without the consent of the Manager, nor may any other Underwriter seek the Manager’s consent to any such settlement agreement, nor may the Manager consent to any such settlement agreement, unless: (A) the Manager, together with such other Underwriters as constitute a majority in aggregate interest based on the Underwriting Percentage of the Underwriters as a whole (including the Manager’s interest), approve the settlement of such Action, in which case the Manager is authorized to settle for all Underwriters, provided , however , that the settlement agreement results in the settlement of the Action against all Underwriters raised by the plaintiffs party thereto; or (B) (i) such settlement agreement expressly provides that the non-settling Underwriters will be given a judgment credit (or credit in settlement) with respect to all such Actions for which the non-settling Underwriters may be found liable (or will pay in subsequent settlement), in an amount that is the greatest of: (x) the dollar amount paid in such initial settlement to settle such Actions, (y) the proportionate share of the settling Underwriter’s fault in respect of common damages arising in connection with such Actions as proven at trial, if applicable, or (z) the amount by which the settling Underwriter would have been required to make contribution had it not settled, under Sections 9.5 and 11.2 hereof in respect of the final non-appealable judgment (or settlement) subsequently entered into by the non-settling Underwriters (such greatest amount of either (x), (y), or (z), the “ Judgment Credit ”);(3) (ii) such settlement agreement expressly provides that in the event that the applicable court does not approve the Judgment Credit as part of the settlement, the settlement agreement will automatically terminate; and (iii) the final judgment entered with respect to the settlement agreement contains the Judgment Credit.

 

9.8. Survival. Except as set forth in the last sentence of Section 9.1, your agreements contained in Article V and Sections 3.1, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 9.10, and 11.2 hereof will remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any termination of an AAU and: (a) any termination of the Underwriting Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or by or on behalf of the Issuer, the Guarantor, the Seller, its directors or officers, or any person controlling the Issuer, the Guarantor or the Seller, and (c) acceptance of any payment for any Securities.

 


(3)                Seeks to ensure that there is no harm to non-settling Underwriter due to settlement. For example, assume that plaintiffs have suffered $1,000 in damage in a case in which the Underwriters are 50% at fault and other defendants, all of whom are insolvent, are 50% at fault. Further assume that there were 2 Underwriters, each which underwrote 50% of the offering, and they were equally at fault. If neither Underwriter settles, then each would be required to pay $500 to satisfy the $1,000 verdict for which they are jointly and severally liable (or, if one paid $1,000, Section 9.5 would obligate the other to contribute $500 towards such payment). If the first Underwriter settles for $100, then the second Underwriter will obtain a judgment credit of $500, being equal to the greater of: (a) settlement amount ($100), (b) the first Underwriter’s fault ($250), and (c) the amount which the settling Underwriters would have been required to contribute under the contribution provisions ($500). This formula ensures that the second Underwriter is not harmed by the settlement. By contrast, the judgment credit applied in WorldCom ignored clause (c), resulting in a credit of only $250 and leading the non-settling Underwriter to pay $750, or $250 more than had the first Underwriter not settled.

 

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9.9. Replacement of Manager. If at any time after any Action is brought the Manager settles the Action on a basis that results in the settlement of such Action against it and fewer than all the Underwriters (whether or not such settlement complies with Section 9.7 hereof), the Manager will, at such time, for purposes of Sections 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, and 9.7 hereof, cease to be the Manager. The non-settling Underwriters will, by vote of holders of a majority of the Underwriting Percentage of such non-settling Underwriters, select a new Manager, which will become the new “ Manager ” for all purposes of Sections 9.3, 9.4., 9.5, 9.6, and 9.7 hereof as well as this section; provided that the non-settling Underwriter(s) with the largest Underwriting Percentage will act as Manager until such vote occurs and a new Manager is selected.(4)

 

Notwithstanding such a settlement, the Manager and the other settling Underwriters will remain obligated to the non-settling Underwriters to assist and cooperate fully, in good faith, and at their own expense, in the defense of any Actions, including, without limitation, by providing, upon reasonable request of any non-settling Underwriter, and without the necessity of court process, access to or copies of all relevant records, and reasonable access to all witnesses under control of the Manager or the other settling Underwriters, for the purpose of interviews, depositions, and testimony at trial, subject in each case to the applicable legal and procedural obligations of such Manager and such other settling Underwriter.

 

In addition, if at any time, the Manager is unwilling or unable for any reason to assume or discharge its duties as Manager under the applicable AAU, whether resulting from its insolvency (voluntary or involuntary), resignation or otherwise, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the remaining Underwriters will, by vote of holders of a majority of the Underwriting Percentage of such Underwriters, be entitled to select a new Manager, which will become the new Manager for all purposes under this Agreement.(5)

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Manager replaced pursuant to this Section 9.9 shall continue to benefit from and be subject to all other terms and conditions of this Agreement applicable to an Underwriter.

 

9.10. Notice. When the Manager receives notice of the assertion of any Action to which the provisions of Sections 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, or 9.7 hereof would apply, it will give prompt notice thereof to each Underwriter, and whenever an Underwriter receives notice of the assertion of any claim or commencement of any Action to which the provisions of Sections 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, or 9.7 hereof would apply, such Underwriter will give prompt notice thereof to the Manager. The Manager also will furnish each Underwriter with periodic reports, at such times as it deems appropriate, as to the status of such Action, and the actions taken by it in connection therewith. If the Manager or any other Underwriter engages in any settlement discussion that involves or contemplates settlement on any basis other than settlement of all Actions against all Underwriters on a pro rata basis according to their Underwriting Percentages, the Manager (or other Underwriter engaging in such discussions) will notify all other Underwriters promptly and provide reasonable details about such discussions.

 


(4)                Permits new Manager to replace settling Manager and manage the litigation-related provisions of this agreement.

(5)                Permits new Manager to replace insolvent Manager and manage all aspects of this MAAU.

 

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X. REPRESENTATIONS AND COVENANTS OF UNDERWRITERS

 

10.1. Knowledge of Offering. You acknowledge that it is your responsibility to examine the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or the Offering Circular, as the case may be, any amendment or supplement thereto relating to the Offering, any Preliminary Prospectus or Preliminary Offering Circular, and the material, if any, incorporated by reference therein, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Supplemental Materials, and any ABS Underwriter Derived Information, and you will familiarize yourself with the terms of the Securities, any applicable Indenture, and the other terms of the Offering thereof which are to be reflected in the Prospectus or the Offering Circular, as the case may be, and the applicable AAU and Underwriting Agreement. The Manager is authorized, with the advice of counsel for the Underwriters, to approve on your behalf any amendments or supplements to the documents described in the preceding sentence.

 

10.2. Accuracy of Underwriters’ Information. You confirm that the information that you have given and are deemed to have given in response to the Underwriters’ Questionnaire attached as Exhibit A hereto (and to any other questions addressed to you in the Invitation Wire or other Wires), which information has been furnished to the Issuer for use in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, or Offering Circular, as the case may be, or has otherwise been relied upon in connection with the Offering, is complete and accurate. You will notify the Manager immediately of any development before the termination of the applicable AAU which makes untrue or incomplete any information that you have given or are deemed to have given in response to the Underwriters’ Questionnaire (or such other questions).

 

10.3. Name; Address. Unless you have promptly notified the Manager In Writing otherwise, your name as it should appear in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or Offering Circular and any advertisement, if different, and your address, are as set forth on the signature pages hereof.

 

10.4. Compliance with Capital Requirements. You represent that your commitment to purchase the Securities will not result in a violation of the financial responsibility requirements of Rule 15c3-1 under the 1934 Act or of any similar provision of any applicable rules of any securities exchange to which you are subject or, if you are a financial institution subject to regulation by the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve System, the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, or the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, will not place you in violation of any applicable capital requirements or restrictions of such regulator or any other regulator to which you are subject.

 

10.5. FINRA Requirements. (A) You represent that you are a member in good standing of FINRA, or a non-U.S. bank, broker, dealer, or institution not eligible for membership in FINRA or a Bank.

 

(i) If you are a member of FINRA, you will comply with all applicable rules of FINRA in respect of any Offering of Securities, including, without limitation, the requirements of FINRA Rules 5110, 5121, 5130, 5131 and 5141 (to the extent any or all such rules are applicable to the particular Offering).

 

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(ii) If you are a non-U.S. bank, broker, dealer, or other non-U.S. institution not eligible for membership in FINRA, you represent that you are not required to be registered as a broker or dealer under the 1934 Act and you will not make any offers or sales of the Securities in, or to nationals or residents of, the United States, its territories, or its possessions, except to the extent permitted by Rule 15a-6 under the 1934 Act (or any successor rule thereto adopted by the SEC). In making any offers or sales of the Securities you also agree to comply with the requirements of the following FINRA rules (including any successor rules thereto adopted by FINRA): (a) to the extent that you are acting, in respect of offers or sales of the Securities, as a “conduit” for, or are receiving in connection with such offers and sales any selling commissions, discounts, allowances or other compensation from, or are otherwise being directed with respect to allocations or disposition of the Securities by, a FINRA member, FINRA Rule 5130 and FINRA Rule 5141 as though you are a member of FINRA, and (b) NASD Conduct Rule 2420(c), as that Rule applies to a non-member broker/dealer in a non-U.S. country. 

 

(iii) If you are a Bank, you agree that (a) to the extent you are acting, in respect of offers or sales of the Securities, as a “conduit” for, or are receiving in connection with such offers and sales any selling commissions, discounts, allowances or other compensation from, or are otherwise being directed with respect to allocations or disposition of the Securities by, a FINRA member, you will comply with FINRA Rules 5130 and 5141 as though you are a member of FINRA, and (b) you will not accept any portion of the management fee paid by the Underwriters with respect to any Offering or, in connection with any Offering of Securities that do not constitute “exempted securities” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(12) of the 1934 Act, or purchase any Securities at a discount from the offering price from any Underwriter or Dealer or otherwise accept any Fees and Commissions from any Underwriter or Dealer, which in any such case is not permitted under FINRA rules (including, without limitation, NASD Conduct Rule 2420 or any successor rule thereto adopted by FINRA) or would subject you to registration and regulation as a “broker” or “dealer” under Section 3(a)(4) or 3(a)(5) of the 1934 Act.

 

(B) With respect to any Offering of Securities that constitutes a “new issue” under FINRA Rule 5131, you agree that, with respect to any Securities trading at a premium to the public offering price that are returned by a purchaser (the “ Returned Securities ”) to you after secondary market trading commences, you will promptly consult with the Manager or Co-Manager that has been appointed to manage the syndicate short position for that Offering (the “ Designated Syndicate Agent ”) to determine the appropriate treatment of the Returned Securities under FINRA Rule 5131(d)(3), and agree to (i) return the Returned Shares to the Designated Syndicate Agent if directed to do so by that entity, or (ii) if no such direction has been provided by the Designated Syndicate Agent, to comply with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5131(d)(3)(B) with respect to the disposition of the Returned Securities.

 

10.6. Further State Notice. The Manager will file a Further State Notice with the Department of State of New York, if required.

 

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10.7. Compliance with Rule 15c2-8. In the case of a Registered Offering and any other Offering to which the provisions of Rule 15c2-8 under the 1934 Act are made applicable pursuant to the AAU or otherwise, you will comply with such Rule in connection with the Offering. In the case of an Offering other than a Registered Offering, you will comply with applicable Federal and state laws and the applicable rules and regulations of any regulatory body promulgated thereunder governing the use and distribution of offering circulars by underwriters.

 

10.8. Discretionary Accounts. In the case of a Registered Offering of Securities issued by an Issuer that was not, immediately prior to the filing of the Registration Statement, subject to the requirements of Section 13(d) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, you will not make sales to any account over which you exercise discretionary authority in connection with such sale, except as otherwise permitted by the applicable AAU for such Offering.

 

10.9. Offering Restrictions. You will not make any offers or sales of Securities or any Other Securities in jurisdictions outside the United States except under circumstances that will result in compliance with (i) applicable laws, including private placement requirements, in each such jurisdiction and (ii) the restrictions on offers or sales set forth in any AAU or the Prospectus, Preliminary Prospectus, Offering Circular, or Preliminary Offering Circular, as the case may be.

 

It is understood that, except as specified in the Prospectus or Offering Circular or applicable AAU, no action has been taken by the Manager, the Issuer, the Guarantor, or the Seller to permit you to offer Securities in any jurisdiction other than the United States, in the case of a Registered Offering, where action would be required for such purpose.

 

10.10. Representations, Warranties, and Agreements. You will make to each other Underwriter participating in an Offering the same representations, warranties, and agreements, if any, made by the Underwriters to the Issuer, the Guarantor, or the Seller in the applicable Underwriting Agreement or any Intersyndicate Agreement, and you authorize the Manager to make such representations, warranties, and agreements to the Issuer, the Guarantor, or the Seller on your behalf.

 

10.11. Limitation on the Authority of the Manager to Purchase and Sell Securities for the Account of Certain Underwriters. Notwithstanding any provision of this AAU authorizing the Manager to purchase or sell any Securities or Other Securities (including arranging for the sale of Contract Securities) or over-allot in arranging sales of Securities for the accounts of the several Underwriters, the Manager may not, in connection with the Offering of any Securities, make any such purchases, sales, and/or over-allotments for the account of any Underwriter that, not later than its acceptance of the Invitation Wire relating to such Offering, has advised the Manager that, due to its status as, or relationship to, a bank or bank holding company such purchases, sales, and/or over-allotments are prohibited by applicable law. If any Underwriter so advises the Manager, the Manager may allocate any such purchases, sales, and over-allotments (and the related expenses) which otherwise would have been allocated to your account based on your respective Underwriting Percentage to your account based on the ratio of your Original Underwriting Obligation to the Original Underwriting Obligations of all Underwriters other than the advising Underwriter or Underwriters, or in such other manner as the Manager will determine.

 

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10.12. Electronic Distribution. By participating in the Offering or accepting the Invitation Wire, you will be deemed to be representing that either: (a) you are not making an online distribution; or (b) if you are making an on-line distribution, you are following procedures for on-line distributions previously reviewed by members of the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Commission, such members raised no objections to the procedures reviewed, and there have been no material changes to your procedures since that review.

 

10.13. Agreement Regarding Oral Due Diligence . By participating in an Offering, each Underwriter agrees that it, each of its affiliates participating in an Offering as Underwriter or financial intermediary and each controlling person of it and each such participating affiliate are bound by the Agreement Regarding Oral Due Diligence currently in effect between Morgan Stanley and the accounting firm or firms that participate in oral due diligence in such offering.

 

XI. DEFAULTING UNDERWRITERS

 

11.1. Effect of Termination. If the Underwriting Agreement is terminated as permitted by the terms thereof, your obligations hereunder with respect to the Offering of the Securities will immediately terminate except: (a) as set forth in Section 9.8 hereof, (b) that you will remain liable for your Underwriting Percentage (or such other percentage as may be specified pursuant to Section 9.2 hereof) of all expenses, and for any purchases or sales which may have been made for your account pursuant to the provisions of Article V hereof or any Intersyndicate Agreement, and (c) that such termination will not affect any obligations of any defaulting or breaching Underwriter.

 

11.2. Sharing of Liability. If any Underwriter defaults in its obligations: (a) pursuant to Section 5.1, 5.2 or 5.4 hereof, (b) to pay amounts charged to its account pursuant to Section 7.1, 7.2, or 8.1 hereof, or (c) pursuant to Section 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, or 11.1 hereof, you will assume your proportionate share (determined on the basis of the respective Underwriting Percentages of the non-defaulting Underwriters) of such obligations, but no such assumption will relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability to the non-defaulting Underwriters, the Issuer, the Guarantor, or the Seller for its default.

