UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 24, 2021 (November 19, 2021)

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware 814-00967 45-4247759
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification Number)

 

1450 Brickell Avenue, 31st Floor  
Miami, Florida 33131
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

(305) 381-6999

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if changed since last report)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of Each Class Trading Symbol(s) Name of Each Exchange on Which
Registered
Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share WHF The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
(Nasdaq Global Select Market)
     
6.50% Notes due 2025 WHFBZ The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
    (Nasdaq Global Select Market)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨ 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

On November 19, 2021, WhiteHorse Finance, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company, H.I.G. WhiteHorse Advisers, LLC, H.I.G. WhiteHorse Administration, LLC and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters named on Schedule A thereto, in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of $75.0 million in aggregate principal amount of its 4.00% notes due 2026 (the “Notes”), in a registered public offering (the “Offering”).

 

The Offering was made pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-231247) (the “Registration Statement”) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), as supplemented by a preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 19, 2021 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”), a final prospectus supplement, dated November 19, 2021 (the “Final Prospectus Supplement”), and the pricing term sheet filed with the SEC on November 19, 2021. The Offering closed on November 24, 2021.

 

The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Indenture

 

On November 24, 2021, the Company entered into a second supplemental indenture (the “Second Supplemental Indenture”), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, which supplements the base indenture, dated November 13, 2018 (together with the Second Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”) pursuant to which the Notes were issued.

 

The Notes will mature on December 15, 2026 and may be redeemed in whole or in part at the Company’s option. The Notes bear interest at a rate of 4.00% per year payable semi-annually on June 15 and December 15 of each year, commencing June 15, 2022. The Notes will be the Company’s direct, unsecured obligations and will rank pari passu in right of payment with the Company’s current and future unsecured unsubordinated indebtedness, senior to any of the Company’s future indebtedness that expressly states it is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, effectively subordinated in right of payment to all of the Company’s existing and future secured indebtedness (including indebtedness that is initially unsecured, but to which the Company subsequently grants security) to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness, and structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other obligations of any of the Company’s subsidiaries, financing vehicles, or similar facilities.

 

The Indenture contains certain covenants, including covenants requiring the Company to comply with the asset coverage requirements of Section 18(a)(1)(A) as modified by Section 61(a)(1) and (2) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, after giving effect to any exemptive relief granted to the Company by the SEC and subject to certain other exceptions. In addition, holders of the Notes can require the Company to repurchase some or all of the Notes at a purchase price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the repurchase date upon the occurrence of a “Change of Control Repurchase Event,” as defined in the Second Supplemental Indenture. These covenants are subject to important limitations and exceptions that are described in the Indenture.

 

 

 

The Notes were offered and sold in the Offering pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Final Prospectus Supplement. The net proceeds to the Company were approximately $73.3 million, based on the public offering price per Note of 99.997% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions of $1.5 million payable by the Company and estimated offering expenses of approximately $0.2 million payable by the Company. The Company intends to use all or substantially all of the net proceeds to repay amounts outstanding under its existing indebtedness, including the Company’s $35 million aggregate principal amount of 6.50% unsecured notes due 2025, to fund new investments in accordance with the Company’s investment objective and strategies and for general corporate purposes.

 

The foregoing descriptions of the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Notes do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, filed as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

 

The information contained in Item 1.01 to this Current Report on Form 8-K is by this reference incorporated in this Item 2.03.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.
  Description
     
1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated November 19, 2021, among WhiteHorse Finance, Inc., H.I.G. WhiteHorse Advisers, LLC, H.I.G. WhiteHorse Administration, LLC and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters named on Schedule A thereto.
4.1   Second Supplemental Indenture, dated November 24, 2021, between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.
4.2   Form of 4.00% Notes due 2026 (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 hereto).
5.1   Opinion of Dechert LLP.
23.1   Consent of Dechert LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Dated: November 24, 2021

 

  WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.
 
 
  By: /s/ Joyson C. Thomas
    Joyson C. Thomas
    Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Execution Version

 

WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
$75,000,000 4.00% Notes due 2026

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

November 19, 2021

 

RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
880 Carillon Parkway
St. Petersburg, Florida 33716

 

As Representative of the Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), H.I.G. WhiteHorse Advisers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“WhiteHorse Advisers” or the “Adviser”), and H.I.G. WhiteHorse Administration, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Administrator” and, together with the Company and the Adviser, the “WhiteHorse Entities”), confirm their respective agreements with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (“Raymond James”) and each of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Underwriters,” which term shall also include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10 hereof), for whom Raymond James is acting as representative (in such capacity, the “Representative”), with respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, of $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.00% Notes due 2026 (the “Securities”).

 

The Securities will be issued under an indenture, dated as of November 13, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), as supplemented by the second supplemental indenture, dated as of the Closing Time (the “Second Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as trustee (the “Trustee”). The Securities will be issued to Cede & Co. as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) pursuant to a blanket letter of representations (the “DTC Agreement”) between the Company and DTC. The Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “Trust Indenture Act”).

 

The Company understands that the Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities as soon as the Representative deems advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered.

 

The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form N-2 (File No. 333-231247), including the related preliminary prospectus or prospectuses, covering the registration of the sale of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and the offer and sale thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the 1933 Act Regulations (as defined below), which registration statement has been declared effective by the Commission.

 

 

 

 

Promptly after execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company will prepare and file a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of Rule 430B (“Rule 430B”) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933 Act Regulations”) and Rule 424 of the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 424”). The information included in such prospectus that was omitted from such registration statement at the time it became effective but that is deemed to be part of such registration statement at the time it became effective pursuant to Rule 430B is herein called the “Rule 430B Information.” Such registration statement, including the amendments thereto, the exhibits thereto, any schedules thereto and all documents incorporated by reference therein, at the time it became effective, and including the Rule 430B Information, is herein called the “Registration Statement.” Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations is herein called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” and, after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430B Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “preliminary prospectus.” The final prospectus, in the form filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 on or before the second business day after the date hereof (or such earlier time as may be required under the 1933 Act), which will include the base prospectus, dated June 11, 2019, together with a final prospectus supplement and any documents incorporated by reference into either of the foregoing, is herein called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system or any successor system (“EDGAR”).

 

The Company has entered into (i) an amended and restated investment advisory agreement, dated as of November 1, 2018 (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), with WhiteHorse Advisers, which is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Advisers Act”), and (ii) an administration agreement, dated as of December 4, 2012 (the “Administration Agreement”), with the Administrator. This Agreement, the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Administration Agreement are hereinafter referred to, collectively, as the “Company Agreements.”

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

“Applicable Time” means 1:30 P.M., New York City time, on November 19, 2021 or such other time as agreed by the Company and the Representative.

 

“General Disclosure Package” means the most recent preliminary prospectus supplement, which includes a base prospectus dated June 11, 2019, that is distributed to investors prior to the Applicable Time and the information included on Annex A hereto, all considered together.

 

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SECTION 1.            Representations and Warranties.

 

(a)            Representations and Warranties relating to the Company. The Company hereby represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time (as defined below), and agrees with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i)            Registration Statement and Prospectuses. Each of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto has become effective under the 1933 Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, contemplated. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, in each case including any documents incorporated by reference therein, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”). Each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, at the time each was filed with the Commission, including any documents incorporated by reference therein, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations and the Investment Company Act. Each preliminary prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. The Company shall furnish the Representative a copy of any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act Regulations (“Rule 405”)) it proposes to use or file in connection with the sale of the Securities contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus within a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed use or filing, as the case may be, and shall not file or use any such free writing prospectus to which the Representative may reasonably object.

 

(ii)          Accurate Disclosure. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, at the Applicable Time or at the Closing Time, contained, contains or will contain (or incorporated, incorporates or will incorporate by reference) an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Applicable Time or the Closing Time, the General Disclosure Package did not or will not include (or incorporate by reference) an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission or at the Closing Time, included, includes or will include (or incorporated, incorporates or will incorporate) an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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The representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representative expressly for use therein. For purposes of this Agreement, the only information so furnished shall be (i) the concession amounts appearing in the second paragraph under the heading “Underwriting—Commissions and Discounts,” (ii) the information in the first two paragraphs under the heading “Underwriting—Price Stabilization, Short Positions” and (iii) the information in “Underwriting—Principal Business Addresses”, in each case, in the Prospectus (collectively, the “Underwriter Information”).

 

(iii)            Due Organization; Subsidiary. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The only subsidiary, direct or indirect, of the Company that is a “Significant Subsidiary” as defined under Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X is WhiteHorse Finance Credit I, LLC (the “Subsidiary”). The Subsidiary has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company and the Subsidiary are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of their business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified would not (i) have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and of the Subsidiary taken as a whole, (ii) prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”) or (iii) materially impede the ability of the Company or the Subsidiary to perform their obligations under the Company Agreements to which they are party. The outstanding limited liability interests of the Subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims; and no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligations into ownership interests in the Subsidiary are outstanding.

 

(iv)            Capitalization. The authorized, issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus in the column entitled “Actual” under the caption “Capitalization” (except for subsequent issuances, if any, pursuant to this Agreement). The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein or in this Agreement, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities; (ii) incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money other than transactions in the ordinary course of business, that are not material to the Company and the Subsidiary taken as a whole or that are of a nature that is not required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus; or (iii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

 

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(v)            Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company shall furnish the Representative a copy of any free writing prospectus it proposes to use or file in connection with the sale of the Securities contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus within a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed use or filing, as the case may be, and shall not file or use any such free writing prospectus to which the Representative may reasonably object.

 

(vi)            Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the sale of the Securities other than the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the 1933 Act and consistent with Sections 3(a) and (c) hereof.

 

(vii)            Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, comply in all material respects with the 1933 Act and the 1933 Rules and Regulations, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position and the results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the consolidated subsidiaries, at the indicated dates and for the indicated periods (except that the unaudited financial statements were or are subject to normal year-end adjustments which were not, or are not expected to be, material in amount to the Company). Such financial statements and related schedules have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved, except as disclosed therein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods have been made (except, in each case, as may be permitted by the rules and regulations of the Commission). The summary and selected consolidated financial and statistical data included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and such data have been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein and the books and records of the Company. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the 1933 Rules and Regulations) comply with Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act Regulations”), and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act, to the extent applicable. The Company and the Subsidiary do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 46), not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not included as required. No interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language is required to be included in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

 

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(viii)            Independent Accounting Firm. Crowe LLP, which has certified certain of the financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and the Subsidiary within the meaning of the 1933 Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) as required by the 1933 Act.