 

11.3. Arrangements for Purchases. The Manager is authorized to arrange for the purchase by others (including the Manager or any other Underwriter) of any Securities not purchased by any defaulting Underwriter in accordance with the terms of the applicable Underwriting Agreement or, if the applicable Underwriting Agreement does not provide arrangements for defaulting Underwriters, in the discretion of the Manager. If such arrangements are made, the respective amounts of Securities to be purchased by the remaining Underwriters and such other person or persons, if any, will be taken as the basis for all rights and obligations hereunder, but this will not relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

 

XII. MISCELLANEOUS

 

12.1. Obligations Several. Nothing contained in this Master AAU or any AAU constitutes you partners with the Manager or with the other Underwriters, and the obligations of you and each of the other Underwriters are several and not joint. Each Underwriter elects to be

 

24



 

excluded from the application of Subchapter K, Chapter 1, Subtitle A, of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Each Underwriter authorizes the Manager, on behalf of such Underwriter, to execute such evidence of such election as may be required by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

 

12.2. Liability of Manager. The Manager will not be liable to you for any act or omission, except for obligations expressly assumed by the Manager in the applicable AAU.

 

12.3. Termination of Master AAU. This Master AAU may be terminated by either party hereto upon five business days’ written notice to the other party; provided , however , that with respect to any Offering for which an AAU was sent prior to such notice, this Master AAU as it applies to such Offering will remain in full force and effect and will terminate with respect to such Offering in accordance with Section 9.1 hereof.

 

12.4. Governing Law. This Master AAU and each AAU will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed in the State, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law. You hereby irrevocably: (a) submit to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York located in the City of New York or the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of the State of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Master AAU, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated hereby (each, a “ Proceeding ”), (b) agree that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (c) waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agree not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

12.5. Amendments. This Master AAU may be amended from time to time by consent of the parties hereto. Your consent will be deemed to have been given to an amendment to this Master AAU, and such amendment will be effective, five business days following written notice to you of such amendment if you do not notify us In Writing prior to the close of business on such fifth business day that you do not consent to such amendment. Upon effectiveness, the provisions of this Master AAU as so amended will apply to each AAU thereafter entered into, except as otherwise specifically provided in any such AAU.

 

12.6. Notices. Any notice to any Underwriter will be deemed to have been duly given if mailed, sent by wire, telecopy or electronic transmission or other written communication, or delivered in person to such Underwriter at the address set forth in its Underwriters’ Questionnaire, or if no address is provided in an Underwriters’ Questionnaire, then at the address set forth in reports filed by such Underwriter with FINRA. Any such notice will take effect upon receipt thereof.

 

12.7. Severability. In case any provision in this Master AAU is deemed invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

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12.8. Counterparts . This Master AAU may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original, and all of which taken together constitute one and the same instrument. Transmission by telecopy of an executed counterpart of this Master AAU will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.

 

Please confirm your acceptance of this Master AAU by signing and returning to us the enclosed duplicate copy hereof.

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

Confirmed and accepted

 

 

 

as of                , 20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Legal Name of Underwriter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Address)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Officer)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

( If person signing is not an officer or a partner, please attach instrument of authorization )

 

 

 

 

26



 

GUIDE TO DEFINED TERMS

 

Term

 

Section Reference

1933 Act

 

1.1

1934 Act

 

3.5

AAU

 

Foreword

ABS Underwriter Derived Information

 

2.1

Action

 

9.3

Additional Securities

 

1.1

Bank

 

3.5

Co-Managers

 

1.1

Commission

 

2.1

Contract Securities

 

3.1

Contributing Underwriters

 

9.5

Dealer

 

3.5

Designated Syndicate Agent

 

10.5

DTC

 

5.2

Fees and Commissions

 

1.1

FINRA

 

3.1

Firm Securities

 

1.1

Free Writing Prospectus

 

2.1

Guarantor

 

1.1

In Writing

 

1.2

Indemnified Party

 

9.4

Indenture

 

1.1

International Offering

 

1.1

Intersyndicate Agreement

 

2.3

Invitation Wire

 

Foreword

Issuer

 

1.1

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus

 

3.3

Issuer Information

 

3.3, 3.3

Judgment Credit

 

9.7

Litigation

 

9.4

Losses

 

9.4

Manager

 

9.9, 1.1

Master AAU

 

Foreward

NASD

 

3.1

Offering

 

Foreword

Offering Circular

 

2.2, 2.2

Offering Date

 

3.2

Offering Price

 

1.1

Original Underwriting Obligation

 

1.1

Preliminary Offering Circular

 

2.2

Preliminary Prospectus

 

2.1

Pricing Date

 

1.1

Proceeding

 

12.4

Prospectus

 

2.1

 

27



 

Purchase Price

 

1.1

QIU

 

9.4

Reallowance

 

1.1

Registered Offering

 

2.1

Registration Statement

 

2.1

Regulation M

 

5.1

Representative

 

1.1

Returned Securities

 

10.5

Securities

 

1.1

Securities Offering Reform Release

 

2.1

Seller

 

1.1

Selling Concession

 

1.1

Settlement Date

 

1.1

Supplemental Materials

 

3.3

Syndicate Counsel

 

9.6

Trustee

 

1.1

Unauthorized Material

 

3.3

Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus

 

3.3

Underwriters

 

1.1, 1.1

Underwriters’ Securities

 

3.1

Underwriting Agreement

 

1.1

Underwriting Percentage

 

1.1

Wire

 

Foreword

 

28



 

EXHIBIT A

 

UNDERWRITERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

 

In connection with each Offering governed by the Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Master Agreement Among Underwriters dated June 1, 2011, except as otherwise indicated in a timely acceptance of the Invitation Wire pursuant to Section 1.2 of the Master Agreement Among Underwriters (“ Master AAU ”) or already expressly disclosed in the Preliminary Prospectus or Preliminary Offering Circular, as the case may be, each Underwriter participating in such Offering severally advises the Issuer and the other participating Underwriters (all capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein will have the meanings given to them in the Master AAU) as follows: 

 

(a) neither such Underwriter nor any of its directors, officers, or partners have a material relationship, as “material” is defined in Regulation C under the 1933 Act, with the Issuer, the Guarantor, or the Seller; 

 

(b) if the Registration Statement is on Form S-1, neither such Underwriter nor any “group” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of which such Underwriter is aware is the beneficial (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) owner of more than 5% of any class of voting securities of the Issuer or Guarantor, nor does such Underwriter have any knowledge that more than 5% of any class of voting securities of the Issuer or the Guarantor is held or to be held subject to any voting trust or other similar agreement, nor does such Underwriter have any knowledge that more than 5% of any class of voting securities of the Issuer or the Guarantor is held or to be held subject to any voting trust or other similar agreement; 

 

(c) other than as may be stated in the Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC Master Agreement Among Underwriters dated June 1, 2011, the applicable AAU, the Intersyndicate Agreement or dealer agreement, if any, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, or the Offering Circular, such Underwriter does not know and has no reason to believe that there is an intention to over-allot or that the price of any security may be stabilized to facilitate the offering of the Securities; 

 

(d) other than stated in the Invitation Wire, such Underwriter does not know of (i) any other discounts or commissions to be allowed or paid to the Underwriters or of any other items that would be deemed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“ FINRA ”) to constitute underwriting compensation for purposes of FINRA Rule 5110, or (ii) any discounts or commissions to be allowed or paid to dealers, including all cash, securities, contracts, or other consideration to be received by any dealer in connection with the sale of the Securities; 

 

(e) such Underwriter has not prepared any report or memorandum for external use in connection with the Offering; 

 

(f) if the offer and sale of the Securities are to be registered under the 1933 Act pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 or Form F-1, such Underwriter has

 



 

not within the past 12 months prepared or had prepared for such Underwriter any engineering, management, or similar report or memorandum relating to broad aspects of the business, operations, or products of the Issuer or the Guarantor. The immediately preceding sentence does not apply to reports solely comprised of recommendations to buy, sell, or hold the Issuer’s or the Guarantor’s securities, unless such recommendations have changed within the past six months, or to information already contained in documents filed with the Commission; 

 

(g) in the case of Registered Offerings and Offerings of Securities exempt under Section 3 of the 1933 Act, such Underwriter does not have a “conflict of interest” with the Issuer or the Guarantor under FINRA Rule 5121. In that regard, such Underwriter specifically confirms that, at the time of such Underwriter’s participation in the subject Offering, (A) such Underwriter is not issuing the Securities in such Offering; (B) neither the Issuer nor the Guarantor controls, is controlled by or is under common control (as the term “control” is defined in FINRA Rule 5121(f)(6)) with such Underwriter or such Underwriter’s “associated persons” (as such term is defined by FINRA); (C) less than five percent of the net proceeds of the Offering, not including Fees and Commissions, are intended to be: (i) used to reduce or retire the balance of a loan or credit facility extended by such Underwriter, its “affiliates” and its “associated persons” (as such terms are defined by FINRA), in the aggregate; or (ii) otherwise directed to such Underwriter, its affiliates and associated persons, in the aggregate, and (D) as a result of such Offering and any transactions contemplated at the time of such Offering: (i) such Underwriter will not become an affiliate of the Issuer or Guarantor; (ii) such Underwriter will not become publicly owned; and (iii) the Issuer or Guarantor will not become a FINRA member or form a broker-dealer subsidiary. Furthermore, such Underwriter specifically confirms that such Underwriter does not, (a) beneficially own 10% or more of the Issuer’s or Guarantor’s outstanding “common equity”, “preferred equity” or “subordinated debt” (as each such term is defined in FINRA Rule 5121), including the right to receive such securities or subordinated debt within 60 days of such Underwriter’s participation in the Offering; (b) in the case of an Issuer or Guarantor which is a partnership, beneficially own a general, limited or special partnership interest in 10% or more of the Issuer’s or Guarantor’s distributable profits or losses, or a right to receive an interest in such distributable profits or losses within 60 days of such Underwriter’s participation in the Offering; or (c) have the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of the Issuer or the Guarantor; 

 

(h) other than as stated in the Invitation Wire, in the case of Registered Offerings and Offerings of Securities exempt under Section 3 of the 1933 Act, neither such Underwriter nor any of its directors, officers, partners, or “persons associated with” such Underwriter (as defined by FINRA) nor, to such Underwriter’s knowledge, any “related person” (defined by FINRA to include counsel, financial consultants and advisors, finders, members of the selling or distribution group, any FINRA member participating in the offering, and any other persons associated with or related to and members of the immediate family of any of the foregoing) or any other broker-dealer: (A) within the last six months have purchased in private transactions, or intend before, at, or within six months after the commencement of the public offering of the Securities to purchase in private transactions, any securities of the Issuer, the Guarantor, or any Issuer

 

2



 

Related Party (as hereinafter defined), (B) within the last 6 months have had any dealings with the Issuer, the Guarantor, any Seller, or any subsidiary or controlling person thereof (other than relating to the proposed Underwriting Agreement) as to which documents or information are required to be filed with FINRA, or (C) during the 6 months immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement (or, if there is none, the Offering Circular), have entered into any arrangement which provided or provides for the receipt of any item of value (including, but not limited to, cash payments, expense reimbursements and rights of first refusal to participate in a future public offering, private placement or other financing transaction) and/or the transfer of any warrants, options, or other securities from the Issuer, the Guarantor, or any Issuer Related Party to you or any related person; 

 

(i) in the case of Registered Offerings and Offerings of Securities exempt under Section 3 of the 1933 Act, there is no association or affiliation between such Underwriter and; (A) any officer or director of the Issuer, the Guarantor or, any Issuer Related Party, or (B) any securityholder of 5% or more (or, in the case of an initial public offering of equity securities, any securityholder) of any class of securities of the Issuer, the Guarantor, or an Issuer Related Party; it being understood that for purposes of paragraph (i) above and this paragraph (j), the term “Issuer Related Party” includes any Seller, any affiliate of the Issuer, the Guarantor, or a Seller, and the officers or general partners, directors, employees, and securityholders thereof; 

 

(j) in the case of Registered Offerings and Offerings of Securities exempt under Section 3 of the 1933 Act, and if the Securities are not issued by a real estate investment trust, no portion of the net offering proceeds from the sale of the Securities will be paid to such Underwriter or any of its affiliates or “persons associated with” such Underwriter (as defined by FINRA) or members of the immediate family of any such person; and 

 

(k) in the case of Securities which are debt securities whose offer and sale is to be registered under the 1933 Act, such Underwriter is not an affiliate (as defined in Rule 0-2 under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939) of the Trustee for the Securities or of its parent, if any. Neither the Trustee nor its parent, if any, nor any of their directors or executive officers is a “director, officer, partner, employee, appointee, or representative” of such Underwriter (as those terms are defined in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 or in the relevant instructions to Form T-1). Such Underwriter and its directors, partners, and executive officers, taken as a group, did not on the date specified in the Invitation, and do not, own beneficially 1% or more of the shares of any class of voting securities of the Trustee or of its parent, if any. If such Underwriter is a corporation, it does not have outstanding and has not assumed or guaranteed any securities issued otherwise than in its present corporate name.

 

If an Underwriter notes an exception with respect to material of the type referred to in clauses (e) and (f), such underwriter will send three copies of each item of such material, together with a statement as to distribution, identifying classes of recipients and the number of copies distributed to each such class, and, if relevant, the number of equity securities or the face value of debt securities owned by such person, the date such securities were acquired, and the price paid for such securities to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Syndicate Department, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.

 

3


Exhibit 99.(h)(3)

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

 

MASTER SELECTED DEALERS AGREEMENT

 

REGISTERED SEC OFFERINGS

 

AND

 

EXEMPT OFFERINGS

 

(OTHER THAN OFFERINGS OF MUNICIPAL SECURITIES)

 

June 1, 2011

 



 

This Master Selected Dealers Agreement (this “ Master SDA ”), dated as of June 1, 2011, is by and between Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (including its successors and assigns) (“ we ,” “ our ,” “ us ” or the “ Manager ”) and the party named on the signature page hereof (a “ Dealer ,” “ you ” or “ your ”). From time to time, in connection with an offering and sale (an “ Offering ”) of securities (the “ Securities ”), managed solely by us or with one or more other managers or co-managers, we or one or more of our affiliates may offer you (and others) the opportunity to purchase as principal a portion of such securities on the terms set forth herein as a Selected Dealer (as defined below).

 

References herein to laws, statutory and regulatory sections, rules, regulations, forms and interpretive materials are deemed to include successor provisions. The following provisions of this Master SDA shall apply separately to each individual Offering of Securities. You and we further agree as follows:

 

1. Applicability of this Master SDA . The terms and conditions of this Master SDA will be applicable to any Offering in which you accept an offer to participate as a Selected Dealer (including through the receipt by you of Securities), whether pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ 1933 Act ”), or exempt from registration thereunder, in respect of which we (acting for our own account or for the account of any underwriting or similar group or syndicate) are responsible for managing or otherwise implementing the sale of Securities to Selected Dealers. A Dealer is a person who meets the requirements of Section 10 hereof. The parties who agree to participate (including by the receipt by such parties of Securities) or are designated a selling concession to Dealers (the “ Selling Concession ”), and reallowance, if any (the “ Reallowance ”), in such Offering as selected Dealers are hereinafter referred to as “ Selected Dealers ”. In the case of any Offering where we are acting for the account of the several underwriters, initial purchasers or others acting in a similar capacity (the “ Underwriters ”), the terms and conditions of this Master SDA will be for the benefit of such Underwriters, including, in the case of any Offering where we are acting with others as representatives of Underwriters, such other representatives.

 

2. Terms of the Offering . We may advise you orally or by one or more wires, telexes, telecopy or electronic data transmissions, or other written communications (each, a “ Wire ”) of the particular method and supplementary terms and conditions of any Offering (including the price or prices at which the Securities initially will be offered by the several Underwriters, or if the price is to be determined by a formula based on market price, the terms of the formula, (the “ Offering Price ”) and any Selling Concession or, if applicable, Reallowance) in which you are invited to participate. Any such Wire may also amend or modify such provisions of this Master SDA in respect of the Offering to which such Wire relates, and may contain such supplementary provisions as may be specified in any Wire relating to an Offering. To the extent such supplementary terms and conditions are inconsistent with any provision herein, such supplementary terms and conditions shall supersede any provision of this Master SDA. Unless otherwise indicated in any such Wire, acceptances and other communications by you with respect to an Offering should be sent pursuant to the terms of Section 19 hereof. Notwithstanding that we may not have sent you a Wire or other form of invitation to participate in such Offering or that you may not otherwise have responded by wire or other written

 

2



 

communication (any such communication being deemed “ In Writing ”) to any such Wire or other form of invitation, you will be deemed to have accepted the terms of our offer to participate as a Selected Dealer and of this Master SDA (as amended, modified or supplemented by any Wire) by your purchase of Securities or otherwise receiving and retaining an economic benefit for participating in the Offering as a Selected Dealer. We reserve the right to reject any acceptance in whole or in part.

 

Any Offering will be subject to delivery of the Securities and their acceptance by us and any other Underwriters may be subject to the approval of all legal matters by counsel and may be subject to the satisfaction of other conditions. Any application for additional Securities will be subject to rejection in whole or in part.

 

3. Offering Documents . Upon your request, we will furnish, make available to you or make arrangements for you to obtain copies (which may, to the extent permitted by law, be in electronic form) of each prospectus, prospectus supplement, offering memorandum, offering circular or similar offering document, and any preliminary version thereof, as soon as reasonably practicable after sufficient quantities thereof have been made available by the issuer of the Securities (each, an “ Issuer ”) and any guarantor (each, a “ Guarantor ”) thereof, and, if different from the Issuer, the seller or sellers (each, a “ Seller ”) of the Securities. You agree that you will comply with the applicable United States federal and state laws, and the applicable rules and regulations of any regulatory body promulgated thereunder, and the applicable laws, rules and regulations of any non-United States jurisdiction, governing the use and distribution of offering materials by brokers and dealers. You represent and warrant that you are familiar with Rule l5c2-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ 1934 Act ”), relating to the distribution of preliminary and final prospectuses and agree that your purchase of Securities shall constitute your confirmation that you have delivered and will deliver all preliminary prospectuses and final prospectuses required for compliance therewith. You agree to make a record of your distribution of each preliminary prospectus and, when furnished with copies of any revised preliminary prospectus or final prospectus, you will, upon our request, promptly forward copies thereof to each person to whom you have theretofore distributed a preliminary prospectus. You agree that, in purchasing Securities, you will rely upon no statement whatsoever, written or oral, other than the statements in the final prospectus, offering memorandum, offering circular or similar offering document delivered to you by us. You are not authorized by the Issuer or other Seller of Securities offered pursuant to a final prospectus, offering memorandum, offering circular or similar offering document or by any Underwriters to give any information or to make any representation not contained therein in connection with the sale of such Securities.

 

4. Offering of Securities .

 

(a)  In respect of any Offering, we will inform you of any Selling Concession and Reallowance, if any. The Offering of Securities is made subject to the conditions referred to in the prospectus, offering memorandum, or offering circular or similar offering document related to the Offering and to the terms and conditions set forth in any Wire. After the initial Offering has commenced, we may change the Offering Price, the Selling Concession and the Reallowance (if any) to Selected Dealers. If a Reallowance is in effect, a reallowance from the Offering Price

 

3



 

not in excess of such Reallowance may be allowed (i) in the case of Offerings of Securities that are not exempted securities (as defined in Section 3 (a)(12) of the 1934 Act), as consideration for services rendered in distribution to Dealers who are actually engaged in the investment banking or securities business and who are either members in good standing of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”) who agree to abide by the applicable rules of FINRA or non-U.S. banks, brokers, dealers or institutions not eligible for membership in FINRA who represent to you that they will promptly reoffer such Securities at the Offering Price and will abide by the conditions with respect to non-U.S. banks, dealers and institutions set forth in Section 10 hereof, or (ii) in the case of Offerings of Securities that are exempted securities (as defined in Section 3(a)(12) of the 1934 Act), as consideration for services rendered in distribution not only to Dealers identified in the immediately preceding clause but also to Dealers who are domestic banks which are not members of FINRA who represent to you that they will promptly reoffer such Securities at the Offering Price and will abide by the conditions with respect to domestic banks set forth in Section 10 hereof.

 

(b)  No expenses will be charged to Selected Dealers. A single transfer tax upon the sale of the Securities by the respective Underwriters to you will be paid by such Underwriters when such Securities are delivered to you. However, you shall pay any transfer tax on sales of Securities by you and you shall pay your proportionate share of any transfer tax or other tax (other than the single transfer tax described above) in the event that any such tax shall from time to time be assessed against you and other Selected Dealers as a group or otherwise.

 

5. Payment and Delivery . You will deliver to us, on the date and at the place and time specified by us orally or In Writing, payment in the manner and type of currency specified by us orally or In Writing, payable to the order of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (or as we may subsequently inform you), for an amount equal to the Offering Price plus (if not included in the Offering Price) accrued interest, amortization of original issue discount or dividends, if any, specified in the prospectus or offering circular or other similar offering document furnished in connection with the Offering of the Securities. We may, in our sole discretion, retain the applicable Selling Concession in respect of the Securities to be purchased by you for release at a date specified by us. We will make payment to the Issuer or Seller against delivery to us for your account of the Securities to be purchased by you, and we will deliver to you the Securities paid for by you which will have been retained by or released to you for direct sale. If we determine that transactions in the Securities are to be settled through The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) or another clearinghouse facility and payment in the settlement currency is supported by such facility, payment for and delivery of Securities purchased by you will be made through such facility, if you are a participant, or, if you are not a participant, settlement will be made through your ordinary correspondent who is a participant.

 

6. Over-allotment; Stabilization; Unsold Allotments; Penalty Bids . We may, with respect to any Offering, be authorized to over-allot in arranging sales to Selected Dealers, to purchase and sell Securities for long or short account and to stabilize or maintain the market price of the Securities. You agree that upon our request at any time and from time to time prior to the termination of the provisions of Section 4 hereof with respect to any Offering, you will report to us the amount of Securities purchased by you pursuant to such Offering which then remain unsold by you and will, upon our request at any such time, sell to us for our account or

 

4



 

the account of one or more Underwriters such amount of such unsold Securities as we may designate at the Offering Price less an amount to be determined by us not in excess of the Selling Concession. Prior to the termination of the Manager’s authority to cover any short position in connection with the Offering or such other date as the Manager may specify by Wire, if the Manager determines pursuant to the “Initial Public Offering Tracking System” of DTC that the Manager has purchased, or any of your customers have sold, a number or amount of Securities retained by, or released to, you for direct sale or any Securities sold pursuant to Section 4 hereof for which you received a portion of the Selling Concession, or any Securities which may have been issued on transfer or in exchange for such Securities, which Securities were therefore not effectively placed for investment, then you authorize the Manager to charge your account with an amount equal to such portion of the Selling Concession received by you with respect to such Securities at a price equal to the total cost of such purchase, including transfer taxes, accrued interest, dividends, and commissions, if any.

 

7. Termination .

 

(a)  The terms and conditions set forth in (i) Section 4, (ii) the second sentence of Section 6, (iii) Section 15 and (iv) Section 16 of this Master SDA (collectively, the “ offering provisions ”) will terminate with respect to each Offering pursuant to this Master SDA at the close of business on the later of (a) the date on which the Underwriters pay the Issuer or Seller for the Securities, and (b) 45 calendar days after the applicable Offering date, unless in either such case the effectiveness of such offering provisions is extended or sooner terminated as hereinafter provided. We may terminate such offering provisions other than Section 6 at any time by notice to you to the effect that the offering provisions are terminated and we may terminate the provisions of Section 6 at any time at or subsequent to the termination of the other offering provisions by notice to you to the effect that the penalty bid provisions are terminated. All other provisions of the Master SDA shall remain operative and in full force and effect with respect to such Offering.

 

(b)  This Master SDA may be terminated by either party hereto upon five business days’ written notice to the other party; provided, however, that with respect to any particular Offering, if we receive any such notice from you after we have advised you of the amount of Securities allotted to you, this Master SDA shall remain in full force and effect as to such Offering and shall terminate with respect to such Offering and all previous Offerings only in accordance with and to the extent provided in subsection (a) of this Section 7.

 

8. Amendments . This Master SDA may be amended from time to time by consent of the parties hereto. Your consent will be deemed to have been given to an amendment to this Master SDA, and such amendment will be effective, five business days following written notice to you of such amendment if you do not notify us In Writing prior to the close of business on such fifth business day that you do not consent to such amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you agree that any amendment, supplement or modification of the terms of this Master SDA by Wire or otherwise In Writing will be effective immediately and your consent will be deemed to have been given to any such amendment, supplement or modification by your purchase of Securities or otherwise receiving and retaining an economic benefit for participating in the Offering as a Selected Dealer; provided that such amendment, supplement or modification of the terms of this Master SDA shall only be effective with respect to the related Offering.

 

5



 

9. Relationship Among Underwriters and Selected Dealers . We shall have full authority to take such actions as we deem advisable in all matters pertaining to any Offering under this Master SDA. You are not authorized to act as an agent for us, any Underwriter or the Issuer or other Seller of any Securities in offering Securities to the public or otherwise. Neither we nor any Underwriter will be under any obligation to you except for obligations assumed hereby or in any Wire from us in connection with any Offering, and no obligations on our part as the Manager will be implied hereby or inferred herefrom. Nothing contained in this Master SDA or any Wire shall constitute the Selected Dealers an association or partners with us or any Underwriter or with one another, and the obligations of you and each of the other Selected Dealers or any of the Underwriters are several and not joint. If the Selected Dealers, among themselves, with us or with the Underwriters, should be deemed to constitute a partnership for federal income tax purposes, then you elect to be excluded from the application of Subchapter K, Chapter 1, Subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and agree not to take any position inconsistent with such election. You authorize the Manager, in its discretion, to execute on your behalf such evidence of such election as may be required by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. In connection with any Offering, you will be liable for your proportionate share of the amount of any tax, claim, demand or liability that may be asserted against you alone or against one or more Selected Dealers participating in such Offering, or against us or the Underwriters, based upon the claim that the Selected Dealers, or any of them, constitute an association, an unincorporated business or other entity, including, in each case, your proportionate share of the amount of any expense (including attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred in defending against any such tax, claim, demand or liability.

 

10. FINRA Compliance . You represent and warrant (a) that you are a broker or dealer (as defined by FINRA actually engaged in the investment banking or securities business and that you are either (i) a member in good standing of FINRA or (ii) a non-U.S. bank, broker, dealer or other institution not eligible for membership in FINRA and not registered under the 1934 Act (a “ non-member non-U.S. dealer ”), or (b) only in the case of Offerings of Securities that are exempted securities (as defined in Section 3(a)(12) of the 1934 Act), and such other Securities as from time to time may be sold by a “bank” (as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the 1934 Act (a “ Bank ”)), that you are a domestic Bank which is not a member of FINRA that makes the representations and agreements applicable to such institutions contained in this Section 10 hereof as if you were a member of FINRA. You agree that, in connection with any purchase or sale of the Securities wherein a selling concession, discount or other allowance is received or granted, you (aa) will comply, if you are a member of FINRA, with all applicable rules of FINRA, including, without limitation, (i) the requirements of FINRA Rule 5130, and (ii) the requirements of NASD Conduct Rule 2740 (relating to Selling Concessions, Discounts and Other Allowances) or any FINRA successor rules thereto or (bb) if you are a non-member non-U.S. dealer, (i) will comply, as though you were a member of FINRA, with the requirements of the following rules (including any FINRA successor rules thereto): NASD Conduct Rules 2730 (relating to Securities Taken in Trade), 2740 (relating to Selling Concessions), 2750 (relating to Transactions with Related Persons) and FINRA Rule 5130 (relating to Restrictions on the Purchase and Sale of Initial Equity Public Offerings) and NASD Conduct Rule 2420 (relating to Dealing with

 

6



 

Non-Members) as that Rule applies to a non-member broker/dealer in a non-U.S. country, and (ii) are, and will remain at all relevant times, an appropriately registered or licensed broker-dealer (to the extent required) in a non-U.S. jurisdiction and will not engage in any activities in the United States or with United States persons as would require you to register as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the 1934 Act or obtain FINRA membership as set forth in NASD Conduct Rule 2420(c). In addition, if you are a domestic bank or a non-member non-U.S. dealer, you agree to comply, as though you were a member of FINRA, and make the representations and agreements applicable to such institutions contained in this Section 10. You represent and warrant that you are fully familiar with the above provisions.

 

You further represent, by your participation in an Offering, that you have provided to us all documents and other information required to be filed with respect to you, any related person or any person associated with you or any such related person pursuant to the supplementary requirements of FINRA’s interpretation with respect to review of corporate financing as such requirements relate to such Offering.

 

11. Blue Sky Matters . Upon application to us, we shall inform you as to any advice we have received from counsel concerning the jurisdictions in which Securities have been qualified for sale or are exempt under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such jurisdictions, but we do not assume any obligation or responsibility as to your right to sell Securities in any such jurisdiction, notwithstanding any information we may furnish to you in that connection.

 

12. Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction . This Master SDA (as it may be modified or supplemented by any Wire) will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed in the State. You hereby irrevocably: (a) submit to the jurisdiction of any court of the State of New York located in the City of New York or the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of the State of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of this Master SDA, or any of the agreements or transactions contemplated hereby (each, a “ Proceeding ”), (b) agree that all claims in respect of any Proceeding may be heard and determined in any such court, (c) waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any immunity from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process therein, (d) agree not to commence any Proceeding other than in such courts, and (e) waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim that such Proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

13. Successors and Assigns . This Master SDA will be binding on, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and other persons specified in Section 1 hereof, and the respective successors and assigns of each of them; provided, however, that you may not assign your rights or delegate any of your duties under this Master SDA without our prior written consent.

 

14. Compliance with Law . You agree that in selling Securities pursuant to any Offering (which agreement shall also be for the benefit of the Issuer or other Seller of such Securities) you will comply with all applicable rules and regulations, including the applicable provisions of the 1933 Act and the 1934 Act, the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder, the applicable rules and regulations of FINRA, the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange having jurisdiction over the Offering and the applicable laws, rules and regulations specified in Section 3(a) and 3(b) hereof.

 

7



 

15. Discretionary Accounts . In the case of an Offering of Securities registered under the 1933 Act by an Issuer that was not, immediately prior to the filing of the related registration statement, subject to the requirements of Section 13(d) or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, you will not make sales to any account over which you exercise discretionary authority in connection with such sale, except as otherwise permitted by us for such Offering In Writing.

 

16. Offering Restrictions . You will not make any offers or sales of Securities or any other securities in jurisdictions outside the United States except under circumstances that will result in compliance with (a) applicable laws, including private placement requirements, in each such jurisdiction and (b) the restrictions on offers or sales set forth in this Master SDA, any Wire or the prospectus, preliminary prospectus, offering memorandum, offering circular, or preliminary offering memorandum or preliminary offering circular or other similar offering document, as the case may be. It is understood that, except as specified in this Master SDA, the prospectus, offering memorandum or offering circular or other similar offering document, or applicable Wire, no action has been taken by us, the Issuer, the Guarantor, the Seller or any other party to permit you to offer Securities in any jurisdiction other than the United States, in the case of a Registered Offering, where action would be required for such purpose.

 

17. Prohibition on Money Laundering . The operations of your business and your subsidiaries are and, to your knowledge, have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “ Money Laundering Laws ”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving you or any of your subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to your knowledge, threatened.

 

18. Liability of Manager . The Manager will not be liable to you for any act or omission, except for obligations expressly assumed by the Manager In Writing.

 

19. Notices . Any notice to you will be deemed to have been duly given if mailed, sent by Wire, or delivered in person to you at the address set forth on the signature page hereto (or to such other address, telephone, telecopy or telex as you will be notified by us), or if such address is no longer valid, then at the address set forth in reports filed by you with FINRA. Any such notice will take effect upon receipt thereof. Communications by Wire will be deemed to be “written” communications and made In Writing.

 

20. Severability . In case any provision in this Master SDA or any Wire is deemed invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

8



 

21. Counterparts . This Master SDA may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original, and all of which taken together constitute one and the same instrument. Transmission by telecopy of an executed counterpart of this Master SDA will constitute due and sufficient delivery of such counterpart.