 

(ix)            Sarbanes-Oxley. There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission and the Nasdaq Global Select Market thereunder (collectively, the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”). The Company has taken all necessary actions to ensure that it is in compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act that are in effect and with which the Company is required to comply (including Section 402 related to loans) and is actively taking steps to ensure that it will be in compliance with other provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act not currently in effect or which will become applicable to the Company. There are no outstanding personal loans made, directly or indirectly, by the Company to any director or executive officer of the Company.

 

(x)            Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigation, action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, threatened against the Company or the Subsidiary, or to which any property of the Company or the Subsidiary is, or to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, would reasonably be expected to be, subject, before any court or regulatory or administrative agency or otherwise that, if determined adversely to the Company or the Subsidiary would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no current or pending legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigations, actions, suits, claims or proceedings that are required under the 1933 Act or the Investment Company Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the 1933 Act or the Investment Company Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xi)            Title to Property. The Company and the Subsidiary have access to all properties and assets as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted and as contemplated by the Registration Statement. The Company and the Subsidiary are not party to any leases and do not own any real property.

 

(xii)            Taxes. The Company and the Subsidiary have filed all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax returns that have been required to be filed, and have paid all taxes indicated by such returns and all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due, except for such taxes, if any, as are being contested in good faith and as to which an adequate reserve or accrual has been established by the Company. All tax liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the Company, and the WhiteHorse Entities do not know of any actual or proposed additional material tax assessments.

 

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(xiii)            Certain Changes. Since the date of the most recent financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise), or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiary taken as a whole, whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business, (ii) there has not been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is probable of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiary, other than transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as each may be amended or supplemented, (iii) neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has sustained any loss or interference with its business that is material to the Company and the Subsidiary taken as a whole and that is either from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (iv) there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xiv)            Description of Securities. The Securities and the Indenture conform to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and such description conforms to the rights set forth in the instruments defining the same.

 

(xv)            Registration Rights. There are no persons with registration rights or other similar rights to have any securities registered for sale pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered for sale or sold by the Company under the 1933 Act pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(xvi)            No Conflicts. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, (i) in violation of its certificate or articles of incorporation, charter, by-laws, certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, partnership agreement or other organizational documents, as applicable, (ii) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture, mortgage, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound (collectively, “Agreements and Instruments”) or (iii) in violation of any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of their properties or assets, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Securities, the performance of the Base Indenture and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not conflict with or result in (i) a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default or Repayment Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, the Agreements and Instruments, (ii) a breach of the certificate of incorporation bylaws or other organizational documents of the Company or (iii) a breach of any law, order, rule or regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of their properties or assets. As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

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(xvii)            Authorization of Base Indenture. The Base Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. The Base Indenture is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors or by general equitable principles and except as rights to indemnity and contribution hereunder and thereunder may be limited by general equitable principles or federal or state securities laws or public policy underlying such laws (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”).

 

(xviii)            Authorization of Second Supplemental Indenture. The Second Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized and, at the Closing Time, will be duly executed and delivered by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered by the Trustee, will constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

(xix)            Authorization of Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee pursuant to the Indenture, against payment of the purchase price set forth herein, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

(xx)            Authorization of Certain Agreements; Enforceability. Each of the Company Agreements (other than this Agreement), has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company. Each of the Company Agreements (other than this Agreement) is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, and each of the Company Agreements (other than this Agreement) is enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be limited by the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

(xxi)            Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

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(xxii)            Regulatory Approvals. Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of the Company Agreements, the Indenture, the DTC Agreement and the Securities and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”)).

 

(xxiii)            Governmental Licenses. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and the Subsidiary (i) hold all licenses, registrations, certificates and permits from governmental authorities (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) that are necessary to the conduct of their business, (ii) are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, and all Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, and (iii) have not received any written or other notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental License.

 

(xxiv)            Intellectual Property. The Company and the Subsidiary own or possess or can acquire on reasonable terms the right to use all patents, inventions, trademarks, trade names, service marks, logos, trade dress, designs, data, database rights, Internet domain names, rights of privacy, rights of publicity, copyrights, works of authorship, license rights, trade secrets, know-how and proprietary information (including unpatented and unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, inventions, systems or procedures) and other industrial property and intellectual property rights (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary to conduct their business as presently conducted and currently contemplated to be conducted in the future, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary, whether through their respective products and services or the conduct of their respective businesses, has infringed, misappropriated, conflicted with or otherwise violated, or is currently infringing, misappropriating, conflicting with or otherwise violating, and none of the Company or the Subsidiary have received any communication or notice of infringement of, misappropriation of, conflict with or violation of, any Intellectual Property of any other person or entity which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary has received any communication or notice which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect alleging that by conducting their business as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, such parties would infringe, misappropriate, conflict with, or violate, any of the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity. The WhiteHorse Entities know of no infringement, misappropriation or violation by others of Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company or the Subsidiary that would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and the Subsidiary have taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure their interests in such Intellectual Property from their employees (if any) and contractors and to protect the confidentiality of all of their confidential information and trade secrets.

 

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(xxv)            No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, any of its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company in connection with the sale of the Securities.

 

(xxvi)            Investment Company. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is or will be required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act.

 

(xxvii)            Internal Controls. The Company and the Subsidiary maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (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 existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. There are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, and there has been no change in internal control over financial reporting that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which adversely affect or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

(xxviii)            Disclosure Controls. The Company has established and maintains an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-14(c) and 15d-14(c) under the 1934 Act); the Company’s “disclosure controls and procedures” are reasonably designed to ensure that all information (both financial and non-financial) required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the 1934 Act Regulations, and that all such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company required under the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations with respect to such reports.

 

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(xxix)            Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and the Subsidiary are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including without limitation, those of Title 18 U.S. Code section 1956 and 1957, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, otherwise known as the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or the Subsidiary conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder, and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the Company or the Subsidiary (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 Company or the Subsidiary with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, threatened.

 

(xxx)            Sanctions. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary nor, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or the Subsidiary, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiary is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department or any similar sanctions imposed by any governmental body to which the Company or the Subsidiary is subject (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, nor is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (a “Sanctioned Country”) (including Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria). The Company and the Subsidiary have not engaged in during the past five years, are not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

(xxxi)            FCPA. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary nor, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiary is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corruption Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (“FCPA”), the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 (the “Bribery Act”) or the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions (the “OECD Convention”) or any other applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. The Company and the Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, their affiliates, have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA, the Bribery Act and the OECD Convention and have instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

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(xxxii)            IT Systems. The Company’s information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiary as currently conducted. The Company has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all material IT Systems and data (including all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”)) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or access to the same, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and the Subsidiary are presently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of the IT Systems used by the Company and all Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxxiii)            Insurance. The Company maintains or is entitled to the benefits of insurance covering such losses and risks to an extent which the Company reasonably believes is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice to protect the Company and its business; all such insurance is fully in force on the date hereof and will be fully in force at the Closing Time except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxxiv)            Employees. The Company and the Subsidiary have no employees.

 

(xxxv)            FINRA. There are no affiliations or associations between any member of FINRA and any of the Company’s officers, directors or 5% or greater securityholders.

 

(xxxvi)            Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships, direct or indirect, or related-party transactions involving the Company or the Subsidiary or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described in such as required.

 

(xxxvii)            Distributions from Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Subsidiary is not currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on the Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to the Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of the Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

 

(xxxviii)            Brokerage Commissions. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Subsidiary or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the sale of the Securities.

 

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(xxxix)            Portfolio Assets. (A) The Company, or as applicable, the Subsidiary, owns, and has good and marketable title to, all of its investments in portfolio companies (the “Portfolio Assets”), free and clear of all mortgages, pledges, liens, security interests, claims or encumbrances of any kind, except as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (B) all of the applicable investment documents and agreements which constitute the Portfolio Assets (the “Investment Documents and Agreements”) are in full force and effect, and the WhiteHorse Entities have no notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or the Subsidiary, as applicable, under the Investment Documents and Agreements, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company, or the Subsidiary, as applicable, under any of the Investment Documents and Agreements. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each portfolio company is current with all of its obligations under the applicable Investment Documents and Agreements and no event of default (or a default which with the giving of notice or the passage of time would become an event of default) has occurred or is continuing under such Investment Documents and Agreements. Other than the Portfolio Assets, the Company and the Subsidiary do not own any other investments.

 

(xl)            Statistical and Market-Related Data. Any statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes, after reasonable inquiry, to be reliable and accurate in all material respects and, to the extent required, the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources.

 

(xli)            Rule 38a-1 Compliance Policies. The Company has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures pursuant to Rule 38a-1 under the Investment Company Act reasonably designed to prevent violation of the federal securities laws by the Company, including policies and procedures that provide oversight of compliance of each investment.

 

(xlii)            Election as a Business Development Company. The Company has elected to be treated by the Commission under the Investment Company Act as a “business development company” (the “BDC Election”). As of the Closing Time, the Company shall not have filed with the Commission any notice of withdrawal of the BDC Election pursuant to Section 54(c) of the Investment Company Act. The BDC Election is effective, and no order of suspension or revocation of such election has been issued or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(xliii)            Investment Advisory Agreement in Compliance with Laws. The terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, including compensation terms, comply with all applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act, including without limitation, Section 15 of the Investment Company Act and Section 205 of the Advisers Act, each as applicable to business development companies.

 

(xliv)            All Necessary Approvals of Investment Advisory Agreement. The approval by the board of directors and the securityholders of the Company of the Investment Advisory Agreement has been made in accordance with the requirements of Section 15 of the Investment Company Act as applicable to business development companies.

 

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(xlv)            Compliance of Agreements with Investment Company Act. This Agreement and each of the Company Agreements complies in all material respects with all applicable provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act.

 

(xlvi)            Interested Persons. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) no person is serving or acting as an officer, director or investment adviser of the Company except in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Advisers Act and (B) to the knowledge of the Company, no director of the Company is an “interested person” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Company or an “affiliated person” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any of the Underwriters.

 

(xlvii)            Operations Comply with Investment Company Act. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the provisions of the Investment Company Act applicable to business development companies; provided that the Company does not represent or warrant as to the compliance of Section 6(a) hereof with Section 17(i) of the Investment Company Act.

 

(xlviii)            Conditions for Use of Form N-2. The Company has satisfied the conditions for the use of Form N-2, as set forth in the general instructions thereto, with respect to the Registration Statement.

 

(xlix)            Regulated Investment Company Compliance. The Company operates and intends to continue to operate its business so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Company also intends to direct the investment of the proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in such a manner as to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.