 

Please confirm by signing and returning to us the enclosed copy of this Master SDA that your subscription to, or your acceptance of any reservation of, any Securities pursuant to an Offering shall constitute (a) acceptance of and agreement to the terms and conditions of this Master SDA (as supplemented and amended pursuant to Section 8 hereof) together with and subject to any supplementary terms and conditions contained in any Wire from us in connection with such Offering, all of which shall constitute a binding agreement between you and us individually or as representative of any Underwriters, (b) confirmation that your representations and warranties set forth herein are true and correct at that time, (c) confirmation that your agreements herein have been and will be fully performed by you to the extent and at the times required thereby and (d) in the case of any Offering described in Section 3 hereof, acknowledgment that you have requested and received from us sufficient copies of the final prospectus, offering memorandum or offering circular, as the case may be, with respect to such Offering in order to comply with your undertakings in Section 3(a) or 3(b) hereof.

 

( Remainder of page intentionally left blank )

 

( Signature page follows )

 

9



 

This Master SDA is dated as of June 1, 2011, and executed by and between Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and other party named below.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Confirmed as of (date):

 

 

 

CONFIRMED:                 , 20

 

 

 

 

 

(Legal Name of Selected Dealer)

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

Telephone:

 

 

 

Facsimile:

 

 

 

Email:

 

 

10



 

Master Selected Dealers Agreement

 

GUIDE TO DEFINED TERMS

 

Term

 

Section Reference

1933 Act

 

1

1934 Act

 

3

Bank

 

10

Dealer

 

Foreword

DTC

 

5

FINRA

 

4(a)

Guarantor

 

3

In Writing

 

2

Issuer

 

3

Manager

 

Foreword

Master SDA

 

Foreword

Money Laundering Laws

 

17

non-member non-U.S. dealer

 

10

Offering

 

Foreword

Offering Price

 

2

offering provisions

 

7(a)

Proceeding

 

12

Reallowance

 

1

Securities

 

1

Selected Dealers

 

1

Seller

 

3

Selling Concession

 

1

Underwriters

 

1

Wire

 

2

 

11


Exhibit 99.(h)(4)

 

SYNDICATION FEE AGREEMENT

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This agreement is between KKR Asset Management LLC (the “ Company ”) and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley ”) with respect to KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “ Fund ”).

 

1.          Syndication Fee . (a) In consideration of advice to the Company relating to, but not limited to, syndication assistance with respect to the Fund and the distribution of the Fund’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 (the “ Shares ”), including without limitation, securing syndicate participants for the Fund’s initial public offering (the “ Offering ”), preparation of marketing and diligence materials for underwriters, conveying information and market updates to syndicate members and coordinating syndicate orders during the Offering, the Company shall pay a fee to Morgan Stanley equal to [$          ] (the “ Syndication Fee ”). The Syndication Fee paid to Morgan Stanley shall not exceed [    %] of the total price to the public of the Shares sold by the Fund in the Offering. In the event the Offering does not proceed, Morgan Stanley will not receive any fees under this Agreement; however, for the avoidance of doubt, accountable expenses actually incurred may be payable to Morgan Stanley pursuant to the terms of the principal underwriting agreement relating to the Offering (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”).

 

(b) The Company shall pay the Syndication Fee to Morgan Stanley on the closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement on July [ · ], 2013 by wire transfer to the order of Morgan Stanley. The Company acknowledges that the Syndication Fee is in addition to any compensation Morgan Stanley earns in connection with its role as an underwriter to the Fund in the Offering, which services are distinct from and in addition to the marketing and structuring services described above.

 

2.          Term . This Agreement shall terminate upon payment of the entire amount of the Syndication Fee, as specified in Section 1 hereof or upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement without the Shares having been delivered and paid for, except as provided in Sections 3 and 4.

 

3.          Indemnification . The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.

 

4.          Confidential Advice . None of any advice rendered by Morgan Stanley to the Company or any communication from Morgan Stanley in connection with the services

 

1



 

performed by Morgan Stanley pursuant to this Agreement will be quoted or referred to orally or in writing, or reproduced or disseminated, by the Company or any of its affiliates or any of their agents, without Morgan Stanley’s prior written consent, except (i) the Company may disclose the foregoing to any regulatory authority in response to a regulatory proceeding, process, inquiry or request, so long as the Company gives Morgan Stanley prompt notice thereof unless in the opinion of the Company’s counsel it is not legally able to do so, (ii) to the extent otherwise required by law, judicial process or applicable regulation (after consultation with, and approval (not to be unreasonably withheld) as to form and substance by, Morgan Stanley and its counsel, unless in the opinion of the Company’s counsel it is not legally able so to consult) and (iii) on a confidential need-to-know basis, to the Fund and its officers and directors and their legal counsel, auditors and other advisors. This confidentiality provision will terminate eighteen months from the date first written above.

 

5.          Not an Investment Adviser . The Company acknowledges that Morgan Stanley is not providing any advice hereunder as to the value of securities or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund’s portfolio. No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of Morgan Stanley, and Morgan Stanley is not agreeing hereby, to: (i) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of portfolio securities; or (ii) render any opinions, valuations or recommendations of any kind or to perform any such similar services. The Company’s engagement of Morgan Stanley is not intended to confer rights upon any person (including the Fund or any shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company or the Fund) not a party hereto as against Morgan Stanley or its affiliates, or their respective directors, officers, employees or agents, successors, or assigns.

 

6.          Not Exclusive . Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting Morgan Stanley or its affiliates from acting as an underwriter or financial advisor or in any other capacity for any other persons (including other registered investment companies or other investment managers). Neither this Agreement nor the performance of the services contemplated hereunder shall be considered to constitute a partnership, association or joint venture between Morgan Stanley and the Company. In addition, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to constitute Morgan Stanley as the agent or employee of the Company or the Company as the agent or employee of Morgan Stanley, and neither party shall make any representation to the contrary. It is understood that Morgan Stanley is engaged hereunder solely to provide the services described above to the Company and that Morgan Stanley is not acting as an agent or fiduciary of, and Morgan Stanley shall not have any duties or liability to, the current or future partners, members or equity owners of the Company or any other third party in connection with its engagement hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived to the extent the Company has the authority to waive such duties and liabilities. For the avoidance of doubt, it is acknowledged and agreed that the Company may pay compensation of any kind to any other person for services the same as, or similar to, the services provided by Morgan Stanley hereunder.

 

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7.          Assignment . This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without prior written consent of the other party.

 

8.          Amendment; Waiver . No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

 

9.          Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL . This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim, dispute or proceeding of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“ Claim ”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York. No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom), which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters except as provided below. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such Claim and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such Claim in any such court or that any such Claim brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such Claim may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party. EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT. EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY, AS THE CASE MAY BE, AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH MORGAN STANLEY OR THE COMPANY ARE OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.

 

10.        Entire Agreement . This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Agreement) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect.

 

11.        Notices . All notices required or permitted to be sent under this Agreement shall be sent, if to the Company:

 

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KKR Asset Management LLC

555 California Street

50 th  Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

Attention:  [ · ]

 

or if to Morgan Stanley:

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Attention: General Counsel

 

or such other name or address as may be given in writing to the other parties. Any notice shall be deemed to be given or received on the third day after deposit by certified U.S. mail, postage prepaid, or when actually received, whether by hand, express delivery service or facsimile transmission, whichever is earlier.

 

12.        Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

[Remainder of this page intentionally left blank]

 

4



 

This Agreement shall be effective as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written:

 

 

 

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Sue Portelli

 

 

 

Title:

Executive Director

 

 

 

5



 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In connection with the engagement of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley ”) to advise and assist the undersigned (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, referred to as the “ Company ”) with the matters set forth in the Syndication Fee Agreement dated July [ · ], 2013, between the Company and Morgan Stanley (the “ Syndication Fee Agreement ”), in the event that Morgan Stanley becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Syndication Fee Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Syndication Fee Agreement, the Company has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley’s affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents and each other person, if any, controlling Morgan Stanley or any of Morgan Stanley’s affiliates (Morgan Stanley and each such other person being an “ Indemnified Person ”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities related to, arising out of or in connection with the activities (the “ Activities ”) performed by any Indemnified Person in connection with, or arising out of, or based upon, the Syndication Fee Agreement and/or any action taken by any Indemnified Person in connection therewith (including, without limitation, any presentation given by the Company and an Indemnified Person relating to the common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Shares ”) of KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “ Fund ”)), and will reimburse each Indemnified Person for all expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel) as they are incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry related to, arising out of or in connection with the Activities, whether or not pending or threatened and whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party. The Company will not, however, be responsible for any losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of any Indemnified Person. The Company also agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with the Activities, except for any such liability for losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred by the Company that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person. The indemnification provided hereunder does not extend to matters arising solely out of the underwriting agreement, dated July [ · ], 2013, by and among the Fund, the Company and each of the underwriters named in Schedule I thereto, and indemnified thereunder.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be responsible for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to any Indemnified Person arising from any such claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry in excess of the gross proceeds received by the Fund from the initial public offering of the Shares of the Fund (the “ Offering ”); provided, however, that the Company shall, as set forth above, indemnify and be responsible for, regardless of the gross proceeds received by the Fund from the Offering, all expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel) reasonably incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry related to, arising out of or in connection with the Activities, whether or not pending or threatened and whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party, as set forth above, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of Morgan Stanley.

 

The Company will not, without Morgan Stanley’s prior written consent, settle, compromise, consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes a release of each Indemnified Person from any liabilities arising out of such claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry. No Indemnified Person seeking indemnification, reimbursement or contribution under this agreement (the “ Indemnification Agreement ”) will, without the Company’s prior written consent, settle, compromise, consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry referred to in the preceding paragraphs.

 

Promptly as reasonably practicable after receipt by an Indemnified Person of notice of the commencement of any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry in respect of which indemnification is sought hereunder, the Indemnified Person will notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure so to notify the Company (i) will not relieve the Company from liability under this paragraph to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and (ii) in any event shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this Indemnification Agreement.

 

If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company (including the net proceeds from the Shares sold by Morgan Stanley in the Offering before deducting expenses) and its members and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and Morgan Stanley, on the other hand, in the matters contemplated by the Syndication Fee Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and its members and

 

2



 

affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its members and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, of a transaction as contemplated shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received by or paid to or contemplated to be received by or paid to the Company or its members or affiliates and other constituencies, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the transaction (whether or not consummated) for which Morgan Stanley has been retained to perform financial services bears to the fees paid to Morgan Stanley under the Syndication Fee Agreement; provided that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to assure that Morgan Stanley is not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by Morgan Stanley pursuant to the Syndication Fee Agreement. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by Morgan Stanley, on the other hand. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, an Indemnified Person shall not be entitled to contribution from the Company if it is determined that such Indemnified Person was guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) and the Company was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation or that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) are determined to have resulted from the gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any Indemnified Person.

 

This Indemnification Agreement, together with the Syndication Fee Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this agreement) that relate to the Offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Indemnified Parties with respect to the fee paid to Morgan Stanley under the Syndication Fee Agreement.

 

The Company acknowledges that in connection with the Offering of the Shares: (i) Morgan Stanley has acted at arms length, is not an agent of, and owes no fiduciary duties to, the Company, the Fund or any person affiliated with the Fund or the Company, (ii) Morgan Stanley owes the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Indemnification Agreement and (iii) Morgan Stanley may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims any of the Company, the Fund or any person affiliated with the Fund or the Company may have against Morgan Stanley arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

The provisions of this Indemnification Agreement shall apply to the Activities and any modification thereof and shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination or the completion of Morgan Stanley’s services under the Syndication Fee Agreement.

 

3



 

This Indemnification Agreement may not be assigned by either party without prior written consent of the other party. No provision of this Indemnification Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto. This Indemnification Agreement and any claim, counterclaim, dispute or proceeding of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Indemnification Agreement (“ Claim ”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York. No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom), which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters except as provided below. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such Claim and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such Claim in any such court or that any such Claim brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such Claim may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11 of the Syndication Fee Agreement shall be deemed effective service of process on such party. EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT. EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY, AS THE CASE MAY BE, AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH MORGAN STANLEY OR THE COMPANY ARE OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT. This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement. Delivery of an executed signature page of this Indemnification Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission that accurately depicts a manual signature shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

4



 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written:

 

 

 

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Sue Portelli

 

 

 

Title:

Executive Director

 

 

 

5


Exhibit 99.(h)(5)

 

STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This agreement is between KKR Asset Management LLC (the “ Company ”) and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley ”) with respect to the KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “ Fund ”).

 

1.          Fee .  (a) In consideration of advice to the Company relating to, but not limited to, the design and structuring of, and marketing assistance with respect to, the Fund and the distribution of its common shares of beneficial interest (the “ Shares ”), including without limitation, views from an investor market and distribution perspective on (i) diversification, proportion and concentration approaches for the Fund’s investments in light of current market conditions, (ii) marketing issues with respect to the Fund’s investment policies and proposed investments, (iii) the proportion of the Fund’s assets to invest in the Fund’s strategies, and (iv) the overall marketing and positioning thesis for the Fund’s initial public offering, the Company shall pay a fee to Morgan Stanley calculated at 1.35% of the aggregate price to the public of the Shares sold by Morgan Stanley in the Fund’s initial public offering (the “ Offering ”) (including any Shares over-allotted by Morgan Stanley in the Offering regardless of whether the over-allotment option in the Offering is exercised), equal to $           (the “ Fee ”).  Subject to paragraph (b), the Fee paid to Morgan Stanley shall not exceed           % of the total price to the public of the Shares sold by the Fund in the Offering. In the event the Offering does not proceed, Morgan Stanley will not receive any fees under this Agreement; however, pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, dated July [ · ], 2013 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Fund, the Company and each of the underwriters named in Schedule I thereto, accountable expenses actually incurred may be payable to Morgan Stanley pursuant to the terms thereof.

 

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), in the event that the Company (or the Fund or any person or entity affiliated with the Company, the Fund or any sub-adviser to the Fund or acting on behalf of or at the direction of any of the foregoing) compensates or agrees to compensate any other broker or dealer participating in the Offering (each, an “ Other Broker ”) for any services or otherwise in connection with the Offering or with respect to the Fund or its Shares (excluding for this purpose any compensation paid directly to the entire underwriting syndicate, as a group, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement), whether such compensation be denominated a fee, an expense reimbursement, a

 

1



 

set-off, a credit or otherwise (such compensation with respect to any Other Broker, such Other Broker’s “ Other Compensation ”), then the amount of the Fee shall be increased as and to the extent necessary so that the Fee payable to Morgan Stanley hereunder, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate price to the public of the Shares sold by Morgan Stanley in the Offering (including any Shares over-allotted by Morgan Stanley in the Offering regardless of whether the over-allotment option in the Offering is exercised), is no less than the Other Compensation, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate price to the public of the Shares sold by such Other Broker in the Offering (including any Shares over-allotted by such Other Broker in the Offering regardless of whether the over-allotment option in the Offering is exercised).  For purposes of paragraphs 1(a) and 1(b), the number of Shares sold by Morgan Stanley shall be deemed to include [82%] of the number of Shares sold by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. shall be deemed to have sold the other [18%].

 

(c) The Company shall pay the Fee to Morgan Stanley on the closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement on July [ · ], 2013 by wire transfer to the order of Morgan Stanley.  The Company acknowledges that the Fee is in addition to any compensation Morgan Stanley earns in connection with its role as an underwriter to the Fund in the Offering, which services are distinct from and in addition to the marketing and structuring services described above.

 

2.          Term .  This Agreement shall terminate upon payment of the entire amount of the Fee, as specified in Section 1 hereof or upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement without the Shares having been delivered and paid for, except as provided in Sections 3 and 4.

 

3.          Indemnification .  The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.

 

4.          Confidential Advice .  None of any advice rendered by Morgan Stanley to the Company or any communication from Morgan Stanley in connection with the services performed by Morgan Stanley pursuant to this Agreement will be quoted or referred to orally or in writing, or reproduced or disseminated, by the Company or any of its affiliates or any of their agents, without Morgan Stanley’s prior written consent, except (i) the Company may disclose the foregoing to any regulatory authority in response to a regulatory proceeding, process, inquiry or request, so long as the Company gives Morgan

 

2



 

Stanley prompt notice thereof unless in the opinion of the Company’s counsel it is not legally able to do so, (ii) to the extent otherwise required by law, judicial process or applicable regulation (after consultation with, and approval (not to be unreasonably withheld) as to form and substance by, Morgan Stanley and its counsel, unless in the opinion of the Company’s counsel it is not legally able so to consult) and (iii) on a confidential need-to-know basis, to the Fund and its officers and directors and their legal counsel, auditors and other advisors.  This confidentiality provision will terminate eighteen months from the date first written above.

 

5.          Not an Investment Advisor .  The Company acknowledges that Morgan Stanley is not providing any advice hereunder as to the value of securities or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund’s portfolio.  No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of Morgan Stanley, and Morgan Stanley is not agreeing hereby, to: (i) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of portfolio securities; or (ii) render any opinions, valuations or recommendations of any kind or to perform any such similar services.  The Company’s engagement of Morgan Stanley is not intended to confer rights upon any person (including the Fund or any shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company or the Fund) not a party hereto as against Morgan Stanley or its affiliates, or their respective directors, officers, employees or agents, successors, or assigns.

 

6.          Not Exclusive .  Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting Morgan Stanley or its affiliates from acting as an underwriter or financial advisor or in any other capacity for any other persons (including other registered investment companies or other investment managers).  Neither this Agreement nor the performance of the services contemplated hereunder shall be considered to constitute a partnership, association or joint venture between Morgan Stanley and the Company.  In addition, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to constitute Morgan Stanley as the agent or employee of the Company or the Company as the agent or employee of Morgan Stanley, and neither party shall make any representation to the contrary.  It is understood that Morgan Stanley is engaged hereunder solely to provide the services described above to the Company and that Morgan Stanley is not acting as an agent or fiduciary of, and Morgan Stanley shall not have any duties or liability to, the current or future partners, members or equity owners of the Company or any other third party in connection with its engagement hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived to the extent the Company has the authority to waive such duties and liabilities. For the avoidance of doubt, it is acknowledged and agreed that the Company may pay

 

3



 

compensation of any kind to any other person for services the same as, or similar to, the services provided by Morgan Stanley hereunder.

 

7.          Assignment .  This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without prior written consent of the other party.

 

8.          Amendment; Waiver .  No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

 

9.          Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL .  This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim, dispute or proceeding of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“ Claim ”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.  No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom), which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters except as provided below.  Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such Claim and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such Claim in any such court or that any such Claim brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  Process in any such Claim may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court.  Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11 shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.  EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.  EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY, AS THE CASE MAY BE, AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH MORGAN STANLEY OR THE COMPANY ARE OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.

 

4



 

10.        Entire Agreement .  This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Agreement) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof.  If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect.

 

11.        Notices .  All notices required or permitted to be sent under this Agreement shall be sent, if to the Company:

 

KKR Asset Management LLC

555 California Street

50 th  Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

Attention: [ · ]

 

or if to Morgan Stanley:

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

Attention:  General Counsel

 

or such other name or address as may be given in writing to the other parties.  Any notice shall be deemed to be given or received on the third day after deposit by certified U.S. mail, postage prepaid, or when actually received, whether by hand, express delivery service or facsimile transmission, whichever is earlier.

 

12.        Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

5



 

This Agreement shall be effective as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written:

 

 

 

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Sue Portelli

 

 

 

Title:

Executive Director

 

 

 

6



 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

July  [ · ] , 2013

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

1585 Broadway

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In connection with the engagement of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley ”) to advise and assist the undersigned (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, referred to as the “ Company ”) with the matters set forth in the Structuring Fee Agreement dated July [ · ], 2013 between the Company and Morgan Stanley (the “ Structuring Fee Agreement ”), in the event that Morgan Stanley becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Structuring Fee Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Structuring Fee Agreement, the Company has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley’s affiliates and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents and each other person, if any, controlling Morgan Stanley or any of Morgan Stanley’s affiliates (Morgan Stanley and each such other person being an “ Indemnified Person ”) from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities related to, arising out of or in connection with the activities (the “ Activities ”) performed by any Indemnified Person in connection with, or arising out of, or based upon, the Structuring Fee Agreement and/or any action taken by any Indemnified Person in connection therewith (including, without limitation, any presentation given by the Company and an Indemnified Person relating to the common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (the “ Shares ”) of KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “ Fund ”)), and will reimburse each Indemnified Person for all expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel) as they are incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry related to, arising out of or in connection with the Activities, whether or not pending or threatened and whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party.  The Company will not, however, be responsible for any losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith. gross negligence or willful misconduct of any Indemnified Person.  The Company also agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with the

 

7



 

Activities, except for any such liability for losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred by the Company that are finally judicially determined to have resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person. The indemnification provided hereunder does not extend to matters arising solely out of the underwriting agreement, dated July [ · ], 2013, by and among the Fund, the Company and each of the underwriters named in Schedule I thereto, and indemnified thereunder.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be responsible for any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to any Indemnified Person arising from any such claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry in excess of the gross proceeds received by the Fund from the initial public offering of the Shares of the Fund (the “ Offering ”); provided, however, that the Company shall, as set forth above, indemnify and be responsible for, regardless of the gross proceeds received by the Fund from the Offering, all expenses (including fees and expenses of counsel) reasonably incurred in connection with investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry related to, arising out of or in connection with the Activities, whether or not pending or threatened and whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party, as set forth above, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted from the bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct of Morgan Stanley.

 

The Company will not, without Morgan Stanley’s prior written consent, settle, compromise, consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination includes a release of each Indemnified Person from any liabilities arising out of such claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry.  No Indemnified Person seeking indemnification, reimbursement or contribution under this agreement (the “ Indemnification Agreement ”) will, without the Company’s prior written consent, settle, compromise, consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry referred to in the preceding paragraphs.

 

Promptly as reasonably practicable after receipt by an Indemnified Person of notice of the commencement of any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry in respect of which indemnification is sought hereunder,

 

8



 

the Indemnified Person will notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; provided that the failure so to notify the Company (i) will not relieve the Company from liability under this paragraph to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and (ii) in any event shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this Indemnification Agreement.

 

If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company (including the net proceeds from the Shares sold by Morgan Stanley in the Offering before deducting expenses) and its members and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and Morgan Stanley, on the other hand, in the matters contemplated by the Structuring Fee Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and its members and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its members and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, of a transaction as contemplated shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received by or paid to or contemplated to be received by or paid to the Company or its members and affiliates and other constituencies, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the transaction (whether or not consummated) for which Morgan Stanley has been retained to perform financial services bears to the fees paid to Morgan Stanley under the Structuring Fee Agreement; provided that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to assure that Morgan Stanley is not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by Morgan Stanley pursuant to the Structuring Fee Agreement.  Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by Morgan Stanley, on the other hand. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, an Indemnified Person shall not be entitled to contribution from the Company if it is determined that such Indemnified Person was guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act of

 

9



 

1933, as amended) and the Company was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation or that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities (or expenses relating thereto) are determined to have resulted from the gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of any Indemnified Person.

 

This Indemnification Agreement, together with the Structuring Fee Agreement, any contemporaneous written agreements and any prior written agreements (to the extent not superseded by this agreement) that relate to the Offering of the Shares, represents the entire agreement between the Company and the Indemnified Parties with respect to the fee paid to Morgan Stanley under the Structuring Fee Agreement.

 

The Company acknowledges that in connection with the Offering of the Shares:  (i) Morgan Stanley has acted at arms length, is not an agent of, and owes no fiduciary duties to, the Company, the Fund or any person affiliated with the Fund or the Company, (ii) Morgan Stanley owes the Company only those duties and obligations set forth in this Indemnification Agreement and (iii) Morgan Stanley may have interests that differ from those of the Company.  The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims any of the Company, the Fund or any person affiliated with the Fund or the Company may have against Morgan Stanley arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the offering of the Shares.

 

The provisions of this Indemnification Agreement shall apply to the Activities and any modification thereof and shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination or the completion of Morgan Stanley’s services under the Structuring Fee Agreement.

 

This Indemnification Agreement may not be assigned by either party without prior written consent of the other party.  No provision of this Indemnification Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.  This Indemnification Agreement and any claim, counterclaim, dispute or proceeding of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Indemnification Agreement (“ Claim ”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York.  No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom), which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters except as provided below.  Each of the parties hereby

 

10



 

irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such Claim and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such Claim in any such court or that any such Claim brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  Process in any such Claim may be served on any party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court.  Without limiting the foregoing, each party agrees that service of process on such party as provided in Section 11 of the Structuring Fee Agreement shall be deemed effective service of process on such party.  EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT.  EACH OF MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON MORGAN STANLEY AND THE COMPANY, AS THE CASE MAY BE, AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH MORGAN STANLEY OR THE COMPANY ARE OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.  This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Indemnification Agreement by facsimile or other electronic transmission that accurately depicts a manual signature shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

11



 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date first above written:

 

 

 

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Sue Portelli

 

 

 

Title:

Executive Director

 

 

 

12


Exhibit 99.(h)(6)

 

STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT

 

July  [ · ], 2013

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 10013

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Underwriting Agreement dated July  [ · ], 2013 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”), KKR Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Adviser”) and each of the Underwriters named in Schedule I thereto, with respect to the issue and sale of the Fund’s Common Shares (the “Offering”), as described therein.  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

1.     Fee. In consideration of your services in offering advice relating to the structure, design and organization of the Fund and the distribution of its common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Shares”), which may but need not necessarily include views from an investor market and distribution perspective on (i) diversification, proportion and concentration approaches for the Fund’s investments in light of current market conditions, (ii) marketing issues with respect to the Fund’s investment policies and proposed investments and (iii) the overall marketing and positioning thesis for the Fund’s initial public offering, which services may be completed by your affiliate in your sole discretion, the Investment Adviser shall pay a fee to you in the aggregate amount of $[ · ] (the “Fee”).  The Fee shall be paid on or before August [ · ], 2013.  The payment shall be made by wire transfer to the order of Citigroup Global Markets Inc.  The Investment Adviser acknowledges that the Fee is in addition to any compensation you earn in connection with your role as an underwriter to the Fund in the Offering, which services are distinct from and in addition to the marketing and structuring services described above.  In the event the Offering does not proceed, you will not receive any fees under this Agreement; however, for the avoidance of doubt, accountable expenses actually incurred may be payable to you pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement.

 

2.     Term.   This Agreement shall terminate upon the payment of the entire amount of the Fee, as specified in Section 1 hereof or upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement without the Common Shares having been delivered and paid for, except as provided in Section 3.

 

3.     Indemnification.   The Investment Adviser agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.

 

4.     Not an Investment Adviser; No Fiduciary Duty.   The Investment Adviser acknowledges that you are not providing any advice hereunder as to the value of securities or

 

1



 

regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund’s portfolio.  No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of you, and you are not agreeing hereby, to: (i) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of portfolio securities; or (ii) render any opinions, valuations or recommendations of any kind or to perform any such similar services.  Neither this Agreement nor the performance of the services contemplated hereunder shall be considered to constitute a partnership, association or joint venture between you and the Investment Adviser.  In addition, nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to constitute you as the agent or employee of the Investment Adviser or the Investment Adviser as your agent or employee, and neither party shall make any representation to the contrary.  It is understood that you are engaged hereunder as an independent contractor solely to provide the services described above to the Investment Adviser and that you are not acting as an agent or fiduciary of, and you shall not have any duties or liability to, the current or future partners, members or equity owners of the Investment Adviser or any other third party in connection with its engagement hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived to the extent the Investment Adviser has the authority to waive such duties and liabilities.  Furthermore, the Investment Adviser agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the matters covered by this Agreement (irrespective of whether you have advised or are currently advising the Investment Adviser on related or other matters).

 

5.     Not Exclusive.   Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting you or your affiliates from acting as an underwriter or financial adviser or in any other capacity for any other persons (including other registered investment companies or other investment managers).

 

6.     Assignment.   This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without prior written consent of the other party.

 

7.     Amendment; Waiver.  No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

 

8.     Governing Law.   This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

9.     Counterparts.   This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

[END OF TEXT]

 

2



 

This Agreement shall be effective as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Agreed and Accepted:

 

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

 

 

By:

 

 

Name: Kevin Deignan

 

Title: Managing Director

 

 

3



 

Indemnification Agreement

 

July  [ · ], 2013

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
388 Greenwich Street
New York, New York 100

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In connection with the engagement of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the “Bank”) to advise and assist the undersigned, KKR Asset Management LLC (the “Company”) with respect to the matters set forth in the Structuring Fee Agreement dated July  [ · ], 2013 between the Company and the Bank (the “Agreement”), in the event that the Bank, any of its affiliates, each other person, if any, controlling the Bank or any of its affiliates, their respective officers, current and former directors, employees and agents or the successors or assigns of any of the foregoing persons (the Bank and each such other person or entity being referred to as an “Indemnified Party”) becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) (collectively, a “Proceeding”) with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, the Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold each Indemnified Party harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, including fees and expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Parties, with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review, that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party.  In addition, in the event that an Indemnified Party becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, the Company will reimburse such Indemnified Party for legal and other expenses (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) as such expenses are incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection therewith.  Promptly as reasonably practicable after receipt by an Indemnified Party of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made under this paragraph, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the Company (i) will not relieve the Company from liability under this paragraph to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and (ii) in any event shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this Indemnification Agreement.  Counsel to the Indemnified Parties shall be selected by the Bank.  The Company may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the Company shall not (except with the consent of the Indemnified Parties) also be counsel to the Indemnified Parties.  The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or

 

1



 

any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought hereunder (whether or not the Indemnified Parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of  fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party.

 

If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates, on the one hand, and the Indemnified Parties, on the other hand, in the matters contemplated by the Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and its stockholders and affiliates, on the one hand, and the Indemnified Parties, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates, on the one hand, and the Indemnified Parties, on the other hand, of a transaction as contemplated shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received by or paid to or contemplated to be received by or paid to the Company or its stockholders or affiliates, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the transaction (whether or not consummated)  for which the Bank has been retained to perform services bears to the fees paid to the Bank under the Agreement; provided, that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to assure that the Indemnified Parties are not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by the Bank pursuant to the Agreement.  Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by the Bank, on the other hand.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, an Indemnified Party shall not be entitled to contribution from the Company if it is determined that such Indemnified Party was guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) and the Company was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Company will not settle any Proceeding in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, whether or not an Indemnified Party is an actual or potential party to such Proceeding, without the Bank’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld).  The foregoing indemnity and contribution agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any Indemnified Party may have at common law or otherwise.

 

The Company agrees that no Indemnified Party shall have any liability to the Company or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in right of the Company with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by the Company resulted primarily from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Bank in performing the services that are the subject of the Agreement.

 

2



 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM OR DISPUTE OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICES PERFORMED PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT (“CLAIM”), DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.  EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NO CLAIM MAY BE COMMENCED, PROSECUTED OR CONTINUED IN ANY COURT OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH COURTS SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE ADJUDICATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND THE COMPANY AND THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND PERSONAL SERVICE WITH RESPECT THERETO.  THE COMPANY HEREBY CONSENTS TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE AND VENUE IN ANY COURT IN WHICH ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT BY ANY THIRD PARTY AGAINST THE BANK OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY.  EACH INDEMNIFIED PARTY AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT.  THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON THE COMPANY AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH THE COMPANY IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.

 

3



 

The foregoing Indemnification Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any termination of the Bank’s engagement under the Agreement.  This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR Asset Management LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Agreed and Accepted:

 

 

 

 

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name: Kevin Deignan

 

 

 

Title: Managing Director

 

 

 

1


Exhibit 99.(h)(7)

 

STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

UBS Securities LLC
299 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10171

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This agreement (the “Agreement”) is between KKR Asset Management LLC (including any successor or assign by merger or otherwise, the “Company”) and UBS Securities LLC (“UBS”) with respect to the KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”).  Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below).