 

(l)            Lending Relationship. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiary (i) do not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) do not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.

 

(li)            Commodity Pool. Either (a) the Company is not a “pool” under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “CEA”) and the regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) thereunder because it does not trade “commodity interests” or (b) the Company is a pool under the CEA and the CFTC regulations thereunder whose commodity pool operator is eligible for and has claimed no-action relief from registration with regard to its operation of the Company.

 

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(b)            Representations and Warranties relating to WhiteHorse Advisers. The Adviser hereby represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time, and agree with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i)            Due Organization. The Adviser has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Adviser is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified would not (i) have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Adviser, (ii) prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or materially impede the ability of the Adviser to perform its obligations under the Company Agreements to which it is a party (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as “Adviser Material Adverse Effect”), or (iii) have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ii)            Legal Proceedings. There is no legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigation, action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened against the Adviser, or to which any property of the Adviser is, or to the knowledge of the Adviser, would reasonably be expected to be, subject, before any court or regulatory or administrative agency or otherwise that, if determined adversely to the Adviser would, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. There are no current or pending legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigations, actions, suits, claims or proceedings with respect to the Adviser that are required under the 1933 Act or the Investment Company Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(iii)            No Conflicts. The Adviser is not, nor with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, (i) in violation of its certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, or other organizational documents, as applicable, (ii) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound or (iii) in violation of any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Adviser of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Adviser, or any of their properties or assets, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and delivery of the Company Agreements to which the Adviser is a party and the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach of (x) any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Adviser is a party or by which the Adviser or any of its properties is bound, (y) the certificate of formation or other organizational documents, as applicable, of the Adviser or (z) any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Adviser of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Adviser, or any of its properties or assets, except in the cases of clauses (x) and (z) for any such breach, default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(iv)            Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser.

 

(v)            Authorization of Certain Agreements; Enforceability. Each of the Company Agreements to which the Adviser is a party (other than this Agreement) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Adviser. Each of the Company Agreements to which the Adviser is a party (other than this Agreement) is a valid and binding agreement of the Adviser, and each of the Company Agreements to which the Adviser is a party (other than this Agreement) is enforceable against the Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

(vi)            Regulatory Approvals. Each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Adviser of the Company Agreements to which it is party and the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.

 

(vii)            Governmental Licenses. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect, the Adviser (i) holds all Governmental Licenses which are necessary to the conduct of its business, (ii) is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, and all Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, and (iii) has not received any written or other notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental License.

 

(viii)            Intellectual Property. The Adviser owns or possesses or can acquire on reasonable terms the right to use all Intellectual Property necessary to conduct its business as presently conducted, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. To the Adviser’s knowledge, the Adviser has not, whether through its products and services or the conduct of its business, infringed, misappropriated, conflicted with or otherwise violated, or is currently infringing, misappropriating, conflicting with or otherwise violating, and the Adviser has not received any communication or notice of infringement of, misappropriation of, conflict with or violation of, any Intellectual Property of any other person or entity which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The Adviser has not received any communication or notice which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect, alleging that by conducting its business as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Adviser would infringe, misappropriate, conflict with, or violate, any of the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity. The Adviser knows of no infringement, misappropriation or violation by others of Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Adviser that would, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The Adviser has taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure its interests in such Intellectual Property from their employees and contractors and to protect the confidentiality of all of its confidential information and trade secrets.

 

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(ix)            Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Adviser are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable 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 with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, threatened.

 

(x)            Sanctions. Neither the Adviser nor, to the knowledge of the Adviser, any director, officer, agent, Affiliate, or employee of the Adviser, or any other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Adviser is currently subject to any Sanctions, nor is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, nor is located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country (including Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria); and the Adviser will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering (or cause such proceeds to be used) or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing (i) the activities of any person currently subject to any Sanctions or (ii) any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country. The Adviser has not engaged in during the past five years, is not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

(xi)            FCPA. Neither the Adviser nor, to the knowledge of the Adviser, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Adviser, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Adviser is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA, the Bribery Act or the OECD Convention or any other applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. The Adviser and, to the knowledge of the Adviser, its affiliates, has conducted its business in compliance with the FCPA, the Bribery Act and the OECD Convention and has instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

(xii)            Insurance. The Adviser maintains or is entitled to the benefits of insurance covering such losses and risks to an extent which the Adviser reasonably believes is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice to protect the Adviser and its business; all such insurance is fully in force on the date hereof and will be fully in force at the Closing Time except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xiii)            Brokerage Commissions. The Adviser is not a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Subsidiary or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

 

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(xiv)        Compliance Policies. The Adviser has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures pursuant to Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act reasonably designed to prevent violation of the Advisers Act by the Adviser.

 

(xv)         Description of the Adviser. The description of the Adviser in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including in its role as investment adviser to the Company, is accurate in all material respects.

 

(xvi)         Title to Property. The Adviser leases or has access to all properties and assets as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted and as contemplated by the Registration Statement. The Adviser does not own any real property.

 

(xvii)         Registration. The Adviser is duly registered with the Commission 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 for the Company as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There does not exist any proceeding or, to the knowledge of the Adviser, any facts or circumstances the existence of which could lead to any proceeding which might adversely affect the registration of the Adviser with the Commission.

 

(xviii)        Financial Resources. The Adviser has the financial resources available to it necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and under the Company Agreements to which the Adviser is a party.

 

(xix)           Commodity Pool. Either (a) the Company is not a “pool” under the CEA and the regulations of the CFTC thereunder because it does not trade “commodity interests” or (b) to the extent the Company is or becomes a pool under the CEA and the CFTC regulations thereunder, the Adviser will avail itself of no-action relief from commodity pool operator registration.

 

(xx)            IT Systems. The Adviser’s IT systems are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Adviser as currently conducted. The Adviser has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all material IT Systems and data (including Personal Data) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or access to the same, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The Adviser is presently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of the IT Systems used by the Adviser and all Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems used by the Adviser and all Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xxi)            Business Resiliency Plan. The Adviser has adopted and implemented commercially reasonable controls, policies and procedures with respect to its business resiliency (Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery), and such controls, policies and procedures are adequate for, and perform in all material respects in connection with, the operation of the Adviser’s business.

 

(c)            Representations and Warranties relating to the Administrator. The Administrator hereby represents and warrants to each Underwriter as of the date hereof, the Applicable Time and the Closing Time, and agree with each Underwriter, as follows:

 

(i)            Due Organization. The Administrator has been duly organized and is validly existing as a limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with requisite power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Administrator is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification except where the failure to be so qualified would not (i) have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Administrator, (ii) prevent the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or materially impede the ability of the Administrator to perform its obligations under the Company Agreements to which it is party (the occurrence of any such effect or any such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being referred to as an “Administrator Material Adverse Effect”), or (iii) have an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ii)            Legal Proceedings. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigation, action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, threatened against the Administrator, or to which any property of the Administrator is, or to the knowledge of the WhiteHorse Entities, would reasonably be expected to be, subject, before any court or regulatory or administrative agency or otherwise that, if determined adversely to the Administrator would, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. There are no current or pending legal, governmental, administrative or regulatory investigations, actions, suits, claims or proceedings with respect to the Administrator that are required under the 1933 Act, the 1933 Rules and Regulations or the Investment Company Act to be described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(iii)          No Conflicts. The Administrator is not, nor with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, (i) in violation of its certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement, or other organizational documents, as applicable, (ii) in violation of or in default under any agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound or (iii) in violation of any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Administrator of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Administrator, or any of their properties or assets, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), for such violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The execution and delivery of the Company Agreements to which the Administrator is a party and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach of (x) any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or instrument to which the Administrator is a party or by which the Administrator or any of its properties is bound, (y) the certificate of formation or other organizational documents, as applicable, of the Administrator or (z) any law, order, rule or regulation judgment, order, writ or decree applicable to the Administrator of any court or of any government, regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having jurisdiction over the Administrator, or any of its properties or assets, except in the cases of clauses (x) and (z) for any such breach, default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(iv)            Authorization of Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Administrator.

 

(v)            Authorization of Certain Agreements; Enforceability. Each of the Company Agreements to which the Administrator is a party (other than this Agreement) has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Administrator. Each of the Company Agreements to which the Administrator is a party (other than this Agreement) is a valid and binding agreement of the Administrator, and each of the Company Agreements to which the Administrator is a party (other than this Agreement) is enforceable against the Administrator in accordance with its terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions.

 

(vi)            Regulatory Approvals. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect, each approval, consent, order, authorization, designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Administrator of the Administration Agreement and the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated has been obtained or made and is in full force and effect.

 

(vii)            Governmental Licenses. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect, the Administrator (i) holds all Governmental Licenses which are necessary to the conduct of its business, (ii) is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all Governmental Licenses, and all Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, and (iii) has not received any written or other notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Governmental License.

 

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(viii)            Intellectual Property. The Administrator owns or possesses or can acquire on reasonable terms the right to use all Intellectual Property necessary to conduct its business as presently conducted, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. To the Administrator’s knowledge, the Administrator has not, whether through its products and services or the conduct of its business, infringed, misappropriated, conflicted with or otherwise violated, or is currently infringing, misappropriating, conflicting with or otherwise violating, and the Administrator has not received any communication or notice of infringement of, misappropriation of, conflict with or violation of, any Intellectual Property of any other person or entity which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The Administrator has not received any communication or notice which, individually or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect, alleging that by conducting its business as set forth in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Administrator would infringe, misappropriate, conflict with, or violate, any of the Intellectual Property of any other person or entity. The Adviser and the Administrator know of no infringement, misappropriation or violation by others of Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Administrator that would, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The Administrator has taken all reasonable steps necessary to secure its interests in such Intellectual Property from their employees and contractors and to protect the confidentiality of all of its confidential information and trade secrets.

 

(ix)            Anti-Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Administrator are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable 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 Administrator with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Administrator, threatened.

 

(x)            Sanctions. Neither the Administrator nor, to the knowledge of the Administrator, any director, officer, agent, Affiliate or employee of the Administrator, or any other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Administrator is currently subject to any Sanctions, nor is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is currently the subject or target of any Sanctions, nor is located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country (including Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria); and the Administrator will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering (or cause such proceeds to be used) or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing (i) the activities of any person or entity currently subject to any Sanctions or (ii) any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country. The Administrator has not engaged in during the past five years, is not now engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

(xi)            FCPA. Neither the Administrator nor, to the knowledge of the Administrator, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Administrator, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Administrator is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the FCPA, the Bribery Act or the OECD Convention or any applicable anti-bribery laws, including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any “foreign official” (as such term is defined in FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA. The Administrator and, to the knowledge of the Administrator, its affiliates, has conducted its business in compliance with the FCPA, the Bribery Act and the OECD Convention and has instituted and maintained policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.