 

1.             Fee .  In consideration of certain financial advisory services that UBS has provided to the Company in assisting the Company in structuring, designing and organizing the Fund as well as services related to the sale and distribution of the common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund (the “Common Shares”), it being understood that the ultimate decision with respect to the structure, design and organization of the Fund shall rest with the Company, the Company shall pay a fee to UBS in the aggregate amount of $[ · ] (the “Fee”).  The Fee shall be paid on or before August [ · ], 2013 or as otherwise agreed to by the parties.

 

2.             Term .  This Agreement shall terminate upon the payment of the entire amount of the Fee, as specified in Section 1 hereof or upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement without the Common Shares having been delivered and paid for. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sections 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 of this Agreement and the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

3.             Indemnification .  The Company agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.

 

4.             Confidential Advice .  Except (a) to the extent legally required (after consultation with, and approval as to form and substance by, UBS and its counsel), none of (i) the name of UBS, (ii) any advice rendered by UBS to the Company, or (iii) the terms of this Agreement or any communication from UBS, each in connection with the services performed by UBS pursuant to this Agreement, will be quoted or referred to orally or in writing, or in the case of (ii) and (iii), reproduced or disseminated, by the Company or any of its affiliates or any of its agents, without UBS’ prior written consent.

 

5.             Information .  The Company recognizes and confirms that UBS (a) has used and relied primarily on the information provided by the Company and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement without having assumed responsibility for independently verifying the same, (b) has not assumed responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of such information and (c) has not made an appraisal of any assets or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Fund.  The

 

1



 

information provided by the Company contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each Omitting Prospectus, was true and correct in all material respects and did not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading.  The Company will promptly notify UBS if it learns of any material inaccuracy or misstatement in, or material omission from, any information provided by the Company to UBS pursuant to this Section 5.

 

6.             Not an Investment Adviser .  The Company acknowledges that UBS has not provided any advice hereunder as to the value of securities or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund’s portfolio. The Company acknowledges and agrees that UBS has been retained to act solely as an adviser to the Company, and the Company’s engagement of UBS is not intended to confer rights upon any person (including the Fund or any shareholders, employees or creditors of the Company or the Fund) not a party hereto as against UBS or its affiliates, or their respective directors, officers, employees or agents, successors, or assigns. UBS has acted as an independent contractor under this Agreement, and not in any other capacity including as a fiduciary, and any duties arising out of its engagement shall be owed solely to the Company.

 

7.             Not Exclusive .  Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting you or your affiliates from acting as an underwriter or financial adviser or in any other capacity for any other persons (including other registered investment companies or other investment managers).

 

8.             Amendment; Waiver .  No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

 

9.             Governing Law .  This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“Claim”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.  No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company and UBS consent to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. EACH OF UBS AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

10.          Successors and Assigns .  This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and UBS and their respective successors and assigns and any successor or assign of any substantial portion of the Company’s or UBS’ respective businesses and/or assets.

 

11.          Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

2



 

This Agreement shall be effective as of the date first written above.

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Agreed and Accepted:

 

 

 

UBS SECURITIES LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

[ Signature page to Structuring Fee Agreement ]

 



 

Indemnification Agreement

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

UBS Securities LLC
299 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10171

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In connection with the engagement of UBS Securities LLC (“UBS”) to advise and assist the undersigned (including any successor or assign by merger or otherwise, the “Company”) with the matters set forth in the Structuring Fee Agreement, dated July [ · ], 2013, between the Company and UBS (the “Agreement”), in the event that UBS becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) (collectively, a “Proceeding”) in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities provided prior to the date of the Agreement, the Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold UBS harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities provided prior to the date of the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of UBS.  In addition, in the event that UBS becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement, the Company will reimburse UBS for its legal and other expenses (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) as such expenses are incurred by UBS in connection therewith.  If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and UBS, on the other hand, in connection with the matters contemplated by the Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and its stockholders and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its stockholders and affiliates and other constituencies, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, in connection with the matters contemplated by the Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received or paid or contemplated to be received or paid by the Company or its stockholders or affiliates and other constituencies, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the matters (whether or not consummated) for which UBS has been retained to perform financial services bears to the fees paid to UBS under the Agreement; provided that, in no event shall the Company contribute less than the

 

1



 

amount necessary to assure that UBS is not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by UBS pursuant to the Agreement.  Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by UBS, on the other hand.  The Company will not settle any Proceeding in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, whether or not UBS is an actual or potential party to such Proceeding, without UBS’ prior written consent.  For purposes of this Indemnification Agreement, UBS shall include UBS Securities LLC, any of its affiliates, each other person, if any, controlling UBS or any of its affiliates, their respective officers, current and former directors, employees and agents, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons.  The foregoing indemnity and contribution agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any indemnified party may have at common law or otherwise.

 

The Company agrees that neither UBS nor any of its affiliates, directors, agents, employees or controlling persons shall have any liability to the Company or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in right of the Company in connection with or as a result of either UBS’ engagement under the Agreement or any matter referred to in the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities provided prior to the date of the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by the Company resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of UBS in performing the services that are the subject of the Agreement.

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM OR DISPUTE OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT (“CLAIM”), DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.  EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NO CLAIM MAY BE COMMENCED, PROSECUTED OR CONTINUED IN ANY COURT OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH COURTS SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE ADJUDICATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND THE COMPANY AND UBS CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND PERSONAL SERVICE WITH RESPECT THERETO.  THE COMPANY HEREBY CONSENTS TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE AND VENUE IN ANY COURT IN WHICH ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT BY ANY THIRD PARTY AGAINST UBS OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY.  EACH OF UBS AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.  THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON THE COMPANY AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH THE COMPANY IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.

 

The foregoing Indemnification Agreement shall remain in full force and effect

 

2



 

notwithstanding any termination of UBS’ engagement. This Indemnification Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and UBS and their respective successors and assigns and any successor or assign of any substantial portion of the Company’s or UBS’ respective businesses and/or assets. This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

[ Signature Page Follows ]

 

3



 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

Agreed and Accepted:

 

 

 

UBS SECURITIES LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

[ Signature page to Indemnification Agreement ]

 


Exhibit 99.(h)(8)

 

STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

 

STRUCTURING FEE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of July [ · ], 2013, between Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays”) and KKR Asset Management LLC (the “Investment Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”) is a recently organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and its common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Shares”), are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;

 

WHEREAS, the Fund and the Investment Adviser have entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), dated July [ · ], 2013 with each of the underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the “Underwriters”), with respect to the issue and sale of the Common Shares (the “Offering”), as described therein;

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Adviser is the investment adviser of the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, Barclays is acting as one of the underwriters in an offering of the Common Shares; and

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Adviser desires to provide additional compensation to Barclays for providing the advice and services described below;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms and conditions set forth below, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                       In consideration of Barclays’s services providing advice relating to the sale and distribution of the Fund’s Common Shares, including, without limitation, idea generation and assessment of the investment opportunity and advice related to positioning, marketing and distribution strategy, the Investment Adviser shall pay Barclays a fee in the aggregate amount of $[ · ] (the “Fee”). The Fee shall be paid on or before August [ · ], 2013 by wire transfer to the order of Barclays. The Investment Adviser acknowledges that the Fee is in addition to any compensation Barclays earns in connection with its role as an underwriter to the Fund in the Offering, which services are distinct from and in addition to the services described above.  In the event the Offering does not proceed, Barclays will not receive any fees under this Agreement; however, for the avoidance of doubt, accountable expenses actually incurred may be payable to Barclays pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(D).

 

2.                                       The Investment Adviser acknowledges that Barclays did not provide and is not providing any advice hereunder as to the value of securities or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund’s portfolio. No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of Barclays, and Barclays is not hereby agreeing, to: (i) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of portfolio securities or (ii) render any opinions, valuations or recommendations of any kind or to perform any such similar services in connection with the transactions contemplated herein.

 



 

3.                                       Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting Barclays or its affiliates from providing similar or other services to any other clients (including other registered investment companies or other investment advisers).

 

4.                                       Except as otherwise set forth herein, this Agreement shall terminate upon the payment of the entire amount of the Fee, as specified in Section 1 hereof or upon termination of the Underwriting Agreement without the Common Shares having been delivered and paid for.

 

5.                                       The Investment Adviser has furnished Barclays with such information as Barclays believes appropriate to its assignment hereunder (all such information so furnished being the “Information”). The Investment Adviser  recognizes and confirms that Barclays (a) has used and relied primarily on the Information and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement without having independently verified the same and (b) does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the Information and such other information. The Information furnished by the Investment Adviser, when delivered, was true and correct in all material respects and did not contain any material misstatement of fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading. The Investment Adviser will promptly notify Barclays if it learns of any material inaccuracy or misstatement in, or material omission from, any Information delivered to Barclays pursuant to this Section 5.

 

6.                                       It is understood that Barclays is being engaged hereunder solely to provide the services described above to the Investment Adviser and that Barclays is not acting as an agent or fiduciary of, and shall have no duties or liability to the current or future shareholders of the Fund or any other third party in connection with its engagement hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.

 

7.                                       The Investment Adviser agrees that Barclays shall have no liability to the Investment Adviser or the Fund for any act or omission to act by Barclays in the course of its performance under this Agreement, in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of Barclays. The Investment Adviser agrees to the terms set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.

 

8.                                       This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (“Claim”) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

9.                                       No Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Investment Adviser and Barclays consent to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. Each of Barclays and the Investment Adviser irrevocably waives all right to trial by jury in any proceeding (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Investment Adviser agrees that a final judgment in any proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Investment Adviser and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which the Investment Adviser is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

 



 

10.                                This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party.

 

11.                                This Agreement (including the attached Indemnification Agreement) embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by both Barclays and the Investment Adviser.

 

12.                                All notices required or permitted to be sent under this Agreement shall be sent, if to the Investment Adviser:

 

KKR Asset Management LLC

555 California Street, 50th Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

Attn: [ · ]

 

or if to Barclays:

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

Attention: Paul Mottola

 

or such other name or address as may be given in writing to the other party. Any notice shall be deemed to be given or received on the third day after deposit in the U.S. mail with certified postage prepaid or when actually received, whether by hand, express delivery service or facsimile electronic transmission, whichever is earlier.

 

13.                                This Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts, each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which taken together constitute one and the same agreement.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

[ signatures on following  page ]

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

Title:

 



 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

July [ · ]. 2013

 

Barclays Capital Inc.

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In connection with the engagement of Barclays Capital Inc. (“Barclays”) to advise and assist the undersigned (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, the “Company”) with the matters set forth in the Structuring Fee Agreement, dated July [ · ]. 2013 between the Company and Barclays (the “Agreement”), in the event that Barclays becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) (collectively, a “Proceeding”) in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement, including without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, the Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold Barclays harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review, that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Barclays. In addition, in the event that Barclays becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding in connection with any matter in any way relating to or referred to in the Agreement or arising out of the matters contemplated by the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, the Company will reimburse Barclays for its legal and other expenses (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) as such expenses are incurred by Barclays in connection therewith. Promptly as reasonably practicable after receipt by Barclays of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding, Barclays will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made under this paragraph, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure to so notify the Company (i) will not relieve the Company from liability under this paragraph to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and (ii) in any event shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this Indemnification Agreement.  No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of Barclays, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought hereunder (whether or not Barclays is an actual or potential party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of Barclays from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation or Proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of Barclays.

 

If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company and its shareholders, on the one hand, and Barclays, on the other hand, in the matters contemplated by the Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and its shareholders, on the one hand, and Barclays, on the other hand, as

 



 

well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its shareholders, on the one hand, and Barclays, on the other hand, of a transaction as contemplated shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received or paid or contemplated to be received or paid by the Company or its shareholders, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the transaction (whether or not consummated) for which Barclays has been retained to perform services bears to the fees paid to Barclays under the Agreement; provided , that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to assure that Barclays is not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by Barclays pursuant to the Agreement. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by Barclays, on the other hand.

 

The Company will not settle any Proceeding in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, whether or not Barclays is an actual or potential party to such Proceeding, without Barclays’ prior written consent. For purposes of this Indemnification Agreement, Barclays shall include Barclays Capital Inc., any of its affiliates, each other person, if any, controlling Barclays Capital Inc. or any of its affiliates, their respective officers, current and former officers, directors, employees and agents, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons. The foregoing indemnity and contribution agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any indemnified party may have at common law or otherwise.

 

The Company agrees that neither Barclays nor any of its affiliates, officers, directors, agents, employees or controlling persons shall have any liability to the Company or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in right of the Company in connection with or as a result of either Barclays’ engagement under the Agreement or any matter referred to in the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by the Company resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Barclays in performing the services that are the subject of the Agreement.

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM OR DISPUTE OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (“CLAIM”), DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NO CLAIM MAY BE COMMENCED, PROSECUTED OR CONTINUED IN ANY COURT OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH COURTS SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE ADJUDICATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND THE COMPANY AND BARCLAYS IRREVOCABLY CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND PERSONAL SERVICE WITH RESPECT THERETO. THE COMPANY HEREBY CONSENTS TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE AND VENUE IN ANY COURT IN WHICH ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT BY ANY THIRD PARTY AGAINST BARCLAYS OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY. EACH OF BARCLAYS AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT. THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A

 



 

FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON THE COMPANY AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH THE COMPANY IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.

 

[ signatures on following  page ]

 



 

The foregoing Indemnification Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any termination of the Agreement. This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Accepted and agreed to as of

 

the date first above written:

 

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 


Exhibit 99.(h)(9)

 

SALES INCENTIVE FEE AGREEMENT

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

237 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Underwriting Agreement (the “ Underwriting Agreement ”), by and among KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “ Fund ”), KKR Asset Management LLC (the “ Investment Adviser ”) and each of the underwriters named in Schedule I thereto, with respect to the issue and sale of the Fund’s common shares of beneficial interest, par value $0.001 (the “ Common Shares ”), as described therein (the “ Offering ”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the Underwriting Agreement.

 

1.                              Services; Fee .  Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“ Stifel ”) has provided and agrees to continue to provide services related to the sale and distribution of the Common Shares (the “ Services ”).  In consideration of the Services to the Investment Adviser, and subject to and conditioned upon the completion of the Offering, the Investment Adviser shall pay a fee to Stifel in the aggregate amount of $[ · ] (the “ Fee ”).  The Fee shall be paid on or before August [ · ], 2013.  The sum total of all compensation to or reimbursement of underwriters in connection with the Offering, including sales load and all forms of additional compensation, shall not exceed [ · ]% of the total price to the public of the Common Shares sold in the Offering.

 

2.                              Indemnification.  The Investment Adviser agrees to the indemnification and other agreements set forth in the Indemnification Agreement attached hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein by reference and shall survive the termination, expiration or supersession of this Agreement.

 

3.                              Confidential Advice .  Except to the extent legally required (after consultation with, and, in the case of Stifel’s advice, approval (not to be unreasonably withheld) as to form and substance by Stifel and its counsel), none of (i) the name of the Stifel, (ii) any advice rendered by Stifel to the Investment Adviser, or (iii) the terms of this Agreement or any communication from Stifel in connection with the services performed by Stifel pursuant to this Agreement will be quoted or referred to orally or in writing, or in the case of (ii) and (iii), reproduced or disseminated, by the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates or any of their agents, without Stifel’s prior written consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld in the case of clause (i) and (iii) (but not (ii)).

 

4.                              Termination .  This Agreement shall terminate upon the payment of the entire amount of the Fee, as specified in paragraph 1 hereof.  If this Agreement is terminated prior to the completion of the Offering, or upon the termination of the Underwriting Agreement without the Common Shares having been delivered and paid for, Stifel shall only be entitled to reimbursement (in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement) for its accountable out-of-pocket expenses actually incurred in connection with the Offering.

 



 

5.                              Information .  The Investment Adviser recognizes and confirms that Stifel (a) has used and relied primarily on the information provided by the Investment Adviser and on information available from generally recognized public sources in performing the services contemplated by this Agreement without having assumed responsibility for independently verifying the same, (b) has not assumed responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of such information and (c) has not made an appraisal of any assets or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Fund.