 

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(xii)            Insurance. The Administrator maintains or is entitled to the benefits of insurance covering such losses and risks to an extent which the Administrator reasonably believes is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice to protect the Administrator and its business; all such insurance is fully in force on the date hereof and will be fully in force at the Closing Time except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect, an Adviser Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xiii)            Brokerage Commissions. The Administrator is not a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or the Subsidiary or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

 

(xiv)            Description of the Administrator. The description of the Administrator in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, including in its role as administrator to the Company, is accurate in all material respects.

 

(xv)            Title to Property. The Administrator leases or has access to all properties and assets as are necessary to the conduct of its operations as presently conducted and as contemplated by the Registration Statement. The Administrator does not own any real property.

 

(xvi)            Financial Resources. The Administrator has the financial resources available to it necessary for the performance of its services and obligations as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and under the Company Agreements to which the Administrator is a party.

 

(xvii)            IT Systems. The Administrator’s IT systems are adequate for, and operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Administrator as currently conducted. The Administrator has implemented and maintained commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect its material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all material IT Systems and data (including Personal Data) used in connection with its business, and there have been no breaches, violations, outages or unauthorized uses of or access to the same, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect. The Administrator is presently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of the IT Systems used by the Administrator and all Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except, in each case, as would not reasonably be expected to, individually or in the aggregate, have an Administrator Material Adverse Effect or a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(xviii)            Business Resiliency Plan. The Administrator has adopted and implemented commercially reasonable controls, policies and procedures with respect to its business resiliency, and such controls, policies and procedures are adequate for, and perform in all material respects in connection with, the operation of the Administrator’s business.

 

(d)            Officer’s Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of any WhiteHorse Entity and delivered to the Representative or to counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by such WhiteHorse Entity to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

SECTION 2.            Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

 

(a)            Securities. On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, that aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule A and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price set forth in Schedule A, that aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter, plus any additional aggregate principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 10 hereof.

 

(b)            Payment. Payment of the purchase price for, and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Proskauer Rose LLP, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 600 South, Washington, DC 20004, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at 10:00 A.M. (New York City time) on the third business day after the date hereof (unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10), or such other time not later than ten business days after such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein called “Closing Time”).

 

Payment shall be made to the Company by wire transfer of immediately available funds to bank accounts designated by the Company against delivery to the Representative for the respective accounts of the Underwriters through the facilities of DTC for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities to be purchased by them. It is understood that each Underwriter has authorized the Representative, for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Securities that it has agreed to purchase. Raymond James, individually and not as representative of the Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price for the Securities to be purchased by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter from its obligations hereunder.

 

(c)            Denominations; Registration. The Securities shall be transferred electronically at the Closing Time and shall be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representative may request in writing at least one full business day before the Closing Time. The Securities will be made available for examination and packaging by the Representative in The City of New York not later than 10:00 A.M.  (New York City time) on the business day prior to the Closing Time.

 

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SECTION 3.            Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

 

(a)            Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 3(c), will comply with the requirements of Rule 415 and Rule 430B, and will notify the Representative immediately, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed, (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company will effect all filings required under the 1933 Act, including Rule 424 and/or Rule 497, in the manner and within the time period required thereby, and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the filing was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly make such filing. The Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

(b)            Filing of Amendments. Through the Closing Time, the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)) or any amendment, supplement or revision to any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective) or to the Prospectus and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents within a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company has given the Underwriters notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Rules and Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Underwriters notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

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(c)            Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary (or, if the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall notify the Company that, in their judgment, it is necessary) to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statements of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly notify the Representative of such event or condition and of its intention to file such amendment or supplement (or, if the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall have notified the Company as aforesaid, the Company will promptly notify the Representative of its intention to prepare such amendment or supplement) and will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such untrue statement or omission or to comply with such requirements, and, in the case of an amendment or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, the Company will use its best efforts to have such amendment declared or become effective as soon as practicable, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. Through the Closing Time, the Company will give the Representative notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)) or any amendment, supplement or revision to any preliminary prospectus (including any prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective) or to the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus and will furnish the Representative with copies of any such documents within a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall object. The Company has given the Underwriters notice of any filings made pursuant to the 1934 Act or the 1934 Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time; the Company will give the Underwriters notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time to the Closing Time and will furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

(d)            Delivery of Registration Statements. Upon request, the Company will deliver to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement, as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representative, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement, as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e)            Delivery of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

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(f)            Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that the Company 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.

 

(g)            Rule 158. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide to the Underwriters the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.

 

(h)            DTC Clearance. The Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause the Securities to continue to be eligible for clearance through DTC.

 

(i)            Clear Market. Through the Closing Time, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, (i) directly or indirectly, 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 or otherwise transfer or dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or file any registration statement under the 1933 Act with respect to any of the foregoing or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic consequence of ownership of debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any such other securities, without the prior written consent of the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, other than the Securities to be sold hereunder.

 

(j)            Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and 1934 Act Regulations.

 

(k)            Maintain Status as a Business Development Company. The Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to maintain its status as a “business development company” under the Investment Company Act; provided, however, the Company may change the nature of its business so as to cease to be, or to withdraw its election as, a business development company with the approval of the board of directors and a vote of stockholders as required by Section 58 of the Investment Company Act or any successor provision.

 

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(l)            Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company. The Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to qualify for and elect to be treated as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2021, and to maintain such qualification and election in effect for each full fiscal year during which it is a business development company under the Investment Company Act; provided however, that at the discretion of the Company’s board of directors, it may elect not to be so treated.

 

(m)            No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(n)            Use of Proceeds. The Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to a subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.

 

SECTION 4.            Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)            Expenses of the Company. The Company will pay or cause to be paid all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto and any costs associated with electronic delivery of any of the foregoing by the Underwriters to investors, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the certificates or security entitlements for the Securities to the Underwriters, including any stock or other transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors, (v) the qualification of the Securities under securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation of any blue sky survey and any supplement thereto, (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee for the Securities, (vii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor presentations on any “road show” undertaken in connection with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, travel and lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and any such consultants, and 50% of the cost of aircraft and other transportation chartered in connection with the road show, (viii) the filing fees incident to, and up to $10,000 of reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, and (ix) the costs and expenses (including, without limitation, any damages or other amounts payable in connection with legal or contractual liability) associated with the reforming of any contracts for sale of the Securities made by the Underwriters caused by a breach of the representation contained in the third sentence of Section 1(a)(ii).

 

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(b)            Termination of Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated by the Representative in accordance with the provisions of Section 5, Section 9(a)(i) or (iii) or Section 10 hereof, the Company shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters.

 

SECTION 5.            Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the WhiteHorse Entities contained herein or in certificates of any officer of the WhiteHorse Entities delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

 

(a)            Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430B Information; BDC Election. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective and at the Closing Time no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the 1933 Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated; and the Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. A prospectus containing the Rule 430B Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424 or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430B. The BDC Election is effective and at the Closing Time no order suspending the effectiveness of the BDC Election shall have been issued or proceedings therefor initiated or threatened by the Commission.

 

(b)            Opinion of Counsel for the Company. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance statement, dated the Closing Time, of Dechert LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(c)            Opinion of Counsel for WhiteHorse Advisers and the Administrator. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Dechert LLP, counsel for WhiteHorse Advisers and the Administrator, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(d)            Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion, dated the Closing Time, of Proskauer Rose LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters.

 

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(e)            Officers’ Certificate of the Company. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiary considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Company and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the 1933 Act has been issued, no order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to their knowledge, contemplated.

 

(f)            Officers’ Certificate of WhiteHorse Advisers. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of WhiteHorse Advisers, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of WhiteHorse Advisers and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of WhiteHorse Advisers, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of WhiteHorse Advisers in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (iii) WhiteHorse Advisers has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time.

 

(g)            Officers’ Certificate of the Administrator. At the Closing Time, there shall not have been, since the date hereof or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Administrator, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer or the President of the Administrator and of the Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Administrator, dated the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse change, (ii) the representations and warranties of the Administrator in this Agreement are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time and (iii) the Administrator has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Time.

 

(h)            Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received from Crowe LLP a letter, dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters 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, the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(i)            Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Time, the Representative shall have received from Crowe LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than two business days prior to the Closing Time.

 

(j)            Second Supplemental Indenture and Securities. At or prior to the Closing Time, the Company and the Trustee shall have executed and delivered the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Securities.

 

(k)            Maintenance of Rating. From the time of execution of this Agreement, until the Closing Time, there shall not have been any decrease in or withdrawal of the rating of any securities of the Company or the Subsidiary by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the 1934 Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in or withdrawal of any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

 

(l)            Additional Documents. At the Closing Time counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and counsel for the Underwriters.

 

(m)            Termination of Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representative by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.            Indemnification.

 

(a)            Indemnification of Underwriters by the WhiteHorse Entities. The WhiteHorse Entities, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors, its officers, its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 501(b) under the 1933 Act (each, an “Affiliate”)), its selling agents and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

 

(i)            against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included (A) in or incorporated by reference into any preliminary prospectus, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or (B) in any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the offering of the Securities (“Marketing Materials”), including any roadshow or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically), or the omission or alleged omission in any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus or in any Marketing Materials of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

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(ii)            against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company;

 

(iii)            against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel chosen by the Underwriters), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (i) or (ii) above; provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

(b)            Indemnification of Company, Directors and Officers, WhiteHorse Advisers and the Administrator. Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, each of its officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, WhiteHorse Advisers and the Administrator against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information.

 

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(c)            Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than on account of the provisions of Sections 6(a), (b) or (c) hereof. In the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Sections 6(a) and (b) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Representative, and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(c) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Company. An indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be counsel to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel, (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 or (iii) the indemnifying party shall have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of commencement of the action. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances. 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 under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (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.

 

(d)            Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 6(a)(ii) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

(e)            The provisions of this Section 6 and Section 7 hereof shall not affect any agreements among the Company, WhiteHorse Advisers and the Administrator with respect to indemnification of each other or contribution among themselves.

 

SECTION 7.            Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is for any reason unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the WhiteHorse Entities, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the WhiteHorse Entities, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.

 

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The relative benefits received by the WhiteHorse Entities, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total net proceeds from the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters, on the other hand, in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate initial public offering price of the Securities as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus.

 

The relative fault of the WhiteHorse Entities, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the WhiteHorse Entities or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

The WhiteHorse Entities and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 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 which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7. The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public.

 

No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act and each Underwriter’s directors, officers, Affiliates and selling agents shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any, who controls the Company, WhiteHorse Advisers or the Administrator shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their respective names in Schedule A hereto and not joint.

 

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SECTION 8.            Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the WhiteHorse Entities submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its directors or officers, or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or any person controlling WhiteHorse Advisers or the Administrator and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities.

 

SECTION 9.            Termination of Agreement.

 

(a)            Termination. The Representative may terminate this Agreement, by notice to the WhiteHorse Entities, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time (i) if there has been, in the judgment of the Representative, since the time of execution of this Agreement or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and the Subsidiary considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the offering or to enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, or (iii) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or (iv) if trading generally on the New York Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq Global Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by any of said exchanges or by order of the Commission, FINRA or any other governmental authority, or (v) a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or with respect to Clearstream or Euroclear systems in Europe, or (vi) if a banking moratorium has been declared by either Federal or New York authorities.

 

(b)            Liabilities. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7, 8, 14 and 15 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 10.            Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under this Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”), the Representative shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative shall not have completed such arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

 

(i)            if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities, each of the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting obligations hereunder bear to the underwriting obligations of all non-defaulting Underwriters, or

 

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(ii)            if the aggregate principal amount of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities, this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

 

No action taken pursuant to this Section shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

 

In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of this Agreement, either the (i) Representative or (ii) the Company shall have the right to postpone Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements. As used herein, the term “Underwriter” includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this Section 10.

 

SECTION 11.            Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to Raymond James & Associates, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716, attention: ECM General Counsel, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to William Tuttle, Proskauer Rose LLP, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 600 South, Washington, D.C. 20004; and notices to the WhiteHorse Entities shall be directed to it at 1450 Brickell Avenue, 31st Floor, Miami, Florida 33131, attention of Richard Siegel, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Thomas Friedmann and Michael Darby, Dechert LLP, One International Place, 40th Floor, 100 Oliver Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.

 

SECTION 12.            No Advisory or Fiduciary Relationship. Each of the WhiteHorse Entities acknowledges and agrees that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Securities and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the WhiteHorse Entities, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, (b) in connection with the offering of the Securities and the process leading thereto, each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the agent or fiduciary of the WhiteHorse Entities, or their respective stockholders, creditors, employees or any other party, (c) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the WhiteHorse Entities with respect to the offering of the Securities or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the WhiteHorse Entities on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the WhiteHorse Entities with respect to the offering of the Securities except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (d) the Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the WhiteHorse Entities, and (e) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering of the Securities and each of the WhiteHorse Entities has consulted its own respective legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

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SECTION 13.            Parties. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, each of the WhiteHorse Entities and their respective successors. Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters and the WhiteHorse Entities and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors and other persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. This Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof are intended to be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Underwriters and the WhiteHorse Entities and their respective successors, and said controlling persons and officers and directors and other persons referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, and for the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.

 

SECTION 14.            Trial by Jury. Each of the WhiteHorse Entities (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

SECTION 15.            GOVERNING LAW. THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY CLAIM, CONTROVERSY OR DISPUTE ARISING UNDER OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF, THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

SECTION 16.            TIME. TIME SHALL BE OF THE ESSENCE OF THIS AGREEMENT. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH HEREIN, SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.

 

SECTION 17.            Partial Unenforceability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

SECTION 18.            Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same Agreement. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

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SECTION 19.            Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

SECTION 20.            Consent to Jurisdiction. Any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby shall be instituted in (i) the federal courts of the United States of America located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan or (ii) the courts of the State of New York located in the City and County of New York, Borough of Manhattan (collectively, the “Specified Courts”), and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction (except for proceedings instituted in regard to the enforcement of a judgment of any such court, as to which such jurisdiction is non-exclusive) of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. Service of any process, summons, notice or document by mail to such party’s address set forth above shall be effective service of process for any suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection to the laying of venue of any suit, action or other proceeding in the Specified Courts and irrevocably and unconditionally waive and agree not to plead or claim in any such court that any such suit, action or other proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum.

 

SECTION 21.            Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.(a)            In the event that the Sale Agent is a Covered Entity and becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from the Sale Agent of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(b)            In the event that the Sales Agent is a Covered Entity and it or a BHC Act Affiliate of the Sales Agent becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against the Sales Agent are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

As used in this Section 21:

 

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i)            a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii)           a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

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(iii)          a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

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If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the WhiteHorse Entities a counterpart hereof, whereupon this instrument, along with all counterparts, will become a binding agreement among the Underwriters and each of the WhiteHorse Entities in accordance with its terms.

 

  Very truly yours,
       
  WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.
       
  By: /s/ Joyson C. Thomas
    Name: Joyson C. Thomas
    Title: Chief Financial Officer
       
  H.I.G. WHITEHORSE ADVISERS, LLC
       
  By: /s/ Stuart Aronson
    Name: Stuart Aronson
    Title: Chief Executive Officer
       
  H.I.G. WHITEHORSE ADMINISTRATION, LLC
       
  By: /s/ Stuart Aronson
    Name: Stuart Aronson
    Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
as of the date first above written:

 

RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC.

 

By: /s/ Larry Herman  
  Name: Larry Herman  
  Title: Managing Director  

 

For itself and as Representative of the other
Underwriters named in Schedule A hereto.

 

 

 

SCHEDULE A

 

The initial public offering price for the Securities shall be 99.997% of the aggregate principal amount thereof.

 

The purchase price for the Securities to be paid by the several Underwriters shall be 97.997% of the aggregate principal amount thereof.

 

Name of Underwriter   Aggregate Principal Amount of Securities
to be Purchased
 
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.   $ 56,250,000  
B. Riley Securities, Inc.   $ 3,750,000  
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.   $ 3,750,000  
Hovde Group, LLC   $ 3,750,000  
Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.   $ 3,750,000  
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.   $ 3,750,000  
Total   $ 75,000,000  

 

 

 

ANNEX A

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

[See Attached.]

 

 

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus dated November 19, 2021

Relating to Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated November 19, 2021 and

Prospectus dated June 11, 2019

Registration No. 333-231247

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

$75,000,000

4.00% Notes due 2026

 

PRICING TERM SHEET

November 19, 2021

 

The following sets forth the final terms of the 4.00% Notes due 2026 and should only be read together with the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 19, 2021, together with the accompanying prospectus, dated June 11, 2019, relating to these securities (the “Preliminary Prospectus”), and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus to the extent inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus. In all other respects, this pricing term sheet is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus. Terms used herein but not defined herein shall have the respective meanings as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus. All references to dollar amounts are references to U.S. dollars.

 

Issuer:   WhiteHorse Finance, Inc. (“WHF”)
   
Security:   4.00% Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”)
   
Rating (Egan-Jones)*:   BBB+
     
Aggregate Principal Amount Offered:   $75,000,000
     
Maturity Date:   December 15, 2026
   
Trade Date:   November 19, 2021
   
Settlement Date**:   November 24, 2021 (T+3)
     
Use of Proceeds   WHF intends to use all or substantially all of the net proceeds from this offering to repay amounts outstanding under its existing indebtedness, including its 6.50% Notes due 2025, to fund new investments in accordance with its investment objectives and strategies and for general corporate purposes. WHF will also pay operating expenses, including management and administrative fees, and may pay other expenses such as due diligence expenses relating to potential new investments, from the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes.
     
Price to Public (Issue Price):   The Notes will be issued at a price of 99.997% of their principal amount, plus accrued interest, if any, from November 24, 2021
     
Benchmark Treasury:   1.125% due October 31, 2026
   
Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield:   99-21 ¼ / 1.195%
   
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:   280.5 basis points
   
Yield to Maturity:   4.00%
   
Coupon (Interest Rate):   4.00%
   
Interest Payment Dates:    June 15 and December 15, commencing June 15, 2022
   
Offer to Repurchase upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event   If a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined in the Preliminary Prospectus) occurs prior to maturity, unless WHF has exercised its right to redeem the Notes in full, holders of the Notes will have the right, at their option, to require WHF to repurchase for cash some or all of the Notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the repurchase date.

 

 

 

Make-Whole Redemption:  

Equal to the greater of the following amounts:

 

•     100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, or

 

•     the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption) on the Notes to be redeemed, discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using the applicable Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date;

 

provided, however, that if WHF redeems any Notes on or after September 15, 2026 (the date falling three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price for the Notes will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of redemption

   
Denomination:   $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof
   
CUSIP:   96524V AB2
   
ISIN:   US96524VAB27
Underwriting Discount   2.00%
   
Book-Running Manager:   Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
     
Co-Managers  

B. Riley Securities, Inc.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

Hovde Group, LLC

Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

 

 

* Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

 

** WHF expects that delivery of the Notes will be made to investors on or about November 24, 2021, which will be the third business day following the date of pricing of the notes (such settlement cycle being herein referred to as “T+3”). Under Rule 15c6-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior to the second business day before delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle T+3, to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement. Purchasers of notes who wish to trade notes prior to the second business day prior to the date of delivery should consult their own advisors.

 

Investors are advised to carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of WHF before investing. The preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 19, 2021, and the accompanying prospectus, dated June 11, 2019, each of which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), contain this and other information about WHF and should be read carefully before investing.

 

 

 

The information in the Preliminary Prospectus and in this pricing term sheet is not complete and may be changed. The Preliminary Prospectus and this pricing term sheet are not offers to sell any securities of WHF and are not soliciting an offer to buy such securities in any state or jurisdiction where such offer and sale is not permitted.

 

WHF’s shelf registration statement is on file and has been declared effective by the SEC. The offering may be made only by means of a preliminary prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated November 19, 2021, the accompanying prospectus, dated June 11, 2019, and other documents WHF has filed with the SEC for more complete information about WHF and this offering. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, WHF, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus if you request it from: Raymond James & Associates, Inc., 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, FL 33716, email: prospectus@raymondjames.com, telephone: 800-248-8863.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

between

 

WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.