 

6.                              Not an Investment Adviser; No Fiduciary Duty.   The Investment Adviser acknowledges that Stifel is not providing any advice hereunder as to the value of securities or regarding the advisability of purchasing or selling any securities for the Fund’s portfolio. No provision of this Agreement shall be considered as creating, nor shall any provision create, any obligation on the part of Stifel, and Stifel is not agreeing hereby, to: (i) furnish any advice or make any recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of portfolio securities; or (ii) render any opinions, valuations or recommendations of any kind or to perform any such similar services. The Investment Adviser hereby acknowledges that Stifel’s engagement under this Agreement is as an independent contractor and not in any other capacity, including as a fiduciary. Furthermore, the Investment Adviser agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the matters covered by this Agreement (irrespective of whether Stifel has advised or are currently advising the Investment Adviser on related or other matters).  The Investment Adviser’s engagement of Stifel is not intended to confer rights upon any person (including the Fund or any holders of the Common Shares, employees or creditors of the Investment Adviser or the Fund) not a party hereto as against Stifel or its affiliates, or their respective directors, officers, employees or agents, successors or assigns.

 

7.                              Not Exclusive.   Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting Stifel or its affiliates from acting as an underwriter or financial adviser or in any other capacity for any other persons (including other registered investment companies or other investment advisers).

 

8.                              Assignment.   This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without prior written consent of the other party.

 

9.                              Amendment; Waiver.   No provision of this Agreement may be amended or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.

 

10.                       Governing Law.   This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.  This Agreement together with the Indemnification Agreement constitutes the final and entire agreement and understanding between the parties to this Agreement relative to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between such parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement.

 

11.                       Counterparts.   This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute one agreement.  Delivery of an executed signature page of this Agreement by facsimile transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart hereof.

 

This Agreement shall be effective as of the date first written above.

 

2



 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agreed and Accepted:

 

 

 

 

 

STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

Signature Page to Stifel Sales
Incentive Fee Agreement

 



 

Indemnification Agreement

 

July [ · ], 2013

 

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

237 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10017

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

In connection with the engagement of Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (the “ Bank ”) to assist the undersigned, KKR Asset Management LLC (together with its affiliates and subsidiaries, the “ Company ”) with respect to the matters set forth in the Sales Incentive Fee Agreement dated July [ · ], 2013 between the Company and the Bank (the “ Agreement ”), in the event that the Bank, any of its affiliates, each other person, if any, controlling the Bank or any of its affiliates, their respective officers, current and former directors, employees and agents, or the successors or assigns of any of the foregoing persons (the Bank and each such other person or entity being referred to as an “ Indemnified Party ”) becomes involved in any capacity in any claim, suit, action, proceeding, investigation or inquiry (including, without limitation, any shareholder or derivative action or arbitration proceeding) (collectively, a “ Proceeding ”) with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, including, without limitation, related services and activities prior to the date of the Agreement, the Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold each Indemnified Party harmless to the fullest extent permitted by law, from and against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Indemnified Parties, with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review, that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party.  In addition, in the event that an Indemnified Party becomes involved in any capacity in any Proceeding with respect to the services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, the Company will reimburse such Indemnified Party for its legal and other expenses (including the cost of any investigation and preparation) as such expenses are incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection therewith. Promptly as reasonably practicable after receipt by an Indemnified Party of notice of the commencement of any Proceeding, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made under this paragraph, notify the Company in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the Company (i) will not relieve the Company from liability under this paragraph to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and (ii) in any event shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of this Indemnification Agreement.  The indemnifying party, upon request of the Indemnified Party, shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the Indemnified Party and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.  In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the Indemnified Party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the

 

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indemnifying party and the Indemnified Party and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be sought hereunder (whether or not the Indemnified Parties are actual or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Party.

 

If such indemnification were not to be available for any reason, the Company agrees to contribute to the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses involved (i) in the proportion appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received or sought to be received by the Company and its members and the KKR Income Opportunities Fund (the “ Fund ”), on the one hand, and the Indemnified Parties, on the other hand, in the matters contemplated by the Agreement or (ii) if (but only if and to the extent) the allocation provided for in clause (i) is for any reason held unenforceable, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and its members and the Fund, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The Company agrees that for the purposes of this paragraph the relative benefits received, or sought to be received, by the Company and its members and the Fund, on the one hand, and the party entitled to contribution, on the other hand, of a transaction as contemplated shall be deemed to be in the same proportion that the total value received or paid or contemplated to be received or paid by the Company or its members or the Fund, as the case may be, as a result of or in connection with the transaction (whether or not consummated) for which the Bank has been retained to perform services bears to the fees paid to the Bank under the Agreement; provided, that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to assure that the Indemnified Parties are not liable for losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in excess of the amount of fees actually received by the Bank pursuant to the Agreement. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any alleged untrue statement or omission or any other alleged conduct relates to information provided by the Company or other conduct by the Company (or its employees or other agents), on the one hand, or by the Bank, on the other hand. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, an Indemnified Party shall not be entitled to contribution from the Company if it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review, that such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party. The Company will not settle any Proceeding in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, whether or not an Indemnified Party is an actual or potential party to such Proceeding, without the Bank’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). The foregoing indemnity and contribution agreement shall be in addition to any rights that any Indemnified Party may have at common law or otherwise.

 

The Company agrees that no Indemnified Party shall have any liability to the Company or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in right of the Company with respect to the

 

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services performed pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement, except to the extent that it shall be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a judgment that has become final in that it is no longer subject to appeal or other review that any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses incurred by the Company resulted solely from the gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith of the Bank in performing the services that are the subject of the Agreement.

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, COUNTERCLAIM OR DISPUTE OF ANY KIND OR NATURE WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICES PERFORMED PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT (“ CLAIM ”), DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, NO CLAIM MAY BE COMMENCED, PROSECUTED OR CONTINUED IN ANY COURT OTHER THAN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW YORK OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, WHICH COURTS SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER THE ADJUDICATION OF SUCH MATTERS, AND THE COMPANY AND THE INDEMNIFIED PARTIES CONSENT TO THE JURISDICTION OF SUCH COURTS AND PERSONAL SERVICE WITH RESPECT THERETO. THE COMPANY HEREBY CONSENTS TO PERSONAL JURISDICTION, SERVICE AND VENUE IN ANY COURT IN WHICH ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT IS BROUGHT BY ANY THIRD PARTY AGAINST THE BANK OR ANY INDEMNIFIED PARTY. EACH INDEMNIFIED PARTY AND THE COMPANY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM (WHETHER BASED UPON CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE) ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT. THE COMPANY AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY PROCEEDING OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT BROUGHT IN ANY SUCH COURT SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND BINDING UPON THE COMPANY AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN ANY OTHER COURTS TO THE JURISDICTION OF WHICH THE COMPANY IS OR MAY BE SUBJECT, BY SUIT UPON SUCH JUDGMENT.

 

This Agreement together with the Sales Incentive Fee Agreement constitutes the final and entire agreement and understanding between the parties to this Agreement relative to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between such parties concerning the subject matter of this Agreement.

 

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The foregoing Indemnification Agreement shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any termination of the Bank’s engagement under the Agreement. This Indemnification Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

KKR ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agreed and Accepted:

 

 

 

 

 

STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement – Stifel Sales Incentive Fee Agreement]

 


Exhibit 99.(k)(5)

 

FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this        day of July, 2013, by and between KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND , a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”) and U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC , a Wisconsin limited liability company (“USBFS”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company; and

 

WHEREAS, USBFS is, among other things, in the business of providing fund accounting services for the benefit of its customers; and

 

WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain USBFS to provide accounting services to the Fund.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Appointment of USBFS as Accountant

 

The Fund hereby appoints USBFS as fund accountant of the Fund on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and USBFS hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement.  The services and duties of USBFS shall be confined to those matters expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against USBFS hereunder.

 

2.                                       Services and Duties of USBFS

 

USBFS shall provide the following accounting services to the Fund:

 

A.                                     Portfolio Accounting Services:

 

(1)                                  Maintain portfolio records on a trade date+1 basis using security trade information communicated from the Fund’s investment adviser.

 

(2)                                  For each valuation date, obtain prices from a pricing source approved by the board of trustees of the Fund (the “Board of Trustees”) and apply those prices to the portfolio positions.  For those securities where market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Trustees shall approve, in good faith, procedures for determining the fair value for such securities.

 

(3)                                  Identify interest and dividend accrual balances as of each valuation date and calculate gross earnings on investments for each accounting period.

 



 

(4)                                  Determine gain/loss on security sales and identify them as short-term or long-term; account for periodic distributions of gains or losses to shareholders and maintain undistributed gain or loss balances as of each valuation date.

 

(5)                                  On a daily basis, reconcile cash of the Fund with the Fund’s custodian.

 

(6)                                  Transmit a copy of the portfolio valuation to the Fund’s investment adviser daily.

 

(7)                                  Review the impact of current day’s activity on a per share basis, and review changes in market value.

 

B.                                     Expense Accrual and Payment Services:

 

(1)                                  For each valuation date, calculate the expense accrual amounts as directed by the Fund as to methodology, rate or dollar amount.

 

(2)                                  Process and record payments for Fund expenses upon receipt of written authorization from the Fund.

 

(3)                                  Account for Fund expenditures and maintain expense accrual balances at the level of accounting detail, as agreed upon by USBFS and the Fund.

 

(4)                                  Provide expense accrual and payment reporting.

 

C.                                     Fund Valuation and Financial Reporting Services:

 

(1)                                  Account for Fund share purchases, sales, exchanges, transfers, dividend reinvestments, and other Fund share activity as reported by the Fund’s transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

(2)                                  Apply equalization accounting as directed by the Fund.

 

(3)                                  Determine net investment income (earnings) for the Fund as of each valuation date.  Account for periodic distributions of earnings to shareholders and maintain undistributed net investment income balances as of each valuation date.

 

(4)                                  Maintain a general ledger and other accounts, books, and financial records for the Fund in the form as agreed upon and provide financial detail to the Fund upon request.

 

(5)                                  Determine the net asset value of the Fund according to the accounting policies and procedures set forth in the Fund’s current prospectus.

 

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(6)                                  Calculate per share net asset value, per share net earnings, and other per share amounts reflective of Fund operations at such time as required by the nature and characteristics of the Fund.

 

(7)                                  Communicate to the Fund, at an agreed upon time, the per share net asset value for each valuation date.

 

(8)                                  Prepare monthly reports that document the adequacy of accounting detail to support month-end ledger balances.

 

(9)                                  Prepare monthly security transactions listings.

 

D.                                     Tax Accounting Services:

 

(1)                                  Maintain accounting records for the investment portfolio of the Fund to support the tax reporting required for “regulated investment companies” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

(2)                                  Maintain tax lot detail for the Fund’s investment portfolio.

 

(3)                                  Calculate taxable gain/loss on security sales using the tax lot relief method designated by the Trust.

 

(4)                                  Provide the necessary financial information to calculate the taxable components of income and capital gains distributions to support tax reporting to the shareholders.

 

E.                                      Compliance Control Services:

 

(1)                                  Support reporting to regulatory bodies and support financial statement preparation by making the Fund’s accounting records available to the Fund, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and the independent accountants.

 

(2)                                  Maintain accounting records according to the 1940 Act and regulations provided thereunder.

 

(3)                                  Perform its duties hereunder in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and provide any sub-certifications reasonably requested by the Trust in connection with any certification required of the Fund pursuant to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “SOX Act”) or any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder, provided the same shall not be deemed to change USBFS’ standard of care as set forth herein.

 

(4)                                  Cooperate with the Fund’s independent accountants and take all reasonable action in the performance of its obligations under this

 

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Agreement to ensure that the necessary information is made available to such accountants for the expression of their opinion on the Fund’s financial statements without any qualification as to the scope of their examination.

 

3.                                       License of Data; Warranty; Termination of Rights

 

A.                                     The valuation information and evaluations being provided to the Fund by USBFS pursuant hereto (collectively, the “Data”) are being licensed, not sold, to the Fund.  The Fund has a limited license to use the Data only for purposes necessary to valuing the Fund’s assets and reporting to regulatory bodies (the “License”).  The Fund does not have any license nor right to use the Data for purposes beyond the intentions of this Agreement including, but not limited to, resale to other users or use to create any type of historical database.  The License is non-transferable and not sub-licensable.  The Fund’s right to use the Data cannot be passed to or shared with any other entity.

 

The Fund acknowledges the proprietary rights that USBFS and its suppliers have in the Data.

 

B.                                     THE FUND HEREBY ACCEPTS THE DATA AS IS, WHERE IS, WITH NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE OR ANY OTHER MATTER.

 

C.                                     USBFS may stop supplying some or all Data to the Fund if USBFS’ suppliers terminate any agreement to provide Data to USBFS.  Also, USBFS may stop supplying some or all Data to the Fund if USBFS reasonably believes that the Fund is using the Data in violation of the License, or breaching its duties of confidentiality provided for hereunder, or if any of USBFS’ suppliers demand that the Data be withheld from the Fund.  USBFS will provide notice to the Fund of any termination of provision of Data as soon as reasonably possible.

 

4.                                       Pricing of Securities

 

A.                                     For each valuation date, USBFS shall obtain prices from a pricing source recommended by USBFS and approved by the Board of Trustees and apply those prices to the portfolio positions of the Fund.  For those securities where market quotations are not readily available, the Board of Trustees shall approve, in good faith, procedures for determining the fair value for such securities.

 

If the Fund desires to provide a price that varies from the price provided by the pricing source, the Fund shall promptly notify and supply USBFS with the price of any such security on each valuation date.  All pricing changes made by the Fund will be in writing and must specifically identify the securities to be changed by CUSIP, name of security, new price or rate to be applied, and, if applicable, the time period for which the new price(s) is/are effective.

 

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B.                                     In the event that the Fund at any time receives Data containing evaluations, rather than market quotations, for certain securities or certain other data related to such securities, the following provisions will apply:  (i) evaluated securities are typically complicated financial instruments.  There are many methodologies (including computer-based analytical modeling and individual security evaluations) available to generate approximations of the market value of such securities, and there is significant professional disagreement about which method is best.  No evaluation method, including those used by USBFS and its suppliers, may consistently generate approximations that correspond to actual “traded” prices of the securities; (ii) methodologies used to provide the pricing portion of certain Data may rely on evaluations; however, the Fund acknowledges that there may be errors or defects in the software, databases, or methodologies generating the evaluations that may cause resultant evaluations to be inappropriate for use in certain applications; and (iii) the Fund assumes all responsibility for edit checking, external verification of evaluations, and ultimately the appropriateness of using Data containing evaluations, regardless of any efforts made by USBFS and its suppliers in this respect.

 

5.                                       Changes in Accounting Procedures

 

Any resolution passed by the Board of Trustees that affects accounting practices and procedures under this Agreement shall be effective upon written receipt of notice and acceptance by USBFS.

 

6.                                       Changes in Equipment, Systems, Etc.

 

USBFS reserves the right to make changes from time to time, as it deems advisable, relating to its systems, programs, rules, operating schedules and equipment, so long as such changes do not adversely affect the services provided to the Fund under this Agreement.

 

7.                                       Compensation

 

USBFS shall be compensated for providing the services set forth in this Agreement in accordance with the fee schedule set forth on Exhibit A hereto (as amended from time to time).  USBFS shall also be compensated for such out-of-pocket expenses (e.g., telecommunication charges, postage and delivery charges, and reproduction charges) as are reasonably incurred by USBFS in performing its duties hereunder.  The Fund shall pay all such fees and reimbursable expenses within 30 calendar days following receipt of the monthly billing notice, except for any fee or expense subject to a good faith dispute.  The Fund shall notify USBFS in writing within 30 calendar days following receipt of each invoice if the Fund is disputing any amounts in good faith.  The Fund shall pay such disputed amounts within 10 calendar days of the day on which the parties agree to the amount to be paid.  With the exception of any fee or expense the Fund is disputing in good faith as set forth above, unpaid invoices shall accrue a finance charge of 1½% per month after the due date.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, amounts owed by the

 

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Fund to USBFS shall only be paid out of the assets and property of the particular Fund involved.