 

and

 

AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY, LLC,

 

Trustee

 

Dated as of November 24, 2021

 

THIS SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “Second Supplemental Indenture”), dated as of November 24, 2021, is between WhiteHorse Finance, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, trustee (the “Trustee”). All capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Base Indenture (as defined below).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of November 13, 2018 (the “Base Indenture” and, as amended and supplemented by this Second Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of the Company’s debt securities (the “Securities”) evidencing its unsecured indebtedness, to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to issue and sell $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 4.00% Notes due 2026 (the “Notes”);

 

WHEREAS, Sections 9.01(iv) and 9.01(vi) of the Base Indenture provide that, without the consent of Holders of the Securities of any series issued under the Indenture, the Company, when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental to the Base Indenture to (i) change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Base Indenture when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of a supplemental indenture that is entitled to the benefit of such provision and (ii) establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01 of the Base Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish the form and terms of the Notes and to modify, alter, supplement and change certain provisions of the Base Indenture for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes (except as may be provided in a future supplemental indenture to the Indenture (each, a “Future Supplemental Indenture”)); and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Second Supplemental Indenture to provide for the issuance of the Notes and all acts and things necessary to make this Second Supplemental Indenture a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company and to constitute a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done and performed.

 

 

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

TERMS OF THE NOTES

 

Section 1.01.       Terms of the Notes. The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:

 

(a)               The Notes shall constitute a series of Securities having the title “4.00% Notes due 2026” and shall bear a CUSIP number of 96524V AB2 and an ISIN number of US96524VAB27.

 

(b)               The aggregate principal amount of the Notes that may be initially authenticated and delivered under the Indenture (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration of, transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes pursuant to Sections 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06, 11.07 or 13.05 of the Base Indenture) shall be $75,000,000. Under a Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate pursuant to Board Resolutions or a Future Supplemental Indenture, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Notes, issue additional Notes (in any such case, “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity, CUSIP number and other terms as the Notes; provided that such Additional Notes must be part of the same issue as the Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes if represented by the same CUSIP number as the Notes. Any Additional Notes and the existing Notes shall constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Notes herein shall include the Additional Notes unless the context otherwise requires.

 

(c)               The entire Outstanding principal amount of the Notes shall be payable on December 15, 2026, unless earlier redeemed or repurchased in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture.

 

(d)               The rate at which the Notes shall bear interest shall be 4.00% per annum of the aggregate principal amount. The date from which interest shall accrue on the Notes shall be November 24, 2021, or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for; the Interest Payment Dates for the Notes shall be June 15 and December 15 of each year, commencing June 15, 2022 (provided, that if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the applicable interest payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the scheduled Interest Payment Date and no additional interest shall accrue as a result of such delayed payment); the initial interest period shall be the period from and including November 24, 2021 (or the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or provided for), to, but not including, the initial Interest Payment Date, and the subsequent interest periods shall be the periods from and including an Interest Payment Date to, but not including, the next Interest Payment Date or the Stated Maturity, as the case may be; the interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date, shall be paid to the Person in whose name the Note (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be June 1 and December 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on the Notes shall be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent, which shall initially be the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that in the case of Notes that are not in global form, at the option of the Company, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

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(e)               The Notes shall be initially issuable in global form (each such Note, a “Global Note”). The Global Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A to this Second Supplemental Indenture. Each Global Note shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the principal amount of Outstanding Notes represented thereby shall be made by the Trustee or the Security Registrar, in accordance with Sections 2.03 and 3.05 of the Base Indenture.

 

(f)                The depositary for such Global Notes shall be The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York. The Security Registrar with respect to the Global Notes shall be the Trustee.

 

(g)               The Notes shall be defeasible pursuant to Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture. Covenant defeasance contained in Section 14.03 of the Base Indenture shall apply to the covenants contained in Sections 10.08 and 10.09 of the Indenture.

 

(h)               The Notes shall be redeemable pursuant to Section 11.01 of the Base Indenture and as follows:

 

(i)                 The Notes shall be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time, or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, but not including, to the Redemption Date:

 

A.             100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, or

 

B.              the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date) on the Notes to be redeemed, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using the applicable Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points;

 

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provided, however, that if the Company redeems any Notes on or after September 15, 2026, the Redemption Price for the Notes shall be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the Redemption Date.

 

For purposes of calculating the Redemption Price in connection with the redemption of the Notes, on any Redemption Date, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

 

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Reference Treasury Dealer as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financing practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes being redeemed.

 

Comparable Treasury Price” means (1) the average of the remaining Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

Quotation Agent” means a Reference Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of (1) Raymond James & Associates, Inc. or its affiliates which are primary U.S. government securities dealers in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), and its successors and (2) three other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or its affiliates shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company shall select another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Quotation Agent, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Quotation Agent by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York City time on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield-to-maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding the redemption), assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.

 

The Redemption Price and the Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company.

 

All determinations made by any Reference Treasury Dealer, including the Quotation Agent, with respect to determining the Redemption Price shall be final and binding absent manifest error.

 

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(ii)              Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, or sent electronically in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary (as defined herein) with respect to Notes in global form, to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register.

 

(iii)            All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture. If the Redemption Price is not known at the time such notice is to be given, the actual Redemption Price, calculated as described in the terms of the Notes, shall be set forth in an Officer’s Certificate of the Company delivered to the Trustee no later than two Business Days prior to the Redemption Date.

 

(iv)             Any exercise of the Company’s option to redeem the Notes shall be done in compliance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.

 

(v)               If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Notes, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee on a pro rata basis to the extent practicable, or, if a pro rata basis is not practicable for any reason, by lot or in such other manner as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, and in any case in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary and in accordance with the Investment Company Act as directed by the Company. In the event of a redemption of any Note in part only, a new Note or Notes shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon the cancellation of the original Note; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Note not redeemed to less than $2,000.

 

(vi)             Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or portion of the Notes called for redemption hereunder.

 

(i)     The Notes shall not be subject to any sinking fund pursuant to Section 12.01 of the Base Indenture.

 

(j)     The Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(k)    Holders of the Notes shall not have the option to have the Notes repaid prior to December 15, 2026 other than in accordance with Article Thirteen of the Indenture.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

Section 2.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article One of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following defined terms to Section 1.01 thereof in appropriate alphabetical sequence, as follows:

 

Additional Notes” shall have the meaning provided in Section 1.01(b) of this Second Supplemental Indenture.

 

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Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are downgraded below Investment Grade by the Rating Agency on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that results in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by the Rating Agency); provided that a Below Investment Grade Rating Event otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in rating shall not be deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus shall not be deemed a Below Investment Grade Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Repurchase Event hereunder) if the Rating Agency making the reduction in rating to which this definition would otherwise apply does not announce or publicly confirm or inform the Company in writing that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control shall have occurred at the time of the Below Investment Grade Rating Event).

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following:

 

(1)   the direct or indirect sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation) in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Controlled Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than to any Permitted Holders; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, a pledge of assets pursuant to any secured debt instrument of the Company or its Controlled Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to be any such sale, lease, transfer, conveyance or disposition;

 

(2)   the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) (other than any Permitted Holders) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, measured by voting power rather than number of shares; or

 

(3)   the approval by the Company’s stockholders of any plan or proposal relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

 

Controlled Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Company, 50% or more of the outstanding equity interests of which are owned by the Company and its direct or indirect Subsidiaries and of which the Company possesses, directly or indirectly, the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies, whether through the ownership of voting equity interests, by agreement or otherwise.

 

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Depositary” means, with respect to each Note in global form, The Depository Trust Company, until a successor shall have been appointed and becomes such person, and thereafter, Depositary shall mean or include such successor.

 

Egan-Jones” means Egan-Jones Ratings Company, Inc. or any successor thereto.

 

Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the opinions and pronouncements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, which are in effect from time to time.

 

Investment Adviser” means H.I.G. WhiteHorse Advisers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Investment Grade” means a rating of BBB- or better by Egan-Jones (or its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Egan-Jones) (or if such Rating Agency ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the Company’s control, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any Rating Agency selected by the Company as a replacement Rating Agency).

 

Permitted Holders” means (i) the Company, (ii) one or more of the Company’s Controlled Subsidiaries and (iii) the Investment Adviser or an affiliate of the Investment Adviser that is organized under the laws of a jurisdiction located in the United States of America and in the business of managing or advising clients.

 

Rating Agency” means Egan-Jones; and if Egan-Jones ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” as defined in Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act selected by the Company as a replacement agency for Egan-Jones.

 

Significant Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act, as such regulation is in effect on the original date of this Indenture (but excluding any Subsidiary which is (a) a non-recourse or limited recourse Subsidiary, (b) a bankruptcy remote special purpose vehicle or (c) is not consolidated with the Company for purposes of GAAP).

 

Surviving Person” shall have the meaning provided in Section 8.01 of this Second Supplemental Indenture.

 

Voting Stock” as applied to stock of any Person, means shares, interests, participations or other equivalents in the equity interest (however designated) in such Person having ordinary voting power for the election of a majority of the directors (or the equivalent) of such Person, other than shares, interests, participations or other equivalents having such power only by reason of the occurrence of a contingency.

 

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Section 2.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article One of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the definitions of “Business Day” and “Subsidiary” in Section 1.01 thereof with the following:

 

Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in New York or the city in which the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the outstanding shares or other interests having voting power is at the time directly or indirectly owned or controlled by such Person or one or more of the Subsidiaries of such Person. Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to Subsidiary or Subsidiaries under this Indenture shall refer to Subsidiaries of the Company. In addition, for purposes of this definition, “Subsidiary” shall exclude any investments held by the Company in the ordinary course of business which are not, under GAAP, consolidated on the financial statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE III

SECURITIES FORM

 

Section 3.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Two of the Base Indenture shall be amended by adding the following new Section 2.04 thereto, as set forth below:

 

Section 2.04. Certificated Securities.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, Securities in physical, certificated form shall be issued and delivered to each person that the Depositary identifies as a beneficial owner of the related Securities only if:

 

(1)               the Depositary notifies the Company at any time that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary for the Securities in global form and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days;

 

(2)               the Depositary ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days; or

 

(3)               an Event of Default with respect to the Securities has occurred and is continuing and such beneficial owner requests that its Securities be issued in physical, certificated form.”

 

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ARTICLE IV
REMEDIES

Section 4.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (i) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(i) default in the payment of interest upon any Note when such interest becomes due and payable and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or”

 

Section 4.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (ii) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(ii) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note when it becomes due and payable at its Maturity, including upon any Redemption Date or required repurchase date; or”

 

Section 4.03. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (vi) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(vi)         a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

(A)    is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding, or

 

(B)    adjudges the Company bankrupt or insolvent, or approves as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company, or

 

(C)    appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

(D)    orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company,

 

and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and undischarged and in effect for a period of 90 days.”

 

Section 4.04. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (vii) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(vii) if, pursuant to Section 18(a)(1)(C)(ii) and Section 61 of the Investment Company Act, or any successor provisions, on the last business day of each of 24 consecutive calendar months, any class of Securities shall have an asset coverage (as such term is used in the Investment Company Act) of less than 100%, giving effect to any amendments to such provisions of the Investment Company Act or to any exemptive relief granted to us by the Commission; or”

 

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Section 4.05. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (viii) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(viii) default by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, with respect to any mortgage, agreement or other instrument under which there may be outstanding, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness for money borrowed in excess of $75 million in the aggregate of the Company and/or any such Significant Subsidiary, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created (i) resulting in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable or (ii) constituting a failure to pay the principal or interest of any such debt when due and payable at its stated maturity, upon required repurchase, upon declaration of acceleration or otherwise, unless, in either case, such indebtedness is discharged, or such acceleration is rescinded, stayed or annulled, within a period of 30 calendar days after written notice of such failure is given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding.

 

Section 4.06. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.02 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the first paragraph thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, then and in every such case (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(v) or 5.01(vi)), the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Notes may declare the principal of all the Outstanding Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the holders of the Outstanding Notes), and upon any such declaration such principal or specified portion thereof shall become immediately due and payable; provided that 100% of the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Outstanding Notes shall automatically become due and payable in the case of an Event of Default specified in 5.01(v) or 5.01(vi) hereof.”

 

Section 4.07. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.07 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (iii) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(iii) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;”

 

10

 

 

Section 4.08. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 5.12 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (iii) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(iii) the Trustee need not take any action that it determines in good faith might involve it in personal liability or be unjustly prejudicial to the Holders of Securities of such series not consenting (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such directions are unduly prejudicial to such Holders).”

 

ARTICLE V
COVENANTS

 

Section 5.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Ten of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 10.06 thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

Section 10.06. [RESERVED]

 

Section 5.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Ten of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 10.07 thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

Section 10.07. Waiver of Certain Covenants.

 

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any covenant or condition, as specified pursuant to Section 3.01(xv), for Securities of any series, in any covenants of the Company added to Article Ten pursuant to Section 3.01(xiv) or Section 3.01(xv) in connection with the Securities of a series, if before or after the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such covenant or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such covenant or condition shall remain in full force and effect.”

 

ARTICLE VI
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
 

Section 6.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Fourteen of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 14.03 thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“Section 14.03. Covenant Defeasance.

 

11

 

 

Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released, if specified pursuant to Section 3.01, from its obligations under any covenant, with respect to such Outstanding Securities on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 14.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”), and such Securities shall thereafter be deemed to be not “Outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to such Outstanding Securities, the Company may omit to comply with, and shall have no liability in respect of, any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such Section or such other covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 5.01(iv) or 5.01(viii) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby. Following a covenant defeasance, payment of such Securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default solely by reference to such Sections specified above in this Section 14.03.”

 

Section 6.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Fourteen of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Sections 14.04(i) thereof in their entirety with the following:

 

“(i) The Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 6.07 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Article Fourteen applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for the benefit of, and dedicated solely to, the Holders of such Securities, (A) an amount (in such Currency in which such Securities are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) or (B) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities, money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof in an amount, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (i) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Outstanding Securities on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities.”

 

12

 

 

Section 6.03. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Fourteen of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Sections 14.04(vi) and (vii) thereof in their entirety with the following:

 

“(vi) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to either the defeasance under Section 14.02 or the covenant defeasance under Section 14.03 (as the case may be) have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that either (i) as a result of a deposit pursuant to subsection (a) above and the related exercise of the Company’s option under Section 14.02 or Section 14.03 (as the case may be), registration is not required under the Investment Company Act by the Company, with respect to the trust funds representing such deposit or by the trustee for such trust funds or (ii) all necessary registrations under said Act have been effected.

 

(vii) [RESERVED]”

 

Section 6.04. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 14.05 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing the fourth paragraph thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“Anything in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in Section 14.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment bank, appraisal firm or firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article.”

 

Section 6.05. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 14.05 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by deleting the final paragraph thereof in its entirety.

 

13

 

 

ARTICLE VII
THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 7.01. Neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall be responsible for determining whether any Change of Control or Below Investment Grade Rating Event has occurred and whether any Change of Control offer with respect to the Notes is required.

 

Section 7.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 6.02 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing clause (v) thereof in its entirety with the following:

 

“(v) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of the Notes, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.”

 

ARTICLE VIII

OFFER TO REPURCHASE UPON A
CHANGE OF CONTROL REPURCHASE EVENT

 

Section 8.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Article Thirteen of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Sections 13.01 to 13.05 thereof in their entirety with the following:

 

Section 13.01. Change of Control.

 

If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company shall have exercised its right to redeem the Notes in full, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder of the Notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 principal amount there above) of that Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes repurchased to the date of purchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the Change of Control, the Company shall send a notice to each Holder and the Trustee describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date shall be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is sent. The notice shall, if sent prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice. The Company shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event.

 

14

 

 

To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 13.01, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 13.01 by virtue of such conflict.

 

On the Change of Control Repurchase Event payment date, subject to extension if necessary to comply with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

 

(1)   accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to its offer;

 

(2)   deposit with the Paying Agent by 11:00 am New York City time, an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

 

(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes being purchased by the Company.

 

The Paying Agent will promptly remit to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the purchase price for the Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate upon receipt of a Company Order and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes surrendered; provided that each new Note will be in a minimum principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

If any Repayment Date upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the required payment will be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest will accrue as a result of such delayed payment.

 

The Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes an offer in respect of the Notes in the manner, at the time and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and such third party purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.”

 

ARTICLE IX

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE OR TRANSFER

 

Section 9.01. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 8.01 in its entirety with the following:

 

Section 801. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

 

15

 

 

The Company shall not merge or consolidate with or into any other Person (other than a merger of a wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company into the Company) or sell, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property (provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, a pledge of assets pursuant to any secured debt instrument of the Company or its Subsidiaries shall not be deemed to be any such sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or disposition; and provided further that this Section 8.01 shall not apply to any sale, transfer, lease, conveyance, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s property to a wholly owned Subsidiary) in one transaction or series of related transactions unless:

 

(1) the Company shall be the surviving Person (the “Surviving Person”) or the Surviving Person (if other than the Company) formed by such merger or consolidation or to which such sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or disposition is made shall be a corporation or limited liability company or trust organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or territory thereof or the District of Columbia;

 

(2)     the Surviving Person (if other than the Company) expressly assumes, by supplemental indenture in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such Surviving Person, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, all the Outstanding Securities, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed by the Company;

 

(3)     immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction or series of related transactions, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

 

(4)     the Company shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction and the supplemental indenture, if any, in respect thereto comply with this Section 8.01, that all conditions precedent in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

For the purposes of this Section 8.01, the sale, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all the property of one or more Subsidiaries of the Company, which property, if held by the Company instead of such Subsidiaries, would constitute all or substantially all the property of the Company on a consolidated basis, shall be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all the property of the Company.”

 

Section 9.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 8.02 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 8.02 in its entirety with the following:

 

Section 802. Successor Person Substituted.

 

16

 

 

Upon any consolidation or merger, or any conveyance or transfer of the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety in accordance with Section 8.01, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the successor Person to which such conveyance or transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor had been named as the Company herein; and in the event of any such conveyance or transfer, the Company shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and may be dissolved and liquidated.”

 

ARTICLE X

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 10.01. In the event of any conflict between the terms relating to redemption set forth in Section 1.01(h) of this Second Supplemental Indenture and Article Eleven of the Base Indenture, the terms set forth in this Second Supplemental Indenture shall control.

 

Section 10.02. Except as may be provided in a Future Supplemental Indenture, for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes but no other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding, Section 11.03 of the Base Indenture shall be amended by replacing Section 11.03 in its entirety with the following:

 

Section 11.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed.

 

If less than all of the Securities are to be redeemed at any time, and the Securities are global Securities, the Securities to be redeemed will be selected by the Trustee in accordance with applicable Depositary procedures. If the Securities to be redeemed or repurchased are not global Securities then held by the Depositary, the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed (i) if the Securities are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Securities are listed, (ii) on a pro rata basis to the extent practicable or (iii) to the extent that selection on a pro rata basis is not practicable by lot or such other similar method the Trustee deems to be fair and appropriate from the Outstanding Securities of such series issued on such date with the same terms not previously called for redemption, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption date; provided that such method complies with the rules of any national securities exchange or quotation system on which the Securities are listed, and may provide for the selection for redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security not redeemed to less than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series.

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

 

17

 

 

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.”

 

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01. This Second Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. This Second Supplemental Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of the Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions. If any provision of the Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Section 318(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, the imposed duties will control.

 

Section 11.02. In case any provision in this Second Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 11.03. This Second Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same Second Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this Second Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Second Supplemental Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile, .pdf transmission, email or other electronic means shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.

 

Section 11.04. The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this Second Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this Second Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument with respect to the Notes. All provisions included in this Second Supplemental Indenture supersede any conflicting provisions included in the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes, unless not permitted by law. The Trustee accepts the trusts created by the Indenture, as supplemented by this Second Supplemental Indenture, and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Second Supplemental Indenture. All of the provisions contained in the Base Indenture in respect of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, and duties of the Trustee shall be applicable in respect of this Second Supplemental Indenture as fully and with like force and effect as though fully set forth in full herein.

 

Section 11.05. The provisions of this Second Supplemental Indenture shall become effective as of the date hereof.

 

18

 

 

Section 11.06. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, or stockholder of the Company shall have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Indenture or the Notes or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. By accepting any Note, each Holder shall have been deemed to waive and release all such liability, and such waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

Section 11.07. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the terms and provisions of this Second Supplemental Indenture shall apply only to the Notes and shall not apply to any other series of Securities under the Indenture and this Second Supplemental Indenture shall not and does not otherwise affect, modify, alter, supplement or change the terms and provisions of any other series of Securities under the Indenture, whether now or hereafter issued and Outstanding.

 

Section 11.08. The recitals contained herein and in the Notes, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Second Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Additional Notes, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Second Supplemental Indenture, authenticate the Notes and any Additional Notes and perform its obligations hereunder. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Notes or any Additional Notes or the proceeds thereof.

 

19

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Second Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first above written.

 

  WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.