 

8.                                       Representations and Warranties

 

A.                                     The Fund hereby represents and warrants to USBFS, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1)                                  It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(2)                                  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and

 

(3)                                  It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement or have a material adverse effect on the Fund.

 

B.                                     USBFS hereby represents and warrants to the Fund, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(1)                                  It is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(2)                                  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by USBFS in accordance with all requisite action and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of USBFS, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties; and

 

(3)                                  It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding

 

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on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

9.                                       Standard of Care; Indemnification; Limitation of Liability

 

A.                                     USBFS shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.  Neither USBFS nor its suppliers shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund or any third party in connection with its duties under this Agreement, including losses resulting from mechanical breakdowns or the failure of communication or power supplies beyond USBFS’ control, except a loss arising out of or relating to USBFS’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if USBFS has exercised reasonable care in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Fund shall indemnify and hold harmless USBFS and its suppliers from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that USBFS or its suppliers may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against USBFS or its suppliers by any person arising out of or related to (X) any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in performing the services hereunder (i) in accordance with the foregoing standards, or (ii) in reliance upon any written or oral instruction provided to USBFS by any duly authorized officer of the Fund, as approved by the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or (Y) the Data, or any information, service, report, analysis or publication derived therefrom, except for any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities arising out of or relating to USBFS’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement or from its bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.  This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of the Fund, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.  As used in this paragraph, the term “USBFS” shall include USBFS’ directors, officers and employees.

 

The Fund acknowledges that the Data are intended for use as an aid to institutional investors, registered brokers or professionals of similar sophistication in making informed judgments concerning securities.  The Fund accepts responsibility for, and acknowledges it exercises its own independent judgment in, its selection of the Data, its selection of the use or intended use of such, and any results obtained.  Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a waiver of any rights existing under applicable law for the protection of investors.

 

The trustees of the Fund and the shareholders of the Fund shall not be liable for any obligations of the Fund under this Agreement, and USBFS agrees that, in asserting any rights or claims under this Agreement, it shall look only to the assets and property of the Fund in settlement of such right or claim, and not to such trustees or shareholders.

 

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USBFS shall indemnify and hold the Fund harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, losses, expenses, and liabilities of any and every nature (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) that the Fund may sustain or incur or that may be asserted against the Fund by any person arising out of any action taken or omitted to be taken by USBFS as a result of USBFS’ refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or from its bad faith, negligence, or willful misconduct in the performance of its duties under this Agreement.  This indemnity shall be a continuing obligation of USBFS, its successors and assigns, notwithstanding the termination of this Agreement.  As used in this paragraph, the term “Fund” shall include the Fund’s trustees, officers and employees.

 

In the event of a mechanical breakdown or failure of communication or power supplies beyond its control, USBFS shall take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such interruption continues.  USBFS will make every reasonable effort to restore any lost or damaged data and correct any errors resulting from such a breakdown at the expense of USBFS.  USBFS agrees that it shall, at all times, have reasonable contingency plans with appropriate parties, making reasonable provision for emergency use of electrical data processing equipment to the extent appropriate equipment is available.  Representatives of the Fund shall be entitled to inspect USBFS’ premises and operating capabilities at any time during regular business hours of USBFS, upon reasonable notice to USBFS.  Moreover, USBFS shall provide the Fund, at such times as the Fund may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent accountants on the internal controls and procedures of USBFS relating to the services provided by USBFS under this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the above, USBFS reserves the right to reprocess and correct administrative errors at its own expense.

 

In no case shall either party be liable to the other for (i) any special, indirect or consequential damages, loss of profits or goodwill (even if advised of the possibility of such); (ii) any delay by reason of circumstances beyond its control, including acts of civil or military authority, national emergencies, labor difficulties, fire, mechanical breakdown, flood or catastrophe, acts of God, insurrection, war, riots, or failure beyond its control of transportation or power supply; or (iii) any claim that arose more than three years prior to the institution of suit therefor.

 

B.                                     In order that the indemnification provisions contained in this section shall apply, it is understood that if in any case the indemnitor may be asked to indemnify or hold the indemnitee harmless, the indemnitor shall be fully and promptly advised of all pertinent facts concerning the situation in question, and it is further understood that the indemnitee will use all reasonable care to notify the indemnitor promptly concerning any situation that presents or appears likely to

 

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present the probability of a claim for indemnification.  The indemnitor shall have the option to defend the indemnitee against any claim that may be the subject of this indemnification.  In the event that the indemnitor so elects, it will so notify the indemnitee and thereupon the indemnitor shall take over complete defense of the claim, and the indemnitee shall in such situation initiate no further legal or other expenses for which it shall seek indemnification under this section.  The indemnitee shall in no case confess any claim or make any compromise in any case in which the indemnitor will be asked to indemnify the indemnitee except with the indemnitor’s prior written consent.

 

C.                                     The indemnity and defense provisions set forth in this Section 9 shall indefinitely survive the termination and/or assignment of this Agreement.

 

D.                                     If USBFS is acting in another capacity for the Fund pursuant to a separate agreement, nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve USBFS of any of its obligations in such other capacity.

 

10.                                Notification of Error

 

The Fund will notify USBFS of any discrepancy between USBFS and the Fund, including, but not limited to, failing to account for a security position in the Fund’s portfolio, upon the later to occur of: (i) three business days after receipt of any reports rendered by USBFS to the Fund; (ii) three business days after discovery of any error or omission not covered in the balancing or control procedure; or (iii) three business days after receiving notice from any shareholder regarding any such discrepancy.

 

11.                                Data Necessary to Perform Services

 

The Fund or its agent shall furnish to USBFS the data necessary to perform the services described herein at such times and in such form as mutually agreed upon.

 

12.                                Proprietary and Confidential Information

 

A.                                     USBFS agrees on behalf of itself and its directors, officers, and employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund, all records and other information relative to the Fund and prior, present, or potential shareholders of the Fund (and clients of said shareholders), and not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, except (i) after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld and may not be withheld where USBFS may be exposed to civil or criminal contempt proceedings for failure to comply, (ii) when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities, or (iii) when so requested by the Fund.  Records and other information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of USBFS or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information that was already in the possession of USBFS prior to receipt thereof from the Fund or its agent, shall not be subject to this paragraph. USBFS agrees to protect the

 

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confidential and proprietary information of the Fund using the same efforts, but in no case less than reasonable efforts, that is uses to protect its own proprietary and confidential information.

 

Further, USBFS will adhere to the privacy policies adopted by the Fund pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time.  In this regard, USBFS shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Fund and its shareholders.

 

B.                                     The Fund, on behalf of itself and its trustees, officers, and employees, will maintain the confidential and proprietary nature of the Data and agrees to protect it using the same efforts, but in no case less than reasonable efforts, that it uses to protect its own proprietary and confidential information.

 

13.                                Records

 

USBFS shall keep records relating to the services to be performed hereunder in the form and manner, and for such period, as it may deem advisable and is agreeable to the Fund, but not inconsistent with the rules and regulations of appropriate government authorities, in particular, Section 31 of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder.  USBFS agrees that all such records prepared or maintained by USBFS relating to the services to be performed by USBFS hereunder are the property of the Fund and will be preserved, maintained, and made available in accordance with such applicable sections and rules of the 1940 Act and will be promptly surrendered to the Fund or its designee on and in accordance with its request.

 

14.                                Compliance with Laws

 

The Fund has and retains primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Code, the SOX Act, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to its portfolio investments as set forth in its current prospectus and statement of additional information.  USBFS’ services hereunder shall not relieve the Fund of its responsibilities for assuring such compliance or the Board of Trustee’s oversight responsibility with respect thereto.

 

15.                                Term of Agreement; Amendment

 

This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above and will continue in effect for a period of three (3) years.  This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon giving 90 days prior written notice to the other party or such shorter period as is mutually agreed upon by the parties.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by any party upon the breach of the other party of any material term of this Agreement if such breach is not cured within 15 days of notice of such breach to the breaching party.  This Agreement may not be amended or modified in

 

10



 

any manner except by written agreement executed by USBFS and the Fund, and authorized or approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

16.                                Duties in the Event of Termination

 

In the event that, in connection with termination, a successor to any of USBFS’ duties or responsibilities hereunder is designated by the Fund by written notice to USBFS, USBFS will promptly, upon such termination and at the expense of the Fund, transfer to such successor all relevant books, records, correspondence and other data established or maintained by USBFS under this Agreement in a form reasonably acceptable to the Fund (if such form differs from the form in which USBFS has maintained the same, the Fund shall pay any expenses associated with transferring the data to such form), and will cooperate in the transfer of such duties and responsibilities, including provision for assistance from USBFS’ personnel in the establishment of books, records and other data by such successor.  If no such successor is designated, then such books, records and other data shall be returned to the Fund.

 

17.                                Early Termination

 

In the absence of any material breach of this Agreement, should the Fund elect to terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the three (3) year term, the Fund agrees to pay the following fees:

 

a.               all fees associated with converting services to successor service provider;

b.               all fees associated with any record retention and/or tax reporting obligations that may not be eliminated due to the conversion to a successor service provider;

c.                all out-of-pocket costs associated with a. and b. above.

 

18.                                Assignment

 

This Agreement shall extend to and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Fund without the written consent of USBFS, or by USBFS without the written consent of the Fund accompanied by the authorization or approval of the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

 

19.                                Governing Law

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of law principles.  To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of New York, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the SEC thereunder.

 

11



 

20.                                No Agency Relationship

 

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize or empower either party to act as agent for the other party to this Agreement, or to conduct business in the name, or for the account, of the other party to this Agreement.

 

21.                                Services Not Exclusive

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict USBFS from providing services to other parties that are similar or identical to some or all of the services provided hereunder.

 

22.                                Invalidity

 

Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.  In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

 

23.                                Notices

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given on the date delivered personally or by courier service, or three days after sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or on the date sent and confirmed received by facsimile transmission to the other party’s address set forth below:

 

Notice to USBFS shall be sent to:

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI  53202

 

and notice to the Fund shall be sent to:

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund
c/o KKR Asset Management LLC

555 California Street, 50 th  Floor

San Francisco, CA 94104

 

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24.                                Multiple Originals

 

This Agreement may be executed on two counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

25.                                Brand

 

The Fund’s investment manager owns all worldwide rights to the “KKR” trademark and logo (collectively, the “ Brand ”).  The investment manager has granted a worldwide non-exclusive license to the Fund to use the Brand as a trademark and logo in connection with marketing, promoting and operating the Fund.  Neither USBFS nor the Fund shall register or use the Brand as a corporate name, domain name, ticker symbol or social media identifier without the investment manager’s prior written consent.  The Fund shall use the Brand only in connection with high-quality goods and services and in accordance with any guidelines provided by investment manager.  USBFS and the Fund shall obtain the investment manager’s prior consent for any materials bearing the Brand, or any proposed uses or variations of the Brand or combinations of the Brand with other terms or marks.  The investment manager may terminate the license immediately upon written notice for any reason, including for (i) any breach of the license by USBFS or the Fund or (ii) the termination of the investment advisory relationship between the Fund and the investment manager.  Except to the extent required by applicable law, USBFS and the Fund shall immediately cease all use of the Brand after such termination.  Neither USBFS nor the Fund shall challenge or contravene the validity of, or the investment manager’s worldwide ownership of the Brand, nor take (or fail to take) any action that may damage the Brand.  All goodwill arising from the Fund’s use of the Brand shall inure solely to the benefit of the investment manager.  The Fund may not sublicense or assign this license without the prior consent of the investment manager, and any purported transaction in violation of the foregoing shall be null and void.  For clarity, a change of control, assumption in bankruptcy, merger or reorganization of the Fund shall be deemed an “assignment” of the above license, even if it is not deemed an assignment under applicable law. The investment manager disclaims any and all liability for the Fund’s use of the Brand outside the United States, which such use shall be at the Fund’s sole risk.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

U.S. BANCORP FUND SERVICES, LLC

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

Title:

 

 

14


Exhibit 99.(l)

 

1095 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10036-6797

+1  212  698  3500  Main

+1  212  698  3599  Fax

www.dechert.com

 

July 23, 2013

 

KKR Income Opportunities Fund

555 California Street

50th Floor

San Francisco, California 94104

 

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This opinion is given in connection with the filing by KKR Income Opportunities Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-2 (“Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Amendment No. 4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), relating to common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund. The authorized common shares of beneficial interest of the Fund are hereinafter referred to as the “Common Shares.”

 

We have examined the following Fund documents: (1) the Fund’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”); (2) the Fund’s By-Laws; (3) each of the registration statement filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”); (4) pertinent provisions of the laws of the State of Delaware; and (5) such other Fund records, certificates, documents and statutes that we have deemed relevant in order to render the opinions expressed herein.

 

Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.              The Fund is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware; and

 

2.              When the Common Shares have been duly issued by the Fund pursuant to the Declaration of Trust and delivered against payment therefor as determined by the Trustees in compliance with the Declaration of Trust, the Common Shares will be validly issued and purchasers of the Common Shares will not have any obligation to make payments to the Fund or its creditors (other than the purchase price for the Common Shares) or make contributions to the Fund or its creditors solely by reason of the purchaser’s ownership of the Common Shares.

 

This letter expresses our opinion as to the Delaware statutory trust law governing matters such as the due organization of the Fund and the authorization and issuance of the Common Shares, but does not extend to the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the State of Delaware or to federal securities or other laws.

 



 

The opinions expressed herein are solely for your benefit and may not be relied on in any manner or for any purpose by any other person. We express no opinion as to any other matter other than as expressly set forth above and no other opinion is intended or may be inferred herefrom. The opinions expressed herein are given as of the date hereof and we undertake no obligation and hereby disclaim any obligation to advise you of any change after the date of this opinion pertaining to any matter referred to herein.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion with the SEC as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to Dechert LLP as counsel to the Registrant in the Fund’s Registration Statement and in any revised or amended versions thereof, until such time as we revoke such consent. In giving such consent, however, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Dechert LLP

 

 

Dechert LLP

 

 

 


Exhibit 99.(n)

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the use in this Pre-Effective Amendment No. 4 to Registration Statement No. 333-173274 on Form N-2 of our report dated June 21, 2013, relating to the financial statements of KKR Income Opportunities Fund, appearing in the Statement of Additional Information, which is part of such Registration Statement, and to the references to us under the headings “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional Information, which are part of such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

 

San Francisco, California
July 23, 2013

 


Exhibit 99.(p)

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT

 

This Subscription Agreement is entered into this Tuesday, June 11, 2013 by and between KKR Income Opportunities Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “ Fund ”), and KKR Fund Holdings L.P. (the “ Subscriber ”);

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Fund has been formed for the purposes of carrying on business as a closed-end management investment company; and

 

WHEREAS, the Subscriber wishes to subscribe for and purchase, and the Fund wishes to sell to the Subscriber, 5,000 shares of beneficial interest (the “ Common Shares ”) for a purchase price of $20.00 per share.

 

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:

 

1.               The Subscriber subscribes for and agrees to purchase from the Fund 5,000 Common Shares for a purchase price of $20.00 per share. Subscriber agrees to make payment for these Common Shares at such time as demand for payment may be made by an officer of the Fund.

 

2.               The Fund agrees to issue and sell said Common Shares to Subscriber promptly upon its receipt of the purchase price.

 

3.               To induce the Fund to accept its subscription and issue the Common Shares subscribed for, the Subscriber:

 

a.               Represents and warrants that it has no present intention of selling or redeeming the Common Shares subscribed for under this Subscription Agreement.

 

4.               This Subscription Agreement and all of its provisions shall be binding upon the legal representatives, heirs, successors and assigns of the parties hereto.

 

5.               This Agreement is executed on behalf of the Fund by the Fund’s officers as officers and not individually and the obligations imposed upon the Fund by this Subscription Agreement are not binding upon any of the Fund’s Trustees, officers or shareholders individually but are binding only upon the assets and property of the Fund.

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Subscription Agreement has been executed by the parties hereto as of the day and date first above written.

 

 

KKR INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Nicole J. Macarchuk

 

Name: Nicole J. Macarchuk

 

Title: Secretary and Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

KKR FUND HOLDINGS L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ David J. Sorkin

 

Name: David J. Sorkin

 

Title: Director