 

  By: /s/ Joyson C. Thomas
  Name: Joyson C. Thomas 
  Title: Chief Financial Officer 

 

  AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER &
TRUST COMPANY, LLC, Trustee
   
  By: /s/ Paul H. Kim
  Name: Paul H. Kim
  Title: Asst. General Counsel

 

[Signature Page to Second Supplemental Indenture]

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A – Form of Global Note

 

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT AND SUCH CERTIFICATE ISSUED IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS CERTIFICATE IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO., OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

 

No. $
  CUSIP No. 96524V AB2
  ISIN No. US96524VAB27

 

4.00% Notes due 2026

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of                 dollars (U.S. $            ), or such other principal sum as shall be set forth in the Schedule of Increases or Decreases attached hereto, on December 15, 2026, and to pay interest thereon from November 24, 2021 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on June 15 and December 15 of each year, commencing June 15, 2022 (provided, that if an Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day in The City of New York, then the applicable interest payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day and no additional interest shall accrue as a result of such delayed payment), at the rate of 4.00% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be June 1 and December 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Company, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities of this series may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture. This Security may be issued as part of a series.

 

A-1

 

 

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security shall be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent, which shall initially be the Trustee, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; provided, further, however, that so long as this Security is registered to Cede & Co., such payment shall be made by wire transfer in accordance with the procedures established by the Depository Trust Company and the Trustee.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-2

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed.

 

Dated:

 

  WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.
   
   
  By:                     
  Name:
  Title:

 

Attested by:  
   
WHITEHORSE FINANCE, INC.  
   
   
By:                          
Name:  
Title:  

 

A-3

 

 

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Dated:

 

  AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER &
TRUST COMPANY, LLC, as Trustee
   
  By:                    

 

A-4

 

 

[BACK OF NOTE]

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.
4.00% Notes due 2026

 

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of November 13, 2018 (herein called the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Base Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Base Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered, as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture, relating to the Securities, dated as of November 24, 2021, by and between the Company and the Trustee (herein called the “Second Supplemental Indenture”; and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”). In the event of any conflict between the Base Indenture and the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture shall govern and control.

 

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $75,000,000. Under a Board Resolution, an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution or a supplemental indenture, the Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of Securities, issue additional Securities of this series (in any such case, “Additional Securities”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity, CUSIP number and other terms as the Securities, provided that such Additional Securities must be part of the same issue as the Securities for U.S. federal income tax purposes if represented by the same CUSIP number as the Notes. Any Additional Securities and the existing Securities shall constitute a single series under the Indenture and all references to the relevant Securities herein shall include the Additional Securities unless the context otherwise requires. The aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented hereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions.

 

The Securities of this series are subject to redemption in whole or in part at any time or from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of the following amounts, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the Redemption Date:

 

(a) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, or

 

(b) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of accrued and unpaid interest to the Redemption Date) on the Securities to be redeemed, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using the applicable Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points; provided, however, that if the Company redeems any Securities on or after September 15, 2026, the Redemption Price for the Securities will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the Redemption Date.

 

A-5

 

 

For purposes of calculating the Redemption Price in connection with the redemption of the Securities, on any Redemption Date, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

 

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield-to-maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding the redemption), assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date. The Redemption Price and the Treasury Rate will be determined by the Company.

 

Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Reference Treasury Dealer as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Securities to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financing practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Securities being redeemed.

 

Comparable Treasury Price” means (1) the average of the remaining Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Quotation Agent obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

 

Quotation Agent” means a Reference Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of (1) Raymond James & Associates, Inc. or its affiliates which are primary U.S. government securities dealers in the United States (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), and its successors and (2) three other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing or its affiliates shall cease to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company shall select another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Quotation Agent, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Quotation Agent by such Reference Treasury Dealer at 3:30 p.m. New York time on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

All determinations made by any Reference Treasury Dealer, including the Quotation Agent, with respect to determining the Redemption Price shall be final and binding absent manifest error.

 

Notice of redemption shall be given in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid or by overnight courier guaranteeing next-day delivery, or sent electronically in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary with respect to Notes in global form, to each Holder of the Securities to be redeemed, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, at the Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register. All notices of redemption shall contain the information set forth in Section 11.04 of the Base Indenture.

 

A-6

 

 

Any exercise of the Company’s option to redeem the Securities shall be done in compliance with the Investment Company Act, to the extent applicable.

 

If the Company elects to redeem only a portion of the Securities, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee on a pro rata basis to the extent practicable, or, if a pro rata basis is not practicable for any reason, by lot or in such other manner as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, and in any case in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary and in accordance with the Investment Company Act as directed by the Company. In the event of a redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof shall be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof; provided, however, that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security not redeemed to less than $2,000.

 

Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Redemption Price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Securities called for redemption.

 

Holders shall have the right to require the Company to repurchase their Securities upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event as set forth in the Indenture.

 

The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing (other than Events of Default related to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization as set forth in the Indenture), the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. In the case of certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization described in the Indenture, 100% of the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on the Securities shall automatically become due and payable.

 

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of security or indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

 

A-7

 

 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, shall be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company or Trustee may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

 

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

To the extent any provision of this Security conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

 

The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

A-8

 

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:    
 
(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:    
  (INSERT ASSIGNEE’S LEGAL NAME)  
     
  (Insert assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)  
     
  (Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)  

 

and irrevocably appoint _________________________ to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Date:

 

  Your
  Signature:  
  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)

 

Signature Guarantee*:

* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-9

 

 

OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

 

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 13.01 of the Indenture, check the box below:

 

¨ Section 13.01

 

If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 13.01 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased: $______________________________________

 

 

Date:

 

  Your
  Signature:  
  (Sign exactly as your name appears on the face of this Note)

 

  Tax Identification
  No.:          

 

Signature Guarantee*:

* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).

 

A-10

 

 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES AND DECREASES OF GLOBAL NOTE

The initial principal amount of this Global Note is $                      . The following increases and decreases to this Global Note have been made:

 

 

 

Date of Increase or Decrease Amount of Decrease in
Principal Amount at
Maturity
of this Global Note
Amount of Increase in
Principal Amount at
Maturity
of this Global Note
Principal Amount at
Maturity
of this Global Note
Following such
decrease (or increase)
Signature of
Authorized Signatory
of Trustee or DTC
Custodian
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

A-11

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

 

One International Place, 40th Floor
100 Oliver Street
Boston, MA 02110-2605

+1 617 728 7100 Main

+1 617 426 6567 Fax

www.dechert.com

 

 

November 24, 2021

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

1450 Brickell Avenue, 31st Floor

Miami, FL 33131

 

Re:       Registration Statement on Form N-2

 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to WhiteHorse Finance, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing of a registration statement on Form N-2 (Registration No. 333-231247) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on May 6, 2019 (the registration statement as of its most recent effective date, including the prospectus and the information deemed to be part thereof at the time of effectiveness, the exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by reference therein, being hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Registration Statement”) and the final prospectus supplement, dated November 19, 2021 (including the base prospectus filed therewith, the “Prospectus Supplement”), relating to the proposed issuance by the Company of $75,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.00% notes due 2026 (the “Notes”), to be sold to underwriters pursuant to an underwriting agreement, dated November 19, 2021 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company, H.I.G. WhiteHorse Advisers, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, H.I.G. WhiteHorse Administration, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Raymond James & Associates, Inc., as representative of the several underwriters set forth on Schedule A thereto. This opinion letter is being furnished to the Company in accordance with the requirements of Item 25 of Form N-2 under the Investment Company Act, and we express no opinion herein as to any matter other than as to the legality of the Indenture (as defined below) and the Notes.

 

The Notes are to be issued pursuant to the indenture, dated as of November 13, 2018 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the second supplemental indenture, dated as of November 24, 2021 (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee.

 

 

 

 

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

November 24, 2021

Page 2

 

In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have examined and relied on originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records and other instruments and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for rendering the opinions set forth below, including the following documents:

 

(i) the Registration Statement;

 

(ii) the Prospectus Supplement;

 

(iii) the Underwriting Agreement;

 

(iv) the Base Indenture;

 

(v) the Supplemental Indenture;

 

(vi) a specimen copy of the form of the Notes to be issued pursuant to the Indenture;

 

(vii) the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended to date;

 

(viii) the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company;

 

(ix) a certificate of good standing with respect to the Company issued by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as of a recent date; and

 

(x) resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) and resolutions approved by the pricing committee of the Board relating to, among other things, the authorization and issuance of the Notes.

 

As to the facts upon which this opinion is based, we have relied, to the extent we deem proper, upon certificates of public officials and certificates and written statements of agents, officers, directors, employees and representatives of the Company without having independently verified such factual matters.

 

In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as original documents and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. In addition, we have assumed (i) the legal capacity of natural persons who are signatories to the documents examined by us and (ii) the legal power and authority of all persons signing on behalf of the parties to such documents (other than the Company).

 

On the basis of the foregoing and subject to the assumptions and qualifications set forth in this letter, we are of the opinion that:

 

1. The Base Indenture constitutes the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

 

 

 

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

November 24, 2021

Page 3

 

2. When the Supplemental Indenture is duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, the Supplemental Indenture will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

3. When duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and delivered to the underwriters against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Notes will constitute the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

The opinions set forth herein are subject to the following assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions being true and correct at or before the issuance of the Notes:

 

(i) the Base Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each party thereto (other than the Company);

 

(ii) the terms of the Notes as established comply with the requirements of the Investment Company Act; and

 

(iii) the Notes have been duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the purchasers thereof.

 

The opinions set forth herein as to enforceability of obligations of the Company are subject to: (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or similar laws now or hereinafter in effect affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and by general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law) and the discretion of the court or other body before which any proceeding may be brought; (ii) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of, or contribution to, a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy; (iii) provisions of law which may require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in U.S. dollars; (iv) requirements that a claim with respect to any debt securities denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a judgment denominated other than in U.S. dollars in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law; and (v) governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States or in foreign currency or composite currency.

 

We express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any provision in any agreement or instrument that (i) requires or relates to payment of any interest at a rate or in an amount which a court may determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be commercially unreasonable or a penalty or forfeiture or (ii) relates to governing law and submission by the parties to the jurisdiction of one or more particular courts.

 

 

 

 

 

WhiteHorse Finance, Inc.

November 24, 2021

Page 4

 

The opinions expressed herein are limited to the federal laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We are members of the bar of the State of New York.

 

This opinion letter has been prepared for the Company’s use solely in connection with the Registration Statement. We assume no obligation to advise you of any changes in the foregoing subsequent to the date of this opinion.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on November 24, 2021 and to the reference to this firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Dechert LLP